Blue Ridge Region May 2014
Thoughts from the Secretary...
Well it would seem the weather is what we talk about now! I agree after that dark, cold, and wet winter I welcome spring along as well with flowers and brides and Senior portraits just around the corner!
Cover Image
This months cover image comes from your Governor, Michael Corbin. To have your image featured here, email to
info@michaelsinkphotography.com with details.
this issue From the Governor P.1 From the Lt.Governor P.2 Upcoming Events P.2
From the Governor... Perhaps we are finally getting rid of the cold wet weather that seems to have lasted for years this winter. I was about ready to put out a contract on Old Man Winter, and I suspect I’d have had lots of contributors to the fund. With warmer weather we’re seeing an uptick in portraits, Easter, kids, family, bunny, and Senior portraits should be getting going soon. Those of us who do weddings should also be getting into high gear. While we certainly hope your business is doing well, we’d like to encourage everyone to come to our Blue Ridge monthly meetings. Our Lt. Governor, Jen Chaconas, has some greats speakers and great topics lined up, with the next one being here in Lynchburg at my studio. I’d like to encourage everyone to carpool for the journey. Spending a little bit of time in the car with colleagues is a fine way to make friends out of competitors. The VPPA board met last week in Richmond to hash out details of steering your association into the future. Among the topics were cost cutting measures necessary to keeping this train on track. We are fortunate here in Virginia to have a strong state organization unlike some of the surrounding states who have seen hard times lately. Some of them appear to
have all but collapsed. One of the cost cutting measures taken moves our quarterly magazine off paper and into digital distribution. The next issue will be placed online, and those who want a paper copy will be able to get one there. We’ll also be moving the Association annual directory to digital distribution in a form that will allow members to print their own copies. Several board members mentioned keeping a copy by the phone as well as another in their cars for when they were on the road and needed to contact another member. Speaking of other members, I attended the funeral of one of our newest members, Cindy Douglass, who died very suddenly in April. She had just joined right after the Christmas party and attended the annual convention in February. I spoke with her several times there, and she was like a kid in a candy store with excitement over the things she was learning and the new friends she was making. She was a very warm person who made a lot of friends at the convention. I don’t think we’ll ever know fully what we’re going to miss with her passing. So as you go about your business as the weather gets warmer and the days longer, be sure to stop and smell those roses along the way. I plan on hanging out in the Old Lynchburg City Cemetery a little this spring to photograph some of the many antique roses in the Confederate Rose Garden. Come join me won’t you?
- Michael Corbin
From the Lt. Governor...
Side Notes... Ty Swartz gave a great presentation last month at David Lee Michael’s place.
Really
inspiring on the blogging/ Facebook/Twitter front, Ty brought some awesome info to share! Cross platform artistry... Ever been inspired by another unrelated artist? Music bringing images to your mind? or sculptures that speak to you on a visceral level? Inspiring you to leap outta that box and try something different, video maybe, a different style of image maybe. Share that with your friends on the VPPA Facebook group, maybe you have something in common? I’ve got sore fingertips from guitar lessons , and a cool side effect has been a firing of neurons like no one’s business! Get inspired, make some art! - Michael Sink, CPP
Can you believe it is May already and the weather is finally playing “catch up”? I am sure your business is starting to blossom, as well as the beautiful flowers outside :) We had a great Social Media meeting with speaker, Ty Swartz (Chesapeake, VA) that got us up to speed on how to optimize our social media platforms. He brought with him another member from the Tidewater district, Bob Harper. Great to have them both with us and THANKS to all that took the time to attend!! A “shout out” to David Lee Michaels for hosting at his studio... great team effort on everyone’s part. Thanks to all! Get ready for our May meeting! Mark your calendars for a Lightroom workshop with Jeanette Burkle. Her biography is as follows: Jeanette Galie Burkle is an award-winning professional photographer who also dedicates her time and energy to teach emerging photographers. For nine years, Jeanette has owned and managed a successful photography business primarily serving the artistically and logistically demanding markets of architecture and high-end events. In each of the past nine years, her work has been honored through the Virginia Professional Photographers Association with such recognition as the highly distinctive Fuji Masterpiece Award and the Kodak Gallery Award. Her photography, as well as her teaching style, is based on the belief that the art of photography is 90% seeing and respond-
ing to the light and 10% photographing. She feels that beauty surrounds us all the time and it’s up to each of us, as artists and interpreters, to find it and capture it in the best way we know how. Her work is inspired by one of her favorite quotes by one of her favorite photographers: “It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera... they are made with the eye, heart and head.” ~ Henri Cartier-Bresson That inspiration and belief, has led her to attract many corporate clients including ExxonMobil, George Mason University, John Marshall Bank, American Red Cross, AmeriChoice, Medtronic, Harris Corporation, and Long & Foster Realty. I do not know about you, but I am super excited about having this awesome talent come to our district to get us up to speed on Lightroom, which will ultimately assist with improved workflow. Who would like to have extra time to get outside and do something fun?? The meeting will be held at Michael Corbin’s studio, located at 6359 Richmond Hwy, Lynchburg 24504 An executive decision has been made to combine June and July meetings to have a full-day meeting on June 30th. Kevin Hurley has graciously offered his studio for this amazing event. We have 2 wonderfully talented photographers, Mary Fisk-Taylor and Jamie Hayes coming in to speak on marketing/sales (Mary) and Jamie will share his expertise in posing and lighting. Mark your calendars NOW because this is one you will NOT want to miss! Stay tuned for more details... Happy Spring everyone and see you at the meeting in Lynchburg! - Jen Chaconas
Upcoming Events May 12th, 1:30-4pm - BRR Monthly Meeting at Michael Corbin’s Studio in Lynchburg, VA, presentation by Jeanette Burkle hands on in Lightroom 6359 Richmond Hwy, Lynchburg 24504 bring your laptops as this is a “working” presentation. RSVP at (434) 845-0613