As a photographer, the one thing you probably love more than (or at least as much as) creating a beautiful photograph is the gear you use to capture it. We don't just mean your prized camera, but also the lenses, the lights, the tripods and even the laptop and other computer gear you use to produce the finished product!

Recognizing your love of gear and the role it can play in helping you stay ahead of the competition, PPA has offered members the ability to access free and affordable equipment coverage. We want to make sure that we're helping you protect not only the equipment you love, but your livelihood as well. Read more here.

Working hard, but have little to show for it? PPA's Studio Management Services (SMS) business workshops have helped hundreds of studios, just like yours, gain control of their businesses and become financially stronger and more profitable. And one is coming to Atlanta--with a little something extra--March 12-14!

Our Business Breakthroughs Workshop can help you keep more money and take control. It's all in learning to manage your finances, price right, attract new clients and increase sales average per session to reach the "elusive" next level. The most amazing thing?  This workshop includes a private consultation with an SMS mentor and PPA accountant...meaning you'll walk away with actionable business and marketing goals AND a custom financial plan.

But this Atlanta class also features a special segment you won't get at any other Business Breakthroughs Workshop. Jen Basford of 3 Girls Photography is joining us for a day, meaning you'll be able to glean extra tips on senior sales and marketing specifics!

So, if you specialize in senior portraits (or want to) and have been thinking about gaining control of your studio with a Business Breakthroughs Workshop, this is the class you can't miss. All class sizes are limited, so register now before your spot is gone!

mukherjee_prem_blog.jpgThere's an overwhelming amount of work that comes with each job you do, particularly with a wedding. After the hours you spend covering said wedding, it sometimes takes days or multiple hours to finish the post-production. But what if we told you the editing could be done in just six hours?

That's what Prem Mukherjee has found with his ultra-efficient wedding workflow, and he's going to share his proven methods on February 28 at 2:00pm ET ("How to Edit a Wedding in Six Hours").

Find the Right Software
"I spent years learning different software to try to find the most efficient one for each step of the workflow," he explains. "It seems like between Bridge/Photoshop, you can do just about anything that you need...but that doesn't mean that those are the most efficient tools for each step of the process."

Be Consistent & Decisive
Prem adds that the most important things to remember in editing efficiently are consistency and decisiveness. "I do each job using the same process in the same order every time," he says. "Eventually, it becomes second-nature."

Why is this so important? Well, to Prem, one of the biggest time-wasters is indecisiveness. When you come across multiple single images, do you agonize between them, trying to pick the perfect one? "You need to just pick one and move on quickly," he notes. And though he knows there are infinite ways to process and edit an image, you need to "pick a direction and go for it without second-guessing yourself" and trying out multiple ways. Trust those skills you've been cultivating and trust your artistic instinct!

As Prem says, "The client isn't going to know what it COULD have looked like if you edited differently. They will only know what it does look like based on what you show them." And you'll be able to show them those images that much faster.

Tune in February 28 to learn more from Prem, including what software he uses and HOW he uses it (from start to finish) to edit his beautiful wedding images in six hours.
Every day we hear something on the news about Capitol Hill and legal or governmental issues. Many of us tend to tune it out after a while because it becomes difficult to sift through the subjects to find the ones that really impact us...and even then it's just plain hard to understand what's going on!

But that doesn't mean it's not important to know what's going on. Will a legal decision affect your business? Is there a law being debated that will help or hinder your copyrights? As the only professional photographic association with a full-time Copyright & Government Affairs staff that maintains a regular presence on Capitol Hill, PPA has dedicated itself to protecting and defending your intellectual property and livelihood. We can help you focus your attention where needed.

Here is a quick look at some important issues you should be watching.

PhotoShelter, the worldwide leader in photography portfolio websites, sales and marketing tools for photographers, today released a new free educational guide, How to Grow a Wedding Photography Business. This guide offers essential tactics and strategies to help emerging wedding photographers build a brand, market their services, and attract new clients. The guide also includes firsthand interviews from successful photographers who offer real tips on how to innovate and beat the competition.

