News (blog)

PPW, IOPC and Facebook Members:

ANNUAL PROP-SWAP PHOTO CHALLENGE

Sunday (April 24th), at 12:30 pm.

Meeting in front of the greenhouse at Manito Park / Duncan Gardens.

Each Photographer needs to:

1. Bring 1 prop that can easily be carried in one hand or under one arm. Be aware that this prop may get dirty, lost, damaged or broken so keep this in mind when you pick one out. We suggest keeping your prop a secret until you show up with it. If we all do this, no one will have an unfair advantage over all the others. 
2. Bring 1 memory card that you can use and leave with us when the challenge is completed, along with a self addressed, stamped envelope. (Please address the envelope VERY easy to read as this is how we will return your memory card to you). 

This is going to be a lot of fun and very challenging. There will be people available to assist if needed. Please keep in mind that this is intended to be an “independent” shoot to test each photographers abilities to think quickly on their feet. Lets see who has the ability to reach into their “creative bag of tricks.”  We highly recommend a tripod and cable release if you have one.

We will give all rules and answer any questions between 12:30 and 12:55. At 1:00 pm sharp, we will have a “shot-gun start” which will begin the competition. Each photographer will have one (1) hour to take up to 36 images. YES, THIS IS LIMITED TO 36 IMAGES. If a memory card is turned in that has over 36 images on it, the FIRST 36 are the only images that will count for this competition and all others will be discarded. Every image MUST include the prop in the image and may be chosen to be the “main subject” or simply part of the scene. This is completely up to the photographer. The emphasis is on creativity and how the photographer incorporates this prop into the image.

To Register for this event, each photographer will need to:

• SEND AN EMAIL TO: info@ontheedgeimages.com with the following information -

• Name of Photographer
• Shipping Address 
• Phone Number
• email address

We are collecting this information ahead of time, so we know who and how many to expect. 

This is open to “ALL PHOTOGRAPHERS AT ALL LEVELS.” Members of IOPC and PPW will be there to answer any questions about club and / or organization issues if anyone requests it.. 

The initial “in camera” images (Up to 36), will be emailed back to each photographer. The photographer needs to select 3 of these images to be the FINAL PICKS and do any and all post production processing to them. Once completed, the final 3 images need to be emailed back, in completed format and at 72 dpi / 1080 px on the height. 

The BEFORE AND AFTER images will be shown at the first IOPC meeting of the season, (Thursday, September 1st, 2016) and be voted on by any and all who are in attendance. There will be no names attached to these images to keep the voting as fair as possible. Please title each of the 3 entries and put it  “IN THE FILE NAME.” We also strongly recommend NOT posting any of these images on social media until this challenge is finalized. Once the voting is completed, we will post all images, along with the winners on the IOPC and PPW FaceBook pages.

And for those out there that are saying, “So are there prizes for the winners?” Why yes there are. We are rounding up a collection of prizes with a top prize of a new Lowepro Camera Backpack, just waiting to put the winner’s camera gear inside.

So tell all your family and friends and let’s make this photography challenge one that everyone will remember.

Get those emails in quickly guys . . .

* Yes we had photos, but this website does not allow members to place them. Sorry . .. 

Hearing or reading the words of a review when deciding to purchase something on Amazon or Ebay helps sell a product. But to know the person who expressing their personal testimony holds a higher standard. Especially if they are a peer of your profession.

Here are a couple of examples why you should attend the Spring Conference 2016 called Imagination Sensation!

______________________________________________________________

"Attending the PPW conference last year was one of the best decisions I've made for my business. I attended the conference hoping to improve my business and left the conference with a new vision for it. After implementing much of what I learned there, instantly, my business thrived in a way it never had before. I understand now that conferences like these along with the connections made there are vital to the success of your business."                                 —Sharon Biddinger

______________________________________________________________

Here is what I would say about the Marten’s after have taken their program at IE last year.

Here is a team that is in the trenches, truly working in the business of photography, they have incredible insight about what needs to be done to be a success as a photography studio!  

The one thing that we have taken away from Clark and Rachel is that you have to WORK to be a success at this business.  It not as simple as so many speakers lead you to believe.  Posting an image on social media and the phone rings and then you are paying the bills and making a great living does not happen.  They guide you through the steps of getting clients to walk through your door, photographing clients and then selling the clients beautiful wall portraits.  

