Everything You Need To Know About High-Volume Photography

As keen photographers, we are always striving for the next beautiful image that we can be proud to add to our portfolio, whether it be a stunning portrait or an awe-inspiring landscape with beautiful use of natural light.

What if you are working in a high-volume photography environment, where you are expected to capture this great image, time and time again!

Find out what constitutes high volume photography and what gear and skills are required to make this venture a success.

High volume photography refers to the practice of taking a large quantity of photographs, often of the same subject or within a similar setting, with a focus on efficiency and speed. This type of photography prioritises capturing numerous images in a short timeframe, often for events or organisations that require a large number of photos of many individuals.

Wondering if you have seen high-volume photographers at work before? You most definitely have! Here are some common high-volume photography examples.

• School Photography - School photographers are responsible for capturing whole class photos, as well as individual photos of students and staff of an entire school, and are given one day to perform their work.

• Sports Photography - Action-packed sports events have hundreds of exciting moments that take place one after the other.

• Event photography - Event photographers are tasked with mingling with event participants and documenting the goings-on. 

• Tourism and attraction photography - These photographers maximise on visitors' potential to commemorate their visit 

• Wedding photography - One of the most high-pressure jobs on our list, wedding photographers are hired to capture beautiful images that commemorate a couple’s big day.

• Headshot photography - Similar to school photographers, headshot photographers are required to produce professional-looking portrait images for entire companies, of varying scales.

While all of the photographers working in the fields we outlined above do need to concentrate on capturing each image skillfully, they have many other subjects to photograph. This means they can't spend too long perfecting one shot.

A key aspect of being successful as a high volume photographer is coming to grips with using your camera and navigating its settings confidently - this comes with practice. If you are currently flourishing in automatic mode, we encourage you to take the plunge and come to terms with shooting with your camera in manual mode, or one of aperture priority and shutter priority mode. Having a better understanding of the exposure triangle and how the key settings of your camera function together, will hold you in good stead when tackling working in different scenarios and can help you capture great images in a wide range of working conditions.

Having the right camera gear at your disposal is essential when it comes to perfecting working in a high volume photography scenario. While your camera gear, such as the camera body and lens, is always important to capture the best possible images in every situation, in this case, your accessory choice is exceptionally important.

Here are some essentials that will help you tackle your high volume photography endeavours:

• Multiple high-capacity memory cards: The last thing you want is to be out in the field and realise you are running short on space. High volume photographers need to make sure their kit is set up to manage a large load of images, which means carrying multiple spare memory cards just in case. Some modern cameras offer dual memory card slots, in which case users can organise for the second card to be relied on when the first is full, which saves some time swapping to your spare memory card when in the thick of shooting.

• Multiple rechargeable lithium batteries: Just as with space, running out of power while shooting is a nightmare for photographers. To make sure this does not happen to you, full your camera bag with multiple compatible lithium camera batteries, and make it part of your regular routine to charge them all up to full capacity before you head out on a job.

• Consider using multiple camera bodies: Having at least two identical or very similar camera bodies is crucial. This allows you to keep shooting if one fails, quickly switch between lenses without losing time, and potentially have different focal lengths readily available. Look for bodies with good battery life and fast autofocus.

• Invest in versatile zoom lenses: Instead of constantly changing prime lenses, versatile zoom lenses can significantly speed up your workflow. Consider lenses like a 24-70mm f/2.8 (or similar) for general use and a 70-200mm f/2.8 (or similar) for portraits and reach. While f/2.8 offers great low-light performance and bokeh, depending on your specific high-volume niche (like school photos), lenses with narrower apertures might be sufficient and more budget-friendly.

While gear can help to some degree, there are other considerations you have to make to maximum your success in a high volume photography environment. Here are our top high volume photography tips. 

• Master Efficient Photography Workflow: Streamline every step, from setup to editing, for speed and consistency.
• Prioritise Fast, Quality Work: Develop the skill to shoot quickly without sacrificing the quality of your images.

• Be Highly Organised: Keep schedules, client info, and equipment meticulously managed.
• Communicate Clearly and Proactively: Ensure smooth interactions with clients and assistants by anticipating needs.
• Practice Effective Time Management: Stick to schedules and allocate time wisely for each task and session.

Remember, preparation and the right tools are your greatest allies in handling large quantities of images. If you need help finding the perfect camera accessories to handle high volume loads, stop by your local Ted's store for a chat.