The Photography Show 2015

JennyGW said:
I went this year because I was looking for specific gear and I wanted to meet the people for the companies kit I was buying into. That was a very worthwhile exercise.

Overall though, I found the show was far too crowded I couldn't always get to speak to the right people on the stands. There was one demonstration I wanted to see, it was 7-8 people deep in front of the demo area.

I'm a bit surprised they can get away with charging customers to go to shops to buy gear. I got in for free, but I definitely wouldn't pay for it.
Click to expand...
Hi Jenny. I'm sorry it was so busy when you attended. I have note below the changes in place for 2015 to ease any crowds. We have also added seating to the live stage and tiered standing on the street stage to make that a better experience.
 
HarveyM said:
I went last year under the old arrangements, paying on the door. At £18 on the door for 2015, plus travel costs of about £30, it really would need some bargain prices just to break even for what I'm likely to spend. Advance tickets are a little cheaper but a risk if unable to attend for any reason. I'll decide nearer the time.
Click to expand...
Hi Harvey. There will also be a discount code for Virgin Trains giving 25% off. This will be available closer to the show.
 
I've answered a few of the queries above but let me know if you have any other questions. Always good to hear positive and negative views to help us improve. Cheers
 
Used to go when living not too far from the NEC when it was Focus on Imaging, but now move to south coast bit too far away now and not anything i desperately want, so will give it a miss
 
Sue wants to go, so I'll be going. We went to most of the Focus shows, and to the Photography Show this year. The biggest difference to Focus that struck me was the difficulty of navigation, and I gather that this has been addressed for 2015. We've bought a number of cameras at the show over the years, but my main interest is in the books and the samples of printing papers.

Since we haven't got a day in mind, we can't apply for tickets in advance. The price seems steep compared to Focus, which was comparable to the car parking charge.
 
JonnyS said:
Hi Jenny. I'm sorry it was so busy when you attended. I have note below the changes in place for 2015 to ease any crowds. We have also added seating to the live stage and tiered standing on the street stage to make that a better experience.
Click to expand...

Hi Jonny, that's good to know, thank you. The seating is a very welcome addition. There was no where to sit and take a break this year. Also, if you can do something about the massive queue for food it would be appreciated.

One thing I liked a lot was the app for my android phone so I could select shows and stands I wanted to see. I wonder how that could offer a better map.
 
JennyGW said:
Hi Jonny, that's good to know, thank you. The seating is a very welcome addition. There was no where to sit and take a break this year. Also, if you can do something about the massive queue for food it would be appreciated.

One thing I liked a lot was the app for my android phone so I could select shows and stands I wanted to see. I wonder how that could offer a better map.
Click to expand...
Hi Jenny
Thanks for the reply. We will have extra catering set up by the food village which help enormously.
There will also be a map available to download from the website before the show as seeing it on a phone screen can be challenging!
We are in one big rectangular hall this year so navigation should be much easier. We have also improved signage.
Let us know how you get on.
Jonny
 
JonnyS said:
I work on the show Jeff and there are plenty of promo codes that bring the price down to £10.95 inc booking fee
Click to expand...


Yes, I have had an email with such an offer.

But it's still expensive, especially when you factor in parking.
 
Hi Jeff. If you compare it to other shows it is well priced and if you compare it to other days out (theme parks etc) it is excellent value. There were over 400 presentations last year across the stages and stands. It is worth considering the train to visit as we are right by the station and in December will have a code for 25% off any virgin train.
 
Last edited:
JonnyS said:
I work on the show Jeff and there are plenty of promo codes that bring the price down to £10.95 inc booking fee
Click to expand...
Please tell me where I can get a voucher that brings down the fee. Have been a regular but seeing a price of £18 as an enthusiast is putting me off. Given the % of non pro photographers there are who buy kit, it seems unreasonable to me that we have to subsidise the professionals... getting ready for abuse now, I suppose.
 
Chipper said:
Please tell me where I can get a voucher that brings down the fee. Have been a regular but seeing a price of £18 as an enthusiast is putting me off. Given the % of non pro photographers there are who buy kit, it seems unreasonable to me that we have to subsidise the professionals... getting ready for abuse now, I suppose.
Click to expand...

All the exhibitors will have discount codes to bring the price down to £10.95 if you prebook.
 
michael23 said:
£18 does seem good value, compared to the good food show which was £25! Lce usually have promo codes as well. Will probably be doing the saturday this time round. What hall numbers is going to be in?
Click to expand...
Hall 5 which is the biggest hall at the NEC and covers 25 square kilometres! It has 50% more space than halls 11/12
 
Last edited:
JonnyS said:
Hi Jenny
Thanks for the reply. We will have extra catering set up by the food village which help enormously.
There will also be a map available to download from the website before the show as seeing it on a phone screen can be challenging!
We are in one big rectangular hall this year so navigation should be much easier. We have also improved signage.
Let us know how you get on.
Jonny
Click to expand...

All very good improvements, glad you're learning from the experience of last year. Thanks for answering my questions :) Best of luck for this years show!

