Park County Community Foundation Storytelling Training

Photographing events is something that I have really come to enjoy and appreciate over the last few years. While the majority of the work we do here at Rusty Fox Media remains commercial and/or outdoor focused, myself and our team find more and more events coming onto our radar. Last month, the folks at Park County Community Foundation reached out about capturing some photos of a training event. 

I’ve worked with PCCF a few times over the past few years, supplying photos for their Annual Reports and other printed materials. Working with a local organization is a wonderful way to see some of my local photos get used. For this event, we discussed the use case for the photos and what the client really wanted to get from the day. 

The event focused on the power of storytelling for non-profit organizations grant writing and fundraisings processes. Good storytelling is a key part of so many things, and the deeper you look into the art of it the more you see it come up again and again. A strong story and well drafted narrative communicates your mission and makes everyone more eager to work with you. 

In this kind of situation, a teaching event/lecture where people are primarily static at tables and listening to a speaker, the main capture point becomes the small things. Facial expressions as people share their stories. Notes being taken. Hand gestures as a story swells emotionally. People listening and hearing and connecting with each other. 

This event took place in Livingston’s Shane Center, a building and backdrop well worthy of note and attention in and of itself. This town is full of places that deserve a second or third look, just to soak in all the details. 

This event was radically different than others I have shot in the past, such as Dan Bailey’s Pray For Snow Party last fall. As a photographer and a creative professional it’s always enjoyable to be faced with a new challenge.