NetApp CONVERGE FY27
Team Handbook
Expectations, technical standards, conduct guidelines, and coverage checklists for photographers working with Jim Vetter Photography.
Table of Contents
Purpose
This document outlines the expectations, requirements, and best practices for photographers working with Jim Vetter Photography. These guidelines serve as a reference for consistent, high-quality coverage and a professional client experience.
Professional Conduct
Dress code
All-black, quiet, event-ready- All-black attire required: pants and long-sleeve shirts.
- Bring a black sweater or jacket for cold rooms.
- Wear comfortable, quiet shoes suitable for long hours.
- Keep jewelry minimal and non-distracting.
- Wear event badge with name visible when available.
Behavior
Professional and unobtrusive- Be polite, courteous, helpful, respectful, and positive.
- Be stealthy and minimize disruption to attendees.
- Do not walk in front of projectors.
- Honor all photo requests graciously.
- No alcohol consumption during events.
- Do not promote your personal brand while on assignment.
Meals and breaks
Coordinate before stepping away- Eat only during designated meal breaks.
- Stay hydrated, but keep water bottles discreet.
- Check with the lead photographer before taking breaks.
Client protocol
Friendly, bounded, graceful- Be friendly while maintaining professional boundaries.
- Never share opinions about the venue, vendors, or event.
- Handle complaints with grace and refer to the lead photographer.
- Accommodate reasonable photo requests when possible.
- Clear significant time commitments with the lead photographer.
Team Communication
Before coverage
Confirm the plan- Establish communication method with the lead photographer before the event: text, hand signals, or both.
- Confirm coverage zones and responsibilities.
- Set regular check-in times.
- Use discrete hand signals during ceremonies and presentations.
Alert the team
Do not disappear silently- Taking breaks.
- Changing shooting locations.
- Noticing important moments about to happen.
- Technical issues arise.
- Special client requests are made.
- Equipment issues or client concerns come up.
Technical Requirements
Required equipment
Bring redundancy- Two working full-frame digital camera bodies.
- Selection of professional-grade lenses.
- Two flash units with bounce/diffusion capabilities.
- Backup memory cards, minimum 64GB per camera, to every gig.
- Backup batteries for all equipment.
- Comfortable camera bag, belt, or strap system.
Camera settings
RAW, manual, consistent- Shoot RAW to both cards simultaneously in each camera.
- Shoot Manual mode for consistency.
- Set white balance manually per situation.
- Use Eye Detection autofocus when photographing people.
- Expose for faces, allowing backgrounds to overexpose if necessary.
- Keep shutter speed fast enough to prevent motion blur, with and without flash.
- Set camera filenames to include your initials.
Shooting Style & Composition
Composition
Clean, intentional frames- Keep camera level; avoid tilted horizons.
- Place subjects' eyes in the upper third; avoid excess headroom.
- Frame intentionally and avoid accidental cropping.
- Shoot clean, uncluttered backgrounds.
- Main subject matter should be the biggest, brightest, and sharpest thing in the frame.
Exposure
Faces first- Maintain consistent exposure in the same lighting conditions.
- Ensure catch lights in subjects' eyes.
- Use flash to overpower saturated ambient light.
- Use at least 1/320 sec for action.
- Use slower shutter speed when needed for LED screens/displays.
- Be cautious with focus-recompose at shallow depth of field.
Depth of field
Sharp eyes are non-negotiable- For single-person subjects, shoot as shallow as desired.
- For multi-person subjects, ensure all eyes are sharp.
- The closest eyes looking at camera should always be sharp.
- Group photos: f/4 to f/5.6.
- Room/venue shots: f/4 or higher.
- Stage/bright lighting: use smaller apertures as needed.
Flash
Bounced, balanced, never harsh- Always bounce on-camera flash; avoid direct flash.
- Avoid shooting flash into guests' eyes when bouncing.
- Use gels to match ambient light.
