WPPI

Wedding and Portrait Photographers International’s 29th annual Convention and Trade Show.WPPI has become the largest professional photographic convention and trade show in the world.
Anyone who's anybody in the photography industry attends this convention in Las Vegas!
I only dream about attending! It is a 5 day convention where knowledge flows from the most experienced and innovative like Mike Colon to the young and fabulous like Jasmine Star and Jamie Delaine. They all attend and swap grey matter with anyone who passes by! Well, jasmine and Jamie are attending, and I'm sure they would stop for a chat, but it's the other greats who have stalls and workshops at the convention that allow you to pick their brains and stand in awe of there shutter genius! (haha, shutter! I'm so funny)

All that photographic knowledge in one huge room! Can you imagine?
I'd be like a kid in a candy store!

I have close to 50 blogs that I follow (note, follow not stalk) on Google reader. About 45 out of the 50 have been talking about only one thing the past week. Yup, you guessed it WPPI! And now I'm following suite. So during my daydreaming about meeting the super stars of the photographic industry, I decided that I could decide what I'd like to attend, even if I'm not there. Like window shopping!
I follow her blog so this would be so cool!

Laura Novak is presenting a workshop.
Growing Your Studio With Relationships Join Laura Novak as she discusses how to create a comfortable and energetic environment where employees, clients and partners will be enthusiastic about being a part of your photography. Find out how to network with vendors and clients to create qualified wedding referrals that turn into immediate bookings. Learn how Laura built a successful portrait studio in just two years by partnering with other businesses in her area. This exciting program will give you practical, hands-on advice that you can use immediately!

Other events include:


If you read the info you might have noticed a couple of things like Photoshop CS4! CS4? I'm still on CS2! I knew about CS3 but CS4?! It's crazy how far behind we are regarding technology here in sunny South Africa. Even something as simple as a blog is a staple for every single photographer in the states. It's the best ever free marketing tool!

I so badly want to attend even a regular workshop. It doesn't even have to be at WPPI. So many photographs that I admire have workshops where you spend a day or two with them and they show you how the go about their work flow and camera settings and using natural light!

Here is bit more info on what's going down at WPPI:
There are over 130 different programs to choose from, with over 70 included
as part of your full registration. New events this year will help reinvigorate your
business and add to your WPPI experience. The Canon-sponsored Wedding and
Welcome Reception kicks off the week, followed by the Nikon-sponsored Big
Night, the Miller’s-sponsored Town Hall, Adobe-sponsored Digital Workflow and
the Kodak-sponsored Awards Reception.
Forty-nine different companies have directly sponsored the key events, along
with almost 300 other manufacturers who support the trade show and various
programs that has made this convention the most talked about event in professional photography.
That said, the next few days are all about you. You’re one of thousands of people
who have helped build the WPPI family. While you’re here, make it a point to talk
with attendees you’ve never met before. Share your ideas, frustrations and accomplishments
with the photographers sitting next to you in various programs.
This is an opportunity for you to build your own customized WPPI network.
We appreciate you being with us this year and congratulate you on setting an
unmatched standard for professional photographers in creativity, imaging skills,
marketing and, most especially, friendship.
Welcome back to Las Vegas!

Who knows, maybe one day. I could join the crowds that steam to Vegas for 5 day photo-ganza! (yes, I did just make up that word)

Happy Wednesday!