Tidewater Newsletter

VIRGINIA PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS’ ASSOCIATION

TIDEWATER DISTRICT

2014 OFFICERS GOVERNOR

LT GOVERNOR

TREASURER

SECRETARY

Richard St.Peter, FP

Erin L. Clark, CPP

Tracy McGee, CPP

Bob Harper, CPP

rstpeter@charter.net

images@enephoto.com

tracy@kaiserphoto.com

bob@bobharper

(757) 372-7021

(757) 472-2955

(757) 513-0388

photography.com (757) 325-8300

FEBRUARY 2014 | VOL. 19 #2

VIRGINIA PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS’ ASSOCIATION

2014 Superheroes Convention guide and schedule is here!

Scholarship Applications

Find out who is coming by visiting the

Download your applications by visiting the

VPPA .org website or click here.

VPPA.org website or simply click here.

PAGE 2

Have no fear, scholarships are here!

VIRGINIA PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS’ ASSOCIATION

2014 VPPA Superheros Convention Registration There is now a seamless way to register yourself and those in your studio quickly. The online checkout is through PayPal, widely recognized as a leader in online processing. You can pay for anything you purchase with your credit or debit card in PayPal, and you do not need an account with them.

Another feature with this system, it will allow you to go back and add items to your registration. If you decide later you want to add a PreCon class, meal tix, whatever, you will be able to log back in and add it on.

One of the features we are most excited about, is online registration for non-members. We have been heading in the direction of being paperless for years. This will cut down on expense and paper waste, and make it more inviting for non members to participate.

This will allow non-members to get immediate notification that they have registered. You will also get a receipt mailed to you at checkout.

GET REGISTERED! Go to www.VPPA.org. Click on I am a photographer, then education. On the convention tab, when you click on it, you will see a link to the registration page. Once there, members need to enter an access code which is Superheros. It is not case sensitive. This will allow you, as a member to see the full registration form. Our pre-con class registration is EXCLUSIVE to VPPA members until January 17th.

After the 17th, they will be open to the public and once full, they will be closed. You will be able to see the number of slots left in a PreCon class as people register.

Let non-members know, they are invited to the Convention too!

PAGE 3

VIRGINIA PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS’ ASSOCIATION

A Look Back...

Next month’s meeting...

We thank Erin Clark for hosting last month’s

Where: Anne Companion Photography,

Tidewater Chapter meeting. We also appreciate

112 Kings Way, Hampton, VA 23669

Lisa Carter, of Photography by Lisa, and her helpful

When: Monday, March 17th at 7:00PM

presentation about newborn photography.

Guest Speaker: Jessica Robertson (see below). If you are

From the January Meeting

interested in attending a mini-workshop by Jessica earlier that afternoon, please contact Erin Clark at images@enephoto.com or (757) 472-2955.

A Complete Picture Senior Portrait Photography

Jessica Robertson strives to capture enduring

images that will be cherished for a lifetime by

each of her clients. She has run her successful business and been a VPPA member for over ten

years. Jessica founded her brick and mortar studio in Ashland, Virginia in 2005 and established herself

as the premier senior portrait photographer in her

community. With a staff of two full-time, dedicated team members, she photographs over 200 seniors a year with an average sale of $1,200 per senior. The key to their success has been creating consistent,

service-oriented, quality portraiture for a community

which not only has a need, but an appreciation for the art. By capturing the Senior demographic, Jessica Robertson Photographic Artistry establishes clients

who return for portraits during all stages of their lives including weddings, baby and family portraits. After all, seniors grow up to become brides and grooms who have children and families of their own.

PAGE 4

VIRGINIA PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS’ ASSOCIATION

Jessica’s presentation is focused on providing an authentic picture of the entire process of creating senior portraits and delivering practical information which you can use to streamline your high school senior business into a successful segment of your overall company.