Our business is growing because I am working 5 times harder to make it grow!  Rachel and Clark gave me pieces to a huge puzzle and they serve as the picture as to how the puzzle goes together.

At IE I had 35 hours with them and that surely was not enough time, but I was on fire and willing to go to work when I left.  And it was their passion that kindled my fire.  

I believe it will be the passion that they have that will be the greatest asset to our conference.

Mary Ann Breshears

______________________________________________________________

HERE IS MY GOAL FOR CONFERENCE 2016

To make Spring Conference an annual nexus for our membership, an event no one wants to miss, ever.  To help members realize what a bargain our Spring Conference is for them, to have access to such fabulous national speakers right in their own backyard. To involve our younger members in a way that will tie them to us forever.                                                                                         -Rachel Ikenberry, Conference Chair 2016

______________________________________________________________

Come join us to hear Clark & Rachel & Rudi Marten and learn more about how to get your business on the right track. Plus more fun and fellowship than you can imagine! Learn more here.

Print Competition………ahh, from the first PPW conference I attended years ago to now, this event inspires and personally challenges everyone watching, but especially the print makers.   It’s a day you must be there!  And it’s free to all!

Thoughts flood my mind:   Who will be entering this year?  Will my favorite portraitist enter?  Will it be a skinny vertical again?  Maybe I can sit with the guy that won all those trophies last year!

Will my entries measure up?  Oh, dear, have I overused photoshop?  I really need to be better at that.  Guess that's why I'll be glued to a front row seat on Tuesday morning to hear Dave Cross.

Of course I will "shoot" for a trophy, but I'm such a novice that  I will learn so much from just seeing everyone's images, learn from the judges’s comments how they choose the best.  Can't wait!

Every year I am so amazed at the phenomenal education I get in watching live judging. Strict rules of presentation, kelvins of light on the print being judged, and a set viewing distance between the image and the jurors are followed.   In the dark room all is quiet; only the voices of the judges are heard, except for an occasional gasp from the audience! 

However, PPW has a live simulcast of the judging in another room we designate as CLUB 79.  The public is invited to join the expectant image makers here to await the decisions.  However, it’s a place to comment, to clap, to “take bets” on the score with the one closest winning candy!  You will probably find me there!

Whichever place you choose you’ll come away with ideas for creating your own winning images.

Challenge yourself.  ENTER COMPETITION 2016.  Maybe this year you’ll earn the extra merits you need for your next PPW Degree of Excellence.

I’ll be watching for your conference registration and your print entry case!!

See you Saturday, 2/27, 8am – 3pm, Olympia Red Lion

Don't forget:  your print case entry is due no later than 2/22/2016!  Look at the details and submission forms on our website.

Rachel Ikenberry

2016 Conference Chair  

Clark, Rachel, and Rudi Marten look at photography differently. They look at it as a business…not as a photographer. 

Don’t be confused, fine portraiture is the product, but they know how to market and sell it like masters. So much so they have more than doubled their business in the last four years, and opened a new 10,000 square-foot studio in Montana’s largest city after 28 years in their rural home-studio. 

They are thriving, and will be sharing how they’re doing it.

The Martens specialize in family, high school senior, and children’s portraits. Their studio pulls clients from over 350 miles away and they enjoy an unprecedented $4,550.00 sales average.

You will learn the process, words, and emotion they use to get top-dollar sales. They will also explore portrait products, and show ways to elevate your style that will stand above your competition.

Watch how they use off camera flash with seniors and families to create lighting not practiced by “any person with a camera.” You will also see the artistic, creative arrangements they create that encourage wall portraits. The Martens inspired use of artistic edges and creative special effects make for a product unlike anything most clients have seen.

You will also learn how they market differently with displays, fundraising, social media, direct mail, and lead sourcing to attract better clients. Their proactive approach has more than doubled their client list and made them the premier photographer seen everywhere in their area. 

Numerous photographers have studied with Clark and Rachel and gone on to increase their gross income greatly, but the real difference is the sense of achievement. Feeling that they have a plan, and a strategy to that plan with actions to how it’s going to be achieved.  

You will walk away from the Martens with a spirit, tools and motivation to build a successful photography business. You will learn how to close the gap between being a photographer and creating wealth for yourself and your family. You’ll quickly see that if they can do it in “nowhere” Montana…you can do it, too!

