Event photography can be one of the most lucrative gigs a professional photographer can have. With so many weddings, concerts, corporate parties, marketing conferences, charity balls, and other types of events happening constantly throughout the year, there’s definitely plenty of work to keep you busy.
This is especially true if you know how to market yourself and your business well. But as with any business that performs a service or sells a product, stellar marketing and effective branding won’t always be enough. Ask any business owner and they’ll tell you that the best way to get a steady stream of clients or customers is simply to deliver the best product or service you can.
In your case, as an event photographer, this means consistently producing the best pictures possible.
Obviously, this will take advanced camera skills, an artistic eye, and an instinctive knack for capturing remarkable moments as they happen—all of which you probably already possess. But there’s another factor that helps you take beautiful photos, and that’s the equipment you use to take them. If you’ve reached the height of your camera skills and you’re still not happy with your shots, it’s time to upgrade your event photography equipment.
If you already own a highly reliable camera, then the next priority should be the lenses.
What is event photography?
Event photography involves capturing photographic content at any sort of live event; this includes weddings, fashion shows, concerts, races, festivals, and more. The event photographer has countless options to choose from to find event gigs. Look to partner with PR agencies, local tourism boards, venues, or wedding planners. And, if you’re hoping to get a foot in the door, grab your camera and build a portfolio by photographing a local event to show you have the skillset.
What are the best event photography lenses?
An event photographer needs to be able to focus quickly and accurately to capture those fleeting moments, and that’s where the camera lens comes in. If you’re shooting an event with minimal lighting, it also helps to have a good lens that works well in low-light situations.
Prime or Zoom?
When it comes to choosing the best lenses for event photography, most photographers often face the dilemma of whether to invest in a prime or a zoom lens. But there is no clear answer, as both have their advantages and disadvantages when you’re shooting in the field.
Prime Lens Advantages
The biggest advantage of a prime over a zoom lens is better overall image quality. This is because prime lenses produce sharper results due to their simple construction, unlike zoom lenses that have more glass elements and moving parts. Since a zoom lens contains more elements to allow for a variety of focal lengths, this means the light entering the lens will have more glass to travel through before it can reach the camera’s sensor—which can affect the quality of the image. Primes, on the other hand, are a lot less complicated and are equipped with less glass elements, which means the light can travel to the sensor with less degradation.
Another advantage to prime lenses is that they are fast lenses. Their large maximum apertures make them perfect for tricky low-light situations, such as events where you may not be allowed to use your flash, or during concerts where you have very little ambient light to work with. This low-light capability also lets you use faster shutter speeds, which is extremely important when you’re trying to capture movements and fleeting moments.
Focusing is also easier and faster, as focus is heavily influenced by the amount of light the lens can gather.
Prime Lens Disadvantages
The most obvious disadvantage with a prime lens? It can’t zoom. You have only one focal length to work with, which can present some difficulty in situations where you aren’t free to move around to get closer or move farther from your subject. Having the option to zoom in or out is obviously important to an event photographer, especially when getting close to the subject or scene you’re photographing is impossible.
Zoom Lens Advantages
In event photography, adaptability is critical in many situations — and it’s where zoom lenses can truly shine. The biggest advantage with zooms is that they allow you to easily switch focal lengths and precisely frame your shots even in the most restrictive or difficult shooting situations. For instance, when you’re shooting a dance performance in a large theater or auditorium, zoom lenses allow you to follow the movements of the performers as they move from one point of the stage to the other without you having to run around the stage in an effort to get the best vantage point for each shot.
Apart from the flexibility, zoom lenses also help simplify your life in the sense that you won’t need to bring a whole bunch of lenses with you to shoot an event—although it’s always better to have a few backup lenses on hand. But if you’re in a pinch, one zoom lens with a wide range of focal lengths is all you need.
Zoom Lens Disadvantages
While primes are usually a photographer’s go-to lenses for optimum image quality, some professional zoom lenses can offer ultra-sharp images, thanks to their high-end optics. Therefore, depending on which zoom lens you’ll buy, image quality isn’t that big of a disadvantage.
One disadvantage, however, remains constant throughout all zoom lenses: slow maximum aperture. When there’s little to no lighting available and you can’t use your flash, a zoom lens won’t be of much help.
So is it better to get a prime or a zoom lens? Because of their flexibility, zoom lenses are an invaluable addition to an event photographer’s gear kit. On the other hand, a prime will get you through any lighting situation and give you better images, so you’d do well to add them to your event photography equipment list as well.
At the end of the day, it depends on the events you’ll be shooting. Every single event will present different lighting or shooting conditions that you’ll need to be prepared for—in which case, it’s best to have both types of lenses in your kit.
