october ppgba bulletin

© Rudy Pollak, 2014

October 2014

B U L L E T I N

The

2October 2014 The Bulletin

The Bulletin 3October 2014

This month’s cover named ‘Your Brother’ was created byRudy Pollak, was the Highest

scoring image in the Illustative category for August this year.

Rudy tells us, “This image was my first try with using Green screen. Since buying

Photography by Delgado I wanted to add new products to our line. So crazy me went and

bought a green screen.

My friends daughter was having another baby and had done the “pregnancy “ photos with

another studio and wanted something different. So since I have the studio all setup for pinup

photography, I took it to that level. I have been doing HDR for sometime and love the look

of not making my images not look real but I wanted the “Norman Rockwell look ala pinup

aka pregnancy combined. That’s how this image came about and I have a full series from this

shoot which I’ll enter in future print competitions.

The thing that’s very important is even lighting on the green screen while at the same time

lighting your subjects, then getting all the green cast off the bodies. I have since bought green

screen software to make this job easier. This took hours of cleanup work.”

The Bulletin is published by the Professional Photographers of the Greater Bay Area, Inc., (PPGBA), a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association. PPGBA is an affiliate of the Professional Photographers of America.

The Bulletin StaffEditor/Art Director: Lise SmithAdvertising: Julie Olson [email protected] and comments are invited; publication is subject to editorial approval. Editor reserves the right to edit all manuscripts for brevity and/or clarity of content. Articles are the opinion of the author and do not represent the position of PPGBA. No responsibility is assumed for unsolicited contributions. Submissions will not be acknowledged or returned unless they are accompanied by SASE. Deadline is the 25th of the month. Submissions may be emailed to [email protected]

2014 PPGBA Officers and BoardPresident: Joe ValenzuelaVice President: Paul SalcidoTreasurer: Alex TsangSecretary: Nano VisserDirectors: Serena Hartoog (‘14); Wayne Miller, CPP (‘15); Mischa Purcell (’14); Denny Weigand (‘15)

CommitteesCompetition: Serena HartoogFour Nights: Wayne Miller, CPPMembership: Denny Weigand & Alex Tsang Programs: Paul Salcido, Joe Valenzuela,Webmaster: Wayne Miller, Cr.Photog., CPP, Certification Liaison 2014

PPGBABusiness Manager: Fred English, M.Photog.Cr.PO Box 5583San Mateo, CA 94402T: 650/[email protected]: Julie Olson M.Photog.MEI,[email protected]

Golden Gate [email protected]

Cover Story

In This Issue...Program This Month . . . . . . . 6 - 7Brooke Shaden Seminar . . . . . . . . 8November Meeting Events . . . . . . 9Print Comp Last Month . . . . . . . . 10Meeting Last Month . . . . . . . . 11 October Elections . . . . . . . . 13 Year-End Competition . . . . . . . . 14PPA Honors PPGBA Members/Directory Update . . 15Board Report . . . . . . . . . . . 16 PPA News . . . . . . . . . . . 17Increased Profitability . . . . . . . . 21Buyer’s Guide . . . . . . . . . . . 22Calendar/Unclassifieds . . . . . . . . 23

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Last weekend I participated in the “Steampunk” shoot organized by fellow member Wayne Miller.

The setting was in an Oakland fabrication warehouse,called Nimby’s, near the Coliseum where independent artists working with metal, wood, plastics etc. create sculptures and display art. Some

Burning Man pieces are created there. We had 2 make up/ hair stylists along with seven models, 2 male and 5 female.

Each photographer supplied their own lighting and some brought props. The models brought their own outfits and props. The vast working space allowed each photographer an opportunity to do a mini studio setup as well as use the surrounding outdoor grounds filled with interesting objects to shoot with ambient or mixed lighting. I myself brought 2 portable studio strobes, pocket wizards and soft boxes with reflectors.

Nano Visser brought her camera flashes with modifiers. We also shared each others lighting equipment setup.

I was able to use Paolo Salcido’s lighting arrangement. It was interesting and informative to see how other photographers do their lighting, composition and posing. Paolo with his commercial background was meticulous in his posing, background elements, lighting and use of props.

