One Hundred and Sixty Headshots in Three Days

What I Learned at this year's the Ontario Association of Optometrists Conference

I can't believe it's been a year since the last Ontario Association of Optometrists conference ... how time flies.

This year's conference was held in Ottawa over three days. I travelled down the day before on a cold winter's day into the downtown core. Lucky for me — and my GTA blood — I had a hotel nearby attached to the Rogers Conference Centre.

I set up ahead of time so that when Friday morning came around, I'd just have to turn on my computer and my camera and be ready to go. No scrambling, no stress ... just work.

Appointments were steady from the start. Over the next three days, I photographed 160 delegates at the conference.

Reconnecting with familiar faces and meeting new ones is honestly the biggest value for me at an event like this. After a few years of coming back, I recognize people ... and many of them seem to see me as a bit of a staple at the event, which is a nice feeling. Over the Friday to Sunday, it's a flurry of images and conversations with genuinely wonderful people.

They Get to See It. They Get to Choose It.

What people really appreciate about my conference setup is their ability to see exactly what I'm shooting and select the photo that best reflects them.

I always give them some direction. Push your head slightly to the right. Now bend it just a little. Look at me. Put your body straight. Curve it just a bit.

"Where do I put my hands?" they'll ask. Put them in your pockets, I tell them. It's the best place for this kind of photography.

I don't need to tell them much beyond a few instructions, but they appreciate it. It makes them feel casual, not over-modelled. It's an easy way for them to ease in and feel comfortable. And let's face it — not everybody likes their photo taken. I try to take that stress away from them.

Sometimes they're torn between one or two shots and just can't decide. That's when I step in and say, this one. This is the one. And a lot of them, in the end, agree with me.

Instant Delivery. No Waiting Around.

I flip it to them via email within minutes.

I think that matters more than people realize. It could take days for others to deliver that kind of work ... but the world lives in seconds now, not minutes. In an age of social media, people want things instantly, and that includes when they're at a conference. So I deliver that.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/40c0f6_e0142c2a9e6244d1957e697b77dbc2b2/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

Conference Photography for the Ontario Association of Optometrists

At the end of the three days, I can hand the OAO a complete package — 160 headshots delivered, all the information collected, and the finals ready, so they have a full record of their members. The organizers don't have to chase anything down. It's all there.

That's one real way a conference can show value to its attendees. It's not a branded tote bag or a lanyard. It's something they'll actually open again next week.

There's Something to Be Said About This Setup

Lots of conferences hand out giveaways to delegates. Branded bags, trinkets, things that end up in a drawer somewhere.

But there's something different about what happens in a headshot booth.

I hear the usual lines every year. People don't like themselves in photos. There's discomfort in front of the camera. Getting your photo taken can always feel like an awkward moment. I completely understand that. But what I try to do is lighten the mood — laugh with them, joke with them, get them to open up a little. And by the end of it, they walk away with something they're actually glad they have.

Over the last three years, I've seen the appreciation up close. People come back the following year. They remember. Some of them tell me they're still using the photo from two years ago on their LinkedIn profile. That's the difference between a giveaway and something lasting.

A conference that invests in giving its delegates a professional headshot isn't just checking a box. They're giving them a tool. They're showing their members that they matter.

And that's why I feel so grateful to be a part of what the OAO is doing year after year. I'm privileged to be able to do this work ... and I'll see you all again in 2027.