Photo by Field Denny of Ace & Whim 

There's so much to consider when planning our trade show and expo attendance each year. There's the main factors such as cost of attendance, audience, and location. Then there's aspects like travel budget, perceived ROI, sponsorship opportunities and more. With so much at stake, determining our in-person presence can be a daunting task. Ultimately, the final decision always comes down to our company values and which opportunities align best. With over five years of large industry conferences under our belt, we decided to end our 2016 event calendar with something entirely different. And we're definitely glad we did.

We first learned about the BLINK Conference from Carrie Swails, a local Colorado wedding photographer and CG Pro Prints client. Carrie met the CG Pro Prints team at WPPI in March. After four whirwind days at the industry's largest conference, we felt energized, accomplished, yet left wanting more. More in-person connections, more opportunities to display our product, and more ways to support our incredible industry. Luckily, Carrie mentioned the boutique experienceof the BLINK Conference and we were instantly sold.  

The BLINK Conference is an annual boutique-style event held in various locations throughout the country. Since 2013, BLINK has traveled from Nashville, to Austin, to Scottsdale, to Palm Springs with featured education from incredible industry talent. The conference was started by husband-and-wife team Ike and Tash, of Ike and Tash Photography and Motion. With their vision and guidance, the conference has quickly become known as a celebration of diversity, encouragement, and connection and leaves attendees with a true sense of community over competition.

After a small amount of research, we determined the goals of our company aligned perfectly with BLINK, and we jumped at the chance to attend. We quickly learned that CG Pro Prints was the first print provider to exhibit at the BLINK Conference and we couldn't be more honored to hold that title. It came as no surprise that after just one day of the conference, it was apparent that we had made the right decision. Even as a vendor, we felt welcomed by the tight-knit community and enjoyed sharing in every experience BLINK had to offer.

The conference started with a full day of photography and small business education. CG Pro Prints was given a large space in the vendor market with ample room to showcase our latest products. We were one of only six vendors to exhibit, making the in-person discussions with attendees both abundant and appreciated. For our display, we partnered with various clients and Ambassadors to print their work on our Canvas Wraps, Metal Prints, Canvas Ornaments, and more. With an expanded product line and an engaged audience, our relationships with current and potential clients grew from the moment the conference began. We were also provided the opportunity to print swag bag coupons for attendees, as well as formally introduce our company to the full audience inbetween speaker presentations. This introduction included a $250 print credit giveaway to lucky attendee Sara P. of Sara Marie Photography (congrats Sara)! You can see submissions to our contest by checking out the hashtag #PRINTBLINK on Facebook and Instagram. 

Day two was filled with hands-on sessions between the educators and the attendees. This included everything from styled-shoots in the desert to chic on-site modeling sessions at the colorful Saguaro Hotel. These sessions received rave reviews due to the smaller more intimate groups. The size of each session led to more hands-on learning from the mentors and resulted in some incredible photographs.

Above: Images by Amy Bell Photography| Below: Images by Moments Defined Photography

This change of pace from day one allowed us a few hours to explore Palm Springs and we decided to venture into the beautiful canyons to capture some other-worldly views. If you haven't been to Palm Springs, CA yet, we highly recommend you add it to your bucket list. Both for a photography AND a vacation destination! 

The final two days continued with more valuable photography education, social events, and forged connections between attendees and vendors alike. The final day of the conference was truly bittersweet. Ike and Tash planned an incredible final day full of additional education, photography awards, and the most entertaining group photo session we've ever been a part of (see above). The new relationships we've made with potential and current clients will keep us busy for weeks to come, but we wouldn't have it any other way. 

We'd like to extend a sincere THANK YOU to Ike and Tash for inviting CG Pro Prints to be a part of such an inspired and unique conference experience. Your vision of inclusiveness, connection, and collaboration for the photography industry is infectious and inspires us to continue to be a partner and supporter for our dedicated clients.

If you're interested in learning more about the BLINK Conference, we encourage you to check out their website, join the online BLINK Facebook community, and mark your calendars for the 2017 BLINK experience in Seattle! The fun kicks off on November 9-12, 2017.