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If you've ever met me, you know that I can be...enthusiastic...exuberant...excitable when something excellent is happening. I want to shout it from the rooftops, sing off-key and start a conga line when good news comes my way. I love to celebrate when there's a reason (and sometimes for no reason at all!).

PPA members have plenty of reasons to celebrate being part of the largest non-profit association in our industry. Great discounts and services. Amazing educational opportunities. Indemnification Trust. International Photographic Competition. All are great reasons to be a PPA member. These reasons get me to climb the stairs, warm up my vocal cords, and strap on my dancing shoes.

But it's PhotoCare that has me bursting through the doors and belting out to all that PPA is the only association paying the premiums for $15,000 worth of equipment insurance for eligible members. Why? Because we understand what's important to you. Because we're not-for-profit. Because we want you to keep doing what you love and make a profit while doing it.

And if you want to join in the enthusiastic celebration over PhotoCare, the conga line is forming to the left of me. Drums are optional.

Cheers!
Christel Aprigliano
Director of Member Value & Experience

Give your customers an online viewing and ordering experience they will love with this amazing Extreme Deal from ImageQuix: PPA members get one year of Unlimited Uploads with ImageQuix for only $99 when they sign up by September 9 (a $249 savings).

That savings is just icing on the cake! ImageQuix provides an exciting, easy to use, and profitable e-commerce experience for you and your clients. It's designed to ensure your photography stands out and your revenue is maximized, thanks to the fastest image uploading software, the user-friendly ordering interface, and flexible order fulfillment.

ImageQuix has been partnering with professional photographers for over 14 years, and now's your best chance to see why more pros use them than any other online proofing system. Sign up by September 9 to enjoy your Extreme Deal!

Do you--and your images--have what it takes to win the big bucks? Go up against the best photographers on the planet and see for yourself. It's easier than ever with PPA's new online photo contest, exclusively for PPA members: the Summer Shootout.

Submit your images by September 30, and you could win cash prizes!

We'll be giving away thousands of dollars in those cash prizes, and it is only $10 to enter your first image (and only $5 dollars for each additional image). As an added bonus, you can also request a critique of your image from world-class judges to help fine-tune your skills even more.

So, what are you waiting for? Show us what you got!

September 30 is your last chance to go up against the best photographers on the planet--your peers--and see for yourself! Enter PPA's second annual online photo contest: the Summer Shootout, exclusively for PPA members.

There are cash prizes in all four categories--including a $1,000 grand prize--but you have to enter to win. There are critiques available that can help you improve your imagery even more, but you have to enter to get them. So, come on...show us what you got.

It's official. The year 2011 is half way over. Hard to believe, isn't it? With summer here, we understand that you may be busy with sessions or distracted by the beautiful (or simply hot!) weather, but we don't want you to forget the resources that we've reviewed during this second quarter.

This week's Vital Signs is here to help with a quick recap of some PPA benefits and several articles that could be the resource you were looking for. Whether you want ideas for hands-on education or need advice on how to handle clients with cameras of their own, these articles are great starting points for information or inspiration. So, cool off in the air conditioning and read an article or two!

Cheers!
Christel Aprigliano
Director of Member Value & Experience

Your Bottom Line: What Health Care Reform Means for Photographers
May 18, 2011 @ 4:00pm EST
Panelists: Larry McNeely, U.S. PIRG's Health Care Advocate and
Rhett Buttle, Small Business Majority

Free to PPA Members: Log in here to register.

How does health care affect you?

As a small business owner you have many different roles to play and tasks to accomplish. A topic of high interest that many PPA members have to deal with is health care. To help keep you up to speed on what is currently happening on Capitol Hill, this webinar will focus on what the new health care law--the Affordable Care Act--means for small businesses.

