VLV22 Recap & we're going back baby!
Vegas is on our minds again...someone pinch me! The upcoming Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekender 2020 is practically around the corner, and WE'RE PLANNING OUR TRIP BACK! EEEP! I realized I never blogged about our first year adventures...
...but first, a little back story...
Since I started my niche in
Pin Up and Boudoir Photography last
8 years ago, it has always been a DREAM of mine to make it to the
Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly weekender! If you don't know anything about it, to sum it up, it's pretty much the biggest vintage, rockabilly, pin up, burlesque, music, car cruise, photo shoot events in the world!
To understand how I finally made it to Las Vegas for "VLV 22", rewind to summer 2018...
Every July Erie, PA holds the Gears and Grub Festival, showcasing local food, artists, musicians, and more. During the festival last year, we hosted the first Miss Gem City Pin Up Competition, where we met the beautiful and humble Miss Millie Rose Mitchell. This active duty military, vintage loving, glamorous gal took the crown, and the title of Miss Gem City 2018. With this win she was awarded a photoshoot with us, and the timing was right to take her photographs during our WWII B17 Bomber Experience Weekend
at the Erie International Airport! These images ended up being published on the cover, with a few inside spreads, in the 2018 Military Tribute issue of
Beach Beauties Magazine! Millie then used her favorite image I photographed to submit into the 2019 Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekender Miss Pin Up Competition. What an excitement it was when she was chosen as “Contestants Choice” via Facebook votes from all the other over 200+ contestants from ALL OVER THE WORLD trying to make the cut!
She was immediately set to walk the stage in the Las Vegas competition! That’s when we knew it was time to pack up the cameras and fulfill a dream of mine! Most importantly, we had to go cheer on our now good friend Millie!
To make the trip possible we offered and booked Vegas Photo Experiences in multiple locations, and obtained guaranteed publishing
again before we even flew out! To be honest, this was only my 3rd trip out-west and I was coming out of my skin with excitement!
Our first Vegas Photo Shoot Experience took us to Freemont Street with Miss Petunia Curls!
WOW, was that a crazy adventure! There were constant lighting changes from all of the lit buildings, massive crowds of wild people, and the occasional curious passerby who would stop to ask what we were doing or to snag a photo themselves. Heck I even ended up lying on the ground for a few photos! (In hind sight I probably should have showered immediately, but that's me to sacrifice body for the sake of getting the good shots!)
The next day we hopped over to the start of the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Car Cruise! We were lucky enough to connect with a local car club, "that's not a car club", before our trip, and boy did we have fun with those guys! I photographed multiple gals with a 1957 Ford Fairlane 500, as well as other cool rides in the group!
The full Car Cruise Saturday was such a blast! We shopped amazing retro vendors, were fed carne asada (YUM!), met cool cats, listened to good music, took more photos, AND met the lovely gals from
Rocket Magazine! A few images from our Freemont Street Experience, as well the Car Cruise, ended up published in the
Viva Las Vegas 2019 Special Edition. I am also honored to have my work published several times in their stellar Pin Up themed magazine since!!
Our final shoot location took us pool-side where I photographed Miss Petunia Curls and Rae O’ Sunshine! These colorful photos ended up published in the “Girls of Summer” Beach Beauties Magazine issue!
One of our Pin Up’s, Miss Petunia Curls, took this trip from our neck-of-the-woods and turned it into a dream Birthday vacation! She booked not 1, not 2, but 3 shoots with us, AND joined in on all kinds of Viva Las Vegas Photo fun! I will never forget the amazing memories we created together, and loved every minute of it!
"Getting to travel to Las Vegas and hang out with Pin Up Penny was more amazing than I could have ever imagined. Stepping out of my comfort zone to be photographed in front of hundreds of people on Freemont Street was my favorite part! Between my hair, makeup, photoshoot and the experience of it all, I felt like a movie star! I can say with confidence that I will not only be returning to Las Vegas for the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly weekender, but I WILL be booking a shoot again with Penny while I’m there!"
So ladies, who is ready for Viva Las Vegas 23?! We sure are!! We will be returning for the Annual Rockabilly Weekender and are currently in the process of creating all kinds of fun and unique Photo Experiences for you!
Meet us there for one of the most amazing Pin Up Photo adventures ever!
Just today I secured a unique vintage location I don't think anyone has done what we do in, and I'm excited to announce in the next few days! Eeep!
Dates and locations announced ASAP!
Email penny@pennyshaut.com to be the first to get the info about our Las Vegas Photo Experiences!
Photo Experiences NOW POSTED for
Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend #23, 2020!
