It's always great fun engaged as the professional photographer at corporate events. This particular job was for an event company called Beyond Certainty Ltd, based in London. I have undertaken event photography for Beyond Certainty for the past 20 years. Haralambos Stavrou and his business partner Elia Nicolas head a great team of experienced event professionals organising events for all types of corporate functions internationally.
I was contracted as the event photographer in London at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park lane. The entire Great Room, the largest ballroom in London, was transformed by Beyond Certainty into a Phileas Fogg, Around the World in Eighty Days themed space. This transformation took place for their client’s New Year party.
The theming was superb and the whole venue looked spectacular, with hot air balloon table decorations, life-size elephant statues and a toastmaster dressed and announcing like Phileas Fogg himself. In keeping with the film, there was even an old London pub bar installed, featuring a cockney pianist, which of course was used as the event reception drinks area.
The evening not only featured a full sit down meal, but was full of surprises. Acts such as aerial ribbon acrobats performed from the extensively high Grosvenor Great Room ceiling. Other activities included dancers, speeches along with a host of fun games for the guests.
On arrival, the guests had the opportunity to have their photograph taken, either as a couple or with work colleagues and friends. I, the professional event photographer, was extremely busy! Totalling up the head count, I think I photographed about 150 couples within an hour of arrivals. Not only did they all get a lovely full length image showing off their beautiful attire, but the AG Studios professional on-site instant print service team were hidden in the backroom producing a beautiful mounted print for every person to take home as a surprise when they departed.
Creative Event Photography
As the photographer, I am totally in my element at this type of event. So much to photograph and get creative with!
Roaming the room and creating images that tell a story. Not simply snapping at happy and smiling guests, but trying to incorporate the clever branding and theme around the subjects.
I try not to use flash photography too much, enabling me to be very discreet and preserve the ambience of the event.
Towards the end of the evening, a very unique awards ceremony took place. It had me laughing while taking the photographs, not an easy task! The ceremony presented prizes to the company’s employees, you'll see what I mean when I list just a few of the categories:
- The lowest company expenses mobile bill
- The highest company expenses mobile bill
- Highest amount of days holiday taken
- The highest meal expenses bill used for entertaining clients
Altogether it was a very different evening’s event photography in London, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Amazing theming, even to the last detail, where each act and element or room decor was crafted in the Phileas Fogg theme. To take it one step further, whilst the guests ate their meal, huge screens projected clouds and sky, giving the guests the feeling as if they really were flying in a balloon.
Congratulations to Haralambos of Beyond Certainty for this event. It’s always great working with him, and even more so, to be able to undertake the event photography in the Grosvenor House Hotel, London at this fantastic and elaborately visual event.
If you’re looking for a creative event photographer for your next London event, or closer to home in St Albans, why not give me a call. I would be more than happy to provide initial advice as well as a guide to event photography pricing.