I just got back from Vegas. No, I didn’t go there to gamble, I went to attend Photoshop World. If you haven’t heard of this event, don’t let the name confuse you. It’s not just about Adobe Photoshop software; it covers a wide variety of topics and attracts photographers of all levels and interests. About 3500 people attended 3 days with over 100 classes offered in 7 concurrent sessions and an exhibit hall filled with the latest hardware, software, and training.
I had a great time and was glad that I attended, but this post is not just about Photoshop World, it’s also about Vegas. I’ve been to Las Vegas several times before so I was prepared for all of the glitz and glitter. Although “glitter” might make you think of the city lights, with non-stop sunshine and 100-degree temperatures, even the day time was full of glitter as every glass-covered building tried to outshine the rest.
The conference was held at Mandalay Bay and I was staying at the Excalibur, so every morning I headed towards a bright gold facade rising from the desert. Being on the south end of the strip it stood almost alone in the distance. In the evening it turned from golden glass to golden lights. Between Mandalay Bay and the Excalibur stood the Luxor, a shiny black glass pyramid edged with lights that reached up to the apex where a huge spotlight focused its blue beam off into space. Compared to these two buildings, the Excalibur looked like a castle made by Walt Disney for Goofy. But, the room prices were reasonable.
I never got around to hitting the slot machines or trying my hand at roulette, but what little time I had outside the conference was spent taking photographs and, occasionally, eating.