Most corporate events need the same five groups of photos: venue and details, arrival, speakers, networking and the evening. Send your photographer the agenda, a list of VIPs and your ten must-have shots – then the photos you get will match how you actually use them.
A shot list is the difference between hundreds of random photos and a set you can actually use – for press, LinkedIn, the recap and next year’s invitation. This is the list we work from at corporate events in Zurich, Geneva, Basel and across Switzerland.
Before the doors open: venue and details
- The empty, fully set room – one wide shot from the back, one from the stage.
- Branding: stage, logo walls, roll-ups, name badges, sponsor areas.
- Table details: decoration, menu cards, gifts, light.
Arrival and welcome
- Guests arriving, registration, welcome drinks.
- Hosts greeting VIPs and speakers.
- First group photos – while everyone is still fresh.
Programme: speakers and panels
- Every speaker three ways: wide (stage and screen), medium, and a close-up with a gesture.
- Panels: the whole panel, then each person while they speak.
- Key slides together with the speaker – useful for LinkedIn posts after the event.
Audience and reactions
Laughter, applause, people taking notes, a question from the floor. Reactions show that the content landed – they are often the most used photos of the whole day.
Networking and breaks
Small groups in conversation, handshakes, coffee. Natural, not posed – we work like an invisible observer, so people stay themselves.
Evening: dinner, awards and party
- The full room with set tables and light, from a high point.
- Awards: the handover, a close-up of the winner, the team photo.
- The energy of the party – dance floor, toasts, laughter.
The whole list on one page
| When | What to capture | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Before the doors open | Room, branding, details | Recap, next invitation, sponsors |
| Arrival | Welcome, VIPs, first groups | Same-day social media |
| Programme | Speakers, panels, key slides | Press, LinkedIn, thank-you to speakers |
| Breaks | Networking, conversations | Website, employer branding |
| Evening | Dinner, awards, party | Recap, internal news |
Example: a gala evening for 300 guests
This is how the list turns into a plan on a typical corporate gala – here with doors at 18:00:
| Time | The photographer is… |
|---|---|
| 17:15 | In the empty room: wide shots, table details, stage and branding |
| 18:00 | At the entrance: arrivals, welcome drinks, hosts with VIPs |
| 18:45 | Group photos of management and sponsors – before dinner, while everyone looks fresh |
| 19:15 | At the stage: welcome speech, then reactions in the room |
| 20:30 | Awards: handover, winner close-up, team photo on stage |
| 22:00 | The party: first dance, dance floor, toasts – then a last wide shot of the room |
The one thing that makes or breaks this plan: group photos before dinner. After the main course and a few glasses of wine, getting 12 managers in one place takes three times as long.
How to brief your event photographer
- The agenda with times and rooms.
- Names – ideally with photos – of VIPs, speakers and sponsors.
- Your ten must-have shots.
- Who should not be photographed.
- Brand rules: logos, colours, what must be visible.
- Which photos you need the same day for social media.
Photographer plus AI photo booth
The photographer tells the story of the event. An AI photo booth gives every guest a personal picture to take home – and to share. Booked together, you get both: the coverage and the reach. Read what 471 AI portraits at three congresses showed us.
Frequently asked questions
How early should the event photographer arrive?
Early enough to photograph the empty, fully set room and the details before the first guests walk in – usually 30 to 45 minutes before the doors open.
Do you photograph events outside Zurich?
Yes – we photograph events across Switzerland, including Geneva, Basel, Bern and Lausanne, and abroad on request.
Can you combine photo and video?
Yes – event photography, event videography and the AI Photo & Video Booth can be booked separately or together.
How do we get started?
Send us the date, the venue and the type of event via the contact form, and we’ll get back to you with ideas and a proposal.
Planning an event?
Corporate events, conferences and galas – photographed in a natural reportage style across Switzerland.
Swiss Moments – AI photo & video booth, event photography and business portraits in Switzerland. More than 10 years behind the camera and over 500 events.