A couple of years ago, before the opening of my solo exhibition The Wild Ones, I had a reiki session to set my intentions and clear my energy field. My intention was specific. I wanted to FEEL what I did. And feel I did. I cried often out of happiness, allowing myself to feel the weight of what I had accomplished.
Fast forward to October 2026, when I was invited to be a keynote speaker at Way Up North, a wedding photography conference in Valencia, Spain. My first time speaking on a stage like this, in front of hundreds of fellow photographers and creatives. My talk was about becoming recognizable, finding your own voice, trusting your intuition, and ultimately, becoming more of yourself. Little did I know, that same intention to FEEL what I did would creep up again, in a way I never expected.
Way Up North requires lots of homework, including B-roll videos of anything and nothing at the same time, and lucky for me, I have a stash of digitized old family videos from the 60s-90s. What I wasn't expecting was to be so damn surprised.
30 minutes before you go on, you wait backstage in the green room. I tried going over my notes, but my brain stopped working. Britney's "Gimme More" came on, with her infamous line "It's Britney, bitch," so I started dancing to calm my nerves. The fabulous Fleur Vandenbosch, this year's host, said, "You should come out and say 'It's Christina, bitch.'" I clapped back, "You should say 'It's motha f*cking Christina McNeill, bitch.'" AND SHE DID IT. She introduced me, and this video started to play. A surprise for the audience AND for me.
I fought so hard not to let the tears drip down my face, but seeing my grandparents, my parents, my family, my dogs, my husband, my life, all the things that matter most to me, up on that screen, it was inevitable. I walked on stage crying (and folks were cheering because they were just as surprised by Fleur's introduction!). It was perfect and spontaneous at the same time.
Way Up North was exceptional. The thoughtfulness, the community, the production value, the talent, the editing. The bar is high. I didn't know a single person going into this and I left with new friends, a deep appreciation for this warm and inviting community, and the feeling I'd found my people. I can't wait to go back. Thank you, Cole Roberts and the entire WUN family! You really are magic makers. Thank you for inviting me into your world.
Above is the full three-minute intro video that played before I walked on stage, and below is how the conference began including all the speakers. It takes a lot for me to gush, and I just think this edit is remarkable. I had the best time in Valencia!