Groundbreaking Ceremony

Ark Innovation Center Event Photography – St. Petersburg, FL

by

Groundbreaking Ceremony at ARK Innovation Center | Event Photography in St. Pete, FL

I was hired to photograph Tampa Bay Innovation Center groundbreaking ceremony which was held at the site of the future ARK Innovation Center. A groundbreaking ceremony is the ceremony which commences the start of construction.  The facility will become known as the Ark Innovation Center and will be in the St. Pete Innovation District. As someone interested and follows finance, CNBC and innovation, I was happy to get the phone call as I knew Cathie Wood, CEO of ARK Invest, was going to be there.

Event Photography for St. Pete’s Tampa Bay Innovation Center’s Groundbreaking

As for the Groundbreaking Ceremony itself – it was a dynamic and enjoyable event to photograph. The ceremony began with a warm welcome and introductions of the many dignitaries, elected officials, and stakeholders involved in the project. Among the key speakers was St. Petersburg’s Mayor Ken Welch, who recently took office and is already making a visible impact in the community. This was my first opportunity to photograph Mayor Welch, and I look forward to working with him at future events as I continue photographing high-profile occasions throughout the St. Pete area. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of photographing many local leaders, including St. Pete’s immediate past mayor, Rick Kriseman, numerous times during his two terms.

The ceremonial portion featured a classic touch—15 gold-painted shovels lined up for the groundbreaking, paired with OSHA-approved hard hats for all participants. These details always make for great visual storytelling. One highlight for me was the chance to briefly speak with Cathie Wood, CEO of ARK Invest. While I didn’t get a photo of us together this time, I’m hopeful for another opportunity down the road. Be sure to scroll down to see some of the images I captured from this exciting day. I hope to return to the Ark Innovation Center site in the future to photograph the construction progress and eventually, the ribbon-cutting ceremony once the project is complete.