Shifter Summit 2024: The First-Ever Interior Design and Architectural Photography Conference in Nashville
If you had asked me a year ago what I would be doing today, it would NOT be organizing the first-ever architectural photography conference. Fast-forward to today and guess what… yeah – that’s what I find myself doing.
Announcing Shifter Summit 2024!
I love the architectural photography community. Some of my closest friends and colleagues are architectural photographers. Any time I travel, I make it a point to meet up with local photographers, I have an architectural photography podcast where I interview architectural photographers, I help architectural photographers create educational materials, and I attend any events that are closely related to architectural photography so that I can be around “my people”. The only thing I didn’t have that I really wanted was a conference of our own.
During a recent conversation with my close friend, Adam Taylor, the idea of being a passive participant in a community to actively shape its future came up and I really resonated with that. It helped put language to what I was trying to accomplish with my community involvement. You can watch that snippet here:
Why Creative an Architectural Photography Conference?
Attending a real estate photography conference in Las Vegas served as a catalyst for this vision. While the event was incredible, it was primarily focused on real estate photography. In 2021, sitting at breakfast with some fellow photographers (one of whom would eventually become one of the people helping to make this event happen), I began to picture a similar event exclusively dedicated to architectural and interior photography. The name “Shifter Con”, which is a play off of the architectural photography community IG account “@Shiftercom” kept popping into my head. I started considering venues that could be hosted around Nashville and even had several meetings with event planners, etc. but wasn’t yet motivated to start something as I was just in the information-gathering phase. I was also slowly pitching the idea to people in the community to get their take and hands-down, everyone I discussed the idea with was on-board. Fast-forward to May of 2023 and I decided to finally pull the trigger.
Community-Powered Initiative
I had reached out to a few well-known people in the community to see if there would be any interest in partnering and they ultimately had other things they were focusing their attention on, so I knew I had to do it on my own. It was important to me from the beginning, however, to not make this event about me or my own interests, but a community effort. I setup a call with about 10 other photographers throughout the country to get their take on this whole thing and gather any ideas they had. After that call, I created a committee of 5 other people, and also partnered with ShifterCom to handle the marketing component of things including all of the branding, graphics, and website. Within 1 month, we had a lineup of speakers and workshops as well as a beautiful venue that would host our first summit.
Shifter Summit 2024: A Game-Changer
Scheduled for March 6th and 7th, 2024, in Nashville, Shifter Summit promises to be a groundbreaking event for architectural photographers worldwide. It’s a week dedicated to discovery, education, and camaraderie, bringing together professionals from various corners of the globe.
Distinguished photographers, including Simon Devitt from New Zealand, Doublespace Photography from Toronto, Kendall McCaugherty from Chicago, Lisa Petrole from Dallas, and Tanveer Badal from LA, will be speaking on their areas of expertise, and the majority of speakers will also be hosting workshops. Also gracing the stage is Alexandria Abramian from The PR Collaborative and Bryan Sheffield from Wonderful Machine. Participants can expect a wealth of knowledge, inspiration, and insights to elevate their photography skills and businesses.
What to Expect at Shifter Summit
- Industry leaders: Our esteemed line-up of industry leaders will share their insights, experiences, and secrets to success, providing you with invaluable knowledge and inspiration to fuel your photography journey.
- Community building: Forge meaningful connections with fellow photographers during intimate networking sessions, collaborative activities, and coordinated social outings. This unique opportunity will foster a supportive community of like-minded professionals, opening doors to potential collaborations and lifelong friendships.
- Insightful education: Dive deep into the essential aspects of running a thriving photography business through targeted sessions tailored specifically to architecture and interior photographers. Learn from experts who have mastered the art of marketing, developed a winning mindset, established competitive pricing strategies, and built memorable brands.
Seeking Inspiring Locations
As mentioned, we will be hosting workshops all week and are actively looking for commercial and residential locations in and around Nashville where workshops can be held. Imagine having a world-renowned photographer come into your home or project for a day of learning and inspiration. If you or someone you know has a suitable location, don’t hesitate to reach out! We have a few locations in mind already, but open to your location as well!
A Community Effort
Organizing an international event of this scale is no small feat, and it wouldn’t be possible without the dedicated support of peers in the community. This event is just the beginning, with the hope of many more years to come. The goal is to propel the architectural and interior photography community forward to better serve the world.
Shifter Summit 2024 is a testament to the power of passion, vision, and community. It’s an event that promises to leave a mark on the architectural photography community, inspiring photographers to reach new heights and connect with like-minded individuals from all over the world. So, mark your calendars for March 6th and 7th, 2024, and get ready to be a part of something truly extraordinary in the heart of Nashville.
The Shifter Summit Committee
While I am organizing this event, I have built a team of fellow photographers across the country who have had a vital role in putting this together. It was important to me that Shifter Summit not be just MY vision, but a vision for the entire community of interiors and architectural photographers.
Shifter Summit 2024 is a testament to the power of passion, vision, and community. It’s an event that promises to leave a mark on the architectural photography community, inspiring photographers to reach new heights and connect with like-minded individuals from all over the world. So, mark your calendars for March 6th and 7th, 2024, and get ready to be a part of something truly extraordinary in the heart of Nashville.
The Shifter Summit Committee
While I am organizing this event, I have built a team of fellow photographers across the country who have had a vital role in putting this together. It was important to me that Shifter Summit not be just MY vision, but a vision for the entire community of interiors and architectural photographers.
