My time at WPPI 2013 has come to an end. It is 3:17am and I have packed, unpacked, then repacked my bag (dirty clothes were touching clean clothes). My awesome hosts, Kellie and Casey took me out to karaoke! And my new friend Steph joined us. She rocked Gangster’s paradise. Casey and I did a duet, Crusin’, and we sang various other songs. I have this tradition where I have to karaoke in every city I visit, so I can now check Vegas off my list.
Sorry, that had nothing to do with anything, but it’s late, so cut me some slack. I am SO pumped about the things I learned at WPPI that instead of sleeping, I’m sitting on the floor of my friends’ guest room blogging. I know, I’m kookoo. I really loved being here, but I’m very ready to go home and sleep in my own bed. I miss my cat. Oh, and I miss Mark too.
Today was interesting and informative, as all days are at WPPI. I practically ran through the second half of the expo in search of cue cards from this rocking British photog, which I found, and I finally got to hear Dennis Reggie speak. (He’s the guy who shoots most of the Kennedy weddings.)
I’m not going to blog about Dennis Reggie’s presentation tonight, because I have a LOT to say. Trust me … you are going to want to hear this. I won’t be blogging again until Friday, because later I’ll be flying home, then falling face-first into bed and into sweet, blissful sleep. Friday’s blog will be called: “Not Warm and Fuzzy ~ A View of Dennis Reggie From the Bottom.” Eyeyeyeye… Prepare yourself.
I WOULD like to share something that was very interesting from yesterday. I was early to Dennis Reggie’s seminar, and I landed in the second row. I made friends with a very nice woman sitting to my right, and with a suave dude from somewhere near New York on my left. (I don’t recall their names at the moment, but it’s 3:31am, so whatever.) We chatted about what we do and such, and I told them I shoot film. New York Guy said he loves film and still uses it for some of his work, but not his commercial work. I asked if he shoots his weddings in digital, and our conversation went something like this…
“Yeah, I shoot digital at weddings,” he said. He shrugged in his suave way, his hipster coffee clutched in his hand. He had this incredible chiseled jaw, like a mini GQ model. Like maybe if he were taller, he would be modeling suits on billboards or something. Oh my gosh, I’m tired.
Anyway, he said, “Film is better.”
I looked at him, unsure of what I should say. I have a strict policy that I don’t insult any photographer, photography style, or medium. I did the “ehhhh” face, tilting my head right and left and right again.
He shrugged. “It is. You’ll NEVER get the depth and range in digital that you do with film. You just can’t.”
“True,” I said.
“I actually have a film upgrade to my wedding packages.”
“Oh really?” Now it was getting interesting. “How much extra do you charge to shoot film?”
“Double.”
“What???! You charge twice as much to shoot film? WHY?”
“Because it’s new and hip.”
“Noooo… It’s retro, bro! I’ve been shooting film since 1993!”
He gave me a half-smile. “I’ve got a few years on you.”
I laughed and shook my head, astonished that this was the second photographer I’d spoken to in the span of 24 hours that is “upgrading” to film as an option for brides. Mostly I was SHOCKED that a photographer would charge DOUBLE to shoot film. Because it’s new and hip? Wow, I am WAY cooler than I thought I was.
Anyway, I have to get some sleep before my flight later. MUCH more on this subject to come. I hope when I read this blog later it makes sense. Thanks for hanging with me thought** my WPPI adventures. Peace out!
(**Mark here again. Soooo close this time. She made it all the way down to the 6th from the last word, and spelled the wrong word right. Hopefully after she gets some rest, her next blog entry she will make it all the way “through” with the correct words. I guess she is leaving right words in Vegas…)