Well, what to say? I don’t think I’ve ever photographed any event that’s been designed with as much care as this one was. Most events and conferences I photograph are well put-together, but this was on a another level: the attention to detail was mind-boggling.

Everything, from each small decor detail, to the food and drink menus, to the registration room, to the breakout room projects, to the presentations, to everything, was thematically linked and presented with great care. I had to work twice as hard as I normally do to make sure I didn’t miss anything (not a complaint, by the way). Even on the fourth day of the conference I was still finding new layers of detail to photograph, so it was a great challenge!

The conference was held at the Sheraton Laval, which turned out to be a great venue for this kind of event. It’s an excellent space, with plenty of flexibility for decor changes, wonderful food, and friendly staff; a great showcase for hospitality – especially important for this conference as its guests were hotel managers.

Aside from that, we had the rare privilege not only of visiting the Cirque du Soleil Headquarters for a variety of workshops (makeup, acrobatics, and clowning), but of watching a private, bespoke Cirque du Soleil performance, Chapo, that had been created for this event.

Thank you to Nikki at Marriott Hotels for trusting me to photograph the event she so lovingly designed. It was definitely a highlight of my year!