May Day! May Day!  I have to apologize for the lateness of this newsletter.  May is only a week old, and it’s already gotten away from me.

New GRPP Members

We’ve kept up our trend of the most rapidly growing section in the state by welcoming three new members in the last month:

• Mark Konezny
• Rita Everett, AE Creative Event Photography, LLC;
• Amanda Belluco.

If you see someone that you don’t recognize at any upcoming meetings, please walk over to them and give them a big GRPP welcome them to the group.

News

 PPSNYS Workshop Scholarships

Linda Hayes and Thomas Podewils were the winners of the two annual scholarships to this summer’s workshop that were drawn at last month’s meeting.  If you haven’t already signed up for this incredible offer, then you need to join Linda, Tom and the rest of us by letting your fingers do the walking and clicking:  http://www.ppsnysworkshop.com/instructors.html

 Social Events

We are trying to plan a couple of GRPP social events this year outside of our normal meeting night.  One of the events we’d like to bring back would be the October Wine Tasting, which was a very popular event when we had it in 2010.  Another might be a Happy Hour (sense a theme here?), or a tour at one of our local museums of creative art.  We have one of our top social event planners on the case, and we’ll be sharing the details with you as soon as they are solidified.

The Year of Education (continued)

In case you had not heard yet, we have booked a tremendous seminar in November 2012.  The very talented Fuzzy Deunkel will bring his talents to Rochester on November 4th, for a full-day program called Go Home Live.  If you have not heard of Fuzzy, he is widely considered one of the best HS Senior portrait photographers in the country, and is a very well-respected and asked -for speaker.  Mark it on your calendar…you won’t want to miss this one!

This Month’s’ Meeting Topic

If you’ve ever asked, “Why Aren’t They Giving Me Referrals” then this presentation might be right for you.  David Makar, from the Referral Institute in Ithaca, NY will cover the VCP ProcessTM and help participants understand where referrals come from and why the relationship makes a difference.  Participants will learn about visibility, credibility, and profitability relationships and networking.

This presentation will cover numerous topics, including:

• the basics of generating referrals,
• developing long-range strategies for referral generation,
• identifying sources and resources for networking and
• lead-generation.

 The program will last approximately 75 minutes with 15 minutes of Question and Answer (Ask the Networking Guru).

Other referral-based small business owners are invited to participate in this workshop. The cost is $30 through PayPal or $50 at the door.
Limited to the first 30 participants. Paid GRPP members are free.

If you cannot view the pdf please view here –> May Program

If you didn’t make the Photo Northeast (PNE) convention, you really missed out on something special.  This joint convention between the Professional Photographers of NY State (PPSNYS) and Professional Photographers Association of NJ (PPANJ) was another rousing success.  Our own Deb Woodard, President of PNE, and her fantastic team of directors from NY and NJ pulled off another great convention full of educated speakers, a packed trade show, an inspirational print competition, and more laughs and friendships than you’ll see any where.  Just look at the nut jobs in the photo to the left…
 

If you stayed home, here is just some of what you missed out on:

• Sal Cincotta, who explained how his portrait sales went from $15,000 to $1 million in only four years;
• Lindsey Adler, who grew up in Syracuse and is now an acclaimed NY fashion photographer;
• Clint Clemons, a Canon Explored of Light, who is one of the most sought-after advertising photographers in the country.  If it moves, Clint has photographed it, better than you could ever imagine;
• Tamara Lackey, who showed her beautiful techniques for contemporary lifestyle children’s photography;
• Pat Cahill, who transformed his business and will die a rich man while photographing underclassmen and sports leagues;
• Tim and Chris Riley, wizards of Lightroom workflow; and
• Mario and Marceliano Munoz, who’s Miami-based family business photographs some of the highest-end weddings you’d ever dream of, and they do it in amazing fashion.

