MY 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

Well, it was my 10 year anniversary since I first heard about Shutterfest.

In 2014, I was watching Creative Live and ran across this guy named Sal Cincotta. He was promoting an upcoming class entitled “The Business of Photography.” It was a timely ad because some friends and I had been discussing “How in the world do photographers actually make a living at this.” Needless to say, he dropped a bomb of information on me. All the tricks and secrets on what it takes to be a successful photographer were presented and I absorbed it like a sponge. Literally life changing. During the broadcast, he mentioned this conference he was starting called “Shutterfest”. Sounded neat, but it would be 3 years until I actually got to go.

My buddy Shane and I went in 2017 and were blown away by the community. From that week long trip, we’ve made so many friends across the country and been a part of some incredibly unique experiences as a result. If you’re looking for a photography conference to go to where you actually “learn by doing” and having a lot of fun, this is the conference for you! Also note, you can start shooting at 6:00 AM and go all the way until 2 or 3 AM the following morning if you want!

The event takes place at the Historic Union Station hotel in downtown St. Louis. This is unlike any hotel I’ve ever been to before! It’s a sprawling complex with endless creative areas for photographers both inside and outside.

SF 2024 BTS!

Amanda, Amelia, and I made the trip again this year. Shane joined us late with one of his foreign exchange students for a couple days and they helped out with Amelia while Amanda and I were out shooting and learning. So fun!

Want to know more about Shutterfest? Make sure and visit www.shutterfest.com !

The edits!

I didn’t shoot as much this year but still got a few keepers!

What makes Shutterfest so awesome for photographers is, you get the chance to experiment with lighting, posing, and more all in an extremely diverse location at the Union Station Hotel. Plus the event also sets up backdrops and lighting equipment for you to use at no extra cost. For example, the first 3 photos of Jaidyn below were all taken in a big room with multiple light setups and backdrops provided by the SF team. You can quickly get an idea of the endless creative possibilities on site. The challenge is try and do something different than what everyone else may be doing! It really pushes you to think and go outside your comfort zone.

If you’re ready to take your photography to the next level - make sure and visit www.shutterfest.com and get ready for April 2025! If you’re an aspiring model, make sure and check out the site as well, as they look for new models every year! On average, they seem to need 200-300 models covering all styles! There are quite a few photographers from Alabama and Tennessee who attend and you’ll make some great friends!