I recently spoke at a major photography event in London.
Capital city. Big name. And yet… the room was quieter than I expected.
This episode isn’t a rant, a drag, or an attack on any one event. It’s a much bigger conversation the photography industry keeps avoiding.
Are photography events dying?
Or are we quietly killing them by staying home while complaining that the industry feels disconnected, repetitive, and stale?
In this episode of The Loud Lens, I deep dive into:
- Why so many photographers have stopped attending industry events
- The real blockers: cost, timing, burnout, confidence, and value
- Why “it’s the same stuff every year” is both valid and dangerous
- How online education has trained us to stay home
- Why not all events are created equal (and why some deserve criticism)
- What event organisers need to do better if they want to survive
- And why choosing not to attend still has consequences for your career and the industry as a whole
I also talk openly about why I’m still saying yes to events, including speaking at The Photography & Video Show at the NEC, and why I believe these spaces matter if they evolve, attract new voices, and actually serve their audience.
This is a real conversation about accountability on both sides.
If events don’t attract new eyes, they won’t survive.
And if photographers disengage entirely, we don’t get to complain when the industry gets quieter, smaller, and more out of touch.
As always, I want to hear your take.
Why did you stop going? And what would actually make you come back?