Sen1 Media Las Vegas Nevada, @leiatabriephoto

Attending WPPI (Wedding & Portrait Photographers International) this March was like stepping into a creative pressure cooker—equal parts inspiration, hard truths, and those aha moments that make you want to grab your camera immediately. The lineup of speakers brought their A-game, serving up wisdom on everything from surviving the wedding day chaos to mastering lighting and building a business that actually works. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just getting your feet wet, the biggest takeaway was this: Success in photography isn’t about luck—it’s about intention, execution, and owning your craft.

Wedding Summit: Embracing the Chaos

From wedding vendor podcast, The Vendor Table, Mike Cassara and Lauren O’Brien’s talk felt more like a conversation with brutally honest friends than a formal lecture—no fluff, no sugarcoating, just real talk about the messiness of wedding photography. They reminded us that nerves, time crunches, and “oh crap” moments are normal. The key is preparation, efficiency, and knowing when to pivot. Having an inspiration shot list for family portraits and couple sessions is a game-changer, but when time is tight, you have to think fast, prioritize the couple, and trust your instincts. Their advice? Memorize your safety shots, practice them during engagement sessions, and always keep buffer time in your schedule.

Their approach to family portraits was a genius efficiency hack—start big and gradually remove people rather than trying to wrangle different groups separately. And when it comes to convincing couples to do a first look? Forget the technical reasons—just remind them that they get to spend more time together on their wedding day. Perhaps the biggest takeaway was a simple but powerful mantra: Under-promise and overdeliver. That’s how you win.

Oh, and if you’re not using back-button focusing yet, you should be.

Lighting Summit: Sculpting, Shaping, and Shooting with Intention

If you’ve never heard Seth Miranda speak, imagine a high-energy Brooklynite telling you exactly how it is, with zero sugarcoating and a ton of passion. He didn’t just talk about lighting—he preached it. His main message? Every decision you make has to land. Before you even pick up your camera, you should know what the shot is supposed to say.

Seth’s technical tips were next-level. He starts every shoot with a black frame at ISO 100, building light from there so he has full control. One of his biggest lessons was distinguishing between key and fill light—the key light shapes the subject, while the fill light shapes the shadows. If they match too closely, the image goes flat. His philosophy on creativity was equally bold: Throw an idea at the wall and see if it works. Stop playing it safe. Experiment, mess up, learn, and grow.

And here’s the kicker—Seth doesn’t do any post-editing. That’s right. Zero. His belief? If you can’t nail it in-camera, you’re relying too much on fixing mistakes instead of perfecting your craft. His passion for keeping the photography community thriving was contagious: “The key is to keep you shooting, so we have an industry, so we have a community.”

Portrait Summit: The Mindset of a Portrait Photographer

Sue Bryce didn’t just talk about photography—she got deep. Her session was a wake-up call for anyone struggling with self-doubt, procrastination, or fear of putting themselves out there. She hit hard with this truth: what you most resent in your business (or your personal life) usually reveals your biggest emotional need. Avoiding marketing? You probably need to work on confidence. Struggling with pricing? You might be undervaluing yourself. Every time you don’t follow through on what you say you’ll do, you’re betraying yourself—and that builds a habit of failure.

Her no-excuses mindset was refreshing. Set boundaries, but do it with love. Hold yourself accountable instead of relying on others to do it for you. And when it comes to trolls? Block. Delete. Move on. They envy you, and their negativity isn’t your problem.

But perhaps the biggest mindset shift was about money. Instead of trying to manifest a million dollars, Sue suggested something much more practical: Focus on attracting 300 clients willing to pay $3,500. Success isn’t about hitting the jackpot—it’s about consistently serving the right people.

Felix Kunze took a different but equally powerful approach to portraiture. His session was a masterclass in why lighting matters not just for beautiful photos but for business success. Clients don’t just need to like your work—they need to trust that you’ll deliver. If your lighting is consistently great, people will book you without hesitation. With solid lighting skills, you can charge more, spend less time editing, and not have to rely on aggressive marketing to stay booked.

One of his biggest points? Photographs are the best networking tool there is. Your work should tell the right people exactly what to expect from you. And his formula was simple but effective: Master lighting, and you can create Vogue-level results.

Final Thoughts: WPPI 2025 in a Nutshell

WPPI wasn’t just a conference—it was a reality check. It reinforced that photography is more than just taking pretty pictures; it’s about strategy, risk-taking, and showing up for yourself every single day. Mike and Lauren reminded us to embrace the wedding-day madness. Seth drilled in the importance of intention in lighting. Sue pushed us to stop making excuses and own our success. And Felix showed that with great lighting, you can build a sustainable, thriving career.

This wasn’t just another photography event—it was a call to action. Stop overthinking, start shooting, and take your craft to the next level.