This convention is getting bigger every year.  In fact, several states are lining up to join us in the upcoming years.  You won’t want to miss out next year, so keep your ears tuned for more information.

New GRPP Members

I’d like to introduce several new members that have joined GRPP in the last month or so.

• Amanda Bellucco;
• Toni Berhardt;
• Mary Maheny, Mary Beth Mahaney Photography.

If you see someone that you don’t recognize at any upcoming meetings, please walk over to them and welcome them to the group.

PPSNYS Workshop Scholarships

Each year, GRPP gives out two $100 scholarships to the PPSNYS Workshop that is held at Hobart College.  This year’s workshop will be held from July 15-20th and, as always, is the best value in photography schools and workshops anywhere in the country.  If you’ve checked out MARS, Daytona school, Texas School or any of the others, you’ll find that their fees are many times more than double what you’ll pay at Geneva.  On top of that, you’ll get to sit in a week long class with some of the country’s best photographic educators, including:

• Mike and Tina Timmons;
• Joe Brady;
• Don Chick;
• Stephen Sedman; and
• Jim Cunningham.

                             

For more information about the workshop, instructors, and to register, go to:http://www.ppsnysworkshop.com/index.html

The names for the two scholarships will be drawn at April’s meeting (including 1 alternate, should one of the winners not be able to attend).  In order to be eligible for the scholarships, you must:

• be a paid-up member in good standing;
• have been to at least 6 meetings in the last year; and
• be present to win

You do not have to be registered for workshop to win a scholarship.  If you win, it might just be the kick in the seat of your pants to get you to register.  PPSNYS sponsors one of the scholarships, and the other is sponsored by GRPP.  This special GRPP scholarship is named the Sam DeNoto Scholarship, in memory of our friend and former GRPP member who passed away suddenly in 2009.

This Month’s’ Meeting Topic

Stephanie Cunningham is fresh off of a speaking engagement at the PNE conference and will be bringing her highly acclaimed program to Rochester.  In her program, entitled, “Old Hollywood – New Equipment”,

The history of Hollywood’s “Golden Age” of Photography will be discussed in addition to lighting and how Stephanie uses them to create the look.  There’s just something about the nostalgia and romance of a vintage look image!  See how to recreate this classic feel with studio strobes!
Whether it’s a high key look or a film noir, we’ll cover modifying your light to mimic stage lights, backdrops , and styling for your subject.  Post processing suggestions in Photoshop to give your image some sparkle!
Everything old is new again!

Stephanie Cunningham is a Certified Professional Photographer from Ripley, New York.  She is a current member of PPA, PPSNYS, and SNAPP (where she is serving her second term as president). Stephanie is a past member of NAPP, WPPI and formerly served on the Board of Directors of the Ripley Area Chamber of Commerce.  Her education includes studying Photography/MultiMedia at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.

We arrived at the party and were mesmerized by the prints that were culled from PPA’s International Print Competition and were given the prestigious Kodak Gallery Awards.  During the evening, the GRPP members settled in at a small table to eat, and we were joined by 2 of the 3 Kodak hosts that put on the party, including Tony.  We suddenly felt like the most important table in the room.  The night was capped by the awarding of the Kodak Gallery Elite Award, which was the best image from all the Gallery Award winners.  And take heart, all you new photographers out there: 2nd place was taken by a 23-year old photographer entering his first print competition.

After we got home, we received a nice note from Tony, which I wanted to share with you:

Glad you and the group had a good time at the Elite Party. We always enjoy that evening as well.

Thanks for sharing my previous email… it’s important to let photographers know we’re still in business “business as usual”, restructuring is common and we aren’t looking at this as all doom and gloom…expecting to come out of it a better / stronger company.