She will share how her team markets to seniors and their families, and fulfills the vision of both the seniors and their parents. You will learn how to create relationships based on trust and reassurance which result in clients that last a lifetime. The studio’s consultation process and communication practices help create satisfied clients who not only return for more portraits of their own, they promote the studio to their friends and family. This presentation will also explain keys to having a successful senior session including compositional elements, posing, and lighting styles for on location and in studio. You will learn how this studio does its sales process and Jessica will highlight products that sell. This portion will also include advice on pricing and packaging your portraits for a no-pressure sales environment. Over 95% of Jessica’s clients purchase a portrait size image. Finally, Jessica will also share how she is able to build relationships with the best vendors so that her studio can deliver a high-quality finished product to its clients.

This is an honest presentation. Jessica is not promoting fluff or gimmicks which will guarantee your success, just sound business practices which have helped her quickly establish deep roots in her community.

Jessica earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in Photography from Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina. Jessica has won numerous awards at the state and regional level and recently received her AFP. Professional Photographers of America twice honored her as Professional Photographer of the Year and accepted a variety of her prints for loan collection. D

PAGE 5

VIRGINIA PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS’ ASSOCIATION

WAKE THE LIGHT PHOTO WORKSHOPS AND TOURS Dear Fellow VPPA Members, I want to make you aware of some exciting educational opportunities with special incentives coming up in 2014. My Awake The Light Photo Workshops and Tours company will be holding two workshops in Richmond this spring.

LIGHTROOM UNLEASHED is an in-depth hands-on Lightroom 5 workshop to be held March 16 - 20.

This will be three days of intensive Lightroom instruction designed to significantly improve your skills, increase your understanding of how Lightroom REALLY works, provide some creative tips, and get rid of bad habits (that we ALL have when working in Lightroom). Details here http://awakethelight.com/ lightroom-2014/ BUTTERFLY FLUTTERBY will immerse you in butterfly action at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens on May 27 - 29. This wonderful facility is photographer friendly and provides a wide variety of butterfly species. Personalized attention throughout both days. Details here http://awakethelight.com/butterflyworkshop/ As a long-time member of the VPPA, I’m pleased to offer a special incentive to any VPPA members who take either of these workshops. A portion of your fee will go back to your own District to help fund its programs, and another portion will go to the VPPA to help defray the cost of the convention and other expenses. So you can help your District, help your state, and get some great education in the process.

PLUS there is an Early Bird discount if you register for the Lightroom workshop before January 15.

All Awake The Light photo workshops are known for the high level of education provided. You will receive group instruction, plus extensive personal attention whether it is in the classroom or in the field. The goal is for you to go home at the end of any of our workshops with much more knowledge, greater skill, more confidence, and expanded creativity than you started with.

If you have questions or wish to register, email me at awakethelight@charter.net, or call 757-773-0194. I hope to see you in Richmond!

Best regards, Mollie Isaacs

PAGE 6

VIRGINIA PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS’ ASSOCIATION

IMAGING USA 2014

By Ty Swartz, CPP, USN Ret.

After serving three years in Japan I returned to the U.S. Upon retirement it was my goal to join PPA and become a professional photographer. Life has

GO TO IMAGINGUSA.ORG TO FIND OUT

a way of getting involved and that dream wasn’t realized until November

ABOUT 2015’s

9, 2013 when I received notification that I achieved the status of Certified

NATIONAL

Professional Photographer.

The first order of business was to focus on building a business and part of the

PHOTOGRAPHIC CONVENTION,

vision included attending Imaging USA in Phoenix. Part of the planning included

EXPO, AND IMAGE

scheduling pre-conference courses. We arrived the evening of January 8 and

EXHIBITION.

checked into our hotel to get a good night sleep because classes lasted all day.

PAGE 7

VIRGINIA PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS’ ASSOCIATION

The first class we selected to attend was the

of business related items that helped us focus on

SMS workshop, Business Basics for Wedding

setting our prices and business strategies that

Photographers taught by Carrie Wildes, (www.

will help create a profitable solution to many of

carriewildes.com) based in Tampa Florida. This

our initial start-up circumstances. Overall, if you

class was designed to help identify what we needed

operate as a professional photographer then this

to do to establish a business that is profitable. We

is one class that is a must to attend.

were taught about competitive advantage among marketing, sales and pricing structures.

