Virtual Photoshoot with ONLE Networking
ONLE Networking is a UK online networking business that has over 350 members from across the globe. They run 10 events per week across London, Southampton, Tyne and Wear, Manchester, and even New York City as well as many more.
As well as their online events, there are regular in person meetings. This creates a logistical challenge of getting everyone together in one place.
Kelly and James West are the founders of ONLE. They came to me to see if I had a solution to capture what ONLE networking is all about and to involve as many members as possible. I recommended a virtual photoshoot.
What is virtual photography?
Virtual photography is still relatively new and therefore not many people know about it or understand how it works.
Virtual photoshoots are carried out by using an app on your mobile device.
Once you download the app, you are given a code which you will share with me. This allows me on the day of your photoshoot to login and access your phone’s camera via my desktop and take photos from anywhere in the world.
If you're thinking, “hmm but what else can you access?”
Nothing. The app only gives me access to the camera to take the photos and see the photos I’ve captured during a live session. Once the session is over, my access is removed.
During the session you can hear my voice and see me on your phone just like a zoom call, for example.
The big difference is, although I can take the photos, I can’t move the camera which is where it gets exciting. Throughout the session I direct you with angles, positions etc which involves moving your phone around to get the perfect shots.
Once I’ve captured all the required images I then download them as a high resolution version to edit. I then edit your photos and send them to you via your personal online gallery.
Who is virtual photography for?
Virtual photography can be used in a number of different ways. I find it’s a brilliant solution for small businesses needing some quick photography, but may not have the budget for a full in person brand photoshoot just yet or for businesses with people in lots of different locations. This could include event attendees, staff members or maybe members of a networking group.
This was ONLE’s challenge. They needed the photos to represent the ‘behind the scenes’, the team and the workspace but also their members who help make ONLE what it is.
On the day of the photoshoot
On the day of the photoshoot we had Kelly, James and Kierney involved as well as 30 of their members from across the world attending the event.
The session took place at their home where they run the day to day of ONLE. They logged into the app and connected to me. I then gave them a brief overview of what to expect and talked through what was needed before we got started.
Kelly ran the online event as normal, greeting everyone and explaining what was happening in the background, keeping everyone entertained.
Meanwhile James and Kierney were moving the phone around as per my directions to get different angles and positions.
Finally I logged off from the session and jumped onto the zoom call to join the other members, where I continued to capture more photos using my camera to give another perspective of the networking event happening live.
Benefits of doing the virtual photoshoot
This was the biggest virtual photoshoot I had done in terms of the amount of people involved as well as the logistics, which needed to be organised before the photoshoot took place to ensure that it went as smoothly as possible.
That being said, having more people involved made it so much fun! It was great for ONLE to be able to involve some of their founding members and really show off the amazing community and culture that they have built.
They will be able to use these images across their marketing from social media posts to their website.
