Even though I still have not quite recovered from WPPI this week in Vegas, I was able to get my act together and shoot a wedding tonight. Once I get in the zone shooting, all my exhaustion just fades away...and comes crashing back in the car ride home (or in this case to the studio to download the cards)!

Polly and Josh were one of the sweetest couples I've ever worked with! And he's a mean piano player! The wedding was at Homewood. Everything looked great and everyone had a great time. And of course Stacey's flowers looked gorgeous as always. I'm so tired I'm going cross eyed, but I managed to pull just a couple photos in the hopes that Polly and Josh will get to see them before they head to the British Virgin Islands.

Thanks again you guys!

Sleep Deprivation:
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: the condition of being robbed of sleep, in real life or in experiment, as opposed to being unable to sleep.

WPPI was AWESOME! I'll fill you in a lot more with tons of photos in a little bit, but as of 3am last night when I got home, I had only had a total of 10 hours sleep since Sunday. I'm a little tired.

Like I said, the whole WPPI experience was amazing...sensory overload, but it was so great to see all of my old friends and to make so many new ones. I can't wait to go through the photos and post more stuff...check back soon!

Corey

I’m all fired up! I’m on my way to Vegas for WPPI. I’m in the Charlotte airport right now waiting to board my flight. This will be my first WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographer’s International) convention and I’m really looking forward to it. Though the convention itself should prove to be interesting, I’m mostly looking forward to seeing some of my friends again....and making some new ones!

One new friend that I’ve yet to meet is Dustin Izatt. Why is he a friend already without having met him? Because he and his wife were gracious enough to share their room with me tonight. The guy that booked our rooms for the trip was not able to get a room for me for tonight....and I just found this out last night! Yikes. I tried every possible website to get a room: priceline, orbitz, hotels.com, kayak, cheaptickets, the list goes on and on, and unless I wanted a 5-star suite for $600 a night, there was no room in Vegas to be had! I had quite the panic attack today trying to get a room and I sent out emails to about everybody I could think of that was already in Vegas...I even emailed Mike Colon. I just want to say THANK YOU to all of you that came together and helped me find a room!!! Nathan and Amber Holritz, Bruce Mayhill, and many others. But especially to Regina Holder who went the extra mile to help me and also put me in touch with Dustin. Thanks again!

On a personal note, I’m excited to say that I bought a new car yesterday! I finally let the Benz go...she’ll be sadly missed! I do love the new car though! It’s a Lexus...my first Japanese car. I’ll post some photos and more info when I get the chance, or when I get back to NC. What a bummer to buy a new car then fly out the next day to be gone a week...at least my wife will get to enjoy it while I’m gone!

I had a quick shoot this afternoon with a new model, Stephanie. Stephanie first contacted me several weeks ago and was refered to me by my friend and fellow photographer, Lee Morgan. Today's shoot was just a quick test to see how Stephaine worked with the camera and I think she did a great job. Since it was only a test shoot, I took a bit more liberty with the edits and took some of them a tad further in Photoshop than I normally would....fun!

As I continue featuring my new friends from the Mike Colon seminar, it seemed a logical progression to next feature Craig Davis as he is partnered with Andy Peterson. I admire Andy and Craig for their ability to work so well together. And long distance too....though Andy is in Austin, Craig's end of the business is based in Houston. I know how difficult it is sometimes to partner in a business, and to do it in different cities is quite the feat. Congrats, you two.

We couldn't pass up posting this email I got this morning...it's just too funny!

How are you? My name is Alena. I from Russia, city Cheboksary. To me 28 years. I shall tell to you about myself a little.

I corresponded with the man from the your country before. His name Mark. He is from your country. We had a long correspondence and Mark wanted, that I have arrived to him in the your country that I have seen what life there. We have together submitted the statement on reception of the visa in your country! Mark spoke, that will help my in our meeting. I thought, that have met on the Internet the love.

I and Mark made the big plans for the future, but in a flash all has changed. From the moment of submission of the statement for the application of the visa has passed 5 months. For these five months there was for what I least waited. Mark informed, that his former wife has returned to him and lives together with him. Soon they should get married. And now in Mark plans there is no me. I wrote to him some times after that, but Mark have wished me only good luck in the further searches worthy men and have told, that our ways miss. And in October to me there has come the invitation in embassy behind reception of the visa.

