Event Photography for the Modern Museum – How to Capture Moments that Matter

How-to Session
Ty Pierce, Ohio History Connection, USA

Published paper: Event photography for the modern museum: How to capture moments that matter

As museums refocus themselves as community centers and free-choice learning venues, quality photography becomes a must-have asset for promoting your institution. When the Ohio Historical Society rebranded itself as the Ohio History Connection in 2014, its library of candid, current-event photography became as important as its vast collection of historic images.

Department Manager of Multimedia Services Ty Pierce's work behind the lens has helped create a new face for his organization. This paper accompanies his MW2015 how-to session on event photography. Whether you shoot on an iPhone or a DSLR camera, this session teaches how to get in the game and become a visual communicator. While the focus is on candid, event-style photography, its lessons are applicable to other types of photo and video opportunities that museums can leverage to showcase their offerings to the public.

Highlights include: becoming a visual communicator for your organization; the components of a great photographer; shoot once, use many; exposure, look, and feel; know thy camera, know thyself; preparing for a visual event; shot happens; post-production ASAP; camera RAW saved my life; and how to enable your “visual evangelists” through social media. The session will end with an open discussion about projects, workflows, equipment, and other ways to promote museums using DIY visual communications.

Bibliography:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ohiohistory/sets
http://instagram.com/ohiohistory
http://www.ohiohistory.org