Coffee + Creatives Unconference 2019 Peri Pakroo Albuquerque Event Photography

November 11, 2019 in Event

Creative Event Photography in Small Spaces Albuquerque New Mexico

Day two of photographing the Coffee + Creatives 2019 Unconference here in Albuquerque, New Mexico featured Peri Pakroo speaking about contracts for creatives. If I only had heard her presentation when I was starting my photography business ten years ago it would have saved me a lot of time! As far as photographing this event, it presented unique challenges as it was a small space, just one speaker, and the background the speaker was in front of was both mostly just a screen and not far from her. I really had to look for creative angles to make a set of photos that stood out and were not repetitive. One way was to feature cabling and a brick wall in the foreground of the shot above. For other shots I used the bright sunlight coming from a hallway to create a backlight on Peri as she gave her presentation. In this way I was able to produce a creatively diverse set of event photos despite being in the same small space and there being only one speaker.

Coffee + Creatives Unconference 2019 Albuquerque Event Photography

October 24, 2019 in Event

Some of the best candid event photos I have ever made!

Coffee + Creatives is a very active group in the Albuquerque community, which I, myself, participate in as well in the very, very active Facebook group, and also during the bi-weekly in person meetups. So I was very flattered to be asked to photograph their 2019 Unconference. The first event I photographed was a panel discussion on how to build a community that values creative work. This was a very passionate moderate discussion punctuated by a strong audience Q&A at the end. It was also a treasure trove of candid photo opportunities, which are my absolute favorites to make when photographing events. This was a fantastic event to photograph and be a part of! Be sure and come to the next C+C meetup! Contact me for when and where, or better yet, join the Facebook group!

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 2019 Opening Day

October 10, 2019 in Photo Story

Missed the real Balloon Fiesta two years running

For the second year in a row, the day we went to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, was the one day there was no mass ascension. This is actually the third time overall in a row trying to go to Balloon Fiesta that resulted in no access or no mass ascension. So I do not have a collection of spectacular photos showing a sky full of hot air balloons. What I can share at the detail shots from very first light, through day break. The one new special shape balloon I did get to see was of a Smurf, who I think is Jokey Smurf in particular.

Albuquerque Event Photographer at Hyatt Regency Albuquerque Greater Chamber Mayor Keller

September 26, 2019 in Event

Press conference with Mayor Tim Keller!

Inside the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting I was able to begin a day of event photography at the Hyatt Regency Albuquerque by photographing Mayor Tim Keller giving a live press conference. I have photographed the mayor perhaps a dozen times in the past, but this was the first time to photograph him at a press conference. It was pretty cool! From there, everyone went in to the ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Albuquerque for the formal part of the Greater ABQ Chamber’s annual meeting festivities where the mayor then gave a lengthy speech addressing mostly the issue of homelessness in the city. Being a professional event photographer has always taken me inside worlds I would otherwise never be privy to.

AFRL Awards 2019 Albuquerque New Mexico Event Photography

August 14, 2019 in Event

AFRL Awards 2019 then baseball!

I was very glad to photograph the AFRL Awards 2019 in Albuquerque, New Mexico! I was especially glad because I was the photographer for the 2018 awards, so whenever a client asks you to return and photograph an annual event, it is a source of pride for me. It was quite a different experience this year because of the venue changes for both the awards and the reception. The awards took place in the tech area of the UNM campus and the reception was in Isotopes Stadium! I covered a lot of ground with both my Nikons walking the couple of blocks between the venues and then all over and up and down the baseball stadium! Thank you for choosing me again this year as your event photographer!

NMACI 60 Year Diamond Gala Event at Sandia Resort & Casino

June 17, 2019 in Event

A Diamond Gala at Sandia Resort & Casino

NMACI Diamond Gala 60th Anniversary was the first event I photographed in Sandia Resort & Casino in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Like many award events I have photographed throughout the past 10 years, it began outside with a social hour and then moved inside to a ballroom for the presentation of the awards. Being a professional photographer in part means being able to change gears going from shooting outside in natural light at 1/500th ISO 100 of a second to dimly lit indoors using external flash and ISO 2000+.

Politicians a plenty

Then it turns out many state Senators and Representatives would be present to receive awards, as well as Lt. Governor Howie Morales. I am very experienced at photographing politicians though, from mayors to governors to Secretary of Labor and the U.S. Surgeon General!