PPGH Viewfinder April 2016

Photo by: Dixie Dobbins, M.Photog, Cr., CPP

CONTENTS PPGH Mee ngs/Events PPGH Image Compe

on

Regional Events Publisher Tom Hathcock Editor Theresa Campbell Graphic Design/Layout Theresa Campbell Jeanie Galvanni Copy Editor & TPPA Rep Nicki Evans Simpson Proof Readers Dixie Dobbins, M.Photog., Cr., CPP Karen, Bu s, M.Photog., CPP Hallie Keller, CPP Kevin Falcon Teresa Casillas Kathy Scalf Photographers Kevin Falcon Denzal Love

Teri

PRESIDENT’S NEW MEMBERS MESSAGE

From Our Members

Hi! I hope you have all go en to see and enjoy the bluebonnets and Indian paintbrushes that are currently gracing our Texas landscape. I recently Teri Whi aker, CPP went out to my favorite wildflower loca on with my friend, Candy, and her dog Grace. Grace is five and we have made a habit, or tradi on, of taking Grace’s portrait in the bluebonnets every year. Both my schedule and Candy’s schedule is jam-packed, but I love that we make the me for this every year.

Due to a calendar crammed full of ac vity, I found that one of my favorite pastmes had gone by the wayside. I have always loved just curling up on the couch and ge ng lost in a book. This loss was incredibly frustra ng to me, but then I discovered audio books. Audio books have now become a significant part of my life. I listen to my books in the car, while I process images, when I wash dishes and also as I dig in the garden. It isn’t the same as curling up on the couch, but I am thrilled to once again be able to absorb great content from a book.

One book that I listened to recently was The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. In his book he said, “As people strengthened their will power muscles in one part of their lives—in the gym, or a money management program— that strength spilled over into what they ate or how hard they worked. Once willpower became stronger, it touched everything.”

A er I read that, I realized that I was seeing that play out in my life. I wrote last month that I am par cipa ng in a 365 Project (an image a day). Many of my daily photographs have been of flowers. I have been buying a lot of plants.

I have to tell you that in years past, I frequently bought plants, set them on the back porch with the inten on of po ng them, only to watch out the back window as they died. This year has been different. First, I haven’t missed a day of crea ng an image since I started the project (the first new habit). Then I found I wanted to reuse the plants I have been using for images, so I have po ed the plants (another new habit), and I am watering them (yet another new habit). All the while, I am building an inventory of fine art images to eventually be printed and sold!

I am currently on my second me (in a row) of listening to Ge ng Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Produc vity by David Allen and I am hoping to implement his process once I get back from SWPPA. I will let you know how it goes.

In the mean me, go out and enjoy our comfortable weather, take a ride to the bluebonnets, and maybe give a listen to an audio book on the way!

PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS GUILD OF HOUSTON 2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS To contact your officers or director, just click on their name.

Chairman of the Board Belinda Stanford, M.Photog.,Cr.,CPP

Execu ve Director Tom Hathcock M.Photog.,CPP, PPGH-Past President

President Teri Whi aker, CPP

Vice-President Aileen Harding M.Photog., CPP

Treasurer Nikky LaWell, CPP

Secretary Kevin Falcon,CPP

Director - Membership Laura Mansur, CPP

Director Sherry Piché, CPP

Director Alison Carlino

Director Orpha Garcia-Labohm

PPGH COMMITTEE MEMBERS Audit Chairman: Greta Jacobs-Mee, CPP Bylaws Chairman: Tom Hathcock, M.Photog., CPP Dixie Dobbins, M.Photog., Cr., CPP Alvin Gee, M.Photog., Cr., CPP Hallie Keller, CPP Kelly Willis Clean Up Board Liaison: Teri Whi aker, CPP Ethics Chairman: Dixie Dobbins, M.Photog., Cr., CPP Mindy Harmond, CPP Hallie Keller, CPP Curley Marshall, Cr., CPP Belinda Stanford, M.Photog., CR., CPP

