Holiday party photos in Regina: what to book, and when

If your staff party is in December, now is the time to book a photographer. Not because photographers are rare in Regina, but because the good dates are.

Christmas Day 2026 falls on a Friday. That leaves three Friday nights in December before it: the 4th, the 11th and the 18th. Most office parties land on one of those, or on the Saturday after. Every photographer can only be in one room at a time.

This guide covers what to book, how much coverage you actually need, and the photos worth getting.

Why bother with photos at a staff party?

Fair question. The party is for your people, not for Instagram.

But the photos get used more than you would think:

• Your careers page. Real staff having a good time is better than any stock photo.
• LinkedIn. A post the week after the party is one of the few company posts people actually like.
• Your team. Sending staff a link to a gallery the next week is a small thing people remember.
• Next year. When you plan next year’s event, the photos show what worked.

How much coverage do you need?

Less than you think. And evening start times are fine: most parties begin after work, and I plan for that.

The best photos at a party happen in the first part of the evening. People arrive, they are dressed up, they say hello, there are speeches and awards. After dinner and a few drinks, the photos get less useful, and some people would rather they weren’t taken at all.

Party type	Coverage I’d suggest	Why
Small office party (under 30 people)	1.5 to 2 hours	Arrivals, group photo, speeches, candids
Mid-size party with dinner and awards (30–100)	Up to 4 hours (half day)	Covers arrivals through to the end of awards
Large event with a program, entertainment and sponsors	Full day or custom	More moments, more people to cover

My half-day coverage is $450 for up to 4 hours, plus PST. A full day is $750. You get a preview set the next day for social media, and the full gallery in 3 to 7 business days. Prices are on my pricing page.

The photos worth getting

Tell your photographer which of these you want before the night. A list makes sure nothing important is missed.

1. The group photo. Everyone, early in the evening. Plan where it will happen and who will gather people.
2. Leadership with the team. Not just the CEO alone.
3. Awards and speeches. The moment of the handshake, and the person’s reaction.
4. Arrivals. People greeting each other. Good for the careers page.
5. The room. One wide shot of the venue, decorations and tables, before guests sit down.
6. Small groups. Teams together, people who don’t usually see each other.
7. The details. Food, decorations, name cards. Useful for next year’s planning.

When to get the group photo

Early. Within the first 30 to 45 minutes.

At the start, people are fresh, their outfits are tidy, and they haven’t drifted into the bar. If you wait until after dinner, half the group will be somewhere else.

Pick a spot in advance with enough room. Ask one person to round people up. I will set up, and it takes about five minutes from “everybody over here” to done.

Some people won’t want to be in the photos

That’s normal, and worth planning for. Some people are private. Some just don’t like candid photos of themselves at a party.

Two simple things help:

• Say it in the invitation. “We’ll have a photographer for the first part of the evening.” Nobody is surprised.
• Give people an easy way to opt out. Tell them to let you or the photographer know. A good photographer will quietly leave them out of candids.

Afterwards, share the gallery with staff first, before anything goes on public social media.

A sample photo plan for a party night

Here’s how the first two hours of a typical office party might look from the photographer’s side:

Time	What happens	Photos
5:30 pm	Photographer arrives, before guests	Empty room, decorations, table settings
6:00 pm	Doors open	Arrivals, greetings, small groups
6:30 pm	Everyone has arrived	The group photo
7:00 pm	Welcome speech	Speaker, audience reactions
7:15 pm	Dinner starts	A few wide shots, then table groups
7:45 pm	Awards or thank-yous	Handshakes, winners, reactions
8:00 pm	Photographer leaves	—

Adjust the times for your party. The order is what matters: room first, group photo early, speeches and awards in the middle.

After the party: using the photos

• Next working day: post 3 to 5 preview photos on LinkedIn with a thank-you to the team and the venue.
• Within a week: send staff a link to the full gallery.
• Later: add a few to your careers page, and keep the best for next year’s invitation.

A short LinkedIn post you can adapt:

Thank you to everyone who came out to our holiday party at [venue] on Friday. A great way to finish the year with this team. Special thanks to [names] for organising, and congratulations to [award winners]. #Regina #YQR

How to book, and when

Your party date	Book by
Friday 4 December	As soon as possible
Friday 11 December	Early November
Friday 18 December	Early to mid November
Saturdays and weekday parties	Mid November

When you get in touch, send:

• The date, start time and venue.
• Roughly how many people.
• What happens during the night: dinner, awards, speeches, entertainment.
• Where the photos will be used.

I reply with a fixed price within 1 business day. You can send your party details here.

A few practical tips

• Venue lighting: Most Regina venues are dim at night. That is fine for a good photographer, but tell them the venue so they can bring the right lights.
• Give the photographer the run sheet. Then they are already in position when the speeches start.
• Name a contact person. Someone who knows who's who and can point out the people you want photographed.
• Feed your photographer. Not required, but it helps!

If you are planning a bigger event, like a conference or a fundraiser, see my event shot list for organisers and my event photography page.

And if you'd like a fresh set of staff headshots in January, it's worth combining with a team headshot day while everyone is in the office.

Frequently asked questions