Happy April!  I cannot believe we have entered Spring and are 4 months into 2022.  Every year goes faster and faster!  For Boudoir photographers, October through Jan can be a blur as that tends to be our busy season.  Conference season kicks off, both in Iowa and nationally, during the same time frame and runs through March.  Photography conferences can be amazing tools for professional photographers looking to sharpen their skills both in business and photography techniques and to gain inspiration.  Between the pandemic and a growing business (and motherhood), I hadn’t attended a conference in 5 years! So Boudoir in Las Vegas? Yes please!

A little pleasure, A LOT of learning

So I took the opportunity for a little rest and a learning opportunity.  The Wedding and Portrait Photographers International (WPPI) is a conference held in Las Vegas that has been on my list for YEARS.  It attracts world-renowned photographers for both attending and as speakers.  It is THE premier conference to attend and this year, they created a 1-day Boudoir Summit which is rare.  I was excited at the prospect of learning from other photographers specializing in the field I’ve fallen in love with. 

I bought my ticket and booked my flight!  To say I was nervous was an understatement.  The first conference in 5 years: check.  First time leaving my son for more than an overnight stay EVER: check.  And prior to me specializing in Boudoir, my husband was my partner in crime.  He assisted me at most of my shoots and was my biggest cheerleader.  We haven’t had a vacation together since my son was born so he decided to join me for Boudoir in Las Vegas.

Learning Vegas Style

It was an amazing week at the Mirage in Las Vegas.  On the 27th, I attended an 8-hour Boudoir Summit featuring 5 speakers whose main focus is boudoir photography.  They covered all things such as posing, learning true body positivity, elevating your client experience, marketing, and goal planning.  It was intense and AMAZING!  

The rest of the week I attended a variety of classes covering social media, SEO, imagery, and so many other things.  In between classes, I did take some time for a little fun.  I do love me some Marvel superheroes but we also took in the sites: Hoover Dam, Mirage Volcano, and my favorite, the Bellagio fountains.  I literally cry every time I watch them.

What do you think?

Are there learning opportunities or conferences in your field of work?  I’d love to hear about it in the comments!