1 APR 2016

Fellowship Chairman: Teri Whi aker, CPP Image Compe on Board Liaison: Sherry Piche´, CPP Chairman: Vera Brock Sandy Buller Blair Haynie, CPP Librarian Chairman: Curley Marshall, Cr., CPP Booker Shelton Membership: Chairman: Laura Mansur, CPP Sandy Buller Karen Bu s, M.Photog., CPP Kevin Falcon, CPP, Kathy Kinser, Hallie Keller, Kim Christensen, Mentor Program /Cer fica on Chairman: Curley Marshall, Cr., CPP

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Nomina ng Chairman: Tom Hathcock, M.Photog., CPP Karen Bu s, M.Photog., CPP Dixie Dobbins, M.Photog.,Cr.,CPP Alvin Gee, M.Photog., Cr., CPP Kim Hartz, M.Photog., CPP Hallie Keller, CPP PPGH Workshop Series Board Liaison: Tom Hathcock, M.Photog., CPP Chairman: Teresa Casillas Procedures and Controls Board Liaison: Teri Whi aker, CPP Vicki Longoria Social Media Board Liaison and Chairman: Kevin Falcon,CPP

Telephone Board Liaison: Orpha GarciaLabohm Karen Bu s, M.Photog., CPP, Mary Blackwell, Vera Brock, Kim Christensen, Blanca Duran Kevin Falcon, CPP, Irma Furnish, Aileen Harding, M.Photog., CPP Kathy Kinser, Nikky LaWell, CPP, Sherry Piché, CPP, Teri Whi aker, CPP Web Site Board Liaison: Kevin Falcon,CPP Web Master: Duane Blocker Marvin Labohm Welcoming Board Liaison: Curley Marshall, Cr., CPP

“...I’m so happy to have them on my website to help consumers See The Difference!”

Jaime Incontro, CPP

Be proud of being a pro!

Use the resources from the See The Difference consumer campaign so your clients and prospects can see the value in hiring a PPA photographer.

Download, link to, share and print these tools to show the difference a professional photographer can make and help your sales.

Use PPA’s resources!

Shareable Videos Logos Landing Pages Consumer Tips Customizable Brochures Side-by-Side Comparisons

PPA.com/SeeTheDifference

Marketable

FROM OUR MEMBERS

WHY I LOVE PET PHOTOGRAPHY | By Orpha Garcia-Labohm They are always wai ng for you at the door with wagging tails when you arrive home, or they have that soothing purr for you when you need comfor ng. They are a part of our family, a part of our lives. Be sure to capture that special bond you share with your loving pet forever.

People ask me why pet photography? I grew up with pets my whole life. I always loved cats and dogs. When I was two, my parents got our family a German Shepherd/Collie mix puppy. We named him “Smokey”, and he was very protec ve. My mother told me that when the mailman would try to deliver the mail when I was li le, Smokey would not let him come into the front yard.

The mailman asked me to go inside our house un l he le our mail. Smokey was fine with him at that point, as long as I wasn’t in the yard. He was a part of our lives un l I was 19 years old, and he was never forgo en. However, the only pictures that we had of him were snapshots with our li le cameras. Never professional photographs.

A er I had been photographing awhile, I thought, “Why not pet photography?” I began to see more and more photographers who specialized in animal photography. Don’t get me wrong: I s ll love taking images of newborn babies and children, but pets are my true love and I want to con nue to grow in

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this cra .

You get all kinds of pet personali es just like with children and adults. Some are friendly, some are shy and afraid. Some just want to get to know you: even going so far as trying to come to you during the session. It’s a challenge to photograph those. However, they don’t talk back to you (at least not too much) and you always finish your session with a smile.

It’s so important to have your special pet photographed because we never know when that dreadful me will come and we will lose them forever. I have had the honor of taking the image of several pets who I never thought that I would hear from the customer about their pet’s passing.

However, some customers have come back for more images.