I learned a lot about the different styles of light placement, posing and camera angles from what I had observed others were doing. You see, I can try those techniques and see what I like and can incorporate those into my photo tool box. You should have seen Wayne Miller’s portable lighting rig on wheels!

This kind of hands on education is invaluable and not duplicated by attending a demonstration or online seminar. This situation allows you to play and experiment with your equipment and lighting while interacting with your subjects. Most of the models are experienced and require little direction, a couple were new and needed more coaxing. Jenn Hunter, a photographer coupled with Nano, to learn posing and lighting with minimal equipment as Nano is a wedding photographer. Overall everyone from models, MUA and photographers had a great time and were satisfied with all the opportunities to create images. We will showcase our images on the PhotoShelter website.

PPBA will be sponsoring more hands on shoots in the future, we will broadcast and inform our members and others in the photo community on our upcoming hands on events. Join us and you will be richly rewarded.

Your President,

President’s Message


Our October 16

speaker is Brooke

Shaden, speaking

on “Becoming a

Self-Portrait Artist.”

The incredibly

creative Brooke returns again to PPGBA with more

interesting programs, including a day-long workshop

on set design on Friday October 17. This meeting

will be held in conjunction with the Academy of Art

San Francisco (see location and parking info on this

page). Our sponsors are White House Custom Color

and Canon.

Brooke will take us through her time as a self-

portrait artist, but not necessarily in the ways you

might think. From taking pictures of herself to seeing

herself as the main character in her life, she will

discuss how

understanding

who you are

and why you

do what you

do will help

grow your

art and your

business alike.

Our goal is not to

make attendees

a clone of Brooke

and her work, but

to be inspired by

this talented image-

maker and learn

from her journey so

far as an artist.

Brooke grew up in Lancaster Pennsylvania always

wanting to tell stories. From writing to filmmaking

to photography, there has always been a visual

influence in the way she was created her art. It

wasn’t until her graduation from Temple University

that she moved into photography, combining her

love for writing with her love for cinema to create

images that seemed more like stills from movies

than real-life captures. The idea of the in-between

has always been a fascination, combining opposite

elements like life and death against one another

to create unforgettable characters. Brooke lives in

Arizona with her husband and cats, and spends her

time traveling for workshops, exhibiting in galleries,

but mostly finding inspiration all around.

Program This Month

Program highlights:

Sponsored by:


PPGBA Monthly M e e t i n g

Third Thursday, October 18th Program begins at 7:30 pmNetworking 7:00pm

Image competition follows the speaker’s presentation

Album competitons occur 3 times yearlyApril, July, and October YES, THIS MONTH!

Location: Academy of Art University79 New Montgomery, First Floor TheatreSan Francisco BART directions:From Montgomery St. BART Station, about 3 minutes walk1. Head northwest on New Montgomery St toward Jessie St 1 mi2. Turn left onto Market St Destination will be on the leftSee more at: http://www.bart.gov/stations/closest?tofrom=to&address=79%20New%20Montgomery%2C%20San%20Francisco&station=x&mode=WALKING#sthash.dOhPFl89.dpuf Parking options: 101 2nd St., San Francisco, CA 94105http://www.yelp.com/map/101-second-street-garage-san-francisco Eighty Five Second Street Garage85 2nd St, San Francisco, CA 94105http://www.yelp.com/map/eighty-five-second-street-garage-san-francisco SFMOMA Garage147 Minna St, San Francisco, CA 94105http://www.yelp.com/map/sfmoma-garage-san-francisco Union Square Parkinghttps://www.sfmta.com/getting-around/parking/parking-garages/union-square-g

some on-street parking also available

Please no electronic devices or private conversations during the speaker’s presentation. Please be courteous and step outside the meeting room.

No door charge this month for non-members!

