Uncovering the Mysteries of Print Competition!

When:

Monday, Oct. 12, 2009
10:00 am-3:00 p.m.

Noon Lunch Break!!!

Where:

Mitchell’s Photography
1325 Miller Road Suite I
Greenville, SC 29601
Phone: 864-467-1777

Upstate photographers…it’s our turn for some friendly competition and an opportunity to learn from some of the BEST!

Do your images have what it takes to succeed in Print Competition? Are you willing to find out? Entering prints in competition and listening to judging is arguably one of the best ways to improve your photography.

Lonnie Hoke, Mark Howard, Gregg Martin & Mitchell Richardson will be our facilitator/judges.

Gregg will begin with a presentation on the 12 elements of a merit print. This will be an in-depth overview of what judges are looking for in print competition.

Lonnie, Mitchell and Mark will go “Behind the Curtain” answering the following “everyone wants to know” questions.
• Have you ever wondered why your print didn’t look the same under the competition lights as it did in your studio? How can you know what it will look like?
• Why did my print score higher than theirs and they received a first place?
• I think all the judges are crazy and I’m not going to enter again. (Is this a good statement or bad?)
• How are scores tabulated?
• How can I win photographer of the year?
• What happened to my print? There were no marks on it when I sent it in.
• What is the First Timer Award? How can I get it?

You will also learn more "how to's" on entering print competitions and the differences in State (PPSC), Regional (SEPPA), and International (PPA) competitions. Information will also be given out on what it takes to earn awards and degrees at each level.

We will have a **MOCK** Print Competition. This competition will be conducted just like a real print salon. The images will be displayed one at a time and will be scored by the judges. This competition will be as anonymous as you want it to be, but after an image is scored it will also be critiqued and you will have an opportunity to ask the judges questions about their comments (unlike a real Print Competition), and this will probably blow your cover! Print critique is the best time to learn. Please stick around and listen to all critiques. There just might be something in it for you.

Non members are welcome to submit images for the competition. If you are visiting your first meeting it is free. Regular visitors (i.e. soon to be members) you need to pay a $10 fee--a small price to pay for this level of education and experience!

If you are interested in participating in this Competition, please make note of the following:
• submit at least 2-4 digital, print competition ready, images via a jump drive or CD. • sized 4x5 at 300 dpi. (Do not worry about printing or changing the density for f16 lighting)
• name the file as the name of the image. EX. Pawpaws_passion.jpg
• email me directly if you are going to submit images for the print competition! kwphoto@charter.net

Please let us know as soon as possible (via simplelist) if you plan to attend. The more members participating the greater the learning experience for all.

Meet our Facilitator/Judges
Lonnie Hoke & His wife Yvonne have owned and operated their successful full time studio for 13 years specializing in family, children, high school senior and wedding imagery. Since entering South Carolina print competition in 1997, Lonnie has earned numerous first place awards, 8 Kodak Gallery Awards, 7 Fuji Masterpiece Awards, 3 Best of Show Awards, and is a two time South Carolina Photographer of the Year. Lonnie is also a past president of the Professional Photographers of South Carolina and holds the degrees of Master Photographer - Photographic Craftsmen with the Professional Photographers of America.

Mark Howard has been an active photographer for 14 years and specializes in weddings, families and children. He has received numerous First Place Awards, Kodak Gallery Awards, Fuji Masterpiece Awards and has been named SC Photographer of the Year. Mark holds the SC Fellow degree and the degree of Master Photographer with the Professional Photographers of America. He is also this year’s PPSC Print Salon Chairman.

Gregg Martin has been in the photography industry for over 20 years. He has just earned the sought after 2009 PPA Platinum Photographer of the Year. He also holds the Certified Professional Photographer credential from PPA (Professional Photographers of America) along with the Associate Fellows Degree from PPSC (Professional Photographers of SC). Gregg's images have graced the pages of national publications such as Sports Illustrated, ESPN The Magazine, USA Today, and Forbes. In additional to these accolades, Gregg has photographed over 350 weddings in the past 20 years. He is a fun, energetic, outgoing photographer whose style is a combination of traditional and photojournalism. Gregg also photographs for the University of SC Athletic Department. He is about his 20th football season on the sidelines for Carolina.

Mitchell Richardson has owned and operated Mitchell’s Photography in Greenville, SC for 16 years. The studio specializes in children, family and high school senior photography. Since entering SC print competition Mitchell has earned numerous First Place Awards, Best of Show Awards, 6 Kodak Gallery Awards, 10 Fuji Masterpiece Awards and named SC Photographer of the Year 2 times. He has also received the Bronze and Silver PPA Photographer of the year. Mitchell is a past president of the Professional Photographers of South Carolina and holds the SC Fellow Degree. On the national level, he holds the degrees of Master Photographer - Photographic Craftsmen with the Professional Photographers of America.

