EVENT PHOTOGRAPHY - PART 3

• Event Photography (Part 3) –

In Part 1 we looked at the origins of modern event photography, then last week in Part 2 we examined what it is about kiosk printers that makes them so suited for event photography.

This week in Part 3, PhotoWeek! continues by looking at what happened when some eventers realized they didn't have to chop the printer out of the kiosk. Read on. [expand story >>>]

You can turn ordinary photo kiosks into event systems, or you can assemble your own. An event system is a dedicated arrangement of hardware and software that some photographers put together to shoot their events with. It takes eventing to another level, moving up several gears from the one-man-and-his-laptop approach. Event systems are all about productivity, about maximizing speed and sales, and getting the most out of the limited selling-window available at events.

Event Systems usually comprise an event printer, and a computer front-end. They're often chopped-down photo kiosks. The computer typically is an all-in-one unit with an integrated touch-screen. It runs kiosk software, or a decicated productivity program like ExpressDigital DARKROOM.

Eventers use systems like this for a number of reasons. The simplicity and ease-of-use of photo kiosk software can enable an event photographer to deploy a number of crew-operated units, without have to spend too much time on training and familiarization.

The units typically have good presence, a distinctive appearance that forms a focal point, and they can help to differentiate the dedicated eventer from other photographers using less specialized equipment.

The operators are continually gesturing and pointing to the touch screen, showing customers images and helping them to make choices. All this activity, with a bit of showmanship, can enhance the system's effect as an attention grabber.

Ultimately, though, what an event system is really about is workflow. It's used to help to enable a good workflow. The software is often a dedicated workflow product like ExpressDigital DARKROOM. (Photo kiosk software can also be used, because it too enforces a set workflow.) Keeping to a good workflow provides a productivity advantage during an event. Experienced eventers have estimated this is worth several hundred pounds a night in extra takings.

Another take on the Event System concept is to pack a printer and computer together into a flight case and use the whole arrangement together as a single unit. In operation a flat-panel monitor is usually set up on top of the flight case with a keyboard and mouse. The computer is housed in the case, with the printer and spare media. It's all a bit like a photo kiosk pedestal, but ruggedized, and collapsible (or pack-up-able!) for portability.

Using a general purpose PC, instead of a photo kiosk terminal, allows a photographer to eschew standard kiosk interfaces for the more sophisticated workflow programs developed specifically for eventing. The prime example of this is ExpressDigital's excellent DARKROOM Professional.

Next week, in Part 4, we look at Portrait Printers, larger format dye-sublimation units with all the advantages of event printers, but at a bigger print size!

Related Stories:
photoweek/2008/05/event-photography-part-1
photoweek/2008/05/event-photography-part-2
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