Which event photographers shoot the largest events in the UK

[FCP]

I am always looking to streamline my processes when eventing and I often speak to someone from the US called Brian. He shoots some massive events, sometimes using over 100 viewing stations! Which company supports the largest events in the UK.

[FCP]

DEPhoto?

[Gary_Evans]

No.

You asked who shoots the largest events. DE have probably the biggest market presence overall - because they are a franchise operation who shoot lots of events big and small.

Of the top of my head, the largest public participation event I can think of that uses a professional photography service is the London Marathon, and I as far as I am aware, all these images are sold either via the web or by direct mail. The photographers at the Brit Awards printed out (I think) 4500 prints in about 4 hours. The number of prints is more important than the number of viewing stations

Just because a photographer uses 100 viewing stations doesnt automatically make it a large event, the same as using just a few doesnt neccessarily make it a small event. As an example, last year I shot a football tournament with over 2800 kids playing, which was billed as the largest event of its kind in the UK. We used 3 view stations and this was plenty for this particular event.

All businesses need to produce a ROI, and the investment required for 100+ viewing stations is huge, in both equipment and manpower needed to service the orders they should produce. After all if they are not all producing 100 paying customers at the same time then they are not viable.

As an aside, on other forums I read (including one dedicated to event photography) no one is claiming to use more than 60 viewing stations - so maybe someone is pulling your chain? ;):lol::lol:

[FCP]

As an aside, on other forums I read (including one dedicated to event photography) no one is claiming to use more than 60 viewing stations - so maybe someone is pulling your chain?

I don't think so, i have seen a photos. This guy is in the US though and travels around with a truck full of gear. Not sure it’s right to post a link to another photography forum on here but search the FM forums for the phrase Hammy. This guy covers event with over 5000 participants, thats large to me

I have spoken to this guy many times and he has a similar IT background to me. He is very knowledgeable and seems to know what he is talking about.

Who in the UK uses up to 60 viewing stations?

I would agree that the number of sales it more important that the number of viewing stations. Lunch times are always the busiest for events we attend. If you lose any customers because there don't want to wait for a viewing station to become free, you have lost business. If you multiply this problem across a number of events you would be able to justify the extra stations. The problem for me is usually that we only have a set amount of space at events, especially if we want to be in a prominent position. I have not yet been in a position where I needed or had space for more than 8 viewing stations. We have 12 in total but this is so we can cover two events on one day. I looking to get an event that may justify more work stations and if it works out I will make sure I have a 3 year contract for the event so I can justify the extra cost.

[Gary_Evans]

Who in the UK uses up to 60 viewing stations?

No-one that I am aware of. Gives you the chance to be the first :cool:

[FCP]

I am not going to buy them for the sake of it. I would have justify them to myself (and the wife) before buying anymore. They don't cost much but i will not buy them if i don't need them.

How did you manage 2800 potential customers with only 3 viewing stations? How many orders did you take on the day if you don’t mind me asking? PM me if you don’t want it public knowledge.

[Gary_Evans]

Simple - they dont all come at the same time and its doesnt take us long to close a sale and move on to the next person

[DarrenL]

I can't offer much advice but I've seen some of Hammys setups as well. He covers some of the biggest Gymnastics tournaments in the US with 10,000s entrants. The scale is huge and like Gary said the manpower need is immense.

Darren

[FCP]

Gary, do you print onsite?

Hi Darren, do you use viewing stations yourself?

[DarrenL]

I don't do much event work at all to be honest. I'm cover more editorial, newspapers etc.

However when I have done event work in the past, there has only ever been 1 viewing station for the public to buy. I've done some large international events and 1 viewing station worked okay. More would have been better but 1 was okay. One event phographer I know has no viewing stations and uses just online sales.

I don't really get to deal with the public or deal with orders, my primary roles was as a photographer.

Darren

[FCP]

With only one viewing station you must get queues. If you have queues you will lose customers. At busy periods you need enough viewing stations so there are only every one or two people waiting (and some would say that’s too many).

