WPPI 2017 - Las Vegas, NV

Wedding and Portrait Photographers International 

Conference and Expo

Tips and Deals for First Time Visitors

Travel/Hotels:

Vegas.com!  
https://www.vegas.com/lasvegastraveldeals/
Vegas.com is offering incredible deals on hotel and flight packages. 

WPPI also gives a great resource for finding great deals on Hotels and Transportation. They offer tips and deals at: http://www.wppionline.com/show/hotel-and-travel.shtml. 

Things to do around Vegas: 

I have a ton of fun just walking around the strip, gambling a little here and there, and watching the live shows that sometimes go on at the different casinos. BUT, one of the best parts of going to Vegas is their shows! 

Thinking about a show and want a good deal? Vegas.com! 

https://www.vegas.com/deals/
Vegas.com offers an incredible resource and great deals on all the fun things to do in Las Vegas! Want to see a show? Check their page out for deals… it’s always fun to see a show in Vegas, it’s even better when you don’t have to pay so much for it with a great deal!  

WPPI EVENTS:

Not to be missed! Take advantage of all of this! (more details at http://www.wppionline.com/show/events.shtml).

Fun Run: Tuesday, February 7th 2017 at 6:30am. Meet at the Westgate Hotel Main Lobby - Free with Full Conference Pass. 

Morning Keynote with Jerry Ghionis: Right after the fun run, Tuesday, February 7th 2017 at 8:30am until 10:00am

WPPI After Hours: February 6th - 9th, 2017. 
Attendees receive complimentary access by showing their WPPI badge. Must have a valid 21-and-over ID and adhere to the dress code: no sneakers, work boots, athletic wear (women/men), sandals, shorts or hats (men only). Monday, Feb. 6: Jewel at Aria - Expedited entry line until 1 am; Tuesday, Feb. 7: OMNIA at Caesars - Comp drink ticket until 12am. Expedited entry line until 1 am; Wednesday, Feb. 8: 1OAK at Mirage - Expedited entry line until 1 am; Thursday, Feb. 9: Hakkasan at MGM - Comp drink ticket until 12am. Expedited entry line until 1 am.

Morning Keynote with Sue Bryce: Wednesday February 8th, 2017 at 8:30am. If you haven't seen her before, she is absolutely incredible. You will learn a lot and she is a great speaker with great advice. 

Honors of Excellence Award Ceremony: Thursday, Feb. 9, 8-11pm. Dress your best and watch the most prestigious award ceremony for photography out there. More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/1304515716256884/

WPPI Annual Print Competition 2017

This is easily my favorite part of attending WPPI! I have learned SO much just by sitting in the judging rooms and listening to the critiques and opinions of the judges, not only when I submit to the print competition, but to listen to their feedback on all of the photos. It is extremely educational and I recommend everyone check it out. There is no additional fee to attend the judging, you just need a full conference pass. I wasn’t sure how to dress my first time visiting, but now I have attended the print competition judging wearing casual and business casual clothing. No need to get dressed up. Here are a few of my recent photos that won a SILVER AWARD! When the judges score a print with 80 or more points, the entire room does a mild golf clap and the print wins a silver award! It is SUPER exciting to see your print go up and even more exciting to win an award! Full details about the print competition can be found here: https://www.wppiawards.com/?site .

Attending Classes at WPPI 2017

I would strongly recommend everyone download the app if you have an iPhone or Google Play to view the schedule of classes available. I have learned an incredible amount from these classes. Whether you are a seasoned professional photographer, or just starting out, I recommend these to everyone. My first time visiting the classes, I wasn’t sure how to dress. I think business casual is fine for these classes. I’ve even attended in super casual clothes because I like to stay comfy. They can really take your photography to a new level. Please visit (http://www.wppionline.com/wppi-show.shtml) to learn more about these classes, but here are some quick tips about the different classes:

Download link for iPhone app: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wppi-conference-+-expo-2017/id1178742310?ls=1&mt=8
Download link for Google Play app:  https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=a2z.Mobile.Event3678

PLUS Classes:  A one-day intensive and comprehensive class limited to 25 participants per class. I recommend these classes if there is a speaker/photographer offering one that you would really like to learn from. I have attended these classes and always leave with a whole lot of information… they tend to be more hands-on and I LOVE the small class sizes. These PLUS classes are a little costly, but worth every penny. These classes also sell out rather quickly, so I would recommend getting into a class you are interested in as soon as possible before the slots are gone. 

Master Classes: 2-hours long and limited to 50 participants. They offer A TON of master classes. I recommend these for those of you who don’t want to commit an entire day to a plus class. They are similar to a plus class, but a little bit bigger and shorter. 

Photo Walks: Photo walks are great, especially if you want to see a photographer work hands on with a model or subject and ask questions about their creative process. 

Platform Classes: These are typically 1.5 hours and in a very large room with a lot of other people. You can learn a lot from these classes, they are just in large rooms with lots of photographers so it’s not very hands on. You can still learn A TON in these classes and I recommend them, especially because they are included with your full conference pass. 

The Expo

You are going to want to spend A LOT of time here! If you are a photography geek like me, this is the place to be! There are live demonstrations and all the gear you could possibly imagine. I spend hours in here just looking around at different cameras, lenses, studio equipment, etc… it is so much fun… and HUGE! Entry into the expo is included with your full conference pass. More information can be found at: http://www.wppionline.com/wppi-show.shtml. Make sure you get on their site or on the app and check out the list of exhibitors if you don’t have time to walk through the entire thing. This is the first year the expo will be at the Las Vegas Convention Center, but I am super confident it will be just as awesome as it has always been, maybe even bigger!