AIPCO Business Tourism Conference in Dublin

The Association of Irish Professional Conference Organisers (AIPCO) held their first Business Tourism Conference in Dublin recently and I spent a most enjoyable day providing the photography. The event brought together conference organisers, venues, hotels, universities and convention bureaux, to examine how they can collaborate, to develop the international conference sector in Ireland.

A packed day had me photographing one to one mentor sessions, the main speakers, workshops, networking opportunities, portraits (including conference chair Jean Evans and speaker Conor Kenny in the selection below) and covering the amazing way that Teambuilding.ie managed to bond everyone together, to learn to play the blues harmonica in just over half an hour!

There was a really positive reaction to both the conference and the images. Here are some of my favourites, with my thanks to the AIPCO organising committee and the Clyde Court Hotel.

Commercial Photography - Book Cover

The latest book from Liam Croke is definitely one for the times in which we live. "I am going to be debt free", offers plenty of advice on just that! Liam is Managing Director of Harmonics Financial and his portrait on the front cover was photographed on location at their offices in Limerick. This useful book is published by Liberty Press and is available at book shops nationwide or can be downloaded for Kindle.

Corporate and Editorial Photography in Dublin

As soon as I walked into "The Black Pig" in Donnybrook, I felt like I had been transported to another country. Owner Paul Walsh describes it modestly as, "a Spanish shop for Irish people." But it is so much more than that! The atmosphere and the decor exudes the warmth of the Mediterranean and Paul's passion for his produce is infectious.

This Iberian oasis specialises in Spanish wines, olive oil and a host of other tasty food - including cured meats from Iberian Black Pigs. It was my intention that these environmental portraits would convey the atmosphere of the store and reflect Paul's expert knowledge. I was delighted when my client said that they were really happy with the results.  

Paul Walsh is a former communications specialist and opened the Black Pig last year on Morehampton Road, Dublin 4. These images were commissioned  for a feature in in eolas.

A cold spring in Paris

Paris was quieter than normal, this time! It wasn't surprising, as the wind chill was minus 15 degrees, as the north wind blew across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower, at the Trocadero.

 Then as the ice started to freeze on the fountains, the lions at St. Sulpice seemed to be caught in a frozen scream. 

And when the snow started to fall, the Luxembourg Gardens took on a cool romantic hue.

Common sense soon prevailed and there was only one place to wait out the storm in the comfort and warmth!

Then as time passed, Parisian chic and elegance was replaced by more practical Aigle padded waterproofs, for a quick stroll along the chilly quays! C'est froid, oui, mais c'est Paris!

Conference Photography in Dublin

Conferences are all about communication and good conference photography aims to capture that communication in action. 

That is not easy to do! Usually, you are under pressure to be quick and discrete, working with available and mixed lighting, which may not always be ideal, as flash is seldom an option except in formal shots, photographing people who are often nervous and sometimes uncomfortable being photographed, in addition to providing general atmospheric and descriptive images, while keeping in mind the sponsors and organisers requirements to show, or not show branding, depending on how the final image will be used, while being adaptable to producing formal portraits and group shots at a moments notice and at the same time, trying to come up with creative approaches to portray the event in a way that communicates the intended message! 

Yes, it is a challenge, but it is one that I really enjoy. Capturing the interaction between delegates, the actions of a great speaker and the reactions of their audience, gives me enormous satisfaction.

No two conferences are the same! Whether it is a two hour corporate event in a hotel or a 5 day event in the Convention Centre, each has its own atmosphere and ethos. All are designed to communicate and it is my job as a conference photographer to provide a true portrayal of that communication in action.

Here are some recent examples:

Portraits of a Lady

These portraits of Doreen Caygill were photographed on a sunny afternoon at her home in Dublin. A natural in front of the camera, though she refused to believe it, we captured a variety of natural portraits over the course of an hour. Proof I think, that regardless of age, beauty will always shine through.

Coast - A Personal Photographic Project

Here are some of the latest images from "Coast". This is an ongoing environmental photographic project, which examines how the sea interacts with man made structures. These images were photographed last week, along the South Bull Wall at Dublin Harbour.