The guide can be downloaded directly here: http://bit.ly/PSwedding

How to Grow a Wedding Photography Business coaches photographers on both basic and advanced approaches to grow a thriving wedding photography business including:

  • How to build a unique brand and effectively market to prospects
  • How to establish competitive pricing tiers
  • How to improve search engine rankings to attract the right client
  • How to grow a network and reach new clients through Facebook, Twitter, and blogging
  • How to be the hero on the wedding day, and master post-wedding image delivery
  • How to influence the most powerful marketing tool of all: word of mouth

Each section provides key takeaways to help photographers immediately advance their business with smarter and faster approaches than ever before.

How to Grow a Wedding Photography Business is the latest in PhotoShelter's ongoing series of free business guides for photographers and marketing professionals. PhotoShelter's e-book library includes 18 educational guides including topics like email marketing, search engine optimization, and starting a photography business. All can be downloaded here: http://bit.ly/psresearch.
The call for instructors is now open for Super Monday classes to be held on or around Monday, May 14, 2012. February 29 is the deadline to volunteer. We hope you will consider spending a day sharing your knowledge and experience teaching a Super Monday class. Besides the experience and new networks you'll gain from speaking, you will earn two speaking merits toward a PPA degree. Submit your instructor registration form by February 29, 2012.
PPA wants to send a round of congratulations and thanks to our newest Life members in honor of their years of dedication to this industry and association! To earn a Life membership to PPA, photographers must be 65 years or older and have been a PPA member for 30+ consecutive years. Here's to 30+ years more in the industry and your PPA family!

Ralph Allen III, M.Photog.Cr.
Alan S. Brooker
Ed Broussard, M.Photog.Cr., CPP
Thomas R. Carter
Robert A. Clayton
Rex N. Enochs, M.Photog.Cr.
Jerome N. Fine
Lawrence W. Fowler
Robert Crane Hall
Sandy Levy
William R. Lloyd
Myron A. McMillan, M.Photog.Cr.
Russ Miller, M.Photog.Cr.
Christina L. Perry, M.Photog.
Jules A. Purvis, M.Photog.Cr.
Gerry Thomas
Eileen Wendt, M.Artist.Cr.
Corsentino_Michael.jpgWhere's the best place to shoot? What spot will add that special charm and awe-inspiring atmosphere to your on-location images? Join acclaimed photographer Michael Corsentino online for an in-depth, exciting and inspirational look at shooting wedding, engagement and environmental portraits ("Wedding & Portrait Location Strategies"). You'll learn the location strategies and secrets that have helped make Michael a top pro. This no-holds-barred, pull-back-the-curtain presentation is sure to help take your location shooting to the next level!

Sign up for it now and watch live at 2:00pm Eastern.
CollagesDesigner 2.0 is the newest free Album and Book design software available for Collages.net customers. This brand new program enables you to quickly create professionally designed and personalized albums and books. Choose your product, a folder of images, and then click Autoflow to watch your images be carefully inserted into a clean, professional design. Review the design, export a proof, share with your customers, and place your order - It is that simple.

  • Software is MAC and PC compatible
  • Autoflow feature creates professional design in seconds
  • Hundreds of page styles, masks, and backgrounds
  • Export proof for client preview

MAC and PC versions can be downloaded at www.collages.net/freedesignsoftware.  

At some point in your life, you resolved to take your love for photography and make it official—you were going to take proper measures to become a professional photographer.  Maybe that day was back in the summer of '71. Maybe it was the last in a series of contemplative moments you'd been having the last few years. Or perhaps, just maybe it was today—on some ordinary Thursday.

But whether you are green to the industry or a seasoned pro, never forget that your business skills are equally as important as your artistic skills. After all, your images can speak for themselves, but are your profits following suit?

Thing is, the business landscape of pro photography is tricky. And as artists, photographers often have a hard time grasping what the numbers mean. That's why PPA has championed business education for photographers, becoming the authority in the industry with our Studio Management Services (SMS). For 10 years, SMS has helped hundreds of studios like yours gain control of their businesses and become more profitable with industry-leading resources (like the Benchmark Survey), education, mentors and other business tools.

Want the best path to success—one that's custom-designed for your unique business? Want to be make smarter business decisions for long-term success? With SMS resources you have access to as a member, you can find the help you need practically every step of the way. Read the complete article here.

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