Master Photographer David Peters will speak at the MNPPA Elevate the Standard Photography 2015 Convention

The MNPPA Convention Committee has been hard at work booking talent for the 2015 Elevate the Standard Professional Photographers Convention at the Minneapolis Marriott Southwest in Minnetonka.

It is now confirmed that Master Photographer David Peters of San Rafael California will speak at the MNPPA Elevate the Standard Photography Convention this coming April.  David has 35 years of experience in the photography business; how lucky are we that he is willing to share his knowledge with us.

To learn more about David please visit his website and view his work.  Click http://www.davidpetersphotography.net/

Click here to register and learn more about the Minnesota 2015 Professional Photography Convention

MNPPA Elevate the Standard Photography Convention 2015

2015 CONVENTION REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN

The Minnesota Professional Photographers Association is proud to announce that early registration is open for the 2015 Elevate the Standard Photography Convention (April 19th-21st) is now OPEN!  Click here to register NOW!

2015 CONVENTION EARLY BIRD BONUS 

It's time to dust off that print case and start sorting through your top images from 2014.  How would you like the title of Minnesota Professional Wedding Photographer of the Year?  Awards and prizes await; register by February 1st, 2015 and you will receive entry into the 2015 Minnesota Professional Photography Print Competition free of charge.     

Minnesota Professional Photographers Association Membership

2015 MNPPA Membership Drive

May the odds be ever in your favor!

Whoops! Apparently I've got Hunger Games on the brain - so good, right?!

But it feels like that sometimes, doesn't it? Like your crawling into the arena and you're not sure whether you'll make it out alive? Or that you're surrounded by competitors and just don't know if you have what it takes to set yourself apart and survive? We've all been there at some point - and it doesn't have to be that way. Working together, we can all win.

Your membership in the MNPPA can be so many things to you. As a group of professionals, we strive to help our members be Professionally Trained and Creatively Inspired. Our goal is to build a group of professionals dedicated to elevating the standard of professional photographers in Minnesota - through education of ourselves and our consumers. Your commitment and support shows a dedication to professionalism that sets you apart from the crowd. Your membership is just another feather in your cap that differentiates you and raises your credibility in the eyes of your clients. Tell your clients - shout it out to the world with pride "I'm a member of the Minnesota Professional Photographers Association!"

We're making some changes this year in our quest to educate and inspire. One of the biggest benefits we're excited to share is bringing Convention back to Minnesota! Save the Date - this year's big event, 'Elevate the Standard' is coming to Minneapolis April 19-21st, 2015! Contracts are flying towards an amazing line up of incredible speakers, and we are planning three days of amazing fun, friendship, education, and inspiration! As an MNPPA member, you'll have access to the best registration pricing available! Woo hoo! This event is not to be missed!

On top of all that, we've got PPA Merited Classes coming your way, evening business get togethers,
web elements geared towards getting clients to your door, state accolades to raise
your professionalism in the eyes of your clients, a community of professionals all working
together to support, have fun with, and uplift one another, and so much more!

As we draw 2014 to a close, let's plan for a bigger, better 2015 for all professional photographers! Your membership is a step in that direction. Join us - it's going to be a fantastic year!


PS - Wowzers! This just in: become a member and register for convention by February 1st, 2015, and receive a FREE print case to this year's convention print competition! That's a $75 value - FREE! This is the year to enter print competition! Don't wait - renew now! Minnesota Wedding (or Portrait, etc) Photographer of the Year, here you come! Now that's a title you can't get anywhere else! 

Renew today!

MNPPA 2015 Convention Dates Announced

04/19/15 - 04/21/15

SAVE THE DATE & MARK YOUR CALENDER

FOR THE MNPPA PHOTOGRAPHY CONVENTION

At The Minneapolis Marriott Southwest

Keep tuned to the blog for Speaker and class announcements.

