May 2016 PPGH Viewfinder

phot ph oto ot o by by: JT Ble enk n er

2 MAY 2016

THE VIEWFINDER

PPA Member Ar cles PPGH Mee ngs/Events 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

Simplifica on…simplifying my life to allow for the people and things that are important to me. Opera ng in such a way that moments spent with loved ones are frequent and meaningful, and energy spent on ac vi es I love, or care spent on property I own is produc ve and sa sfying. (Remember, I said it is has been on my mind, so implementa on of the simplified life has barely begun!)

I have been watching a lot of the ny house programs (or rather listening to them as I work). I have no desire to have a ny house; however, I am really inspired by the fact that once these ny house owners reduce the number of items they own (which require care), it allows them to really focus in and have me for the people and things they love like traveling or crea ng art.

I have been iden fying areas of my personal life and my business life that can be streamlined. This all dovetails very nicely with what I have learned from the books I men oned last month (Ge ng Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Produc vity by David Allen and The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg). In the middle of all this pondering of a simplified life, I had a conversa on with a successful photographer at SWPPA (who has been in business for decades). [A side note here, there is so much value in the opportunity to meet and share with other photographers at conven ons and educa onal events. These face-to-face conversa ons allow you to gain knowledge and build rela onships that cannot be had through online video educa on!] Anyway, back to my conversa on with the successful photographer. He talked about his outsourcing of retouching. I think for anyone who comes from film, this is not earth sha ering; however, for me, most of my photographyy h, experience has been with digital. I have always done my own retouching, I like how I retouch, but I am not fast at it. I have finally come to the realiza on, that if I truly want to simplify myy life and make the best use of my me, I am going to need to outsource my retouching. I am w. not sugges ng this is what anyone else should do, I am just saying it is good for me right now.

So I am sharing with you as I set out on my simplifica on path which I hopes leads more memorable me with family and more open doors for crea vity. at My hope and prayer for you is a life spent with people who are important to you and that you find joy in pursuing your passions.

Un l next month!

Teri

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

CONTENTS

Hi! I hope that your spring has been wonderful and d fulfilling. I am finding one of the more challenging things of being the PPGH President is determining what to write for the monthly President’s message!!

What can I say to you that will be worth your precious me to read? Since, I am en rely content opera ng behind the scenes […pay no a en on to d that (wo)man behind the curtain…], I have decided Teri Whi aker, CPP that anything I share will be more like a private conversa on than a public message. So…here is what has been on myy mind recently.

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 MAY 2016

Fellowship Chairman: Teri Whi aker, CPP Image CompeƟƟon 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 /CerƟficaƟon Chairman: Curley Marshall, Cr., CPP

THE VIEWFINDER

NominaƟng 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

PPA MEMBER ARTICLE

CHECKLIST TO SHOOT THE MILKY WAY |

There are many things that go into shoo ng the M Milky Way from the loca on, to the weather, to the me of year, the equipment, and just plain luck.

Equipment. What equipment do you need to sshoot the Milky Way? Honestly, just about any m modern DSLR will work really darn well. Being able to capture images at 3200 ISO is a minimum for me an and is easily achieved with today’s DSLRs. TThe second piece of equipment you want to have is a lens that has an aperture of f/2.8 or faster and 35m 35mm (or on a crop camera 24mm) or wider. Some pho photographers swear by wide zoom lenses but I really enjo enjoy primes for most of my work. Having a great tripo tripod is the last piece of the puzzle you will need. You wan want a sturdy tripod that you can depend on. These are the b bare bones basics to shoot the Milky Way. Accessories. A few accessories that you can add to your Acc list in include a headlamp with a red light for keeping your night vision when moving around. An intervalometer

3 MAY 2016

THE VIEWFINDER

by JT Blenker

will let you go beyond a 30 second shu er me and keep you from shaking your camera. A high power LED light, like a Coast HP7, for light pain ng is a great addi on as well.

Warm clothing is a necessity, even in summer, because it gets chilly when staying s ll. Also, a chair is great to have if you didn’t hike to where you are shoo ng.

Se ngs. We are always trying to maximize the amount of light at night so some base se ngs would be se ng your camera to 3200 ISO, and shoo ng wide open on a f/2.8 lens or wide open on a f/1.4 prime. Lenses inherently have a downside wide open, and that is coma. You will see this mostly in the corners of your image (elongated stars) when wide open and especially in fast primes. You can stop down to f/2 to help lessen this issue. Your shu er speed will be 500/ **mm. An example would be 500/24 = 20.83s.

