Event Photography

Event Photography based in Watford, covering Hertfordshire and London

Most events take weeks to plan and a few hours to happen. By midnight the chairs are stacked and the room belongs to someone else again. What's left is what people remember, and the pictures.

I photograph events of every size, from birthdays in the pub to black-tie events at the New Zealand High Commission. I've shot stage productions and charity events too. If it's an event, I can shoot it.

If you organised it, you probably spent the night solving problems and missed most of it. The pictures show you what everyone else saw. And if it was a business event, they have work to do afterwards: on your website, and on next year's invitation.

What I photograph

Large or small, the job is the same: know what matters to you, and be in the right place when it happens.

A lot of my event work has been for New Zealand organisations and charities in London. I've also photographed plenty of live music, at venues from Wembley Arena to a Watford pub that hosted a four-day charity festival. Some of those pictures are in Down In Front.

If you're getting married, weddings have their own page.

Before the day

The shot list and the don'ts

Before the day, we agree a shot list: the people and moments you can't do without. That way you get the pictures you need, not just the ones I happened to like.

I'll also ask for a list of don'ts. Some events are sensitive. There may be things I'm not allowed to photograph, or a guest who'd rather nobody knew they were there. Some events are emotional, and if someone is in tears, you may want them left alone. I'd rather know all that before I arrive than find out with a camera in my hand.

How visible you want me

Some events need me to be invisible. At others, someone has to round up forty people for a group photo and get them all facing the same way. Tell me which you need, and that's who turns up.

The venue

If it's practical, I visit the venue beforehand to get a feel for the place and work out where to stand. On the night, I'm not wandering about looking for an angle while the speeches start.

On the day

I work through the shot list. In between, I'm taking candid pictures of your guests: the conversations, and the moments nobody planned.

It's always just me. I don't use a second photographer, so the person you brief is the person with the camera. On a big job I might bring someone to help carry the kit, but I take every picture myself.

Belt and braces

Your event only happens once, so I don't leave it to one memory card.

My cameras write every picture to two cards at once. If one card fails, the other still has the picture.

I always bring a second camera and plenty of charged batteries. If a camera gives up, I pick up the other one and carry on.

I carry public liability insurance, which some venues ask to see before they'll let a photographer in.

Your photographs

You get your pictures two ways.

A private online gallery lets you look through them and share them with the people who were there. Your guests can find themselves without anyone emailing round a hundred attachments.

You can also download every picture at full resolution, ready to print, from a password-protected page on my website. If you need versions sized for social media, a website or a design team, put it in the brief and that's how they'll arrive.

Most events are delivered within a few days to a week. If you need pictures sooner, for a press release or that night's social media, I can turn them round in hours at extra cost. The rush costs more. The quality stays the same.

Prices

£200 an hour

That's for every hour I'm working at your event, with a minimum booking of three hours. Travel time is charged at £100 an hour, and expenses such as train fares and parking are added on top.

It includes:

  • agreeing the shot list and the don'ts before the day
  • editing and colour-correcting every picture you receive
  • a private online gallery to share with your guests
  • full-resolution downloads from a password-protected page
  • versions sized for social media or the web, if you ask for them

Why an hour costs £200

Some people think £200 an hour is ludicrously expensive. If all I did was stand at the back of a room for sixty minutes, they'd be right.

But the hour you see is the smaller part of the job. The rest happens afterwards, at my desk, where nobody sees it.

A busy hour at an event can leave me with hundreds of pictures, and I look at every one. Anything blurred goes, and so does the fifth near-identical shot of the same handshake. The ones that stay are edited one at a time.

Venue lighting is rarely kind. A function room can be lit by several kinds of bulb at once, and each one turns skin a slightly different colour. I correct every picture until the faces look like faces and the room looks the way it felt.

Then they're exported, uploaded, checked again and sent to you.

For every hour I spend at your event, I spend about two more at my computer. So £200 pays for three hours of work: the one you see and the two you don't.

Smaller events

Three hours is more than some parties need. A few years ago, someone who'd seen my pictures on Flickr asked if I'd photograph his birthday party in a Watford pub. I was already in town with my camera that day, so I stayed on after my other job, and we agreed a price that worked for both of us.

