Unveiling company signage or commemorative plaques

The unveiling of a company sign or a commemorative plaque is one of the shortest moments in an opening and one of the easiest to miss. A cloth drops, the lettering appears and the guests applaud. If the photographer is in the wrong position, the picture is gone.

This guide sits within our overview of commercial opening and milestone photography. It is the right page when the reveal is a feature of your programme.

How will the reveal actually happen?

There are several ways to unveil: pulling a cloth, drawing a curtain, lifting a cover panel, pressing a button that lights a sign or cutting a cord. Each has a different shape and timing.

Ask the event lead exactly how it will work and who does what. A cloth that must be tugged by two people needs both in frame. A curtain that opens sideways needs space on one side. Tell us the answer, and we plan the position of the camera.

Who stands where?

Decide the participants. Typically they include the host, a senior guest, one or two partners and sometimes a representative of the landlord. Each one takes space, and the object itself must remain visible.

Draw a simple diagram: the sign in the centre, the person who pulls the cover nearest the camera, others in a shallow curve. Keep the line short enough that everyone can reach the object and see the lettering. The group photograph planner can help with positions.

Is the text correct and readable?

Photographs of signs and plaques are read closely. Check the wording against the source document: names, titles, dates, the company name and any registration or reference details. Ask one person to confirm the final text, and send it to us in writing so that captions match.

Readability is also a matter of angle and light. Brushed metal, polished stone and glass catch reflections. Our guide to photography around mirrors, glass and reflective displays and the one on bright daylight, backlighting and shaded portrait options explain what to ask the venue.

The clean image

After the ceremony, ask for a short period when the sign or plaque can be photographed without people in front of it. This is often the picture used most in later years, on a web page or in a brochure. Agree a time, such as five minutes after the unveiling, when the area is cleared.

Also consider a context image that shows the sign on the building or the wall. It confirms where the plaque is and what it relates to.

Do we need a rehearsal?

If the setup is complex, a rehearsal is worth a few minutes. It tells everyone where to stand, whether the cloth releases cleanly and whether the sign is visible from the audience. Even a walk-through without the real cover helps.

Our guide to photography cues from the emcee and floor manager explains how a clear cue helps the photographer be ready at the right second.

A hypothetical example

For example, imagine a company unveiling a new brass plaque beside the entrance of its new office at 11am. Three people hold a cord that drops a cloth. The text includes a date, so the managing director's office confirms the wording a week before.

The plan places the photographer at a slight angle to avoid glare, with a second position wide enough for the audience. After the reveal, the photographer takes a short sequence, the group image and a clean close image of the plaque with no one in front of it.

What to tell the photographer

• The time and place of the unveiling.
• How the reveal works and who takes part.
• The exact wording of the sign or plaque.
• Light conditions and reflective surfaces.
• When the clean image can be taken.
• Who approves the final selection.

We confirm the date, venue, crew and deliverables in writing. If the plaque will appear in a signing or a wider ceremony, read commercial partnership signings during a milestone event too.