My first Photography Conference

This year was my very first year attending the Imaging USA Photography Conference. It is a 3-day conference and expo focused on all things photography. This year it was held in Nashville, TN.

I learned so much over those three short, action-packed days! I attended multiple different classes, focusing on bettering my business practices and skills and techniques to use in boudoir photography.

Series of photos showing access badges and credentials for a media or entertainment event.
Professional studio setup with stage lights, cameras and performance area displaying colorful neon signage.
People pose playfully with a large decorative camera prop at a photo booth with geometric wall art in the background.
Large indoor atrium with glass ceiling, multiple levels, and tropical plants in a modern shopping mall or commercial space.
A person in a floral dress signs books at an event while attendees wait in line at a table.
Two people seated at a signing table with promotional materials and books at what appears to be a public event.
A long white banner with signatures and messages hangs above curved wooden benches in an indoor space.
Behind-the-scenes photo shoot setup with lighting equipment and umbrellas in a dark studio.
Behind-the-scenes photo shoot in a hotel hallway shows photographer capturing model in red dress against dramatic lighting setup.
A photographer captures a model in a red dress during a professional photoshoot in a hallway setting.
People gather in a dimly lit room with projector screens and gaming equipment visible in the background.
A group of people seated in a conference room watching a presentation on a large screen at the front.
People in colorful dresses perform a dance sequence in an indoor space with dramatic lighting and shadows.
A vintage blue and white pickup truck parked in front of Cooter's restaurant with its hood open under a bright blue sky.
A sequence of photos showing a person posing with large decorative angel wings painted on a dark brick wall.

Day One of the conference started off with an inspiring keynote speaker, Matthew Emerzian, author of the book, You Matter, who told us his story about rising to the top, being a band manager for bands like Coldplay and U2, and how he got to party with celebrities, and eventually realized he was missing the important things in life, like doing things for other people just for the sake of being nice to other people. He spent a lot of time picking up trash and realized doing community service just for the sake of doing it, makes you feel really good as a person. He went on to write a couple of books, this one in particular is all about the fact the you matter, just for existing on this planet. I was able to speak with him briefly afterwards, and got a personally signed copy of his book.


Day Two of the conference was the day my husband Cody came along to the Expo Center with me! He was my personal chauffeur during the trip, driving me to and from the hotel to the convention center. At the Expo, I got to speak with a lot of really amazing vendors, which is a win-win for you and I both! I'm going to be offering a lot more wall art/prints/albums that are more customizable! The sky is the limit with these new products! one vendor in particular asked me if they could use one of my fantasy shots as a sample for their products!


I took multiple different boudoir classes during the convention. Boudoir is something I've dabbled in a little bit, but haven't done much with it lately. Unfortunately, when I first started doing boudoir, I got some very negative feedback from people who just truly don't understand  boudoir. Boudoir is not about overly sexualized nude photos; boudoir is about empowerment and feeling confident in yourself. Boudoir is meant to make you feel confident and sexy. As someone who actively struggles with her self-confidence daily, it's so important to me for other women to feel confident in themselves and to promote body positivity. Along with learning more about the ways that boudoir photoshoots positively impact women especially, I also learned some really neat tips and tricks on using props and lighting to optimize your boudoir photoshoots!

A dramatic series of dance poses in red costume against a dark background with dynamic lighting and movement.

The final day of the conference was the shortest day for me, I had a couple of classes in the morning, but the rest of the day was free! Cody and I took that opportunity to adventure around Nashville a little bit. We went out to cute little bar and had some fantastic burgers, then we went out to a little mural that I've been wanting to visit for years! (The mural of the wings pictured above.) We also explored the Dukes of Hazzard museum that was right across from our hotel. That was a really nostalgic experience to walk through that museum and reminisce about watching The Dukes of Hazzard DVD's with my little brother, Wyatt. Then on our way home, we stopped by Buc-ee's for the first time - I can understand why everyone loves Buc-ee's now!


Overall, this trip was very inspirational. I made a lot of new friends, learned so much about photography and even about myself, as this whole trip was a big step out of my comfort zone because I'm actually very introverted. I am so grateful to Professional Photographers of America (PPA) and Imaging USA for hosting this amazing experience! I'm already excited and planning for Imaging USA 2027, which will be held in Charlotte, NC!