We will round down to be conserva ve and do a 20 second exposure. This maximizes our shu er me while s ll keeping our stars sharp. We are on a moving planet and are constantly in a state of mo on, but the 500 rule works well and is great for printed art.

When shoo ng the Milky Way and stars, you will be shoo ng in manual without the benefit of auto focus. It’s too dark and your camera won’t be able to detect contrast of starlight to use AF. You will want to focus at infinity, and you can confirm you are ge ng sharp stars by using your live view on the back of your camera and zooming in 5x to 10x on a bright star and confirm focus. This can be tricky but gets easier with me. Tape down your focus if you have gaffer’s tape, that way you won’t accidentally bump it through out the evening. If you have other features in your scene, be mindful of hyper focal distances so foreground objects are s ll rela vely sharp in comparison to the stars.

Now comes the best part, composing and taking your images! I love seeing the Milky Way show up on the back of my camera. (You will want to turn down your LCD brightness so you don’t lose your night vision.)

PPA MEMBER ARTICLE

With our eyes, we see the Milky Way very faintly but with our cameras it is absolutely amazing to see our galaxy in all of its glory.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with higher ISOs throughout the evening. You’ll usually see a be er image at higher ISO in camera than shoo ng with a lower ISO and raising exposure in post.

Best Time of Year: The Milky Way isn’t viewable many mes because of light pollu on from our ci es. Going somewhere remote or a Na onal Park is a great way to get away for a weekend and do some night imaging. Addi onally, being aware of our moon cycle is cri cal to shoo ng the Milky Way. Try to be within 5 days of a new moon, as you will have less light from the moon compe ng with the starlight. The me of year is also an issue with the Milky Way as the core is only visible from March ll October in the northern hemisphere. The Milky Way core also rises, just like the moon or the sun, later near morning in March and is already up and nearly se ng in October. Best mes to view and shoot are the summer months, which can be great camping weather!

I hope you get out and try this type of wide angle imaging yourself. It’s amazing that we have this beau ful tapestry above us every night that so very few people ever get to see.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: JT BLENKER I’m originally from Buffalo, New York but am now living in the bigger-than-life Dallas, Texas! Photography took root in me with an old film camera from school and me wan ng to learn how to shoot star trails. That was 9th grade earth science and I’m s ll trying to take photos of the night sky.

Who would have thought the class about what’s under our feet would make me aim at the stars? JT Blenker is a Cer fied Professional Photographer and a member of PPA. Check out his website at h p://www.jtblenker.com/.

THE VIEWFINDER MAY 2016 4

SHOOTING THE STORM |

PPA MEMBER ARTICLE

ON BEING A PHOTOGRAPHER: PHO Ge ng The Shot Is Wh What It Is All About Yo stand in the scene You in the t midst of the storm, he hearing the wind whistli tling around your ears.

Th sea is high and The tu turbulent from the b buffe ng gusts and cold fr from recent rains and yyou think: finally ready tto shoot.

The landscape is mostly a w wash of emerald, sienna, and grays – except that which is hidden in the depths in front of you. So you raise your camera, eye to the viewfinder, knuckles firm on the grip, and cast a twist of the focus ring and

Reprinted with permission by Charles Burgess

thread of eye into the currents of light and shadow, hoping to coax a bit of color, shape and shadow onto your line of sight through the lens.

The first shot of the session is always improbably and magically beau ful. In the approach to every shot, the eye of the photog ins ncvely feels its way around the shot in all of its aspects. In a twinkling of that photog’s eye the ins nct to take the shot, or not, is made. In the realm of the photog’s eye, we enter a rela vis c me warp, a reference frame. In the reference frame of the eye of the photog, a premoni on of it glistens and pulses in your mind’s eye as if in hand when freshly printed, a rectangle of mul -hued life. If you put it back in the stream of life without shoo ng it, you’ll soon forget how it looked; if you keep it forever, it will fade to pewter as all photographic prints will. So you savor the moment, and the shot, for what it is – a transient, in mate, almost secret encoun-

The photo below is of Charles Burgess shoo ng in the midst of a tropical storm off the Florida coast; photo by Ryan Burgess.