Our newly developed products continue to become available for this segment of the photo market as we display and discuss at our booth. We launched our new KODAK PROFESSIONAL ENDURA Premier paper, and KODAK PROFESSIONAL ENDURA Metallic paper and they will replace our other paper (Supra VC, and Metallic VC respectively).  We support the industry with participation in major trade shows/conventions – highlighting our Connect With Pro Quality message, and of course still have the Gallery Award Program, along with many other activities and involvement in the industry.  We continue to work to get our premium Electro-photographic (EP) papers in the market… these papers are “press papers”.  They use the high-quality photographic base paper materials and have been optimized them for both types of digital presses (dry and liquid) – while allowing for true photographic look and feel… vs the lower end papers.  These paper are excellent for Photobooks, stationary products etc..

Also, while most people don’t think much of it…KODAK film sales have increased for the last two years worldwide and in the US – indicating that film is not dead (contrary to what we all see/hear).  I’ve noticed that even the cost of used film cameras, and “traditional equipment” are seeing price escalation… while it is coming back, it’ll never be what it once was…)…. the concern will be one of finding the Pro Labs that will still run a C-41 process for the film – which could be accomplished using our Pro Lab Locator on our website. http://prolabresourcecenter.kodak.com/us/en/locator_advanced.php

Probably more info than you really wanted but I thought my thoughts with you.  Thanks again – hope to run into you, and others throughout 2012.

Regards, Tony

If you need to contact Tony at all, thank him for his continued service, or have any questions about Kodak professional products, please contact him at:   anthony.kehoe@kodak.com.

If you have heard about the magic of Lightroom 3, but couldn’t quite justify the price (which you should have…even at full price), now is the time to jump. B&H Photo & Video is now offering Lightroom with an instant savings of $200…so the price is only $69.  Rummage through your couch cushions, break open the kids’ piggy bank (leave an IOU), and get the software.  Come on, you probably spend more than $69 every two weeks on overpriced coffee.   Do yourself a favor and turbo charge your efficiency now.

The timing couldn’t be any more perfect.  Next month’s GRPP meeting is going to be a software round table with intimate demonstrations of Lightroom, Photoshop and Illustrator.  Come and show off your shiny new version of Lightroom 3….and learn some tips and tricks in the process.

Link to B&H

Monroe Payne

“This program doesn’t do a lot of things.  It doesn’t tell you how to begin and grow a successful stock business.  It doesn’t tell you all the bits and pieces of making sale able stock photos.  It doesn’t sell you on being a stock photographer.

What I WILL show you is examples of successful images and how they were eventually used.

I WILL show you how talented graphic artists have used my images, my beautiful finished images, as raw material in their own creations.  I started out having a real problem with this.

I WILL share with you the unique vision I had, and how its beginning to bear fruit.

I WILL share some ideas for unique manipulation of the images to catch your prospective client’s attention.

I will share some of my philosophy about creation, presentation, copyright, theft, giving, volunteering, and maintaining sanity.  They are all related.

And we WILL have fun.”

Monroe Payne is an Ithaca native who has been camera ready his whole life.  He is the founder and developer of IthacaStock.com and Monroe Payne Photography.  Monroe is also involved in IVT Virtual Tours, providing imagery tours to Ithaca business and Real Estate Professionals.  Monroe is the current chairman of the Professional Photographers Society of New York State Finger Lakes Section, and is active on the State Society’s Executive Council.  Monroe donates his time and energies to Tompkins County 4-H, Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep, which is a worldwide organization of professional photographer who donate their time and expertise to families who have suffered a still birth, and a variety of local educational concerns, including the Lansing CDC Auction.  He says, “The best piece of advice I was ever given is to not shoot what I see, but to shoot what I FEEL!”  “Photography is not a job; its a passion.”

Date:  Wednesday, February 8, 2012 Location: Lumiere Photo,  100 College Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607. Free parking is along the street and in a near by parking lot.

Time:  Social hour begins at 6:00. Announcements at 7:00, and the main presentation will begin shortly after.

The meeting is free for members of PPSNYS/GRPP.  The fee for non-members is $30.  If you have never attended a GRPP meeting before, your first meeting is free.