James Allen APW San Francisco415/[email protected]://jallen.smugmug.com

Jenny Hunter APJenny Mae PhotographyScotts Valley831/[email protected]://jennymaephotography.com

Joanne Tan APC Poem And Art StudioLafayette925/[email protected]

Tony Tieu APW Tony Tieu PhotographySan [email protected]

Will Ussery AP Moments In Time PhotographyFairfield707/[email protected]://mitfoto.zenfolio.com

A ...... ActiveAS ...... AspiringC ...... Commercial

P ...... PortraitSTU ...... StudentSUS ...... SustainingW ...... Wedding

*New Members Key

New Members


PPGBA and Golden Gate School of Professional Photography present:

Storytelling and Set DesignSpeaker: Brooke Shaden

Friday, October 17th 9:30 – 5Canon Live Learning center, 201 California St., San Francisco

Sponsored by: http://www.whcc.com/ http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/professional

ALMOST FULL! Members $199 late registration (if available)Non-members $279 late registration (if available)http://ppgba.org/news/register-brooke-shaden-workshop-friday-oct-17-2014/

ABOUT THE SEMINARThis class will provide you with the essential elements

of storytelling in a way that makes the art form accessible to all photographers, regardless of your specialty. Storytelling is an amazing way to connect to your clients, share your personal story, or live in a world that is distinctly different from our own. Whatever the reason, understanding how to tell a story can put you further in touch with your art. Yet at the same time we are visual people, and so we need a way to bring those stories to life.

This class will be a fun and inspiring mix of lecture, demonstration, and hands-on. Attendees will have a chance to step in and really get involved in the process. Brooke will also share her insights about art vs. photography and cultivating your personal style.

Set design techniques are invaluable to help create a niche for yourself that will differentiate your from your competition and add or enhance this valuable benefit for your clients. Using a blank space and

simple lighting, Brooke will show how to design a set to match your vision with inexpensive props and a lot of drama. Students will break out into groups to work hands on to create an amazing set and then photograph it with models.

Following the set design process, Brooke will also cover some image compositing and post-process techniques. You will be inspired to put your own, revitalized creative stamp on your work.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTORBack by popular demand, Brooke Shaden is visiting

PPGBA again after her very successful presentations for us in 2012.

Brooke grew up in Lancaster PA always wanting to tell stories. From writing to filmmaking to photography, there has always been a visual influence in the way

she created art. It wasn’t until her graduation from Temple University that she moved into photography, combining her love for writing with her love for cinema to create images that seemed more like stills from movies than real-life captures. The idea of the in-between has always been a fascination, combining

opposite elements like life and death against one another to create unforgettable characters. Brooke lives in Arizona with her husband and cats, and spends her time traveling for workshops, exhibiting in galleries, but mostly finding inspiration all around. www.brookeshaden.com

At:


The PPGBA Board of Directors

is recommending a change to

membership dues rates. This requires

a vote by the membership.

The vote will be held at the

November 20th monthly meeting.

The proposal is as follows:

Active, Corporate, Aspiring members:

$125/year.

Existing Active, Corporate, Aspiring

members who renew within 30 days

of their date: $99/year.

Life membership: $50/year.

These rates would be effective as of

January 1, 2015.

(No change to the other dues

category rates.)

It doesn’t have to be the

regular 16x20 print size, but can

be smaller or larger if desired, and

it can be of any tangible material

(i.e. NOT digital) -- canvas, metal,

paper, wood etc. . .

You can enter one print, and

it must be able to be displayed

leaning against a wall on a

tabletop, or leaning against a

chair, or on an easel . . .

Entries that cannot be

displayed in a vertical fashion

cannot be entered as there will be

no way for people to see them . . .

“People’s Choice” Print CompetitionNovember


PPGBA Print CompetitionMembers can submit up to 3 digital submissions per member, per month (with a maximum of 40 total entries per month with members 3rd submissions dropped if over 40)!! There will be a nominal fee of $5 to enter the print competition for each digital entry. Please bring CASH for the $5 submission fee.

Your digital submission should be formatted:

• As a .JPEG

• Adobe RGB 1998

• Longest dimension should be 4000 pixels

• A resolution of 200ppi

• There is no need to include any kind of matting or boarder as the system will include one if needed

• The submission should be named the title of the print

• Submissions should either be emailed to [email protected] including your name, title of the print, and category NO LATER then 5pm the evening prior to the monthly meeting OR be brought to the print comp sign table on a USB drive no later then 7pm the day of the meeting.

