Hello Again!
Feb 27, 2023
Hello, I am finally back! I have lots of good stuff for you!
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3 favorite places in Nashville
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Imaging USA Conference
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3 tips for any conference newbie
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The most important thing I learned about my business
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365 photo project
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Planning your shoot!
7 photos stitched together in Adobe Lightroom to make this panoramic view of the Nashville Parthenon (click to view larger).
My trip to the Imaging USA conference from Professional Photographers of America was so enjoyable and informative, I am already looking forward to going back next year. This year it was held in Nashville. It is the kind of place that feels like home even though it was my first time there. My three favorite places in Nashville:
2-story presidential suite at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel, seen from the riverboat.
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The hotel I stayed at, the Gaylord Opryland. I learned on my last day there that it is the largest non-gaming hotel in the world.
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The Parthenon is a full-size replica of the original monument in Greece. It was built in 1897 and originally was going to be torn down after the centennial, but the popularity of the attraction and the cost to demolish it were enough to make it stay. 1
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The Graduate hotel is an adorable place I stopped at on my way to Broadway. If I wanted to stay at a small boutique hotel (the very opposite of the Gaylord), this is where I would stay.
Peggy Sue & Co. : my own name for this sweet group who let me take their photo, at least one of whom was indeed named Peggy Sue. They were having the time of their lives at the Graduate. I am pretty sure the man in the top middle is a random tagalong they picked up earlier in the day.
Imaging USA!
The main event is the 3-day conference with an enormous expo hall, tons of demonstrations, so many educated speakers and interesting classes. If you are feeling extra motivated, you can arrive several days early and attend various “pre-con” classes.
16 photos stitched together for this 360 degree panoramic view standing inside the Canon booth at the Imaging USA Expo (click to view larger).
I am so glad I decided to go early. The hotel was so enormous, it took me a day just to figure out how to get to my room without asking for directions.
The 2-day business intensive for photographers was everything I was hoping for and more. I was not sure how well I was going to be able to focus from 9-5 for two days in a row. Thankfully, the class was thoughtfully structured and included breaks. It was taught by three different experts who all worked together to give a very well-rounded and robust class. Here are my 3 tips for any conference attendee, especially the newbie:
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Look at your notes before you get home. Choose one thing to focus on first when you get back.
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Don’t spend too much time in your room, but also don’t be afraid to skip a session to take a break.
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Arrive at classes and lectures early and stay after. This is a great time to be able to catch the presenters!
One shot from a photo walk with Stella Pro Lighting (@stellaprolights) led by Kiati Plooks (@kiatiplooks) and these two stunning models Sydney @sydneylynnofficial and Kate @kate_desha with costumes by @sewtrendyaccessories
The most important thing I learned was that I have not been offering as much as I could to my clients. You see, I love taking self portraits. I like being a piece of art. In this new age of artificial intelligence, I am not afraid. Humans are so unique: no two are the same. I remember watching Gone With the Wind when I was young and seeing Scarlett O’Hara’s enormous portrait on the wall in her own home, thinking just WOW. But I already have my photo on the wall. I have several photos of myself on my walls, actually!
Here's a photo I took in my living room, called "5x Max"
I have not offered any kind of printed product for many reasons, but all those reasons faded away when I realized I must offer a tangible finished product in order to align my business, personal and artistic values. My dream for people is to have stunning portraits of themselves, just like I do!
In order to achieve my goals, I am restructuring my entire business model. In the meantime, I am still taking photos. Actually, I am still spending a lot of time behind the camera even though I know I would finish this business stuff faster if I put in more hours here behind the computer.
When I am not working on building my business and photographing clients, I am still doing my 365 photos project. Right before the holidays, I finally got on the podcast train. Several photographers mentioned the idea of doing a “365”. The rules differ for everyone, but the main objective is to take a photo every day for 365 days. I do this anyway, I thought.
But I also sometimes don’t. Looking at the metadata of my photos, there are sometimes days where I did not hit the shutter even once. The day I decided to start my own 365 challenge, I had actually shot several days in a row, so I let myself start with a 3-day jumpstart. I can proudly say since December 26, 2022, I have taken at least one photo.
365 photo project, photo #1, December 26, 2022
My rules are very simple. All I have to do is take at least one photo with a non-smartphone camera. That is it! As of today, 2/27, that is 64 days and many more photos.
I am still available to take your photo! Even though I am in the process of changing my business around, it is all so I can better serve my clients. If you are interested, click here to fill out this form and we can start planning your shoot!
Thank you so much for reading!
Sincerely,
Max
I absolutely LOVE my cowboy boots I got from the Boot Barn! This is how I looked waiting for my Uber at Fort Lauderdale airport when I got home and two guys asked me if I knew where was the best country bar around, haha!
TOPICS/Keywords
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Nashville, travel, hotels, sightseeing, attractions, entertainment, tips
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Conference, convention, expo, education, professional development, personal development, career building, networking, photography, photographer
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Photography: habits, 365, consistency, practice, artist, mastery, photo shoot, portraits
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parthenon_(Nashville)