PPA Today

Vital Signs: Plot Your Path to Success with PPA's Studio Management Services

2012-02-09T15:50:05Z

At some point in your life, you resolved to take your love for photography and make it official—you were going to take proper measures to become a professional photographer. Maybe that day was back in the summer of '71. Maybe it was the last in a series of contemplative moments you'd been having the last few years. Or perhaps, just maybe it was today—on some ordinary Thursday.

But whether you are green to the industry or a seasoned pro, never forget that your business skills are equally as important as your artistic skills. After all, your images can speak for themselves, but are your profits following suit?

Thing is, the business landscape of pro photography is tricky. And as artists, photographers often have a hard time grasping what the numbers mean. That's why PPA has championed business education for photographers, becoming the authority in the industry with our Studio Management Services (SMS). For 10 years, SMS has helped hundreds of studios like yours gain control of their businesses and become more profitable with industry-leading resources (like the Benchmark Survey), education, mentors and other business tools.

Want the best path to success—one that's custom-designed for your unique business? Want to be make smarter business decisions for long-term success? With SMS resources you have access to as a member, you can find the help you need practically every step of the way. Read the complete article here.

Make Your Hard Work Pay Off

2012-02-07T15:35:47Z

Working hard, but have little to show for it? PPA's business workshops have helped hundreds of photographers like you, gain control of their businesses and become financially stronger and more profitable. You see, photographers need both art AND business skills for true professionalism. Come see how we can put you on the right path:

Business Basics Workshops

Build a healthier studio from the ground up with this two-day, nuts-and-bolts class (from understanding financial management to the basics of attracting customers and getting them to buy).
Be empowered to make smarter business decisions for long-term success.

Business Breakthroughs Workshops

Take your studio to the "elusive" next level with this intensive three-day class.
Walk away with actionable business and marketing goals AND a custom financial plan.
Get personalized help with a one-on-one consultation.

2012 Business Workshop Calendar
Business Basics April 28-29 - Cincinnati, OH June 9-10 - Atlanta, GA June 25-26 - Ann Arbor, MI (GLIP) November 3-4 - Atlanta, GA		Business Breakthroughs March 12-14 - Atlanta, GA April 29-May 4* - Dallas, TX (Texas School) July 15-19* - Shawnigan Lake, BC (Image Explorations) July 16 - 18 - Memphis, TN November 5-7 - Atlanta, GA
*NOTE: Workshop is offered with additional programs at this location.

District Competition Update: Where Are You?

2012-02-07T14:38:53Z

There are a lot of photographic competitions out there. It's easy to get lost trying to decipher what goes where and when and why! Here's a quick update, so you don't miss any deadlines:

Northcentral District Competition
Registration closes February 16!
Western District Competition
Registration closes February 23!
Northeast District Competition
Registration open this Thursday and continues
through March 8.
Southeast District Competition
(including the Asia Pacific District)
Registration is open March 1 - 22.

Today's Webinar: The Price is Right

2012-02-07T14:35:27Z

Come on down--oh, we mean come on up!--and learn the answer to the age-old question: Should you go up or down in your pricing? Should you throw in the kitchen sink? At 2:00pm ET today, Alisha and Brook Todd will delve into the mysterious world of pricing weddings, engagements and marketing yourself effectively. Learn more here.

The Ball Studio: 100 Years as a PPA Studio!

2012-02-07T14:12:07Z

We all know that running a photography business is not easy. But last month at Imaging USA, we celebrated The Ball Studio's 100 years as a PPA studio! Holly Peterson is the latest generation and PPA member of this long history, and she accepted a special acknowledgement from PPA President Don Dickson during the PPA Council Meeting for her family.

