Camera trade shows seem like a boring option, with little to no hope of making any difference to your photography. But yet every year I fly to the UK from Ireland for The Photography & Video Show, whether in Birmingham or London, because attending does make a difference. That’s despite the combined cost of the flight, the hotel, food, and the missed days where I could be working.
Bizarrely, there are plenty of pro photographers living within an hour of an annual tradeshow that wouldn’t consider going. Here’s why they’re missing out – and why trade shows deserve a place in your photography life.
Networking That Actually Matters
Online communities are grand, but there’s something about face-to-face conversation with other photographers that cuts through the noise. At trade shows, I’ve had genuinely useful chats with working pros about real business challenges – pricing structures, difficult clients, equipment choices for specific jobs. The kind of honest conversations that don’t happen in Facebook groups where everyone’s performing for an audience.
Last year, I had a 40-minute-long chat with Joel Grimes, one of my lighting heroes, talking about teaching, email lists, and camera gear. He had no idea who I was; I was just another photographer chatting beside a stand he was keen to look at. You can’t pay for that, or at least not for the price of going to a tradeshow.
You’ll also have the chance to meet editors, manufacturers, and potential collaborators. I’ve had article commissions come from casual conversations at trade show stands. These connections are worth more than the price of attending the show. There’s also usually a special aftershow pro meetups where you can rub shoulders with the best in the business.
Hands-On Time With Gear You’d Never Otherwise Try
Reviews and YouTube videos are useful, but five minutes actually holding a camera tells you more than an hour of spec-sheet analysis. Want to know if that lens is too heavy for all-day wedding work? If that camera’s menu system will drive you mad? Handle it yourself.
Trade shows let you test everything from flagship bodies to niche specialist kit. I’ve ruled out purchases that looked perfect on paper and discovered unexpected gems I’d never have considered. That alone has saved me thousands in buyer’s remorse. You can, of course, make impulse decisions that are wrong too, but that can happen at home too. I’ve also been given equipment to try at show, and seen gear that solved an issue I was having without knowing there was a solution.
Inspiration Beyond Your Bubble
When you’re grinding through your photo work, it’s easy to get stuck in your lane. Trade shows expose you to different genres, techniques, and approaches. Seminar programmes bring in photographers whose work you admire, talking candidly about their process and business.
Even wandering the aisles having chats with exhibitors can shake loose creative ideas. Seeing what’s possible – new lighting modifiers, emerging technologies, different ways of working – keeps you from going stale.
Learning That’s Actually Practical
Forget three-hour online courses you’ll never finish, or that you bought on sale and never looked at. Trade show seminars are concentrated, topic-specific, and taught by working professionals. You get real-world advice, not theoretical waffle. And because you’re there in person, you can ask the awkward follow-up questions that actually matter to you and your photography..
Talk schedules cover everything from business fundamentals to advanced lighting techniques. Even if only one session genuinely clicks, that’s a technique or insight you’re taking home immediately.
Make It a Proper Trip
You’re already paying for travel and accommodation – make it work harder. Book a model for an evening shoot and explore the city with your camera. From London’s architecture to Birmingham’s canals, you have a different light and different energy from your usual stomping grounds. Fresh locations push you creatively and give you new portfolio work that stands out from your local crowd.
I’ve shot street photography in unfamiliar cities, tested new techniques with local models, and come home with images that I’m proud of, and have used for portfolio and education. The trade show justifies the expense; the extra shooting day makes it genuinely worthwhile.
Yes, there’s a cost – ticket, travel, accommodation, time away from work. But compare that to a single weekend workshop (easily $700/£500+ for me) or a piece of kit you buy blind and end up selling at a loss. Trade shows offer concentrated value that’s hard to match elsewhere.
For photographers outside major cities, this is your chance to access resources that urban shooters take for granted. The expertise, equipment, and connections are all in one place for a few days. Use it.
The Final Facts
You won’t revolutionize your photography in a single day at a trade show. But the cumulative effect – new connections, hands-on gear experience, fresh inspiration, practical advice – compounds over time. The photographers who consistently show up to these events aren’t the ones struggling in isolation.
Trade shows aren’t just for gear enthusiasts – they’re professional development that actually moves the needle. Book the ticket… and I’ll see you there!
Author: Sean McCormack
Source: DigitalCameraWorld
Reviewed By: Editorial Team
