Every year, over 16,000 professional and aspiring photographers flock to Las Vegas to attend WPPI – the biggest photo convention of the year. It’s resourceful and I love going – it’s almost as much fun as Disneyland!

My biggest takeaway from attending WPPI 2013:

The Photography Industry is changing at a rapid pace. With the convenience of digital, everyone is a photographer, down to simply using your phone to take pictures.

Someone emailed me the other day and asked if I think it’s a good idea to enter the photography industry because it seems like everyone has a dSLR. I think that if you love it enough, it is something you should absolutely pursue! Just know that it’s going to take a lot of WORK. The market is oversaturated so you’ll have to put in 200% to mastering your craft. Otherwise someone who wants it more will gladly step in and take your place with the blink of an eye.

The good news is that there is a lot of mediocrity out there, so it’s pretty much guaranteed that if you strive to be the best, you will be successful at anything you want to do. Good work ethic + talent = success. You also have to remember to be patient (I have to remind myself this all the time). I’ve been photographing weddings for 7 years now and in many ways I’m still considered a newbie. It takes time to build a business, but if you really want it, it’s there for you.