The knowledge and guidance you receive is simply amazing.

Thursday evening for three hours I was invited to

You leave with the knowledge that you are a

participate in a webinar with Melanie Anderson,

“Small Business Owner”

other wedding photographers, business models,

(www.andersonphotographs.com).

She

who happens to do photography.

focuses most of her business in Maryland on High School Seniors. She was kind enough to

Instead of exploring Phoenix I decided that

share her templates and marketing plans to help

attending another pre-conference class was

with developing a marketing plan and defining the

more important since I’ve been to Phoenix and

type of equipment needed to build a portrait studio

explored it in the past. The course that I selected

that focuses on high school senior photography.

was Getting Schooled with High School Seniors,

This was a great overview on how her business

taught by Bruce Berg, (www.bruceberg.com/

was run and what she does to stay relevant to

photography/seniors).

her customers. Plus, she had a really good ring

part of the morning talking about how his variety

light setup that was interesting.

of marketing plans worked and how is modeling,

Bruce spent the first

not ambassador, plan worked.

Friday’s class was mainly taught by Bridget Jackson from the PPA. Bridget discussed a variety

PAGE 8

Just before lunch, Bruce had two high school

VIRGINIA PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS’ ASSOCIATION

seniors come in. He discussed his approach to

( w w w. n o w i l a y m e d o w n t o s l e e p . o r g )

photography and his techniques. The class was

informational seminar with Sandy Puc’

small enough we were able to use our cameras

(www.sandypuc.com). I was already accepted

and the studio lights provided. This was a great

as a photographer and now volunteer in Hampton

hands own class and really helped understand this

Roads, so we spent most of the evening doing

market. Since I don’t shoot high school seniors

hands on photography with Sandy. A very rare

I am interested in learning, but for now I have

one-on-one with a PPA great.

decided to focus on weddings and maybe dabble a bit in seniors, mainly to get the experience.

Afterwards I attended the PPA Charities event and bid on a couple of items, but was quickly outbid.

From the time we arrived at Imaging USA there

That was okay, because I wasn’t really committed

were so many things to see and do relating to

to spending my Imaging new equipment money

photography that I spent most of my time taking

just yet.

notes and meeting some really awesome people.

Saturday night had so many events happening

Sunday came, and I was first to arrive and ready

that you really had to choose what events to

to learn more about how other photographers

attend. I had won two tickets to a Photoshop

were managing and building their business.

training class with Juleanne Kost and met Bob

The first class I attended was Building a Better

Harper

Business taught by Jennifer Rozenbaum

(www.bobharperphotography.com)

only to realize that we were not that interested in

(www.jenerations.com). The class was okay,

learning more Photoshop and departed to attend

but not what I was looking to learn. So I left ten

other events.

minutes into the class and attended The Subtle Art of Persuasion taught by Jon Allyn

Bob and I separated as he went to the PPA Charities Celebration while I was invited to attend the Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep

PAGE 9

VISIT JON ALLYN’S WEBSITE AT

WWW.JONALLYN.COM

VIRGINIA PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS’ ASSOCIATION

(www.jonallyn.com). This was a great class on

this, you create an emotional experience and

building client relationships and how to build a

through that experience you can build lifetime

studio that differentiates itself from other studios.

relationships that will help your sales and customer loyalty.

The mid-morning classes were hard to choose from because they all sounded good. Suggestion

Sunday’s must-attend event was Getting it Right

is to have a group of friends attend different

in the Camera, with Sandy Puc’ (www.sandypuc.

classes then trade notes.

But I did select

com). She spent the program going over how to

Prosperity & Purpose: The Photography Business

manage lights and built your studio setup from

Through a Different Lens, taught by Jeffery Shaw

a single light source all the way to five lights to

(www.jeffreyshaw.com). He had a really good

create amazing in camera images that require

perspective on how to look at your business so

zero editing. My take away is if you are spending

you are moving forward and not staying stagnant.

any amount of time color, exposure correcting

Something that I am learning is very easy to do

after your shoot you need to go back and learn

with a business.

how to get a perfect exposure.

