Recently in Benefits Category

Where do you spend most of your time as a photographer? Are you capturing images for clients, or are you at a computer painstakingly editing those images? If you find yourself spending too much time post-processing, the award-winning Nik Software professional filters can help get you back behind the camera (and PPA members get a great discount).

Widely used by working pros around the world, Nik Software products solve many challenges faced by photographers every day and provide creative, practical and powerful workflow solutions that save time and money. Working tightly within tools you already use--Adobe® Photoshop®, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom® and Apple® Aperture®--Nik's powerful, easy-to-use image enhancement tools help you quickly reduce noise, correct color and light, mimic traditional filters, retouch skin, convert color images to fine art black-and-white masterpieces, sharpen images and much more.

To learn more about how your peers are using Nik Software products, join PPA member Tony Corbell, Cr.Photog., API, for a special PPA workflow webinar. You can even download free trial versions to try on your own images!

Check out all of the software solutions available from Nik Software...and see how to take advantage of your special PPA member discount by visiting the Benefits section of PPA.com.

These days, many clients prefer to pay for your services by credit card. Well, don't forget that PPA members have a great benefit--at a great rate--that will help you offer that option through Midwest Transaction Group (MTG)!

MTG is a national credit card processing company that caters to you as a photographer. Small merchants are usually subject to monthly minimums and higher rates because their transaction volumes are not as high as other businesses. Luckily, through PPA's partnership with MTG, you can sign up with no monthly minimums, no contractual period and no cancellation fees! But that's not all that MTG offers photographers. Take a look at some of the special benefits that come with MTG:

Discounts--Best of all? As a PPA member, qualified, swiped transactions cost only 1.55% + 20 cents/transaction, and you also get a discount on the terminal or internet gateway you need to process those transactions.

NEW Mobile Processing--Looking to make the process even easier? Keep an eye out for MTG's new service (coming soon!) that will allow you to swipe a credit card using your iPhone™, BlackBerry® or DROID smart phone! This is perfect for the times you shoot on location or when you're simply outside of the studio and want to take an order.

PCI Compliance--MTG will help you become PCI compliant, which means that you comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards established by VISA®, MasterCard® and Discover®. Any business that accepts credit or debit cards needs to be PCI compliant, and this is one of the biggest hurdles in the industry. It requires a business to complete and file an annual assessment of their ability to safeguard card data. Most processors will send you to a third party in order to help you become PCI compliant, which entails an additional cost. However, MTG helps you become PCI compliant free of charge, thanks to their licensed PCI compliance technology that can help you complete the assessment and properly file the information.

Visit the Benefit area at PPA.com for more information about MTG and the services that they offer...and the special discounts that you get as a PPA member!

If you are looking to expand your client base and get some free marketing along the way, look no further than Accuphoto. When it launches on May 31, 2010, this unique service will provide verified professional images to members of the online dating community and social networking sites at a fixed price. This is an exclusive PPA member benefit--only PPA members can become Accuphoto Photographers.

Accuphoto was started by Brenda Kirkland, a PPA member who had tried out the online dating scene and was disappointed by the abundance of poor quality (or inaccurate) profile pictures that people were using. First impressions make a huge impact, especially on an online dating site, so Brenda decided to do something about it.

"As a professional photographer and PPA member myself, I thought of what a large network of photographers we have within PPA, and how we can make a difference and help these singles create that 'best first impression,'"explains Kirkland.

Beginning on May 31st, Accuphoto will begin advertising with eHarmony, Facebook and other media outlets around the U.S. Individuals who are interested in having a professional profile picture can contact Accuphoto and be connected with PPA members (who are Accuphoto Photographers) in their area. The individual will select their PPA photographer, have their images taken and choose the images they would like to use on their online profile.

It's completely free for PPA members to join and become Accuphoto Photographers. And since Accuphoto markets to millions of online daters (and your potential future clients!), you get your studio name out there at no cost to you. For each client you book through Accuphoto, you will earn $65. And if you upsell to the client, you get to keep 100 percent of the profits.

 "Accuphoto is based on a dual benefit--helping singles make successful matches and helping photographers," says Kirkland. After all, you are building relationships with people who may be on the verge of a new commitment, possibly even marriage and the start of a family.

Become one of the 1,300 PPA members who have already signed up to become an Accuphoto Photographer. To register or get more information about Accuphoto, visit www.accuphoto.com (and make sure to have your PPA Member ID# -- you'll need that to sign up).

Looking for some spring savings? PPA members currently receive a discounted activation fee for Cash Flow Solution's BounceBack recovery model, but their Extreme Deal takes the discount even further!

From now until May 31st, PPA Members who sign up with BounceBack check recovery services will save $75 on the one-time activation fee (a savings of 50%)!

This is the perfect chance to try out the service that allows you to keep more of your hard-earned money by increasing check collection dollars through electronic and traditional collection methods. By using BounceBack, you can:

• Eliminate all of your collection expenses.
• Reduce your return check bank fees.
• Make checks more profitable to accept than credit cards.
• Receive 100% of the collected check amount.

