My week at WPPI 2013- Day 1, The Experience 2013, Bahamas Wedding photographer

I am part of an amazing photography group on Facebook called Showiteers. This group of photographers share selflessly and are so inspiring to me, I make it a point to check in everyday!
So one day in December 2012, there was a lot of chat about the WPPI conference coming up in Las Vegas in March 2013.

I saw a post from Nigerian photographer Shakeerah of SpicyInc Studios looking to share a room for WPPI and I decided then and there that I would attend & share a room with her.
Fast forward 3 months and I'm kissing Layla & Doug goodbye at the airport, excited because I know this is good for me & my business but also sad that I'll be away from them for a whole week.
As I get to the counter to check in the attendant lets me know that I'm 10 minutes too late to check-in for my flight!
 I hope this is not a sign of things to come.

After getting booked on the next flight to Miami, I sit down and go over the list I made of things I need to do whilst in Vegas. It reads like this:

•  Visit Nikon booth, play with D800
• Take part in workshops
• Visit album company booths, find luxury album options for top tier wedding collections
• Network
• Meet Jose Villa
• Have fun!

After a five and a half hour flight, I land in Vegas! What an amazing city. I quickly connect with Shakeerah and find out she's still in the air (Facebooking me from 35,000ft) 

So I grab my bags and head to the MGM to check-in, It's late but I'm excited, the hotel is like a club, thousands of people constantly moving in & out, dressed up and about to hit the clubs, the cheers coming from the casino as someone wins big!

I can't believe I'm actually here.

Sunday Morning, I wake up early I had registered for the The Experience 2013 workshop. One of my favorite photographers Kristen Weaver, will be speaking and Shalyn Kettering the VP of Marketing of Two Bright Lights along with other editors will be talking with us about how to shoot and get published, both on blogs and in print. This is a goal I set for my business for 2013.

 The morning starts by meeting some new photographer friends in the Lobby and then sharing a cab to the location. The Experience is to last a whole day with breakfast, discussions, shooting details, lunch and then heading to the desert for a shoot out.

We head towards Vinters Grill, an amazing restaurant that is a venue for today's workshop and are met by this beautiful woman with amazing hair, she introduces herself as Kristin Garcia, a photographer from Chicago and is on the panel that will be speaking to us today.

This is my first ever workshop & I'm just hoping it helps me grow as a photographer.

We are greeted by an amazing breakfast, champagne & pastries, fruits and parfait. 

I start to mingle and instantly connect with two photographer's Laura from Johannesburg, South Africa, & Severine, a photographer based in Jacksonville, Florida.

As I sit and take notes, I hear for the first time the mantra that will be repeated to me by most of the speakers throughout WPPI: " You attract the type of clients that you put out." They also discuss, how to deal with a rejected submission how to build relationships with editors and submitting so that it's targeted to the right publication.

After a 2 hour discussion, we pick up our cameras and start shooting THE MOST amazingly styled tables I have ever come across.

 There were four tables filled with beautiful details. Each editor had styled their own table and we had to photograph and guess whose was whose.

I can't share images yet but will soon:)))

We were then served a delicous lunch whilst sitting at these gorgeous tables.

For the second part of the day, we jumped on a party bus and headed into the desert for a our shoot out. Spilt into groups, Justin was our first instructor. He shoots film and asked us to slow down and only take one shot of each image, to really think about and compose our images before we click the shutter.

Kristen went through posing couples in a natural way to achieve genuine results and Kirstin Garcia had us focusing on shooting for publication, getting those detail shots that blogs love! (see my sneak peek in the previous post )

As we headed back to the city, we drank champagne on the bus and were entertained by Justin who gave us a peek at his skills with the pole on the bus, absolutely hilarious.

What a way to start my trip!!! Thank you to all who put together such a great workshop.

The Experience 2013

Editors panel: 

Lauren Groves - Every Last Detail

Stephanie Saul- Fab You Bliss

Megan Acosta- Glamour & Grace

Christie Osborne - Mountainside Bride

Photographer's Panel:

Kristin Garcia- Kristin La Voie Photography

Justin De Mutiis - Justin DeMutiis Photography

Kristen Weaver - KWP | Weaver

Vendors:

Juliet Douglas- Green Orchid Events

Layers of Lovely

Minna Olive

Bella Bridesmaid

Twigs & honey

Vintner Grill

Two Bright Lights

Photo Dough

Corie's Creations

DWF

One Luv Agency

Rebel Party Rentals

Over The Top Inc.