We're at the end of day 2 of our WPPI convention trip.

What an amazing experience. 10,000 photographers, hundreds of vendors, amazing products, and great speakers.

We've been running for 13-16 hours straight EVERY DAY. When we're not in a seminar or class, we're in the trade show looking at new products for our customers. When we're eating, we're talking about how to make our work better.
How to make ourselves better.

For you - our customers.

So, I say thank you.

Thank you to my past customers for the faith you had in choosing me.
Thank you to my current customers for the faith you have in me.
Thank you to my future customers for the opportunity to earn your faith.

I work this hard for me. I do it to deliver for you.

I was in a class this morning, and I was learning about lighting, angles, all the technical things that go into making these beautiful images.

One speaker - Carl Caylor was showing some images, and talking about a session with a 3 year old. My son can be, let's say, challenging. He's super smart, always wants to help, and has to know what's going on. Carl was telling stories that could have been about my son! So, rather than let my technical side run rampant and pick up all the angles, equipment, etc - I just looked through the eyes of a father.

It wasn't even my child!
(See his website here: http://www.photoimagesbycarl.net/ - but I'll tell you, it doesn't do him justice at all! It's a good site, but he is so far beyond this it's not even in the same category!)

That's the great thing about images. You are free to make your own connections with the images, and bring your own experiences into play. I could see my two sons in these beautiful images, and I knew just how hard he had worked to get them.

It let me view the work through the eyes of a parent - a father - a customer. I swelled with pride seeing the little kid trying to look so grown up. The boy trying to do everything himself - but he forgot to put his pants on (showing his butt while one tippy toes reaching to get something from the table). Seeing the beautiful moments that are flying by me (and all of us!) so quickly that we don't stop to appreciate them.

Great photography lets you appreciate them every day.

Tomorrow I have my last class, and I have to be up in about 6 hours.

After that, I'm taking my sons to play. We're going to Red Rock Canyon, and I'm going to take some pictures (not many) that let me remember this day forever.

I'm going to print it huge, mat and frame it (because it's important! This is no cheap throw away print) and hang it where everyone can see it.

I want them to see my sons, and think of their own children. Those they have, and those they will have. And I want them to know how my passion is moving them to tears.

I am lucky to have customers that have faith in me enough to let me create this for them. And they are lucky enough to have found me.

Shan