Volunteer at ShutterFest

Join the ShutterFest Mafia Crew

We are in search of 50 people looking to be a part of the behind-the-scenes magic of ShutterFest. We need people who are enthusiastic, energetic, and are willing to offer their creativity and skills to help make ShutterFest 2026 the best year yet!

Here is what’s in it for you:

Volunteers will receive (aside from seeing some of the best speakers in the industry in action and building lasting friendships with other members of the SF Mafia):
– EXCLUSIVE SF Mafia t-shirt (no one else can buy these!)
– EXCLUSIVE SF Mafia badge
– EXCLUSIVE SF Mafia attendee graphic (coming soon)
– An SF Mafia commemorative challenge coin
– Ability to attend any class when not scheduled for volunteer duties
– FREE pass to SF+ on Friday, April 10th (a $399 value)
– Food Truck meal vouchers during the event (April 7th – 9th)
– Private event with food, drinks, darts, Sal and Team Cincotta on April 10th after SF+ at Flight Club

***PLEASE NOTE: in order to volunteer, you must purchase a ticket prior to the event. You will be reimbursed after the event (checks will be mailed to you). If you have already purchased your ShutterFest 2025 ticket and volunteer, you will be reimbursed for the cost of your ticket after the event.

VOLUNTEER EXPECTATIONS:

1. Attend the volunteer meeting on Monday, April 6th at 11AM to receive your shirt, lunch vouchers, go over tasks and begin setting up. If you are assigned to Registration, you will begin working that afternoon/evening. Setup will last until approximately 6PM.

2. Commitment to stay through the end of the show and assist with breaking down your station on April 9th at 4:30pm, or through the end of your assigned responsibilities.

3. A positive attitude and willingness to help where needed. You will have times where you do not have an assignment and can attend a class, but this is NOT simply a free pass to attend the conference. The event will provide you with a schedule of assignments before the event so you can make plans around them.

4. Download Slack (an invite will be sent to you ~1-2 weeks prior to the event) during ShutterFest to stay in touch and communicate with the volunteer team.

VOLUNTEER POSITIONS:

You may be assigned to any or all of these positions during the event. Typical volunteer shifts are 5-8 hours, starting as early as 7AM for certain positions. Monday evening Registration is from 2PM – 8PM. All other volunteer shifts will end by 7PM each day.

Rent-A-Human
Assist with rotating models into hair & makeup and wardrobe. Keep track of Model check-in/out. Help attendees use the Rent-A-Human program. Ensure models make it to their assigned locations on time. Answer questions about the RAH program.

Boudoir Bays or Creator Lab
Assist attendees and vendors at shooting bays throughout the event. Ensure things are running smoothly, attendees are rotating through shooting stations, and everyone gets a chance to participate. Be a human light stand where needed 🙂

Registration
Check in attendees quickly and efficiently. Distribute badges, lanyards, maps, etc. Process day-of ticket sales. Assist with registration/app/general conference questions.

SKILL LEVELS

Beginner: Just starting out or relatively new to a given subject matter. Basics will be covered and the course will move at a slower pace. The instructor will spend a little more time trying to explain concepts to ensure everyone is following. On a scale of 1-10 consider this level a 1-3 on the given topic.

Intermediate: Has a grasp of some basic concepts. This course level will move at a faster pace and assume you have basic knowledge covered on the given subject matter. On a scale of 1-10 consider this level a 4-6 on the given topic.

Advanced: You have working knowledge of the given subject matter, but are looking for more fine-tuning and some advanced topics to take your work to that next level. DO NOT expect instructors to explain basic concepts in this course. On a scale of 1-10 consider this level a 7-10 on the given topic.

Class Types

Hands-On

These are shooting courses. You will be shooting and working. Bring your camera, gear, or whatever you need for the course and to create create images. Expect to have some level of shooting.

Live Demonstration

These are instructor-led courses where you will see a live demonstration of what the instructor is teaching. You can still bring your camera to these courses and you can photograph, but the goal of the course is NOT for you to shoot or to ensure you get a shot. The goal is for you to see how and why the instructor does what he/she does in order to get the final result.

Lecture

These are non-shooting courses. Typically classroom-based, bring your laptop and notepad and focus on learning!