If you know me well, you know that I like to be busy and I like to travel, which is why I am not complaining about the 2 trips I just took in 2 weeks! Now that I’m back home for a bit, I can finally write about my first WPPI experience.
In February, I attended the whirlwind that is the Wedding and Portrait Photographers International convention and trade show in Las Vegas. Over the course of 72 hours, I attended 4 platform classes given by some of the industry’s leading [and some of my very favorite] photographers: Jesh de Rox, TriCoast Photography, Bambi Cantrell, and Jenn Hudson. It was such a treat to hear these photographers speak; each presentation was informative and a couple of them actually brought tears to my eyes, reminding me of the importance of photography and the impact this profession can have on our lives. The schedule was intense, but I definitely left Vegas with more technical knowledge and inspiration than I ever expected.
In addition to all of the classes, I also spent some time at the trade show. As someone who is just starting out in this business, it was 100% worth my money to attend for the trade show alone; I literally spent at least 6 total hours browsing the trade show floors, keeping an eye out for the best album vendors and professional photo labs out there. I returned from the trip knowing exactly which albums I want to offer my wedding and portrait clients, and I can’t be more excited about that! Can’t wait to order some samples and start showing them off!
Here are some random iPhone photos from the trade show floor:
For the record, I can’t tell you how many booths I visited; maybe several dozen. Almost to the point of disorientation at times. It was well worth it, though! For those of you attending for the first time next year, I recommend the following:
- Wear comfortable shoes. I purchased a pair of Dr. Scholl’s inserts before the conference and my feet thanked me all week! There is a ton of walking involved, so do yourself a favor and dress for maximum comfort.
- Bring a snack survival kit. You never know when you’ll get distracted between classes or booths and don’t have enough time to stand in line for a bite to eat. Plan on splurging on dinners.
- Bring an empty water bottle and fill up in the conference rooms.
- Document your experience. More than a week later, I’m so glad that I snapped iPhone photos of products and booths that I can reference later. There is too much going on to remember all of it, so take virtual notes!
- Avoid the trade show on Monday, if possible. This is when it’s most busy, and quite frankly, it’s hard to keep your wits about you when there are so many people bumping into eachother. My “perfect world” trade show plan of attack: Schedule a half day on Tuesday and come back to make your purchases on Wednesday.
After returning from WPPI, I had one day at home before flying out to North Carolina to volunteer for my photography school and to visit my brother and his family. Stay tuned for photos from that trip later this week!
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Jo Muscutt - Thank you so much for sharing all your insights, Krista! It’s very valuable information. I couldn’t make it this year but really want to attend next year. Is it something you would attend again? Annually or just occasionally? Would you stay longer if you could? Thanks, Krista!
krista - Thanks Jo! I definitely plan on going back. We should all meet up next year! I got a lot out of the 3 day trip, but I might stay an extra day next time just to take more classes. I signed up for the Platform classes only and felt like I got a ton out of them. There is also the option to pay for Master classes, which are smaller and more hands-on.