I'm Your Neighbor 2026 Gala: An Evening Supporting Refugee Support Services
On a recent evening at Project 658 in Charlotte, people gathered for I’m Your Neighbor, an event organized by Refugee Support Services to raise funds in support of refugees and their families in the Charlotte community. This is my 2nd time photographing this great event. View 2024 here I also donate 50% of my cost for the charity.
The evening had the energy of a fundraiser, but it never felt like it was only about raising money. There were conversations between friends and strangers, people moving through the space, food, laughter, and the small interactions that tend to become the most meaningful parts of an event.
The fundraising itself took the form of an auction, giving guests an opportunity to support Refugee Support Services while participating in the evening together. It was a reminder that community support doesn't always have to look formal or complicated. Sometimes it simply looks like people showing up, talking with one another, and choosing to contribute.
Photographing the Evening
For me, events like this are best photographed by paying attention to what is happening rather than trying to manufacture moments.
I'm looking for the interactions that happen naturally—the expression across someone's face during a conversation, a reaction from across the room, people greeting one another, the details of the space, and the moments that might otherwise disappear as the evening moves along.
That approach is especially important at events built around people and community. The photographs shouldn't simply document what happened. They should give you a sense of what it felt like to be there.
Project 658 provided a fitting setting for the evening, with guests gathering throughout the space as the event unfolded. From the quieter conversations to the energy of the auction, there were photographs happening everywhere if you were willing to slow down and watch for them.
A Community Coming Together
Refugee Support Services works with refugees as they build new lives in Charlotte, and I’m Your Neighbor brought together people who wanted to support that work.
Events like this can be easy to reduce to a collection of photographs: the speakers, the auction, the guests, the food, the decorations. But the more interesting story is usually found between those obvious moments.
It's in the people who came together.
The conversations.
The laughter.
The anticipation before an auction item was announced.
The reactions when someone made a bid.
And all the smaller moments happening around the room.
Those are the photographs I look for when I photograph an event.
Charlotte Event Photography
I photograph conferences, fundraisers, corporate events, nonprofit events, and other gatherings throughout Charlotte and North Carolina.
I approach events much like my wedding photography. Rather than turning an event into a series of staged photographs, I focus on observing what is already happening and making photographs that preserve the atmosphere, relationships, and character of the occasion. Of course there are times when staged group photos are needed. In that case I organize this part quickly, so you can get back to enjoying the event.
I’m Your Neighbor was a good example of why I enjoy this kind of work. An event can have a schedule and a purpose, but the story of the evening is ultimately made up of the people who fill the room.
These are the moments worth remembering.
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