I am beyond excited to be gearing up for my fourth consecutive Wedding & Portrait Professional International conference in Las Vegas! There is something about being surrounded by thousands of like-minded individuals that will really get your creative juices flowing. Being immersed in a living river of professional, innovative peers is exciting. You can feel literal, productive energy in the atmosphere as you navigate the hallways to hear your next presentation.

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Ever since I attended my first WPPI conference, I have been a fan. Actually, a huge fan. Every photographer who has earned the title of “WPPI Master Photographer” is just that, a master—an absolute master. They are photographic artists, creative geniuses, who are willing to share their knowledge, skill and expertise with the entire industry. They do their best to motivate and inspire every level of photographer to become masters as well. They want to make this industry a better place—both for the benefit of the photographers/artists and for the consumers. The WPPI Masters are trend-changing, walking/talking/teaching banks of vast, valuable information.

WPPI 2017

I am especially excited because I have three images in the 16×20 print competition again this year. I am extremely hopeful that I will finally beat the curse of not meriting in the image competition. All fingers and toes are crossed. I’ve also registered for two plus classes, both with Australian photographers. One class is Creative Lighting on Location with Ryan Schembri and the other is Anatomy of a Fine Art Print with Rocco Ancora–who coincidentally helped me post process and print my three competition images. 

I’ve decided to shift more of my focus to business and marketing for the platform classes this year, rather than technical or inspirational classes. As of now, I feel that my business may have more to gain by learning new ideas or different ways to achieve better results. Sometimes I have a difficult time in thinking outside the box, and although I tried some new marketing and networking techniques in 2016, the results were lacking, to say the least. I’m ready for some new ideas.

You can’t help but to leave Las Vegas with that feeling of being artistically invincible… of being ready to conquer your photography world without mercy… of having your head about to nearly explode with all the new business and marketing ideas it’s trying to contain! It’s actually on the verge of madness.

I’m ready. Bring it on.

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