BESA Conference & Awards Photography | The Brewery, London

BESA Conference and Awards Photography at The Brewery, London

Following my recent headshot photography for BESA in London, I was back working with the team to photograph their annual conference and awards at The Brewery on Thursday 22 October.

This time, the brief covered a whole day of activity: delegates arriving, keynote speakers, breakout sessions across five theatres, exhibitors, an evening awards dinner and an after-party with a live band.

Photography started at 8am and finished at 11:30pm. By 1am, all the photographs were edited and delivered, ready for BESA to use on Friday morning.

An early start at The Brewery

With delegate arrivals on the brief from 8am, I travelled down from Leicester on Wednesday so I could be at the venue ready for the start.

The arrival period is an important part of conference photography. Before the first speaker takes to the stage, there are already opportunities to capture people meeting, conversations getting underway and the atmosphere building.

Those photographs help tell the story of the event alongside the more formal images of speakers and presentations.

Keynote speakers and five breakout theatres

Most of the morning centred on the keynote speakers before the programme moved into breakout sessions spread across five theatres.

Covering several spaces means keeping a close eye on the running order and moving between sessions throughout the day. Each room has its own activity to capture, while the overall collection still needs to feel consistent.

For me, conference coverage is about giving the organiser a useful mix of photographs: speakers delivering their presentations, delegates engaging with the sessions and wider views that show the setting.

Together, those images give a much fuller picture than photographs of the stage alone.

Photographing the exhibitors

Alongside the conference sessions, there was a room full of exhibitors to photograph.

Exhibitors are an important part of the event, and their coverage needs attention within a busy programme. Photographs of stands, teams and conversations with delegates help document their involvement and give the organiser material for follow-up communications and future event promotion.

With keynote sessions, five breakout theatres and the exhibition space all on the brief, there was plenty to cover before the evening celebrations began.

Dinner and awards with La Voix

The evening brought a change of pace, with a three-course dinner and an awards ceremony hosted by La Voix.

Twenty awards were presented, and my brief included photographing La Voix and every award winner.

Awards photography needs a slightly different rhythm from conference coverage. Presentations move quickly, and each winner needs a clear photograph of their moment, while reactions and celebrations help capture what the evening felt like.

It also means staying ready throughout the ceremony, giving the final presentation the same attention as the first.

Finishing with the after-party

After the awards, the celebrations continued with an after-party and live band.

Staying through to 11:30pm meant I could cover the event from the first delegates arriving through to the celebrations at the end of the night.

That full-day approach gave BESA a collection of photographs spanning both sides of the event: the conference programme and the evening awards.

Edited and delivered by 1am

Capturing the event was only part of the job. BESA also needed the photographs promptly.

After finishing at 11:30pm, I completed the editing and delivered all the photographs by 1am, ready for the team on Friday morning.

For event organisers, a quick turnaround makes a practical difference. It means photographs are available while the event is still fresh, ready for winner announcements, delegate communications and social media updates.

It was a long day, but a satisfying one: a full conference, exhibition, awards ceremony and after-party photographed, edited and delivered overnight.

Conference and awards photography in London and across the UK

Based in Leicester, I travel to London and across the UK to photograph conferences, corporate events and awards evenings.

Whether you need coverage of keynote speakers and breakout sessions, photographs of exhibitors, or a complete event from arrival through to the evening celebrations, I can build the photography around your programme.

If you are planning a conference or awards event, get in touch to discuss the coverage and delivery times you need.

Frequently asked questions

Can you photograph a conference and awards evening on the same day?

Yes. For BESA at The Brewery, I covered delegate arrivals from 8am, the daytime conference and exhibitors, followed by the awards dinner and after-party, finishing at 11:30pm.

Can you cover breakout sessions across several rooms?

Yes. Coverage can be planned around the running order and your priorities. At BESA’s annual conference, the brief included breakout sessions across five theatres alongside keynote speakers and exhibitors.

How quickly can event photographs be delivered?

Turnaround can be agreed when booking. For this event, all photographs were edited and delivered by 1am, ready for BESA the following morning. Overnight delivery should be discussed in advance so it can be built into the schedule.

Do you travel to London for conference photography?

Yes. I am based in Leicester and photograph conferences, awards evenings and corporate events in London and across the UK.