The 8 Best Event Photographers in Columbus

As Ohio’s state capital and the 15th-largest city in the United States, Columbus is unsurprisingly full of events. No matter if you’re a native of Arch City, visiting family, or passing through, there’s no shortage of things to do. The city boasts fab festivals and the iconic Newport Music Hall, as well as the Ohio State University, parties, and plenty of corporate events. For each of these, there are plenty of Columbus event photographers to snap shots of your most memorable times. And, considering that 48% of Americans live within 600 miles of Columbus, you just might consider it the heart of the US. So show off what’s going on in town, Columbus! These Columbus event photographers can help you do it.

1. Jessica Miller

Wedding and event photographer Jessica Miller’s work has been seen in many national publications, from Curve to Brides & Weddings, as well as a spot in The Knot‘s Hall of Fame. When you’ve done as many wedding receptions as Jessica has, you’re well-qualified to shoot just about any other kind of event, too. Armed with a camera-in-hand since she was 6 years old, photography has been a passion for her as long as she can remember. She’s also traveled the country-over, pursuing study and work experience in Chicago, Atlanta, and her native Ohio. Jessica’s photos are natural, bright, and airy, effortlessly graceful in a way that makes everyone look lovely. For event photography with a personal touch, Jessica might just be the one.

2. Adam Cairns

Adam Cairns is a photojournalist and staff member at The Columbus Dispatch. In 2003, he graduated from Ball State University with a bachelor’s in photojournalism, and then became immersed in the newspaper industry. Beginning his career at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, he soon went back to school to complete his master’s and completed an internship at the Dispatch, where he’s been since.

His event photography can be seen on the Dispatch‘s website, covering big events in the Columbus area from sports to politics to music and more. Adam always captures the shape of an event flawlessly — its dimensions and energy — by composing shots that both show the scale of quality of an event, as well as plenty of up-close-and-personal shots of people interacting.

3. Randy DePuy of Picture America Event Photographers

Randy DePuy is the creative lens behind Picture America Event Photographers, and he’s a master at his craft. One of the top Columbus event photographers in the business, DePuy has been shooting events and portraits for more than three decades. No matter the event, be it a conference, party, political fundraiser, or charity event, Randy has a wealth of experience, an intense drive to perfect his craft, and a packed portfolio to boot. He knows the importance of moments and stories. Furthermore, he understands that those important moments can appear at the most surprising of times, so he’s always ready to capture those unexpected spur-of-the-moment occurrences.

4. Autumn Theodore

Need branding and commercial photography? Look no further than Autumn Theodore. As an event photographer in Columbus, she’s been behind the lens at dozens of events by notable clients, such as Women in Analytics, Capital University, and the Columbus Museum of Art. Shooting what matters, in whatever lighting an event requires, Autumn is up to the task of making each event representative of its brand.

Before she was a photographer, she was a marketer for more than seven years. In other words, she knows what your event photos need and is efficient in providing it. That’s a very particular talent — the ability to ensure that your photos stylistically align with an organization’s goals for how it presents itself. If you want a photographer who will tell your story in a way that’s true to how you tell it, give Autumn a call.

5. Heather Marlin of Big Fish Stories Photography

Like many Columbus event photographers, Heather Marlin’s bread and butter is work like high school senior portraits, weddings, and family portraits. When she’s brought in to lend her expertise to an event, some of those creative instincts shine through — a special attention to capturing the good vibes and happy faces, for example. And she generally focuses on the people attending an event, essentially telling the collective story of the crowd. It’s a style of event coverage that skews more towards illustrative than photojournalistic, and it’s a great match for many an event. If you’ve got an event that you hope feels like a gathering of family and friends, give her a shout.

6. Polly Sellers

Polly Sellers cut her teeth on wedding shoots, but in recent years she’s been shooting an increasing number of musical events, and we’re hoping it’s just the beginning. Shooting an event with live music and constantly changing colored lighting is a unique technical challenge, but Polly’s got it covered. In general, her work is stylishly color graded and downright hip, so check her out — if her aesthetic matches your own, especially if your event has live performers, she’ll make an excellent creative partner.

7. Melchy Hill

Melchy Hill is a lifestyle photographer with more than six years of experience behind the lens. If you’ve got any family event coming up, Hill is one of the best women to turn to. In her own words, her photography captures today’s organic moments that will wow your heart tomorrow. Real emotions are what makes her tick, from the first smile at a child’s first birthday or the joy encapsulated in their graduating photographs. Melchy tunes in to the rare, candid moments that matter — she’ll never let one pass by.

8. Jonathan Michaels

Jonathan Michaels has been taking photographs for over 15 years. During a six-year stint in the US Navy, while working at the National Naval Medical Center in DC, he fell in love with photography. Although he was born in New Jersey, he’s lived the majority of his adult life in Columbus, watching it explode into the vibrant community it is today while taking pictures of it along the way.

His love of his city, as well as his art, makes for exciting, rarely seen locations and captured moments in the in-between. Michaels is truly an Ohioan at heart.  His photographic experience spans everything from fashion photography to real estate and everything in between, making him an especially versatile professional.

Whether you’re in town for work or for play — or better yet, if you live here — you never know when you might need a Columbus event photographer to join you for the ride. Event photography exponentially expands the potential reach of an event, allowing an unlimited number of people to experience it after the fact through the lens of professionally curated photography. That makes it well worth the investment, and it ensures that your guests will have awesome images to look back on for years to come.

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