Corporate Event Photography in Manchester for CDW

I was recently commissioned by Coolbox Films to deliver a comprehensive corporate photography shoot for CDW at their Manchester offices. The brief combined conference coverage with the creation of a versatile marketing image library for future use.

As a Manchester-based commercial photographer, I regularly work with businesses to produce high-quality imagery for websites, social media, PR and internal communications. This project was a great example of how a single shoot can generate a wide range of visual assets.

Conference Photography in Manchester

A key part of the shoot focused on conference photography, capturing speakers presenting to a live audience within CDW’s office space in Manchester.

My approach to conference photography is observational and documentary-led, allowing me to capture natural moments without interrupting the flow of the event. This results in authentic images that reflect both the professionalism and atmosphere of the day.

I documented keynote speakers, audience engagement and wider environmental shots that establish the scale and setting of the conference. These images are particularly valuable for future event promotion, marketing and press use.

Corporate Photography for Marketing and Brand Content

Alongside the conference, I created a series of corporate lifestyle images designed to build a strong marketing image bank for CDW.

I focused on capturing genuine interactions between staff, showing teams working together in a natural and believable way. This style of corporate photography helps businesses present a more human and approachable identity, which is especially important for tech companies.

The final images are suitable for use across websites, social media campaigns and recruitment materials.

Office and Workspace Photography

I also photographed CDW’s office environment in Manchester, producing a range of clean and well-composed interior images.

This included wider shots of the workspace, as well as more detailed images of desk setups featuring both PC and Apple systems. These types of images are ideal for communicating company culture, workplace quality and technical capability.

Office photography like this is often used across websites, presentations and hiring campaigns to give a clear sense of the working environment.

Corporate Headshots in Manchester

As part of the shoot, I produced a series of professional corporate headshots for CDW staff.

I kept the approach consistent to ensure the images work seamlessly across LinkedIn, company profiles and press releases. My aim with headshots is always to create natural, confident portraits that align with the company’s overall brand.

Creating a Flexible Image Library

The goal of this project was to deliver a comprehensive and flexible set of images that CDW can use across multiple platforms over time.

By combining conference photography, corporate lifestyle imagery, office interiors and headshots, I was able to provide a complete visual resource without the need for multiple shoots.

This approach is particularly effective for large organisations and growing businesses looking to maintain a consistent visual identity.

Corporate Photographer in Manchester

Manchester continues to grow as a hub for technology and business, and I regularly work with companies across the region to create high-quality commercial photography.

If you’re looking for a corporate photographer in Manchester for conference coverage, marketing imagery or headshots, please drop me a line at: david@davidoates.net

Adidas Superstar Awards

Adidas Superstar Awards Event Photography at Adidas UK Headquarters

I was commissioned to provide professional event photography for the Adidas Superstar Awards, held at the Adidas UK headquarters. The Superstar Awards are an annual ceremony where Adidas Europe recognises the outstanding contributions of its staff, celebrating achievements across teams and departments. This high-profile corporate awards event brings together employees from across Europe to highlight excellence, commitment, and innovation within the company.

Providing photography for an event of this scale is always rewarding, but working for a globally recognised brand like Adidas adds a unique dimension. Adidas is not just a sportswear company; it is a brand with significant cultural influence. Its impact stretches across sport, music, fashion, and lifestyle, making it one of the most aspirational and respected brands worldwide. Being involved in documenting their events allows me to connect with a company whose reputation for innovation and quality is synonymous with excellence in global culture.

Corporate Event Photography at Adidas

The Superstar Awards combine formal presentations with social and celebratory moments, creating ideal conditions for corporate event photography. Award presentations, stage ceremonies, and staff recognition moments provide opportunities for structured imagery, while candid interactions, networking, and celebration offer a natural, documentary style. These photographs capture both the achievements being celebrated and the energetic atmosphere of the event.

Events at Adidas UK headquarters are particularly well-organised, providing a professional environment with high-quality lighting, staging, and design. This allows for high-quality images that can be used for internal communications, social media campaigns, corporate reporting, and marketing materials. Documenting such an event contributes to Adidas’ broader brand narrative, showing both the recognition of staff and the brand’s commitment to excellence.

The Significance of the Superstar Awards

The Superstar Awards are an important part of Adidas’ corporate culture. They reinforce the company’s commitment to recognising talent and rewarding excellence across Europe. From a photography perspective, capturing these moments is about more than documenting trophies being handed out—it’s about reflecting the company’s values, professionalism, and culture.

Adidas’ influence extends far beyond corporate achievements. The brand has shaped sportswear innovation, influenced music and street culture, and consistently collaborated with designers and artists to push boundaries in fashion and lifestyle. Photographing events for a company with this kind of global recognition allows me to contribute to their visual legacy and document a brand that resonates culturally and professionally.

Why Working with Adidas is Distinctive

For a photographer, working for Adidas is both rewarding and prestigious. The brand carries cultural and professional authority that few companies can match. Their products are of high quality, their events are carefully executed, and their staff embody a dynamic and creative ethos. Being associated with a brand of this stature reflects positively on the work itself, enhancing the perceived value and reach of the photography.