• Please make sure you are submitting your FINAL EDIT as there is only one submission per member.

• Finally, even if you email your image before hand you must still be present at the judging and check in and out at the print comp table for your score to be official. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to email me.

• It is not the responsibility of the Competition Committee to make sure your submissions comply with the requirements.

Upload your Competition ImageYou may submit up to 3 images for competition. Bring your images to the registration table with $5 for each digital entry. Please review the information from http://ppgba.org/competition/entry-rules/ before you submit the images.

We recommend you upload the images in advance to PPGBA's Google drive. To submit it, please follow this link (the link will vary each month).

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0BzZ_k2g3qKzKaU5xNW1mNXV5Nm8&usp=sharing

Please note, you need to have a Google Gmail account in order to access the link above. When you click this link, you need to click “add Drive” on the top right hand corner and then “Open in Drive” in order to submit the image/s.

Look for the folder name that corresponds to the category you want to enter. Then bring the fee to the registration table on the date of competition.

Any more questions, please contact Serena Hartoog, PPGBA’s Second Vice President & Print Competition Director at [email protected]

This Month, October Album CompetionNext Month, November is People's Choice Physical Print Competion

September 18th

JudgesJanine Warner Paul Tsang Paul Salcido

Print of the monthThe Mystic by Wayne Miller

IllustrativeJoanne Tan Blue Gold and RedRudy Pollak FlurDeSanFranSerena Hartoog Legs to Die ForWayne Miller The MysticJoanne Tan Yellow Mountain in China

PortraitJoanne Tan Are You Trustworthy?Luis Espinosa Bella is Turning 15Serena Hartoog Breezy and BeautifulWayne Miller Portrait of AlainaSerena Hartoog Smile for MeWayne Miller Vouge Strike a Pose

WeddingRudy Pollak ArizonaSunsetRudy Pollak In the SpotlightLuis Espinosa Waiting for you


MeetingLast Month

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Copyright Protection Preparednessby PPGBA Corporate Member Kiffanie Stahle One morning you are going to wake up and find out that someone has stolen content from your website. (If you haven’t discovered this already.) While for both legal and ethical reasons this shouldn’t be happening, we need to live in the real world and accept that this is the reality. I also bet that your to-do list looks like mine and is a never-ending list sprawled across Evernote, Moleskine notebook, email inbox, and several 3×5 index cards. I don’t want to make that list longer, so today I’m going to share with you the four tools I use to track down where else my website content appears online. Track Down Text Stealers Even with the biggest network, it would be impossible to find each instance of stolen website content. Luckily, there are two amazing tools that will let you quickly determine where else your text is appearing online. Copyscape Plagiarism Checker This free tool searches the Internet for similar content. All you have to do is provide the URL. I like this tool because it finds both similar and exact matches. So even if your text stealer changes a couple things here or there, the tool will find it. (http://www.copyscape.com) The downside of this tool is that unless you pay for their premium service you cannot search several URLs at the same time or save your searches to repeat at a later date. Thus, if you want to search for hundreds of blog posts, you have to copy and paste them into the search bar one by one. Google Alerts What many people don’t know is that when you set up a Google Alert you are telling Google to perform an automatic search on the schedule you determine and send you an email if any new results appear. https://www.google.com/alerts

This means you can pick key sentences out of each blog post (and each static webpage), create a Google Alert by putting that sentence in quotation marks and Google will automatically search and notify you when that sentence appears anywhere on the Internet. Pretty freakin’ amazing, right?! (And yes, I might have a slight love affair with Google Alerts and all of the ways it saves me time running my business.)

Track Down Image Stealers Just between the social media sites, you could make it your full-time job to try to track down each place that your images appear. I wish I had a tool as amazing as Google Alerts for images, but the best free tools available require elbow grease.

