Request for Proposals: Event Photographer + Videographer
RFP Release: September 9, 2026
RFP Submission Due: September 18, 2026
Event: October 12-13, 2026
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Application Contact: Audrey Jones; audrey@cityrising.org
The Opportunity
City Rising seeks a photographer and videographer to document a two-day, conference-style gathering in Indianapolis on October 12 and 13, 2026.
The event will bring together a range of participants for conversations, presentations, activities, and opportunities for connection and exchange. We are looking for a visual storyteller who can document the event in a way that captures not only what happens, but also the atmosphere, relationships, energy, and moments of engagement that make the gathering meaningful.
The selected photographer/videographer will be responsible for photographic and video documentation across the two-day event.
We are interested in work that feels observant, human, candid, and alive. We are not looking for a rigid shot list or highly staged documentation. The selected artist will have discretion to determine how best to tell the visual story of the gathering.
Event Schedule
The selected artist should be available for the following event hours:
Monday, October 12: 11:00 AM–4:30 PM
Tuesday, October 13: 9:00 AM–4:00 PM
The event will take place in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Scope of Work
The selected photographer/videographer will provide a combination of still photography and video documentation throughout the event.
Anticipated work may include:
Candid photographs of participants, speakers, presenters, and activities;
Environmental and detail photography that captures the setting and atmosphere;
Photographs of interactions, conversations, and moments of participation;
Key moments from presentations, sessions, and other programming;
Short-form video footage documenting the event, its participants, and atmosphere;
Professional individual headshots/portraits for up to 20 designated individuals. Headshots should be captured on-site during the event using an appropriate, consistent background, lighting, and framing suitable for professional organizational use. The selected photographer should be prepared to establish a simple on-site portrait station, including appropriate professional lighting and, if recommended, a portable backdrop, to create visual consistency across the headshots.
Other photographic or video material that the artist believes will contribute to a useful and compelling record of the gathering.
City Rising does not intend to prescribe an exact number of photographs or hours of finished video. The selected artist will use professional judgment to determine what should be documented and how.
We welcome a range of photographic and video approaches, including candid documentary work, portraiture, environmental imagery, detail shots, movement, and other approaches appropriate to the event.
Creative and Professional Discretion
City Rising is interested in documentation that feels natural and not overly staged. The exception will be professional headshots/portraits for up to 20 designated individuals, which will require a more consistent and intentionally staged approach.
The selected artist will have discretion over composition, perspective, equipment, photographic style, and the kinds of moments they prioritize, while remaining attentive to the needs and dynamics of the event.
We are particularly interested in someone who knows how to anticipate meaningful moments, work unobtrusively in a group setting, and create images that communicate something about the people and relationships present!
The artist may recommend a particular approach to video capture, including short observational clips, ambient footage, interviews or other forms of documentation, if they believe these would strengthen the final body of work.
Deliverables
The final deliverables will include:
A curated collection of high-resolution edited photographs documenting the event;
Original/full-resolution image files suitable for future digital, print, and promotional use;
Video footage documenting the event, delivered in an agreed-upon digital format;
Original video files/footage where appropriate and available;
Up to 20 professionally edited individual headshots/portraits, delivered as high-resolution files suitable for print and digital use, along with web-optimized versions where appropriate;
Any agreed-upon additional photographic or video materials identified during the project.
The precise selection and organization of final materials will be determined in conversation with the selected artist.
City Rising may request reasonable editing or selection adjustments to ensure that the final collection provides useful coverage of the event.
Rights and Future Use
The selected artist will retain copyright in their original creative work.
As part of the artist agreement, the artist will grant City Rising and its assignees the rights necessary to use, reproduce, exhibit, distribute, publish, and otherwise make use of the commissioned photographs and video for organizational, educational, promotional, archival, digital, and related purposes.
This may include use on websites, social media, printed materials, presentations, reports, future events, and other communications associated with City Rising, its assignees, and the project.
The artist will be appropriately credited where practical and appropriate.
Who We Are Looking For
We welcome applications from professional photographers, videographers, photographer/videographers, documentary artists, visual storytellers, and interdisciplinary artists with relevant experience.
We are particularly interested in applicants who demonstrate:
Strong photographic and/or video skills;
Experience documenting live events, conferences, gatherings, or community-based work;
An ability to work unobtrusively and respectfully around participants;
Strong instincts for candid moments, composition, and visual storytelling;
Reliability and professionalism in a live event environment; and
The ability to deliver high-quality work within an agreed-upon timeline.
Emerging artists are encouraged to apply. Applicants do not need to have worked on an event exactly like this one. We are interested in the quality and perspective of your existing work.
How to Apply
Please email audrey@cityrising.org by September 18, 2026 with:
A brief statement of interest;
A portfolio or links to approximately 3–5 relevant examples of your work;
A brief résumé or bio;
A pricing quote or budget to fulfill the scope of work and deliverables; and
Confirmation of your availability for October 12–13 in Indianapolis.
Compensation
This is a paid professional commission.
Compensation will be discussed with the selected artist prior to execution of an agreement. Applications should include a detailed estimate or quote for services.
Payment will be made in arrears upon receipt of an invoice, on a Net 30 basis.
A Final Note
We are looking for someone who can help us preserve and record the gathering whilst working to capture something of its character.
The strongest documentation will give someone who was not in the room a sense of the people, ideas, interactions, and atmosphere that made the event worth gathering for in the first place.
We welcome artists whose existing work demonstrates that kind of attention.