This week I was so excited to attend my first photography convention. Since I received my amazing DSLR for Christmas, I’ve been doing my research and learning how to take great pictures. The annual Wedding and Portrait Photography International (WPPI) is at Mandalay Bay this year through March 1. Luckily, I received a free EXPO pass that gave me access to meet all the vendors and watch their demos. There is a conference option that allows you to purchase specific classes. They’re kind of pricey so I’d recommend budgeting for those.

I headed to Mandalay Bay for Day 1 of the expo with a few photography friends and was completely mesmerized. Now, I’ve been to plenty of conventions before, but this was a whole new world. All across the room, photo vendors of every branch had popups with TONS of helpful information. Almost every spot also ran tutorials on how to get your photos just right. Lucky for me, my friends were veterans of these types of conference and knew what the hot spots were. 

My favorite booths were Nikon and Canon. All day long, they had professional photographers and company reps perform demos and hold talks on stage. I saw hands on photos sessions with athletes, families, and weddings. Each booth also had a pop-up backdrop or model available to practice shooting! It was such an amazing experience to ask questions and hear tips from a professional.

I checked out literally every booth and got to play with all kinds of photo equipment. Everything from backdrops to props to lenses and lighting, this conference had it all. I even got to try out several photobooths! By the end of the day, my bag and brain were full.

The convention runs through March 1. If you are just starting out with photography or looking to learn some new techniques, head down! The expo opens at 10A through Friday. You can get your passes here. Tickets start at $35 and if you are a student, teach or WPI member, your pass is free. You can also view the list of vendors here.