Admit it.  You crave them.  If you say you don’t, you’re lying.
Apps.
If you don’t know what one is, there’s an app to help you find out.

Many of you may have gotten brand new “iToys” from iSanta recently.
Thanks to smart phones, we are digitally connected to our world 25 hours a day, 8 days a week.
But being connected doesn’t always mean you are productive.

It doesn’t matter whether you own an Apple computer or a PC, an iPad or a lily pad, an iPhone or a megaphone, you can’t escape apps.
But which ones should you buy, and which free ones will help you run your business and increase your efficiency?

During January’s meeting of the Greater Rochester Professional Photographers (GRPP), we will be joined by a business representative from the Apple Store, who will share with us the best apps for both photography and for running a business.  And no, I don’t think Angry Birds is on the list.

This month’s meeting will also include the installation of the new GRPP Officers for 2012.

Note:  This month’s meeting location is at the ONE Nightclub, located at 1 Ryan’s Alley.  We decided back in October to look at several places to have our meetings at in 2012.  We will gather your opinions after January’s meeting, and decide on a permanent location for the rest of 2012′s meetings.

Date:  Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Location:  ONE Restaurant and Lounge, 1 Ryan Alley, Rochester, NY.
It is  a stone’s throw from the intersection of East Avenue and Alexander Street, near the Genesee Valley Club and the former Milestones restaurant.
Free parking is adjacent to the restaurant.

Time:  Social hour begins at 6:00.
Announcements at 7:00, and the main presentation will begin shortly after.

The meeting is free for members of PPSNYS/GRPP.  The fee for non-members is $30.

To celebrate the year’s end, we will be taking in a showing of “Disenchanted – The Bitches of the Kingdom” at the Downstairs Cabaret Theater.  You know all those fairy tale princess stories you read to your kids when they were small?  Now the princesses are all grown up and you’ll hear all the sordid details and listen to them comically kvetch about the exploitation they’ve suffered in today’s animated films, theme parks and pop cultures.  This is not a show for your kids.

Ladies: think twice before you kiss that frog.
Guys: Prince Charming has nothing on you.

The cost is $25/person, which includes one ticket to the show, a small private reception with coffee and dessert afterward, and a selection of wines from Heron Hill winery.

Pay Here Through PayPal

Date:  Wednesday, December 14
Time:  6:00pm - 9:00pm
Location:  Downstairs Cabaret Theater, 540 East Main Street (near Eastman Theatre) Rochester, NY

GRPP Members: bring your family and friends.
Come join us in a celebration of making it through 2011 and hitting 2012 in full force.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could take all the information that you’ve collected while running your photography career and be able to plan for a bigger, brighter, richer future?

What?  You don’t have a plan?
You haven’t collected any data?

For November’s monthly meeting of the Greater Rochester Professional Photographers (GRPP), we’ve invited Lisa Pelletier, a financial expert from SCORE, an organization of experienced business professionals, to give us tips on how to set up our records to allow us to collect better information that will allow us to plan better.

Remember, we are not photographers…we are running a business that happens to entail photography.  Studies have shown that most businesses fail not because they are not good at what they do…they fail because they cannot sufficiently operate a business.

As part of Lisa’s business, Pelletier Accounting and Tax Service, she speaks on behalf of SCORE to business owners and groups all over Rochester on how to properly manage your books and set yourselves up to succeed.

Lisa will not be throwing accounting terms at you, which has historically been proven to put an insomniac to sleep in four-and-a-half seconds.  She’ll be using easily understood terms that have proven to work with all of her audiences.

Date:  Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Location:  Lumiere Photo, 100 College Avenue, Rochester, NY

Time:  Social hour begins at 6:00.
Announcements at 7:00, and Lisa’s presentation will begin shortly after.

The meeting is free for members of PPSNYS/GRPP.  The fee for non-members is $30.