Behind the Lens: Corporate Event Photography for SPIE

Corporate events and conferences present a unique challenge for photographers. Unlike weddings, which are inherently filled with emotion and spectacle, business events require a different approach to capture their energy and significance.

Recently, I had the opportunity to photograph a multi-day event for SPIE, a leading organization in optical engineering, at the Riverside Convention Center in Rochester, New York. I want to share my approach and what sets effective corporate event photography apart.

Why Corporate Event Photography Requires a Different Skillset

I started my event photography journey working for Middlebury College, covering homecoming, reunion weekends, and family events. Through that experience, I learned how to work with diverse groups of people and capture the many components of an event, even the ones that aren't inherently exciting from a visual perspective.

Here's the reality: corporate events and conferences don't have the same built-in drama as weddings. The stakes feel different.

A lecture or presentation might be fascinating for attendees, but photographing someone speaking at a podium doesn't automatically translate into compelling imagery. The challenge lies in making these events look as exciting and interesting as they actually are for the people who attend them.

Understanding Client Needs

When SPIE reached out to me, they needed four hours of coverage for their multiple-day event. They wanted photography they could use for future publications, email marketing, and to share with event sponsors. This type of assignment requires understanding not just what to photograph, but how those images will be used.

My clients needed several specific types of shots:

Energy and Engagement: Photos of attendees looking excited, engaged, and interacting with each other. These human moments bring an event to life.

Conference attendees watching a demonstration of proctectant being applied to machined optical parts.

Establishing Shots: Wide views of the Riverside Convention Center's architecture and layout. These images tell the complete story of the event and its setting, while also helping sponsors visualize advertising opportunities within the space.

Sponsor Coverage: I had a list of about 50 sponsors with exhibition booths, and capturing dynamic shots of people interacting at these tables was essential. These images serve as stewardship materials, thanking sponsors for their participation.

An artsy shot of one of the sponsors of the event.

Marketing-Ready Images: This is where my background in digital marketing really comes into play. I understood that my client needed photos with negative space, intentional blur, and compositional elements that would work for graphic design. These images need room for text overlays, email banners, and promotional materials for next year's event.

Images with a blurred background are quite useful for graphics.

I believe this marketing perspective is what sets my work apart. Because I do extensive digital marketing in my day job, I understand what companies and institutions need from their photography beyond just good-looking images.

The Technical Approach

Every indoor event space presents lighting challenges, and convention centers are no exception. While the Riverside Convention Center is beautiful, like most venues of its type, it relies on fluorescent lighting that can be difficult to work with.

I always come prepared with multiple lighting options. For this event, I brought on-camera speedlights and external lights on stands (I'm partial to Godox AD200 Pros, which are workhorses for these types of events) that I can trigger remotely. Having options means I can adapt to any situation.

My lens choices for corporate events typically include:

• 70-200mm f/2.8 zoom lens for versatile reach and beautiful compression

• 35mm f/1.4 for its journalistic look and feel

• 16mm f/2.8 for dramatic wide-angle shots

That 16mm lens was particularly useful at this event. It allowed me to get close to products and equipment on display while still capturing the context and energy of the space around them. You can tell a lot of story with an ultra-wide lens.

Various Optical Glass at the SPIE Trade show 2025. The 16mm lens allows me to get super close to subject while at the same time capturing the background.

Arriving Early Makes All the Difference

I always arrive at least 30 minutes before my scheduled start time, sometimes 45 minutes to an hour depending on the scope of the event. This gives me time to set up and test my lighting, scout the space, understand where key moments will happen, and ensure all my equipment is ready to go.

This prep time isn't wasted. You can build it into your pricing, but regardless, showing up early is essential for delivering quality work under pressure.

Capturing the Event

For the SPIE event, I started with the opening ceremony, using my 16mm lens for wide establishing shots and my zoom lens to capture closeup shots of speakers, including Rochester's mayor, who spoke about the importance of optical engineering to our city.

Wide establishing shot of the event space.

From there, I moved through the exhibition hall, booth to booth, using various techniques to create visual interest:

Wide-Angle Intimacy: Getting close to products and equipment with the 16mm lens while capturing the bustling environment behind them created depth and context.

Slow Shutter Drags: By slowing down my shutter speed, I captured motion blur that conveys the hustle and bustle of the event. These shots have a natural energy and work beautifully for graphic design purposes because of their anonymity and abstract quality.

Slowing down the shutter speed creates motion blur, creating a sense of mostion.

Selective Flash Use: Interestingly, I chose not to use flash for most of the exhibition area. While the lighting wasn't perfect, being less intrusive and drawing less attention to myself felt more important than achieving technically perfect lighting in every shot. I used my flash strategically when necessary, but relied primarily on ambient light to remain unobtrusive.

The Human Element: Why Personality Matters

Here's what I think truly sets my work apart:
my approach to interacting with people at events.

Many photographers prefer to hang back, staying invisible and shooting from a distance. I take a different approach. Yes, I capture candid moments, but I also engage directly with the people I'm photographing. When I need to get close to someone demonstrating their product at a booth, I acknowledge that I'm there. I chat with them. I crack jokes. I make them feel comfortable.

This might seem counterintuitive, but here's the truth: people know you're there. They can see you with your cameras. Rather than pretending to be invisible, acknowledging the situation and bringing some playfulness and humanity to it creates better results. A simple "don't mind me" or "just pretend I'm not here" makes people laugh, releases tension, and leads to genuinely better photographs.

The more comfortable and engaged you are with your subjects, the more comfortable they become, and the more authentic your photos will be.

Why I Love This Work

I genuinely love photographing corporate events for businesses and institutions. Every industry brings something different. The optical engineering community at this SPIE event had fascinating technology and passionate professionals. There's something special about capturing the intersection of commerce, innovation, and human connection.

David Aikens presenting at the SPIE 2025 conference and trade show.

These events challenge me in stimulating ways. They require technical skill, strategic thinking about how images will be used, and the interpersonal skills to make people feel at ease in front of the camera.

Let's Work Together

If your business or institution in Rochester, New York, or the surrounding area needs coverage for an upcoming event, conference, or trade show, I'd love to help. Whether you're based here or just passing through our city for an event, I bring experience, technical expertise, and a genuine enthusiasm for telling your story through photography.

Reach out, and let's talk about how I can support your photography needs and help make your next event shine.