Last week, I was working on just a couple hours of sleep, spending my time in Vegas, eating luxuriously, losing my worth on the blackjack tables, and drinking far too much. But I was also working. I was doing press coverage for Fstoppers, building brand relationships for 8 hours a day on the showroom floor, trying to sell ad space and get equipment for review.
However my post here isn’t about what I did for Fstoppers, as you can go there to check that out. What I do want to talk about is the value of these expos. It’s not uncommon for me to hear people talk about not getting a value out of WPPI. The event is expensive, the classes are even more expensive, and Vegas will straight up wear you out. You’ll walk the showroom floor, and be pestered by people from various brands trying to get you to switch to them. You’ll be dealing with salesmen, trying to get you to push out a couple hundred dollars for that new Lowepro bag. And you’ll be on your feet all day and want to go to bed at 4pm, when the showroom floor and classes end.
But what you don’t realize is that WPPI is now just starting. You see, WPPI isn’t all about the classes and the expo. Sure, they’re huge, and you can gather so much info from those things, but WPPI is also a retreat for photographers all over the world. After the show ends for the day, you may get invited to dinner by a few photographers. If you stay out long enough, they’ll all cycle to the bar, and guess what – they love talking about their passion….Photography.
When in WPPI this year, I had the opportunity to meet some of my biggest inspirations for my work. No, I didn’t meet them in the press room, or bumped into them as they were leaving the showroom floor, I went out and grabbed a beer with them. WPPI is a social event! Sure, if you want to know how to build a headshot business, you can sit through a lecture from a pro and take it all in, or you can have a drink with Peter Hurley – The most successful headshot photographer in the world.
You may not feel it, but we have a community. Photographers are all trying to make a living doing what they love, and that is what makes these events so special. Through togetherness, we’re able to grow, inspire, learn and teach. We’re able to build our business by helping others. That is what WPPI is all about.