5 MAY 2016

THE VIEWFINDER

ter with nature and its Creator. And you know that if you’re lucky, you’ll have more encounters like these. But you don’t think about exactly when or how many more mes. It will happen, because as you stand there in the scene, wet hand going numb in the 60mph wind chill on a summer day in Florida, you realize that you love this so much you’ll be seeking the shot for the rest of your life.

You hide a smile when someone says, “I don’t care if I shoot anything; just being here is enough.”

Oh, please! Sure you love being on loca on, the sounds of the moment, the wash of light against your face, the u er freedom of a day with your camera in hand. There’s nowhere on earth you’d rather be. But all this stuff is absorbed through the skin, directly into the blood, and you call it to mind only later. At the moment, every conscious part of you is scanning for shots, riveted in rings on concentrated focus, they can call it whatever they want - unhealthy obsession, pathology, abnormal preoccupa on - as though concentra ng all your a enon to a single point were somehow a bad thing. You stay sharp because, most days, it takes sharp. That is why it is called “focus.”

The “shot” is the only reason it’s called photography. Without them, you’re just wandering through life with a camera in your hand - not a bad way to spend a day. But as much like photography as birdwatching is like quail hun ng. In the end, it will not ma er to you a bit if you photograph anything, but you’ve got to care about it. Anyone who doesn’t care about ge ng the shot has no real business being a photographer in the first place. “Being here” is the place you start from. Not the place you stop.

the same me. There is an instant, just before the click of the shu er, when the future is all possibility against a background of unresolved ques ons: what, exactly, have you got?

As you release the shu er, when it clicks, and what’s telegraphed back is astonishing - the collec ve life force of a billion photons dis lled in the soul and substance of everything that lives and breathes and moves through the dimensions of life, draws you into an alternate dimension that is only seen by the Eye of the photographer. Think you’ve got hold of a nice shot? What you are connected to, my friend, is nothing less than the whole of crea on...the AMEN. That’s why it feels the way it does...when it clicks!

PPA MEMBER ARTICLE

You’ve always been helpless in the face of pure promise. All that light playing off the shadows, running through your brain, ramps up the voltage beyond recommended opera ng limits, and you rip frames like a man possessed.

That is, badly, too much adjus ng, zooming, too much refocusing, too far, too fast, too o en (your inner cri c says). A flock-shooter, chech-a-quo. Even though you know be er. There was a me, once, when you tried to catch yourself, thro le back and be smart, but it did no good. It would always be this way with you. And long ago you figured out that the day you could rig up a camera and lens and step into a scene with the nerveless cool of a demolions expert you’d quit photography.

What S enbeck wrote about beer is just as true of photography - the first hit of the day is the best. Not really a reward, it’s more like a gi . That first shot siphons off the adrenaline, drops the pulse back to double digits. At last you can stop ac ng like a man who lost his wallet and start feeling like the guy who found it. Under a stormy sky, the whole day stretches as far as the cloaked horizon.

You can’t perceive the far end from here, only that small piece now, and it looks precisely like the shot in front of you. That first release of the shu er was the one shot you needed, now comes the ones you want.

You’re wai ng for it, expec ng it, but the shot catches you off guard and takes your breath away. What you noce first are the focus and aperture rings; it takes a while to remember there’s a reason for them. And even a er thousands of photographs, you’re never quite prepared for that hole in the air where your focus point used to be, never quite ready for how the whole thing happens. At the speed of light, me somehow unfolds in slow mo on at

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: CHARLES BURGESS I am a photog. Since 1972 my chosen tool for exploring and understanding life and the world, and expressing the results of this search to others, is the camera.

Charles Burgess is a proud member of Professional Photographers of America [ID #8278872] h p://www.ppa.com/findaphotographer/79618/ Charles-Burgess.php

THE VIEWFINDER MAY 2016 6

PPGH MEETINGS & EVENTS

PPGH MEETINGS & EVENTS

PPGH MEETINGS & EVENTS 9 MAY 2016

THE VIEWFINDER

PPGH MEETINGS & EVENTS THE VIEWFINDER MAY 2016 10

PPGH MEETINGS & EVENTS

As photographers, many of us like to focus on the creative aspect of our job.

However, if we don’t pay attention to the business side it is hard to be in business at all. In case you don’t know me, one of my favorite things is to help other photographers with their business so they can be successful, happy, and work smarter. I am a small business owner, photographer, and mom. My time is precious, which is why I have tailored my business to not only be successful but to work for me so I can spend time with my family.