One client told me that they had lost their 14-year-old rescue baby named “Chevy”, and she was so happy that she was able to capture him before he passed that she ordered addi onal images of him. In 2011, I photographed a Pomeranian named “Henry”. He was the pet of the customer’s husband since he was in high school. She came back and re-ordered several addi onal images of the dog.

Another animal was named “Sam”. He was the close pet of my co-worker’s daughter. They were inseparable. Sam came into their lives with numerous health issues. He was found at an animal shelter and was taken to the veterinarian, but Sam had more medical problems than they realized. The local animal rescue group Triumphant Tails had rescued him, only to discover that it would cost $500 per month for the medica ons prescribed to him, so finding a forever home that would be willing to pay for his medica on would be a longshot, so he never le the program. Sam was a bundle of love and so much fun to photograph. If only those brown eyes could talk!

Then there was my mom’s cat “Arlene”. Mom loved her cat. When my mother passed away, my brother took care of Arlene at his house, but she stayed outside. She was not a very friendly cat except to my mom and my sister. Sadly, Arlene passed away in 2015, but we are fortunate enough to have some images of her.

Lastly, we have a white miniature Schnauzer. She is our little girl “Kinsey”. We love her as if she was our child. Two

years ago, we almost lost her to liver disease right before the Southwest PPA conference. We really thought that was the end for her. She did pull through. I had taken images of her several mes before, but it was difficult because she is scared of the camera. Before last December we decided that when she turned 12 years old, we would take her to a professional to get her image done, and maybe Kinsey would cooperate for a different photographer. I didn’t want something to happen to her without having a professional image done.

We are now so thankful we had her photographed. Recently, Kinsey has go en very sick again and had to remain at the veterinarian’s for four days. Like the first me we didn’t think she would make it. But, that li le dog is a survivor and she pulled through again.

So please, have your fur babies photographed. You won’t regret it!

NEWOUR MEMBERS FROM MEMBERS

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QUALIFYING AND CLOSING | By Kat Mack We have all sat back scratching our heads at one me in our careers thinking, “how can I make more money and work less?” There is literally a ton of informa on out there and si ing through it to find the best solu on for your business can be a daun ng task.

You must first outline your business model.

FROM OUR MEMBERS

• What does it take to run your business in terms of me and money?

• What services and products will you offer?

• What staff will you need to accomplish your business goals?

• What are you willing to accept in a client?

To qualify our client we must decide what the client wants and whether that client fits our business model. It all starts with your ini al communica on with a poten al client. A first impression lasts a lifeme so make it a good one! If you’re having a bad day, your kids are screaming, or you’re at a swim meet, this might not be the ideal me to “woo” your poten al client.

Good idea: write a script beforehand to make sure you ask all the right ques ons. Ask your clients your list of ques ons. It’s as simple as it sounds: what do they want out of their photography session? This step can eliminate further me and energy spent chasing the client that just isn’t right for you. Not every person that calls has to be your client. You have the right to say no, especially if the person wants things that you are not able to or willing to offer. Once you determine this is the right type of client for your business, you can either move on to scheduling a consulta on/planning session or book something directly from your ini al contact.

Good Idea: Have some sample products available to show your client. During a phone consulta on or a face to face mee ng, get specific. In your consulta on, ask your client what products they are interested in purchasing, being sure to make your prices clear. Nothing is worse than your client returning for a sales session not understanding how much they will be spending and leaving with less than they wanted.

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Provide your service. Give your client the best experience. From the moment you book your new client remember they could be someone who comes back to you repeatedly. When your client is happy they will tell everyone and your reputa on will be solid.

The Sales Session. Every photographer has to do what works in their studio, this is my experience. In my studio I have tried many sales techniques. When I first started out I did not do sales sessions at all!