In the beginning I wanted to throw out the invitation in embassy. To me it was sad, because my dreams were failed, I have nobody to fly in the your country. But my uncle have dissuaded me from resolute actions and have told, that else there is a chance to find worthy the man and to use the visa to a meeting with him. I well know English and practically I have visa your country. My uncle speaks, that it really solves many problems.

Approximately in 7 days the visa will be ready, and I should go to Moscow behind reception of the visa. I write to you because in my heart there is an empty seat. I do not search rich or poor. I search careful and responsible man which wants to enjoy a life together. Is this person you? I think, that I ask not much. I have told to you a little about my life. I have told not all about myself, but it will be easier to me to write about myself if you will ask questions which interest you. I have told to you my history, and now I shall look forward to hearing from you with impatience. Write to me! I shall send you more photo in the following letter. I wait you answer. Alena.

P.S. I shall answer with pleasure if you write to me

I'm just catching up from a busy week and recovering from a slight cold. On Wednesday, I had the pleasure of shooting a few maternity photos for my friend and fellow photographer, Jill Schwarzkopf. She's not due until May, but she has started showing enough that she wanted to get the shoot in before the wedding season got a little crazy. We had a great time and we even got a few shots of her with her daughter, Mary Rose....such a cutie!!

The WPJA (Wedding Photojournalist Association) has updated their site to reflect the latest award winning photographers' standings. This means that I now have the Gold Medallion next to my name, but more importantly, this comes with a personal gallery of all of my wins from past contests. Member's must place 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in a category to get the "PIX Page" gallery, but when they do, their past top 10 wins appear there as well, so that makes my latest 1st place win in the Ceremony category that much more special to me. Thanks WPJA!

Also, stay tuned for information on an interview I did with the WPJA for an article in their upcoming WedPix Magazine!

Sorry for the delay in getting this project started. This is the post first in a series that will better describe a few of my new friends that I met at Mike Colon's workshop a couple of weeks ago.

I'll be posting information about them, one at a time, in no particular order. Some of them I have photos of, others I do not...I'll try to post images when I can.

First off: Andrew Peterson.

Andy is a very talented photographer hailing from Austin, TX. Austin holds a special place in my heart as I've spent a lot of time there and still have family there, which may account for Andy's bio being first in the line up. Andy is partnered with Craig Davis in Houston...more on Craig later. Not only a skilled photographer, Andy is also skilled at taking my money in poker! Although, honestly, that's not something that takes mastery. Andy is also quite the family man with 4 kids!

Here are a couple of shots of Andy that I took...and yes, Andy, I'll be sure to send them to you soon.

We're really excited! Nicole had her first solo shoot today, and I went along for moral support even though she didn't need it. She was a little nervous, but she did a great job. She's really looking forward to shooting the wedding this summer. Laura and Paul were a fantastic couple, and were very easy going. They were the perfect couple for Nicole to begin her long and prosperous career as a professional photographer. Here are a couple of shots she took today.

We're super excited! The WPJA (Wedding Photojournalist Association) just announced the winners of their latest contest...the largest of the year, the year-end Winter 2006. Man, are there some great photos in this contest from photographers from all over the world....and I'm very honored to be among them! I won 3 placements this time! That's the most in any one contest I've ever won...and to boot: I got 1st place Ceremony! Awesome! I also got 9th place in Creative Use of Mirrors and 17th place in Scene Setters. Here are the screen captures from the winners page:

And on the subject of websites, I entered an image into a contest for which I could win a free web design. The only rules for the contest were: for ladies, send a shot of your legs in high heels; for guys, send a shot of you wearing a tie, no face or lower torso showing.

So here's the shot I sent....



I had Jill paint her nails to match the walls, which incidentally are the ones in our guest bath....the tripod was in the tub!

It's official!

I just faxed in the contract for a new webdesign. I've always built my own sites in the past, and could have done it again, but the time it would take me would be far more expensive than this outsource. Keep your eye on my site. Launch date is currently not set, but check here often for updates.

It's time for a makeover.

Corey