Trade Show Photography

The Sennheiser rep engages a customer at his booth, with Sennheiser microphones in the foreground and the Sennheiser banner in the background. Antother customer in the background is also engaged. Orientation and precise camera position allow me to combine the elements in this shot, taken without flash, using available light. This was not posed. I visited the booth a number of times, waiting for the right combination to tell this compelling story. _DSC1387

Combine signage with people. Make sure they're interacting, and choose your background to show activity and the crowd. _DSC0199

Designed to show JVC signage, product, and customer interaction. Note how the eye is drawn to the display in back, and how the rep engages his customers. _DSC0199

Even closer shot, one on one, rep is reaching out to the customer, clearly communicating, and sharing an infectious smile. Always make your subjects look good.

Remember, it's all about people doing business, and having a good time in the process. Friends come together at shows to do business and renew friendships. This photo clearly shows a connection being made at the show. _DSC0356

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This keynote speaker is clearly engaged with his audience, and having a great time. This, and the photo before it, tell a story of their connection. DSC_0819

Her I combined the speaker, his graphic, and the audience, all engaged in the ancient art of story telling. Dick Reizner is an extraordinary speaker, imparting many years of experience in his Mixed Bax of Tricks video seminar at Denver's AVX show. DSC_0879

Here, we again combine the elements of speaker, graphic, and audience, as Dick shows a practical field solution for viewing your camera's LCD monitor in bright sunlight.

Here we isolate only on the speaker and his graphic, leaving just enough on the edges of the photo to put it into the context of his seminar. Control of lighting, so that stage and screen are close to the same level, is very helpful. Consider this when designing your AV setup for presentations.

Balancing light can be tricky. Here I set exposure to show the speaker's graphic, the speaker, and the audience. Angle and timing were selected to catch speaker's hand gesture and facial expression, looking at the audience, while most members of the audience are looking at the speaker. The story is one of connection and learning.

Sometimes you just have to have fun. These gentlemen had picked up their noses from one of the booths in the tradeshow. They willingly posed with them for me, after the keynote. DSC_0824

A good event photographer engages your customers, has fun with your customers, and becomes a part of the show. That too is an art. DSC_0825

Angle, and composition show product, signage, and interaction. Exhibitor is surrounded y customers as he demonstrates Broadcast Pix. Orientation is vertical to include signage. _DSC0612

Most photos are 4 by 6, but this begs to be square. Notice the connection between them, and the inclusion of signage for Utah Scientific and their products. In this case I don't recall if the man on the left was a customer or a second vendor, but the angle was chosen to make him look like a customer. _DSC0764

Notice how cropping and composition make the Panasonic name and slogan obvious, as a customer connects with the Panasonic rep. Additional Panasonic products appear on signs in the background, as do more attendees, all engaged in the show.

Attendees viewing products in a truck outside the show floor. Here the product wall is primary and the story is of connection with vendor, attendees, and product. Notice how the frame is filled, cutting off the backs of the men on the ends. _DSC0956

Here the booth, and the chryon logo are the stars. The vendor and his customers put iit in perspective. Notice that very few of my photos have the subjects looking at the camera. They look at one another, and the products they're discussing. _DSC1080

Not everything happens on the show floor. These people at lunch show one of the most important aspects of attending a trade show live, and in person. Conversations, business relationships, and much more come to be through the unstructured times at the show. _DSC1126

Standing room only! This shows how popular training sessions were at the Denver AVX show, as attendees stand outsid the door to learn about video marketing on the Internet. _DSC1774

Here an Internet Video expert explains how video marketing on the Internet is a Niche market. Notice how exposures and angle were chosen to show him connecting with the unseen audience, his main point displayed behind him. _DSC1772

Here I show the rep and the customer, the product between them, as they discuss it, partial view of the signage, enough to recognize the name, Digital View. Also, the entire URL, www.digitalview.com, is clearly visible if the viewer wants to learn more. _DSC1155

Here we show the full product name, and the tag line, a shot of the product from a different angle, and the connection between exhibitor and customer. One on one selling is the story. _DSC1159

Here the story is technology. The motorcycle is a prop for the cameras. The monitor shows part of the engine, as seen through the video camera, and this photo pulls it all together.

Buyers check out product brochures, talking with one another in the foreground, while others talk in the background with booths and signs behind them, showing excellent attendance. _DSC1220

Here the company name and logo dominate the photo, the rep bending forward in the background lines up nicely with the ones and zeros behind him, while another rep speaks with his customer. _DSC1220

Shooting distinctive products can tell a story. Notice how shallow depth of field is used to emphasize the product in the foreground. _DSC0956

Don't forget the personal side. Here, a member of the show management team surrounds herself with two of her favorite people. If people want their photo taken with friends, take the time to shoot it, give them your card, and write the shot number or time on the card for you. When they call, you can easily find their pic. _DSC1303

Sometimes the product is the picture. ;-) _DSC1318

Notice the intense interest on the customer's face, the company name in the background, and the beautiful camera they're admiring. _DSC1327

The room is full, the information so good, that people stand just outside the door, straining to hear. _DSC0956

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Here the camera is held hig to avoid covering the Colorad Professional Videographers Association banner, and positioned to the left so the screen doesn't block the last word. People engaging is the theme.

Here a Sony Rep gives her client a t-shirt, while another customer looks on with a very big smile. The Sony name/logo appears on the sign above and behind his head, with additional customers appearing in the background. _DSC1400

Sony rep posing with her customer.

Here I faked it a bit. They had been facing one another like this earlier, but moved before I I could get the shot. It was quiet, so I asked them to look back at one another so I could get the shot. Most people are very accomodating if you simply ask nicely. Sometimes, if the show is slow, I'll borrow people from one booth, to pose as customers for another. _DSC1421

Communication and engagement. The man on the lft is clearly engaged with the camera. The men on the right are clearly engaged with one another. _DSC1440

Shooting your audience from a position in the front, near the screen, allows you to see their clear interest in the presentation. Here I emphasized that by shooting as two members of the audience took their own pictures. Notice how the frame is filled by attendees, making the viewer wonder how many more people were there. This could easily be cropped differently by removing the top twenty percent of the photo. For some layouts there's no need to restrict yourself to the typical 4 by 6, 5 by 7, or 8 by 10 aspect ratios. DSC_0763

The same group, shot from behind, is clearly engaged with the speaker and his slide. It's generally easier to get good mixed shots like this with rear projection systems. Front projections can be made to work too, but balancing the light, and avoiding glare when you have to use a strobe, is more difficult when projecting from the front of the screen. DSC_0769

Same group, different angle, differnt exposure, still we fill the frame, showing the viewer how full, and so, how popular the keynote was. DSC_0779