What is corporate photography?
Corporate photography is planned photography of a business for ongoing use: headshots and portraits of the team, the workplace, the products or services, and the pictures a website, a proposal and a press kit need.
It is built around control. The photographer chooses the location, sets the light, directs the subject and takes the time to get each picture right. The result is a set of images that represent the company for years.
For a business in Miami that might mean portraits of the partners, the team at work in the office, the storefront or the facility, and clean product pictures, all with one consistent look.
What is event photography?
Event photography is documentary photography of something that happens once: a conference, a launch, a gala or a company celebration. The photographer follows the event and captures the moments as they occur.
There is no second take of the keynote or the handshake. The skill is anticipation: knowing where the moment will be, being there first, and working with the light the venue gives.
The pictures serve the event afterwards: for sponsors, press, social media, the next edition's marketing and the company's own record. Our guide to corporate event photography in Miami covers that in detail, and our Events page shows how we cover events.
How does the planning differ?
Corporate photography is planned shot by shot, with a schedule of people and places. Event photography is planned around the program, with a list of must-have moments and freedom for everything else.
A corporate shoot works from a list: who is photographed, where, in what order, and what the picture is for. A walk-through decides the backgrounds and the light. Our article on creating a shot list applies to photography as much as to video.
An event shoot works from the run of show: arrivals, the stage, the awards, the sponsors' activations, the group photos the organiser has promised. Between those the photographer reads the room.
How does the pace on the day differ?
Corporate photography is slow and deliberate: a few setups, each refined until it is right. Event photography is continuous: hours of moving, watching and shooting with no pause button.
In a portrait session the photographer adjusts the light, the pose and the expression, and takes the time to put the subject at ease. In an event the photographer may cover a ballroom, a terrace and a stage within minutes, changing settings as the light changes.
Both are demanding in different ways, and photographers often specialise in one. A production team that does both assigns the right person to each.
How does the light and the gear differ?
Corporate photography usually brings its own light and shapes it. Event photography mostly works with the venue's light and uses small, fast equipment that does not get in the way.
Portable lights, modifiers and backdrops are normal on a corporate shoot. They are what make a conference room look like a studio. At an event, that equipment would block guests and slow the photographer down, so the approach is lighter and the camera settings do the work.
Our article on lighting, sound and gear explains the equipment side of productions more broadly.
How are the pictures used differently?
Corporate pictures are used for a long time in many places: the website, LinkedIn profiles, proposals, press and print. Event pictures are used intensively for a short time, then kept as a record and as material for the next edition.
That difference changes how the pictures are finished. Corporate portraits are individually retouched and delivered in sizes for web and print. Event pictures are selected and corrected as a consistent set for use across press, sponsor and social channels.
Both benefit from being planned alongside video. Our article on how video and photo work together explains why one shoot producing both saves effort and keeps the look consistent.
- Corporate: website pages, team profiles, proposals, press kits, print
- Event: sponsor reports, press, social media, the next event's marketing, the company record
Which one does your business need?
If the website, the proposals or the team profiles look dated, you need corporate photography. If you have a conference, a launch or a celebration coming up, you need event photography. Many businesses need both in the same year.
A practical approach is to book corporate photography once, refresh it when the team or the premises change, and book event photography for each event alongside the video coverage.
If you are in Miami or South Florida and are not sure which you need, book a call and describe where the pictures will be used. The use decides the kind of photography.
Frequently asked questions
- Can the same photographer do both?
- Some can, but the skills differ: control and direction for corporate work, anticipation and speed for events. A production team assigns the photographer whose strength fits the job.
- How long does a corporate photo session take?
- It depends on how many people and places are on the list. The plan sets a schedule so each person knows when they are needed and the rest of the office carries on.
- Do event photos need a shot list?
- A short one: the must-have moments, the group photos and the sponsor branding. Everything else is captured as it happens.
- How are the photos delivered?
- Corporate photos are individually retouched and supplied in web and print sizes. Event photos are selected and corrected as a set and shared in an online gallery.
- Can corporate photography be done during a video shoot?
- Yes, and it is the most efficient way to do it. The people, the places and the light are already set, so portraits are taken alongside the interviews.