Conference & Event Photographer Leicester - East Midlands

Marketing & Branding photographer Pete Martin

It’s that time of year again where business start holding conferences and other associated events.

It’s always good to photograph these as the images are not only a good keepsake, but a usefull marketing tool. The images can be shared on your social media channels, newsletters, website and in various print media to show existing and prospective clients your companies culture.

I pride myself in being an excellent conference photographer, let me tell you about the recent Mclarens conference I shot at the Hilton East Midlands..

I arrived onsite at 9:30am and got to work setting up my mobile headshot studio and a corridor next to the main room. These clients were have individual portraits taken in the conference scheduled breaks. This is a brilliant idea and a very effective way of capturing every members of staff in one day.

Delegates started to arrive at 10am, and my studio way busy with the first of the 82 people. 10:30am and the conference starts with a welcome speech from the CEO followed by the first presenter. I captured all of this using my second camera as to not disturb the studio set up.. this could remain in place for the next wave of people to have their portrait taken.

Conference Photographer Pete Martin

I had a break in the early evening where I grabbed some food and got to work editing the days photos. I managed to get every shot edited and started the upload, the client received the download link the next morning.

Editing on location, event photographer Pete Martin

Food whilst Editing on Location - COnference Photography by Pete Martin

What a service!

Here’s 5 reasons why having me at your event is a great idea…

Professional Image: Having a photographer at your business conference ensures that high-quality images are captured, portraying your event in a professional light.

Marketing Material: The photos taken during the conference can be utilized for marketing purposes, promoting future events and showcasing the success of past conferences.
Documentation: Photography provides a visual record of the conference, preserving key moments, speakers, and activities for archival and informational purposes.
Social Media Presence: Engaging photos from the conference can be shared on social media platforms, increasing your brand's visibility and engagement with attendees and followers.
Memories for Attendees: Offering attendees access to event photos allows them to reminisce about the experience and serves as a token of appreciation for their participation.

McLarens - Pete Martin Photography131_GEN.jpeg

Lifestyle and Branding Photography Leicester

I love it when a client comes back, it might be for updated headshots.. maybe a new person has joined the team etc.

Northwood Estate agents however wanted some shots around the office, these are called many different things.. Lifestyle, environmental portraits or the new buzz word in the industry, Branding Photography.

To me it’s all the same thing, capturing people doing their thing in the best possible light. Showing the environment in the portrait, with the person captured naturally… no staged poses. This helps show the companies culture, which in turn will attract new clients and future employees.

Here are a few examples from the 1.5 hours I was on site, 130 images were delivered in total.

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Have a read of this article about branding photography and why you should consider it..

Why Branding Photography is Essential in Business

In the competitive landscape of today's business world, investing in branding photography can offer a multitude of benefits for companies looking to establish a strong and memorable brand image. Here are five crucial points illustrating why branding photography is essential in business:

First Impressions Matter: Branding photography plays a pivotal role in creating a positive and lasting first impression on potential customers. High-quality, visually appealing images can instantly capture the attention of your target audience and convey the professionalism and identity of your brand.
Establishing Brand Identity: Consistent branding photography helps in establishing and reinforcing your brand identity. By showcasing your products, services, or team through cohesive visual storytelling, you can create a strong brand presence that differentiates you from competitors and fosters brand recognition.
Building Trust and Credibility: Professionally curated images can help build trust and credibility with your audience. Authentic and engaging photography can humanize your brand, showcasing the faces behind the business and creating a connection with customers based on transparency and authenticity.
Versatility Across Marketing Channels: From your website and social media profiles to advertising campaigns and printed materials, branding photography can be used across various marketing channels to maintain a consistent brand message. Versatile imagery ensures that your brand's visual identity remains cohesive and compelling across all platforms.
Increasing Engagement and Conversions: Compelling visual content has the power to drive engagement and increase conversions. Whether it's through captivating product images, behind-the-scenes glimpses, or lifestyle photography that resonates with your target audience, branding photography can help create a strong emotional connection that motivates customers to choose your brand.

In conclusion, branding photography is not just a luxury but a necessity for businesses looking to thrive in today's visually driven market. By investing in high-quality imagery that aligns with your brand values and resonates with your audience, you can elevate your brand presence, establish credibility, and ultimately drive business growth.

The Business Portrait, professional photographer Leicester

Business Portrait, Linkedin Headshots Leicester & East Midlands

Why Your Squirrel Profile Pic Won't Fly: The Power of a Pro Headshot on LinkedIn

In the bustling online jungle of LinkedIn, your profile picture is your first impression. Sure, you could stick with a blurry selfie of you feeding a squirrel (admittedly cute, but not professional), but why settle for "meh" when you can project confidence and polish with a professional headshot? Here's why it matters:

1. Stand Out From the Nutty Bunch: Let's face it, LinkedIn is crowded. A professional headshot sets you apart from the blurry selfies and vacation snapshots. It shows you take your career seriously and invest in your personal brand.

2. First Impressions Matter (Even in the Digital Jungle): You have mere seconds to capture attention in the online world. A polished headshot conveys competence, approachability, and trustworthiness – all essential qualities for career success.

3. Boost Your Visibility: Research shows profiles with professional headshots get 21 times more views! That means more opportunities to connect, network, and land your dream job. Think of it as LinkedIn catnip for potential employers and collaborators.

4. Build Your Brand, Not Your Weekend Getaway: Your headshot is an extension of your personal brand. It should reflect your professionalism, values, and industry. Ditch the beach pictures and opt for a look that aligns with your career goals.

5. Confidence is Key (and It Shows): Investing in a professional headshot can do wonders for your self-confidence. Feeling polished and put-together translates into your online presence, making you appear more engaged and approachable.