If you need help with your business either to get it off the ground or restructuring it so it works for you, let me help! My studio is one of the top performing home studios in the country because of hard work, the willingness to make changes, and to be on top of the numbers side of my business.

But, it doesn’t all have to be business! If you want help with your photography, I can help you with lighting, editing, workflow, and more!

If you want to learn a little bit more about me, please check out my About page on my studio website http://www.kimhartz.com/mentoring.

PPGH MEETINGS & EVENTS

MEET UP PRESENTATION:

PPGH MEETINGS & EVENTS

Photographers Small Business Taxes

On April 1, Diego Bello, CPA, C PC, gave a presentaon about small business taxes specific to photographers. Diego illustrated the difference between tax prepara on and tax planning, emphasizing the importance of developing a process of organized and detailed record keeping.

Prepara on vs.

Planning. We are all familiar with tax preparaon but Diego refers to it as a reacƟve approach to taxes ssince it usually happens a er expenses have already o occurred and typically over an anywhere from a month to a yyear depending on how yo you file...monthly, quarterly, or annually. During this me it is easy to lose track of the pur purpose of your expenses. Tax plan planning is proacƟve occurring in aadvance and takes into accoun count all aspects of your business from se ng up your en ty as a sole proprietorship, limited liabili liability company, or s-corpoon, to determining your tax ra on

13 MAY 2016

THE VIEWFINDER

bracket. He suggests hiring a cer fied professional accountant to arrange tax planning for your business.

Expenses. Diego encourages business owners to record expenses by month and year as a best prac ce. He said it is not necessary to keep paper receipts, instead scan or photograph them and name the files with 01 for January, 02 for February, etc. and the name of the receipt. This allows you to document what was purchased and for what purpose. The IRS can use bank/ credit cards statements or PDFs as evidence of documenta on. This process is a great way to be prepared if ever audited.

Automobile/Mileage. One major item he discussed tracking is automobile expenses. Whether using a business or personal vehicle, deduc ons can be made by either tracking mileage or auto maintenance expenses. Diego’s opinion is that mileage offers a be er benefit. He suggested two smart phone apps to make the mileage recordkeeping process a li le easier, Milog, and MileIQ. Each stores data about your star ng and ending mileage and mul ple other details about your trip.

The odometer reading is required for the IRS as they u lize state inspec on

s ckers to compare mileage on your vehicle to your filed tax return. He also said to record all mileage accumulated in pursuit of business or educa on for business - so mileage between trainings and to mee ngs with your clients is deduc ble.

Home In Office Deduc ons. Diego shared some helpful informa on about home in office expenses. He said you do not have to itemize deduc ons to claim home in office. But to claim a deduc on, you must exclusively/regularly use your home as your principal place of business, meet with clients in the normal course of business, and can only deduct a certain percentage of square footage of your home for business. An in-home studio is required to be separate from the rest of the house by walls or doorways and cannot have a common area that customers would have to pass through your residence to get to your business. He said if you are ren ng your residence, the benefits are even be er.

Business Deduc ons. How do you know what items you can deduct?

Diego’s advice is to ask yourself “If you had the business would you have that expense? or “if you didn’t have the business would you have that expense?”

Did you know that you cannot deduct your cell phone if you use it for personal use too? The only way to deduct your cell phone is if it is only for business and no more than 90% of it. The same is true for credit card interest and expenses/fees, the credit card must be for business use only.

Travel is 100% deduc ble and can include plane ckets, parking/tolls, rental cars, and hotels. But meals and entertainment are only 50% deduc ble.

The key is you must stay overnight for travel to be deduc ble.

- If self employed save at least 30% of income for taxes. This assumes a 15% tax bracket and leaves extra just in case.

- Keep cell phone and credit cards separate for personal and business or they cannot be wri en off.

- Classify photography educa on as dues/subscrip ons - Maintain your materials for easy presenta on in case of an audit.

This is key to avoiding a lengthy and detailed audit. If you are organized and detailed, the IRS is less likely to pursue further inves ga on.

The Importance of In Person Consultations When our twins were 7 and our youngest 3, we decided it was me to have our first professional portrait made. I “won” an auc on for a free Sherry Piche, CPP portrait session with a local photographer. I knew of him as one of my best friends worked for him at the me and really liked his work.

