Everyone under one roof – event photography for Lapin Kumi Group

I photographed Lapin Kumi Group's staff days at the tyre company's Oulu branch at the end of August: the daytime stage programme, the staff group photo, the evening's awards and the band. The job came straight from Lapin Kumi.

Lapin Kumi wrote afterwards that they rarely get this many people under one roof. With everyone in one place for once, I shot the group photo with the drone from in front of the façade. From above, the company name sits over the crowd and everyone fits in the frame.

The daytime programme was held in a hall fitted with a stage, an LED wall and long tables. Tom Pöysti and Ville Myllyrinne performed, and the host was Mira Juola, who also ran the Hittimittari music quiz. During the quiz I turned the camera from the stage to the tables: a hand fills in the answer sheet, then hands and sheets go up.

The hardest part, and the most interesting, was the light. By day natural light came through the hall's windows, and in the evening red stage light took over. Coloured light eats skin tones, but it also made the pictures look like this evening: Lapin Kumi's red was in the stage backdrop, the lights and the cards on the tables. On stage the speakers had white light on their faces, so they stand out from the red background. Out in the room I let the red be.

Before the evening began I photographed the empty room, the rows of sparkling wine glasses and the laid tables. Then the coaches brought everyone back. Lapin Kumi Group Awards came up on the screen, and those called on stage included people with 20 years at the company. At the presentations I shot the reactions: one person hugs on stage, another raises a hand to the audience, award in the other.

The photos went to Lapin Kumi's internal communications and social media. The set has the group photo by the façade, the award winners on stage, the performers and the audience at the tables, so one day gives pictures for many posts.