Holly's great-grandfather, William Ball arrived in Corvallis, Oregon, in 1912 by way of working on the railroad. An artist at heart, he founded The Ball Studio, which has continued to this day to be owned and operated by his family. One of his sons, Robert, fell in love with photography as well, and turned his attention to strengthening the studio's business foundation. (Robert even became a PPA President.) The family business next came to Robert's daughter Mickey and her husband Keith Peterson, who embraced color (and even put in a color lab). And for the past 30 years, Holly has been involved, expanding into a 4,000 sq. ft. studio with five employees.

In that time, The Ball Studio has seen its share of challenges. They've survived two World Wars, the Great Depression, the recession of the '70s, two studio fires and more! So how have they stayed successful for so long?

"We're always adapting and changing...except for one thing, the motto laid down by our great-grandfather: "Reputation is a responsibility as well as a reward," says Holly. "We never centered our studio brand around an individual, but on the concepts of quality, craftsmanship and reputation. And to fine-tune those concepts, we've been members of PPA since the beginning."

Congratulations Holly and the entire Ball Studio family!

Tamron Develops World's First Full-Size, High Speed Standard Zoom With Built-In Image Stabilization - SP 24-70MM F/2.8 DI VC USD

2012-02-06T18:41:35Z

Tamron has announced the development of the SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD (Model A007), the world's first full-size high-speed standard zoom lens equipped with VC (Vibration Compensation) image stabilization and USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive), with resolution at the top of its class. The lens will be developed for Canon, Nikon and Sony mounts. A release date has not been announced.

Product Features

World's first full-size, high-speed standard zoom with built-in VC (Vibration Compensation). Even when shooting in low-light conditions with a slow shutter speed to render sharpness, Tamron's acclaimed VC allows for stable handheld camera work, to more fully enjoy the benefits of this high-speed zoom lens.
Uses specialized high-grade glass in the three LD elements, three Glass Molded Aspherical Lenses, one Hybrid Aspherical Lens and two XR (Extra Refractive Index) glasses, delivering top-of-the-class quality images suited to this high-grade lens. Using a rounded diaphragm, the lens achieves gorgeous blur effects.
Features USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive) to power a speedy AF drive together with a continuous manual mechanism.
This high-speed standard zoom lens has a wide-end focal length of 24mm that expands the photographic area.
The lens adopts the new technology including the latest optical design, VC (Vibration Compensation) image stabilization and USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive), all in a lighter and more compact package.
Moisture-resistant construction helps prevent water from penetrating the lens.

]]> VC (Vibration Compensation)
VC (Vibration Compensation) is Tamron's proprietary image stabilization system. Tamron's VC is a three-coil system, whereby three driving coils activate the shake-compensating VC lens group electromagnetically via three steel balls. The VC lens elements are held in place only by contact with the steel balls, achieving smooth movement with little friction. This provides a stable viewfinder image with excellent tracking performance. And as the VC lens may be moved in parallel using only the motorized control, the mechanical structure has been simplified, enabling the creation of a more compact lens.

New VC system (moving coil method)
Tamron's original VC image stabilization mechanism utilized a moving magnet system whereby a heavy magnet was positioned near the moving VC lens element. In the new VC unit the positions of the magnet and the coil are reversed, because of this the VC optical lens element is attached to the coil. The new VC mechanism employs a moving coil mechanism with a lightweight coil, and the lighter coil reduces the load on the drive system. Thus, the lighter, more compact new VC unit contributes to the lens's overall light weight and compact size.

Because the 24-70 mm F/2.8 Di VC USD is a high-speed zoom lens with maximum aperture of F/2.8, its VC system must drive a lens that is larger and heavier than other zooms. Therefore, the shape, size and layout of the drive coils are all designed to obtain sufficient thrust. The result is a full-size, high-speed zoom that provides the same high level of compensation effect.

About the ultrasonic motor
In the ultrasonic motor, a piezoelectric element arranged in a ring formation generates ultrasonic vibrations in a metallic ring stator, and the vibration energy is used to rotate a metallic ring rotor that is attached to the stator. The rotation energy is in turn transferred from the metallic ring rotor to operate the focus lens.