If your event is small, get in touch anyway. Tell me what's involved and what you can spend, and I'll see what I can do.

Where I work

I'm based in Watford and photograph events across Hertfordshire and London, including St Albans, Hemel Hempstead, Rickmansworth, Bushey, Radlett and Borehamwood.

I'll travel further too. Tell me where your event is and I'll work out the travel with you.

Reviews

I don't put reviews on my own website, because they're too easy to invent. You'll find genuine ones on Google, where I can't edit them.

Questions

How many photos will I get?
It depends on how long your event runs and how much happens. Either way, I aim to cover everything on your shot list.

Can you photograph every guest?
Yes. I've done it at events for a couple of thousand people. It takes longer to shoot and longer to edit, so mention it when you book and I'll tell you how long it will take.

Can we use the pictures for publicity?
Yes, however you like, and there's no extra licence fee, whether they end up on your website or in a newspaper.

How far ahead should we book?
As early as you can. I can only be at one event at a time.

Check your date

Send me the date and the venue, and tell me what the pictures are for. I'll come back to you with availability and a price.

Contact me.

Man in a suit and tie and a woman in a navy jacket smiling together at an evening party
Three guests holding drinks and smiling at an evening party, one in a red dress
Guest in a black and white jacket standing beside a New Zealand flag at a reception
Three guests smiling at a party, one holding a book called Bread
Singer in black tie and a white scarf holding a microphone at a formal evening event
Māori performer with moko and a feather in his hair, wearing a piupiu flax skirt, performing in front of a drum kit
Group of friends squeezing into a wide-angle photo at a party, one in a black New Zealand rugby shirt
DJ in headphones playing a set under pink lights
Smiling guest in a patterned blouse at a daytime reception, with windows behind her
Comedian in a baseball cap performing stand-up on a blue-lit stage
Singer in a black corset and gloves serenading a laughing guest in a dinner jacket at his table
Black and white photo of a man in a dinner suit performing a haka at a formal dinner
Two women smiling together at a drinks reception
Three guests smiling on a terrace at night under string lights
Two young guests smiling at a party, one in a black shirt with a silver fern
Speaker wearing a medallion reading a speech at a microphone, with a Christmas tree behind her
Two guests smiling at a busy evening reception, a woman in a black top and a man in a grey jacket
Black and white photo of guests chatting and eating canapés at a drinks reception
Three guests smiling at a reception, one holding a gift basket wrapped in cellophane
Māori performer with moko blowing a conch shell trumpet
Tuba player in a spiked helmet and checked shirt playing at a party
Group of Māori performers in traditional dress with moko, performing on stage
Singer in black tie walking between the tables with a microphone at a ballroom dinner
Man in black tie giving a speech into a microphone at a formal dinner
Woman in a black jacket and cap with a pink patterned skirt posing playfully in a brass-framed doorway
Eight colleagues in business dress posing on a rooftop terrace, with the London Eye in the distance
Three women in party face paint hugging and laughing
Māori performer with moko, a black feather cape and a carved pendant
Guest in a Dalmatian fancy-dress costume adjusting her glasses in front of cobweb decorations
Older man and woman laughing together beside a platter of food at a reception
Smiling Māori performer with moko kauae, a patterned headband and a carved pendant
Māori performer with moko kauae and a patterned headband, seen in profile on a blue-lit stage
Three women in dirndls dancing at an Oktoberfest-style party
Man in an elf hat and glasses pulling a face with joke vampire fangs
Six friends posing together at a night-time party
Māori performer in a piupiu flax skirt blowing a conch shell trumpet on a purple-lit stage
Three women smiling at a reception, one holding a glass of champagne, with the city behind them
Musician singing and playing a keyboard by a large window at a daytime event
Portrait of a smiling woman with long brown hair against a dark background
Three guests at a Christmas party, with a decorated tree behind them
Man in military dress uniform with gold sleeve stripes standing at a lectern
Guest in a tartan costume with fake scratches on her face, holding a bottle of beer
Smiling woman with a bald man leaning in beside her at a party
Māori performer with moko kauae pulling a pūkana, the wide-eyed expression of kapa haka, with poi at her waist
Guest in a purple dress and a Santa hat laughing at a Christmas party
