So, as a 5-time veteran and 2-time speaker, I’m here to be your WPPI 2011 Charlton Heston with a few tricks to make sure you make it back home without looking like you just finished shooting Pat Benatar’s “Love is a Battlefield”.

1. Drink plenty of water. Sure it sounds obvious, but you don’t realize just how much moving around you’ll be doing. It’s a huge convention with two full-sized tradeshow floors with workshops and classrooms on multiple levels. We’re talking a proverbial Mecca of photography-dom! Besides, if you’re not familiar with the Nevada desert climate, you’ll learn soon enough that the dry desert air will suck any moisture out of your body pretty quickly.
2. Pack light. I see it every year. Some people want to wear their prize Canon 1D MK III around their neck the entire convention as if they were a prize turkey. What they don’t realize is that carrying around 20 extra pounds around your neck all day isn’t like shooting your regular wedding. Try it for 12 hours straight for 5 days!
3. Beware of dead zones! For real though, lots of photographers love their iPhones. And up until recently, iPhones were only available on AT&T 3G. Therefore, if there’s innumerable photogs with their beloved iPhones at WPPI, you can bet your signal will fizzle. So, if you’re not starving for 3G speeds, change your settings on your phone to not use the 3G data network. Your voice and text capabilities will work perfectly, and your phone battery will last much longer.
4. Day vs. night… shoes. Seriously, this should go without saying. Aside from the enormous long hallway between the tradeshow and the MGM casino and hotel, there’s plenty of pavement to pummel with your shoes. That being said, bring some very comfortable sneakers for daytime. Afterwards, hop into your favorite heels for your night time adventures.
5. Cash is king. I’m not talking about gambling, I do enough of that every time I fly Southwest. Just kidding. Anyway, the WPPI tradeshow is among the largest displays and sales facilities for the newest and hottest photographic gear. And the vendors know it. So, their providing plenty of deals and discounts that you can’t find anywhere else. So, if you’ve been waiting to buy a certain lens (Canon 50mm f1.2 L), now is the time to do it ;)
6. Did I mention water…? Of course, this applies again, because as we all know, Las Vegas has plenty of drinking and socializing. I’m not saying you shouldn’t enjoy yourself. Just remember to rehydrate for the next day’s adventures.
7. Be social. Some of the best friends you’ll make will be made at WPPI. I keep in touch with all my buddies from every year I’ve attended. And the best part is that we all share business secrets and techniques without the restriction of fueling our local competition! So get gabbing!
8. Twitter is your friend. I don’t even know who text messages anymore. It’s all about direct messages, mentions, and push notifications. With everyone on Twitter, there’s no reason not to be. With geo-location, photo uploading, hashtags and more, you’ll be “in the know” before it happens. Meet-ups, memories, and mayhem are all being recorded on Twitter. Just do a search for #WPPI and join in.
9. Empty your mind. Some of the best minds in the photographic business are at WPPI sharing what they know on how to make your studio thrive. So, take advantage from the sages and achieve your inner photo-ninja.
10. Have Fun! Yes, it’s a learning experience. That goes without saying. However, when else do you have the chance to hang out with great people and have some fun?

With that being said, I hope you all have a wonderful time and learn something new. See you there! -Dustin Meyer

POST YOUR COMMENTS OR LINKS TO PHOTO-SHARING SITES  WITH YOUR FAVORITE WPPI PHOTOS!

Enter the Delkin Devices ImageRouter Card Reader 4-in-1. Truly a card reader created specifically for professional photographers. It doesn’t read SD cards, or XD, or mini-SD cards, or any other types of cards. This baby is pure Compact Flash card-reading ecstasy. The ImageRouter 4-in-1 was created to do one thing and to do it extremely well… read 4 Compact Flash cards at once and to do it fast.

Some of the specs I enjoy is that it’s obviously USB 2.0. We all know and appreciate USB 2.0. This means all PC and Mac users can live in harmony as we download our CF cards in record volume. Yes, as a Mac user, it would be great to have a Firewire 800 model, but the USB 2.0 version works just fine. You’re downloading four cards at once, can it get any better?

So, take a look at your current situation. Are you cheaping out? Go to BHPhoto.com to check it for yourself. Stop wasting time downloading one card at a time. Besides, I was able to write this article while I was downloading images from a wedding I shot this past weekend. How productive can you be?

(Images courtesy of BHPhoto.com)

PLEASE ADD YOUR COMMENTS BELOW :)

Collagesnet Standouts from Dustin Meyer on Vimeo.

http://collages.net. Professional Wedding and Portrait photographer Dustin Meyer gives a shoutout to Collages.net’s new product, Wall Standouts. Cheers!

You love taking photographs. You love making your clients laugh as you snap their portrait. You also feel your heart burst when your clients cry over your images. So why can’t you get them to buy anything? In the beginning, I was just as frustrated as many of you. I would sit up on the computer late at night wracking my brain, questioning why I couldn’t increase sales from my photo sessions. People loved my photos, they loved the experience, but they were only paying a hundred dollars here and there. It brought me to tears many times.

It’s not that you want to be rich. It’s not that you want to swindle your clients. But, your passion for photography drives you to create amazing photos for your clients. Your time and talent are worth everything to you. The trick is to learn how to translate that into sales. Merely posting your images on your website or online hosting gallery isn’t going to encourage your clients to buy more.

People tell me all the time, “But Dustin, I don’t want to make my clients feel like they’re in a high pressure salesroom!”  Absolutely not, I completely agree. My focus is to create an enjoyable and relaxing environment surrounded by overwhelming emotion. There are so many sayings out there when it comes to studio sales. Skip Cohen, a studio guru, states “Beauty is in the eye of the checkbook holder”. This is so true, based on the idea that when people cry, they buy. This doesn’t mean that your playing on their emotions. Rather, it reflects their emotional investment in your work. They love your images, so why not show them what they can really do with them?

Over the years, I’ve slowly built my collection of studio samples. I know for a fact that my clients won’t buy a Collages.net album or a gallery wrap from Canvas Press unless they see it with their own eyes. They want to touch it, feel the weight, see the quality, and know what they’re getting is something they’ll enjoy for a lifetime. People won’t buy a car if they can’t take it for a test drive. Why would they buy an album if they don’t get to hold one in their hands?

My point is this: You’re not creating a high pressure sales situation. You are enabling your client to see the multitude of ways they can enjoy your images forever. Instead of smothering them, let your clients be free to take in all the wonderful things your studio has to offer.

Above all else, remember this lesson… as a professional photographer, taking photos isn’t your only job. Helping your clients get the best results from your images is also part of your job. Don’t leave your task half-done. By completely satisfying your customers, your sales will increase, your profits will grow, and your passion will be rewarded.

Please post your questions and comments below…