I've been attending WPPI for the last 8 years. I've learned so much and been so inspired by the extraordinary photographers that have shared their art and their businesses with others. This year I'll be attending as many programs as I can. I've listed some of my favorites. I hope to see you all there. Cheers.
Monday
KEVIN KUBOTA & DOUG GORDON
Best of the Best—50 Trade Secrets That Will Change Your Business
Las Vegas Rooms 4-7
8:30-10:30 a.m.
Doug Gordon is known for his beautiful imagery and amazing business sense. With a studio that photographs over 900 weddings a year and franchise studios exploding nationwide, Doug knows a thing or two about making a great living at photography. Kevin Kubota runs a low-volume couture studio with intimate customer service and powerful emotional imagery at the core of his business. He has successfully trained thousands of photographers in the ways of digital efficiency and artistry. Together, Kevin and Doug have compiled 50 of their best ideas, tools, concepts and techniques that have contributed to their success. You can apply these secrets today and turn your business around or take it through the roof! Sponsored by Eventpix.
MARCUS BELL
The Art of Presentation: At the Heart of Your Business
Platinum Room
4:30-6:30 p.m.
Marcus has shown how “Shooting From the Heart” helps clients connect with their wedding photos. Now learn how to present these images to clients and create fantastic, unique products they will love to buy. In 2006, Marcus’ studio, Studio Impressions, was named #1 studio in Australia by a panel of 50 of industry leaders. During this seminar, Marcus reveals his secrets for becoming the top studio in the country, including the tools and techniques he uses to make his studio great. Learn the secrets that will transform the way you think about professional photography. Sponsored by Photodex.
JB & DEETTE SALLEE
Weddings From the Big D
Las Vegas Rooms 1-3
4:30-6:30 p.m.
In Dallas, Texas, there's big hair, big weddings and big competition. Award-winning photographers JB & DeEtte will share with you how, in three short years, they have become two of the most sought-after wedding photographers in their area. They will discuss wedding packages, pricing, destination weddings and how they market themselves so they can hand-select their couples. They will share award-winning album designs and tips on albums that will blow your clients away. Get ready for some action-packed slide shows and information that will pump you up for your next wedding! Sponsored by Miller's Professional Imaging, Kambara, Collages.net.
TUESDAY
MATTHEW JORDAN SMITH
Shooting Your Passion Into Profit
Platinum Room
8:30-10:30 a.m.
Join celebrity/beauty photographer Matthew Jordan Smith as he shares the secrets on shooting what you love for maximum profit. This class will change the way you approach every photo shoot. There will be special attention to lighting techniques for different skin tones and an in-depth look at using the right lighting equipment for different effects. Sponsored by Eastman Kodak.
GIORGIO KARAYIANNIS
Portraiture: Images Beyond Your Dreams
Gold Room
8:30-10:30 a.m.
Do you remember your first amazing image? How soon after that did you create your new one? How and what can you do to consistently produce brilliant work and enjoy the story behind each subject? Learn to be aware and use the abundance of opportunity around you to create portrait art pieces that inspire everyone. Improve your image and use it to increase your profitability. Make it a habit to choose a course of achievement and fulfilment in a fun and exhilarating way. Don’t dream your image, create it.
JOSE VILLA
Film: The New Avant Garde in Weddings
Bronze Rooms 3-4
8:30-10:30 a.m.
At 25, Jose Villa is all film all the time! Learn how Jose's fine art weddings have kept him ahead of the competition. Jose has traveled all over the world creating wedding magic for his high-end clients. He shoots more than 60 weddings a year around the world. He will discuss what brides are saying about film, and why they love the look. He will share how his workflow has granted him time to enjoy life by having a great relationship with his lab. Sponsored by Fujifilm.
JOE BUISSINK
Unlock the Artist in You
Platinum Room
4:30-6:30 p.m.
Come on board for this one-of-a-kind workshop with Joe Buissink. This wedding photographer to the stars will help you find and unlock your passion and direct it in such a manner that you will see and feel everything differently at a wedding. The class is not about film or digital—use either. Joe’s class is about who we are when we go to the wedding and what we can do to see more. It’s about why we do what we do and where we take it once we tap into our passion. Sponsored by Canon.
DAVID JAY
Creating Freedom
Las Vegas Rooms 1-3
4:30-6:30 p.m.
David Jay will cover the latest techniques and technology used to create word-of-mouth and “word-of-mouse” marketing that is essential to success in business today. Jay will also share his “3 hours of power” post-wedding workflow and show how he's able to go from download to upload in under three hours through a streamlined and highly automated digital workflow. Sponsored by Pictage.
CHRIS LALONDE
Welcome to My World
Pacific Ballroom
4:30-6:30 p.m.
Come in to Christian Lalonde's world. Chris will talk about the many facets of his work, from commercial to wedding photography. You will get to see an in-depth look into how he thinks and how he creates his images. Find out about his lighting techniques as well as some Photoshop tips and tricks that have been extremely successful in his work. And if you know all this already, come anyway and see how he gets his hair the way it is!
