A marathon photography plan needs an owner, a course map, safe camera positions, clock synchronization, a delivery workflow, and a participant recovery route. Build those pieces before assigning photographers. The checklist below is designed for a race team meeting, not only the photography supplier.
Six to eight weeks before
- Name the photography lead and one organizer decision maker.
- Define participant, sponsor, press, volunteer, and safety needs.
- Mark start, finish, landmarks, difficult light, and restricted zones.
- Confirm where photographers may stand without obstructing runners or officials.
- Decide whether bib search, time browsing, selfie search, or several methods will be offered.
- Put photography and gallery expectations in participant communications.
- Agree usage rights, sponsor delivery, gallery opening, and support ownership.
One week before
Walk or review every position with maps and current access information. Create a contact sheet with photographer names, phone numbers, credentials, parking, transport, first and last expected runner, and the fallback position.
Synchronize camera clocks. Decide card naming, upload folders, who receives files, and how duplicates or technical rejects are handled.
Race-day control list
| Moment | Check |
|---|---|
| Before start | Credentials, clocks, batteries, empty cards, weather protection |
| Start | Elite and mass field coverage, sponsor visibility, safe lanes |
| Course | Position confirmed, no obstruction, timing window recorded |
| Finish | Medical and timing routes protected, awards schedule known |
| Transfer | Cards logged, files copied twice, uploader assigned |
| Publish | Test gallery access, labels, downloads, and support contact |
Participant delivery
Do not rely on bib recognition alone. Jackets, arms, bikes, and crowding hide numbers. Organize by location and time, maintain an unidentified set, and provide a second route where appropriate.
Event Face Finder for races can add event-scoped selfie search to the delivery plan. Treat it as one retrieval method with clear instructions and retry guidance, not as a replacement for course coverage.
After the race
- Confirm all camera cards were received.
- Publish the stated first batch or update the timeline.
- Reconcile missing locations.
- Send sponsor and press selections separately.
- Monitor no-result and support requests.
- Remind participants before gallery closure.
- Archive the final delivery and complete the source handoff.
Put the safety-approved camera positions, clock rules, transfer owner, and participant support contact on the same operating sheet.
Set up the gallery before you share it
Create the event, choose access and download rules, then test the guest route from a phone.
Create an event