Google Image Search Google’s tool can be used in one of four ways: drag and drop the image onto their search page enter the URL of the image onto their search page upload an image to their search page install an extension in your browser allowing you to right-click the image you would like to search from any webpagehttp://www.google.com/imghp Like Copyscape, there isn’t a way to save your searches or run multiple searches at once, you have to search image by image. However, there is one trick that you should know about: you can limit your search-by date. Tineye Tineye utilizes the same four search methods as Google Image Search. Tineye also allows you the ability to not only limit your searches by date, but save your searches. The one clear disadvantage, however, is the size of its database: only about 6 billion images, a small fraction of the images on the Internet. https://www.tineye.com I hope these tools help you track down where else your work is appearing online. If you’d like to learn about other tools and tricks to help you with the legal aspects of your creative business, I share resources like this each week on my blog, the artist’s JD (http://www.theartistsjd.com)


Elections Coming in Octoberby Zee Bezabeh

Along with the approach of the Fall season, comes

election time for PPGBA’s board and officers. There are

several opportunities for you to get involved and learn

more about how we run the association. Together we can

make things even better. If you’re interested in serving,

please contact me at zee578 (at) aol.com and I can let you

know about the positions available.

At the September meeting, nominations from the

floor were requested. We are still looking for a few more

candidates NOTE: The election will be held by ballot and

will be deferred until the November 20 meeting (due

to our joint meeting with Academy of Art University in

November.)

Each Board member has different duties that

require a minimal amount of time, but each must make

a commitment to come to the board meetings. They are

usually held at 4:00 p.m. on the day of the regular monthly

PPGBA meeting.

The duties vary, but some examples are:

• greeting guests and members at monthly meetings

• transporting the name badges to the meetings

• help with online communications (website, social

networking, etc.)

I encourage you to consider running because the

extra time you invest will reward you well, both in new

challenges plus the great friendships you will make with

your fellow board members. The only requirement for

serving as a Board member is that you must be an Active

or Additional Active member and have been a PPGBA

member for more than one year.

Director positions are 1 or 2 year terms, and officer

positions are one year terms. If you are interested and

have the time to add your input to PPGBA, we invite you

to run for the Board. We are all volunteers so we do not

get paid, but this is a great way to gain new experience as

well as give back to your fellow members and our industry.

Please consider joining the board, to get started, or if you

have any questions, please contact Nominations Chairman

and Past President Zee Bezabeh at [email protected]. The

deadline for applications is September 10. If you would

like to contribute be don’t feel you’re ready to run for the

board yet, ask President Joe Valenzuela president@ppgba.

org about other volunteer positions within PPGBA.


Year-End CompetitionIt’s that time of year again to start preparing for the year

end competition! How do you participate? First, enter monthly competitions. There is just one judging left (October), so it’s time to start now if you have not already done so! REMINDER: There will be no digital print competition in November due to our annual trade show. Bring a physical 16X20 or larger print for the people’s choice event.

The more entries you have, the more opportunity you have

to win! (Plus, you receive extra chances in our annual drawing for a seminar scholarship for each entry you submit throughout the year).

If you did not enter at all or much this year, please start

planning ahead for a successful 2015 and get involved in this great process to refine your technique.

At our annual awards celebration early next year, several

talented members will receive year-end plaques for their photography. You could be a winner, too! You may submit up to five entries for the year-end competition. YOU MUST FORMALLY SUBMIT YOUR 5 IMAGES TO THE PRINT COMPETITION DIRECTOR FOR THEM TO BE INCLUDED in the year-end judging. These submissions can be any image you entered since the beginning of the year that scored at least a 74. You must be a current PPGBA member as of December 15, 2014.

To enter, all you need to do is email ([email protected]) by

December 15 and list which five (titles, please and month entered if you can recall that) that you’d like to enter. There will be no re-edits of any submissions; we already have each file for all of the digital entries. If the images you’d like to submit for the year-end were physical prints then you’ll need to resubmit those same prints (showing the PPGBA entry sticker on the back) either at the November meeting or December social on or before December 15.

Here are the other rules for the year-end competition:

First, second and third place awards may be awarded in the categories: Portraits, Weddings, Illustrative, and Commercial. The top portrait image as selected by the judges will be awarded the Ted Gurney trophy.

