three things i learned in vegas...

1. to stay true to my craft.
2. to use the word photograph more often and ditch the terms "shoot" and "capture", those words are so negative and always felt off.
3. to photograph personal projects, to take a photograph every day and open my mind up to see... yep, just see.

i spent some time last week in Vegas at WPPI a gathering of photographers, vendors, dorks, rock stars, wanna bes and artists, this year I was a little of each. This was the first time I have gone for me, I went to get the secrets to a successful business but ended up learning nothing about business and everything about me, my craft and my art.

I spent the time blessed and taught and inspired and heard and invited. I laughed and cried and was moved. I was loud and shy. I was on and off and I was comfortable in my skin.

I was taught by Jesh De Rox to change the world, to give a greater gift to our families and to our future. we are going to start a new movement in photography, a new way of celebrating, saving and experiencing love. It was for me a message I longed for. A thirst I did not even realize I had and yet that thirst was quenched in his words, his photographs and his song. I am forever changed and grateful.

David Williams moved me many years ago and then again last Monday. He inspired me to look beyond photography for inspiration, he shared breathtaking paintings from lifetimes ago with better more enlightened work than most anything I have seen on all of our blogs. He reminded me about the importance, the sanctity of a photograph, perfect or not it is a value that cannot be measured, a value to the family, my clients of the ones they love, the life they lived and the moment they shared. All are fleeting and can move on, it is a gift to create photographs that can hold those moments.

I was then blown away by the works, collection and photographic diary of Jay Maisel. He reminded me to always photograph. Always. Stop and photograph anything that moves you, always practice. Remember the "gesture" in a photograph, because without it a photograph is just a picture. He reminded me to use the word photograph, not image or shoot or capture. I think those words are both belittling and lazy to this craft of photography. My craft. Those are not his words, just a small nugget my brain and heart were able to sift out. He opened my heart, my mind and my eyes to the amazing world of photography and the craft of photographing... if that makes sense.

Next was Elizabeth Messina, she was for me a calm, poignant, lovely woman. Deeply connected to her craft, her heart and her children. I was moved by the collection of photographs she and her son created using a pinstriped suit and images of Obama. I was moved by her love of film and the passion she quickly shared with us. I appreciate her willingness to present genuine, creamy and truly lovely photographs, one after another, each delicate and breathtaking. I appreciate her for also reminding me to practice, to feed and nourish my passion, my voice. To give myself assignments, to do and shoot and have the gumption to take what is in my head and try to make it happen, even if I fail. I tried.

On a wholly different level and vibe but equally as inspiring and educational was Amber Holritz. She broke down her ways with no fear of rejection, her confidence, her ability to connect and her insight was truly invaluable from approach to pricing I was both moved and fired up!

The common thread, the moral of the post if you will, is to photograph. fail. try. re-invent. inspire but photograph create photographs. Never stop whether during a session or walking down the street photograph what I see. I will never stop, never put down my camera. I will let this tool be an extension of me. Not because it is going to make a sale, or because that is what "the people" want. But because it is who I am. I see the world in photographs.

peace.
maria

p.s. i also learned to stop being shy and stop, introduce myself and compliment some one's work, tell them they are doing a good job... sorry Nate and Jaclynthat was lame.