Tune Up Your Website: 5 Pillars of a Successful Website - Tutorial from PhotoShelter

2012-02-03T15:59:47Z

Remember the day you decided that you needed to get a website? It might have been at a time when photographers thought of their websites solely as a digital version of their printed portfolios, or as a brochure for their studio/event businesses. But today, your website is much more - it's arguably the most important part of your sales and marketing strategy. If you don't already think of your website that way, then it might be time for an upgrade.

Building a successful photography website might seem like a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be. Depending on your clientele and addressable market, your website will need to focus on some features more than others (e-commerce vs. file delivery, for example). But regardless of your specialty, all photographers should bear in mind these 5 pillars of a successful photography website:

1. Separation of Church and State. If you have multiple lines of business, like shooting weddings and politics, create a separate website for each. If a potential new client comes to your website looking for coverage of the latest political debate and sees a galleries full of wedding photography, they're likely to leave and move on to another photographer who's more closely specialized in what they need. Don't lose business by mixing your audiences - instead, maintain separate websites that are focused on one specialty.

James and Julie Branaman have one website for their photojournalism work at branaman.photoshelter.com.

The Branamans have another website for their wedding photography at branamanweddingphoto.photoshelter.com.

2. Clean, simple, and uncluttered. Clients are most likely visiting your website because they're interested in your photography, not your web design skills. That doesn't mean you shouldn't have a nice logo and site design - just keep it simple. You want to make it as easy as possible for people to find what they're looking for. That means focusing on well-organized and aptly named featured galleries and information pages that are easy to navigate to from your homepage.

Megan and James of Solas Wedding + Portrait Photography have portfolios for both their wedding and portrait photograph, which are both easy to find from the homepage.

3. Search engine optimized. One of the most important factors to think about when building your website is whether it's search engine optimized. Although search engine optimization (SEO) - the way you structure and edit your website's content to maximize your ranking in search results - may seem difficult, a good photo website makes it easy. Rule #1 is no Flash, because search engines read Flash websites as basically a blank page; it's the plain, on-page text and web page meta data that gets your website to rank. Also, make sure that your gallery titles, image captions, and other text is optimized for the keywords that you want to rank for. You can learn more in this free guide, SEO for Photographers.

4. The faster, the better. You might think that a fancy intro with your logo slowly fading in is great, but it's almost certain that your clients don't. Photo buyers, consumers and clients tell us time and time again that if your website doesn't load in under 10 seconds, they're moving on. Make sure that you're working with a company that builds websites that will load and advance your images quickly. And if you absolutely insist on starting with a slideshow, make sure the visitor can control or dismiss it.

5. Easy-to-find contact information. Whether the goal of your website is to land you assignments, book weddings, or sell prints, make sure clients know how to contact you. This sounds simple enough, but clients frequently comment that they fall in love with a photographer's work and then can't figure out how to contact them. The easiest way to avoid this problem is to include your contact information in the footer of your website so it shows up on every page. You can use a "contact" link, but be sure to provide your email and telephone number since some clients don't like using standard contact forms.

Travel and lifestyle photographer Ken Kaminesky includes his email and telephone number on the contact page.

Tuning up your website is a key marketing tactic for any good photography business. Of course, there are other strategies that should be part of your photography business plan. In PhotoShelter's 2012 Photo Business Plan Workbook, we help you assemble a concrete plan to beef up your marketing and grow your business. Use this step-by-step guide to build your business plan and stick to it!

Photography BlogSites Announces Partnership with SmugMug

2012-02-02T20:19:37Z

Photography BlogSites has announced a partnership with internationally acclaimed digital photo sharing hub SmugMug. As the only website option with the ability to instantly synchronize its designs with SmugMug, Photography BlogSites is taking another step in becoming the premiere website service for photographers.

Through Photography BlogSites' instant sync ability with SmugMug, the design of the photographer's website will carry directly over to SmugMug - allowing photographers to retain their branding when customers make purchases. In addition, this service is available to all SmugMug Pro and Power users.

