Las Vegas & WPPI

I am getting everything in order around the house and with the business so that I can prepare for WPPI in Las Vegas, Nevada. For those of you who don't know, WPPI stands for Wedding and Portrait Photographers International and is the biggest annual photography convention.

We will be staying at the host hotel which is the MGM Grand, Las Vegas. We are flying in on Southwest Airlines February 11th and will remain there until February 19th, when we fly back home.

On February 12th and 13th, I am attending a Plus Class with the most amazing wedding photographer in the entire world, Yervant ! Hands down, this man is amazing in every sense of the way. I have seen him speak at prior conventions and he just has a way of making other people smile. He lives in Australia and has photographed some of the most amazing weddings at locations I would die to shoot at one day. His technical abilities are amazing and he is what I would call, "The Tiger Woods of Golf... err... Photography...". Plain and simple.

On February 14th, I will be attending the Business Institute which will be great. I am already pretty business savvy, but the moment you think you know everything is the moment you stop growing. If I learn just one thing that takes my business to the next level, then it was worth being there.

On the evening of February 14th, we will be going to the New York, New York hotel and casino to watch the cirque du soleil performance, Zumanity. I have been to other cirque shows and this one just seemed fitting for Valentine's Day. Unfortunately, no cameras are allowed inside so I won't be able to post any photos but I'll be sure to review my experience with this show!

February 15th-18th will be filled with trade shows and platform classes. Platform classes are where some of the best wedding and portrait photographers spend about 2 hours talking on a subject they feel is relative for the convention. Some photographers even do live demonstrations on editing and photoshop techniques. Some do live demonstrations on how they pose clients or how they light their subjects using video lights, strobes, etc. There's always some great gems of information to pick up on during these seminars.

I plan to attend some amazing seminars and listen to these remarkable speakers. Some of the best speakers are planned during the same time slot so I am going to have my assistant photographer, Latanya with me and she'll go to the other one. Just to name a few that we plan to attend.... Jim Garner, David Jay, JB & Deette Salle, Marcus Bell, Ryan Schembri, Joe Buissink, Corey McNabb, Bambi Cantrell, Cliff Mautner, Jeffrey and Julia Woods, Parker Pfister, Jerry Ghionis, David Beckstead and Gene Higa.

If you don't already know who these people are, trust me when I say they are the cream of the crop and they'll all be under one roof giving tidbits of information to help the rest of us learn and grow as photographers. Everyone has their local wedding photographer that is well sought after. But, these guys are sought after worldwide and have made a name for themselves through branding and style fused together with amazing imagery. Many have been named in the Top 10 wedding photographers in the world. I feel so fortunate to be able to go out there this year and take my work and my company even to that next level.

I am going to take a break in the afternoon on the 17th of February and meet up with 20-30 other photographers at the famous Las Vegas Neon Graveyard/ Neon Boneyard. We have models and real brides and grooms who are coming out and we're going to get some amazing photos of them with all the retired signs. I cannot wait for this photoshoot. It's going to be amazing. This is a place I've always wanted to shoot at and now, I will be! I'd like to thank Emma of LiveLoveLaugh Photography in Seattle Washington for putting this together for everyone and making it possible. I can't wait to rock it out with you guys!

Okay, well I guess that's enough name plugging for now.. :-).... I cannot wait to share the photographs with you guys from this amazing event!