Kari Sikorski Photography Blog

The hardest part about WPPI is deciding which classes to take.  There are so many talented photographers speaking, it is really hard to choose… you just don’t want to miss a thing. Despite the lack of sleep, I learned so many things from the best in the business during the five days I was there.

On the morning of our last day in Las Vegas, Krista convinced Kellie and I to attend a sunrise concert sponsored by With Etiquette called We Bring the Sun, and featuring Jesh de Rox. It wasn’t easy getting up before Starbucks opened, but we made it on the coach, bundled up for chilly morning weather and headed off to the desert. 3 coaches drove out to a spot in the desert about 30 minutes out of the city, and pulled up to a group of musicians braving the cold as the sun rose. We listened to good music by a few bands, took a lot of photos as the sun rose & goofed off playing with our shadows to stay warm. As eight o’clock drew near, we boarded the coach back to the MGM to finish up 5 days of classes before heading home. Thank you Krista for making sure we didn’t miss this fun experience!

me.

Jesh de Rox

Kelli Schaefer

Kellie, myself & Krista friends & WPPI roomies

Krista, myself and Kellie… our annual desert photo. I can’t wait to see what adventures we find at WPPI next year!

Another fun adventure for my WPPI roomies and I was a mini workshop held by our friend and colleague, Kamee June. Kamee is an absolute sweetheart, and I highly recommend her workshops – she’s a natural teacher and fantastic photographer based in Orange County, CA. We enjoyed a quick photoshoot just outside of the MGM Grand, and instruction on workflow and Photoshop afterward. Thank you Kamee for a fun workshop, and also to her friend Whitney for modeling for us… and to MGM security for not kicking us out of the fun spot Kamee found to shoot in.

Take note of the NO PARKING sign… Lion Habitat. You have to be brave to shoot in the Lion Habitat dumpster area, no photographers were harmed. This may be why security didn’t kick us out, he probably thought if we wanted to hang out by cat garbage, go at it!

Elevators make interesting backdrops. Anyone who has been inside my home knows I love this color of blue…

Gorgeous model, fun workshop, and good friends. It was a great afternoon! Thanks Kamee!

Our first adventure after a day and a half of classes, was a mystery photoshoot sponsored by Anthony Vazquez of Click Nation. We boarded a coach and were taken to the Graceland Wedding Chapel. We took our seats in the chapel and were let in on the secret, that clients of Anthony’s agreed to be his models for a hilariously styled Las Vegas chapel wedding. Anthony instructed us a bit on off camera lighting, and in came Elvis and our models for the night. Everyone laughed hysterically, it really was a surreal moment!

Our first adventure after a day and a half of classes, was a mystery photoshoot sponsored by Anthony Vazquez of Click Nation. We boarded a coach and were taken to the Graceland Wedding Chapel. We took our seats in the chapel and were let in on the secret, that clients of Anthony’s agreed to be his models for a hilariously styled Las Vegas chapel wedding. Anthony instructed us a bit on off camera lighting, and in came Elvis and our models for the night. Everyone laughed hysterically, it really was a surreal moment!

We boarded the coach to drive to the next mystery location, and Anthony Vazquez answered our lighting questions and gave away thousands of dollars in prizes! I think just about everyone on the bus won something, I won a licensed song from Triple Scoop Music. Thanks Anthony and Triple Scoop!

Our next location was the infamous Las Vegas sign on the Southern end of the strip. Kellie and I were just saying that we’d never been to it when we pulled up to it and stopped. Here’s a shot of myself, Kellie and Krista – a bit cold, but having a great time with Click Nation!

WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International) was a fantastic, inspiring experience full of learning, fun and friends.  I roomed at the MGM Grand with 3 good friends — Kellie, Krista P & Krista E.  We had a blast running to classes, wandering the tradeshow, staying up too late and just goofing around.  I met so many new friends, and had a great time catching up with the incredibly sweet & talented Kamee June whom I met last September at Jessica Claire’s workshop.  I know, we all have K names, right?  It was funny, because it continued as I met more talented photogs like Kia, Kate, Katie…

There were so many things to take away from this convention… a HUGE wealth of knowledge, all in one place.  I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to attend classes held by Audrey Woulard, Jesh de Rox, Tamara Lackey, and Jasmine Star.  All incredible photographers, each with their own amazing style.  I laughed, cried (Jesh de Rox’s presentation didn’t have a dry eye!), wrote notes furiously, and smiled… a LOT!  I also had the opportunity as part of a VIP pass, to have a portfolio review with Alycia Alvarez.  She was so friendly and turned what I had set up in my head to be a 5 minute shaking in my boots review into a 40 minute chat with great feedback to grow from.

A highlight of the trip was a mentoring shoot held by CA wedding photographer Victor Sizemore, and styled by Summer Watkins of Grey Likes Weddings.  We were driven out about 45 minutes into the desert to a dry lake bed.  Well, apparently not quite dry enough, as our motorcoach sank into the mud up to it’s front bumper & made me think we might be camping for the night!  It was somewhere around 40 degrees, and we were COLD!  Shivering, fingers frozen to our cameras cold!  I was amazed as the models handled the frigid temps and posed for us until the sun set.  I swear I can still feel the cold when I look back at the pictures!  The sets were fabulous, and it was surreal to see them there in the middle of the desert.

Ok, grab a drink and sit back… I have so many favorites from this photoshoot that I want to share with you!  Leave a comment & let me know what you think, I’d love to hear from you.

and… a few behind the scenes shots.  Enjoy!

Here I am with 49 other photographers enjoying the shoot.

Kentucky’s own Kellie Carter & I kickin it in the desert with our Converse…  (ok, I know… I was all tangled up in camera & bag straps!  This happened somehow in the rush to grab everything off the bus, and I was too cold to figure out how to fix it haha!)

a close up of my tangled up state…

Victor Sizemore giving us a few pointers

Victor and his darling daughter, getting a hug after her modeling debut…

and a shot of the motorcoach sinking into the mud… I wish we had a shot of our faces turning around and seeing this!

Thank you Victor for a great opportunity & a fun afternoon!

Credits:

Victor Sizemore Photography http://www.vcsphoto.com/blog

Styling by Summer Watkins http://greylikesweddings.wordpress.com

Jewelry http://www.historicaljewels.com/

Makeup & Hair: Jill Guin of Darling Bride http://www.darlingbride.com

Video: Elysium Productions http://blog.elysiumproductions.com/

Kari Sikorski Photography is featured in Style Me Pretty !!!

Style Me Pretty is the ultimate wedding blog, full of wedding inspiration, creativity and ideas for brides.  “OBSESSIONS for BRIDES” is their tag line, and you will understand why when you look through post after post of incredibly beautiful and imaginative ideas!

“I work with a TON of great photographers. Some have been around a while so their skills and perspectives are really honed, really unique. Others are new and are constantly experimenting with different style and ideas. But I don’t think that I’ve had the chance to see the same wedding or space photographed by so many different artists. It’s amazing to me that each photographer behind Jessica Claire’s Photography Workshop, approached the same details, the same touches…so beautifully different.”
~ Abby Larson, Style Me Pretty

I am SO excited to have some of my photos from the Jessica Claire workshop featured showing off the amazing wedding details created and set up for our shoot that day!  To see all of my photos from the workshop, click HERE.

A Huge thank you Summer Watkins of Grey Likes Weddings and floral designer Lauryl Lane for submitting my pictures!