Ryan Sholin

I promise, at some point next Fall, I will emerge from the land of the bisy backsons and start showing up for some of the really cool conferences and summits and conventions that the cool kids put together.

But for now, I’ll continue learning (and schmoozing) vicariously through those of you lucky enough to make it to things like this:

NPPA Photojournalism Summit – Portland, Oregon – May 30 through June 2

Because I have my prejudices, that link drives you straight to the multimedia speakers schedule, which is fricking amazing:

Rich Beckman, professor of multimedia design and production at the University of North Carolina

Andrew deVigal, multimedia editor for The New York Times

Seth Gitner, multimedia editor for The Roanoke Times and Roanoke.com

Dirck Halstead, editor and publisher of DigitalJournalist.org

Richard Koci Hernandez, deputy director of multimedia and photography for The San Jose Mercury News

Tom Kennedy, managing editor for multimedia at Washingtonpost.com and Newsweek Interactive

David Leeson, executive producer for video and new media at The Dallas Morning News

Judith Levitt, Photo Producer for The New York Times

Regina McCombs, The Star Tribune

Jim Seida, multimedia producer for MSNBC

Brian Storm, president of MediaStorm

Joe Weiss, Creator and Developer of Soundslides

Are you kidding me? ALL of those people are going to be there? That’s just sick. Oh, and it’s not Web 2.0 conference expensive, either. Price range is $90 for student members to $300 for professional non-members for two days of multimedia goodness.

Actually, it’s better than goodness — it’s badness. So go to Portland, and give your multimedia some swagger.