#Engage12 – In the pursuit of life long learning

I guess “bad pictures” might be a bit too harsh. Iphoneography is more like it….cause, in fact, that’s what they are. Not the sort of thing you expect to see here on this blog of refined and over-processed images, but its all I have from this event.

I love doing these collages in camera actually. I use an app called picframe if you are interested by the way. Still amazes me what can be done with a phone…..A PHONE!

I may have mentioned it before here on the blog, but if you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, I am sure you have seen a few images and posts from this recent event we were honored to illuminate. By we, of course I mean our team from my other area of interest and playground of sorts….Hy-Lite Productions. Although its my business, career, and main source of income, I still feel like I get to play at work. Like a kid with a large toy box of lights, cable, and heavy stuff……I often find myself painting the interiors of ballrooms with light.

As we were quite busy doing just that over the 4 day event called Engage12 at the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, I didn’t take the time to capture the events quite like I have in the past. That’s OK though, as there was some amazing photographers and videographers capturing the ambiance of each and every event, but more on that in a minute.

As I have mentioned before here on this somewhat of a subjectless collection of words and posts that I call a blog, the paradigm of education as we know it is changing…..drastically. (here he goes again!) I have my own prediction about the inevitable downfall of high priced and antiquated higher education and out of date institution that it has become. It’s pretty easy to see that a new platform of learning is becoming the new norm. With specialized online learning on absolutely EVERY subject under the sun available to anyone with a smartphone and an internet connection, and the speed at which the evolution of this content is evolving, the old way of delivering this information is in jeopardy. Stop and reread that. Do you honestly think that in 10 years, people are going to be shelling out 80K a year for college?

Really?

Let’s face it, the old norm of getting a college degree and expecting to work for 40 years, never retraining, working the same gig, expecting the knowledge that you acquired decades ago to be relevant, and all the while, expecting to get a pension is all but completely gone. Some still can’t see this…. like the many who couldn’t see the downfall of the newspaper.  Hmmmmm….

Of course, another rant for another day….

Anyway….

As we are social creatures at heart, its no surprise that industry specific conferences like Engage12 are the new paradigm shift happening all around us. Continued learning can and does happen online, but it’s events like Engage that bring industry pros together and “recharge creative batteries” in what can be a sheltered exsistance as an entrepreneur or business owner. For example, from their website:

Intimate by design, and limited to no more than 250 attendees and speakers each, engage! gathers many of the ‘best of the best’ in the wedding industry. engage! events seek to offer something not found in other conferences. Careful attention is paid to creating an intimate atmosphere of effortless networking in a non-client, non-competitive environment—allowing for an open exchange of ideas, information, inspiration and candid discussions of the issues, challenges and unique opportunities facing everyone in today’s luxury wedding industry.

It was refreshing to be a part of this amazing event amongst like minded people to not only connect with industry pros, discuss future trends, recharge our own creative batteries, but also to be able to play or shall I say, “paint with light” as our gift to all that attended!

I’m proud to say that I personally “get it” and will continue to be a life long learner 🙂

When I’m not, I might be found behind the lighting console like I was below (once again, Iphone footage….I still cant believe you can do that with a phone!)

And about those other pictures, check out this post here from a blog from one of the attendees. Its an amazingly detailed account of the 4 day event with some incredible images by the team covering the event.

Yeah, I would say that passionate continued education is alive and well for all who want to excel….what do you think?