So if you are a model and are going to Shutterfest 2022 please reach out if you would like to work together and capture some amazing photos together. Any models I work with for TFP will be able to use the photos in their portfolio and in trade will sign a release allowing me to use the photos in my own portfolio.

See you guys at Shutterfest 2022!

As of right now I plan to attend this event in 2021 since I canceled my plans for Shutterfest 2021 after they moved their dates to September which simply do not work out well for me.

ClickCon however remains an extremely expensive event to go attend which may result in 2021 being my first and last year to attend this conference debating what I end up actually getting out of the event. Who knows though, maybe I will enjoy it more than Shutterfest.

Time will tell.

Shutterfest is the latest to join the ranks of events to be postponed in 2021 until September 8-9 with Extreme being on Sept 10th. They are giving folks the option to attend in Sept or move their tickets to 2022 on April 19-20 with extreme being on the 21st.

Personally I opted to move my ticket to 2022 because I feel like the Covid 19 vaccine is too new and likely won’t be passed to everybody by Sept so why chance Covid or the event being canceled for 2021. I don’t really want to go through planning SF 2021 only to have to cancel again.

If you are a Shutterfest member which option did you take?

If and when ClickCon does have a conference again I likely won’t be attending for several reasons:

• Hotels in Chicago are outrageously expensive.
• Lack of parking in Chicago & where you can park it’s all paid parking.
• Lots of crime in Chicago area.
• Iowa Carry permit is not valid in Illinois.
• ClickCon is a direct competitor of ShutterFest.

When I planned to go to ClickCon in 2021 I was going to ride up with my buddy and share hotel expenses and stuff & I could do that in the future but at this point I’m simply not too interested in making it happen.

Here’s the complete e-mail announcing that ClickCon is canceled for 2021 minus their virtual events.

 Dear ClickCon Attendee, Models, HMUA & Speakers: 
 
    
 This  has been an extremely hard year for the entire industry, and 2021 looks  like it will continue to be difficult, but with a better outcome.  There’s uncertainty surrounding virtually every aspect of the 2021 conference. We don’t know when large  gatherings will be permitted, how long will it take for the economy to  recover, and when will the vaccine be readily available, not mention  splinter groups who are suggesting we not take the vaccine!  
  
 We have no choice but change the 2021  conference. We will direct our efforts and resources to ClickCon Nation  live streaming and in person meetups for 2021. We  are looking at 2021 as a rebuilding year for everybody. We are  passionate about helping our imaging community continue to learn and  find the building blocks to relaunch successful businesses. We will work extremely hard to continue helping you connect with the ClickCon community throughout the new year.  
  
  
  What does this mean to you, our loyal ticket holders?  
  
 Depending  on your ticket level, you will receive a virtual conference for your  original ClickCon 2020 conference ticket plus all the following support.   
  
 For ClickCon Conference Only Ticket Holders: 
 Access  to all of ClickCon Nation Virtual Classes from January - MAy 2021.  There are 20+ LIVE educational classes from some of the industry's top  speakers. (Please see the complete schedule on ClickCon.us) 
 Access  to all recorded classes from ClickCon Nation 2020 & 2021. There are  100+ hours of valuable information and education available to you  on-demand! 
 Immediate access to ClickCon participating vendors through our ClickCon Nation App. 
 Prize giveaways and vendor specials. 
 ClickCon  Swag Bag to be picked up at designated locations by May 30, 2021. These  locations will be announced by February 28th. You may request to have  the bag shipped for a $15 shipping fee. Please email sherry@clickcon.us if you request shipping. 
  
 For ClickCon Conference and MAX Day Ticket Holders: 
 All of the ClickCon Conference Only benefits above.  
 One  ClickCon in-person meetup for 2021. These are small, live photo  sessions with professional models, HMUA and speakers where you will gain  valuable hands-on coaching and experience. (Please see a complete list of meetups on Clickcon.us). Please send your  meetup selection to Melissa Digue 
  
 For Model Participation Ticket Holders 
 Participation  in one ClickCon in-person meetup for 2021. (Please see a complete list  of meetups on Clickcon.us). Please email your selection to model@clickcon.us 
 Access to the HMUA/ Model virtual education day in 2021.  
 All of the ClickCon Conference Only benefits.  
  
