For a more in-depth look at the image portfolio delivered, see it here.

Who is the client?  

The Leverage 23 event, hosted by Workman Success Systems, brings together top real estate professionals and leaders to share strategies for building scalable businesses. The event focuses on leadership development, team-building, and leveraging systems to drive growth and success in the real estate industry. 

I was introduced to the Workman team through their founder’s son, who was impressed by the way I covered a previous event in which he participated. Since then, they’ve called on me several times to capture various company events.

Why did they need photos?  

The Workman team wanted to step up the photography for their flagship event for several reasons. 

First, they needed improved visual assets for their website and sales pages to promote future events. Second, they wanted to share high-quality photos with the presenters to help them market their speaking careers. Finally, they planned to offer candid images of sponsors engaging with participants during breaks to give them marketing collateral for internal and external use.

How did we prepare for the session?

I conducted a strategy call with Workman’s marketing director and operations manager to discuss the specific elements that needed to be captured over the course of the 3-day conference. The list was extensive, covering everything from team-building games and participant registration to keynote presentations, breakout sessions (B:O’s), and sponsor interactions. 

The team also informed me that this was a same-day photo turnaround, meaning I had to deliver the day’s edited images every evening. This required careful planning and constant movement to stay on top of the schedule.

What camera gear did you use?

For this event, I used the Nikon Z9 and primarily rotated between the 24-70mm and 70-200mm lenses. For detailed shots of branded swag and sponsor materials, I used the 60mm Macro lens to add depth and sharpness to the images. 

My on-camera Profoto A10 Flash was used for most of the event, except for the main stage moments where I relied on the venue’s stage lighting.

What challenges were faced?
How did you overcome them?

Quite frankly, the sheer volume of work required over 3 days, combined with the same-day editing, was a massive challenge in terms of managing my energy and maintaining the quality of the images. I mean, back to back to back 15-hour mentally and physically intense days does take a toll on you, after all. That’s why managing my energy during these types of gigs has become a priority. I drink a ton of water - with a ton of coffee, yes - stretch at different times of the day, and when I feel fatigued, I put the camera down and work on the photos to give my knees, back and shoulders a break.

Another challenge involved the first day’s team-building games. They took place outdoors in the hot, humid, and unforgiving Florida sun, which made it challenging to stay focused and energetic while capturing participants running around in chaotic, fast-moving activities. To deal with the harsh lighting, I first realized that the flash was no match for the sun, so I stopped firing it, and instead, positioned myself to work with the shadows created by the sun rather than against it, and I prioritized capturing key moments quickly before participants turned and the shadows on their faces became unbearable. It was a tough one, but you work with whatever play space you’re given and make the most of the moments happening in front of you.

how was visual variety achieved?

The Leverage 23 image portfolio is a true look into the before, during and after of the conference. It covers everything from registration and breakout sessions to VIP breakfasts and keynotes. 

Wide-angle shots of the keynote presentations provide a sense of scale and professionalism. The sponsor images, in particular, highlight the engagement between vendors and participants, offering a rich set of photos that the Workman team can use in their future marketing efforts.

Describe the post-production process.

Since the event required same-day editing, I worked in rounds throughout the day, shooting for 30-60 minutes at a time before returning to my home base to pull the card to cull, crop, color, sort and export the images. I had a copy of the conference program open next to me with the run of show and time slots visible so I never found myself missing key moments during the program. 

Each evening, I delivered the day’s edited photos to the Workman team, ensuring they had fresh content to share with participants and sponsors in real-time. 

In total, the portfolio contains 2,453 photos, completed with 3 post-production passes.

At the end of the day…

This was the second major event I covered for Workman that year, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Not only did they love the images, but participants and sponsors also complimented my professionalism and work ethic throughout the event. I’m looking forward to continuing our partnership at future Workman events.