I bundled up early Saturday morning and took off to the airport. Destination…Nashville. Imaging USA 2010 was about to be underway. Honestly, I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. I mean, I had my assumptions but no true idea what would be in store over the next four days. I departed Jacksonville with a few particular goals in mind. A couple were more of a dream than an actual goal and I wasn’t certain that I had the audacity to make them a reality or not but I was determined to give it a go! After all, if you don’t ask you don’t receive. I am a firm believer in that analogy. I asked. And I can hardly wait to share the outcome…but that will be another Blog.
Today I want to talk about what Imaging USA meant to me as a Photographer. The itinerary that PPA arranged was nothing less than spectacular! The platform speakers were incredible, knowledgeable and at the same time personable. What I realized was these “special Photographers” are no different than you and I…well, with the small consideration of their substantial income maybe. ;-) But seriously, they have achieved great respect and authority in the industry because they have earned it not because they are some celebrity or genius. They started at the same place that I did…many of them, if not most, are all self taught. They had a dream and they pushed forward until someone noticed. Once they got noticed they pushed harder. I respect them. I admire them. I am pushing forward. I have goals…some might be better referenced as dreams but nonetheless I am determined and I am willing to earn the respect of my peers, this year, next year and 20 years down the road. And even more important than my peers are my clients. I am 100% committed to being “all in” as my friend Dane Sanders said. I do not claim to be “the best” but what I do claim to be is “all in” for evey single wedding and every single client. This has always been and always will be my commitment.
The value of this experience goes light years beyond the few words that I write here. The friendships that were made, the lessons that were learned, the validation that was ingested, the experience as whole was truly magnificent! These four days were quite possibly the most exhausting four days that I can recall in many, many years but they were certainly worth the lack of sleep…ten fold. The opportunity to have some of the most incredible photographers in the world along with the most amazing products and vendors at my disposal was priceless! Not to mention the vendors that I have used for so long to be able to meet them face to face verses over the telephone was just plain amazing. I love putting a face to a name and even though I knew that I could count on them before I now know that having that personal contact makes my loyalty and business relationship with them even stronger and indefinite. I say thank you to PPA, to all of the platform speakers who each gave me something so different and so valuable, to the vendors whom I adore and to the friends whom I already had and shared this experience with and to those that I now consider my friends. My brain is currently on mass overload and I have such high expectations for the coming year. I appreciate you (my loyal Blog readers) taking this journey with me. Your support and encouragement is invaluable. Thank you.
Okay…now for a little dose of FUN! I, along with my new friend Melinda, bowled with two incredibly talented fellas Dane Sanders and David Jay. Let’s just say that it is a really good thing that I make my living as a wedding photographer. My high game was a 60. Yep. No lie. And you know what? I don’t even care! It wasn’t about the bowling just like it isn’t always about the photos. It is about the experience that you have. I went all in. I was terrible but I was all in. But did I mention terrible? ;-) DJ was the team MVP. Dane ran a tight second. I have learned so much from these two guys over the years and to be side by side with them was a great honor. And a lot of fun! They are both so down to Earth. And two truly inspirational guys. Thanks so much fellas!
I am already making plans to be at Imaging USA 2011 and couldn’t be more excited about it! My brain is running on overtime (as if it wasn’t already) and I can not wait to share all of my experiences with my {Walk The Shot} guests. In the meantime, please enjoy the quick snaps of me and my friends…some old and some new but all equally important to me.
Don’t you like how I chose to share the image that my terrible score was not displayed in. ;-)Me and David Jay.Me and Dane Sanders.Me and Becker.
Go Team!Two of my all time favorite vendors! I love these ladies!All of us Phaunties…love you gals!
I’m glad to see you had such a great time!!!
AWW looks like you guys had a BLAST! Great pics, you all look gorgeous! Phaunties RULE! :)
Now I’m even MORE JEALOUS. LOL It sounds like it was well worth the trip and I can’t wait to actually speak to you about it.
Dawn if I said I wasn’t green with envy, I’d be lying! You got to rub elbows (and even lay on the laps) of some seriously amazing photographers. I would count you among them, girl! You have what it takes and it shows in your work, your personable attitude, and your business ethic. Thanks for sharing the “All In!” That is such a great angle to look at it from, and a fabulous reminder of what is the most important! Now go get ’em girl! Your 2010 clients are not even gonna know what hit them!
It looks as if you had an awesome time! I am very glad that you enjoyed yourself and can’t wait to hear about all the wonderful things that you learned!
Well, other than the fact that you forgot to mention your amazing roomie…………haha!! Seriously, Imaging was incredible for every reason that you mentioned! Love you girl and I can’t wait to see you again soon!
dawn you are one beautiful lady!
I’m super duper jealous. I am so going to try and come out to one of these SOON and really hate that I live in Canada sometimes when events like this happen so far from home. I not only want to meet everyone you did, but I would love to meet you and the rest of the phaunties too. I can just imagine all you learned and soaked in, glad you had a wonderful time, next time i hope to be there with you all.
Love ya sista!!!! Wish I could have been there!!!
Dawn, you are such an amazing photographer!! And you deserved to be amoung what I would like to call the best because you, too, are the best!! You rock in everything you do and I know you will rock 2010 with everything you have!! Love you girl and totally jealous you got to see all those awesome photographers and phaunties!! :)
Awww MAN! I wanna know the outcome of your “asking”. LOL!
Wish I could’ve gone, but then again, I would have felt a bit inadequate in the presence of so many talented photographers.
Dawn, you carried our team :)… you go girl. So great to finally meet in person!
These are so cool Dawn! Can you send me the ones with me in them and the team one and/or post them on facebook? I would love to have them! THANK IN ADVANCE! You so rock! Hope to see you and hang with you lots at WPPI! :)
Hey dawn! I’m sad we didn’t get to meet at the bowling night, it was so much fun! I was 2 lanes over from you! Don’t worry about your score, i went ALL IN and still managed to only score a 35. So you did almost double what i did! :) Hope to meet you at another photography event soon!
Aw Kristen. I wish I had known! I would have loved to have said hello to you. We could have consoled each others terrible bowling scores. ;-)
Cool pictures! I love the cake pic.