Three people in business dress with name badges holding gifts and smiling at a daytime event
Woman wearing a medallion speaking into a handheld microphone
Four women holding beach balls beside an inflatable palm tree at a beach-themed party
Black and white photo of a young man in a suit with spiky bleached hair holding a folded programme
Woman in a red dress holding a glass of champagne at an evening reception
Woman in glasses speaking into a microphone at an evening event
Woman speaking into a microphone while another guest holds up a bottle of wine at a daytime event
Black and white photo of a kapa haka group of Māori performers with poi
Black and white photo of a smiling woman posing through an empty picture frame
Smiling woman with a name badge holding a drink and a gift box at a reception
Four guests smiling together at a daytime reception
Singer standing above the tables in a candlelit ballroom while dinner guests clap along
Woman with her hand on her forehead laughing at a lively party
Black and white photo of a woman laughing in conversation at a reception
Three men in suits chatting and smiling at an evening reception
Singer playing an acoustic guitar on a green-lit stage
Guests lounging in pod chairs under purple lights, seen from above
Woman drinking from a bottle beside a grey-haired man at a drinks reception
Guests holding hands and dancing in a circle at a party under purple lights
Māori women performers with moko kauae and poi singing on a blue-lit stage
Singer in black tie singing into a microphone at a formal evening event
Guests listening to a speech in a function room with floor-to-ceiling windows over the city
Man in black tie wearing a medal, speaking into a microphone and holding his notes
Five guests with name badges smiling with drinks at a daytime reception
Close-up of a singer in black tie singing into a microphone
Two women smiling together at an evening party
Smiling woman in a scarf holding a drink beneath red, white and blue balloons
Guests in a crowd holding up their phones to take pictures
Singer and guitarist performing on a rooftop terrace with the city skyline behind
Drummer playing a red drum kit in a candlelit room
Couple in evening wear, a man in black tie and a woman in a silver dress, in front of gold patterned wallpaper
Crowded room of guests mingling at a daytime reception
Two women smiling together, one with bright red hair, at an evening reception
Guest in rag-doll face paint with painted stitches around her mouth
Four guests at an Oktoberfest-style party, two men in lederhosen and checked shirts
Man in black tie wearing a medal, smiling as he speaks into a microphone
Singer in a white shirt and striped waistcoat dancing with a woman in a 1920s flapper dress on stage
Four guests smiling at a reception, one holding up an envelope
Guest in a blue ball gown made to look like the TARDIS from Doctor Who
Four guests posing together at an evening reception, one wearing a chain of office
Large crowd packed into a dark hall at an evening event
Four people on stage at a formal evening event, one speaking at a clear lectern
Man in glasses and a striped shirt with his arm round a smiling woman holding a glass of champagne
Three guests holding glasses of red wine at an evening drinks event
Older man in a suit chatting with a woman in a floral dress over drinks
Performers on a blue-lit stage beneath a big screen, with an audience watching in a marquee
Nine people holding purple gifts, posing in a line at a daytime event
Older woman laughing with a glass of red wine while talking to a friend
Man giving a thumbs up, with a carved pendant over his tie, beside a smiling woman in a floral dress
Group of friends posing on a purple-lit dance floor, photographed from above with a wide-angle lens
Guests holding drinks and watching a speech at a daytime reception
Young chef in a red striped apron serving a tray of fried food in a kitchen
Four guests at a Christmas party, one wearing reindeer antlers
Black and white photo of a woman in an evening gown speaking at a microphone, holding a folder
Two men reading from song sheets at an evening party
Singer in black tie raising his arm to the crowd on a small stage
Smiling woman in glasses wearing a poppy, in front of a mountain lake backdrop
Three women posing beside a New Zealand flag, one holding a rugby biography
Man in a red tie and a woman wearing a medallion smiling beside a New Zealand flag
Māori performer with moko kauae and a feathered headband, resting her chin on her hand
Man in a dinner suit and red bow tie arm in arm with two women at a reception
Man in military dress uniform with gold sleeve stripes smiling at a lectern
Woman holding up a bottle of New Zealand beer
Smiling woman in a dirndl at an Oktoberfest-style party
Guests unveiling a painted portrait on an easel at a Christmas party
Kapa haka group performing on stage at a New Zealand community event
