Vegas! {February 20-23, 2011}

I have recovered. 

There was such an insane amount of information to absorb on this trip it was unreal.  I have never been on my feet so much, and felt THAT mentally and physically exhausted.  DAMN was it fun! 

This was the Wedding and Portrait Photographers International convention.  The big mama jama. 

I think I have more questions now than before, but also came home with a lot of great ideas from some very inspirational photographers.  I bought a bunch of new toys: awesome little softbox, 2nd manfrotto light stand, 2nd nikon sb900 flash and a radio popper to go with it (which are the best thing to happen to my lighting since... 'the bulb'- seriously.)  My new editing program has also come in, which I have no idea how to use yet, and my 2nd softbox and coolest reflector I'm in LOVE with are on back order. 

Love new stuff!  Can't wait for spring weddings to start! 

  I was up early to get breakfast before the other 15,000 photographers, and wasn't back in the room until about 8 or 9pm (which is midnight our time.)  There was hardly time to go to the bathroom!  The classes were at LEAST a 15 minute power-walk from my room.  Which by the way, I was at the end of the longest hall known to man, it even changed THEMES before it got to my door.  Ridiculous.  Any spare minute There was no spare time to just "run and pick up a bite" or "run and check out a couple vendors" because everything was a mile walk, and the food court in the hotel took at least an hour, even Starbucks!  I had to start buying ahead and carrying snacks because it was so busy.  I probably couldn't have even coordinated with Junior to meet all day if we had tried to make this a family trip.  It would be great to go with just him, but there is no way we could leave the Muffin ; )

I was lucky enough to meet this awesome little chick from Fiji, Malia. 

I enjoyed meeting tons of people from all over the world and introduced myself A LOT, but Malia and I clicked the minute we met.  She isn't a party girl, married, had the same camera as me with the lens I want and I have the lens she wants.  I'm a little jealous of her though.  A surf photographer, now getting into weddings, and spends all day surfing with her husband and gets paid for it!  

 Living right on the beach, with nothing but the farmers market to buy her groceries. 

It's just not right, I would love to live there, but I would miss Walmart.

I intended on staying in the hotel, and possibly leaving for some night shots if I felt safe. Well Malia was definitely game and so we went out walking both nights after we met. It was dumb since we were so tired, but so totally worth it. I have never experienced this type of pain from walking, my feet actually slapped the ground when I walked because my shins hurt SO bad.

And again, so worth it.

My favorite class...
The most emotional, empowering, influential, kind person by far was Jesh de Rox.  I haven't cried that hard, or laughed that hard watching any movie I can think of.  When I came out of class I bought his program instantly as my first purchase.  People would ask how it went afterward, and you really can't explain it.  Closest thing I could say is... learning to speak the language of love?  Learning to bring out a connection in the people you photograph and finding beauty in every person you come in contact with.  Everyone has a purpose, and are here to be loved by someone else.  Wow.  It really made me look at everyone, every situation a little different.  Love this man.
Thank you Jesh : )


My favorite vendor!  This is the company I have been ordering my wedding albums though, but I haven't gotten to see more than 3 or 4 albums in person other than my own.  I mean, this display they had set up was literally HUNDREDS of albums with about every combination of covers and sizes.  I could have spent all day in that one booth alone.  Made me drool a little.









Malia and I are walking through tons of casinos and neither one of us have ever gambled, not even a lottery ticket.  Malia was on the phone with her husband and he wanted her to gamble, just a penny.  We soon found out there is no such thing as a penny slot without committing at least a dollar, so we split it.  We took turns spending our little 50 pennies and talking to our husbands on the phone while we did it.  Yeah, we look excited, but we only won about 6 cents.  Woopidee doo!  But we HAVE technically gambled in Vegas now! 

Awesome view of the Grand Canyon on the way home.   

I will be going back next year for sure.