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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.

What separates a professional photographer from an amateur? Knowledge and Skill. One of the biggest marks of professionalism is continuing your education. Keeping up with the latest technologies, trends and techniques will help you stay competitive in your market. PPA is the authority on education for the photography industry. PPA offers a variety of educational resources and programs as part of your membership, which will give you the business and artistic knowledge you need to succeed in this industry.

Online Education
PPA's collection of business and artistic education courses includes topics from advertising to workflow and continues to grow every week. Live, online courses can be purchased individually ($39 per) or through an Online Learning Pass ($99). "PPA's Online Learning Pass is like having a membership to the PPA webinar library."¹ With an Online Learning Pass you will have access to the full webinar archive and to all live webinars, for six months. Read more about the online courses here.

Local Education
PPA members can also register for Super Monday classes, a peer-led educational initiative organized by PPA. Twice a year in the spring and fall, studios from coast to coast offer photography education on a variety of subjects. It's a great chance for you to receive face-to-face education from a photographer in your area...and build up your networks! Plus, if you're working toward a PPA degree, teaching a Super Monday class can earn you two speaking merits toward it. Read more about Super Monday here.

Business Education Tools (via the Benchmark)
On top of these great educational offerings, PPA also publishes the Financial Benchmark Survey, Analysis and Toolset (or, simply, the Benchmark) exclusively for members. To develop the Benchmark, PPA surveyed hundreds of studios (like yours) across the country. The end result is a unique set of tools to help you set goals and measure your studio against many others in key financial areas (cost of sales, revenue, expenses, net profit, and so on). Read more about the Benchmark here.

And don't forget...PPA members have access to all the educational articles in the Resources section of PPA.com and receive discounts to other educational events like Imaging USA, our convention and trade show for pro photographers. So as we head into 2012, don't let these opportunities go to waste. Use these PPA benefits to keep learning and growing!

PPA members also can sign up for business workshops and consultations from PPA's Studio Management Services. Find more information on Studio Management Services in this article.

1 McDowell, TJ. "PPA Online Learning Pass Review." Larissa Photography Blog. December 13, 2011. <www.larissaphotography.com/blog/2011/12/ppa-online-learning-pass-review>

We've mentioned previously that one of the benefits of being a PPA member is that you receive discounts on many products and services that photographers use every day. From computer software to office supplies, many of these useful discounts are available to you on a daily basis. But here's even more great news: The deals don't stop there. Pay special attention to those times when PPA negotiates extra-special discounts called Extreme Deals (like the one going on right now for PhotoShelter)!

Extreme Deals are amazingly good bargains on products photographers need, with savings exclusive to PPA members. The key here is to act quickly when an Extreme Deal comes around that you are interested in. They are short-term discounts, so time is of the essence. That's why, when one is being offered, PPA members are notified via member emails and blog posts. (Members can also find information about any current Extreme Deals on the PPA website at any time.)

What could you get? Past Extreme Deals have included slideshow services from Animoto, discounted services from Collages.net (on top of the discount PPA members already receive), Photobiz website services and more!

Remember: You have to be a PPA member to take advantage of these extreme savings. Join today and start getting better resources for less!

Being in the holiday season doesn't mean your business needs have stopped. Many photographers find themselves shipping both gifts and orders this time of year, so don't forget your PPA member benefit with FedEx!

Whether you have gifts to send, orders to fulfill or materials to print, FedEx has the solutions to help you get it done on time. Plus, PPA members can get discounts on select shipping and business services through our special FedEx Advantage® Program.
 

• Deliver On Time: Specify time-definite delivery in the U.S. and around the world with FedEx Express®, or choose FedEx Ground® for delivery in 1 to 5 business days within the contiguous U.S., based on the distance to the destination.
• Home Delivery: FedEx Home Delivery® is the only service of its kind dedicated to residential customers and is faster to more residential locations than UPS Ground.
• Hold at Location: FedEx Express, FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery packages can now be delivered--or even redirected in-transit--and held for pickup at the recipient's convenience. Packages may be held at to up to 2,400 FedEx locations, including many FedEx Office® centers.
• Print at FedEx Office: Save up to 20%* on select FedEx Office copy and print services and up to 10% on other select services, including custom-made posters, signs, banners, newsletters, flyers, brochures and postcards.

Ready to take advantage of your PPA discounts with FedEx and save on your holiday needs--for your business and personal life? Get your special link, promo code and phone number here.

