You Earn Your Way Into the Room
On day one, people are hesitant.
You spend those first few hours chasing the shots you need while navigating an entirely new crowd of unknowns. Some are local. Some have flown in from across the country or around the world. And inevitably, I’m met with the usual healthy dose of skepticism. Sometimes even a dirty look or two.
This is the part where, briefly, you wonder why you didn’t choose a career photographing buildings.
But if you persevere, something changes.
Over the course of the event, those same people start to recognize you. The skepticism softens. They start waving you over for a photo instead of avoiding you. By the end of a three-day conference, I’ve had people chase me down for one more shot, call me by name, and even give me a hug goodbye while everyone is running on some combination of inspiration and caffeine.
That transformation is one of my favourite parts of photographing corporate events. Not everyone is comfortable in front of a camera, and it’s my job to respect that.
Sometimes earning someone’s trust means getting them comfortable enough that they’re genuinely happy to be photographed. Other times it means recognizing that they don’t want their picture taken at all, putting the camera down, and having a joke with them instead.
Either outcome is okay.
There are tricky waters to navigate when you’re photographing hundreds of people with different personalities, comfort levels and boundaries. You still need to get the photographs your client hired you to capture, but you also need to treat the people in front of your camera like people.
Which may explain why I spend most events walking around with what can only be described as a ridiculous smile on my face. I have actually had strangers ask me who I’m smiling at when nobody else is around.
My answer? It’s a lot harder to get mad at someone smiling like an idiot when they have that big camera in their hand. And it's true.
I used to think the goal of event photography was to disappear into the background. After photographing conferences and corporate events across Winnipeg and Manitoba, one thing I’ve learned is that I don’t disappear particularly well, no matter how hard I try.
So instead, I merge with it.
I stay mindful of the people around me and respectful of whatever is happening on stage, in a meeting room or across the reception floor. But over the course of an event, I slowly become part of the ecosystem.
One of the best compliments I can receive is when an attendee asks the organizer if I work for the organization internally.
Because if, in three short days, I can go from being the stranger with the camera to someone who feels like part of their own team, that’s pretty awesome sauce.
And three days is the luxury version. Sometimes you get one day. Sometimes one evening.
Either way, the challenge is the same: get the shots, respect people’s boundaries, earn their trust, and find your place in the room. And that, for me, is one of the most rewarding parts of corporate event photography.
Planning a conference or corporate event in Winnipeg? You can view more of my conference and event photography here.
Winnipeg, Manitoba Conference and Corporate Event Photographer 
Winnipeg, Manitoba Conference and Corporate Event Photographer 
Winnipeg, Manitoba Conference and Corporate Event Photographer 
Winnipeg, Manitoba Conference and Corporate Event Photographer 
Winnipeg, Manitoba Conference and Corporate Event Photographer
Comments