Do you know which will be the day for pros this year, please?
 
Last edited:
MNDec said:
Sorry sausage roll fingers. Meant no way it can be that big?
Click to expand...

According to the NEC's site, the floor area is about 25,000 square meters (they give a more exact figure - I'm rounding). The size of halls 11 and 12 combined is about 15,000 square meters. The slip comes in converting square meters to square kilometers by dividing by 1000, which is correct when squares aren't involved.

My own query about the show would be why the tickets are date specific, whereas no such restriction applied at Focus so far as I can recall. It makes it difficult for me to buy ahead, since I can't predict so far in advance which day I'd be attending; and if I guess wrong, it's money down the drain. For me, it's the biggest reason to question going - higher ticket price with reduced flexibility is a toxic combination. As I said above, I will be going; but with Focus it was virtually automatic that I'd attend, and these ticket issues mean that for me the Photography Show isn't a "must go" event.
 
Hi
StephenM said:
According to the NEC's site, the floor area is about 25,000 square meters (they give a more exact figure - I'm rounding). The size of halls 11 and 12 combined is about 15,000 square meters. The slip comes in converting square meters to square kilometers by dividing by 1000, which is correct when squares aren't involved.

My own query about the show would be why the tickets are date specific, whereas no such restriction applied at Focus so far as I can recall. It makes it difficult for me to buy ahead, since I can't predict so far in advance which day I'd be attending; and if I guess wrong, it's money down the drain. For me, it's the biggest reason to question going - higher ticket price with reduced flexibility is a toxic combination. As I said above, I will be going; but with Focus it was virtually automatic that I'd attend, and these ticket issues mean that for me the Photography Show isn't a "must go" event.
Click to expand...
Hi Stephen
Those ticket discount codes are valid up until the week of the event so you can leave it pretty late to choose your day. The reason we ask people to choose a day is to help us plan room capacities, catering etc and help guie the exhibitors in terms of manpower for their stands.
Focus was a great show but we try and lay a lot more on for the ticket price. We have the different stages, the garden, beginners programmes, conference, networking etc. The gear is very important but we want to help visitors to improve their photography, meet their heroes, learn new techniques etc
I do hope you can make it. Now I am off to research the square km conundrum!
Cheers
Jonny
 
JennyGW said:
All very good improvements, glad you're learning from the experience of last year. Thanks for answering my questions :) Best of luck for this years show!

Do you know which will be the day for pros this year, please?
Click to expand...
No worries Mary - thanks for the best wishes.
As per last year the majority of pro content will take place on Monday and Tuesday. This year we have added a day to the pro conference as well as some additional networking events including 'building your creative team' and 'running a small business'.
 
Daryl said:
Do we have to re apply for pass?
Used to be once you registered you never needed to reapply as it came automatically........

???????????????
Click to expand...

Hi Daryl

I am guessing you are a pro photographer? If you pre registered last year and went through the vetting process you should have an email with a click to register again. You won't need to go through the vetting process again and all the fields will be pre populated. Hope that helps.
Jonny
 
JonnyS said:
All the exhibitors will have discount codes to bring the price down to £10.95 if you prebook.
Click to expand...

Ok, thanks. Any chance you could drop a link in here to one of them? We are waiting to see a programme. Does a ticket just last for one day? TTFN
 
Hi guys - there is a thread on this nearer the top of the page..maybe the could be combined.
 
I'm hoping to get there this time. I couldn't make it this year due a Christmas meal in Devon (yes you read it right!)

Although I'm only about 45 miniutes away I will look at the train due the parking costs unless I can get a group together.....
 
Chipper said:
Ok, thanks. Any chance you could drop a link in here to one of them? We are waiting to see a programme. Does a ticket just last for one day? TTFN
Click to expand...
I will do when they go live later this week. The ticket is valid for one day.
 
JonnyS said:
Hi

Hi Stephen
Those ticket discount codes are valid up until the week of the event so you can leave it pretty late to choose your day. The reason we ask people to choose a day is to help us plan room capacities, catering etc and help guie the exhibitors in terms of manpower for their stands.
Focus was a great show but we try and lay a lot more on for the ticket price. We have the different stages, the garden, beginners programmes, conference, networking etc. The gear is very important but we want to help visitors to improve their photography, meet their heroes, learn new techniques etc
I do hope you can make it. Now I am off to research the square km conundrum!
Cheers
Jonny
Click to expand...

I can accept the idea of planning visitor levels ahead of the day; but since people can just turn up without prebooking it can't be a certain measure - unless you have statistics to enable you to convert presale to actual attendance?

I don't normally bring a camera to Focus type shows, as it's another thing to carry around and I usually end up with more than enough stuff to carry. So the stages don't appeal to me. Sorry to keep harking back to Focus, but we normally spent at least two days at the show, because there was enough on the stands to interest us. Two days at the increased ticket price is a much heavier commitment. I'll admit to being a cheapskate over this; any other show and I wouldn't worry too much (and the ticket price is a small part of the total cost). It just strikes me as - well, bluntly - profiteering when Focus was so much cheaper - even free catalogues. And yes, I know that if you have a pro pass you get one free...