Take Away

• How to use soft control and emotion to determine in the sale who your decision maker is and how to introduce price at the perfect time in a manner comfortable for the client.
• How to determine what your business needs to be to support the life you want and need; and then what you have to do differently in your business so you can be in control of your growth and finances.
• Why systems are important to your business success, and how to create them.
• How to find and attract the kind of clients who love your work and won’t negotiate price.

Register today to hear the Martens speak at Imagination-Sensation PPW Annual Conference on February 29, 2016.

The Race to the Bottom
(and why you shouldn't participate!)

Every day, the photography industry gets more and more competitive. New people who enter the market without understanding the business side drive prices downward. 

Often, the first reaction of many is to compete with these new photographers based on price point, with many people thinking “if I’m less expensive, I’ll get more business.”

They couldn’t be more wrong.

Join David as he explores different business models and the benefits and pitfalls to each. Learn where to position your business to best coordinate the profit you seek with the volume you can handle.

Register today to hear David speak at Imagination-Sensation PPW Annual Conference on February 28, 2016.

A little about David - A member of the Professional Photographers of America since 1977, David has been in the industry since 1976. Currently, he and his wife Kirsten own and operate Grupa Portrait Studio in Maplewood, MN where they specialize in HS Seniors, families, and sports team photography. 

As one of just over 50 Certified Professional Photographers in the State of Minnesota, David has been awarded the Master of Photography and Photographic Craftsman degrees from the Professional Photographers of America (PPA), along with the Accredited Photographer, Fellowship and Service degrees from the Minnesota Professional Photographers Association (MNPPA).

He is a firm believer in the power of professional associations; David is a past-president of both his local and state affiliates, and was the 2012-2013 President of the Northern Light Professional Photographers Association. David also represents Minnesota as a current member of the PPA Council. 

Since 2008, David held a position on the Board of Trustees for PPA Charities, the charitable arm of the PPA. In 2007, he challenged a group of photographers to raise money for this charitable cause. Offering them the opportunity to shave his head as a reward, they raised over $5000! From 2013-2015 he served as the President of PPA Charities and is still active today.

David has 2 adult sons; Mark and Joseph.  He and his wife Kirsten (also a Certified Professional Photographer and Cr. Photog.) have twin daughters, Kathryn and Sylvia, and reside in Maplewood, MN. When he’s not busy in the studio, you’ll find him volunteering for various community and professional groups. In the summer months, Target Field (or other ballparks) become his hangout.

A few weeks ago, PPW asked members to submit images to test our new print competition scoring system. The old system stopped working and we needed to either purchase new equipment or do something different.  We've worked hard to find the best system possible with the most resources for our members.  That system turned out to be available through www.printcompetition.com. 

The folks at print competition.com have put together an great internet based system that scores prints, keep records and share the competition experience. But the best part is our members have access to hundreds, if not thousands, of competitions and critiques!

As a PPW member, the basic service is free.  PPW members will be able to register with PPW for our print competitions, pay your case fee, print  back labels for physical prints, print an entry form, receive an emailed score notice, have a permanent history of final score and limited access to past print judging’s. For PPW competitions you will only need to join at the FREE level in order to enter your images for competition.

For submitting a print to printcompetition.com normally costs $10/per print. This cost is waved for PPW because Premium Memberships to their web service covers it.  But you are not required to be a Premium Member to participate in our print competitions.  By you joining their Premium Membership for a very reasonable price you are in return supporting PPW.  They have two membership categories: the Premium Membership and a Per Event fee for non members. The Premium Membership is a modest $40 per year or $10 per quarter.  This gives you access to their complete archive of over 16,000 images and 2500 audio clips of judges’ comments.  Please visit the website for a complete explanation of their fees. 

On September 13th, we had our first test (Mock Competition) through in Renton with great results!  However, since this was our very first test, we could not share anything other than scores with you all.  On October 20th, we had a second test, also with great results, at which we made audio recordings of the judges’ comments. There is still a learning curve, but we now have a video of all the submitted images with comments on the PPW website.  

To view the video go to www.ppw.org, log in with your user name and password, go to the Member Area (three horizontal lines to the right of Contact on the navigation bar) then down to the Member Forum.  Look for the subject Print Critique Videos - Oct 20, 2015. There are two videos (1 for Mac and 1 for PC) in the topic for Print Critique Videos. The videos are only available in the Member Forum area of PPW’s website.

