Conference season is here. And if you have never shot a step-and-repeat, it’s worth knowing how!

You will have seen them at film premieres and award ceremonies. The backdrop covered in repeated logos, the line of photographers, the subjects stepping up one by one. Red carpets. Step and repeats. They are the same thing, just in different settings.

They happen from September through March every year. Conferences, award dinners, product launches, corporate events. There is real commercial work here for photographers who know how to do it well.

And it is a very specific skill set.

This year alone I have shot them in Miami, Cannes, London, Berlin and a load closer to home!

Here is what I have learned.

Two Setups. One Decision.

The Gear

The gear choice comes down to one question. Are you one of many photographers jostling for position, or are you working alone?

If you are in a crowd of photographers, an on-camera flash is the right call. It is fast, mobile, and keeps you compact. You need to move quickly and not take up space that belongs to someone else.

If you have the space to yourself, a medium softbox positioned centrally gives you much better light. Softer shadows, more flattering results, and the flexibility to direct people properly without worrying about your modifier hitting the person next to you.

Either way, I reach for a 35mm lens. It lets me get close to the subjects, which means I can speak to them at a normal volume rather than shouting across a room. That proximity makes a real difference to the quality of what you get from people. And I can crop tight in camera, which saves a significant amount of editing time afterwards.

Flash Settings

Run the flash at between 1/8 and 1/4 power. That keeps the recycling time fast, which is essential when you are moving quickly through a line of people or trying to catch a candid moment. Shoot at around f/8 so the whole group is in focus, including any logos or branding on the backdrop behind them. ISO 400, shutter speed around 1/125, and adjust from there depending on the room.

The Things That Catch You Out.

The red cast from a red carpet is a very common problem that catches photographers out. When flash is direct and not bounced, it picks up the colour of the floor and throws it back onto your subjects. Check your first frame carefully and correct the white balance before you get twenty shots in and realise every face has a pink tinge.

Lanyards. On corporate events, almost everyone is wearing one. They are a nightmare to edit out later. If you can, ask people to tuck them away or take them off before they step up. Most people are happy to do it and it saves you time in post.

Group focus. When shooting groups, f/8 is your friend. Wide apertures look great for individual portraits but put the people at the edges of a group slightly soft and lose the backdrop branding entirely. The client almost always wants the logo visible.

Directing People

Pleasant. Firm. Fast.

People who step onto a red carpet or step-and-repeat are generally delighted to be there. That is a gift. Use it.

You have about ten seconds with each person or group. The instinct is to just fire and move on. But a quick word before you shoot changes everything. Notice something. A colourful jacket, a striking dress, an award they are holding. Say something genuine and fast. "That colour is fantastic." "Wow, this group looks great." "These are going to look brilliant." People light up. Their posture changes. Their face relaxes. That is the shot.

Props help too. Awards, branded items, anything the event has provided. Getting people to hold or interact with something gives them something to do with their hands and usually produces a more natural result than asking them to simply stand and smile.

Always push for a fun shot after the formal one. The organisers almost always love it. The subjects remember it. And it is usually the image that gets shared.

From the Field

One event I shoot every year in Germany requires the images to go live inside the conference on a rolling PowerPoint reel while I am still shooting. No time to edit, no time to crop, no margin for error. I shoot onto two cards simultaneously so the organiser can pull images from one card and load them into the presentation while I continue shooting onto the other. It is an intense hour. Technically demanding, physically fast, and completely unforgiving. But when you see your images appearing on the screen behind the stage while the event is still happening, it is one of the most satisfying feelings in commercial photography.

Step and Repeat Checklist

• On-camera flash for crowded positions. Softbox if shooting alone.

• 35mm lens. Get close. Communicate properly.

• Flash at 1/8 to 1/4 power for fast recycling.

• f/8 to keep groups and backdrop logos sharp.

• Check first frame for red cast from the carpet.

• Ask people to remove lanyards before they step up.

• Crop tight in camera to save editing time.

• Always push for a fun shot after the formal one.

• Shoot to two cards if images are needed immediately

Conference season runs through to March traditionally. If this is new territory, it is worth adding to your commercial offer.

The work is there and most photographers do not do it particularly well.