2015 GPAC Safety Conference & Medieval Feast
With all the corporate events I had worked when employed by a studio, once I became independent, I believed there would be an endless supply of businesses hiring photographers that would want to hire me for their special events given my prior experience. I imagined that I could easily establish and maintain my business from all the repeat bookings that were sure to come my way. This was my first unsound marketing theory and an even more impractical business plan considering how inexperienced I was at convincing any business to book me for their events.
Then I received a lead. It was for a professional association holding a safety conference. They weren’t hiring a photographer, but they were willing to let me volunteer my craft in trade for lunch, dinner and free parking. Not to mention being given a surprise chance to cover the antics of a medieval feast, being hosted by an MC in character the whole time. This was how I was introduced to GPAC (Gas Processing Association of Canada), my first corporate client that was in fact not a business, but an association of energy businesses that promoted learning and networking amongst its members at various events throughout the year. It took me a number of years volunteering my work to GPAC event promoters to fully comprehend its value as a classroom and launchpad. This was the case with most of my repeat clients in the years that followed, honestly. But that long-term relationship in business allowed me prove myself in new ways, working my way to being considered first by them, when special events occurred.
With the complex boom and bust cycles of the energy sector in Alberta, GPAC would prove to be the only oil & gas client I worked with, as they had an optimistic forecast for its members and were able to maintain the strength of its community through the ups and downs. Our consistency resulted in my current array of services, developed through years of observing at events and learning how to better meet the demands of an on-site professional event photographer. As is with all my special event clients, the menu of services I can offer them ranges from: party candid moments, posed party portrait setups with a creative backdrop, group photos at team building sports tournaments, convention speaker coverage and brand representative trade tables, and more - of course - once I better understand the parameters I’m preparing for.
The energy from people at these events has fostered hundreds of smiles for me over the years and helped maintain my due consideration as a professional at future events.
