Workday Elevate Munich
Conference Photographer for Workday Elevate Munich
Nearly 400 participants, the Jochen Schweizer Arena in Taufkirchen as the stage, plus a program ranging from keynotes, workshops, and action: Workday Elevate Munich is one of the more unusual conference formats I have covered as a reportage photographer.
Conference and Action on the Same Day
Standard conference photography means stage, speaker, audience, a few networking pictures. Workday Elevate broke the mold because the Arena offers two worlds simultaneously: the calm stage environment in the conference area, and the action modules like indoor surfing and bodyflying right next to it. The reportage had to capture both without losing either.
In practice, this meant quickly switching between keynotes, breakout sessions, networking breaks, and participants moving to the experience modules. Three cameras, different focal lengths for stage and action, plus a clear plan of which highlights were essential for the later aftermovie and press photo selection.
About the Event, Workday Elevate Munich
- Organizer: Workday
- Agency: Stark Marketing
- Location: Jochen Schweizer Arena, Taufkirchen near Munich
- Participants: approx. 400
- Format: HR Tech Conference with keynotes, breakouts, and experience modules
The Visual Thread
Arrival and registration, opening keynote on the main stage, workshop sessions in smaller rooms, communal lunch, moving to the Arena’s experience modules, evening get-together: each phase has its own atmosphere and requires a distinct photographic language. Dynamic and fast during the day, calmer and more atmospheric in the evening.
The biggest photographic challenge was balancing the classic conference world with action programs. Someone who was just concentrating in a workshop ten minutes earlier might be free-falling in the wind tunnel. Capturing these contrasts in the images is part of the reportage, as they show the core essence of the event: learning and experience simultaneously.
The Briefing
Before a day like this begins, we discuss in detail what you need:
- Which speakers, sessions, and moments are particularly important.
- Hero shots of the main stage suitable for press releases, follow-up campaigns, and LinkedIn posts.
- Networking photos during breaks that show genuine conversations and atmosphere instead of staged group photos.
- Detail shots of branding, stage construction, materials, and catering setup, as they are needed for subsequent reporting.
- Experience modules where participants are relaxed and have natural expressions, often yielding the best photos of the day.
- Fast delivery: web-quality images the next day, final selection in full resolution a few days later.
What you receive from me afterwards
For a tech conference like Workday Elevate, the demands on the images do not end with the event day; often, they only begin. Press releases, social media posts, employee communications, the next save-the-date for the follow-up conference—all require material from the day. Therefore, I plan the reportage to provide a broad selection, not just a few highlights.
Typically, you will receive a curated highlight selection in web quality for quick post-event reporting, the complete retouched selection in full resolution for print and detailed use, and, upon request, a compact aftermovie edit with the key scenes of the conference.
Events in the Arena
If you are planning a conference or corporate event in the Arena, I have summarized the stations and modules that are particularly worthwhile photographically on my page about the Event Photographer at the Jochen Schweizer Arena.
Contact me and request a quote
If you are planning a conference, a corporate event, or a team event, please write to me via the contact form or directly via WhatsApp. Briefly tell me: your date, location, number of participants, and whether you want photos, a video, or both. I will get back to you with a non-binding offer within 24 hours.
Your Reportage and Event Photographer, Paul
