Last week, Cindy and I attended the 2009 Cattle Industry Summer Conference in Denver, Colo. It was my first experience working as a photojournalist and blogger, on location, covering an entire event on behalf of America’s beef producers as the Beef Checkoff Program. Here are my top ten lessons learned while working on this event.

10. When taking photos, use the 360 degree method to capture every angle of the room.
9. Don’t be afraid to look silly or be in the way when using the 360 method.
8. Take good notes; this makes writing a blog post more efficient and concise.
7. Wear comfortable shoes. Cindy is a seasoned pro who wore flats, while I attempted high heels everyday. Hello, blisters!
6. Take advantage of the free food in the media room. Thanks to NCBA and Igentity for taking care of me all week. (The cookies rocked!)
5. Always be sure the record button is on when conducting an interview. It’s not fun discovering that after the fact!
4. Use your resources to get acquainted with the people and the topics that need to be covered throughout the meeting.
3. In one place, write down all user names and passwords for the following accounts: YouTube, Flickr, blogs, Twitter, Facebook, etc.
2. Be prepared to feel like a pack mule. With camera, flash, audio recorders, video recorders, notepad, agenda, pens, laptop, USB cables, card readers, etc., you really do start to feel like a pack mule.
1. Have fun! I had a blast covering this event, and it was a great learning experience for a young aspiring agriculture writer. Thanks to the cattlemen for their hospitality. Check out the event coverage here.