The image above is one of Tara Clark’s published images from her travels to the Sudan. In February of 2010 Tara was getting very antsy with her work. She loved her clients but she felt she needed a new challenge.   She longed to go back to Africa -where she had served in the Peace Corps – years earlier.  Amazingly, the opportunity to travel to the Sudan with a group of doctors presented itself.   She will be sharing images and experiences from her amazing journey and helping us to learn how we can find our own photography projects.    For more information about Tara Clark and her experiences – check out her blog .   Please join us on Tuesday, June 5th at 7:00 pm  to hear about Tara’s amazing experiences and the stories behind her beautiful images.

Jared Bauman, a talented wedding photographer and excellent speaker who spoke to the Seattle SMUG earlier this year, has put together an evening workshop targeted for 20-22 cities across the country with an attendance target of 100 to 150 people per event.  The workshop is titled “Pricing, Process, and Profits for the Wedding Pro”.

This workshop will be entirely FREE for local photographers, and will be comprised of 3 speakers.  Jared will be one of them, Leeann Marie the second, and they are pulling in a 3rd speaker that’s local (I don’t have the name yet for Seattle). Jared is adamant that the workshop be FREE for all photographers. He wants every photographer to be able to come hear this education, and does not want price to be a barrier.

Here’s a direct link to the Seattle workshop: http://priceprocessprofit.com/#/seattle/

There will be limited seating and you must RSVP to attend.  Here’s a direct link to RSVP for Seattle: http://www.fisheyeconnect.com/workshop/1035/pricing-process-and-profit-workshop-in-seattle-wa.aspx

This magazine honors our 2012 Prestige Award winner, Marv Heston. Marv is a three time winner! The publication also features the entire crop of this year’s entries. If you are a member you can pick up your complimentary copy at the next meeting if you haven’t already.  You can download a digital copy or purchase additionals by clicking here.

May 3, 2012
Registration 9:00AM to 10:00AM
Seminar 10AM to 5:00PM
Redmond Marriott Town Center, 7401 164th Avenue NE, Redmond, WA 98052
Sandy Puc’ Presents The 2012 Digital Photography Workflow Tour with Jack Davis, to visit Seattle—May 3, 2012—World-renowned photographer and marketing expert Sandy Puc’ will be in Seattle along with Award-winning author and Photoshop Hall-of-Famer Jack Davis on Thursday, May 3rd to demonstrate incredible new concepts and capabilities that will dramatically improve the workflow of everyone that uses a camera—from creative capture, to instant image enhancing, to printing and delivery—and everything in between. The tour will visit 26 cities throughout the U.S. in May and June.

Attendees can look forward to a wealth of insights into the latest digital photography workflow processes—including: capture, image management, instant optimizing, streamlined retouching, creative one-of-a-kind enhancing, automated batch-processing, template-based output, sales procedures, pricing, archiving and final delivery. Attendees will leave both inspired with new ways to expand their creative potential and empowered with new insights and techniques that will make their photographic workflow dramatically more productive, creative, and yes… even fun.

A live portrait session and enhancing/retouching demonstration will bring new cutting edge techniques to life for audience members in an energetic seminar environment that will not only demonstrate the step-by-step “How,” but also the why-we-do-this “Wow.”

“I’m very excited about this tour,” Puc’ comments, “I look forward to sharing my knowledge of capture, software, pricing and the sales process. Coupled with Jack Davis’ expertise in the practical streamlining of the very latest Lightroom and Photoshop, this seminar is sure to be an invaluable productivity and creativity boost to any photographer!”

Davis is coauthor of the award-winning and best-selling guides to Photoshop: The Photoshop Wow! and How to Wow books. With over a million and a half copies sold in 12 languages, Davis is a world-renowned authority in the world of digital imagery. Davis is also famous for his passionate and inspirational teaching style—especially when it comes to a workflow focused on quality, flexibility and speed.

“I am privileged to be partnering with Jack on this tour,” Puc’ adds, “His level of experience and expertise in the world of Photoshop and Lightroom—especially in getting incredible work out the door quickly and easily—is unprecedented in the industry. I’m sure attendees will be talking about, and using, his life-saving tips and techniques for years to come.”

For more information on the 2012 Digital Photography Workflow Tour with Jack Davis, session dates and ticket information, visit: http://sandypucpresents.sandypuctours.com/index.html

About Sandy Puc’
With 20+ years in the photography industry, Sandy Puc’ has a depth, passion and knowledge that she shares with tour audiences year after year. Even with her busy speaking schedule, Puc’ holds nearly 2,000 individual and family sessions every year at her Colorado-based studio.