Two women in dirndls smiling under flag bunting at an Oktoberfest-style party
Friends posing on a purple-lit floor, photographed from above
Young man in a pink jumper showing friends something on his phone at a bar
White-haired woman in a magenta blouse reading a speech at a microphone
Couple dancing together at an evening party
Man and woman holding a bottle of wine beside a painting on an easel
Three guests chatting with bottles of beer by a window overlooking the city
Four guests in smart dress with flower corsages holding drinks by a window
Two women smiling cheek to cheek at an evening party
Three women at a Christmas party, one holding a gift bag and looking delighted
Black and white photo of guests deep in conversation at a crowded reception
Four guests smiling together at a daytime reception
Three women smiling with glasses of champagne at a daytime reception
Laughing woman wearing a poppy and a greenstone pendant by a window overlooking the city
Man in a striped blazer and a woman posing on a rooftop, with the London Eye and the city behind them
Māori performer with full facial moko pulling a pūkana, tongue out, during a haka
Two women laughing together, one holding a silver gift bag
Kapa haka group in traditional Māori dress singing in a ballroom
Black and white photo of a man in black tie speaking into a microphone
Three guests smiling, one holding a presentation box
Guests chatting under twinkling lights at a night-time party
Two Māori performers with moko performing a haka on stage
Two women smiling, one holding a bottle of sparkling wine
Man in black tie speaking into a microphone at an evening event
Three guests with drinks at an evening party
Guests chatting and eating snacks at an evening party
Woman in tiger face paint and a flower lei making claws with her hands
Three people at a raffle draw, one with a microphone, one holding a bottle of wine and one a bowl of tickets
Man in a white shirt posing with two women in evening dresses
Two Māori performers in piupiu flax skirts performing a haka on stage
Man in a grey check jacket wearing a medallion, posing with a woman in a floral blouse
Guests mingling in a grand wood-panelled hall lit by chandeliers
Woman in a Santa hat holding out a plate of Christmas treats
Māori performer with facial moko and a feather cape, seen in profile
Black and white photo of an older couple smiling at an evening event
Woman in a red jacket biting into a canapé while holding a glass of wine
Woman hugging a guest in tiger face paint at an outdoor event
Kapa haka performer with full facial moko pulling a wide-eyed pūkana
Guests seated at tables listening to a talk in a room with big windows over the city
Guests chatting with drinks at an evening reception
Guests in smart dress standing and listening at a reception by large windows
Chef in whites speaking at a clear lectern
Two adults and a young man in a tie smiling in front of a New Zealand flag
Party in full swing beneath a green chandelier and a starry ceiling, with guests on sofas below
Group in evening wear on stage, one holding an award plaque
Man with wet hair holding an apple in his teeth
Three women smiling, one holding a gift box wrapped in green and purple
Four guests in evening wear posing together in a ballroom
Wide view of a busy ballroom dinner, with guests standing among round tables under purple lighting
Black and white photo of a woman sitting sideways on her chair at a dinner table
Four guests pulling faces for the camera, one in a black New Zealand rugby shirt
Man in a checked shirt giving a talk by a window, with the city lit up at night
Two women smiling by a window overlooking the city, one wearing a medal
Man and woman dancing in front of a New Zealand flag
Three women smiling together at a daytime event
Singer with an acoustic guitar performing in front of a window, with the city skyline behind
Man and woman wearing poppies, smiling together at a reception
Māori performer with moko kauae raising her fist during a haka, with another performer behind
Guests in lederhosen and a dirndl raising their beers at an Oktoberfest-style party
Four guests smiling at a reception, one holding a card
Guests in Bavarian costume singing from song sheets
Tattooed singer playing an electric guitar in a small venue
Dancers performing on a purple-lit stage in front of an audience
Man wearing a chain of office and a poppy, holding his notes at a reception
Four women laughing and hugging at a party, one in a dirndl
Couple in evening wear, a woman in a silver satin dress and a man in black tie
Two women at a lectern, one reading from her phone into the microphone, the other holding a gift box
Three friends smiling together at an evening reception
Guests chatting over glasses of wine in warm, low light
Four guests posing together at an evening reception, two of the women in orange
Three guests in evening wear posing with an award at a black-tie dinner