If you enter any individual category five or more times during

the year, your top scores will be totaled and the highest average score wins the Top Photographer Award for that category. You do NOT need to submit anything for the Top Photographer awards, the scores will be tabulated from the monthly competition results. The Album Maker of the Year is also calculated from top scores from the monthly competitions.

The Photographer of the Year Award is open to any member

who submitted five or more entries during the year, and will go to the highest average score. You do NOT need to submit anything for the Photographer of the Year award, the scores will be tabulated from the monthly competitions.

Contact PPGBA Competition Director Serena Hartoog

([email protected]) if you have other questions.


PPA International Honors

Don’t Be Left Out!Don’t Be Left Out!PPGBA’s annual

membership directory will be coming out soon, after our annual election in October.

If you have ANY changes to your contact information: new website, new business address, new phone number, new e-mail address, etc.,

please forward this information to:

[email protected] [email protected]

by October 31st

Don’t Be Left Out!

and

Congratulations to our PPGBA members who were recognized at the recent PPA International judging.

Connie Barding’s image H20 Player was accepted into the General Collection.

Paul Tsang’s images, Cattle Run and Wild, Wild West were accepted into the Loan Collection (Loan Collection images earn TWO ppa merits!) and his image titled Rodeo was accepted into the General Collection.

If we’ve missed anyone, please let us know and our apologies for leaving you out!


Board Report The August PPGBA Board meeting was

held on 8/21 in South San Francisco.

Several Board members visited The Impact Hub in Oakland as a potential meeting site in the East Bay. Cost comparisons are being done with other facilities in the Bay Area.

Our October monthly meeting, speaker Brooke Shaden, will be at AAU in San Francisco.

A People’s Choice print competition will be added to the November Corporate Member Trade Show night.

Visitors were Michael Garcia (PPSCV), Ann Gordon (NCPP), and Mike McNamara (NCPP) for a discussion about how our local associations can work together towards common goals. Julie Olson and Ann Gordon will collaborate on a survey to explore members desires relative to monthly meetings. PPSCV is receptive to joining their organization with PPGBA.

The next board meeting is scheduled for October 16 at AAU in San Francisco.

PPA helps you protect what matters and, as a pro photographer, that includes your photographic equipment. With PhotoCare, PPA covers your premium* for $15,000 of equipment insurance. It’s just one more way that membership in PPA pays.

*PhotoCare Equipment Insurance is available to U.S.-based PPA Professional Active and Life members only. Policy is provided by PPA as a part of membership and includes equipment coverage up to $15,000 per year. Restrictions apply. Additional coverage is available for purchase. Insurance provided by Lockton Affinity. PPA members must activate their policy and maintain membership to receive coverage.

WWW.PPA.COM/INSURANCEACTIVATE YOUR POLICY TODAY!

$15,000 EQUIPMENT INSURANCEINCLUDED FREE WITH YOUR PPA MEMBERSHIP.*


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PPA NewsApply Today: PPA Kickstart Scholarship!

As a professional photographer, you understand

that continuing your education is imperative to

stay competitive in today’s changing landscape.

Unfortunately, sometimes that education comes

at a pretty high price--workshops can add up!

Fortunately PPA is offering scholarships for

four lucky members to take in all of the ideas

of Imaging USA pre-con workshops! These are

the classes that happen Thursday, Friday and

Saturday leading up to the show in Nashville.

No matter where you are in your career, there’s a

class for you. Dive into some business basics, or

get new ideas with posing, lighting, and business

gurus from across the industry!

Many of these classes are hands-on, so instead of

just watching from the audience, you’ll be able to

capture images of your own and learn firsthand

what to do while shooting newborns, boudoir,

and everything in between. In these smaller,

more personal classes, your instructors are there

to help you bridge the gap between passion and

profession while having tons of fun. And, with

the PPA Kickstart Scholarship, it’s on the house!

Check out the wide range of pre-con classes here

and see which one will help you kickstart your

Imaging USA experience here!

To apply for the scholarship, you must be a PPA

member and you can’t have received a previous

Kickstart Scholarship. Applications are due by

November 21, 2014. We’ll select the winners

by December 5, 2014 and will announce them

publicly on December 10. So hop to it!

