A Show and A Seminar

I spent Monday at the NEC in Birmingham, visiting The Photography Show 2017. This annual event attracts photographers from around the world over the course of four days. I last attended in 2015, as a student. Little did I imagine that two years later I would be attending as a professional photographer.

The organisers distribute show guides before the event which meant I was able to plan my schedule before arriving. My main aims were to visit the stands of some of my suppliers (such as marketing and print services), have a look at some of the studio kit, and see what new technology was being showcased.

Visiting suppliers’ stands was particularly useful as it offered the opportunity both to look at the different options available for print purposes, and talk to people directly. So much interaction is electronic or digital these days that it makes a nice change to meet people face to face.

Looking at studio kit and new technology is always fun. However, as I visited the various stands, I found myself reflecting on the equipment that I have already. My lights and reflectors in particular, as they come apart into interchangeable components meaning that they offer great flexibility when working creatively, or in a smaller environment than usual. Although there was a lot of lovely equipment on offer at the show, there was nothing which I actually needed, so I stuck to window-shopping this time.

As I was leaving, I stopped to admire the images on show in The People’s Gallery, which was put together by Loxley Colour. There on display among many beautiful pictures was my own photograph, taken on a walk in Derbyshire last summer. As always, Loxley have done a superb job with the printing and I look forward to receiving the picture in due course and finding a spot for it in the studio.

Later on in the week, I attended a local networking event which was organised by the Swindon and Wiltshire Growth Hub. This was my first such event in quite a while, and I was both excited about the prospect of meeting members of other local businesses, and nervous at how well I’d fit in. I needn’t have worried. On arrival, I was welcomed warmly by the organisers, provided with a hot (vegan) breakfast by the venue, and soon found myself chatting to a range of people.

The event was inspiring, informative, and very interesting. Attended by a variety of Swindon and Wiltshire based businesses, from sole traders to much larger organisations, I found everybody was very generous in sharing their knowledge and experience. A range of local providers were also present to explain the support they offer to businesses, and the education and training opportunities they provide.

As well as the networking opportunity, there was a motivating keynote speech delivered by Mark Miles, Managing Director of Render Media. Mark described how he had built the company, how it evolved over time, and outlined his lessons learned through the process.

I left the event feeling invigorated and focussed. I realise that setting up a sustainable photography business is going to continue to be a learning curve, but sessions such as the networking event make the process so much less daunting.