Chris Whittam photographed the Yorkshire National Business Hero Awards, held at First Direct Bank Arena in Leeds and celebrated live at the FB Fashion Ball, delivering a same-day highlights pack so the organisers could share the night while it was still news.
The event
The National Business Hero Awards are the people’s choice awards for the regional business community, honouring the leaders, rising stars, teams and businesses making a positive impact across Yorkshire. The Leeds ceremony is staged as a black-tie celebration at First Direct Bank Arena as part of the glamorous FB Fashion Ball, a full evening of fashion, awards and fundraising.
The brief
A large-scale awards evening in one of Leeds’ biggest venues, with a packed room, a live runway and a programme of award moments that happen once and cannot be repeated. The organisers needed polished, on-brand imagery they could use for press, sponsors and social, fast.
What it takes
Most people see the photographs from an event. Almost no one sees the hour before. That quiet hour is the real work: walking the space, finding the angles, reading where the light will fall and where the moments will land, before a single guest arrives. Then the doors open and it flips to a live room, full energy, and split-second moments you get one shot at and can never ask anyone to redo.
The result
A same-day highlights pack was with the client while the event was still news, followed by the full edited gallery. In the gallery it looks effortless, which is the whole point: the energy in the photographs is built on a lot of quiet preparation nobody sees.
Planning an awards evening or conference in Leeds or across the North of England? Get in touch for a quote.