I called to make an appointment and was told, I need a consulta on first before I could schedule my session day. I was also told to bring in the ou its we wanted to be photographed in. The day arrived and in I walk with large floral dresses for my girls, and suits for my boys. I was thinking these clothes are perfect for the formal studio look I thought I wanted.

During the consulta on, our photographer asked me several ques ons. I remember thinking, why is he asking me all these ques ons? Come to realize, I didn’t know what I wanted. He forced me to think about this portrait, where it would be placed, what type of family lifestyle we liked (formal or. casual) and the many years we would enjoy that portrait.

Shortly a er we ordered our casual, on loca on jeans portrait, I began to work with this photographer as his sales associate. I learned so much from him over ten years I worked for him. It was working with him on all aspects of his business from camera room assistant, loading film, shoo ng the

Diego’s par ng comments: “One major thing that is not deduc ble is your me, so price accordingly.”

“It is best to hire a professional for tax planning and prepara on to avoid making mistakes and ge ng audited.”

sessions, and sales sessions that helped me to launch my own business. But, it was the consulta on session that was the most important to me and I now understood why.

I always have an in person consulta on with all of my clients. It is this first mee ng that you’re able to connect with your client, overcome objec ons and to find out exactly what it is that they want from their portrait session.

It gives them the opportunity to view the large 40” wall portraits that I have hanging in my consulta on/sales room. It also allows them to see and feel some of our other products.

I now have started to offer, a second, in-home consulta on for my family portrait sessions. This second appointment is short, 10 – 15 minutes and allows me to make addi onal sugges ons to the client for different clothing choice based on room décor. This appointment also allows me to photograph their wall they want to hang their portrait on. I then use this image in my sales so ware program, ProSELECT to project their portrait right on their wall.

I look forward to mee ng my clients and I love crea ng a wall portrait that will compliment their home. Mee ng them at our in person consulta on allows me to ask those ques ons. To really find out what my client is looking for, providing me with the best knowledge to create that portrait that truly represents them.

PPGH MEETINGS & REGIONAL EVENTS

General Notes.

The IRS does not like co-mingled funds. Diego suggests: - Maintain a separate bank account and/or credit card - Separate business from personal expenses - Keep detailed and accurate records - Develop a system to keep up with your expenses as they occur since it is too difficult to go back and find receipts and/or remember what you did even a month ago.

- Check with CPA before large expenses to determine whether they will be deduc ble.

THE VIEWFINDER MAY 2016 14

FROM OUR MEMBERS

FROM OUR MEMBERS

15 MAY 2016

THE VIEWFINDER

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?

links below to learn more about entering compe on. You will be glad you did.

To learn about the guidelines for entering image compe on at PPGH mee ngs visit: h p://www.ppgh.org/Resources/Documents/Image%20Compe on/2015%20PPGH%20 Image%20Comp%20Rules.pdf Follow along with image judging on the Game Day App, downloadable from h ps:// printcompe on.com/. Membership is op onal but if you join Print Compe on.com you can search thousands of archival images to see scores and hear audio from the image compe ons. It is a terrific resource.

To learn about upcoming compe ons throughout the region visit: h p://www.ppa.com/compeons/

OTHER GUILDS AROUND When you are traveling around Texas, stop by and visit one of the local affiliate guilds. Click TEXAS

on the links below to find out more about each one. Be sure to tell them you are from PPGH.

LOCAL AFFILIATES Aus n · San Antonio · Professional Photographers of San Antonio Aus n Professional Photographers Associa on Tyler · Professional Photographers Forum of East Texas Bryan/College Sta on · Waco · Heart of Texas Professional Photographers 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

THE VIEWFINDER MAY 2016 16

IMAGE COMPETITION / GUILDS

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

COMPETITION RULES! International Photographic Competition (IPC) Want to become a be er photographer? This is the way.

IMAGE COMPETITION & REGIONAL EVENTS

Read up on the IPC then submit your finest images to see how you measure up to the very best in the industry. The compe on rules are now open—you don’t have to be a PPA photographer to enter!

REGISTRATION for the Interna onal Photographic Compe PPA.com/IPC

on opens on May 23!

TPPA - Summerfest Annual Image Competition The purpose of this compe on is to allow photographers to enter photographic images to be judged against a Standard of Excellence and to assist the entrants in prepara on for PPA District or Interna onal Photographic Compe on.