The Superstar Awards event was managed by the professional team at TOL Events, whose coordination ensured the evening ran smoothly. This level of organisation, combined with the high-profile nature of Adidas as a global brand, provides the ideal context for professional, high-impact event photography.

Capturing Staff Recognition and Corporate Culture

Event photography for Adidas is not simply about recording awards; it is about capturing moments that tell the story of the brand, the culture, and the people behind it. From winners’ reactions to team interactions, candid photographs convey energy, engagement, and the celebratory atmosphere of the Superstar Awards. These images form part of Adidas’ visual identity, used in corporate communications, online campaigns, and internal reporting to showcase excellence and achievement.

By documenting the Superstar Awards, I contribute to a record of one of the most influential brands in sport, fashion, and culture. Each photograph not only highlights the award recipients but also reflects the professionalism and prestige that make Adidas a global leader.

Phoenix Healthcare distribution for Fagan Jones

Pharmaceutical Facility Photography in Preston Brook | Automated Drug Distribution and Logistics

I was commissioned to photograph a high-technology pharmaceutical distribution facility in Preston Brook on behalf of the film production company Fagan Jones. The shoot was organised by producer Vicky at Fagan Jones, and I was working alongside the exceptionally talented cinematographer Dan Lightening, who was filming moving footage for the same project.

My role on the day was to create a set of still photographs documenting the scale, infrastructure and day-to-day operations of the site. These images would complement the film production while also providing a visual record of the facility for marketing, communications and corporate use.

Inside a High-Technology Pharmaceutical Logistics Facility

The distribution centre in Preston Brook is an impressive example of the level of automation now present in modern pharmaceutical logistics. Within the facility, miles of robotised and computer-controlled conveyor systems move medicines through a carefully designed network of routes. These automated systems pick, sort and pack drugs before they are dispatched to pharmacies across the UK.

From a photographic perspective the site offered a remarkable environment to document. Long corridors of conveyors run through the building, with automated picking machines selecting products at speed before they are routed through packing stations. Containers glide through the system in a constant flow, guided by computerised logistics software that ensures the correct medication reaches the correct destination.

Facilities like this are essential parts of the national healthcare supply chain. The efficiency and reliability of the logistics systems ensure that pharmacies and healthcare providers receive the medicines they need quickly and accurately. Photographing such environments provides a glimpse into the highly organised infrastructure that underpins pharmaceutical distribution.

Photographing Automation, Robotics and Industrial Systems

Industrial photography in environments like this requires a combination of wide architectural views and detailed documentary images. Wide photographs show the scale of the operation, with long lines of conveyors stretching across large warehouse spaces. These images help communicate the sheer size of the facility and the complexity of the logistics network.

At the same time, close-up photographs reveal the precision of the machinery involved. Sensors, scanners and robotic arms guide containers along the system, while packing stations assemble shipments ready for distribution. Capturing these smaller details helps explain the process visually, showing how individual components of the system work together to form a seamless operation.

Lighting conditions in large industrial buildings can also present interesting challenges. High ceilings, mixed light sources and moving machinery require careful attention to exposure and timing in order to produce clear and dynamic images.

Stills Photography Alongside a Film Production

One of the most enjoyable aspects of the commission was working alongside a film crew. While Dan Lightening focused on capturing cinematic footage of the logistics process, my role was to produce still images that documented the same environment from a complementary perspective.

Working in parallel with a film crew requires a degree of coordination. Film productions often involve lighting setups, rehearsed camera movements and multiple takes, whereas still photography typically requires more mobility in order to capture spontaneous moments. The aim is always to work collaboratively so that both the stills and the moving images can be produced efficiently without interrupting the workflow of the facility itself.

Photographs created during these types of productions are often used in a wide range of contexts, including websites, press releases, annual reports and promotional material. They provide organisations with a visual record of the project that can be used long after the filming itself has been completed.

Documenting the Scale of Modern Logistics

Large automated facilities like the one at Preston Brook are fascinating places to photograph because they combine architecture, engineering and human expertise. Despite the high level of automation, the site is still supported by skilled staff who oversee the systems, monitor quality control and ensure that everything runs smoothly.

Capturing both the human and technological aspects of the environment helps create a more complete narrative of how the facility operates. Images of staff interacting with the machinery, monitoring computer systems or managing packaging operations provide context to the vast automated infrastructure surrounding them.

The visual rhythm of the conveyors, the repetition of containers moving through the system and the geometric lines of the machinery all contribute to a distinctive aesthetic that is unique to industrial and logistics photography.

A Fast-Moving Day on Location

Facilities of this scale are rarely static environments. Conveyors are constantly moving, robots are continuously sorting products, and staff are working across different areas of the building to keep operations running smoothly. For a photographer, this means covering a significant amount of ground in a limited amount of time in order to capture the full story of the site.

By the end of the day it was clear that running shoes should probably be considered essential equipment for photographers working in environments like this. Moving quickly between different areas of the facility, keeping pace with both the film crew and the production schedule, makes for a busy but very rewarding assignment.

Documenting the combination of advanced technology, logistics infrastructure and human expertise that keeps a pharmaceutical distribution centre operating is always fascinating. It also offers a reminder of the enormous systems working behind the scenes to ensure medicines reach pharmacies and patients across the country.