A longstanding personal and business practice of giving back is one of Puc’s trademarks. This commitment to community inspired her to co-found the Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation in 2005. This nonprofit organization is dedicated to providing in-hospital portraits to families suffering the loss of a newborn. Puc’ has served on the Board of Directors for the Professional Photographers of America, and holds the prestigious titles of Print Master and Explorer of Light from Canon USA. When she isn’t busy with a speaking engagement, a portrait session or overseeing her studio, Puc’ is spending time with her family and her dog Cannon.
For more information about Sandy Puc’, visit http://www.sandypuc.com/

About Jack Davis
Jack Davis is well known as coauthor of the award-winning (Benjamin Franklin Award for Best Computer Book, Computer Press Assoc.: Best How-To Book, International Digital Imaging Assoc.: Most Useful Book) and best-selling guides to Photoshop, The Photoshop Wow! Book, and How to Wow: Photoshop for Photography – as well as being an award-winning designer, photographer, and contributing editor to numerous other books and magazines on digital tools and the creative process. For over 25 years, Jack has also been a passionate spokesperson on digital imagery, and has given countless keynote address’, seminars and hands-on workshops around the world. In 2003 Jack was one of the first to be inducted into the Photoshop Hall of Fame for his life time contributions in the field of education and digital imagery.

Jack has undergraduate degrees in Graphic Design and an MA and MFA in Digital Imagery, and when he’s not in his studio in San Diego, he’s usually on a coast somewhere, camera in hand, conjuring up new ways to capture the local color.
For more information about Jack Davis, visit http://www.wowcreativearts.com

Tuesday May 1, 2012
7PM at the Polish Home, 18th and Madison

Ernst is the master of the “Fine Art Portrait” and will share his award winning work,  talk about his studio,  and discuss his current marketing and pricing ideas. He is coming prepared to answer all your questions about how he has turned his passion for fine art photography into a successful business.

Ernst started out by taking basic classes at Clark College in Vancouver, WA. He soon met a photographer, Master BW Photograpehr Shedrich Williames from Portland, OR who inspired him to become a Fine Art BW Photographer. “I love to study the History of Photography and all of it’s Masters” says Ernst. For 25 years he did nothing but work on his own BW Personal Projects. He later had the chance to study with Monte Zucker at a PMA Convention and was hooked. He then took another class with him and then another… says Ernst, “Monte got me excited about moving into the Portrait area. I’ve had my own Portrait Studio for 11 years now in the downtown area of Port Angeles.”

Give a lot. Expect nothing. Reap the Rewards

April 3, 2012 ~ SPPA Meeting ~ The Polish Home, 1714 18th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
6:30 – 7:00pm Networking
6:45   Competition Print Entries are due
7:00  Meeting starts – Announcements, SPPA business
7:15   Guest Speaker Sean McVeigh

Effectively marketing the art of photography on the internet can be challenging, especially with so much local competition. It is no longer a race to get as many eyes on your craft, it’s about getting the right eyes on your craft. With new algorithms introduced by Google at the end of February, there is even more emphasis on local search and mobile devices.

Sean McVeigh of 425 Media will explain how  small a taste of free quality content  within your Facebook, Google+, Pinterest and Twitter social media platforms can increase your audience. New algorithms introduced by Google last month have quietly changed search rankings bringing the search giant even closer towards real-time local search.

http://425media.com/

Sal is one of the most sought after business consultants in our industry, helping studios and photographers take their businesses to the next level.

Fresh off last year’s highly rated wedding boot camp tour, Sal and Taylor are back on the road this spring sharing their “take no prisoners” approach to the high-school senior market sharing all the secrets to their success! Seniors represent over 25% of their business. You can’t ignore this segment of the market. Seniors become brides and brides become family clients.

In 2007, gross sales were less than $50k. Today, Salvatore Cincotta Photography represents a million dollar brand. Shooting weddings, seniors, babies and families – find out how he did it! Salvatore Cincotta Photography includes several brands including Studio C, Salvatore Cincotta Films, BehindtheShutter.com and, new this year, Signature Collection Albums.
If you want to take your business to the next level, this is a must attend seminar. No matter your niche or experience, you will take away priceless information!

In-depth topics covered include

//how to create and market a sustainable ambassador program

//how to create senior packages and pricing strategies

//how to run a successful sales process either in-home or in-studio

//breaking into the local high-schools (not literally )

//destination senior shoots

//marketing tactics that work

//using social media, direct mail, and referral programs to generate buzz

//branding and creating that “cool” factor for the seniors

//post-production tips on how to create senior artwork

//much much more…

Each attendee will receive a workbook with how-to guides, notes, and vendor specials.

PLUS, each city will have over $3,000 in give-aways from our sponsors!

Use this code to save $40!  ppa

Click here for more information!

Seattle, WA
17620 International Blvd
Seattle, WA 98188
United States

Apr 16, 2012 4PM – 10PM

60th Anniversary
2012 Educational Conference

Red Lion Hotel, Olympia WA
March 30-April 3, 2012

Print Competition, Trade Show, Auction, Prize Drawings
Meet photographers from around the State.

All Photographers are Invited to the Professional Photographers
of Washington 60th Anniversary Educational Conference!
You don’t have to be a PPW member to attend! (Though you might
want to join once you see the benifits of membership.)

If photography is an important part of your life, don’t
miss the biggest PPW event of the year!

Register by March 16^th
for the lowest prices on this most amazing PPW Conference ever!

Click here to view more information and program listing!