For me, Day 2 of WPPI was all about weddings, but it began with me wondering how long have I been here? Maybe yesterday? Maybe always? I had a good night’s sleep, but like many attendees, I have the sensation of being in the midst of a beautiful dream. Every moment has been full and rich with new people, mind-opening information, and dazzling sights. Let me tell you about it in entry two of my WPPI Daily Diary. 

The Night Before 

The Portrait Masters Vegas Glam party did not disappoint! I was too dazzled by all the sequins, glitter, and gold to take photos, so please take my word that the TPM community did themselves up true to theme. The Portrait Masters Awards & Accreditation was a sweet celebration of the amazing talent in the community, and it slid right into the Silent Disco Party, a longtime favorite for conference goers.  

Across the hall, the WPPI Opening Reception was on, and the word that trickled in from party hoppers is that it was banging. I did not manage to tear myself away from the dear TPMers until the very end of the Opening Reception but had the distinction of closing it out.

I nearly got swept up in the celebratory momentum to the after party at the Marquee, but I wanted to get to the Summits in the morning, so reluctantly called it a night. I heard this morning that it was a great party over there, too, and I’m determined to make it to the club at least once this week. 

The Wedding Summit 

In the morning, I went straight to Dan O’Day’s talk on the Wedding Summit stage. O’Day is such a fun speaker. I saw him at The Portrait Masters Conference in Phoenix two years ago. He has such a unique style that belies his provocative way of seeing the world. I didn’t want to miss another download on how to see and photograph differently. 

O’Day’s talk was jam packed with tips for wedding photographers that are applicable to photographers of all stripes. He offered an insight for photographers just getting started to think about shooting “two for them, one for me.” Shooting this way enabled O’Day to capture more conventional photos that pleased his client while also stretching his creative boundaries. He posted the “one for me” images to social media to attract clients that would resonate with his unique style, and now he says that instead of getting a laundry list of shots his clients want from him he hears, “We want to see our wedding the way you see our wedding.” 

Other tips from Dan O’Day include: 

• Set a flat rate for when you travel. If you allow clients to book your accomodation and flights, you will not be happy with what you get. It’s better to a set an amount so that you can budget your year. 
• Don’t ask what the budget is. Have a set rate and stick to it. Don’t sell yourself short. You are worth it. 
• Never leave on time. Let your clients know when your time is up and that you’re going to circle around a couple more times. Do a couple loops and snap a few more pictures before you go. This creates so much good will. 
• Always say goodbye to the parents. They are usually paying for the wedding, and you want them to be happy. 
• Every person you meet is a potential marketing funnel. Be sure to let people know what you do for a living and be kind to people. You never know who will send you business. 

Back to The Playground 

I spent the rest of the afternoon in The Playground and met a variety of people at different stages in their careers all eager to learn and grow in their craft.  

Joseph Newson Jr. told me that his favorite part of WPPI so far has been The Playground. He was excited to try out so many different types of lights and lighting setups. And the variety of backdrops and diversity is skin tones was giving him great ideas for styling. Omar Rafik agreed about the tremendous value of The Playground saying, “How hard would it be to get this many different models and set ups together?” 

I also ran into Jonny Edward who is going to be running Booth Number 7 on the Show Floor when it opens tomorrow (Tuesday). Jonny will be both modeling and mentoring in his booth. He hand picked his Oliphant backdrop and is going to be offering something unique in that he’ll be changing his lighting setup throughout the day, and will give photographers the opportunity to modify the lighting when they shoot. 

Parties Tonight! 

There are two parties tonight – The Opening Night Party at Club Capri and The Portrait Masters Karaoke Party. Those who wish to get into the Fujifilm Opening Night Party are advised to arrive early. This party is notoriously fun, and it always fills up fast. Once it hits capacity, that is it. They will not let anyone else in.  

The Portrait Masters Karaoke Party is always a blast as well. And those who are not able to make it into the Fujifilm Party are welcome to come and catch the TPM vibe and join this heartfelt crew at the Karaoke Party. 

Tonight’s after party will be at JEWEL Nightclub at Aria. 

[Read: My WPPI Diary Day 1: Choose Adventure!]