The U.S. federation of state Public Interest Research Groups (U.S. PIRG) and the Small Business Majority will present information from both federal and state provisions so that you know how the law affects you. We will review small business tax credits (including who is eligible for them and how to claim them), state insurance exchanges, high-risk pools, shared responsibility and cost containment. You will also learn about tools and resources available for small businesses interested in learning more about health care law.

Larry McNeely is U.S. PIRG's Health Care Advocate, coordinating the organization's federal-level advocacy, communications and organizing on health reform. Based in Washington, D.C., Mr. McNeely lobbies Congress for legislation that will tame rising health costs, and offer consumers better choices in the health care marketplace. He has earned a Masters of Public Administration degree from West Virginia University and studied international development and health promotion in rural India through the University of Minnesota's Minnesota Studies in International Development Program.

Rhett Buttle manages Small Business Majority's operations in Washington, DC, acting as a liaison with the Obama administration, Congress and national partners, while collaborating with national, state and local business organizations and other groups on targeted small business outreach efforts. Before joining Small Business Majority, Rhett served in the Office of the President at George Washington University. Prior to that, he worked in the office of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, where he was part of the team involved in California's health care reform effort. Rhett completed his undergraduate studies at the University of San Diego and has a Master's degree from The George Washington University.

Do consumers know the difference a professional photographer can make? Professional Photographers of America (PPA) has taken several more steps in spreading that message. We have launched additional online advertising programs in support of the See the Difference consumer awareness campaign, and we're making the video we're using available to members for use on your websites, social media sites and in your studios!

All of the See the Difference materials explain the value of photography and, above all, why to choose a PPA member. Focusing on wedding photography, senior photography and family/children photography respectively, the campaigns encourage prospects to search our online PPA database--Find-a-Photographer--to find their professional photographer.

You also may see our ads on Google, Facebook and other online sites, pushing consumers to those landing pages. Please don't click on the ads (we know it's tempting) because we will incur costs for those clicks and it will make our tracking data inaccurate.

Want the spread the word yourself? Download the See the Difference video now and use it on your blog, Facebook page and anywhere else you'd like. Include it with copy about your professionalism and PPA membership to drive the message home.

Together, we can help the world see the difference a professional photographer makes for those once-in-a-lifetime memories.

We'll be adding more resources and new videos throughout the year, so stay up-to-date by reading PPA Today or joining us on PPA's Facebook page for all the latest news. Learn more about the start of the See the Difference campaign here.

Dear PPA member,

Pop quiz: What did you do the second week of February this year?

Are you having trouble remembering? Don't worry...I had the same problem, too. With our lives as busy as they are, it's no wonder we forget things. Trying to remember work appointments, the grocery list and your neighbor's birthday can wreak havoc on your memory.

To help ease the burden, we decided to do a recap of all the new benefits that PPA has added over the past year. We're constantly trying to add value to your membership (and help you stay at the top of your game), and in 2010 we added everything from new business discounts to expanded educational resources. If you've used some of these new benefits, great! If not, take a moment to look them over. It's never too late to start using a benefit.

Happy New Year!
Christel Aprigliano
Director of Member Value & Experience

Have you ever seen your images used somewhere (or by someone) without your permission? If you have--or if you want to try to prevent something like this from happening--it helps to know what copyright ownership entails. Tomorrow's "Are Your Images Protected?" webinar (Wednesday, October 20 at 4:00pm EST) is free for PPA members, and it's a great resource to learn more about copyright ownership and get your copyright questions answered. Once you understand the ins and outs of copyrights, licensing agreements and model releases, you will be better able to protect your work and your clients' privacy.

Your clients need to get your approval before using your images...just like you need to get approval to use someone else's music during your session, on your website or as part of your slideshow. But music licensing can be confusing! That's why you should tune in to tomorrow's free webinar, "Are You Tuned in to Music Licensing?", (September 29 - 4:00pm ET) and ask questions of Jack Flynn from BMI, an American performing rights organization that represents more the 475,000 music artists! This is your chance to learn the rules and better understand how the process works.