You may enter physical prints or digital images!!! Learn more at PrintCompe on.com.

The 12 Elements of a Merit IImage (For more informa on, ggo to www.ppa.com/ipc.) will be u used in accessing each image aand applying a final score.

Through this compe on, TPPA members are also eligible TP fo for awards and TPPA Points that cou count toward the Associate and Ful Full Fellowship Degrees within TPP TPPA. TThe TPPA Execu ve Council is com commi ed to crea ng excellence for TTPPA members. One recent example of this commitment is exam the aapproval and purchase of IPC caliber sta on for judging an IP

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THE VIEWFINDER

Heaven Sent by Karen Bu s, M.Photog., CPP

digital entries at the Annual TPPA Photographic Compe on at Summerfest.

This sta on includes three judging monitors, a dedicated computer and so ware to run the compe on and the ability to project the images being judged onto a big screen for the audience to see.

This investment will serve the interests of our TPPA members. TPPA

believes in the value of photographic compe on to help build stronger ar sts and more profitable members.

We take pride in using only Approved Jurors from IPC and those who have a ended the judging school at IPC who are working to become approved jurors. This makes the TPPA Photographic Compe on a tough compeon. Yet, it gives you the best feedback we can deliver on your images before you submit them onto district and IPC compe ons.

Winning an award in Texas is a big deal and one you can be proud of. We encourage you to start preparing now to enter your images in the Annual TPPA Photographic Compe on at Summerfest on June 26.

PRINT COMPETITION Boot Camp at Summerfest Entering your images in print compe on is one of the best ways to push yourself to be more.

TPPA is commi ed to the financial, educa onal and ar s c success of our members. That is why we are so excited to be offering this Image Compe on Boot Camp. Join PPA Master Photographer, Mark McCall, as he leads you on a journey to success in image compe on.

We will also take a peek behind the curtain to see what goes on those back rooms during an Image compe on as well as watching some of the LIVE compe on taking place as photographers from across the state vie for honors in the actual TPPA State Compe on.

PARTICIPANTS WILL LEARN: • How to enter a compe • Which compe

on

ons to enter and which ones to avoid

• How to prepare your images and albums for compe

REGIONAL EVENTS

This Boot Camp is for photographers who are new to the image compe on process, or those who want to gain a be er understanding of what it takes to be successful with image compe on. Boot Camp par cipants will learn about the 12 elements of a merit image and how you can start incorpora ng them into your daily photography. We will also demys fy the en re process and help you understand what the judges are looking for and how they go about the task of scoring images. You’ll learn what it takes to create a merit image and how to improve your chances for success.

Listen to Mark talk about Image Compe on on “The Photo Tellers” radio show.

on

• How to present your images to get those scores even higher • How the merit program works and how you earn your PPA degrees • What the awards are that are given and what they mean • How to use your success in image compe

on

• And much more We want to take away the fear you may have of entering images and get you prepared for compe on and to see you earning those trophies and awards. You will learn you’re capable of so much more than you imagined. TPPA believes that par cipa ng in the image compe on process and earning those PPA degrees help improve your chances for success and sets you apart from the crowd. We want to see you succeed!

Image Compe

on Boot Camp runs

Sunday, June 26 from 10 AM – Noon and con nues from 2 PM – 5:30 PM. Image Compe

on Boot Camp is FREE with your registra on to Summerfest.

Space is limited so register early!

THE VIEWFINDER MAY 2016 18

REGIONAL EVENTS

Fun for the entire family.

Summerfest is a hit! Maybe it is the awesome water park for the kids? Maybe it is the beau ful championship golf course? Perhaps it is the outstanding programs and speakers we have lined up? Whatever the reasons, we had people registering for this year's Summerfest before we even finished the website!

We now have two evening meals for you and your family at the TPPA Lakeside Villa. We secured the en re Mediterranean Pool exclusively for Summerfest a endees each night from 10-midnight. We have added an en re digital judging sta on for the TPPA Image Compe on which will project the images the judges are viewing to the en re room on a big screen. We have an amazing line up of speakers who will get you moving with interac ve programs. h p://tppa.org/summerfest/reserva ons/ Room rates are only $109 a night and it INCLUDES admission to the Water Park FREE if you book before June 1st. That is a $30 per night savings!

