The HR Southwest Conference had it all: main stage keynotes, 85+ breakout sessions, a packed expo hall, a headshot booth with a line, and more than 1,600 attendees. For the second year in a row, the Dallas HR Management Association brought us in as their conference photographer team at the Fort Worth Convention Center to cover all of it. Here’s how we covered every corner of a three-day conference, and how attendees walked away with their photos before they ever left the building.

HR Southwest at a Glance

• 3 photographers covering the main stage, breakouts, expo hall and headshot booth
• 240 professional headshots in 2 days
• 313 attendees received their event photos in real time
• 9,496 photos downloaded by attendees
• Full event gallery delivered within 24 hours

A Conference This Size Needs More Than One Photographer

When a keynote, three breakouts and a sponsor demo all happen at 10 a.m., one photographer can’t be everywhere.

So we brought a team of three: Willie, Celina and Melinda, each with a clear assignment.

• Main stage and headshot booth: Willie covered every keynote and general session, from opening remarks to Clint Pulver’s day-one keynote, and ran the headshot booth.
• Breakouts and expo hall: Melinda moved between session rooms and the expo floor, capturing speakers, full rooms and sponsor booths.
• Crowd and candids: Celina focused on attendee interaction, the candid moments that really tell the story of the people at the conference.

Before the event, Kim reviewed the agenda and shot list with the DallasHR team. Kristi Johnson shares every session, speaker and schedule detail with us ahead of time, so we always know where to be. That planning is what lets three photographers cover a venue the size of the Fort Worth Convention Center without missing the moments the client needs.

Main Stage, Breakouts and Expo Hall

The client needed images their marketing team could use all year: speakers on stage, full rooms, attendees connecting, and sponsors getting visibility for their investment.

With Clint Pulver opening day one and more than 85 breakouts across three days, there was always something happening. Celina and Melinda captured the candid moments in between: conversations in the hallways, reactions in packed rooms, and connections on the expo floor.

The Headshot Booth: 240 Headshots in 2 Days

The headshot booth was the crowd favorite again.

Attendees checked in, we coached every pose (even for people who hate having their photo taken), and each person had their polished headshot texted to them within minutes. Ready for LinkedIn before the next session started.

This year the headshot booth was sponsored by United Concordia Dental and set up at their booth in the expo hall, and there was a line both days.

For the organizers, every check-in meant a name and email: a ready-made lead list to share with sponsors.

Event Photos on Attendees’ Phones in Real Time

New this year, we used SpotMyPhotos to deliver event photos while the conference was still happening.

Attendees signed up once, and every photo they appeared in was sent straight to their phone in a private gallery. Next year, we can add the conference and sponsor logos to every image, too.

313 attendees were spotted in photos, averaging more than 11 photos each, and they downloaded 9,496 photos.

That’s thousands of photos in attendees’ hands during the event, ready to post on LinkedIn and carry the HR Southwest brand far beyond the convention center.

What It Took to Pull It Off

Being our second year in a row made a three-day conference easier to pull off. We knew the venue, we knew the team, and Kristi had us ready with a schedule of every session and speaker.

We also brought in our two associates, Celina and Melinda, to capture all the candid moments of the conference. They blow our minds every time. They’ve been a blessing to us for the last two years, and we’re looking forward to what’s to come in 2027.

The full gallery was in the client’s hands within 24 hours.

What the Client Said

Willie & Kim made the headshot experience seamless for our attendees. Their team was professional, efficient, and a wonderful addition to HR Southwest!

Kristi Johnson, Director of Brand Experience, Dallas HR Management Association

Planning a Conference in Dallas–Fort Worth or Beyond?

Whether you need one photographer or a full team, event coverage, a headshot booth, or all of it, we’d love to help.

Send us your event date and we’ll check availability. We’re based in DFW and happy to travel wherever your event takes you.

Willie & Kim Photography provides corporate event photography and headshot booths for conferences in Dallas–Fort Worth and beyond. Learn more about our event headshot booths →