In an effort to improve service to our membership, the PPW board has instituted a new program.  We are always looking for ways to support your efforts at providing the highest standards of image creation.  Since competition supports those high standards, the board agreed to a pilot program for 2016.  While the exact details are still in the works, we will have 3 print Training Competitions with critiques throughout our state.  These Training Competitions will give everyone an opportunity to create and improve their competition images from event to event before the big Print Competition at the PPW convention or International Print Competition at PPA.

If you have further questions about print competition.com or our past or future Training Competition, contact John Perea.

Are You Involved?

Greetings to all of my fellow members and friends. My hope is that as you read this you are recovering from the heat and dryness of the summer, and enjoying the many colors, textures, and business that autumn in Washington State brings us. 

You can read this and many other articles in the Autumn 2015 issue of Washington Photographer

Speaking of colors, by the time you read this the association’s fall event, the Prosser Balloon Festival, will be long over. I hope that you were able to break away for a weekend and join us here among the eastern Washington fall color. If not, you missed a great event. I personally missed the summer event in Leavenworth and am still kicking myself for backing out at the last minute. Everyone who attended reported having a fantastic time. I want to give a very special thank you to Ralph Allen and to Heidi Swoboda, our Vice President, for arranging these events for our members.

That leads me to the theme of my message for this season: involvement. 

The other day I received a phone call from an association in my town asking me to join. For a couple of hundred dollars I could belong to the organization, have my name in their directory, on the website, and receive discounts from other members. Although it was a great offer, and actually a great organization to belong to, I turned it down. Why? 

Because I couldn’t be involved. Frankly, I’m too busy with everything else in my life and couldn’t see myself spreading my time assets even thinner.

The same holds true for the Professional Photographers of Washington. I desperately want you to get the full benefits of your membership. For that matter, I know that the entire board, executive board, and our executive director Faye Johnson are very dedicated to making that a number one priority. It was an intense major theme to our summer board retreat, and a central part of our goals for the year. 

Getting the most out of your membership requires you. What do you want out of your membership? What are your desires and goals? Do you want to be a better photographer? A better business person? Do you want to make photography your full-time profession? Do you want a degree in photography? Do you want to hang out and have fun with people who see the world through a lens like you do? That is up to you. Just know that whatever you want, PPW is here to help you reach those goals. 

You can read this and many other articles in the Autumn 2015 issue of Washington Photogrpapher

I know this because jusI know this because just a few years ago I really wanted to be a professional photographer. I wanted to make my living with it. I wanted to make art that people hung on their walls. I wanted to be a success in this industry. I have leaned heavily on the Professional Photographers of Washington to help me reach those goals. I’ve done that by getting involved, showing up, and being there as often as I could. From that, I have learned and gained so much more than I ever expected. My hope is that you will do the same. 

Please call your district representative. Go to a meeting either in your district or any other. Get involved and you will get way more than you ever thought possible. 

Wishing you all the best, 

Rich Breshears, FP, CPP

2015 dates for the Wall Portrait conference are June 14th to June 19th.

Brochures are printed and will be in the mail in a few days. THINK ABOUT A NICE CHRISTMAS GIFT TO YOURSELF, OR SOMEONE YOU LOVE! Be sure we have your US mail address, phone #, and email address. wallportraitcnf@aol.com (509) 248 6700. Eight North 8th Avenue, Yakima, WA 98902. (Remember, past attendees get a "hundred clam" break in cost).

It's said to be the best bargain of it's kind and quality in the entire country. I've attended it every year for over 30 years, and every year my sales go way up, immediately following. And so do all attendee's. Just ask ANY of the hundreds and hundreds of them. (For many, their sales skyrocket, and their business confidence is changed forever.)

Don,t miss it and don't delay it another whole year. That's a lot of time out of our productive lives, and a lot of wall portrait sales that "didn't happen".

Dear Window Users!

ALERT - if your Wacom tablet isn't working today, or you are having other technical issues with your Windows 7 computer - it is likely due to the Windows update that was released. Microsoft has released a fix but I'm finding it is still not correcting my tablet issues. Stay tuned or Google windows 7 update issues.

Here is a link to more information regarding the Windows 7 update:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2859120/windows-7-users-urged-to-uninstall-broken-update-that-wreaks-havoc-on-software.html

I suppose I should add that I am not a tech expert and I urge you to do your own research about this. Just want to give everyone a heads up.

Heidi Swoboda