*FedEx Office discount does not apply to outsourced products or services, office supplies, shipping services, inkjet cartridges, videoconferencing services, equipment rental, conference room rental, high-speed wireless access, Sony® PictureStationTM purchase, gift certificates, custom calendars, holiday promotion greeting cards or postage. This discount cannot be used in combination with volume pricing, custom-bid orders, sale items, coupons or other discount offers. Discounts and availability are subject to change. Not valid for services provided at FedEx Office Print and Ship Center locations in hotels, convention centers and other non-retail locations. Products, services and hours vary by location.

Start 2012 off with a website that works for your business! PhotoShelter, the leader in websites and marketing tools for photographers is pleased to offer an extreme deal to PPA members. Sign up for PhotoShelter before December 31, 2011 and get 2-months of service completely free! That's a $60 value.

With a PhotoShelter website, you get 10 professional website design themes or the ability to customize your own look. Plus, you get powerful tools to support your photo business, including:

• A robust shopping cart for selling prints, products & image downloads
• Powerful marketing tools to attract clients with social media and search engine optimization
• Client management tools like password protected galleries, proofing & online image delivery
• A true archive for storing JPG, RAW, TIFF, and PSD images online
• Plus so much more

Members can read more about this extreme deal and how to signup for it here.

Most photographers get into this industry because they love creating art. However, PPA understands that not many photographers have a deep passion for financial management, price lists, marketing research, business plans and other such tasks!  

Managing those parts of a business is a challenge for many photographers because it is not what comes naturally. That's why PPA established Studio Management Services (SMS):  to provide members the knowledge and tools necessary for operating a successful photography business.

Workshops
Want to learn the ins and outs of running a successful photography business? PPA members can turn to SMS Business Workshops: Business Basics and Business Breakthroughs. The Business Basics workshop is designed to teach emerging studios the essentials of running a photography business, from legal financial requirements to pricing for profit and more.

The Business Breakthroughs workshop helps established studios take their business to the ever elusive "next level." This three-day workshop combines a small-group learning experience and a one-on-one consultation with a business mentor and a PPA accountant. It's an advanced course on mastering financial management, branding, marketing, pricing and sales strategies.

Consultations
In addition, SMS provides members the support they need to keep their business on the path to success with consultation services. An SMS Consultation teams you with an experienced business mentor and a PPA staff accountant. They evaluate your business, work closely with you to develop a business plan, and provide valuable financial and marketing support. SMS also offers Ongoing Consultations as a routine guidance and support service to continually help you fine-tune financial management, marketing, pricing and sales strategies.

Benchmark Resources: Tools for Profitability
Along with these benefits, SMS is the "brains" behind PPA's Benchmark Survey, the first and only study providing a financial analysis of the photography industry. The Benchmark Survey reveals why some studios are so successful, why others fall short on profitability, and what pitfalls to avoid. Exclusively for PPA members, we've developed these Benchmark resources to help studios more easily understand critical insights and apply them to their businesses.

Read more about this PPA benefit (Studio Management Services) here.

As a business owner, you're probably always looking for a way to save money on the products you need to run your photography business. So before you make a purchase, why not check your PPA benefits? PPA has negotiated multiple discounts for members, and we can help you save on items from computers to car rentals!

One such member discount is for something crucial to the success of many photographers: Adobe software. As a PPA member, you qualify to save 15% on all orders placed through the North American online Adobe Store. Key benefits of getting your software through this program include:

• All standard commercial Adobe products are eligible for the savings.
• The more you get, the more you save (you receive a percentage discount off your total order).
• Save on shipping by ordering the downloadable version, and benefit from instant registration as well.

Members can read more about the Adobe discount here.

In addition to the Adobe store discount, PPA and Apple have teamed up to bring members the Apple Association Member Purchase Program. This program gives you preferred pricing on the latest Apple products and accessories. Program benefits include:

• Special member pricing on Apple and third-party products
• Exclusive promotions
• Complimentary shipping on all orders over $50
• Free engraving on all new iPod and iPad models
• Mac customization
• Flexible business financing options

Read more about the Apple Association Member Purchase Program here.

PPA is also a member of the Allied Business Network (ABN). The ABN allows you to receive discounts such as office supplies, travel, promotional products, printing, and more. Here are just two examples of the wide variety of discounts offered in this program alone:

• Discount on every car rental from Hertz and a complimentary membership in the Hertz #1 Club Gold.
• Discounts on hotel stays at all of the Wyndham Hotel Group's properties.

Read more about the Allied Business Network benefit here.

