The Power of a Great Speech: What I’ve Learned Photographing Events | Ashleigh Rose Photography

 I photograph events for a living, but it's not the pretty decor or perfect lighting that sticks with me—it's the speeches. The awkward, the heartfelt, the hilarious, and the downright tear-jerking. This piece is a love letter to those moments when someone grabs the mic, ditches the script, and speaks from the heart—reminding us all why we gather in the first place. Whether it’s a 21st birthday or a backyard wedding, a great speech hits harder than any photo ever could. Here's why I live for them—and why every event needs one. Ashleigh Seton-Rogers

Look, not only do I love photographing events, but I'm also a sucker for good human-made prose, and nothing beats a great speech at an event, right? Let's be real though—who actually likes public speaking? Very few people in fact it’s probably no. 3 of most people’s phobia – one being fear of spiders and the second, losing one’s phone. While it’s everyone's worst nightmare, I feel it's a must at any decent gathering. It sets the vibe, gives the guests a heads-up, and just finishes things off nicely, like white-walled tyres on a taxi. Without a speech, it's just... meh. Like a party with no pap. No proper intro, no climax, no winding down. Just a big, confusing bash for no reason. I'm always gatvol when I photograph a grand occasion, and there's no speech. I feel short-changed! Not really, but basically, giving a ‘speech’ is the polite thing to do, especially when it’s to thank those who came from far to attend and those who helped with the event.

While standard ‘thank-you’ speeches are expected, a really good one isn’t. People try to avoid speaking at all because hosts think they’re doing guests a disservice by making them listen to a long speech about the celebrant. IMO, if people are there to celebrate you, eat the food and drink the free booze—they should be prepared to listen to the speeches that go along with it. Not in bored or looking at one’s phone kind of way, but in an appreciative and supportive way. Kapish?

So, while we’re not all born scribes or Obama’s speechwriters, someone out there succeeds in nailing their speech. They deliver a performance so engaging and touching that you can practically hear the movie soundtrack playing. You know what I mean? The guy who looks like he'd rather be anywhere else, forced to stand up in front of everyone and say something intelligible, while sweat is seeping out his every pore. The room is so silent that you can Johnny’s ear bud thingy’s from the 13^th table.  The poor sod, pulls out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and attempts a few words, and the "pearl clutches" (you know, those aunties who look like they’ve sucked a lemon) cluck their tongues and shake their heads in dismay. Everyone's now convinced this dude is tanking—but then... boom! The guy chucks away his bit of paper and utters the most honest words spoken in the whole movie: "You know what? This ain't me!" And then, as an inspiring John Williams score starts up in the background, the real magic happens. The most amazing, inspiring words pour out of his mouth, even after he was just seen chugging down a dop beforehand. People are left crying and laughing in the wake of this speech; and all wrongs are righted, and all sins forgiven. Always so formulaic but a satisfying way to end a movie.

We don't have soundtracks to our lives, unfortunately. If we did, I'd probably get stuck with Nickelback—not because they're cool, but because they’ve got a song for every mood. Like a Hallmark card, but louder. When I look at my photos, a song pops into my head… you know, that one. And when I finish my Hunters Dry, another one plays.

Every now and then, someone gets a speech spot-on. No fuss, no drama, just pure, heartfelt words. And when it's right, you get goosebumps, your eyes mist up, and you feel this overwhelming sense of love, motivation, or appreciation. You feel like you've known these people your whole life, even though you’re just the photographer trying not to get in the way. On the flip side, a speech can be so deep, you decide to ditch the dop and Nickelback and decide then and there to actually make something of your life.

So, what’s the secret to a great speech? Well... how long's a piece of string? There’s a formula, sure, but it all comes down to the speaker, the crowd, the vibe, the booze... the whole shebang. When it’s good, it jars you like a bolt of lightning. It has you unreservedly responding in ways you have no control over—be it ugly crying or snort laughing, because the story is so vivid and relatable. Or you're at a kid's birthday party, little Johnny's got red juice dripping down his chin and a snot bubble hanging out his nose, and then the parents start talking about their fertility journey. And suddenly, you’re crying your eyes out. I could be a professional crier, I’m that good! It’s just a cleansing way to honour someone’s story. And then, I’m back to being the photographer with smudged mascara and a true appreciation for the people I’m photographing.

Anyway, last Saturday, I photographed a 21st birthday for a family I’ve known for ages—you know, those people you see at every event. We have that "hobocop at the intersection" kind of familiarity. (Yeah, I stole that one.) The parents’ speeches were beautiful, as always. But then, the cousin, who’s the birthday boy’s best mate, started speaking. And man, was it a showstopper. Childhood stories, dinosaur games, forcing his younger cousins to drink orange juice with grass in it… it was brilliant. I was moist eyed but no rim breach - yet. Dammit man! Memories are good. They’re all we’ve got. Photos capture moments, sure, but hearing someone’s story, like you were there, is something else. I saw myself and my cousins, doing all those silly things. I was laughing so hard, the speaker probably thought I was part of the family. But that’s the thing about a good speech—you don’t have to be related. It’s about tapping into that human connection we universally and inherently share.

I crouched for 15 minutes and didn’t feel a thing—that’s how good the speech was. It transported me to the wonderful and interesting years of this man’s life. I’m sure he felt special. Anyone would when someone has summed you up beautifully and left you feeling like you mean something; you have love, purpose, and loads of supporters at your side—even if you did try to make them eat grass.

So as I sum up my longwinded answer to a question no one has asked me—what my favourite part of photographing events is - it is the speeches. I love, love, love, love them. Now ask me what my second favourite part is—go on."