Capturing a Corporate Retreat | Mannix Marketing

The weather was unpredictable, to say the least. At one point, the thunder clapped so loud that all of us standing on the balcony overlooking Lake George jumped, and though we had met only the day before, the friendly Midwesterner in me grabbed the shoulder of the person next to me, as we all laughed in shock.

It was a two-day corporate retreat for a lovely company called Mannix Marketing; just enough time for everyone to acclimate to the idea of having a camera document their entire event, which is no small feat! It’s an honor to be invited into the chemistry and dynamics of a company’s culture, and to be joked with and accepted as one of their own is the highest award.

The retreat itself was immaculately planned—the location was the incredible Villa Nirvana on Lake George in Upstate NY. There were swag bags, a food truck, a yoga session, sip-n-paint, cornhole games, volleyball, hiking, pickleball, basketball, and even mini golf. For some, they had worked together virtually for months, and this was the first time they had met in person. You could feel their energy as they relaxed and got to know each other better. The value of in-person gatherings like this, especially for companies, was palpable. It allowed people to connect, laugh, and build even stronger relationships than they had before.

I took group shots and individual headshots of the team. And when founder and CEO Sara Mannix said to me: we’d like some “fun” shots, too; I knew she had amazing energy and that we were a great match!

The retreat ended with the handing out of awards, and carefully crafted words of warmth for each employee. And as I slipped out after the second day to drive home along Lake George, I warmly remembered why corporate events are some of my favorite things to capture: what a true honor it is to be invited into the family of a company.