And that's not the end of the sweet savings you'll find here. PPA also has discount deals for many other business services you can use in your everyday work...discounts with vendors like Collages.net, FedEx, Office Depot, Animoto, onOne Software, Nik Software and Graphic Authority. Read about all these discounts on the Benefits page...and start lowering the cost of running your business!

Your camera is a vital part of your photography business--you can't do your job without it! So, what do you do when it is damaged beyond what you can fix yourself? You have to get it repaired, but that's often quite costly. Luckily, PPA has some benefits to help members in situations like this.

Along with the new PhotoCare benefit (which offers eligible members $15,000 of equipment insurance at no extra cost), PPA has teamed up with Precision Camera & Video Repair to offer you discounted repair services. With the PPA Premier Services Program from Precision Camera, members get
:

• 1-3 business day(s) repair turnaround time*
• Discounted flat-rate repair pricing (10% discount)
• Free estimate process (no diagnostics fee; return shipping applies)
• Discounted outbound shipping on repaired units (up to $14.95 off any shipping, excluding estimate refusals)
• 1 free gift after first repair

In addition to repair services, Precision Camera also offers PPA members a discount on infrared conversion. With the PPA Infrared Conversion Program, members receive:

• 1-3 business day(s) conversion turnaround time*
• Discounted outbound shipping on repaired units (up to $14.95 off any shipping, excluding estimate refusals)
• Point & shoot infrared conversion ($149 + S&H)
• EVIL/Micro 4/3rds format infrared conversion ($229+ + S&H)
• Digital SLR infrared conversion (APS Sensor) ($269 + S&H)
• Digital SLR infrared conversion (Full Frame Sensor) ($299 + S&H)

Ready to keep your camera in tip-top shape with these great PPA member benefits, designed to help professional photographers like you stay (and thrive) in business? Members can read more about the benefit and how to place an order here.

*Turnaround time may be longer than 3 business days if parts are not readily available to complete the repair.

Competition is a great way to earn recognition for your work, and it can also be helpful for improving your skills as a photographer. It's a win-win! That's why you should consider entering PPA's annual International Photographic Competition (IPC).

Entries to IPC are judged based on a standard of excellence, not against each other. The guidelines for judging are known as the "12 Elements of a Merit Image." By following these guidelines, you're not only likely to do well in competition, but you'll also find yourself capturing better images more consistently.

"Without a doubt, participating in photographic competitions in an ongoing basis continues to hone my eye, my camera skills and my post-processing skills," adds Sam Gardner, M.Photog.Cr., CPP. "It is one of the most valuable returns on investment I can think of to grow skills as a professional image maker."

In addition to helping refine your skills, IPC can also help you earn a PPA degree. If your entry reaches a certain level, you will earn a merit (a point) toward a PPA degree. These degrees recognize a level of commitment and skill in photography that can help you to stand out from the competition. (Read more about PPA's merits and degrees here.)

Finally, if your image scores high enough at IPC, it could go "loan." Your image will then become part of the PPA Loan Collection, which is included in the International Photographic Exhibit at Imaging USA and is published in a book. It's a great way to earn recognition among your peers and customers alike!

So, start preparing those images for the next International Photographic Competition in 2012. You'll see for yourself how this competition is a true PPA benefit...good for more than just awards to hang on your wall.

Read more about the International Photographic Competition here, and don't miss "The Power of Competition" class at Imaging USA on January 15. 

Ever had one of your images used without your permission? Unfortunately, copyright infringement--whether intentional or unintentional--does happen. So, what do you do when you discover it?

If you feel that one of your copyrights has been violated, you can contact PPA's Copyright & Government Affairs staff for help. PPA offers copyright assistance as part of your member benefits to help protect your bottom line. In instances of infringement, our staff will work one-on-one with you to ensure that you have the needed information to make the best decisions to protect your work and your livelihood.

PPA is also active on Capitol Hill, lobbying Congress on the importance of copyright protection for photographers' work. In fact, PPA is the only photographic association with a full-time, dedicated team focused on legislative affairs. Read more about how PPA protects your copyrights here.

There are also a number of copyright resources that PPA members can take advantage of, including the PPA Copyright Kit and the Copyright Registration Guide. Access these resources (and many others) here.

But PPA doesn't stop with protecting your copyright. Our Copyright & Government Affairs department also makes sure photographers' voices are heard on Capitol Hill in regards to small business issues...and they help provide members with a number of other legal resources needed in running a photography business. Members can access sample contracts, model releases, licenses and a host of other helpful articles in the "Legal" and "Contracts and Forms" categories of the Resources archive on PPA.com.

Remember these benefits the next time you're looking for copyright or contract guidance!