- Letters from Hangout Party Visitors -

Hi everyone!

I wanted to drop a few lines to say how much I enjoyed attending the
mixer. To be honest, I wasn't going to attend due to the distance,
but I'm glad Toni and Catalina convinced me to go. Otherwise, I
wouldn't have had the opportunity to meet and chat with some of you.

When Toni and I arrived, I have to admit I felt a little awkward not
knowing anyone, including the host. But, then I bumped into Charlie
Couch, a photographer who did great work with a model I was
developing and up until that point, I only knew him by his voice on
the telephone. So, that was cool. There was another photographer
there who Charlie introduced me to and it dawned on me that he and I
occasionally joked around on OMP chat. So, that was very cool! I
don't ever meet people on chat. You know how that goes. I mean,
what're the odds?

Then, there were photographers that Toni and Catalina had previously
worked with and introduced me to. That was very cool, because really,
I was only attending the party on their behalf. So, it was nice to
know that they were comfortable and among friends. As their model
manager, I worry a lot about getting them in precarious situations.
In short, big sigh of relief for me. Lol.

For me personally, the best part was being able to shoot-the-corn
with other photographers. I like the candid conversations about their
studio setups, gear and even a bit about their background. I
personally find discussions regarding Home Depot parts and jury
rigged backdrops highly entertaining. Being the budget conscious guy
that I am, I'm always looking for ideas on how to stretch my used-to-
be mighty dollar.

Lemme see...what else? Oh yeah, kudos to Bob and the photographers
who took the time to set up shooting areas. I was impressed. Overall,
I was pleased with the general atmosphere. There were no stumbling
drunks, pervs disrespecting the models and bloodshot eyeballs giving
me strange looks. Oh!...and the bathroom was clean! Haha. All in all,
the entire op gets my thumbs up! ...I figured I'd mention this for
those reading my post who haven't yet attended. Now that you know,
attend the next party! It's a good networking opportunity.
Especially, if you're a model. :-)

Well, I think I wrote enough. Bob!...kudos to you guy. You have a
great thing going there in San Jose. Thanks for doing that and keep
up the good work.

Regards,
Joe

Hi Everyone,

I had a great time at the party on Friday night. It was really nice
to meet those of you that I did, and catch up with a few others I
hadn't see or talked to in a little while. Thank you Bob for
organizing such a successful event. I made many contacts and was
extremely pleased to get a few new friendships underway.

I sat in that little corner on the bed for a while, as many of you
noticed, and I gotta tell you...what I saw was incredible. I didn't
see anyone standing alone for very long. There were photographers
and models of all skill and experience levels interacting and it was
great to hear the room filled with chatter and laughter. Everyone
seemed to be in really good spirits with proactive intent for the
evening.

I just posted a couple new photos in my folder here, and I look
forward to seeing what was created at the party Friday.

I hope everyone is doing well. Please, feel free to email me for any
reason.

Talk with you more soon,

Liriel