San Antonio... PPA Imaging USA recap and more!

Wow, I can't believe January is almost over already! I have a feeling this year is going to go by way too fast...

I was in San Antonio last week to attend the Professional Photographers of America's annual convention, Imaging USA. It was awesome for two reasons: (1) IUSA was an incredibly amazing experience, and I learned a lot from the speakers and other attendees, and (2) I got to spend a week with my family, which was kicked off with my dad's 60th birthday party! Here's a recount of my trip, with some (unrelated) photos I took while in San Antonio.

My older sister had flown into San Antonio on Friday, then my little sister and I flew in at 2:15 on Saturday. He knew I was coming in to go to IUSA, but he had no idea Kay and Caroline were coming in! As soon as Caroline and I landed, we headed over to Perico's, where about 40 of our family and friends had gathered to celebrate his 60th! It was so fun!

Then on Sunday, I started off bright and early with Scott Robert Lim's "Portable Fashion Lighting Made Easy" and saw Hanson Fong's presentation on posing. In the afternoon, my dad joined me at the convention (he always has said I got my photographer genes from him) so we spent a few minutes at the Nikon booth at the expo before listening to Jennifer Hudson tell her story through her art (amazing!). I ran off to hear Yervant's take on the future of wedding photography while Dad saw Harry Benson recount his 60 years as a photojournalist.

On Monday, I was inspired by Doug Gordon's flow posing technique and heard Jamie & Todd Reichman speak on running a sustainable business (it was eye-opening!). My mom, brother, and little sister came down and we enjoyed lunch at La Gloria. I hadn't been over to the Pearl Brewery since it was renovated, so it was fun to see all the changes! Then we snuck in a little shopping before dropping Caroline off at the airport and I scurried back to see Jeff & Allison Rodgers' explanation of balancing business and life! That evening, Mom, Dad, and I went to a cooking class at their church. It was fun to be using the same bathroom that I had used exactly two years earlier to get dressed for my wedding! That's right--it was my husband and my anniversary! Hubby was busy with work all last week, so we didn't get to spend it together, which seems to be a tradition now! (If the same thing happens twice, that makes it a tradition, right?! ;)

The convention wrapped up on Tuesday. Storey Wilkins inspired me to showcase the moments at a wedding, and Clay Blackmore covered how to photograph everyone. I was "captured by the light" thanks to David Ziser, and Bob Davis showed us his wedding reception lighting techniques. By the end of the day, I was exhausted but so excited about what I learned that I spent a few minutes outside the convention center taking a few shots of the area. Then Dad and I stopped at Bill Miller's on the way home--perfect!

I had a few days to see family and friends before heading back to California. It was awesome to be able to spend so much time in San Antonio, yet I still felt like I had so many others I wanted to visit before jumping on the plane. Unfortunately, Friday came too quickly and I was back in San Diego before I knew it.

This week it's been back to work, and I've spent time prepping for the San Diego Shooting Group's meetup next week! Stay tuned, my friends! :)