The 12 best event photographers in London

From corporate conferences to our loved one's birthday parties, the events in our lives are often moments of celebration, connection, and great significance. Through our desires to memorialise these special moments (except that one Christmas party that you'd rather forget), we look to event photographers to help us capture these fleeting memories.

Event photographers help us to preserve these precious moments and cherished memories for years to come. But that's no easy task; if you've ever tried to take a candid photograph of your friends at a party, then you'll know the struggle of unflattering angles, half-made facial expressions, and flailing arms.

So, whether you're looking for the perfect event photographer to memorialise your special occasion, or you're an event photographer yourself seeking inspiration from the best in the business, this curation of the 12 best event photographers in London will offer you a deeper understanding of what brings success in the world of event photography.

Contents:

1. Owen Billcliffe
2. James Gifford-Mead
3. Kate Cowdry
4. Alistair Veryard
5. Philip Bedford
6. Harry Richards
7. Graham Lee
8. Paul Underhill
9. Teofil Rewers
10. Claire Jonas
11. Paul Clarke
12. Anna McCarthy

1. Owen Billcliffe

Owen Billcliffe is a Scottish event photographer based in London, who covers a wide range of occasions from intimate parties in your back garden to corporate conferences in 5-star hotels. As a result, he collaborates with a diverse selection of clients, from small families to the likes of Virgin, Marks & Spencer, PepsiCo, and the BBC.

Billcliffe prides himself on his ability to capture candid, natural images that will immortalise your special occasion. As with many event photographers, summer is Billcliffe's busiest period and dates are often booked 4-6 weeks in advance, so be prepared to plan ahead if you have a summer event that you want him to shoot.

Follow Owen Billcliffe on his socials to stay up to date with his work:

• Instagram: @owenbphoto

2. James Gifford-Mead

James Gifford-Mead is a London-based events and headshot photographer who has been working in the industry for 15 years, and owned his own photography business for 13. Whilst based in Wimbledon, he is happy to travel across London, the UK and beyond for projects and campaigns.

As a "people-person", Gifford-Mead is well adapted to putting people at ease and immersing himself in his documentary-style approach, which allows him to capture organic, candid photographs that reflect an authentic environment and continues to attract clients to his business.

Follow James Gifford-Mead on his socials to stay up to date with his work:

• Instagram: @james_gifford_mead
• Twitter: @jgiffordmead

3. Kate Cowdry

Kate Cowdry is a professional event photographer in London, who works throughout the UK across a range of events including children's parties, corporate events, and weddings.

Cowdry worked in advertising and PR for a year after graduating, before realising her calling and going on to study a Masters in Photography at Kingston University. She continues to approach photography with unbridled enthusiasm, and this commitment comes across in her work.

Follow Kate Cowdry on her socials to stay up to date with her work:

• Instagram: @katecowdreyphotography

4. Alistair Veryard

Alistair Veryard is a professional event photographer in London who has been working with prominent brands and agencies for over 10 years. From small social gatherings all the way to large corporate events, Veryard offers "dynamic, contemporary and personality-driven photography" that leaves a lasting impression.

Having worked previously in corporate comms and graphic design, Veryard has an acute understanding of why and how businesses should invest in their brand imagery. He collaborates closely with his clients to craft the perfect narrative and represent them in their best light.

Follow Alistair Veryard on his socials to stay up to date with his work:

• Instagram: @alistair_veryard_photography
• Twitter: @alistairveryard

5. Philip Bedford

Philip Bedford is a professional event, portrait, landscape and commercial photographer in London. As an event photographer, Bedford is committed to delivering high-quality images that elevate the brand identity of his clients.

Knowing how quick the modern corporate landscape moves, Bedford promises immediate turnarounds on his photographs after the event, and can even share images whilst shooting, so that clients can live tweet their photographs as the event is taking place.

Bedford is also happy to bring his portable photo studio with him so that attendees can have formal headshots or portraits taken during the event.

Follow Philip Bedford on his socials to stay up to date with his work:

• Instagram: @prbedford
• Twitter: @pbedford_photo

6. Harry Richards

Harry Richards is an award-winning event photographer in London, with 20 years of experience shooting events across London and beyond. Whilst also shooting solo for single-venue events, Richards can also accommodate large conferences and simultaneous events through his experience assembling and managing a crew of photographers.

From training sessions to awards ceremonies, evening receptions to world-class galas, Richards works seamlessly across a broad spectrum of events, offering minimal disruption and maximum impact with his photographs.

Richard's previous clients include the likes of Private Eye, Cats Protection and the Serpentine Gallery, which showcases his success in the field and ability to meet the high demands of high-profile organisations.

