How to Capture Event Photography and Video on iPhone

Having the opportunity to capture a wedding, bridal shower, milestone birthday, or high-profile work event is a significant responsibility. A client or friend is relying on you to document key moments that truly reflect the event. It’s essential to be well-prepared to avoid missing any crucial moments and to know what gear is needed to capture the event perfectly. Below are key factors to ensure you’re fully prepared and ways to elevate your current event photography and video on iPhone.

The gear you bring is essential for capturing stunning photos and videos. The SANDMARC Wide Lens and Telephoto Lens are must-have iPhone accessories. The Wide Lens is perfect for wide-angle shots, such as group photos. It excels in low-light conditions, making it ideal for night events or dimly lit indoor settings. The Telephoto Lens offers 2x zoom with natural bokeh, making it great for portrait shots and capturing intricate details in the decor.

Since you'll be moving around often, it's beneficial to have a camera stabilizer like the Creator Grip. Ergonomically designed, it features a button on the handle, allowing you to capture photos quickly or start recording with ease.

Before you start shooting, it's important to adjust your camera settings. For a daytime or nighttime event, you may only need to adjust once. However, if the event transitions from day to night, be sure to check and update your settings regularly. The AF/AE lock on iPhone is essential for capturing multiple shots in a short time while maintaining consistent focus and exposure. AE stands for automatic exposure, and AF stands for automatic focus. These features let you select your exposure and focus settings, locking them in so they stay consistent throughout your shoot.

You’ll want to enable these if there are multiple moving objects or factors that could distract your camera’s focus, or if the lighting frequently changes.

Capturing candid moments is one of the highlights of event photography, but posed photos have their place too. It's all about balance. One key rule for candid shots is to avoid photographing people while they’re eating, as those images rarely turn out well. You want candid photos to bring joy when people look back at them—whether it’s someone laughing, dancing, or engaged in a great conversation, these are the moments to focus on.

Having a shot list is essential to ensure you capture key moments and stay aligned with the event schedule. Communicate with your client to understand the agenda, so you're always in the right place at the right time. However, when it comes to candid photography, it's okay to capture moments beyond the shot list to truly document the event’s energy and emotion.

When capturing videos on your iPhone, the Creator Grip is ideal for stabilizing your shots. For added stabilization, be sure to enable Action mode, which helps reduce sudden bumps and shakes. Action mode is only available in standard video mode, while Cinematic mode is perfect for achieving a more polished look with natural bokeh.

Once the event is over and you’ve captured all your videos and images, it’s time to edit. We recommend using apps that offer color grading and essential editing tools directly on your iPhone to enhance your final shots. Check out the video below for our top recommendations:

Event photography is exciting and can lead to incredible opportunities. You may choose to specialize in one type of event or explore a variety of them. As you gain experience, you’ll likely discover your favorite niche.

One key aspect of event photography is keeping your gear easily accessible. That’s why we recommend the Hybrid Sling, which allows you to carry your essentials conveniently while shooting.