I have been absolutely terrible about updating my blog lately, but things have been so crazy around here it's ridiculous. As I mentioned in my last blog post, I went to Las Vegas for the WPPI convention, which was amazing! Unfortunately, I got unbelievably sick almost the second I stepped off the plane. When I got back, I found out that I had influenza and a chest infection, which explained why I was so ill during my trip. It didn't stop me from seeing and doing all I had planned, but it probably accounts for the reason that it took me nearly a week (and a full course of anti-biotics)to recover!
While I was there, I met people that have changed the way that I feel about my business. I wish I could describe in one blog post what it was like to be with some of the most influential photographers in the world. It was exciting, fascinating, inspiring....I still am reeling from all of the info I soaked up. I have now shot 2 weddings since my return, and already I'm seeing the difference in my style. It's like someone (well, many someones actually!) flipped a switch for me that brought it all together. I can't wait for all of the other exciting learning opportunities that I have coming up.
No trip to Las Vegas would be complete (in my opinion) without a visit to the brand new skywalk at the Grand Canyon West in Arizona. It just so happened that the skywalk.
From the official website:
The Glass Bridge Construction of the Skywalk began March of 2004 and will open March 28, 2007.
Upon completion, the Glass Bridge will be suspended 4,000 feet above the Colorado River on the very edge of the Grand Canyon. On May 2005, the final test was conducted and the stucture passed engineering requirements by 400 percent, enabling it to withstand the weight of 71 fully loaded Boeing 747 airplanes (more than 71 million pounds). The bridge will be able to sustain winds in excess of 100 miles per hour from 8 different directions, as well as an 8.0 magnitude earthquake within 50 miles. More than one million pounds of steel will go into the construction of the Grand Canyon Skywalk.
So you might say to yourself...wow, that's the photographic opportunity of a lifetime. I bet she couldn't wait to get out there on that glass bridge, and take a million photos. Well....you'd be wrong. You see...they don't actually allow you to take any cameras of any kind (including cell phone cams) because they don't want anything falling into the canyon, or scratching the glass on the skywalk. So, when I found out it was an additional $25 USD, on top of the $50 we already paid to get into Grand Canyon West, and I wasn't going to be able to take my camera, I said, hell no, I won't go! :)
And really....you'd have to be NUTS to go up there anyway!!!!! ;) Well, that's not true actually. My husband and a fellow photographer friend went up there and loved the view. I wondered why they lingered so long up there, and why they looked so suspicious. It all made sense to me when our friend giggled that she had snuck her cell phone cam up there, and that my hubby had helped her by blocking her from the view of the guards up there. She got caught anyway, but it didn't matter, since she already had the goods. :) For those who are interested, several cameras that were snuck onto the skywalk got lost into the canyon on the very first day it opened. Rule number one...don't hold your camera over the edge of the canyon! D'uh!
I absolutely loved visiting the canyon, and being at the edge of one of the most incredible views that I will ever see. It was unbelievable. You can't help but wonder how many people have fallen over the edge when you see how close you can get. You could literally walk right off the canyon edge! I kept way, way back, but I saw families there with young kids and the moms looked like they were going to have a heart attack, worried that their little ones would go flying towards the edge. Definately not a relaxing vacation for the families with kids under 5! ;)
A few pics of the canyon...
While I was there, I met people that have changed the way that I feel about my business. I wish I could describe in one blog post what it was like to be with some of the most influential photographers in the world. It was exciting, fascinating, inspiring....I still am reeling from all of the info I soaked up. I have now shot 2 weddings since my return, and already I'm seeing the difference in my style. It's like someone (well, many someones actually!) flipped a switch for me that brought it all together. I can't wait for all of the other exciting learning opportunities that I have coming up.
No trip to Las Vegas would be complete (in my opinion) without a visit to the brand new skywalk at the Grand Canyon West in Arizona. It just so happened that the skywalk.
From the official website:
The Glass Bridge Construction of the Skywalk began March of 2004 and will open March 28, 2007.
Upon completion, the Glass Bridge will be suspended 4,000 feet above the Colorado River on the very edge of the Grand Canyon. On May 2005, the final test was conducted and the stucture passed engineering requirements by 400 percent, enabling it to withstand the weight of 71 fully loaded Boeing 747 airplanes (more than 71 million pounds). The bridge will be able to sustain winds in excess of 100 miles per hour from 8 different directions, as well as an 8.0 magnitude earthquake within 50 miles. More than one million pounds of steel will go into the construction of the Grand Canyon Skywalk.
So you might say to yourself...wow, that's the photographic opportunity of a lifetime. I bet she couldn't wait to get out there on that glass bridge, and take a million photos. Well....you'd be wrong. You see...they don't actually allow you to take any cameras of any kind (including cell phone cams) because they don't want anything falling into the canyon, or scratching the glass on the skywalk. So, when I found out it was an additional $25 USD, on top of the $50 we already paid to get into Grand Canyon West, and I wasn't going to be able to take my camera, I said, hell no, I won't go! :)
And really....you'd have to be NUTS to go up there anyway!!!!! ;) Well, that's not true actually. My husband and a fellow photographer friend went up there and loved the view. I wondered why they lingered so long up there, and why they looked so suspicious. It all made sense to me when our friend giggled that she had snuck her cell phone cam up there, and that my hubby had helped her by blocking her from the view of the guards up there. She got caught anyway, but it didn't matter, since she already had the goods. :) For those who are interested, several cameras that were snuck onto the skywalk got lost into the canyon on the very first day it opened. Rule number one...don't hold your camera over the edge of the canyon! D'uh!
I absolutely loved visiting the canyon, and being at the edge of one of the most incredible views that I will ever see. It was unbelievable. You can't help but wonder how many people have fallen over the edge when you see how close you can get. You could literally walk right off the canyon edge! I kept way, way back, but I saw families there with young kids and the moms looked like they were going to have a heart attack, worried that their little ones would go flying towards the edge. Definately not a relaxing vacation for the families with kids under 5! ;)
A few pics of the canyon...
Canyon West's big draw, the new Skywalk....
..and an almost very unfortunate incident at the canyons edge... ;)
LOL! Just kidding! ;)
Editing this to add a pic from Heathers cell phone camera!
Heather, you are such a REBEL girl!!!! ;)
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