SAM Christmas Party Photography at Cedar Court, Huddersfield | Event Photography Yorkshire

Last week, I headed over to Cedar Court in Huddersfield to capture the SAM network Christmas party. Now, I wasn't there as the official photographer - I'm a member who just happened to bring my camera along to snap a few candid moments. And bloody hell, did these lot deliver.

I've been attending SAM networking events across Yorkshire for the last year and a half, and I've found a genuinely brilliant community of business owners and professionals. They're a proper laugh, they support each other, and most importantly for event photography purposes - they know how to party.

Why I Photographed the SAM Christmas Party

I love capturing people and real moments. That's why my documentary wedding photography works so well, and it's exactly why SAM events are perfect for my camera. No staged corporate headshots here - just people being themselves, having a brilliant time, and occasionally making questionable life choices.

SAM also loves that I capture the real event as it unfolds. No asking people to pose with forced smiles or awkward thumbs up. Just me being my cheeky self, photographing whatever (and whoever) is in front of me. And it's usually drunk people. Which is fine, because drunk people are hilarious.

The Cedar Court Christmas Party

Cedar Court in Huddersfield is a cracking venue for events like this. Good space, and a proper party atmosphere. The SAM lot knows how to fill a room with energy, which makes for brilliant candid event photography.

I've been to enough SAM events to know they start civilised and end... less so. The Christmas party followed this trajectory perfectly. Early evening: smart business owners networking professionally. Late evening: those same business owners belting out Christmas songs with varying degrees of accuracy.

Special shout-out to Phil, who walked around most of the night with a shiny microphone singing directly into people's faces. Absolutely brilliant for photography. Not as effective for people trying to have conversations, but you can't have everything.

Event Photography When You Don't Drink

I'm not someone who drinks, and being around drunk people can be hard work. But I do love capturing these moments - there's something genuinely joyful about photographing people properly enjoying themselves without inhibitions.

As a documentary photographer, whether I'm shooting weddings in Yorkshire or business events in Huddersfield, my job is to capture the atmosphere and the real moments. And drunk people at Christmas parties? They provide plenty of both.

Why Businesses Need Proper Event Photography

Here's the thing about corporate event photography - most businesses either don't bother, or they get someone to take rubbish phone photos that end up lost in a WhatsApp group somewhere.

Good event photography serves multiple purposes:

• Shows your company culture (brilliant for recruitment and social media)

• Captures networking moments and connections

• Provides content for LinkedIn, Instagram, and your website

• Creates memories for your team

• Demonstrates that your business actually does things beyond selling stuff

The SAM network understands this. They know that capturing these events helps showcase their community, encourages new members to join, and gives everyone content to share.

Documentary Style for Corporate Events

My approach to event photography is exactly the same as my wedding photography - documentary style. I'm not directing people or staging moments. I'm watching, waiting, and capturing the genuine interactions as they happen.

This works brilliantly for business events because:

• People look natural, not awkward

• You get real moments, not forced poses

• The energy of the event comes through in photos

• Nobody has to stop what they're doing to "smile for the camera"

• You capture the stuff that actually happened, not a sanitised version

At the SAM Christmas party, this meant capturing the laughter during speeches, the chaos on the dancefloor, Phil's microphone antics, and all the brilliant, messy, human moments that make events memorable.

Corporate Event Photography in Huddersfield and Yorkshire

If you're organising a corporate event, Christmas party, awards ceremony, or business networking event in Yorkshire and want professional photography that captures the real atmosphere (and doesn't bore everyone with endless group photos), let's chat.

I'm based in Yorkshire and regularly photograph business events across Huddersfield, Leeds, Bradford, and beyond. Whether it's a formal awards dinner or a Christmas party that gets progressively messier, I can capture it all in a natural, documentary style.

Looking Forward to More SAM Events

I'm genuinely looking forward to another year of networking with these crazy people. The SAM network has been brilliant for my business, and I've made some proper connections (and got some great photography practice dealing with unpredictable drunk people).

If you're a business owner in Yorkshire looking for genuine networking rather than stuffy corporate nonsense, check out your local SAM group. And if you need someone to photograph your events who won't make everyone pose awkwardly, you know where I am.

Check out my branding and creative work or get in touch about event photography.