New university-style, two-day workshop taking place during WPPI 2011 offers fundamental education for the emerging professional photographer

Culver City, CA (September 21, 2010) – Wedding & Portrait Photographers International (WPPI) announces its first-ever WPPI U – a university-style, two-day workshop providing the fundamentals of photography to help today’s up-and-coming photographers not only strengthen their shooting skills, but also learn how to be successful in their business and marketing practices.

“According to our research, more then 60 percent of our annual convention attendees in recent years have been in business five or fewer years,” said George Varanakis, WPPI’s Group Publisher and Executive Vice President. “With so many new photographers entering this competitive business, the time is right for us to offer a better way to provide basic education to these new photographers during our annual convention. We think of WPPI U as ‘Photography 101’ for the emerging pro.”

The annual WPPI 2011 Convention and Trade Show will take place February 17-24, 2011 in Las Vegas, NV. WPPI U will take place on Saturday, February 19 and Sunday, February 20, 2011 during the WPPI 2011 annual convention at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Featuring six guest instructors, WPPI U classes will include:

• Lighting and Posing
• Business and Accounting
• Marketing
• Postproduction (Lightroom and Photoshop)
• Social Marketing Panel
• Wedding and Portrait (children and pets)

Each class is two hours. Attendees will receive a certificate of completion from WPPI and a WPPI U T-shirt. WPPI U will continue to educate photographers online in a webinar format following the 2011 Convention. For more information about WPPI 2011 and all of its workshops and events, please visit: http://www.wppionline.com/storage/2011/home.html

Full registration for WPPI 2011 and all workshops and events, including WPPI U, will be open in late October 2010. The early bird rate for WPPI U is $99 until December 15, 2010 for the two-day program. After December 15th it will be $119. The early bird registration rate for access to the WPPI 2011 Convention and Trade Show is $199 for members and $379 for non-members. After December 15th, WPPI 2011 registration will be $259 for members and $399 for non-members.

WPPI is the largest annual expo and conference in the United States for professional photographers. Each year more than 11,000 professional photographers gather in Las Vegas, NV, to learn from the best and see the latest and greatest products from the hundreds of exhibitors that participate in the trade show.

About WPPI
Wedding & Portrait Photographers International (WPPI) is an organization that serves the educational and business needs of wedding and portrait photographers. Celebrating its 30th convention anniversary in 2010, WPPI is a professional organization that exists to help member photographers by providing them with exclusive information, programs and professional services to assist with their photographic artistry and business needs. WPPI routinely supplies its members with new benefits and valuable industry information enabling them to compete effectively, especially in tough economic times. WPPI membership gives photographers the resources they need to succeed and the tools they require to build and develop a strong personal support network.

In 2010, WPPI completed its 30th annual Convention and Trade Show, drawing over 14,000 attendees and 320 exhibitors to its convention space in the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. For more information visit: www.wppionline.com.

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