What a HUGE mistake that was! I relied solely on an online gallery. A er many, many sessions, I realized that I was only making my basic session fee and clients only ever ordered the bare minimum. I decided to start in-person sales sessions. I purchased samples of canvas collec ons, framed prints, albums, and an assortment of cool trendy stuff. My sales increased, but I was s ll le ng clients leave without making final decisions. This led to a massive amount of hours on my end chasing down clients to make decisions.

Then Magic Happened! I was introduced to a wonderful product called ProSelect. There are several products that have similar a ributes, but this is what worked for my studio. ProSelect allowed me to show my client how to display their art resul ng in be er decision making and higher sales.

The Dreaded Objec on. Don’t be afraid! We call this part of the sales session “the dance.” You are asking your client to part with poten ally thousands of dollars, be prepared for objec ons. Prac ce makes perfect. Remember to SHUT UP the first to talk, buys!

Good Idea: make some flash cards with objec ons and prac ce your responses so they come off naturally.

Delivery of products. When your clients’ products come in make it a big deal. They have just possibly spent thousands of dollars with you, make them feel important. I personally like to deliver products to my clients. I stop by a bakery on the way and bring some tasty treat with me.

Keeping in touch. Make sure you are following up with your clients and le ng them know when you have special offers. Consider using studio management so ware to track important informa on such as birthdays and anniversaries.

It takes a lot of hard work to be a successful business owner. Don’t be afraid to step out and try new techniques. Always keep learning and looking for the approach that best fits your needs. Failure is not always a bad thing, it’s only bad if you don’t learn from it.

BUILDING SELF ESTEEM OF TEENS & TWEENS | Wri en by Teresa Casillas Tomayia Colson did a wonderful job in her hands on class “Building Self Esteem of Teens and Tweens through Senior Portaits.” She covered many different ways to connect with seniors to get the best results for images. We prac ced asking ques ons and photographing a lovely model. We went through a typical session and how she would interact with the subject to put them at ease. Since the event was sponsored by WHCC there were some fabulous giveaways and Fill in the Blank Studio was so gracious in allowing us to use their wonderful space. Look for Tomayia for future classes you do not want to miss them.

WINNING WITH PHOTO BOOTHS | Wri en by Kathy Kinser NEWOUR MEMBERS FROM MEMBERS

Teresa Casillas’ workshop on Photo Booths was both fun and very informa ve. Teresa covered everything from setup and so ware to marke ng ideas.

Along with her photography business, Teresa has a successful photo booth business – MagicBoothRental.com. Everything was shared at this workshop and no secrets held back. The introductory presenta on was interac ve with quesons from students throughout. Handouts were provided which included a 30-day trial of Darkroom So ware and various other vendor informa on. As an example of informa on shared, Teresa explained how she created her stanchions at a lower cost than purchasing them. We set up the photo booth, chose our props and had a grand me being “hams” in the photo booth.

I can say with all sincerity that Teresa is indeed an expert in the photo booth business. She also is an excellent organized teacher, willing to share her wealth of knowledge in that field.

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PPGH MEETINGS & EVENTS 7 APR 2016

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PPGH MEETINGS & EVENTS

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PPGH MEETINGS & EVENTS 9 APR 2016

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PPGH’S NEW MEET UP GROUP | By Laura Mansur-Guerra, CPP PPGH recently held its first Meet s Up event in February. Our guest Posing Couples

PPGH PRNIT NEW MEETINGS COMPETITION MEMBERS & EVENTS

speaker was Melanie Hall, M.Photog, CPP and our featured topic was “Couples Posing”. A ending this premier event were models, Natalia Cas llo and Bobby Ware. They were in their element following the direcon of Ms. Hall. She worked in the natural light of the “Fill in the Blank“ studio, which provided the a endees ample opportunity to get lots of prac ce in this se ng. All 15 of the par cipa ng photographers watched intently as Melanie demonstrated a three light setup with a reflector. In addi on to hands-on prac ce, we watched Doug Gordon’s “flow posing for couples” from a You Tube clip. This video provided addi onal context for the par cipants to gain more knowledge about posing couples.

