Two days ago we twittered about doing an interview with Scott Shepard for WPPI Radio. You can download it from Itunes under podcasts or you can listen to it here.
WPPI Radio Interview with Andy and Angie Wood. There are a lot of great interviews that will give you a sneak peak of what they are going to be speaking about.
If you want to look over all the podcasts with all the speakers. Here is the link feed://www.insidemacmedia.com/rss/wpi.xml
WPPI is coming up next week. Over 12,000 photographers will descend on Las Vegas at the MGM for the largest Wedding and Portrait Convention in the World. Here are a few tips that will hopefully make the trip more enjoyable for you if its your first time. Some of these tips might even help some of the guys that have been going every year. Its always a good idea to go through the programming guide and right down things you might like to do and times. You don’t have to stick to it but if you wait until you are there you may forget much of it.
1. Wear Comfortable shoes- Yes its a bit of a fashion show sometimes, but make sure to pack some shoes that you can do a lot of walking. The MGM if you have never been there is a huge hotel. When I say “huge” you probably are not getting just how big. I have been lost in the hotel and it can take 30 minutes to find a way out.
2. Pack a few energy bars. There are restaurants to eat at but they are not always convenient. Much of the food to eat is 15-30 a plate. If you just want a quick snack this is your best option to recharge your batteries.
3. Much of the fun in Las Vegas happens at night. Do a search for WPPI parties and keep an eye out for some of the best parties. Pictage, Bludomain, GOBEE, FINAO throw some excellent parties after hours. Just because they are parties doesn’t mean they are not an excellent time to learn and network.
4. If you will be out at WPPI March 6th and 7th make sure to stop and see some of the Print Competitions. I have talked about this before but the education you will receive by watching and learning what the judges are looking for is priceless. You will learn more in my opinion in a few hours than you might all year shooting.
5. The tradeshow is huge. If you have two days for it don’t try and tackle it all in the same day. Split it up over two days you will thank me later
6. Look for Prepay discounts. What do I mean by that. Look for manufacturers that you already use that are giving deals for prepaying. If you have the cash flow as a business why not look at what you bought last year and project for this year and prepay it. In some instances it can save you as much as 50 percent off your costs. We have been able to save some nice money in past years. Who knows it may just pay for the visit.
7. Equipment purchases- This is a great time to buy much of your needed gear. Using a little savvy here can save you big bucks. I have saved hundreds of dollars on items by asking the simple question is that your best deal.
8. Make new friends- This is a great time to strengthen relationships. Make sure to stop by companies that you work with and introduce yourself. When you are out eating at the MGM make sure to say hello to those around you. Those little conversations in the elevators and restaurants can turn into great networking experiences.
9. You are going to learn a lot of new techniques, get inspired and motivated. Make sure to take notes. Record your thoughts on an Iphone or recorder. Make sure to take these things home with you and implement them. Most people lack the motivation, or don’t make the time to implement these great tidbits. Make sure you are ahead of your competition by being the first in your area to do it.
10. Have fun and break your routine- Don’t just go to the safe classes you know the ones, with the named photographer you have heard 5 times. Pick a program that is interesting to you regardless of the name. You might be surprised and learn a ton. The WPPI community has a vast network of talented photographers.
