Getting thorough photographic coverage of a major corporate event requires a broad photographic skillset. Potentially, I'll need to do portraiture, architectural photography, action/performance photography, low light photography and food photography. I need to quickly respond and document what unfolds before me.

Recently, I flew to Sydney to shoot a massive two-day corporate event for Rabobank at White Bay Wharf. The organisers had considered every detail to make this an engaging and memorable experience for the 3,000-plus guests.

They had gone to great lengths to create an environment and experience that felt special, comfortable and professional. To the folk who put this event together, every aspect of the mechanics that went into making this event work is of importance and therefore needed to be photographed.

Aside from the huge modern hall with toilets, everything else had to be brought on-site. From the two enormous marquees that were then furnished with carpets, barstools, tables, couches, plants, and food and beverage stations and down to the small stage and PA for the musicians. The main hall was fitted with signage, enormous branded partitions, a makeshift garden and a vast screen for the presentations. Outdoors, there was Rabobank’s purpose-built, fold-out semi-trailer as a breakout space with its own cafe.

I was one of a number of photographers, each with a specific brief. Mine was to create a photo essay of the event, capture a series of candid photos, and engage with the guests for impromptu staged group photos. As its name suggests, a photo essay is a series of photographs for storytelling. I’ll make a broad range of images covering the intricacies of what went on, from details of branded lanyards to wide-angle views of the space at various times of the day. I’m aiming to try to show the context of the event and give a sense of how it felt to be there.

The nature of any commercial photography is hinged on attention to detail and requires an inordinate amount of concentration but a job like this is on another level. Firstly, the events ran from 7:30 am till late so these were 14-hour days on site each day. From a technical photographic perspective, I needed to be keeping track of any changes I am making to my camera settings as I'm constantly moving through different spaces, each with its own lighting conditions. Physically, I need to be attentive too. With so many people moving around the place, I need heightened spacial awareness so as not to bump into anyone or get in anyone's way. Something as simple as a rolled ankle, and the gig is over for me.

One of the most important things I bring to a job like this is good energy and openness. Energetically, from the moment I arrive, I am engaging with everyone, from the security guards, and the wait staff, to the guests and the VIP’s. I move through the space in service to everyone, I will step aside, hold doors for people, smile and make eye contact and conversation wherever applicable. I love this freedom to behave with an assumed familiarity and make people laugh. It's in my nature to interact with people like this, so this isn’t a tactic but the byproduct of these connections definitely benefits my work. At some point I might need the cooperation of literally anybody onsite, so every single person there is important to me. Over the course of the day I will endear myself to the room so that when people see me, they smile and are keen to engage with me again. This results in my capacity to get beautiful, open and natural photographs of people who might normally be camera-shy.

Another offering is to be fully available to the team and willing to improvise. I need to be approachable for any requests to capture particular happenings as the day progresses. Out of the blue, I was asked, "Can you do a group shot of a hundred people in about 10 minutes?" The only answer is, Sure! From there I need to make it work somehow. I need to find a location to elevate either myself or the group that is close by. Luckily, I found some stairs wide enough to fit everyone on. I double-checked the settings on my camera, centred myself and then I switched into "entertainer mode!" I need to make each person feel like they are part of something exciting and have their full attention. I need to be engaging, bossy, funny and work fast.

The attention required to maintain my energetic output over this period of time was huge but also very rewarding. I met some wonderful people, reconnected with many people I had photographed across Australia and New Zealand from my previous work with Rabobank and got to hear from some amazing speakers from across the globe.

Corporate event photography has its compromises. I’m reacting to an ever-changing set of circumstances, and often only with the gear I’m holding. I’m often handholding images I’d normally like to light or use a tripod for, I’ll need to modify my expectations to get the best photo from what is occurring in real-time.

Over my career, I have shot many events, from wedding photography, being the official photographer for several huge Arts Festivals, to documenting intimate family gatherings. I approach each event with a similar approach, and though the scale and workload vary, any event poses similar challenges. I have no real control over how it's going to unfold and I need to be alert and ready to respond with what I have at hand.