La Torretta Resort and Spa This resort is a family vaca on des na on on Lake Conroe.

The resort features an 18-hole golf course, 12,000 square foot spa, fitness center and an impressive water park. Bring your boat or jet skis and dock them right at the hotel!

Dining op ons include the Coco Cove Poolside Grill, the Yoi Sushi Bar and the Lakeside Restaurant and Bar, just to name a few! There is a piano bar, a coffee shop and the Energie Lounge. Check out the many dining op ons at the La Torre a website: www.latorre alakeresort.com.

The kids will be thoroughly entertained at the Aqua Park, but when it’s me for some dry fun away from the pool, the ac vity op ons read like a novel. There is an arcade, miniature golf, and movie nights by the pool. They will enjoy pu -pu , a teen hang-out with video games, making s’mores and other organized ac vi es and games throughout the day lead by the La Torre a staff.

MEET THE VENDORS Join us at the TPPA Villa on Sunday night for dinner courtesy of our Summerfest vendors. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets and your cooler with your favorite beverages.

Then head over to the conference center to meet the vendors and check out the great deals and specials.

Family Fun Night

Awards Presentation Join us on Tuesday at 6:15 pm for an evening of surprises! We will begin with the children’s awards for the Kids Foto Kontest. Every kid who par cipates will be recognized and we will announce the winners from each category. The excitement con nues as we announce and unveil the winners from the TPPA Annual Image Compe on.

Tickets to the event are only $27 and include a buffet dinner. Kids ckets are only $17.

This will be an event to remember. So, make plans to a end and bring the en re family!

Every guest room at La Torre a is a suite! The room rate for TPPA Summerfest a endees is an unbelievable $109 per night. As an added bonus, if you book your room by June 1st, you will get your La Torre a Resort Fee (normally $30) ABSOLUTELY FREE with your stay at La Torre a! Don’t miss out on this huge money-saving offer.

REGIONAL EVENTS

The Aqua Park is home to La Torre a Lake Resort’s mul ple pools featuring an elegant heated upper pool with an infinity edge that cascades down into a 6,400 square foot Mediterranean pool. Other pools include the Breeze Buster pool, Lay-Z River™ Rapids and the Splash Scape pool with an in-water playground, and the Pollywogs pool for the youngest of water lovers. This Texas resort offers the best way to beat the Texas heat.

Bring your lawn chairs and your coolers – we will supply the “fixins” for an old fashioned summer picnic on the shores of Lake Conroe. Admission to the TPPA Family Fun Night is included with your registra on and includes the picnic meal. There will be games and fun and surprises for everyone. The fun starts at 6:30 PM.

REGISTER NOW AND RESERVE YOUR SUITE AT www.TPPA.org/summerfest.

Just staying in your suite is a vaca on in itself.

Take some me to look around this website. We know you are going to be impressed. Then, get registered.

We look forward to seeing you at TPPA Summerfest.

A er a hard day of water slides, golf, hanging out in the lazy river, going to the spa and learning photography, you and your family are going to need to find something fun to do! That is why we have put together the TPPA Family Fun Night! You and your family are invited to join us at the TPPA Villa on Monday for an evening of fun, food and fellowship!

THE VIEWFINDER MAY 2016 20

WE ARE RETIRING!!!

Dear Friends, A er more than seventy years of serving Houston's finest families and businesses, Kaye Marvins Photography will be closing

CLASSIFIEDS

soon. It has been an honor and privilege for our family to have worked with you over the years. My brother Mike and I have carried on the family tradi on of four genera ons of portrait photography that our parents, Sonia and Kaye, worked so hard to establish in Houston.

Now it is me for me to re re. I will miss seeing your families and businesses con nuing to grow and prosper. We are deeply grateful for your years of devoted patronage, and appreciate your entrusting us with documen ng the most important mes of your lives.

With sincere gra tude, Buz Marvins Fellow photographers who wish to purchase studio items (oďŹƒce furnishings, props, backgrounds, etc.) may contact us a er May 18 to make an appointment Monday - Thursday between the hours of 9 am and 4 pm.

Kaye Marvins Photography, 4401 Montrose Boulevard, Houston, TX 77006 PLEASE CALL FIRST - (713) 523-4467 kayemarvins@swbell.net

21 MAY 2016

THE VIEWFINDER

NEW MEMBERS THE VIEWFINDER MAY 2016 22