 What you need to do next... 
 Look for the upcoming events on the ClickCon Nation schedule.  
 If appropriate, select the meet-up that you would like to attend and send your selection to model@clickcon.us. 
 Watch for the Swag Bag announcement on February 28th. 
  
 ClickCon  is the only conference offering themed, in-person meetups staffed with  speakers, models and professional hair and makeup artists all over the  United States. We have made these meetups safe for our members by adhering to city and state  Covid restrictions, no touch temperature checks, our bracelet ID system  and plenty of shooting space to spread out. 
  
 Redirecting  our 2021 conference, while it all makes sense because of the  uncertainties in your lives, does not change how heavy our hearts are at  this time. Because this is a conference built by photographers, for photographers – we’ve all  experienced the decline in business. The entire ClickCon staff has been  volunteering their time for the past nine months to make sure ClickCon  survives this pandemic and continues to have a home in Chicago.   
   
 We  hope you; your family and friends are in good health as we round into  the holidays. You are all in our thoughts and prayers as we proceed into  2021.  
  
 Sherry Hagerman 

My guess is 2021 will be a lot like 2020 where we are restricted to our homes and no social events such as conferences will be held now that Biden is in office.

Assuming this event doesn’t get canceled by the Coronavirus this will be my first year attending Clickcon. My buddy Hal went last year and he stated that he really enjoyed the event so I’m hopeful that I will enjoy it and get something out of it myself.

Hal and I planned to ride up together for this event & share a hotel room which will save both of us a bunch of money on travel and hotel costs since nothing in Chicago is cheap in the slightest bit.

I’ll be sharing outtakes from this event later this year if everything goes according to plan.

If you are a model who is going to this event and want to shoot together please contact me and let’s get something booked!

If you have never heard of Shutterfest before then let me explain what it is to my viewers. Basically Shutterfest is a photography conference event that happens every year in St Louis, MO area at the Union Station.

Photographers from all over the world come to this event to get involved in all the activities that are going on there.

This year (2018) was my first time going and probably like most first timers I didn’t know what to expect so I tried my best to pick my classes that were #1 on my list. I didn’t get all the classes I wanted but I attended the ones I did get none the less when I got there. I did walk out of one class which was a demo because it was lame as fuck.

In the end, I ended up only getting useful information out of a couple of the classes but majority of them were just a waste of time. However, classes isn’t all Shutterfest has to offer.

Shutterfest has everything from photowalks, classes, hands on, live demos, rent a human, stores to buy gear, goody bags and much more!!

The thing is you have to be FAST to get booked for majority of those things and I simply wasn’t fast enough to get everything I wanted my first year. 

I already booked for Shutterfest 19 which will take place next year only because they offered it as a huge discount rate.

What pisses me off now is they announced that if you do not book a room at the Union Station Hotel that you will not get a goody bag at Shutterfest 19. I was one of those who didn’t book to stay at the Union Station Hotel for next years event because I simply did not like the pricing for said room. They are charging upwards of $600 a room to stay there for the 2 days that I will be there at this event which I found rather expensive!

Instead of booking a room at Union Station in St Louis MO next year I opted to rent a whole loft in downtown St Louis not far from Union Station for around $200 which is a lot more affordable! This year though Instead of driving home on the 2nd day in the middle of the night I plan to stay at my loft for 3 nights and drive back the 3rd day. 

If you are a photographer or a model you may be interested in going to Shutterfest as well. You can find out more about it at their website at shutterfest.com

Well that’s about all I have to say about Shutterfest 18. I hope you enjoyed this article and please leave a comment or a like!
I’ll report back in 2019 on what Shutterfest 19 brings me!

This will be my first year going to this conference event and I’m very excited and can’t wait to go. It’s going to be happening in 14 days from today and it’s a huge event. ShutterFest has everything from photowalks, classes, hands on, demos, models you can shoot and more!!

I’m going there to improve my photography skills and better my business at Snap Geek Photography!