Follow Harry Richards on his socials to stay up to date with his work:

• Instagram: @reportographylondon
• Twitter: @reportography

7. Graham Lee

Graham Lee is an award-winning photographer based in Buckinghamshire but working across South East England, including London. He specialises in corporate event photography, including partner events, awards ceremonies, conferences and trade shows.

Lee works collaboratively with his clients to deliver photographs that "provide the right message to [their] stakeholders". Corporate event photography is a crucial aspect of a company's marketing strategy, as it humanises your brand and helps to sell a narrative about who you are and what you stand for.

Follow Graham Lee on his socials to stay up to date with his work:

• Instagram: @grahamleephotos
• Twitter: @grahamleephotos

8. Paul Underhill

Paul Underhill is an event, commercial and portrait photographer based in Dorset but working across London and the South Coast. Having worked in the industry for over 20 years, Underhill has worked across a huge range of clients and events, from royal engagements to international music festivals.

Underhill has a keen eye for "the subtlety of human interactions", and is able to navigate large, busy events to find those intimate moments that flood with joy and energy.

From consultancy and advice before the event to post-production and editing after, Underhill works closely with his clients to ensure that they're involved every step of the way.

Follow Paul Underhill on his socials to stay up to date with his work:

• Instagram: @paulunderhillphoto
• Twitter: @paulunderhill

9. Teofil Rewers

Teofil Rewers is a London photographer who mainly photographs corporate events, conferences and black-tie galas. Working regularly for prominent businesses and events, Rewers understands the importance of powerful imagery in PR.

As part of this, Rewers understands that it's his job to "create strong and evocative imagery which captures the unique feeling of the event at its best". This can be a challenge as the atmosphere of an event is often said to be "felt" in some intangible way, which can be difficult to emulate in a static image. Event photographers like Rewers have to adapt to find those moments that preserve a glimpse of this atmosphere.

10. Claire Jonas

Claire Jonas is a professional photographer in London, specialising in events such as Jewish weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs and family parties. She has had her worked featured in the likes of Vogue and Glamour magazines and was the Assistant Photographer at Zara Phillips and Mark Tindall's wedding.

Jonas learnt very early on that she was drawn to "documenting those spontaneous, beautiful moments that are missing in posed photographs". This inevitably led her into event photography, where she built a name for herself for her detailed and attentive approach.

She tries only to use natural light in her photography, believing in keeping things as organic and simple as possible, so as to accurately capture the mood and tone of the day.

Follow Claire Jonas on her socials to stay up to date with her work:

• Instagram: @clairejonasphotography
• Twitter: @CJP1X

11. Paul Clarke

Paul Clarke is a professional event photographer in London, who works with his award-winning team to serve over 300 events every year. He specialised is "real-time image creation", offering the ability for clients to access their images whilst the event is still taking place.

Having worked in photography for over 30 years, Clarke has developed an enviable skillset that includes high-quality and natural retouching, as well as a keen eye for detail. This expertise has seen his work exhibited and published internationally, and featured in the likes of the London Evening Standard and the Economist.

Clarke has won a number of prestigious awards himself, including in the Professional category of the Event Photography Awards in 2014 and the runner-up for the Event Photographer of the Year at the same awards in 2016. His impressive list of clients includes the likes of Microsoft, London School of Economics and the NHS.

Follow Paul Clarke on his socials to stay up to date with his work:

• Instagram: @paul_clarke
• Twitter: @paul_clarke and @paulclarkephoto

12. Anna McCarthy

Anna McCarthy is an event photographer based in West London, who covers a range of events from intimate family gatherings and children's parties all the way to festivals, concerts and various business events.

Since starting her business 18 years ago, McCarthy has worked for clients from all walks of life, with all of whom she demonstrates "professionalism, diplomacy and respect at all times” (according to one of her clients). This professionalism and her attention to detail has seen her land clients such as Radio Times, The Sunday Times and Digital Photographer magazine.

Follow Anna McCarthy on her socials to stay up to date with her work:

• Instagram: @annamccarthyphotography
• Twitter: @anna_mc_photo

Wrapping up

Event photographers have the unique ability to freeze time and capture the atmosphere and essence of any occasion. This isn't an easy thing to do as most people aren't used to being photographed and may be hypervigilant and self-aware knowing that there is a photographer lurking in the shadows of the event they're attending.

What this list of the 12 best event photographers in London demonstrates then is that to succeed as an event photographer, you need to be able to put people at ease. It's not so much about making yourself invisible as it is about allowing people to forget that you are there. If people trust you and trust that you're there to capture their best moments (and best angles) then they'll give you the freedom to do so.

If you're looking for the best places to hire photography equipment in London, we've got you covered!