From The Publisher
Seeing is Believing
by Pat McCarrell | Published in August 2008 contests | Departments
Flowery prose not withstanding, the best way to convey to a non-witness the perfection of a centerpiece, or the effect of enhanced production values on an event, is a photo.
I’ve covered banking, law and technology as a professional journalist, and was always struck by how non-visual these industries are. After all, what picture illustrates the merger of two mega-banks? Just for fun, try thinking of how you might illustrate the legal impact of Sarbanes-Oxley.
See what I’m saying? Kids get this stuff as well. My daughter likes reading Event Solutions and surfing the websites she finds inside because of the photos. Sculptwareonline.com is among her favorites because it allows you to try different color combinations for table and chairs covers with the click of a mouse. But she never even glanced at one of my old business journals — just too dry.
Thankfully, we have no such limitations, which is why we’re able to produce a beautiful magazine each month, and why if you’re marketing yourself you should always be thinking of photos. Nothing illustrates your talent to a potential client like photos.
With this in mind, we created the 2009 Design & Décor Guide for Planners, where the industry’s top vendors will showcase their best designs for 2009. Watch for it in next month’s magazine.
Not satisfied there, we’ve created even more incentive to make sure you’re getting the best possible photos of your events: a cover contest. In our quest to show off the very best in event design, we’re calling on all of our readers and vendors to polish those lenses and give us your best shots.
For the rules and regulations, visit our cover contest page. But first, I’d like to offer a bit of wisdom from my journalism school years: Think vertical. Just like a magazine cover.
Good luck — and happy shooting!
About the author: Pat McCarrell
Pat McCarrell was formerly the publisher and editor of Event Solutions magazine.
Contact: editor@event-solutions.com