716 Iris is a Buffalo, New York iris photography studio that turns real photographs of the eye into detailed artwork through private studio sessions and special live events.
This was our first vendor event ever. Even though we had already put so much time into building 716 Iris, this felt different. It was the first time we were bringing everything out into the public, setting up in front of people, meeting other vendors, and letting complete strangers discover what we do in real time. Most of what we do happens in the studio, one session at a time, so stepping into an event like this felt both exciting and unfamiliar.
Going into it, I was excited, but also nervous. I’m the kind of person who always feels like something can still be improved, adjusted, or made better. Stephanie is a huge reason this event even happened, because she was the one who kept pushing us forward and made sure we actually committed to doing it. If it were entirely up to me, I’d probably still be tweaking details and waiting for everything to feel perfect.
SEEING IT COME TOGETHER
A lot of these photos are from setup, and I wanted this first blog post to focus on that side of things because that was such a huge part of the weekend for us. There’s something really different about seeing your signs, displays, samples, and work all come together in one space.
It stopped feeling like just an idea we had been building behind the scenes and started feeling real. That alone was a huge moment for me.
WHAT WE LEARNED FAST
Some people thought we were doing some kind of tattoo art. Others thought it was purely digital artwork. And honestly, that was a really good lesson for me because it reminded me that what feels obvious to me is not always obvious to someone seeing it for the first time.
What we do starts with a real photograph of the eye. We photograph the eye up close, isolate and refine the iris, and then offer different artistic presentations built from that real image. Once people understood that, everything clicked much faster.
Graphic I made to help people understand what Iris Photography is and how the process is.
Instead of assuming people would just get it, I wanted to show it visually: first, we photograph your eye, then we edit the iris, then we can add artistic effects.
That one change made a huge difference. Once people understood that we were starting with a real photograph of their iris, the conversations got easier, the reactions changed, and people connected with it in a much more immediate way.
It helped people understand that the detail they were seeing was not random digital art. It was their real iris, photographed up close and turned into something personal.
THE RESPONSE
We ended up photographing roughly two months’ worth of sessions in just a few days.
For our first vendor event ever, that still feels wild to say out loud.
But beyond that, what made the experience so memorable was the people. We got to meet so many amazing visitors, connect with so many great vendors around us, and spend both weekends talking to people about something most of them had never seen before.
Being able to explain what 716 Iris does, show people the hidden detail inside their own eye, and watch that moment of understanding happen was one of the most rewarding parts of the whole event.
A QUIET THANK-YOU
Stephanie deserves more credit than I can probably fit into one blog post, because without her pushing me, encouraging me, and helping keep everything moving, I honestly do not know if we would have made this leap when we did. I also really want to thank Grace, Danny, and the team at Twenty6 Productions for making our first vendor experience such a positive one. They were incredibly helpful, welcoming, and supportive throughout the event, and that made a huge difference. We also met so many genuinely great vendors throughout the event, and that was one of the best parts too. It did not just feel busy. It felt like we were surrounded by creative people who were all building something of their own.
Owner of 716 Iris, Dave, standing in at his booth at Step Out Buffalo Event.
While this event was a special way to introduce 716 Iris to new people, we also offer private studio iris photography sessions by appointment in Buffalo, New York. If you’ve ever been curious about what your own iris could look like as artwork, you can learn more and book a session at 716iris.com.
We are so grateful we said yes to this step, even when it felt a little scary. It reminded us why we do this in the first place. The connections, the conversations, and the moments with people who see something in what we create.
Thank you to everyone who stopped by and supported us.
We cannot wait for what is next.