Remember: You don't need to break the bank. Many affordable headshot photographers offer packages to suit your budget. Invest in yourself, ditch the squirrel profile pic, and watch your LinkedIn presence soar!

Bonus Tip: Smile! A genuine smile projects warmth and approachability, making you more inviting to connect with. Now go forth and conquer the LinkedIn jungle with your best professional paw forward!

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Studio Portraits on Location throughout the East Midlands

Headshots and Personal Branding

Headshots and Personal Branding Photographer Leicestershire

I first met Jennny Collard from Rutland House Clinic during the COVID-19 pandemic, I was offering socially distanced family photo shoots at local parks and Jenny found me on Instagram. After that we also met online during a LAMP charity online business club meeting, and from their future face to face meetings.

With both of us being LAMP charity supporters we’ve both undertaken various fundraising activities, more about that in a future blog!

Jenny had recently changed her look, and therefor required some updated photos to match. We had a couple of conversations about the overall look of the headshots, and it was also decided that as Jenny works a lot from home, some branding shots would be beneficial to show prospective clients the surroundings.

Also, whilst I was there (and so were all of Jenny’s family), I threw in a couple of family shots as well.

What do you think of the branding and headshots captured on the day?

Amy D Album Cover Shoot

Amy Daniels Musician & Vocalist, Album cover portrait shoot.

Leicester Artist Photoshoot

Album Cover Portrait Photo Shoot, Leicester, Pete MArtin Photography

An Instagram message popped in from a local singer songwriter called Amy Daniels.

Amy was in the final stages of launching her debut album, and needed some images for the front and back covers of the CD and for herwebsite, social media etc.

Amy set up a Pinterest board with images she wanted to take inspiration from. Once I had those I put a plan together to get her all of the required images, and a few more. I hired a local photography studio which I’ve used on a few occasions where I need multiple creative options. As for backgrounds, we had black, white, wood panels, plants… As for the lighting I kept it quite simple with only 1 or 2 lights and a simple reflector used sparingly

As usual I shot tethered to my laptop so Amy could see how the shots were taking shape, she could then also offer creative input to tweak the shots to her own personal preference.

I absolutely love creative shoots like this, it’s stretches my imagination and lets me experiment to get some pretty unique results.

Leicester Portrait Photographer

Leicester Portrait photographer

Food Photographer

I few weeks ago I was contacted by a lovely lady called Harriet from Peterborough, who is setting a new business all around healthy food.

While I would not say I’m a food photographer, nor food stylist! Harriet needed a bulk of images to launch her website and also to kick start her social media channels.

After a consultation phone call to find out more about her business, Harriet set to work plan out out each dish she was going to prepare and the overall aesthetic. This prep work was key to the photoshoot running smoothly. Harriet also sent me a selection of sample images from other health food individuals that she liked the look of, this was my homework to research how the final images were put together and lit etc.

When it came to the shoot day, I arrived in Peterborough at 10:30am to find that Harriet had got all the dishes underway cook wise. Within 30 mins the equipment was set and I started shooting.

As it was a nice bright day, and the food photo area was near some bi-fold doors we used all of the available natural light. The only thing I used to modify the available light was a couple of small bounce cards/reflectors to reduce the shadows slightly on the opposite side.

During the final prep of each dish I swapped to camera 2 with a 35mm prime lens and grabbed some environmental portraits, I think these look awesome in black and white.

Towards the end of the shoot we did some lifestyle shots inside and outside with a little bounced flash to give a nice clean look.

Overall I’m super happy with the results, and it was a great day.

Many thanks to Harriet and her husband Dan for being so accommodating and Uber prepared for the shoot. And for sending me off with a food parcel and bottle of red wine.

Here are a few photos from the day.

Leicester Branding Photographer

Next, we have to talk about ‘Branding’.

I had an amazing video call with two ladies from ‘The Orange Notebook’, a brand marketing agency over in Birmingham. There is actually 3 of them, Beatrice however is based in Sweden!

Their company needed a bank load of images for their website and social media, we put a plan together to create the images they needed. It was decided that we would meet at Medicine, a coffee shop in Birmingham that they often frequent. We would use Medicine as location 1, getting individual and group shots. A local photo studio was also booked so they we could get some more varied shots, such as clean studio images with the orange background to tie in with their branding. This was a really fun shoot, the 4 hours went really fast. Sadly I was still suffering from the effects of COVID and was really tired towards the end. I don’t mind saying, I slept for 13 hours when I got home!!

The Orange Notebook - Birmingham7304795.jpg

The Orange Notebook - Birmingham7304568.jpg

I also competed a brilliant branding shoot for the fabulous Sukh Kaur and her bespoke matchmaking service, ‘Matched by Sukh Kaur’.

We met up at the Exchange bar in Leicester, grappled a coffee and talked about the shoot. This shoot was originally going to be a simple headshot session, but after Sukh saw some sample images from The Orange Notebook shoot, an upgrade was ordered.

The setting in Exchange bar is always good for photos, and the coffee is pretty amazing too! We shot in 3 different areas before heading to my favourite studio in Leicester, XYZ.

At XYZ we used the classic white and grey for headshots and also positioned their graffitied sofa near the exposed walls for a more urban looking shot.

Sukh K Branding - 1st December7306214.jpg

Sukh K Branding - 1st December7306275.jpg

Very soon there will be a personal branding page added to my wesbite!

I can’t explain how much I enjoyed these shoots, it’s a different process to my normal portraits and headshots.. and if you know anything about me, you’ll know I enjoy a creative challenge. Branding shoots tick all the boxes for me