In the afternoon I was able to

After Sandy finished I headed over to The Loop’s

attend

of

(www.theloop.ppa.com) gathering and had an

School

opportunity to meet many of the photographers

The

Photographing

Fundamentals High

Seniors, taught by Kibbee Walton (www.artisanportrait.com). He showed hands on techniques

HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR PORTRAITS

around the PPA that I have communicated with using The Loop. If you are a member of the PPA get connected with The Loop. There are some

on how to manage a high school

really smart people there and they want to help

senior portrait session.

you when you’re stuck with a question.

very

focused

on

He was

parent

and

grandparent involvement. By doing

PAGE 10

After meeting people at The Loop it was time for

VIRGINIA PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS’ ASSOCIATION

the Imaging USA’s Welcome Party. This was an

working for her. I was starting to see an overall

interesting event. They had a red carpet set up

theme: as a small business owner, building

and brought models in to pose for photos. I really

relationships is the key to success.

liked the food and meeting people. I thought it was a little weird with the models and still trying to

The final class that I attended was hosted by Steve

figure out why a few photographers were running

Kozak (www.stevekozak.com) for new Certified

around with cameras shooting them. I was there

Professional Photographers.

to meet and greet and not take photos.

insight about photography and where it is going

He provided his

and how to leverage our certification to stand Monday morning came too quickly. I arrived to

out from other photographers.

The big take

see Jared Platt (www.jaredplatt.com) teach his

away from him is don’t just Facebook and send

class on Post-Production Speed in Lightroom

e-mails, but actually pick up the phone and call

5 and Photoshop.

I am always interested in

people. He was right! I sent e-mails to potential

learning more about speeding up my workflow.

brides and right after his class I took the time to

I am able to go through 2,500 images in about

call the 25 people I had emailed and consulted

an hour (selection) and then send the selected

with eight. I booked three! Wow, who would have

images to www.postedits.com for correction

thought the phone works for business?

before presenting them to my customers.

Once Steve’s class was finished I headed up to After Jared’s class, I attended My 10 Favorite

the Grand Imaging Awards and was stunned at

Money Making Nuggets taught by Kimberly Wylie

the work presented for competition. Since I have

(www.kimberlywylie.com).

This was a great

a goal of achieving my Master of Photography

class to gather additional ideas that seem to be

I would really need to step up my game and start entering photographic competitions. I am currently editing six images from 2013 that I want

VISIT KIMBERLY WYLIE AT

WWW.KIMBERLYWYLIE.COM

PAGE 11

to enter, but my game really needs to step up so

VIRGINIA PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS’ ASSOCIATION

I can start achieving merits.

time to go through all the information, DVD’s and products. As I continue my journey to building a

I was scheduled to fly out Tuesday afternoon

new photography business I have come to this

returning to the reality of life, but not before I was

realization: successful photographers have a

able to sneak in one more class, Maximizing Your

brand, build relationships and continue to grow

Senior Sales with Kent Smith and his wife Sarah

as photographers.

Smith (www.kentsmith.com). They were very motivational and helped me visualize how I want to set up my consultation room and present my brand as an experience and not just a sale.

With my excitement, I am already blocking out time for Imaging USA 2015 in Nashville. My goal

I would be remiss if I didn’t discuss the Expo

for 2014 is to generate $50K

Floor. There was a lot of vendors there selling

in gross sales so I can attend

lots of different items and I was able to buy new photographic accessories. I needed soft boxes and another pocket wizard. Also, I decided to

the three-day SMS Business Breakthoughs Workshop.

buy custom designed USB thumb drives, a Ring Light, along with backgrounds and a floor from Silverlight.

I enjoyed seeing all the new and

creative items, but had a shopping list of things

Until then I am building the brand, setting my prices, and finding

to purchase and was able to keep pretty close to

my voice as a photographer. I

the list.

am so excited that 2014 is here,

Overall, attending Imaging USA was one of the best photographic experiences of my life. I learned so much and I’m now trying to find the

PAGE 12

and I am now a small business owner that happens to specialize in wedding photography. D