When I was shooting the aurora borealis (see this post), I felt like an Oompa-Loompa from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I was so glad it was dark outside. You see, I was doing some fancy-schmancy stuff in Las Vegas that required me to have a spray tan. Anyone who has had a spray tan knows what the first 12 hours are like...the first 12 hours where you didn't dare go out in public because it looks like you decided to changes races.
The next morning after I was out in the late hours photographing the beautiful northern lights - I was on my way to Las Vegas, flying out of Great Falls, Montana. Rest assured, I had a shower and I was surprised that the inside of my shower didn't look like an Oompa-Loompa.
Why was I going to Vegas? Well, the world's biggest photography convention, WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International), was happening and I wanted to be on the scene! I was also going to be helping out my friend Bambi Cantrell from San Fransisco. She is a legend in our field of wedding and portrait photography.
The first day I was there I wanted to catch as much print competition as I could. This was the first year in four years that I hadn't entered print competition. The deadline snuck up on me, so I let it go this time. I love the education of print competition and seeing the forefront of the portrait photography on the world stage first hand. I wanted to see the images get judged, and I couldn't wait to see the images that passed a certain score and got "hung" in the awarded gallery. This international event is where the trends are set in photography. At this point, any print competition speaks volumes to me. The creativity, the art, the techniques that are being used...I didn't want to miss it.
This convention is always at the MGM Grand, but I wanted to find a room that is a little cheaper per night, so I was able to book the Excalibur right across the street. I realize that "right across the street" in Vegas terms is actually a good jaunt, but I was up to the challenge. The other thing is that I went to Vegas all by myself...but, I have made so many friends over the years from attending WPPI and attending workshops and classes, that I was never alone...except to go back to the Excalibur and sleep there. Out of the 18,000 or so attendees, I was never alone. It was fun to realize. I had to run the gauntlet each night... walking to my hotel at night. I was, gratefully, escorted by my friend Doug Morgan the first night. There were some scary gangs of drunk people on the walking overpasses I had to go on the first night. From then on, I just tried to look like I was walking with other people walking across the overpasses...by matching their speed. It worked. I'm still here and in one piece.
The next day, Monday the 20th, I attended the tradeshow and caught up with people. I also spent a lot of time studying the prints that were scored high enough to be hung in the print salon. I recognized how different WPPI judges images compared to PPOC. There will always be the core techniques a winning photographer must have, but it is so fun to open up my vision to the world's photographic artists as well as appreciate what is created back home.
More to come...
Here's the view from my room in all it's point and shoot glory.
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