I appreciate that you've got a lot of theatre space, but I'm still comparing it to Focus where the theatres were more "on stand" and easier to come and go from the talks if they weren't of interest. At the Photography Show this year, most seemed to be in black (sic) rooms off to the side, and offered little to those not attending to enable them to judge the value of being in on it. Perhaps I didn't look closely enough - but on a single day's visit to a show that was Focus sized (and being used to taking two (or even 2.5) days over) there wasn't enough time.

If I am being open about it, I should own up to knowing about the free catalogue because I attended last year on a pro pass - and I've already got mine booked for 2015, so barring accidents I will be there. And I did enjoy looking at the garden (although I overheard comments as to "what's it in aid of?") but not enough to tempt me to carry a camera.
 
Hi Stephen
I'm a little confused? If you have a trade pass then you can visit any day.
Pre registration is not a certain measure as there are too many variables (weather etc) but it is the best we have. It is certainly better than being overwhelmed on one day and having to close the door to visitors.
A lot of the stands do the sort of sessions you describe and we promote these on the website so you can plan in advance.
Profiteering is a bit strong. Yes, we want to make a profit but we invest far more in the stage sessions, speakers and production than Focus did. These sessions may not be to your taste but the feedback (from 4000+ surveys) we had last year was positive about the developments.
There is also a free app for visitors which had 11000 downloads last year for those that don't want to pay for a showguide. We have also reduced the price of the pre order showguide to £2.50 (vs £4).
I hope that answers a few of your questions.
Cheers
Jonny
 
Last edited:
I can get in when I want, no bother. It's my wife who has the need-to-know what date if we're to get a ticket in advance for her; and a second one if we decide to come back the next day. At the moment, we're leaning towards staying over for a couple of nights to get in at the start of day (we live on the south coast) and, if we feel the need, go back the next day. That's basically £36 on tickets if we can't decide on the dates with a sufficient time margin to pre book. Or a possible £51.90 if we guess wrong and pre book, and then have to pay the full price on the door.

Yes, "profiteering" is perhaps too strong a word; but the Photography Show is set up in terms of dates and venue to lend itself to direct comparison with Focus, and on that basis, the actual visiting costs are much higher. And I can't forget that one ticket for Focus was valid on all days. OK, I've banged on about costs, but I could accept them if it weren't for the necessity to specify the date.

Summing up - Focus was flexible in terms of tickets and dates; TPS is less flexible and more expensive. That's my problem in a nutshell.
 
StephenM said:
I can get in when I want, no bother. It's my wife who has the need-to-know what date if we're to get a ticket in advance for her; and a second one if we decide to come back the next day. At the moment, we're leaning towards staying over for a couple of nights to get in at the start of day (we live on the south coast) and, if we feel the need, go back the next day. That's basically £36 on tickets if we can't decide on the dates with a sufficient time margin to pre book. Or a possible £51.90 if we guess wrong and pre book, and then have to pay the full price on the door.

Yes, "profiteering" is perhaps too strong a word; but the Photography Show is set up in terms of dates and venue to lend itself to direct comparison with Focus, and on that basis, the actual visiting costs are much higher. And I can't forget that one ticket for Focus was valid on all days. OK, I've banged on about costs, but I could accept them if it weren't for the necessity to specify the date.

Summing up - Focus was flexible in terms of tickets and dates; TPS is less flexible and more expensive. That's my problem in a nutshell.
Click to expand...

Well here is a solution Stephen. Pre book your tickets for the days you are likely to visit. If you have to change those days for whatever reason, let me know and I will sort it out. How's that?
 
JonnyS said:
No worries Mary - thanks for the best wishes.
As per last year the majority of pro content will take place on Monday and Tuesday. This year we have added a day to the pro conference as well as some additional networking events including 'building your creative team' and 'running a small business'.
Click to expand...

Who is Mary? lol

I'm a pro, but I've not had any email about this years show yet. Should I have done, please
 
Haha. Oops!
If you pre registered as a pro and attended the show in March you should have had an email. If you email me at jonny.sullens@futurenet.com I'll check it out. Worth checking your spam though too.
Thanks JENNY!
Jonny
 
JonnyS said:
I will do when they go live later this week. The ticket is valid for one day.
Click to expand...

Hi there. Have had an email from the TPS with a discount code which U haven't tried. I didn't know which day we want to book because there is no obvious timetable of events. The code is valid until 6th I think. When will the timetable go online, please?

Thanks
 
Hi Chipper
The super stage timetable goes live in January and we should have all the other timetables up this side of Christmas.
Hope that helps
Jonny
 
JonnyS said:
Well here is a solution Stephen. Pre book your tickets for the days you are likely to visit. If you have to change those days for whatever reason, let me know and I will sort it out. How's that?
Click to expand...

Many thanks - I'll book a couple of days.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top