The Photography Business Through A Different Lens with Jeffrey Shaw hosted by the Minnesota Professional Photographers Association.

On Monday, November 3rd, 2014 come and join photographer and business coach Jeffrey Shaw for a full-day photography business workshop sponsored by the MNPPA at the Cannon River Winery. 

Shaw will present  his seminar The Photography Business Through A Different Lens - Prosperity & Purpose from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.  MNPPA members may attend for free.  Non-,members may attend for $99.

Photography Business Through A Different Lens - Prosperity & Purpose is an innovative interactive business workshop that offers an alternative look at the business of photography. For photographers that have been in business for many years Prosperity & Purpose offers ways to re-frame old beliefs about ‘the way things used to be’. For new business owners the program offers up to date information on business trends and how business works best today.

This workshop is both inspiring and informative. It is through understanding our purpose, creating a business from the same heart and soul from which we create our photographs that we build a business that provides prosperity for ourselves. Audience members will leave with concepts and marketing ideas they can immediately apply to their businesses.

There will be various coaching exercises that will provide a deeper understanding of what makes us tick and what our clients want. What we learn from those exercise will be applied directly to solid business practices to improve and increase our businesses.

This is a PPA merited class so make sure to bring your PPA member number to earn credits.  To register or for more information please visit MNPPA event registration.  

To learn more about Manhattan, New York based professional photographer and speaker Jeffrey Shaw please visit http://jeffreyshaw.com/ 

October 6th, 2014 MNPPA See the Light Seminar with Dave Johnson at The Crow River Winery

Calling all Minnesota photographers!

  

Come camera in hand to Master Photographer Dave Johnson's 

Off Camera Flash – How to Use it to Create Distinctive Images Seminar

Monday October 6th, 2014 at The Crow River Winery 

It is all about light. How much, it’s direction, color, and more. As we are in an age of new technology with higher ISO settings on cameras, high speed sync settings we need to understand the opportunities and features of these technologies. We also need to understand their limitations. We will be discussing those in depth so you can apply them in your imaging arsenal.

In this seminar we will learn how to effectively use off camera flashes to enhance our images using the wireless systems that are available with Canon and Nikon Flash systems. We will also explore the different options of wireless control both TTL and manual settings of these flash systems. This will include different light modifiers, colored gels, power options, and more.

This class will be hands on, so bring your camera. We will have one multi-flash setup for Canon and Nikon so everyone will have an opportunity to go through the settings of the camera and flash.

Dave's presentation will take place from 2:00 to 4:00.  

Hands on photography will began after his presentation.

The Crow River Winery is located at

14848 Highway 7 East, Hutchinson, MN 55350

This MNPPA event is free for members and non-members.  

To register please visit http://photographers.mnppa2.com/events/details/off-camera-flash-13

Dave Johnson M.Photog., Cr., CPP, AFS-MNPPA has been involved in photography since 1970 when he started shooting sports images for his old high School while in college.  After finishing school at Macalester College in St Paul, Minnesota Dave started working at Brown Photo and nurtured his professional shooting. His area of expertise has been technical, especially darkroom and exposure. In 1976 he took a position with DCS as the Ilford Tech Representative for Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North and South Dakota. He returned to Brown Photo in 1977 and was transferred to Fargo, North Dakota in 1979 to open up Brown Photo’s first out of state store. In 1985, Dave accepted Affiliate Coordinator position at Brown Photo servicing studios in towns that offered Brown Photo Services. In 1987, Dave joined Monarch Photo in Fargo as the Customer Service Manager and Retail Sales Manager. He returned to Minneapolis in 1988 to join National Camera Exchange. His current position is the Department Manager of the Wedding and Portrait Division.

Dave has a passion for teaching. He has been giving seminars since 1973 and has taught at North Dakota State University, Moorhead Area Vocational Center, Osseo School District and current teaches at Minneapolis Community Technical College. He has spoken at PPA National Conventions, After Dark, The Wisconsin Professional Photography School at Treehaven, and other state and local PPA Affiliations.