To apply for the 2015 Kickstart Scholarship, visit

http://www.ppa.com/scholarship2015


· •Advertising Edge· •Pricing Justification· •Peer-Validation

Certification helps to show potential clients the value in

hiring a true professional. Consumers might not know

much about professional photography, but they understand

that certification means professional-quality goods and

services. Anyone can buy a camera and take some

pictures, but a Certified Professional Photographer (CPP)

designation shows clients that you are a true professional

in your field.

Learn more about How to become a CPP by clicking here

Steps to become certified the first time:

1. Declare your candidacy. To do this, simply fill out

the candidacy form. In this step, you will also need to

pay the application $200 fee. Please note that your

candidacy won’t be officially declared until your payment

is processed. Once confirmed, your candidacy will be

valid for two years.

2. Prepare for the exam. PPA has many resources

provided to help you prepare for your CPP exam.

Take advantage of all these by visiting the CPP Exam

Resources section of the PPA website. We suggest

first downloading the CPP Test Specifications so

you know what the exam covers. Then you can test

your knowledge with the CPP Keywords, browse the

suggested reading material, review the CPP Flashcards

and take a Sample CPP Exam. You can also sign up

for a CPP Prep Class that will definitely boost your

confidence on the big day!

3. Take the exam. Once you feel confident you are ready

to take the exam simply go online and register for an

exam in your area. Remember you must register for the

exam at least five business days prior to the exam date.

Picture Identification will be required upon arrival at the

testing site.

4. The Image Submission follows the exam. You will

receive a set of instructions to follow in order to submit

your images. You can submit your images for review

up to three times without incurring any extra charges.

Should you not pass the image submission within the

first three tryout rounds, you’ll simply have to reapply

for candidacy, with a reduced cost of $100 to reapply,

earning you three more rounds of image submissions

and an additional year to do so.

5. Celebrate. Once you get your certification, give yourself

a break and celebrate! You’ll deserve it.

CPP Exams are scheduled throughout the year at local CPP Liaison

studios.

The next Bay Area CPP Exam will be held on on Jul 26, 2014 at 2:00 pm in Clayton, CA.

Exam proctored by Wayne Miller, Cr. Photog., CPP, CPP Liaison 2014.

Any questions on becoming a CPP please contact Wayne at 925/330-

8737 or [email protected]

by Professional Photographers of America (PPA) with Bridget Jackson, CPA and PPA Business manager

In April, Bridget brought you some pretty great last-minute tax tips. Hopefully that gave you a chance to give your finances a good, stern look. Did you like what you saw? Even in the most successful businesses, you can find ways to boost profitability.

That’s where Bridget’s column comes in handy! Here are 8 helpful tips to increase your profit margins:

1. Mix it up. Increasing sales and cutting costs is on everyone’s mind. Most people think that in order to grow sales you have to increase prices. That’s certainly one way, but you can also offer add-on services and products that complement your current offerings, in turn increasing your sales average. Also, to cut costs see what processes you can automate or outsource.

2. Separate yourself from your competition. Find ways to differentiate yourself. Whether it’s entering print competitions to refine your craft or finding ways to increase your social media presence or maybe it’s becoming known for working with a specific charity. Be mindful that YOU are the differentiator in your business.

3. Streamline overhead costs. Workflow tracking and assessment needs to be done regularly to assure maximum productivity and to identify inefficiencies. Unfortunately tracking productivity is often overlooked but it’s a great way to identify opportunities to reduce costs.

4. Rent killing your business? Explore options for co-leasing a space with a like-minded business, whether that business is photography related or they attract a similar clientele. There has been also an increase in the number of owners that have brought their business in-home. Bottom line, if paying rent is sucking up your profits, find an alternative.

5. Keep them coming back. It is easier and less expensive to keep current clients coming back than it is to gain a new client. Consider a referral program to incentivize referrals. Also evaluate your client touch points and create new ways to take your customer service to a whole new level of hospitality.

