During a time of immense change across the health sector, the NHS Events Team wanted to give back to their attendees in a tangible, high-value way at the NHS ConfedExpo. As the UK’s leading and largest health and care conference, the event brings together thousands of dedicated healthcare professionals.
To support the workforce with their ongoing career development, the organisers decided to provide a meaningful, free service: a dedicated, on-site professional headshot lounge. Partnering with the Headshot Company, the goal was to deliver a premium Live Event Headshot Experience that could handle the massive footfall of the conference without sacrificing quality or creating administrative headaches for the event team.
Our headshot lounge was absolutely buzzing with non-stop queues all day, but their professionalism, energy, and talent kept everything running seamlessly and left attendees thrilled with their final shots.
NHS Events Team
The Event: NHS ConfedExpo at Manchester Central
As the premier event in the healthcare calendar, NHS ConfedExpo brings together thousands of leaders, managers, and practitioners from across the NHS, local government, and social care sectors. Hosted at the iconic Manchester Central exhibition center, the scale and energy of the conference are truly immense.
For attendees navigating a packed, multi-day schedule of keynote speakers, panel discussions, and networking, the headshot lounge offered a high-value pause. It gave busy professionals a rare and convenient opportunity to invest in their own personal branding and walk away with a premium image, right in the middle of the bustling exhibition floor.
One of the major advantages of hosting an event at Manchester Central is the sheer scale of the venue. With plenty of space to work with, we were able to deploy a much larger footprint
The Setup: Scaling Up at Manchester Central
One of the major advantages of hosting an event at Manchester Central is the sheer scale of the venue. With plenty of space to work with, we were able to deploy a much larger footprint for the headshot lounge than is typically possible at UK conferences.
For the backdrop, the event organisers handled the scenic build, drawing heavy inspiration from the backlit aesthetic we introduced earlier this year with our
Having the extra space meant we could bring out some serious equipment to ensure the absolute best results for the attendees. We flew our lighting on a heavy-duty wheeled junior boom stand—a substantial piece of kit—paired with a massive 7ft Westcott umbrella. Powered by our ultra-reliable Profoto B10X system, this setup allowed us to craft the perfect studio environment capable of producing beautiful headshots non-stop over the course of the two day event.
While it is rare to have the room to use such a large lighting modifier at UK events, the payoff is immense. This specific combination creates an incredibly soft, wrap-around, and universally flattering light, guaranteeing that every single person stepping in front of the lens left with a world-class headshot.
Zero-Admin Workflow: Managing Non-Stop Queues
A major concern for any event organiser when adding an interactive element is the potential for administrative headaches. Our goal was to ensure the NHS Events Team didn’t have to lift a finger once the lounge was open.
Because we specialise in high-volume corporate events, our workflow is entirely self-sufficient. As expected, the headshot lounge was incredibly popular, with non-stop queues from the moment the exhibition doors opened. Our team managed the client flow, kept the energy high, and ensured every attendee felt relaxed and confident in front of the camera. The line moved briskly, allowing professionals to get back to their busy conference schedules without feeling rushed through their session.
The Outcome
The headshot lounge was a major success, running at maximum capacity throughout the entire event. Over the course of just two days, we photographed 750 attendees, providing each of them with a premium image to elevate their professional profiles. Despite the incredible volume, the lighting and quality never dropped, and it was a massive privilege to provide this experience for so many hardworking NHS staff.
What the Client Said
“With so much change happening across the NHS right now, we wanted to provide a meaningful, free service to support the workforce with their career development. Partnering with the Headshot Company team at NHS ConfedExpo allowed us to do exactly that. Our headshot lounge was absolutely buzzing with non-stop queues all day, but their professionalism, energy, and talent kept everything running seamlessly and left attendees thrilled with their final shots. We couldn’t have asked for a better partner to help us deliver such a high-value initiative.”
– NHS Events Team
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