Fundraising auction entertainment idea: Portrait Photography
The portrait photographer at this hospital gala worked the computer for a group shot.
Three of my auction fundraisers this past year have had professional portraits offered on-site. The photo offers guests a remembrance of your benefit auction.
Portrait photography works especially well for charity auctions which tend to have co-workers attending, such as corporate and hospital foundations.
Guests look spiffy, so the photos show employees in their best light (all the better, considering those photos may show up on the company intranet).
This auction idea works for four reasons:
- The activity allows company departments and smaller teams of co-workers to have their photo taken together, which is a nice touch.
- A photo with a traditional background seems more professional with your co-workers than, for instance, a backdrop of of Las Vegas.
- The photos allow for more flexibility later, such as if the company’s foundation wanted to include a photo of the work team in an issue of the company newsletter, or even in a proposal for a prospective client.
- When individuals have a portrait taken, the finished headshot can be used for business cards or on the external company website.
The photography station is typically set up near the entrance to the silent auction. The photographer will show guests where to stand and offer basic instructions to capture the best angle and shot. For group photos, the photographer often takes a hands-on approach to ensuring everyone is in the photograph.
Guests are given a 4″x6″ photo, often housed in a cardstock black frame. The developed photos are displayed on a table near the check-out area so guests can take their photo as they leave. Photos with groups of people are developed multiple times so each person in the photo can take a copy home.
In short, this is a good activity for fundraising auctions. The big perk is that you can use those photos in a multi-purpose way long after the event is finished.
copyright (c) 2009 Red Apple Auctions LLC
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