2010 Convention - Speaker #2

Hey everyone. It is my pleasure to introduce to you the second of four speakers we have lined up for the 2010 PPSC Convention next February!



Mr. Joe Buissink!

Joe's photography is about capturing the moments, and the essence of the person in those moments. His work redefines wedding photography, and has been described as Fine Art by his most notable celebrity clients. Joe has become a world-renowned teacher in the photographic field. His teachings have taken him on an international platform from Japan and Australia to England, Scotland and Ireland as well as in the United States.

Joe has been a favorite wedding photographer among celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson & Nick Lachey, Brendan Fraser, Kelsey Grammer, Hillary Swank & Chad Lowe, Christina Applegate, Jenny Garth & Peter Facinelli, and Christina Aguilera.

Joe has been profiled by Good Morning America, Entertainment Tonight, Extra, Lifetime Television’s Wedding of a Lifetime, and E!. His work is published regularly in InStyle Weddings, Grace Ormonde Wedding Style, and People Magazine.

In 2003, Joe was awarded the International Leadership Award in Photography by the International Photographic Council at the United Nations. Also, Kodak hired Joe in 2003 to shoot their International Ad campaign for their Portra Film Line. In 2005, Apple selected Joe to be their spokes person for the Wedding Industry, in the release of their new program Aperture. Joe has received numerous International Grand Awards for his work from the WPPI (Wedding & Portrait Photographers International). In February of 2007, American Photo selected Joe as one of the Top 10 Wedding Photographers in the World.

Joe's program is "Staying Fresh: Being Successful as a Photographer"

One of the critical components to a successful career as a working photographer is the ability to stay fresh and creative while making a living. Unless you keep the passion for imagemaking flowing, your career simply becomes a way to make a living. This new seminar with master portrait and wedding photographer Joe Buissink opens doors long closed and keeps dreams alive. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to rekindle the love affair you have for photography and refresh your path.

For more information on Joe Buissink and to see some of his work, check out Joe's website.

http://www.joebuissink.com

Joe is sponsored by Canon.

This month's Midlands Meeting is going to be held on Sept 8th at the Village Square Theatre in Lexington (behind Bojangles and Firestone) at 6:30
We will meet at Carolina Wings at 5:30. Bring your camera and portable lighting just like you would for a wedding or outdoor session. We will split up into groups and everyone will photograph
and discuss what they are seeing and why they are shooting this way. We will rotate to different areas and encourage everyone to get creative in how they are shooting.
Email me with any questions lee@kickstandstudio.com

2010 Convention - Speaker #1

Hello everyone! Hope you are all having a great summer! The convention team has been busy the past few months planning the 2010 PPSC Convention and I have some exciting news to share with all of you.

First of all, the convention will be held at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Columbia, SC! I know the beach is fun and all, but the feedback I've received for the past several years is that Columbia is a more convenient location for all members. The beach is a 5+ hour drive for a lot of folks in the Upstate and a large percentage of the membership is right here in the Midlands. In the past, some couldn't commit the entire 4 days and a 10 hour round trip to the beach and they missed out on the convention altogether. A centralized convention makes it easier for some to make a day trip or weekend trip if a partial conflict pops up.

Dates are Friday February 5th through Tuesday February 9th. Please mark your calendars now to avoid conflicts.

Second, I would like to introduce you to our first of four top shelf speakers that we have lined up.

Beth Forester
Beth (CPP, M. Photog. Cr.) operates a portrait studio in the small town of Madison, West Virginia. She has been named West Virginia Photographer of the Year three times and has twice won the title of Mid-East States Photographer of the Year. Along the way to achieving these titles, Beth has earned 10 Kodak Gallery Awards, 4 Fuji Masterpiece Awards, 13 Loan Collection images and the prestigious PPA AN-NE Award for marketing.

Beth's program will be about “Selling” the Senior Client

The 21st century requires a new approach to marketing; especially when you are trying to reach Generation Y. Join Beth as she discusses how to reach out to the senior client through word of mouth marketing and create a “buzz” about your studio. In her program, she will discuss such topics as: the psychology of the teen client, branding your studio, viral networking with Facebook, creating buzz-worthy product lines, and selling the senior portrait experience. Finally, she will discuss how to increase your average sale per senior using various techniques that she uses in her studio every day.




Check out Beth's website to see some of her work. (http://www.foresterphoto.com)

I will be intruducing the rest of the convention speakers in the near future so be sure to check out the blog at http://www.ppofsc.blogspot.com

Beth is sponsored by General Products and PhotoDUDS.
Clark