In October 2026, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) brought 150 librarians to the St. Louis Marriott Grand for its Library Convenings, part of the agency’s IMLS 250 programming around America’s 250th. It was the third convening Creative Soul Studios has photographed for IMLS, after Cincinnati and Reno.
About the Event
The St. Louis convening ran October 14–16 with three days of keynotes, panels, fireside chats and breakout sessions, plus an evening program at Busch Stadium and Ballpark Village. Like every stop on the tour, the photos needed to be accurate, respectful and ready for reports, press and social.
What We Covered
- Registration and arrivals outside the Gateway ballroom
- Keynotes, panels and fireside chats on the IMLS 250 stage
- Breakout sessions and roundtable discussions
- Networking and group photos
- An attendee headshot station
- The evening program at Busch Stadium
What We Delivered
- Quick same-day galleries on site, so the IMLS team could share moments during the convening
- A full edited gallery after the event
- Retouched attendee headshots
How We Approached the Coverage
The main session space had natural light, so we balanced it with the stage lighting to keep skin tones clean. Breakout rooms were a different story: mixed light from room to room. We used flash there to keep white balance consistent across every session.
A 70–200mm f/2.8 let us work the stage from the back of the room without getting between speakers and the audience, and a 24–120mm f/4 covered groups, breakouts and the stadium. Staying out of the way matters at a convening like this. Attendees came to talk and learn, not to pose.
“Very professional, very easy to work with, and the most invisible photographer (and I mean that in the best way), but there as soon as you need him.”
— IMLS Library Convenings team
Photos from IMLS Library Convenings St. Louis
Photographing an Event at the St. Louis Marriott Grand
The Marriott Grand works well for multi-day convenings, with a main session space for general sessions and separate rooms for breakouts and meals. See our St. Louis Marriott Grand event photography page for planning tips.
Three Cities, One Photo Team
IMLS has now brought Creative Soul Studios to Cincinnati, Reno and St. Louis. Read the full IMLS case study, or see the Cincinnati convening recap.
Planning a Conference Outside Your Home City?
We travel nationwide for conferences and multi-day events. See our conference photography and pricing, or request a quote.