Our second Meet Up will be held on Saturday, April 2 at Trini Mendenhall Community Center. We will have two accountants speak to us about “The Process of Paying Taxes for Our Photography Business.” It should be an informa ve morning for everyone who is a ending.

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FROM OUR MEMBERS

FROM OUR MEMBERS

11 APR 2016

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HONE YOUR SKILLS IN IMAGE COMPETITION New Members: Did you know you can enter the PPGH Local Photographic Compe on at any level of membership? The image compe on held at our monthly PPGH mee ngs is a great way to hone your skills and get feedback from proven and respected professionals in this industry. These talented individuals volunteer their me to judge images and provide valuable feedback u lizing the 12 elements of a merit image. You can earn merits on a local level and progress your image to the next level of compe on to earn recogni on and even degrees through the Professional Photographers of America. All district compe ons lead to the annual Interna onal Photographic Compe on which opens for registra on May 23, 2016. Visit the links below to learn more about entering compe on. You will be glad you did.

To learn about the guidelines for entering image compe h p://www.ppgh.org/Resources/Documents/Image%20Compe Rules.pdf

on at PPGH mee ngs visit: on/2015%20PPGH%20Image%20Comp%20 Follow along with image judging on the Game Day App, downloadable from h ps://printcompe on.com/. Membership is optional

ing compe visit:

To learn about upcomons throughout the region

h p://www.ppa.com/compe

ons/

OTHER GUILDS AROUND TEXAS When you are traveling around Texas, stop by and vist one of the local affiliate guilds. Click on the links below to find out more about each one. Be sure to tell them you are from PPGH.

IMAGE COMPETITION / GUILDS

but if you join Print Competition.com you can search thousands of archival images to see scores and hear audio from the image competitions. It is a terrific resource.

Local Affiliates Aus n · Aus n Professional Photographers Associa on Bryan/College Sta on – Brazos Valley Professional Photographers Associa on Dallas · Dallas Professional Photographers Associa on Ft. Worth · Fort Worth Professional Photographers Associa on Lubbock · South Plains Professional Photographers Associa on San Antonio · Professional Photographers of San Antonio Tyler · Professional Photographers Forum of East Texas Waco · Heart of Texas Professional Photographers

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MARCH IMAGE COMPETITION WINNERS

First Place Master Garnet Rose

by Karen BuƩs, M.Photog, CPP

13 APR 2016

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MARCH IMAGE COMPETITION WINNERS

Second Place Master Eau De Parfum

by Dixie Dobbins, M.Photog, Cr., CPP

Honorable MenƟon Kids Will Be Kids

by Dixie Dobbins, M.Photog, Cr., CPP

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MARCH IMAGE COMPETITION WINNERS

Third Place Master Double Dare

by Karen BuƩs, M.Photog, CPP 15 APR 2016

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MARCH IMAGE COMPETITION WINNERS

First Place AcƟve Can I Come Home With You?

by Kim Kuhlman, CPP

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MARCH IMAGE COMPETITION WINNERS

Second Place AcƟve Monique

by Curley Marshall, Cr., CPP

17 APR 2016

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MARCH IMAGE COMPETITION WINNERS

Third Place AcƟve Gracefully Shaped

by David Johnson, CPP

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REGIONAL EVENTS 19 APR 2016

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Watch the Southwest District Compe

on Judging Live!

REGIONAL COMPETITION

Whether you have images in compe on or not, watching the judging process is a valuable learning experience. You can hear the District Compe on judges’ comments and cri ques, and see exactly what makes a merit image. So tune in April 1-2, from 9am to 6pm each day.

It’s super easy to watch (yes, it’s all free!): •Go to Stream.theIPC.org on your computer* •Log in with your PPA account or complete the short registra on •Get ready to learn what makes a merit image! *Audio is not enabled on mobile devices. For full audio and video, please view on a desktop computer.

