For an in-depth look at the delivered image portfolio, see it here.

Who is the client?  

Renee Funk is the co-founder of The Funk Collection, a top-performing real estate team, and a keynote speaker who specializes in leadership, team culture, and client success. 

I initially connected with Renee through the Exactly What to Say Certified Guides program. We had a nice rapport, she appreciated the photography I provided her from one of the masterminds, and wanted to work with me outside of the EWTS space.

Why did she need photos?  

Renee was scheduled to speak at a large real estate conference in NYC, and she wanted to capture several aspects of her involvement, including moderating 3 separate panel discussions, delivering a keynote on the main stage, and leading a “Think Tank” breakout session.

She planned to use the images on her website’s speaker page and across her social media channels to boost her online presence.

How did we prepare for the session?

We initially connected through Facebook Messenger to sketch out the session’s details, eventually moving to a phone call to finalize everything. 

The primary goal was to capture her moderating the panels and delivering her keynote. The session was spread over two days at a midtown Manhattan hotel, so we focused on creating a detailed plan to ensure that each of her presentations was covered, as well as capturing as much before and after engagement with the audience and other speakers as possible.

What camera gear did you use?

I used the Nikon Z9 and rotated between the 24-70mm and 70-200mm lenses for most of the session. The lighting setup varied depending on the stage and room, but when I did use an on-camera flash, it was with my Profoto A10.

What challenges were faced?
How did you overcome them?

One of the biggest challenges was dealing with the varying lighting conditions across the different rooms. While the stages for the keynote and panel discussions were lit, the breakout session was challenging due to room lighting as my only option, requiring me to anticipate Renee’s movements and time my shots to avoid poor lighting. 

Additionally, framing out empty seats throughout each of the scenarios captured was a constant challenge, but by positioning myself strategically and using tighter framing, I was able to mask it from the frame. 

This is why the photography gods created the 70-200mm - it helps clean up empty seats in any given situation.

how was visual variety achieved?

Renee’s portfolio includes a wealth of visual variety, with shots of her moderating panels, delivering a keynote, and engaging with participants before and after each session. 

Having 2 days to capture her in multiple settings and outfits added to the variety. 

The close-up shots of her moderating the panels were particularly valuable (see photo above), as they highlighted her personality and expertise through the lighting and composition. One of the first images she shared on social media was a close-up of her moderating, which validated the effort to create this type of visual variety.

Describe the post-production process.

Since the session spanned two days, I culled, cropped, and colored the DAY 1 photos that night and delivered them the following morning. The DAY 2 photos were processed shortly after I returned home from the event. 

In total, the portfolio includes 505 photos, with 2.5 post-production passes for each section.

At the end of the day…

Renee was grateful for the results and has since tried to coordinate additional sessions whenever our schedules align in other cities. While we haven’t been able to connect on the road yet, I’m certain we’ll have more opportunities to work together in the future.