A commissioned photographer works for the brand and records what the brand's brief asks for. Press photographers work for their own outlets and are independent. Agree shared positions, a press area and any access rules with the organiser before the day, and keep the brand's crew from directing the media.
At many launches, two kinds of photographer work in the same room. One is commissioned by the brand. The others come from newspapers, websites or agencies, and they are there for their own coverage. They may stand a few metres apart, aim at the same stage and have quite different needs.
This page explains how to keep that arrangement calm and clear. It supports our guide to press-conference photography.
Who is who?
A commissioned photographer works to the brand's brief. That includes the images the brand wants, the moments it considers essential, and the approvals it requires. The photographer delivers to the brand.
Press photographers work to their own editors. They choose their own images, and they publish under their own outlet's rules. The brand does not direct them, and neither does the brand's photographer.
This difference sounds obvious, but it matters when space is tight. Our crew will not tell a press photographer where to stand or what to shoot. If a rule is needed, it comes from the organiser.
What to agree with the organiser
Most of what keeps a mixed room calm is decided before the day. Ask the organiser or venue:
- How many press photographers are expected?
- Is there a press area, a riser or a reserved row?
- Are any positions kept for the commissioned crew?
- Who manages positions if there is a conflict, such as a press coordinator?
- Do the commissioned crew need a pass, and when is it collected?
- Are there rules for flash, moving or leaving positions during speeches?
Access and rules differ from one venue and organiser to another. We confirm them for your date rather than assuming. Our venue photography checklist lists questions to put to the venue.
Positions in practice
| Position | Typical use | Who usually has it |
|---|---|---|
| Front of the room | Direct view of the speaker | Shared; set by the organiser |
| Side of the stage | Profile of the speaker, audience in view | Often free for the commissioned crew |
| Back of the room | Wide view of the whole room | Open, but can be blocked by seating |
| Press riser | Fixed raised position | Usually press only |
This table is a general picture, not a rule. The actual arrangement depends on the room.
A commissioned photographer often needs images the press does not: the audience, the brand's guests, branding in the room, and moments before and after the announcement. Planning around those frees the commissioned crew from fighting for the same front-row view.
A hypothetical example
Imagine a launch in which ten press photographers are expected. The organiser sets a press riser at the back and a front-of-stage position that all photographers share for the first three minutes of the announcement. The commissioned photographer uses the shared position for the reveal, then moves to the side for speaker images.
The brand's brief also includes guest arrivals and the product display, both of which the press do not cover. The commissioned photographer spends most of the time on those, and no conflict arises.
Giving images to press
Some brands give media a selection of official images. If your team plans this, decide who sends them, when, and under what licence and credit. The commissioned photographer does not send them unless your team asks. Our guide to photographs delivered to a press desk during an event covers the practical side, and what makes a photograph suitable for press use explains what editors look for.
Working beside a video crew
The press often includes camera crews as well as photographers. Where photographers and video operators need the same space, the same logic applies: the organiser sets the rules. Our guide on photo and video crews covering the same moment explains the planning.
What to send us
Send the expected media numbers, the venue layout, the organiser's contact and any press rules already issued. We read the brief, ask what is missing and confirm our positions in writing before the date.
Checklist
- Ask the organiser how many press photographers are expected.
- Confirm whether a press area or a press coordinator exists.
- Ask which positions the commissioned crew may use, and which are shared.
- Confirm passes, accreditation and arrival times for the commissioned crew.
- Agree who manages positions if conflicts arise.
- Decide whether images are given to press, and who sends them.
- Tell the commissioned crew that they do not direct press photographers.
Send us the media list or expected numbers, the venue layout and the organiser's contact, and we will confirm our positions and how we work beside the press.
Plan our position beside the pressCommon questions
Can our photographer ask press photographers to move?
No. Press photographers are independent, and our photographer does not direct them. If positions need managing, the organiser or the venue should do it, usually through a press coordinator. We work with whatever rules are set and ask for them in advance.
Will our photographer get a better position than the press?
Not automatically. Access depends on the organiser and the venue. Ask whether a position is reserved for the commissioned crew, and whether any area is open only to press. Do not assume; confirm it for your date.
Should the press receive our photographer's images?
Only if your team decides so. Some brands provide images to media after the event, and some provide a selection during it. If so, your team sends them, with the licence and credit your team sets. Our guide to press image needs explains the difference.
Does a commissioned photographer need a media pass?
That depends on the organiser and venue. Ask whether the commissioned crew needs accreditation or a different pass, and how it is collected. We confirm our arrival and access arrangements in writing for your date.
Plan our position beside the press
Send us the media list or expected numbers, the venue layout and the organiser's contact, and we will confirm our positions and how we work beside the press.
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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