I love the photography, selling to the public, refining work flow, developing the viewing stations and editing and printing. Unfortunately, you can not do everything so as well as everything you have to master the art of delegation.

[blackshadow]

Noone in their right mind is going to have one viewing station per hundred potential clients; it's simply uneconomical.

[DarrenL]

The number of stations you require also greatly depends on what the public can do on them.

Are they just for viewing or can they order and maybe pay (via credit card)? How many printers do you have?

As an example, if you had 25 stations with local printers and the ability to pay by credit card (with Chip and Pin) there is minimal intervention required (unless something goes wrong). However the initial outlay on printers, ink paper, card reader technology etc.) If you had 50 stations for viewing ability only and the public then take their choices (written on a piece of paper?) to the single checkout staff to pay and collect you have a bottle neck but it allows more people to check photos. But 50 pc's and a high spec single server will set you back a fair amount.

I'll add I have no experience of running an event business, I'm just thinking out loud :)

There are so many ways of doing things, everyone approaches things differently. What will work for one person/business may not work for another.

Darren

[FCP]

Your efforts should be concentrated on get the sale as efficiently as possible. Once this is done you should get the prints to the customers as soon as possible.

If takes the customer time to locate and choose which photos they want. It then takes them one or two minutes to fill in an order form. It takes seconds to take the cash or process the cc card. If there are no viewing stations free and there is a queue, you may lose the sale.

[FCP]

Blackshadow, does that mean that you would have less then 1 viewing station per 100 competitors?

[Gary_Evans]

Gary, do you print onsite?

Depends on the event. I dont have any hard or fast rules

[Gary_Evans]

Having had a look at your website to see what you do, and therefore get an idea of your marketplace I have a couple of observations.

1. Your events are dotted about all over the place which will make transporting a large amount of view stations a logistical nightmare,
2. My son participates in martial arts events. Most of the time when he competes neither myself or my wife are there, and its usually parents who buy event photos.

I also had a brief look at photos from the Olympic qualifying event in Manchester last September, and dont see where you would put multiple viewstations, however best of luck in making it work

[FCP]

Gary, don't even start with my web site. Last year while I had a full time IT job (with oncall), a martial arts club to run, several other web site to look after and the photography business to run part time, I needed to get something up and running ASAP. Ashamedly, the web site you have seen is the result. I only finished my full time job at the end of last year so I am still catching up. The template I use for the web site has great functionality but I need to spend a week or so on it to bring the photography side up to date. I also have a mountain of photos to process to put on the site.

I have some promotional work to do for the martial arts club and some events to book that we did last year and after this I will take another look at the web site. As I had students at many of the events last year, shooting the events gave me chance to develop a small business while keeping an eye on both my students and my coaches. This year however, we will not be attending any events that were not profitable last year. I think of last year as a test drive. This year we will be expanding into other martial arts and indoor sports.

Most of the events we booked this year will be within 2 hours drive. You are right about some of the competitions we have covered, parents do not attend some of the larger ones as the students sometimes travel as a team.

On your last point, we attended the Olympic Qualifiers as press. If we had of covered the Qualifiers as official eventers we would have had to have the viewing stations around the top of the stadium with the other vendors. One of our friends runs the franchise for Daedo UK (I also rung their web site). As they where the official sponsor they had a retail outlet around the top of the stadium. Having spoken to him after the event I know that they did not make any money from the event and I am sure it would have been a problem for our card runners going up and down the stairs all day :)

I forgot to mention I also have a wife and 12 month old daughter that I set time aside for, hence the timing of this post :) I also go to the gym three times a week as I am in training for my next Dan grade in Taekwondo, which I was due to take last year. As I may have a large event to cover on the weekend of the next Dan grading I may have to wait until September. Its been over 4 years since my last grading so I am not in any hurry.

That’s enough reading, posting, emailing and designing from one night.

[Gary_Evans]

That’s enough reading, posting, emailing and designing from one night.

at 1.11am? Too True!!!