After these past few days, you’re probably thinking, “Here comes another post about WP Engine,” but actually, no. I’m not sharing my thoughts on that here; I have views on it, but I’ll save those for another platform.
When I first learned I was going to be a photographer for this event, I felt both excited and anxious. I had never shot an event before, so I was a little apprehensive about what could happen. Would the rooms be well-lit? Would it be sunny? Would I shoot at the right shutter speed? These were just some of the thoughts running through my head.
As the event approached, I became more excited and less stressed, which was a relief. I learned that many colleagues were going, and I was thrilled to reconnect with them.
When I arrived at camp, people ran up to me, saying they recognized me from my photos or through LinkedIn and Slack. This blew me away! I thought I was just another person in the WP world, so it felt really special to have people approach me.
As the days went on, I met even more people who enjoyed my photos and kept asking when they would go live. I promise I’m still editing and will post them soon! (As of September 23, 2024, I still haven’t finished them all.)
I will say this: WordCamp US can be intimidating as your first camp. I speak from experience, and I’ll give a shout-out to my good friend Jeff, for literally saying this the other day when I asked him about it, so you are welcome and no, we are NOT buying another domain about this. (inside joke)
There’s just so much going on-so many side events and parties. There are also many people, and it can be hard to know who to talk to. However, once you start connecting, you won’t want to stop.
Once the camp is over, you will feel a sense of depression and hard to come back to reality. I was there, believe me. All this planning and then its “poof* GONE. But that is one thing about WordCamps, the connections will always be there and continue to be strong.
This camp felt different for me-maybe because I knew so many people and felt more connected than ever, or perhaps because I was in a different element as a photographer. But really, we all know the REAL reason it felt different, and I’m not going to discuss that.
This camp was special to me. It was the first time I traveled by myself to the West Coast and back. Even though my bag was lost on the way home because it was put on a different flight, I still enjoyed my time with many new friends, old friends, and all the different people I connected with.
The experiences of hanging out with friends, sponsors, and colleagues are unique to WordCamps, given how spread out we all are. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve laughed that much in a week… ever. The inside jokes, the laughing and yelling at friends, it all was just so much fun. Seeing other people doing the same, it shows how much of a community WordPress really is and I really hope it never goes away.
I strongly encourage those who are just starting in the industry or looking to get more involved to do so. I was once in your shoes, and now I look forward to connecting with even more people and giving back even more.
I believe the WordPress community is strong and will only continue to evolve over time.
Now, for the downsides of the camp.
There weren’t too many issues I encountered at the physical camp. The food was “okay”-not the greatest, but not the worst. I know this is often a concern, but I’d say the food was better than at other camps I’ve attended.
As for the venue, I loved it! I thought it was much better than WCUS 2023. However, one issue I had was that the rooms for the talks were hard to find. Even though there were displays at the front of the room, I think there should have been more signs.
Regarding the sponsor hall, I thought the organization was great, but the author booths felt a bit cramped and were hard to access since they were all clustered together. It was also freezing in there-every so often, you’d get hit with a blast of cold air that lingered.
As for Portland, all I can say is that we relied heavily on Uber. Depending on where you stayed and how comfortable you were with walking, my friends and I did a lot of Ubering.
The talks were overall really good, especially the ones I attended. Some I enjoyed more than others, while a few didn’t capture my interest, but that’s a personal preference.
I look forward to returning next year-whether as an attendee, part of the photo team, or an organizer!