When two important moments overlap, there are three honest choices: rank them and cover the winner, change the timing so they no longer overlap, or discuss additional crew. Decide which before the day. The concurrent activity planner shows where overlaps occur so you can decide early.
Most programmes contain at least one clash. A speech runs while a child performs elsewhere. A cake is cut in one room while a toast is made in another. The question is not whether clashes exist, but how you will handle them.
This guide belongs to our overview of run sheets, priorities and staffing. The concurrent activity and crew planner finds the overlaps. This guide helps you decide what to do with them.
Three honest choices
When two moments overlap, there are three options.
| Choice | What it means | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Rank and cover one | The crew covers the higher priority | The other is partly or fully missed |
| Change the timing | One item moves so they do not overlap | Needs agreement from the people involved |
| Add crew | A second person covers the other moment | Extra cost and access needs |
Each is reasonable. The mistake is to avoid choosing and hope the crew can manage both.
Start with purpose
Return to what the photographs are for. A family album, a company report and a sponsor record value different moments. The same overlap may be resolved differently in each.
Ask two questions. Which moment would you regret missing more? Which involves a person or action that cannot be repeated? Our guide to must-have moments and flexible storytelling helps you sort them.
Rank, and say it in writing
Write a rule such as "if the toast and the cake overlap, the cake wins". The crew can then act without asking in the middle of the event.
The priority photograph list builder holds the ranking. If both moments are must-haves, mark them as a clash and decide whether to change timing or add crew.
Change the timing
Many clashes are small, and moving one item by ten minutes solves them. Check with the host, the master of ceremonies and any performers or speakers.
Be careful about changes that affect others. A moved item may affect catering, guest travel or a live stream. Our guide to turning a changing draft programme into a usable run sheet explains how to keep the plan consistent.
Add crew
When both moments matter and cannot move, a second photographer is the next option. Our guide to what an additional event photographer changes explains the effect, and budgeting for an additional event photographer covers cost questions.
Whether extra crew is available for your date is something we confirm in writing. If it is not, we explain which moment would be lighter and why.
Several rooms or venues
Overlaps are more common when the event spans several rooms. Our guide to budgeting for simultaneous venues or rooms looks at the cost side. Travel time between rooms also counts, and a ten-minute walk is ten minutes away from either activity.
When the plan fails on the day
Sometimes more moments overlap than expected. Our guide to unexpected simultaneous moments exceeding the planned coverage explains what happens. A clear priority list makes it easier to adjust, and a named contact helps the crew decide.
A hypothetical example
Imagine a school prize-giving where the choir sings in the hall at 10.15am while the principal presents trophies in the foyer. Both are marked as must-haves.
The organiser checks and finds the trophy presentation can move by 15 minutes. The overlap disappears. If it could not move, the options would be to cover the choir and miss the start of the trophies, or discuss a second photographer. This is an illustration only.
Questions to ask yourself
- Which overlaps in the programme matter most?
- Can any item be moved without harm?
- Which moment cannot be repeated?
- Is extra crew worth the cost for this clash?
- Who tells the crew when plans change?
Share the decision with everyone
Once you have decided, tell the people who need to know. The master of ceremonies should know if an item has moved. The lead photographer should know which moment wins. Any helper should know where to send guests. A short note on the run sheet is enough, and it saves the crew from guessing at a busy moment.
What we confirm
We confirm date, venue, crew, deliverables and quotation in writing. We record the clashes you have told us about, the rule for each and whether extra crew is part of the plan.
Checklist
- List overlapping activities from the programme.
- Rank them using your purpose.
- Write which one wins if the crew must choose.
- Check whether either can be moved.
- Ask about extra crew where both matter.
- Tell the crew the decision before the event.
Send us your programme and tell us which overlapping moments matter most. We will say in writing how we would handle each clash and what extra crew would change.
Plan for our overlapping activitiesCommon questions
Can one photographer cover two overlapping activities?
Not at the same time. They can cover one and then the other if the activities are close and the timing allows. Or they can capture a short part of each. Ask us what is realistic for your programme, and we will tell you in writing.
How do we decide which activity wins?
Use your purpose. Which photograph would you regret missing more? Which involves a key person who cannot be photographed later? Write the rule before the day so the crew does not have to ask in the middle of the event.
Can the timing be changed instead?
Often yes. Moving one item by ten or fifteen minutes can remove a clash. Check with the organiser and the people involved. Even a small shift may solve a large problem.
What does extra crew solve?
It allows coverage of both activities at the same time. It does not remove other needs such as access or briefing. Whether extra crew is available for your date is confirmed in writing.
Plan for our overlapping activities
Send us your programme and tell us which overlapping moments matter most. We will say in writing how we would handle each clash and what extra crew would change.
What happens next: You send your event details on WhatsApp. Our team reads the brief, asks what is missing, then confirms in writing whether the date, venue and coverage can be booked, with a quotation. Opening WhatsApp does not send anything, and a message is not a booking until both sides confirm.
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