Three women smiling by a window, one holding a bag of sweets
Black and white photo of guests looking out over the city from a rooftop terrace, with the London Eye in the distance
Three women smiling together at a daytime reception
Woman in a felt hat and red lederhosen eating a snack with a glass of wine
Three guests posing together, one holding a jar
Guitarist playing a white electric guitar on a stage lit green and purple
Man in glasses speaking into a microphone while a woman beside him laughs
Five guests in evening wear posing together at a reception
Singer in black tie serenading a laughing guest at a dinner table
Man in a black shirt and red tie and a smiling woman in front of a New Zealand flag
Māori women performers with poi dancing on a ballroom floor
Two women in blue evening gowns smiling with glasses of white wine
Four guests in black tie and evening dress standing in a line at a formal reception
Māori women performers with poi singing on an outdoor stage
Man in a checked shirt laughing and clapping beside a Christmas tree
Man pulling an exaggerated wide-eyed grin at the camera
Woman speaking at a microphone beside a painted portrait on an easel
Woman in a sparkly dress speaking into a microphone on stage, with a man in black tie beside her
Four guests in evening wear in front of gold patterned wallpaper
Māori performers with moko, with a woman wearing moko kauae in front
Woman pulling a wide-eyed face for the camera, holding a glass of wine
Man standing in front of a large screen showing a pub's logo
Māori performer with facial moko, a feather cape and a carved pendant, raising one hand
Group of guests, some in dirndls, posing together at an Oktoberfest-style party
Māori performer with moko kauae raising both arms, with poi at her waist
Group in evening dress on stage, with one man at a clear lectern
Man speaking at a wooden lectern with a New Zealand silver fern emblem, with a woman beside him
Close-up of a red-haired woman taking a bite of a pastry
Woman in a sequinned top holding up a bottle of New Zealand beer
Two women in black dresses on a rooftop terrace overlooking the city
Māori women performers with moko kauae and poi, eyes wide in a pūkana
Three women at a Christmas party, one holding up an art print
Couple holding up a large pie beside a Christmas tree
Couple posing together, a woman in a navy dress and a man in a waistcoat and tie
Singer in black tie singing into a microphone
Man in a green jacket and lederhosen slapping his knee beside two guests, in front of New Zealand flags
Three men in suits smiling together, one holding a bottle of beer
Laughing woman in Union Jack leggings pulling a tartan shopping trolley at an outdoor event
Comedian in a New Zealand rugby shirt and cap performing stand-up on a blue-lit stage
Māori performer with moko kauae and poi, arms outstretched, in front of other performers
Two women in fur stoles posing in front of gold patterned wallpaper
Man and woman smiling together at an evening reception
Kapa haka group performing on a dimly lit stage in front of a big screen
Three people with name badges posing together, one holding a microphone, at a daytime event
Six guests posing around a painted portrait on an easel at a Christmas party
Māori performer with moko kauae and a feathered headband mid-performance
Black and white photo of a woman in a strapless gown speaking at a clear lectern
Woman in a floral dress holding a gift basket beside a laughing man in a bow tie
Three guests posing together at an evening event, one holding a bottle of beer
Guests dancing on a ballroom floor, one woman in a red dress
Man wearing a chain of office standing in a wood-panelled room
Two men smiling at an outdoor summer drinks party, one in a striped shirt
Māori performer with moko kauae, a feathered headband and poi, hands on her hips
Black and white portrait of a young woman with long hair under twinkling lights
Man in a checked shirt and a woman wearing a medal smiling together
Black and white photo of a singer in a slip dress performing in a grand room
Black and white photo of four women posing together at a party
Man in a blue suit and a woman in a blue dress at an evening reception
Guest dressed as a witch, with a grey wig and green face paint, pulling a snarl
Three guests posing at a reception, one holding a book called Pie
Kapa haka group performing a haka on stage in front of a sponsor's banner
Black and white photo of two women smiling together, one wearing a medallion
Woman speaking into a microphone as a painted portrait is unveiled at a Christmas party
Three women in evening dresses smiling with glasses of champagne
Crowd cheering with their arms in the air under a starry ceiling
Three guests posing together, one holding up a colourful print
Man in a leather jacket and a woman in glasses smiling together
Four guests at a Christmas party, one holding a gift hamper