- Use flash for catch lights or when background is brighter than subject.
- Freeze action exposed to ambient light.
- Do not overexpose foreground or underexpose background.
- Set background exposure first, then add flash in Manual mode.
Memory cards
No deletes, clean handoff- Format cards in your camera before event begins.
- Photograph a phone clock showing minutes and seconds for each camera; Atomic Clock with large digital face is suggested.
- Never delete images during event.
- Return cards to lead photographer at close of event.
- If possible, retain backup copy on the second card for a few days.
Groups and details
Clean backgrounds and complete coverage- Position groups with clean backgrounds.
- Ensure even spacing between subjects.
- Check closed eyes and expressions.
- Take multiple shots of each grouping.
- Capture wide, medium, and macro detail views.
- Document branded materials/signage.
- Remove distracting elements and shoot multiple angles.
Event-Specific Coverage
Weddings
Key wedding notes- Include window-light shots of groom getting ready.
- Shoot groom details: shoes, socks, belt, watch, and related items.
- Always capture bride's entrance and father handoff.
- Document guest reactions during key moments.
- Shoot BTS vertical video clips of lead photographer at appropriate times.
Corporate events
Standard coverage- Venue exterior, interior, and decor without setup mess visible.
- Clean event signage and branded materials.
- Speakers, presentations, and programmed content.
- Guest candids and networking.
- Group photos as requested.
Corporate guidelines
Make rooms look active- Document start time with phone clock photo for each camera.
- Capture context-identifying shot at start of each session.
- Photograph presenter name slides/signage.
- Make rooms appear as full as possible.
- Avoid overshooting.
- Get catchlights whenever possible.
- Use flash judiciously and never direct at faces.
- Use deeper depth of field for multiple faces.
General sessions
Room, arrivals, audience, speaker- Pre-session room and stage clean shots.
- Entrance coverage inside and outside doors.
- Pre-session attendee interactions.
- Audience reactions during openings, key moments, applause, and laughter.
- Speaker entrance, greetings, animated gestures, transitions, panels, and wide context.
Breaks and meals
Interactions, not eating- Clean break area shots with signage.
- Early arrival interactions.
- Minimal food station documentation.
- No eating photos; food holding is okay.
- Focus on genuine interactions.
- Use available light when possible.
- For meals, get quick room-wide establishing shots and table interactions with a long lens.
Social events
Relaxed, clean, lively- Clean venue shots and arrival documentation.
- Food station details.
- Natural group formations and informal group photos once guests are relaxed.
- Use flash as needed for color and catchlights.
- No shots of people eating.
- When shooting into a huddle, focus on someone facing camera and do not use direct flash.
Food and beverage
Fresh and full only- Photograph only fresh, full trays/displays.
- Avoid partially empty food stations.
- Do not shoot behind-the-scenes prep areas.
- For food servers, show service action, avoid direct eye contact, and crop above or below face if needed.
Associate Photographer Documentation & Delivery
- Record start/end times for each session.
- Document special client requests.
- Note technical issues encountered.
- Track promised images to specific guests.
- Maintain list of key moments captured.
- Follow card return protocol specified by lead photographer.
Image Usage & Rights
- No social media posting without explicit permission.
- Portfolio use requires approval.
- Never share images before client delivery.
- Include proper vendor credit when sharing approved images.
Remember: You represent JVP at all times during the event. Your professionalism and attention to detail help create an exceptional experience for our clients.
Pre-Event Checklist
- Confirm event date, time, and location.
- Review client requests and requirements.
- Charge all batteries: cameras, flashes, phone.
- Clean lenses and check equipment functionality.
- Ensure clean black attire including warm layer.
- Review shot list and schedule.
- Set camera file naming to include your initials.
- Pack venue-appropriate shoes.
- Confirm lead photographer's contact information.
- Review relevant guidelines for the event type.
- Format memory cards.
- Photograph Atomic Clock with each camera after formatting cards.