190
I am writing this as I am sitting in my hotel room in Las Vegas. What a whirlwind of a week. I have had just about every moment packed. I arrived at WPPI bright eyed and bushy tailed and I am going to leave with bags under my eyes but very much satisfied that I have gotten the most out of this experience. I am somewhere between extremely excited to be in this business and completely overwhelmed. My heart is filled with all of the possibilities that the future holds and the desire to make the best of those opportunities.
For those of you that do not know what I am talking about, I have spent the last week at the WPPI convention at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. WPPI is Wedding and Portrait Photographers International, basically photo geek heaven. It has been great. I have had the opportunity to learn from the best photographers in the industry who have traveled from all over the world. I have learned about the newest technologies at the trade show. I have made new friends.
If I have to be completely honest, I can be a bit shy. I think it may have started somewhere in those awkward teenage years. Last year I came to the conference with another photographer. We pretty much stuck together and I did not meet another single person. This year has been drastically different. I made a commitment to put myself out there. I wanted to meet new people. I did just that, and not only did I enjoy it, I think that my experience would not have been nearly as much fun or meaningful if I had not met them. Every person that I met contributed to my experience, we shared stories, we laughed, we compared notes. We even shared a few tears.
Anyway, my point is: don't be afraid to put yourself out there. It doesn't matter where you are. Meet new people, smile and share a conversation. What is the worst thing that could happen? If you don't want to eat alone, introduce yourself that other person that just sat down by him or herself. You never know what they may have to teach you. Our lives are shaped by the relationships with the people around us. Why not meet someone new?
For those of you that do not know what I am talking about, I have spent the last week at the WPPI convention at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. WPPI is Wedding and Portrait Photographers International, basically photo geek heaven. It has been great. I have had the opportunity to learn from the best photographers in the industry who have traveled from all over the world. I have learned about the newest technologies at the trade show. I have made new friends.
If I have to be completely honest, I can be a bit shy. I think it may have started somewhere in those awkward teenage years. Last year I came to the conference with another photographer. We pretty much stuck together and I did not meet another single person. This year has been drastically different. I made a commitment to put myself out there. I wanted to meet new people. I did just that, and not only did I enjoy it, I think that my experience would not have been nearly as much fun or meaningful if I had not met them. Every person that I met contributed to my experience, we shared stories, we laughed, we compared notes. We even shared a few tears.
Anyway, my point is: don't be afraid to put yourself out there. It doesn't matter where you are. Meet new people, smile and share a conversation. What is the worst thing that could happen? If you don't want to eat alone, introduce yourself that other person that just sat down by him or herself. You never know what they may have to teach you. Our lives are shaped by the relationships with the people around us. Why not meet someone new?
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Comments
Can't wait to hear all about it on Saturday/Sunday!!
(03.10.10)Definitely! I can not wait for your engagement session!!!! That and a nice glass of wine or coffee, what a rough life.
(03.10.10)Hey Sara! Thanks for suggesting the website to the Slow Food movement. I found a farmer here in Kyle and he is delivering produce to my front porch every Friday. For $7, I am getting so much food, that I can share it with 2 other friends! Besides that, he said I can bring Micah and go help him pick the produce and lobby our city and county government to be more farm friendly in their land decisions. See what one little shy girl can accomplish with a few words? Love, me
(03.11.10)You are wise beyond your years, my dear. With this philosophy of life, you will receive so much more out of life and also be able to give along the way. I'm so proud of you!
(03.11.10)Thank you Carol!
(03.11.10)Really? This is so fantastic!!!! I am so glad that you found one! Isn't it like Christmas when your bag arrives! And congratulations on getting involved. xoxo
(03.11.10)Sara, you are so right, I met many wonderful people there and have such an unbeleavably renewed vision of the future. One in particular inspired me to believe in things long thought past. I will treasure the memories like cavemen did fire, carrying it wherever i go. And when the fire goes out look for more lightning. Inspiration is truly the most precious thing. It fills our creative sails and the heart replaces the mind at the helm. “For me there is only the traveling on paths that have heart, on any path that may have heart. There I travel, and the only worthwhile challenge is to traverse it’s full length. And there I travel, looking, looking, breathlessly.” Don Juan.
(03.12.10)Sara, you are so right, I met many wonderful people there and have such an unbeleavably renewed vision of the future. One in particular inspired me to believe in things long thought past. I will treasure the memories like cavemen did fire, carrying it wherever i go. And when the fire goes out look for more lightning. Inspiration is truly the most precious thing. It fills our creative sails and the heart replaces the mind at the helm. “For me there is only the traveling on paths that have heart, on any path that may have heart. There I travel, and the only worthwhile challenge is to traverse it’s full length. And there I travel, looking, looking, breathlessly.” Don Juan. So much to do so little time, so glad to have met
Dave
(03.12.10)David I am so glad that your experience mirrored mine so beautifully. Thank you for the memories and keep up the great work. Hopefully I will see you again!
(03.12.10)It's conversations with people like you that made the whole trip valuable. Thanks again for the experience, stories, laughs, and tears. It was an honor to meet you and hope to cross paths again one day.
(03.16.10)Thank you Ed, your thoughts a mirrored! I do hope that we can stay in touch, and maybe one day shoot together!
(03.16.10)