With this year’s WPPI just around the corner, are you among the wedding and portrait photographers gearing up for the big event?
Last year, we reported on the industry’s top “photo-focused” conferences with our from-the-floor impressions, attendee interviews, and sponsor reactions to these events. COVID-19 knocked the wind out of our industry and the various conferences that served the photography space. However, conference attendance made a comeback last year, as was the excitement around attending them!
One of the last shows of 2023 was the B&H BILD Expo. The show was packed with attendees and vendors and received nothing but high praise. The next conference on the 2024 calendar, delivering that same immersive experience, is the WPPI. It’s a significant event with a long-running history that’s evolved over the last two years to promote user engagement, educational sessions, hands-on shooting experiences, peer-to-peer social events and networking.
Meet WPPI Show Director, George Varanakis
I wanted to go for some real insights for this piece beyond their website, so I called the WPPI Show Director, George Varanakis.
George and I go way back to the earliest days of WPPI and the Photoshop world conferences, building our events independently as frienemies. Besides WPPI in its earliest days, Rangefinder Magazine, and CreativeLive, he played a pivotal role in establishing The Portrait Masters Conference, a distinguished boutique conference catering to today’s portrait photographers.
In addition, George and I know what being surrounded by individuals who share your passions and love of photography can do for your work. So, it’s not surprising that George was brought back to rebuild and revive WPPI into a world-class conference for today’s creatives.
Get ready for WPPI 2024
George affirms that this year’s WPPI is an event where you can immerse yourself in a highly concentrated creative environment filled with the top manufacturers and key industry personalities. There will also be numerous shooting bays we might never get to experience at home. The show is built to deliver the best selection of sponsors and instructors to deliver the most up-to-date experiences on top trends, AI, Video, Camera to Cloud, and many others.
Add to these the training from the industry’s top instructors — from the pre-conference session to the highly charged presentations on the various sponsor stages — and you are challenged to grow. Many of you will also have the opportunity to ask these world-renowned photographers a question. For the brave ones among you, you’ll get to schedule a portfolio review.
WPPI is like buying tickets to your favorite concert — it’s all about the entire experience. You’re in for training and networking opportunities, where both business and lifetime friends meet and many a deal has been made.
Mark your calendars for WPPI 2024
So, where will you be on March 3rd through the 7th?
Mark those calendars because WPPI is set to happen on these dates in the iconic The Mirage in Las Vegas, an accessible city with something for everyone. Besides, where else will many of the very best trainers in the Industry be sharing their experiences and techniques with you?
Need another reason? WPPI is having a flash sale until February 25th at 11:59 PM PST. You’ll save $49 on the Show Floor Pass (use the code WPPIEXPO24), which means you get in for free! But you can save even more on the complete WPPI passes from $99 off and up!