Read more here.

Vital Signs: Protect Yourself with the Indemnification Trust

2012-02-02T16:32:45Z

Everyone has experienced that sinking feeling. You know the feeling you got in the pit of your stomach when you were 7 years old and just broke one of Mom's or Dad's prized possessions? That's when you look around and try to blame the dog, the cat, the wind...even the kid down the street.

Chances are, you're probably no longer at risk of having to explain yourself to Mom and Dad when accidents happen. On the other hand, as a photographer (and a small-business owner), you could find yourself sitting in front of a client with this very same feeling. You are the end of the line when it comes to decision making for your photography business, so it's going to be quite difficult to convince a client to blame someone/something else, even if the matter was out of your hands. And the client probably won't be satisfied with just sentencing you to one week without TV.

In situations like this, your wallet and, more importantly, your reputation are on the line.

This is where PPA's Indemnification Trust program can step in to help. When clients start to point their fingers at you, use yours to pick up the phone and request the assistance of an attorney experienced at talking photographers through a variety of client complaints. Read more here.

Ready for a Business Breakthrough?

2012-01-31T21:17:16Z

SMS Business Workshop Comes to Atlanta, March 12-14

You probably know the importance of adding business smarts to your artistic skills (you need them to keep doing what you love!). So, are you ready to increase your sales? Keep more money? Take back your life? Take the next step with PPA's Studio Management Services.

Our Business Breakthroughs Workshop can help you get to that "elusive" next level. The three full-day sessions teach you to manage your finances, attract your ideal client, get comfortable selling and more...all to help you better run your unique photography business.

The most amazing thing? This workshop includes a private consultation with an SMS mentor and PPA accountant, meaning you'll walk away with actionable business and marketing goals AND a custom financial plan. It's the one-two punch that can push you onwards and upwards!

Get a Good Start on Competition

2012-01-31T16:41:31Z

You know that old saying, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again"? Well, the same is true for PPA and PPA Affiliate photographic competitions. With progressing levels (local, state, district, international) and critiques at every stage, these competitions can help you improve your entries and your chances of earning high marks...until you do succeed. That's why we don't want you to miss out on your PPA District Photographic Competition!

Let's say you enter a case (four images) at your district. If any of those entries earn a score of 80 or above, you will get a Seal of Approval. That means your image would automatically merit and be judged for PPA's Loan Collection...if you enter it in the next International Photographic Competition.

However, if your images don't score that high, you might have the opportunity to listen to critiques. The district jurors can point out the good areas and areas for improvement in your images. Then, take that advice and tweak your images before entering them in the International Photographic Competition, the next competition level up!

By entering an earlier competition (like your district competition), you have a chance to fine-tune your images and hopefully do even better at the highest level of all. And that can lead to more merits, more recognition and better imagery for you. Are you ready to get a good start on competition?

Join PPA Members Everywhere to Celebrate Smiles

2012-01-31T14:44:42Z

Whether you are an old hand at charitable marketing or want to get started but don't know how, now's your chance! PPA Charities, in association with Marathon Press, offers the perfect opportunity to gain new clients and repeat business through a brand-new charitable marketing event. As a PPA member, you can participate in "Celebration of Smiles," set for April 21, 2012. (Or choose another day that works for you.)

What It Is
Participating photographers will host an event where clients donate a minimum of $24 for a portrait mini session and desk-sized portrait, and 100% of donations go to support Operation Smile. This worldwide children's medical charity (focusing on facial deformities) can perform a surgery for as little as $240. So, for every 10 sessions a studio photographs during this Celebration of Smiles event, one child will receive the life-changing gift of surgery.

Think how many smiles you could help save by joining in this one-day event! Think how your name recognition and repeat business could grow! (Plus, you might even win the opportunity to document an Operation Smile Mission!)

Get Involved
Register with only a $25 PPA Charities donation, and you'll receive . . .

