My first Photoshop World in Las Vegas was a real treat.  It was an intense training camp packed with tons of really cool stuff.  It was so intense I hardly had the time to hit the slots!

It was a bit overwhelming and intimidating at the start.  I recently started getting more serious about photography and there I was sitting in a room packed with designers and photographers, being inundated with so much information about editing and shooting techniques and drooling over the newest, coolest and most expensive gear.  But I quickly realized that instead of dwelling on the fact that I am a beginner I should draw inspiration from these seasoned professionals, learn as much as I can and, more importantly, enjoy every minute of it.

The session that I enjoyed most in the entire convention was the panel discussion, The Art of Digital Photography, that featured the work of eight elite photographers.   In the panel, these remarkable photographers discussed the how’s and the why’s behind their most stunning and moving works.  It was absolutely awesome.  They clearly reminded me that having fun is key to taking great photos. I left the room with so many ideas and with so much inspiration.

Other highlights of the conference were Jack Davis’ Lightroom demonstrations, Joe McNally’s live photo shoot focusing on lighting, Joe Glyda’s live shoot showcasing food styling and food photography and Jay Maisel’s Light Gesture and Color, a retrospective on his amazing work on natural light photography.

Kudos to the National Association for Photoshop Professionals for a very successful Photoshop World.

Check out my Flickr photostream for more Las Vegas photos.