Thursday, February 12th, 2009...10:37 am

WPPI 2009: Survival Guide Part IV - Arrival, Logistics, WPPI Must Sees, Class Etiquette

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Only a couple days left until the Weekend of WPPI! This five part guide & series is devoted to coverage of the WPPI event. The following are some very useful tips and ideas that will provide you with insight on how to prepare you for WPPI; as well as get the most of WPPI.

Arriving In Las Vegas Today or Tomorrow?
The plus classes for WPPI start tomorrow! A lot of you might be arriving in Las Vegas the next few days.

Getting to your Hotel From the Airport
Chances are most likely you’re arriving to Las Vegas by Airplane. I’m sure there are plenty of you driving to WPPI. There are several options of getting to your hotel from the McCarran International. There’s a shuttle that’ll take you to and from your hotel. The shuttle service loops to and from the hotels.

WPPI Registration:

There’s a booth that you won’t be able to miss. I would recommend registering when it’s not busy. It’ll be most busy during the morning when it opens and it’ll slow down in the middle of the day when no one is there.

If you arrive on thursday or friday. You can try to register ahead of time. I’m not totally sure if you can. Once you register you’ll be given a lanyard with a WPPI Card that’ll let you swipe at certain particular vendors. The card will have your name, your company and where you’re from on the card. This will give you access to classes, the trade show and WPPI events.

WPPI 2009 Schedule

WPPI 2009 Schedule

WPPI Must Dos!

You want to maximize your benefit at WPPI. You’re spending a lot of money. You’re going to want to see and do everything. The following are things that you’ll not want to miss out.

Print & Album Contest

Don’t miss out on the print and wedding album contest. They’ll give you great inspiration about whats hot and attractive looking in Wedding photography now. Also make sure you revisit the print viewing area later when they receive their scores. There should be an event where they actually pass out and deliver awards as well.

Champagne Shootout

You must visit the champagne shootout. This is not a WPPI scheduled event. It will be advertised through signage around the trade show floor. Usually every year Pictage, Nikon and a bunch of other sponsors have a champagne shootout that includes very famous and well distinguished photographers. In the past they’ve had: Bambi Cantrell, Mike Colon, etc. The Champagne Shootout is great in that provides you insight on how these legendary photographers work.

There will be 4 photographers and they will each shoot live in front of an audience. You’ll see their process and they talk while they’re shooting them. Again they may of may not have this. When i was there in 2006/2007 they had this both years.

Free Instruction by World Class Photographer by Canon/Nikon Trade Show Booths

Make sure you visit the Canon/Nikon booth depending on whichever camera you use. I use Canon and i know they always have a huge list of awesome shooters who give free 20 minute classes and tips on how to maximize Canon’s products. True there always is a pitch about Canon’s products but it’s free class instructions.

Often they’ll teach shooting instructions.  Shooters like Denis Reggie, Yervant, Jerry Ghionis, Jeff and Julia Woods, etc will be there to teach you quick tips and instructions for free. Make sure you see the schedule first thing you get there and schedule it around the classes you’ll want to see.

Etiquette

  • Make sure you are prepared. Plan your classes ahead of time.
  • Don’t use your flash in class. If you must take a picture of slide try to grab one without a flash. You should be able to. The projector is pretty bright and with 800 iso you can get a pretty clear picture.
  • Be on time. There will be 100-200 chairs and seats for bodies. The more popular a photographer is the more likely they’ll be packed.
  • Theres always a seat. Look around. Most likely the ones up front aren’t taken. People are shy and will usually be in the back
  • Sit up front. Your chances of winning free swag is more likely and easier if you sit up front. Most photographers aren’t quarterbacks. Trying to throw something like that that far away is highly unlikely
  • Feel free to leave whenever you want. Every speaker is usually formulaic: Slideshow, introduction, what do i do, How do i shoot, meat of the presentation, pitch. They will do lots of cross pitching their plugins, filters, actions etc. Then hopefully at the end they will give you free stuff for sitting there.
  • Stay after and meet the speaker - If you’ve been dying to meet this photographer and try to start a conversation with them walk up there and ask good questions. Be sure to follow up later etc.
  • Be friendly - We’re all photographers, we all get geeked about cameras. You can always form valid conversations about camera gear and conversations about wedding or portrait photography.
  • Jump in between - Feel free to jump presentation to presentation. The speakers maybe good photographers but not good teachers/speakers. They won’t be offended. Just leave if it doesn’t strike your interest and hope to find another one.
  • Bring pad and pen. Listen to them and write meaningful notes.
  • Recording voice - if necessary record voice.
  • Drinking water - They usually supply drinking fountains in the back with plastic cups. Use the drinking water during when the speaker isn’t speaking. It may be different this year being its at MGM.

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