PPA members can log in here to take advantage of this offer.

Preview 15 minutes of the next issue of PhotoVision 2010.  Issue 80 features infant photography by Julie Klaasmeyer, an urban bridal session using E-TTL with Mike Fulton and Cody Clinton, high school seniors with Gary and Pam Box, a high-energy fashion shoot with Brian DeMint, how to supercharge your workflow with Gary Box and Jeff Dunn captures dancers during a commercial portrait session.

With PhotoVision, you'll observe the industry's leading image makers in their actual working environments, inside their studios and on location, you'll tag along on actual weddings, sit in on insider interviews learning the secrets of successful marketing and sales, and observe the latest retouching and workflow techniques.

As a sponsor, PPA is pleased to offer our members PhotoVision 2010 at the special price of $39 - a $110 savings off the full price of $149.  Receive 12 hours of educational content on 6 DVDs, one mailed every other month for one low price. PPA members can sign in here for their discount code. 

To preview video from the upcoming issue and to learn more about PhotoVision visit www.photovision2010.com/nextissue.

Something exciting is coming your way soon...something that could change the "face" of online dating and help YOU create more relationships, too.

As PPA members, you'll have an exclusive chance to join Accuphoto, starting January 10, 2010. Created by Brenda Kirkland, a PPA member herself, Accuphoto is a unique service that provides certified professional images to members of the online dating community at a fixed price.

How Accuphoto Can Help You
First of all, this is a FREE marketing tool for photographers--that's helpful right there!

PPA members already receive discounts on Precision Camera services, and now they can get an even larger discount on infrared conversion prices. From now until December 20th, PPA members can get extreme deals on the Digital Point & Shoot Conversion, DSLR Conversion, and Full Frame DSLR Conversion. Visit the Extreme Deals page in the Benefits section of PPA.com for complete details on this offer.

PPA is pleased to announce a new benefit for members: an ongoing series of free, member-exclusive webinars designed to provide members with inspiration and tips on photographic art, technique, and workflow.

The first series, "From Capture to Client, presented by Adobe, will begin on September 21, with the webinar "The Art of Facial Retouching. Canon's "Exploring" webinar series begins on October 5, with "Photographing Children. Both series were designed to help photographers gather ideas and solid advice for growing their creativity and business.

EXPLORING... This monthly series features Canon "Explorers of Light" sharing their imagery, techniques, and insights. October 5 / 12-1pm ET Photographing Children with Michele Celentano, Cr.Photog. November 2 / 12-1pm ET New Ways of Working and Seeing to Win Clients with Ken Sklute, M.Photog.Cr. November 30 / 12-1pm ET FONG Shui: Harmony with the Art of Posing and Lighting with Hanson Fong, M.Photog.Cr.

FROM CAPTURE TO CLIENT This four-part series, sponsored by Adobe, offers tips and tricks for each step of your digital imaging workflow, from dynamic raw processing to flawless retouching. September 21 / 12-1pm ET The Art of Facial Retouching with Jane Conner-Ziser, Cr.Photog., API October 19 / 12-1pm ET Streamlined Post-Processing with Lightroom with Nathan Holritz November 16 / 12-1pm ET Dynamic Camera Raw Processing with Katrin Eismann December 14 / 12-1pm ET Shaping Master Prints Using Photoshop CS4 with Greg Gibson

Take advantage of all the online solutions BIG Folio has to offer, from SEO to logo/branding design services to online proofing and sales. They have everything you need to successfully present your photography business to your valued clients, all under one roof. Plus, PPA members get $100 off any Premium design OR $50 off any Standard design. Visit the Extreme Details page in the Benefits section of PPA.com for complete details on this offer.Offer expires September 30, 2009.

Independent Leasing Associates--a PPA affinity partner--is pleased to announce the immediate merger with Lanier Funding, LLC, to form United Funding, LLC. The merger will allow greater efficiency and synergy for their clients, vendors, lenders, and associations.

This merger represents the pooling of the expertise of two established and well-respected equipment leasing and finance firms. Working separately over the years, both firms helped develop a state-of-the-art online system (called e-Vendor) to automate the financing process and help vendors close more transactions more quickly, thereby increasing their sales and profitability.

"We have been talking with Lanier for a long time, and we are excited that the merger is finally coming to fruition," stated Bob Bell, Independent's owner. "With all the turmoil in the financial marketplace, we are happy to say our sources of funds are still in business and we have money to lend."

Those businesses who are looking for financing can apply through the online website.

PPA members click here for more details.

_________________________

About the Companies:
Independent Leasing Associates has been servicing the small ticket equipment marketplace with emphasis on computers, printers, imaging equipment and inventory control systems since 1993. Lanier Funding, LLC, formed in 2003, specializes in financing equipment for the waste management market place. Both firms offer competitive financing to small- and medium-sized businesses without the typical red tape associated with bank lending. The lending "sweet spot" for both firms is between $5,000 and $250,000 with some transactions approaching the million-dollar mark. The new firm, United Funding, LLC, will have main offices in Georgia and Tennessee with satellite offices in various other states.