Something special was happening at Wedding 360 but I couldn't put my finger on why it was such an inspirational event. I spent two days at the St. Regis in San Francisco last week surrounded by exceptional talent from all avenues of the wedding world. Wedding 360's The Academy for Wedding Planners and Designers was much more than the sensational design showcases, fabulous parties, and incredible speakers. As Wedding 360 came to an end I realized why I felt so excited and awe struck by this outstanding event. Although I was a speaker, the participants were in fact many of my inspirations. I was surrounded by brilliant people excited to be there and for this I am both honored and humbled to be able to collaborate with them. 

 

Jean Marks and Jubilee Lau created something remarkable - they created a two day event bringing together some of the world's leading professionals. I enjoyed every moment and left profoundly impressed, my heart yearning for more time with so many talented people. It was so exciting to be part of a group that understands the importance of education when it comes to staying fresh, inspired, and a leader in our oversaturated industry. Wedding 360 became a must attend event for all designers and coordinators. I am so grateful that Jean and Jubilee invested their hearts, souls and finances to raising the bar in our industry. These two remarkable women truly inspired me and many others. 

I recently met with Chris Marquardt for a series of three interviews about People Photography. Check out the first of these interviews where I share my approach to photographing and working with people. I had a great time talking with Chris about this, plus discussing tips and some photography gear.  Enjoy the video and keep posted for the next two!

Check out This Week in Photography (TWIP) Podcast #128 on Price Perception. I had a great time putting together this podcast with the talented Fredrick Van Johnson and Alex Lindsay. We address the issue: Should Wedding Photographers be charging $500 or wait until they can charge $5,000 in addition to some other interesting discussions. 

I think this feature really addresses an important point for both photographers and for brides and grooms. The subject of the cheap Wedding Photographer is very relevant in the growing wedding photography industry. How people determine value and set prices varies so I think this podcast provides insightful commentary from the professional side. 

Plus, we had fun creating the podcast and sharing travel stories and tips. Alex just returned from photographing the Seychelles Islands and I just returned form a self-assigned photographic assignment in the Carribean where I worked on lighting and some creative photography. Everyone has different ideas and great stories to share.

I hope you enjoy hearing about our perception of price, travel stories, and product tips!

I'm getting ready to head to WPPI Las Vegas at the end of this week. As always, I look forward to WPPI as a great place to connect with my industry friends and be inspired.

I'll be at the DigiLabs table # 737 with photographers Ben Chrisman and Erin Reed, Jacklyn Greenberg, and Kevin and Jessica Bergthold. This year the DigiLabs team is all about innovation and change. I'm pretty excited to hear these talented photographers speak on up and coming topics for keeping your business cutting edge. 

I'm looking forward to speaking about Growing Your Business with Online Marketing. I'll be speaking on Monday at 2:45 and Wednesday at 1:45 and hanging out at the DigiLabs table in addition to my Masters Class.  So if you are attending WPPI, I hope to see you there!

We have all heard the phrase "you can't afford to miss it." In these hard economic times, this phrase is often replaced with the fear "I can't afford it." We all make choices about what we can and cannot afford but we should not let our fear dictate every decision. Ironically, now more than ever, small business owners should invest in their business and distinguish themselves from competitors. For this reason, I make a point of being involved in cutting edge conventions that will improve my business. 

This year a world-renonwned event is taking place in my very own San Francisco. Jubilee Lau  and Jean Marks founded Wedding 360 with the goal of giving back and improving the wedding industry. These extraordinary women originally created the "Wedding University" with the purpose of educating brides. Now they have expanded and created a must attend event for all wedding professionals (including photographers!). You are probably asking if The Academy for Wedding Planners and Designers is worth the money. Yes it is, and here's why: 

-Learn how designers and planners think, how every detail of design is pulled together, and how all professionals working on the a wedding can compliment each others work. 

-Meet and mingle with wedding planners and designers from all over the country. There will be a large number of representatives from the West Coast who are a great resource even for those from out of state looking to expand their business. 

-Meet and learn from outstanding wedding leaders such as Grace Ormonde, Abby Tait Larson, and Sean Low as well as photographers such as Gene Higa and myself. 

I'm  thrilled to be a guest speaker at MacWorld 2010 for the talented Mikkel Aaland's  workshop on the new Adobe Photoshop Lightroom! The workshop is part of a two day Power Tools Workshop with great information and an impressive range of professionals and speakers at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Photoshop Lightroom is an awesome tool for photography and I'm so excited to share my insights with other photographers. Plus, working with the  award wining photographer, workshop guru, and outstanding author, Mikkel Aaland is such a treat.

I have mentioned Lawrence's amazing workshop on my blog before.  Well, his next workshop is filling up fast.  An incredible investment in your business and career, reserve your spot now before it is too late!