Hello there! I think this is the longest I’ve gone without blogging since I started the blog! I’m so sorry for my absence over the past almost two weeks. Last week I was actually in Vegas for the Wedding and Portrait Photographers International (WPPI) conference and, well, Vegas life doesn’t leave much time for writing. 🙂

This year’s WPPI was my second time attending the conference, third time visiting Vegas. Both (WPPI and Las Vegas) can be a little overwhelming at times, but they’re always so much fun! I really enjoy the diversity that WPPI offers, and of course, I love all of the places to eat in Vegas! I spent more money on food than I spent on travel. Hey, I got some good travel deals, okay? AND, I love to eat well.

I’m somewhat disappointed to tell you guys that I only went to one class this year. And it wasn’t even the one I preboarded (pre-registered) for! Apparently, pre-boarding doesn’t guarantee you a seat in the class…it just guarantees you a place in the line, or so I’m told. I was able to make it to Ben Chrisman’s class this year…and it was amazing! The great thing about WPPI is that there are SO MANY different types of photographers. I’m lucky enough to live in an area where there’s such a great community of wedding photographers, but many of us shoot and run our businesses similarly. At WPPI, I get the opportunity to be exposed to people like Ben and his wife Erin, who really inspire me to be unique and look at things in a different way. I’m so glad I went to their class because it ended up being perfect for me and where I am in my business right now! I wish that I had taken advantage of more of the classes, but I didn’t.  We registered a little late and I forgot to pre-board except for that one class until it was too late. But hey, there’s always next year, right?

In addition to tons (and I mean, TONS) of platform classes, WPPI also has a huge trade show (that takes up two conference centers!) with tons of different vendors. I’m talking, printers, album companies, different types of gear, bags, etc. There’s so much to look at, that I think if you spent time at every single booth, it would take up your entire trip! I ended up browsing at a few booths getting ideas for products and things I’d like to offer clients. I pretty much fell in love with matted albums….I never thought I’d say that! I got some free film and a few other freebies, but bought only one thing…an UNDFIND bag for John! He really needed a camera bag, and since it was the end of the trade show, they gave me a great deal!! I’m so excited for him to use it and see how it works for him. I’ll definitely have to keep you guys updated on that and maybe share a review after he’s had it for a while!

When we weren’t at the trade show or in classes (or in my case, class…singular) we were eating, or eating. SO MUCH EATING. And that’s not a complaint. We ate at: Mon Ami Gabi, the Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars, this random Gelato place, a sports bar in MGM Grand,  Bouchon Bistro, and this awesome Asian place called Noodles. I ate fish and chips, quesadillas, raw oysters, crab legs, risotto, deep fried noodles, potato croquettes, brioche toast, frites, etc. I tried beignets, dim sum, and congee for the first time, and drank champagne cocktails whenever I could. At one point, I was sitting down at lunch or brunch and just sighed heavily into my food and said out loud “Oh my god, I’m SO HAPPY right now.”

Yes. I love eating that much.

The rest of the time kind of passed in a blur. When I wasn’t eating or in my (one) class, or at the tradeshow, I was hanging out with my roomies Jen, Josh, and Serena, wandering the strip, or out dancing, or hanging out, or shopping. We were also in a film Stillmotion is making for Canon. And one afternoon we shot film of each other outside of the Venetian. I’m not sure how mine will really turn out, but I can’t wait to see! I’ll have to share it with you guys when I get the scans back. In the meantime, here are a very few images I took during my time in Vegas, starting with a couple of one of my 2014 couples, who we met at WPPI, Dan and Leslie! Leslie is a photographer too, and Dan is a DJ!!

As much as I love Vegas, it’s really nice to be home. I’m so excited to be shooting two engagement sessions this week and then finally have some time in the office! It’s been too long!! Hope you guys are enjoying your week so far!