Features to look for in a lens for event photography
As you navigate the options for the best event photography lens, here are several event photography features to keep in mind:
Focal length
The focal length is critical for event photography. If you have too tight of a shot, it’s hard to paint the scene. But, if it’s too wide, images lose their luster and you may not be able to capture the more personal event vibe or emotion. And, at experiences like a concert, you might need a telephoto to shoot from afar. Long story short: Know the event, and how you’ll work as the event photographer, then choose your lens from there.
Image stabilization
Image stabilization is also essential because at most events, you’ll be dabbling into at least some, if not all, handheld shooting. With built-in image stabilization, you can rest assured you’ll retain the quality and sharpness, even with a bit of hand-shake. Without it, there’s a good chance your image quality will suffer, as even subtle shakes can make the images soft.
Aperture
An event photographer will also want a lens with a wide aperture to allow for bokeh and blurred backgrounds, especially for weddings, shows, and concerts. You want the photo viewers to know exactly where to look — the main subject — and a wide aperture helps you do that. Plus, a wider aperture gives you more flexibility to work in low-lit situations.
Auto focusing
Most events go by in a flash, so quick and effective autofocusing is critical. You’ll have to change your subjects, or follow them from scene to scene (or across the stage), and manually focusing throughout that process will inevitably lead to missed shots. That’s why any one of the best lenses for event photography will come with built-in autofocusing capabilities.
Best Event Photography Lenses
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sports
Sigma built its 70-200mm f/2.8 to be among the best event photography lens options — and its key features, from 10 low-dispersion glass elements to the fast f/2.8 aperture make this clear. The Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 comes with built-in image stabilization, as well as a dust- and splash-proof design, gorgeous bokeh capabilities, and a super multi-layer coating to reduce flare and ghosting.
Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens
The Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8 snagged a spot on our list of “best lens for event photography” options thanks in large part to its versatile 70-200mm focal range and the nine-blade aperture that delivers on dreamy bokeh. The RF 70-200mm lens comes with five stops of shake correction and a close-focus performance (2.3 feet) that makes it optimal for event detail shots, too.
Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 Lens
There’s a reason event photographers rave about the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 lens. This powerhouse of an event lens provides top-notch results without breaking the bank. It offers a fast f/2.8 aperture for bokeh and low-light shooting, not to mention precise autofocus features, close-up photography options, and a versatile focal range of 28-75mm, ideal for everything from wider-angle room shots to tighter portraits.
Nikon NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S Lens
The NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 is one of many event photography lenses in Nikon’s NIKKOR Z lineup. It provides stunning bokeh with an f/1.8 aperture. You can also feel safe knowing the impressively sharp autofocus will do the job—thanks in large part to the innovative eye-detection AF. This lens works just as well for video as it does photo, so you can alternate between the two for multimedia content.
Fujifilm XF 23mm f/1.4 R LM WR Lens
The Fujifilm XF 23mm f/1.4 is primed for everything from weddings to commercial shoots. Its f/1.4 aperture lets you direct the viewer’s eye with the subject in focus, and everything behind them blurred. Meanwhile, that 23mm focal length promises crisp image quality you can only get with a prime.
Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM (G Master) E-Mount Lens
The world is your oyster with the action-packed Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 lens. You can capture dance floors or full stadiums at the widest 16mm focal length, while also getting a bit tighter for portrait-style shots at 35mm. The lens boasts uncompromised corner-to-corner resolution so no detail is missed. Plus, its portable size makes it equally great for travel and closer-to-home events.
Sigma 35mm f/1.2 DG DN ART Lens
The Sigma 35mm f/1.2 does not skimp on image quality. This workhorse of a lens boasts lifelike prime-lens results, with a versatile focal length that lets you creatively capture the scene. Enjoy dazzling bokeh backgrounds thanks to a wide f/1.2 aperture, and rest assured this lens works splendidly in low light—ideal for concerts, weddings, and the like.
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens
The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 is a great event photography lens for day-of portraits. Use it to capture couples on wedding days, behind-the-scenes shots of the band before or after a concert, or models posing with the latest fashion finds after a show. This lens delivers sharp, editorial-style images that are sure to impress clients and followers. From the detail-abundant content to the lifelike images, the Canon EF 50mm is a great addition to your event photography kit.
Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM (G Master) E-Mount Lens
Another great event photography lens option is the Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 — especially if you’re capturing portrait-style images. The lens promises impressively high resolution with the new XA lens element. Its constant f/1.4 aperture also creates bokeh and blurred backgrounds that help the event-day subjects shine.
Nikon NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S Lens
The NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8 telephoto lens lets you work like a fly on the wall to capture the event as it unfolds, and in many cases, from a distance. The lens is packed with high-quality event photography features like an f/2.8 for gorgeous bokeh, with edge-to-edge sharpness and built-in aberration correction to guarantee the highest image quality possible.
