A week ago today I was a nervous ball of energy….I had my puffy Cheetos, a yellow Rockstar, and my music blaring as I drove over the mountains, through LA and down to my old stomping grounds: Mission Viejo.  I checked into the hotel and instantly checked my workshop group facebook page…sure enough, a few other photographers were there and met me in the lobby.  Thus began some new great friendships and the beginning of an amazing adventure learning from Your Wedding Day Magazine Editor Thea Lignos,  Creative Director Cathryn Vanbreen, and the ever-so-fabulous wedding photographer Jasmine Star at the amazing wedding venue Rancho Las Lomas!

Having a week to reflect, read my fellow attendees blog posts, and gather the images I am allowed to post I can honestly say that this workshop has been another jumping point to taking my wedding photography to the next level.  Being able to ask honest questions and learn from an Editor’s point of view to bring high fashion to weddings alongside a top wedding photographer’s thoughts, I picked up so many great tips and advice.  Then another amazing thing that happened….I met some open, incredibly talented, and just all around amazing photographers from CA, Oregon, Texas, Maryland, Colorado, and Washington.  I’ve made instant friends who I know will continue to amaze me as I stalk their blogs, will continue to push me, will be there for me, and a few I can’t wait to work with in the future!   Thank you to everyone who took a moment to answer my questions, to chat about the industry with me, to make me feel welcome, and who set up and participated in the workshop (and Sofie…thanks for joining us for dinner as well!)

Here are a few images that I wanted to share!  Enjoy!

I took a few inside that don’t show the beautiful sets we worked with.  I can’t wait to see them in all their glory when Your Wedding Day comes out this spring!

Ok…quick story….I got my favorite color (yellow) shootsac at last year’s WPPI in the random covers bin.  I’d never seen it before and loved it!  About 10 minutes after purchasing it, my photography buddy Jen told me I’d just copied J*’s favorite cover.  Wait, huh?!  Oh well, I’ll never be in the same room with her…..um, except I just was!  I casually mentioned to Jd (her husband) that it may be a cute (?!?) idea to get a photo with my new self proclaimed shootsac cover buddy.  So, I nervously waited for Jasmine to have a second and asked her to pose with me!  Thanks Stephanie for capturing what I never thought would happen…and thanks Jasmine for being so fabulous!

Side note, we all want our husbands be our “Jd” and I gotta say, my hubby is pretty close and just as supportive, now if only I could get him to 2nd shoot for me!  Lucky lucky ladies!

My fellow Aggie ladies!!  I was so excited to meet both Erica and Chrissy and instantly bond over Texas A&M.  We whooped…oh yeah!

We were all invited to the exclusive Your Wedding Day industry party the night before and we had a great time getting to know one another….

Holly, Stephanie, Jasmine, myself & Karen

Matt, me, Karen, Holly, Erin, Stephanie, Leah & Elizabeth

Again, thank you to everyone who hosted the event, for giving us your time and for sharing your talents with us!

To my fellow workshop attendees….I wish we had a few more days to enjoy more time getting to know one another!  I’m thankful for facebook and getting to see everyone at WPPI in a few short months!

-Jessica

www.JessicaFreyPhotography.com