A cosplay performer applying eye liner before joining the event.

As you develop your hobby as a photographer, you’ll likely find yourself out shooting local festivals, events, parades and celebrations. These almost always produce a wealth of images, especially as the people who are involved in them are open to and excepting of, being photographed. So you can head down to the festival site, wander around for a couple of hours, get some great shots and go home happy.

And that’s fine. You will get a number of nice images that you can be proud of. The only downside is that everyone else who’s there with a camera will have similar shots and there probably won’t be a whole lot of originality. That’s fine for someone who just wants to record the day and come away with some “I was there” type pictures. For you as an enthusiastic photographer, or someone just starting out on the path to a professional career, it won’t be enough.

So go behind the scenes. Arrive early while people are getting ready and setting up. Photograph the preparations for the event. Look for performers applying makeup, vendors laying out food and souvenirs, dancers rehearsing their routines, police and security cordoning off traffic, sound engineers setting up speakers and PA systems, local dignitary’s practicing speeches and so on. Alternatively, stay late and photograph the event as it winds down. Stall owners closing up, performers relaxing with a beer, cleaners sweeping and washing the venue. All can be good subjects to photograph.

Show the viewer of your images the little extras. It’ll keep them coming back for more, it’ll help separate you from other photographers and make your work stand out. Don’t forget to pack a fresh supply of business cards with all your contact details to hand out. Give them to the people behind the scenes, make yourself known. Who knows, next time when there’s another event, some of these people may be giving you a call and hiring you for the day.

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