From the number of enquiries and bookings for event photography that I’ve received in the last couple of weeks, it seems that 2021 will see a return of the traditional conference season in September, October and November. As always, photography will play an important part in documenting these key moments in the life of an organisation or a network, providing valuable visual content for subsequent communication.
Of course, few organisations are planning traditional thousand-person, two-day conferences. The events I've been hired for aim to attract more modest audiences, and these will be strictly controlled by the organisers. One client warned me: “We will request a vaccination certificate and conduct rapid tests on the day (both days) to ensure your safety and the safety of all participants.” Happily, I was able to provide my EU Digital COVID Certificate.
Most event managers will invest more heavily than in the past in infrastructure to extend the content of their event to virtual participants, whether through simple streaming, by opening back channels for questions and voting, or with full two-way videoconferencing. A hybrid approach avoids the risks of air travel and super-spreader events, leaving a smaller number of physical participants – VIPs, speakers and panelists – to be controlled and tested.
New formats and new venues, fewer people and more screens will create new photographic challenges, but I’m excited to explore the new possibilities!