WPPI: The Experience Part 3

Tuesday. How was Tuesday? Well, just as exciting as the first two days. Since this was my very first WPPI experience, most of my time was just spent absorbing everything, quite possibly through osmosis.

Tuesday morning, I somehow crawled out of bed, got ready, and looked mostly presentable for my photo shoot with Jeffrey Neal of JNP Studios. Jeff had put an announcement on the [b] school calling for anyone who was interested in doing a photo shoot. The first five to contact him would get some shooting time. Well, apparently I've got the trigger finger, and was the first to reply! I had a blast with Jeffrey, even bright and early after the [b] party!

Here's a little sneak peek Jeff sent to me:







Afterwards, I volunteered to help at the Shootsac booth. Now I had only seen a Shootsac online until going to WPPI, where I had the full run down on the Shootsac and the brand new HipSlip. I met tons of photographers and answered their questions about the HipSlip. Who knew?! It also helped that I was standing right across from Keats Elliot the entire time, so in the event that I blanked on part of the spiel, I just had to listen to her, and I was covered.

Let me just say that while WPPI felt like going to school, it was ten times more fun and my day job just doesn't compare. While I had already heard Dane Sanders give his presentation "Photographer by Design" on his recent stop at the San Francisco PUG meeting, I wanted to see him present again. Dane is just the most genuine person who is truly interested in advancing the businesses of others. Well, Dane rocked it! He rocked it so hard that he was asked to give his talk again the next day! Dane also signed my copy of his book (I had forgotten to bring it with me in SF!).

Tuesday afternoon, my friend Elana had to take off. She had to return to reality. After a quick goodbye (I saw her later that weekend), I traipsed back up to the room to get some rest before the next party. While I'm definitely not the party animal anymore, I saw parties in Vegas as opportunities to meet new people. I've made so many "virtual" friends through the [b] school, OSP, Facebook, and Twitter, that it was great meeting these friends in person. Better!

Tuesday evening I ventured out to the Bellagio hotel for the Photo Lovecat Giveaway Gala. I hadn't had the chance to connect with anyone else who was headed that way, so I took a cab by myself. Actually not as bad as I thought. In the lobby I met two other photographers who looked a little lost, so I took a chance and asked if they were headed to the party. Yes! So we looked lost together until we found Caramel.

There I met Lara Casey, the FABULOUS Editor-in-Chief of Southern Weddings Magazine! I recently won second place in their Flippin for a Flip contest. It was great meeting her in person, finally!



I met some cool Houston photographers including Akil Bennett and Joe Cogliandro. I also met Christine Tremoulet who I initially "met" through Twitter and connected over the awesome Justin Timberlake and Beyonce Single Ladies parody from SNL! If you haven't seen it, again, your life is incomplete. It STILL cracks me up!


I met international photographer John Mateos Ong, all the way from the Philippines. We played "Rock, Paper, Scissors" aka Roshambo for one of the giveaways, and John ended up winning the prize! He went all the way! I ran into Ed and Monica Pingol from Vallejo, Bay Area represent!



I hung out with my San Diego Facebook and Twitter friends Melissa McClure, Jamie Lawler, and Charise Proctor. They are so fun! I ended up sharing a cab with them back to the MGM. However, they were staying at the Signature, and I was in the main hotel, so after we got out of the taxi, I had to hike back to the room. It wasn't that bad though!




Part 4 up next!