Top 10 Tips for Taking Unforgettable Survivors Day Event Photos

Try these tips for taking great photos of those unforgettable moments from National Cancer Survivors Day® 2019

National Cancer Survivors Day® – Sunday, June 2 – will be filled with special moments that everyone attending your event will want to remember. And you’ll want to be sure you capture them all.

Hiring a professional photographer (or finding one who will donate their services) for your NCSD event is one way to make sure you get some great shots of your Celebration of Life. But you don’t have to have a professional photographer to get incredible photos of your NCSD event.

Just follow these 10 tips for capturing those unforgettable moments from National Cancer Survivors Day® 2019:

1. Tell a story. The best event photos will tell the story of your celebration from start to finish. Taking photos of key moments will help build a narrative of your event.

2. Make a plan. Before your event begins, think about what shots you want to take. For example, a wide shot of the crowd, a close-up of your speaker, survivors crossing a finish line. You may even want to make a list.

3. Embrace the candid. Candid shots of people caught up in the moment capture the spirit of the event much better than posed photos in front of the same background over and over again.

4. Catch the action. A photo will always be still, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be lively. Pictures of people doing something – laughing, dancing, giving hugs, lighting a candle – are much more interesting than photos of people sitting still or posing unnaturally.

5. And capture the interaction. Photos with two or three people often work best. Survivors Day is about bringing cancer survivors together to celebrate life, so be sure to capture those special bonding moments.

6. Get close. To get the best shot, you really do have to get close to the action.

7. Hang around. When people see that you’re photographing them, they tend to pose or put on a fake smile. But if you keep your lens on them just a bit longer, you’re more likely to get a natural reaction.

8. Be aware of backgrounds. A poorly placed garbage bin or half-eaten plate of food can ruin an otherwise good photo.

9. Use your camera’s burst function. Sometimes the unexpected reaction shots end up being better than those taken of the main action.

10. Be selective. With digital cameras, it’s easy to take hundreds of photos at one event. But that doesn’t mean you should share them all. Spend some time after the event picking out the best ones to post or share. And make sure you send them to Coping magazine!

Your NCSD photos could be featured in Coping magazine.

Once again, Coping with Cancer magazine is featuring National Cancer Survivors Day® in its July/August issue. And your photos could be included – maybe even on the cover.

If you’re hosting an NCSD event this year, send the best digital photos of your event to Coping with Cancer magazine by June 10 to be considered for its official coverage of National Cancer Survivors Day® 2019. Coping has provided the following to help you prepare your entries:

WHAT TO SEND

• Format: Close up, candid shots are preferred. Front cover candidates should have a vertical format and space left at the top for the Coping logo. Inside coverage candidates can be vertical or horizontal.
• Photo Description: Provide a short description of each photo submitted; list people from left to right.
• Digital Camera: Set your camera for the highest possible resolution (quality). Submit via email or file transfer service such as DropBox or WeTransfer.
• Event Information: Please provide information about your event:    
• The name of the event host (sponsor)     
• Event name  
• Location (treatment center, park, etc.)     
• City and state where event was held

Also provide your contact information, including your name, organization, phone, and email. 

HOW TO SEND

• Email to: photos@copingmag.com. Send photos at a minimum resolution of 300 dpi.
• Send your DropBox, WeTransfer, or other file transfer link to: photos@copingmag.com.

NEED HELP?

• Email: photos@copingmag.com
• Call: (615) 790-2400

By submitting your photo(s), you and your sponsoring organization(s) acknowledge that you have the rights to the photo(s) and grant permission to allow Coping and the National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation to use submitted materials, in whole or in part, in print and electronic formats and for future publicity for National Cancer Survivors Day.