Five years ago, in October 2021, I tried a month without alcohol. I didn't have a problem with drinking. I was just curious what life would feel like without it. I liked it so much that I never went back.
Around the same time, I was running more and more of my phone photography workshops online. It took me a while to notice how those two things connect: a smartphone camera can bring people together just as well as a drink. Especially the shy ones.
When team bonding means "let's grab a drink"
Think about how most in-person team events end: at a bar. The first round does a lot of the work. People relax, jokes come out, and colleagues finally talk about something other than deadlines.
But that default quietly leaves people out. For example, people who:
don't drink, for health, religious or personal reasons
are pregnant, on medication, or in recovery
have to get home to their kids, or simply prefer a quiet evening
are introverts, who find a loud bar the hardest place to open up
These are often the same people who stay quiet at team outings. Not because they have nothing to say, but because the setting isn't built for them.
On Zoom, there's no first round
But when your team is remote, hybrid or spread across time zones, that first round never happens. Everyone's on Zoom, usually sober (unless your "coffee" isn't coffee). So what breaks the ice instead?
In my sessions, it's a photo.
Someone takes a quick smartphone photo around their home office and drops it in the chat. Reactions start. "Wait, how did you shoot that?" comments come pouring in. Someone else gets inspired and tries their own version. Within minutes, the whole team is talking.
A photo works as an icebreaker for a few simple reasons:
Everyone already has the tool. It's the phone in their pocket. No gear, no experience needed.
It gives people something to talk about. It's easier to comment on a photo than to make small talk out of nothing.
It shows a side of people you don't see at work. A view from their window, their favorite mug, the light on their desk.
It feels safe. Nobody is put on the spot. You can share a photo, an opinion, or just a reaction emoji, at your own pace.
That last point matters most for the shy ones. Joining a loud group conversation at a bar can be awkward. Posting a photo in a chat isn't. I've watched the quietest person on a call share one shot and suddenly become the center of the conversation, without saying a word first.
Photos can speak louder than words.
What a session looks like
My workshops run up to 60 minutes on Zoom, Google Meet or Microsoft Teams, and work on any iPhone or Android. Here's the flow:
The first round is on me. I start by sharing a few of my own phone photos, so nobody feels awkward about sharing theirs.
A quick creative prompt. A simple idea to look for, like light, shadows, or an everyday object seen from a new angle.
Everyone shoots. People get a few minutes to walk around their space and take photos with the phone they already have.
Share and react. Photos go into the chat. The reactions, questions and laughter start, and people get inspired by each other's shots.
Something to keep. Teams get a shared photo album afterwards, and I comment on the photos.
No one needs to be "creative" or good at photography. Some of my favorite moments are watching people who say "I'm not creative" light up halfway through.
4 photo icebreakers you can try with your team this week
You don't need a full workshop to start. Try one of these in your next team meeting or Slack channel:
My view right now. Everyone shares a photo of what they see from where they're sitting.
Something blue. Pick a color and ask everyone to find and photograph something in that color within two minutes.
Close-up mystery. Take a very close photo of an object on your desk and let the team guess what it is.
My favorite corner. A photo of the spot at home or in the office where you feel most comfortable.
A tip from my sessions: go first. Share your own photo before asking anyone else. It makes it much easier for others to join in.
A note to HR, People and Employee Experience teams
If some of your people can't, or just don't want to, say yes to "let's grab a drink after work," and you're running out of ideas to help them feel at ease and connect, my phone photography workshops are an alcohol-free alternative. They've worked for 10,000+ people at companies like Google, Meta, Airbnb and Atlassian since 2020, online and in person.
Book a workshop for your team, schedule a free demo, or get in touch to plan one together.
And don't worry, the first round of photo shots is on me 🤳