The Celebration of Smiles Marketing Guide that takes you step-by-step through how to market, prepare for and execute your promotion. (You'll also get predesigned promotional elements and materials for marketing to your clients and prospects.)
Your studio name and website link on the Celebration of Smiles consumer website.
Weekly "timeline" emails, so you'll stay on track with marketing and operating your promotion.

Learn more and register at ppacharities.com.

Not a PPA member, but want to take part in the Celebration of Smiles? It's easy to join: ppa.com/joinppa.

For more information contact:
Bert Behnke
20600 S. Old Wolf Road
Mokena, IL 60448
(708) 267-0657
bbehnke@ppa.com

PPA President Don Dickson and his wife, Charlcey, show their support for PPA Charities' "Celebration of Smiles," set for April 21, 2012. (100 % of the proceeds will benefit Operation Smile!)

Bulletproof Your Backups for the New Year & Beyond

2012-01-30T20:22:16Z

It's almost February and the New Year's resolutions you promised yourself are already fading into the background of daily life. But don't worry, we still have one resolution that's never too late to accomplish: backing up your hard drive. Although it's one of those tasks that rates somewhere between flossing your teeth and checking the air in your tires, it's a necessity that can cause great regret if not done regularly.

Backing up is the first rule of thumb for protecting all your important data (like all those images!) and, clearly, it has real benefits. Yet it's surprising how many people don't do it...or do it improperly. A suitable backup means that a duplicate copy of your data resides on a different storage medium than your main hard drive. Copying your data to another folder on the same drive doesn't count because when (not if) your drive crashes, you may not be able to access any of the data.

What's Your Backup Plan?
A good backup plan starts with deciding what files you want to back up. This can take awhile if you have a large hard drive and thousands of files collected over the years. To speed up the backup process and reclaim valuable space on your hard drive, it's a good idea to do a little digital housekeeping and archive old data to semi-permanent storage media, such as DVD-R, BD-R or even CD-R. Although these media are "write-once," the expectation is that they will last about 100 years before deteriorating.

Once you've archived data to your discs, it's recommended that you verify and check the data on them to ensure that everything was properly transferred and that none of the files are corrupt. Lastly, you should make more than one set of these archive discs and store them in different locations. You might keep one at your office, another in a safe deposit box and perhaps an additional copy at the home of a family member.

Read the full article here.

Jim DiVitale's Work to be Exhibited at Marietta Museum of Art

2012-01-27T19:04:59Z

PPA member and award-winning photographer Jim DiVitale will soon have an exhibit of his recent photographic work displayed at the Marietta Museum of Art in Marietta, GA.

Titled "Home and Heroes", the display will feature DiVitale's black and white photographs of historic homes from the Civil War time period located in the city of Marietta.

The images also appeared in DiVitale's recent book collaboration with author Doug Frey, Marietta: The Gem City of Georgia.

The exhibit will run from April through the summer. Read more about the exhibit on DiVitale's blog.

SOPA and PIPA - Don't Be Fooled

2012-01-27T16:29:03Z

We know that many of you have been following the developments with the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA). There has been some confusion over the proposed legislation, which frankly is the intent of the bills' opponents. We wanted to take a moment to correct some of the bad information, and to let you know where we stand.

We were disappointed by some of the heavy-handed tactics used by opponents of the bills. The objective of those tactics was obviously to create fear and hysteria, while at the same time spreading false information about what the bills would actually accomplish. We want you to know the following:

Both pieces of legislation (SOPA in the Senate and PIPA in the House) targeted off-shore pirating of works produced in the U.S.
We do not feel that the measures were perfect--no legislation is. But the greater good demands that measures be taken to protect the rights of creators like you.
It is true that those mega-corporations opposed to the bill could possibly have been inconvenienced by the legislation. It is their job to make money, and their actions merely represented those purposes.
It is not true that the public would have been deprived of works to which it has rights, but rather, only those works that are copyrighted and being sold illegally by rogue off-shore websites.

Read the full article here.