His studio, Silver Images, started in 1973 capturing weddings, and commercial photography. Through out the years Silver Images has changed many times. Custom slides and multi-projector slide shows, custom black and white and color printing, weddings, families, events, and over the past few years, and now include building custom computers for imaging, workflow consulting, website design, retouching, and Photoshop Training along with his photography which takes him around the county.

Realizing that most photographers need production assistance, Dave now concentrates on Custom Workflow Solutions. Utilizing Photoshop Actions and Scripts, he automates image preparation, retouching, templates and more.

Dave started using Photoshop 2.5 in 1992 for graphic design and prepress applications.  He did retouching and collages in Photoshop for clients. He also creates custom workflow solutions for customers utilizing Photoshop Actions and Scripts He has learned every version of Photoshop since.

Dave is a member of PPA and serves as a council member, Minnesota PPA (MNPPA), where he serves on their council for about 18 years, and is a past president of The Twin Cities Professional Photographers Association and served on their board and was their Newsletter Editor and Webmaster.  For eight years Dave was responsible for creating the PPA’s Top Ten Wedding Event Albums Program. He has received a Masterpiece Award, Minnesota’s Addie Award (MPPA’s highest service award), the Silver Service Award and PPA’s National Award. He has his Masters and Craftsman Degree and is Certified Professional Photographer. He holds his accredited, Fellowship and Service Degrees from Minnesota Professional Photographers Association.

MNPPA High School Senior Portrait Shoot-Out Photography Event in Stillwater Minnesota

On Monday October 6th, 2014 the Minnesota Professional Photographers Association MNPPA will be hosting a High School Senior Shoot-Out Seminar in Stillwater Minnesota at Studio J.  The event will be hosted by Studio J owner and Minnesota professional photographer Judd Sather.  To view some of Judd's work visit his website studiojphoto.com.  This event is open to MNPPA members and non-members.  To register for the event visit MNPPA October 6th Stillwater Event.

Minnesota Professional Photographers Association (MNPPA) Shoot-Out at the Glensheen Mansion in Duluth Minnesota

This summer the Minnesota Professional Photographers Association (MNPPA) traveled to Duluth for their annual summer shoot-out.  The beautiful summer day was packed with education and portfolio building with models.  The MNPPA arranged for the seminar to take place at the historic Gleensheen Mansion where professional photography is no longer allowed except for booked on-site weddings.  The above image was captured lakeside by MNPPA member Todd Myra of Todd Myra Photography out of St. Cloud Minnesota using off camera flash.

  The day began with a short round table discussion on the benefits and drawbacks of running a home based studio.  Minnesota Professional photographer Mark Fitzgibbons of Fitz Photo in Duluth led the discussion.   After lunch Mark switched gears as he led the group through various lighting scenarios with models.  Mark made clear to the group that his business is built around his knowledge and skill of creating multiple lighting set-ups with natural and additive light to give his clients unique art pieces.  In the above photo the group practices the use of reflectors and scrims to control natural light to create images.  Mark also gave demos with off camera flash and various light modifiers.  He encouraged every member of the group to try each method themselves.  After several demos Mark set the group free with their cameras, models and gear for some portfolio building in a manor similar to an After Dark event.

The MNPPA will be hosting two hands-on photography events on October 6th, 2014.  Both events are open to members and non-members.  They are a great way to learn more about the MNPPA and to meet fellow photographers in and outside of your area.  To sign-up or learn more about the events, please visit our MNPPA event sign-up page.

Above is one of the images that I, Stacy Milburn, of Phodot Photography captured during the free for all part of the day.  To view more of my work please visit my Phodot Blog.  To view more of Todd Myra's work from the Shoot-Out please visit the Todd Myra Photography Blog.  To learn more about Mark Fitzgibbons please visit Fitzphoto.com.