Develop a strong concept
Obviously, this is planning work you’ll have to do in advance. A fully developed and appropriate concept is the foundation of success for your photocall. What are your key media messages, and how are they related to your event? Determine who your audience is and what you want the pictures to achieve. What story do you want to tell, and how will the pictures be used?
Cater to different channels
The concept of your photocall should allow for this difference in style – and your photographer needs to be in on it, too. Their creative process begins before the actual event as well, so discuss ideas in advance. Give your photographer enough creative freedom, but also agree to a number prearranged shots and a few set ideas to provide structure to the shoot.
Manage expectations
Explain the concept of your photocall in advance and make sure attendees understand it and what is expected of them, as well as how much of their time it will take. Find a creative way to make people opt into the sharing of their picture.
Create an experience
Take flattering and fun pictures of your event attendees. These are great for status updates about your event – make sure to identify event speakers or celebrities. It will also allow attendees to comment and leave feedback on your event. If you have a repeating event, you should of course use previous material for promoting your upcoming event.
Reuse and rehash content
Collect the content your attendees generate and reuse it – for a video, a picture story of your event, a time-lapse animation or a digital photo wall. Again, make it easy as pie to reshare this spun content to get people closer to your brand and reach customers through emotions and humor. Viral videos and content is shared first with friends, so your content should cater to that.
Timing is everything
Especially if your photocall is part of your event and not an isolated happening, ensure that the timing suits everyone – at least the people you want to target, as well as your photographer. Your photocall should happen in advance of speeches and presentations or during a scheduled break so curious attendees can stop by.
Caption your images
Great captions can grab the attention of your audience, compliment the image and provide context or branding. However, don’t weigh down your pictures with dreary text. Keep it short and concise and use different captions for different channels, depending on your targeted audience.
Spread the word
Segment the audience of your photocall and reach out to them accordingly. Draw up a media list with the press contacts, picture editors and social channels you want to share your images with. A press photocall notice should be a short document with the details of your event such as story title, date, time and venue and a paragraph describing your event and the photo opportunity.