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21 APR 2016

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FROM REGIONAL OUR MEMBERS EVENTS

MY TEXAS SCHOOL EXPERIENCE | By Theresa Campbell in Houston.

I was starstruck the first me I met Alvin Gee as I had driven by his studio a thousand mes and wondered what it must be like. I secretly dreamed of working for him and learning how to run a successful photography studio. Imagine my amazement to see him judging the print compe ons and a ending the mee ngs, so utterly kind and accessible. I had seen beau ful images hanging in my pediatrician’s office that were created by Cindy Crofford and now I could hear the story of how those came to be there.

My first class at Texas School was with Mary Fisk-Taylor and Jamie Hayes, two wonderfully loving and giving individuals. They shared so openly about their successes and failures, answered my ques ons - no ma er how basic, and Mary corresponded personally with me a er Texas School to help me get started.

She showed me how I could use my current skills to complement photography. Jamie showed me how simple ligh ng could be. My classmates were all levels of photography from beginners like me to established photographers just achieving their cer fica ons.

As I sat in the grand ballroom the first night at the opening event, I looked around and saw people just like me. They were young, they were old, they wore glasses, they had regular cameras and li le equipment, and most importantly, they were so happy to be there...pursuing their passions. I was home. It s ll makes me tear up when I think about it.

I didn’t think I would get to go last year but won a scholarship and at the last minute was signed up for a class with Doug Box, another fine, kind gentleman who gives deeply of himself to further this industry.

He taught me how easy off-camera flash could be, finding natural light, that I didn’t have to purchase all the latest and greatest equipment, and that I could get started N-O-W! Although I won’t get to go this year, you can bet I am already planning my week of Texas School in 2017 and keeping my fingers crossed that I get that special class with the next fantas c photographer who has graciously chosen to share their world with me.

I truly never expected such an open and welcoming community of fellow photography lovers. Texas School is not just an event, it is a life changing experience you will treasure forever. If you haven’t registered yet, what are you wai ng for?

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REGIONAL NEW MEMBERS EVENTS

When I first became interested in pursuing photography as a profession in 2010, I wasn’t sure how to begin. I had hired professional photographers for over 20 years in my role as a graphics manager for a professional construc on firm. They were primarily architectural photographers with a few event photographers sca ered in between for different corporate events. The majority of them were not interested in teaching me anything that might take away from their chances of being hired again. Who could blame them? Our company provided a pre y good stream of revenue for architectural photographers. Besides, I wasn’t really interested in architectural photography.

I had fallen in love with the charm of the portrait art of Lisa Jane (Murphey) New of Eden Studios here in Houston, Texas.

Lisa had photographed my daughter several mes through the years in her magical style that embodies childhood in the most beau ful way. At one of our sessions in 2010, I menoned to Lisa that I was really interested in photography. She told me about PPA but I was in midated thinking that it was only for people who were already professionals and not for newbies. Plus I had already wasted so much me. Was I too old to be star ng a new career?

I should s ck to what I know...graphic design and layout and let the professionals do the photography. I could admire it from afar. The only problem was I was now spoiled. I couldn’t afford the photographers whose work I admired. I had taken local classes here and there but s ll felt like there was so much more I needed to know. I would never be good enough to compete with the real pros.

So I tried other businesses related to what I knew how to do. Yes, more graphic design and layout. It pays the bills, but it sure didn’t feed my soul. I kept plugging away at my day job for a few more years with that passion seething under the surface. When a friend asked me what I really wanted to do with my life and I honestly shared with her my hopes and dreams, the spark finally came to life. In 2014, I found Texas School through TPPA and began this journey. I honestly believe if I hadn’t found Texas School when I did, I may never have begun. I needed that full week of immersion with 1,000+ like-minded individuals to help me see this was where I belonged.

Laura Mansur was the first person I met at Texas School.

She, Irma Furnish, and Kathy Kinser embraced me and told me about PPGH. They let me know that it wasn’t only for professionals. I could a end events year round, enter print compe ons and learn from the best of the best right here

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