Alan Dickson Photography

Posted in WHAT'S NEW? by Heather Dickson on 2/25/2011 12:17:30 PM

 

Ah, las Vegas.  Crazy, hectic, eye-popping, over-the-top, stimulating, unique las Vegas. No matter what you say about it, there's one thing you've got to admit - it's a great place for a convention! Last week,  Alan and I attended the WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International) Convention in Vegas, and our brains are still buzzing from all the sights, sounds, products and people there. It was held at the MGM Grand Convention Center, right in the heart of the Strip, and the trade show took up two entire buildings! This year was a record turn-out, with over 13,000 photographers present, and the seminars ran from 8:00am to 8:00pm. Alan has been several times in the past, but for me, this was a first, and my head is still spinning from the sheer volume of ideas available. We opted for the quiet luxury of the Signature at MGM Grand (click for link) a three tower resort complex attached to the MGM via the famous Studiowalk, and just a few steps away from the Convention Center itself. The room was a peaceful oasis for us, as a convention like this can run you ragged if you try to do it all. Here is a little peak into our week:



               





               















Not only were there the platform speakers, but there were also master classes and hands-on sessions right on the trade show floor! Just imagine 13,000 cameras snapping the same model from 13,000 different perspectives! Amazing!









Our friend and photographer-extraordinaire, Kevin Kubota, was on hand both in session and at the Nikon booth as floor speaker, and he treated us along with other boot camp alumni and colleagues to his Kubota Mahalo Party, a special night of Hawaiian fusion appetizers, drinks and fun.  Also, this year marks our 20th anniversary, so we indulged a little - shopping for the kids at the Luxor and Cirque du Soleil, eating at fine restaurants like Wolfgang Puck and Emeril Lagassi, strolling through the Forum Shops and hamming it up with some friendly Stormtroopers by the Hard Rock Cafe. Everything in las Vegas is a treat for the eyes and it was nice to combine the convention with some much needed R&R.



               



               







               

               



We're happy to be home now, but boy, do we have some cool plans on the way for our friends and clients, which we we be talking about in some of our up-coming blogs. From albums to lighting, from urban styles to high glam, from Vanity Fair commercial work to incorporating video in our weddings, we have new ideas in the works to bring to Thunder Bay in the very near future. We'll also be introducing something brand new to the city that will get all our clients excited, and will - as Emeril Lagassi says - kick things up a notch! They say, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." But I think some of the fun is what you bring home. So, here's to las Vegas and the WPPI Convention and all the crazy, hectic, eye-popping, over-the-top, stimulating and unique ideas that they combine to create. See you there, same time, next year!