6. Selling every step of the way. Selling begins with your first point of contact. Your sales strategy should be clearly defined. Anyone in the studio who comes in contact with a client is a sales person and needs to understand the businesses’ unique sales strategy as well as be well-versed on all of the session and product offerings.

7. Make it easy to buy. Keep it simple, simple, simple from the client experience to the product offerings to collecting payments. Remember the ordering appointment is not a viewing appointment. Consider incentivizing your clients to make their purchase at the ordering appointment. You can also set up a session fee structure that includes a print credit or allow for payment plans to make it easier for your client to make larger purchases.

8. Understand your cash flow challenges. Due to the cyclical nature of most photography businesses, consider promotional offerings during off-peak times, perhaps ones with charitable connections. Not only can they generate some cash flow when it’s much needed but these promotions can also increase your presence in your market. Build reserves during peak season to help smooth those months when cash flow is challenged. This way you can avoid using credit cards and incurring high interest expense charges.

Bridget Jackson is the manager of PPA Business and also a CPA. She’s helped hundreds of photography studios be more profitable and will address some common questions each month. Heed her advice folks--this lady knows her stuff!

8 helpful tips for increased profitability


Buyer’s Guide

Action ZoneLooking for photography events and educational opportunities in the Bay Area and beyond? Here are some links to our fellow organizations with pro-grams and seminars all over the area.

San Francisco ASMP www.asmpnorcal.org

San Francisco APA www.apasf.com

Santa Clara PPSCV www.ppscv.com

Sacramento PPSV http://ppsvonline.homestead.com/

East Bay NCPP www.ncpponline.com

Please favor our corporate members and major advertisers with your business. They have shown their support for PPGBA! PPGBA does not recommend or warranty the products/services of any vendor, supplier, or manufacturer.

Albums, Frames & Mats

Philip Mauer PhotoMount

800/321-3686

www.philipmauer.com

Business Services

Stahle Law

415/617-9278

www.stahlelaw.com

Equipment & SuppliesAlan Epstein Sales

415/420-5278

[email protected]

Keeble & Shuchat

650/327-8515

www.kspphoto.com

Photo LabsBay Photo Lab

800/435-6686

www.bayphoto.com

Image Capsule

408/625-7903

www.imagecapsule.com

Workshops

Golden Gate School of

Professional Photography

650/367-1265

www.goldengateschool.org


Calendar of Events

To Place an UnClassified Ad in the Bulletin

Unclassified ads are $20 for up to 40 words for members, $30 for up to 40 words for non-members.

Each additional 40 words for $10.

Payment by Mastercard/Visa is due before publication. All ads MUST contain your name.

Help wanted or position wanted classified ads are FREE.

Editor may re-write these ads for space considerations.

Deadline is the 20th of the month.

To place an ad, send an email to:

PPGBA’s Business Manager Fred English at [email protected]

OZY Media in Mountain

View is looking for a

temporary photo editor/

researcher parttime to

halftime with potential to

lead to permanent and/

or full time for news and

culture online magazine.

Must have experience in

serious photo research.

Assigning, producing and

shooting a plus. Will be

collaborating with editors,

creative director. Team

Player a MUST with great

positive attitude. Please

email to [email protected]

UnClassifieds

October PPGBA Thursday, 10/16 at 7:00pm - Speaker - Brooke Shaden Meeting Academy of Art University, 79 New Montgomery St. in San Francisco http://ppgba.org/news/october-16th-brooke-shaden/ Seminar Friday, 10/17 - Brooke Shaden http://ppgba.org/news/brooke-shaden-workshop-oct-17/

November PPGBA Thursday, 11/20 at 7:00pm - “Trade Show Night” and speaker Meeting People’s Choice Physical Print Competion No digital entries.

BEST WESTERN PLUS/Grosvenor Hotel 380‐S. Airport Blvd., S. San Francisco http://ppgba.org/

December NO PPGBA ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿Possible Holiday Party?????? Meeting Any Volunteers?

october ppgba bulletin

Documents

green screen software

wayne miller

ppgba officers

position of ppgba

green cast

julie olson

bulletinthe bulletin

pinup photography