HELP ! How do you run your events?

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

12/11/2007 02:13:03 PM · #1

So here's the deal... did my first Christmas party two weekends ago: I set up a booth and offered a 5x7 in small folder for 12.00 and 8x10 for $20... got everthing setup had my wife and 2 others to help, and it turned out to be a gong show!!! This is how we set it up

we had a station for people to pay, then I would take the picture (unteathered shooting... big mistake), send them to my wife to choose their favorite, then it would be printed and the shole thing put together (we told them to come back in15 - 20 mins) once we started we found that,

a) a good portion of people were skipping the payline which caused confussion for me cause I had no idea who had paid or not
b) passing a memory card to my wife to d/l took way too long and caused a back log (shooting teathered will help sove that)
c) lightroom, which is what we were using was just not fast enough to handle the quick flow of people
d) people were coming back way before their pictures were ready and wondering why they couldn't just have them right now...

so my question to all you seasoned vetrans is how do you set up your events? what programs do you use? how many people do you get for help etc?

I have be asked to do another one for a company next week (200+ people) and I want to be ready this time.

smilebig4me1x

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

12/11/2007 02:40:26 PM · #2

Originally posted by Eyesup:

a) a good portion of people were skipping the payline which caused confussion for me cause I had no idea who had paid or not

I would suggest that you create a line area that will make people have to get in line before they get to the pay table
edit to add..maybe try using a ticket system..they dont get a photo taken with out one

Message edited by author 2007-12-11 14:44:49.

jtf6agent

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

12/11/2007 02:46:37 PM · #3

Shoot, hand out a ticket with the pic data number on it and they pay when they pick up the print. Just like all the amusement parks do. Good luck

12/11/2007 03:01:09 PM · #4

Originally posted by jtf6agent:

Shoot, hand out a ticket with the pic data number on it and they pay when they pick up the print. Just like all the amusement parks do. Good luck

Thanks... maybe i'm just paranoid, but I'm sort of worried that people will get the picture taken, we'll print it, and then they never come to get it and pay... especially as people are likely to have their own p&s cameras at the party... or the may just get too drunk and forget to come (this is a christmas party after all)

12/11/2007 03:22:12 PM · #5

I have not done an event before but I think a good way to do it is this:

Once you are done shooting them, give your wife the memory card to upload pics and help the customer decide which one to choose (this is being done while you are shooting someone else), have them pay your wife, and then she gives them a ticket, in which they will come back to get or she can just print it right there. Then do it over and over again.

To me this would work best, and personally, I would rather sit there and wait for mine to be printed, rather than coming back in 15 minutes. Yes a line will form since it takes longer for her to print than for you to take the photo, but people should understand.

12/11/2007 03:35:26 PM · #6

Originally posted by bennettjamie:

This time around I'll be shooting teathered.. that's aught to save a tone of time.

Also I'm looking to a new program Express Digital Darkroom... it's super expensive (I could only really afford the core version).. but it seems really great as a program... anyone else use this? what do you all think?

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

12/11/2007 04:48:48 PM · #7

no ones used Darkroom?

smilebig4me1x

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

12/11/2007 05:08:09 PM · #8

Originally posted by Eyesup:

no ones used Darkroom?

Nah..Im still stuck in the stone age with photoshop 7.0

12/11/2007 06:21:30 PM · #9

nobody?

Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro for Canon

12/11/2007 07:19:23 PM · #10

Evening bump

AllgoodPics

Canon EOS-20D

12/11/2007 10:55:45 PM · #11

This is NOT from experience because I've not done anything like this either but it seems that you two main issues were A) the unorderd flow of people into the photogaphy area and B) the rate/mechanism at which the images were uploaded to the computer.

I think you'll see a big improvement with B if you shoot teathered.

I think A can be solved by some how restricting the flow of people into and through the pay line and then into the photography area but only when you are ready for them. I think the simple ticket idea will work nicely to identify those who have paid. When they step up to be photographed you simply take their ticket. No ticket, no picture taken.

You should be able to restict the flow to a single file line by using the tables your pay station and processing station are set up on. If that won't work you might try to find a couple of those yellow plastic posts with the yellow plastic chain that you see set up in malls and such for organizing the flow of people.

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

12/12/2007 09:20:17 AM · #12

Originally posted by AllgoodPics:

You should be able to restict the flow to a single file line by using the tables your pay station and processing station are set up on. If that won't work you might try to find a couple of those yellow plastic posts with the yellow plastic chain that you see set up in malls and such for organizing the flow of people.

Any idea where to get those? I wouldn't even know where to start...

idnic

Canon EOS-60D

12/12/2007 09:22:57 AM · #13

Workflow - Pay first! Shoot second! Pick up third.

With that kind of fast-paced shooting you have to get the money up front or you will get burned.

12/12/2007 10:21:32 AM · #14

Originally posted by idnic:

Workflow - Pay first! Shoot second! Pick up third.

With that kind of fast-paced shooting you have to get the money up front or you will get burned.

That's what I was thinking too

12/12/2007 10:27:18 AM · #15

What does shooting teathered mean? Unfamiliar with that term...Thanks

This time around I'll be shooting teathered..

12/12/2007 10:31:09 AM · #16

Originally posted by bennettjamie:

What does shooting teathered mean? Unfamiliar with that term...Thanks

This time around I'll be shooting teathered..

Shooting teathered is taking photo's with your camera connected directly to your computer. With a DSLR this alows you to bypass the memory card completely as pics get downloaded directly to your harddrive (or whatever location you send them) The advantage is saving time when shooting, and afterwards handling files... moreso if you have a program that will auto import (like lightroom or Darkroom) then your photo's get into that program too... no muss, no fuss

ETA: I'm just learning all this too... but now that I've tried it I love it

Message edited by author 2007-12-12 10:31:54.

12/12/2007 10:32:55 AM · #17

Okay, I had posted a forum about it a couple of weeks ago, but did not know what it was called, now I do. Thanks so much!!!

Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro for Canon

12/12/2007 10:42:43 AM · #18

Originally posted by bennettjamie:

Okay, I had posted a forum about it a couple of weeks ago, but did not know what it was called, now I do. Thanks so much!!!

No probem... BTW to all out there I'm still looking for reviews on Express Digital Darkroom...

AllgoodPics

Canon EOS-20D

12/12/2007 01:20:08 PM · #19

Originally posted by Eyesup:

Any idea where to get those? I wouldn't even know where to start...

Here is a google search that turns up some sources online. You might check with a local hardware store too.

//www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=yellow+plastic+chain

Skip

Canon EOS-1D X

Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM

12/12/2007 01:32:57 PM · #20

Originally posted by idnic:

Workflow - Pay first! Shoot second! Pick up third.

never gonna happen. at least, i've never seen it. every onsite photo sales i've seen offers some type of previewing, whether in the form of proof sheets or an onscreen preview.

the trick is to have your settings dialed in so that hardly any edits are required other than cropping.

basically, you shoot, they preview, order and pay, you print, they pickup. tickets are very simple and easy.

12/12/2007 01:48:16 PM · #21

Originally posted by AllgoodPics:

Originally posted by Eyesup:
Any idea where to get those? I wouldn't even know where to start...

Here is a google search that turns up some sources online. You might check with a local hardware store too.

//www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=yellow+plastic+chain

Thanks for the info! $133 for the stuff I want... and $248 to ship it!!! ouch!