3 Things I Learned Switching from Graphic Design to Event Photography

After 10 years in graphic design—Y&R, digital agencies, countless campaigns—I moved into event photography. Here’s what translated and what didn’t.

1. Composition translates (but light doesn’t behave like Photoshop)

What carried over: My instinct for framing, balance, and negative space. I can see a clean shot in a chaotic room because I’ve composed thousands of layouts. That’s automatic now.

What I had to learn: Light is unforgiving. In Photoshop, you can fix almost anything. At an event, you get one chance. No layers, no undo. If the lighting’s terrible in a windowless conference room, you solve it in real-time or you don’t solve it.

Design taught me what looks good. Photography taught me humility.

2. Clients care more about reliability than artistic vision

In design: Clients wanted creative solutions. They hired me to think differently, push boundaries, make their brand stand out.

In event photography: Clients want coverage they can use. On time. Without drama. The creative eye is a bonus, but reliability is the baseline. Show up, capture key moments, deliver fast, don’t create problems.

This was an adjustment. I went from “what’s the most interesting approach?” to “what does this client actually need?” Different mindset, both valid.

3. The best shot is often the one nobody planned for

Design is control: You art-direct everything. Model placement, lighting setup, props, backgrounds. Every element is deliberate.

Events are chaos: People move unpredictably. Moments happen between scheduled items. The best shots are often candid—the networking conversation, the laugh after a presentation, the exhausted relief of an organizer when everything works.

I’ve learned to stay ready for unplanned moments while still covering the shot list. It’s a different kind of composition—responsive rather than controlled.

What hasn’t changed

Understanding how images get used. That’s the same whether it’s a brand campaign or an event gallery. Marketing needs consistency. Social needs variety. Internal comms needs culture, not just logos.

A decade of briefing photographers taught me what makes coverage useful versus just documented. Now I’m the photographer I would have wanted to hire.

Currently booking corporate events in Melbourne at portfolio-building rates. Get in touch