MICHELE CELENTANO
Redefining Success in the Circle of Life
Gold Room
7:30-9:30 p.m.
After 15 years of photographing only weddings, Michele built a brand new portrait studio from the ground up. Take an incredible personal journey of growth and renewal and find out why 15 years of wedding experience did not prepare Michele for the amazing growth of her new portrait studio. She will share what it took to start, survive, grow and become a near overnight success in the Phoenix Metropolitan area. She will share with you the mistakes, triumphs, pains and joys, and show you what it takes to redefine and grow a new studio. Get excited and be prepared for a high-energy, entertaining and inspiring program that will leave you wanting more. Sponsored by Canon.
CLIFF MAUTNER
Survival of the Fittest
Silver Room
7:30-9:30 p.m.
In this oversaturated field of wedding photography, it's never been more crucial to make yourself stand out from the crowd. The essential balance of image making, people skills and networking is the key to survival. Cliff Mautner's career in photography spans 25 years. From photojournalist to commercial photographer to wedding and portrait photographer, Cliff's evolution has been the main ingredient in his success. Cliff will share his no-nonsense, common-sense marketing style, along with his insight on what it takes to produce images that stand out in the unpredictable world of wedding photography when encountering myriad conditions. He'll also share his thoughts on what he sees, and more importantly what he feels, while making images that enable him to book 55–60 weddings each and every year. Sponsored by Nikon.
JOHN SOLANO
Step Up Your Photo Game
Platinum Room
7:30-9:30 p.m.
What are celebrity and high-end Beverly Hills clients looking for? John Solano will show you. Join him as he demonstrates his unique approach to fulfilling his clients' needs with perceived value and, of course, great images. Sponsored by Nikon.
WEDNESDAY
ALISHA & BROOK TODD
An Affair With Luxury Weddings
Platinum Room
8:30-10:30 a.m.
Extravagant. Opulent. From the designer dress to the exotic wedding locale, the weddings of the affluent are what we all seek to photograph. The question is: How do you make the jump? From low-budget at the beginning of their career to luxury weddings, Alisha and Brook will share how they made the transition in only a short time. When their images appeared on Oprah’s talk show, she called the Todds “fabulous photographers capturing every moment.” Sponsored by Eastman Kodak.
THURSDAY
JAY MAISEL
Light, Gesture, Color and New Works
Bally's Event Center
9:00-11:00 a.m.
Light, gesture and color form the basis of all of Jay Maisel’s images. These, coupled with an awareness of figure-ground relationship or photographic optical illusions, constitute half of the presentation. Jay will show you why and how images challenge perception. You do not always see what you think you see. Jay will also show new work on several different themes. Sponsored by SanDisk.
If you can still get into a Master Class or two, I HIGHLY recommend the following for your consideration;
CALVIN HAYES
Recharging Your Battery
PARKER PFISTER & RYAN JOSEPH
Who Am I and Where Am I Going?
MARK CAFIERO & JIM KENNEDY
Customer Culture and the Reality of Reaching Your Full Market Potential
CLAUDIA KRONENBERG
From the Ground Up
DAVID BECKSTEAD
Compositional Commando
CHARLES & JENNIFER MARING
PhotoExpressionism
JEFF & JULIA WOODS
Sleeping With Your Business Partner!?
You da man dawg! Hope to see you out there! I still remember the first time I saw you in Vegas and Dane saying " When you see Joe Photo you'll just know" - Awesome and so true!
Posted by: David Jay | March 14, 2007 at 01:18 AM
Man, this year I can't attend to WPPI. I hope see you in 2008.
Good luck! Do you have wedding competition pictures this year? I submit 8 pictures.
Posted by: Noel Del Pilar | March 14, 2007 at 07:16 AM
That is quite the list!
You should stop by the liveBooks booth to check out Dane and the LaCour crew.
The Law of Simplification:
Majoring on What Matters Most
by Dane Sanders
Mon 3/26 12:00 - 12:30pm
Tues 3/27 3:15 - 3:45pm
and
Accelerating Buzz
by LaCour
Mon 3/26 12:45 - 1:15pm
Wed 3/28 12:45 - 1:15pm
MORE:
http://www.livebooks.com/events/wppi_2007/index.php
Posted by: J Sandifer | March 15, 2007 at 05:09 PM
Hey Joe,
Great list. I personally know the Todd's and Jose Villa, and they are definitely not to be missed. I also would like to add another WPPI speaker to the list, if I may: Gene Higa. He's giving a talk on destination weddings on March 27th at 7:30 p.m. Not more than 2 years ago Gene decided to expand his business to destination weddings. In 2006 alone, he photographed weddings in 8 countries. Should be a great talk and I hope we'll see you there!
Posted by: Ann Hamilton | March 16, 2007 at 02:15 AM