What is your event photography style?
My number one goal is to never be “in the way” during an event and like to mix candid and posed event photography coverage.
What do you mean by “posed” event photography?
I place a great deal of importance on capturing photos of groups of people enjoying an event. I like to ask event goers if they’d like to pose for a photograph with the people they are
networking or celebrating with.
For my corporate event in Cleveland, OH, won’t iPhone pictures suffice?
Probably not. I love my smartphone camera, but it does not yield the results that my full frame mirrorless cameras do. More importantly, my smartphone camera cannot compete with the
professional camera lenses that I use. Whether it’s a wide-angle image of a large audience or
zoomed in portraits of a keynote speaker, my equipment is exponentially better and more
capable than my smartphone.
What events do you cover?
The vast majority of the events that I cover are corporate and nonprofit trade shows,
conferences and annual meetings. Within that realm, I also photograph concerts, keynote
speeches, award celebrations and really any event you can think of. I’ve also done extensive
work for private events. When it comes to private events, the sky is the limit. I’ve photographed
birthday parties, meet & greets and rehearsal dinners. Some fun events that I’ve photographed are grand openings of restaurants and retail stores.
Can you photograph events in poor lighting conditions?
Modern mirrorless cameras, camera lenses and photo editing software have come a very long
way. Dimly lit rooms no longer need to be a source of nightmares for event planners and event
photographers. Cameras now have sensors that capture so much detail that poor lighting
conditions are no excuse for poor image quality. Beyond those technological advances, I do use on-camera flash when necessary. I prefer to limit on-camera flash use to when I am taking
posed pictures of event attendees or award recipients.
What is your image backup system?
I keep images saved in several physical areas and in the cloud. As soon as an event is over, I
import images onto a computer and an SSD that are both backed up to the cloud. I also back
them up to my local NAS which is also backed up to the cloud. Images also remain on the original memory cards until my client receives their edited photos. Perhaps most importantly, I
only use cameras with two memory card slots. The benefit of two memory cards is that I have
two copies of every photo I take.
Do you have liability insurance?
Do you do event video coverage?
Yes, I am beginning to roll out hybrid event coverage. “Hybrid” is a combination of photography and videography. More on that to come!
How many photographers are on staff?
Scott Esterly is the owner and only photographer at Esterly Photography.
What are your event photography rates?
As of January 1, 2024, event photography coverage is $195 per hour with a two-hour minimum.
Does your hourly rate include photo editing?
Yes, after the event I will edit and deliver images through an online gallery service.
How soon will I receive my images?
Quickly! Generally, I provide a seven-day guaranteed turnaround. In practice, it’s always much quicker. If you need edited images on the same day as the event, let me know and I’ll work with
you to make it happen.
How will I receive images from my event?
Currently, I deliver all images electronically via Pic-Time.
Do I need to create a username and login info to view my images?
Yes.
This is YOUR gallery and it will be kept private. Passwords ensure privacy and security.
Can I order prints of my photos?
Absolutely! You can order through your Pic-Time gallery.
Do you travel? Is there a travel fee?
Yes, I’m happy to travel outside the general Greater Cleveland area if needed. If the event is
more than a half hour drive outside of the Greater Cleveland area, travel fees may apply.
How many photos will I get from my event?
A lot! There is no set number of images that I guarantee, but I take a lot of photos and I deliver as many as possible.
Do you deliver every image that you take?
No, I deliver the best photos only. Frequently, I will need to snap many photos in quick
succession to get “the one.”
How do you edit photos?
My editing workflow is almost exclusively within the confines of Adobe Lightroom. Lightroom is
sort of like a younger sibling to Adobe Photoshop, which is where advanced editing takes place. Lightroom is extremely robust and allows for extensive editing (exposure, color, gradients,
etc...). I do use Photoshop, but sparingly.
Do you charge for additional editing?
Yes. I will provide a price quote for you depending exactly on what you are looking for.
Do you provide RAW files?
No, all images are delivered as JPEGs. RAW files will only be delivered if specified in the contract and invoice.
Do you retain copyright of images taken?
Yes. My contract makes copyright and usage very clear to all clients. If you wish to retain
copyright of the images, I am happy to work out an agreement that satisfies everyone.