Dreaming in Las Vegas

Each February brings thousands upon thousands of photographers to Las Vegas. Some hopeful to turn their hobby into a career. Some with successful careers looking for a little extra something. But all of us are there for at least one specific reason - to attend the Wedding and Portrait Photographers International (WPPI) conference. I arrived in Las Vegas on a Wednesday and what would become the first of eight days of learning, networking, shooting, visualizing, dreaming, and playing (hey, it's Vegas after all). This was my fourth year in attendance, and it was far and away the best. It's amazing how much better an experience can become when you feel like you know what you're searching for. For me, I was able to target a few specific courses to attend that I knew I really needed, which left plenty of time for connecting with friends and colleagues - the real blessing and most valuable aspect of a conference such as this. Thanks to amazing friends and fellow pro photographers like Irwin Funes, Misty Enright, and Jacquelynn Buck, we're able to not only learn from the main speakers and seminars, but more importantly, we have the chance to download the ideas we've heard and bounce ideas off of one another. It's this time to process and validate that is where the rubber meets the road. This year, I also had the amazing opportunity to assist Jacquelynn Buck as she made her WPPI speaking debut with a Masters Class - "Real Women: Thinking Outside the Boundaries of Boudoir." Thank you, Jackie!

With a couple extra hours at our disposal over the weekend, Jacquelynn, Misty and I took to the hills - the hills of nearby Red Rock Canyon - for a chilly but scenic fashion shoot with local model Amy Quintana. Amy was a real champ, tolerating the windy and cold conditions at the considerably-higher-than-the-strip altitude of Red Rock. After a quick clothing change, we were off to the all new Aria hotel at City Center for a few more images. My favorites from the day are found below. Hope you enjoy, and that you'll leave a comment to let me know which ones are your favorites!