Named as one of Nashville, Tennessee’s top wedding photographers in 2009, Zach and Jody Gray are a dynamic duo who have quickly and steadily gained local and national recognition for their work in the wedding photography industry. Over the past two years they have hosted numerous highly successful photography workshops in the states [...]]]>

Named as one of Nashville, Tennessee’s top wedding photographers in 2009, Zach and Jody Gray are a dynamic duo who have quickly and steadily gained local and national recognition for their work in the wedding photography industry. Over the past two years they have hosted numerous highly successful photography workshops in the states and overseas, and taught MasterClasses at WPPI and SWPP in the UK. Their images have appeared in various publications including People, Southern Bride, and PPA Magazine. This award-winning couple has also been named by Westcott as one of their Top Endorsed Pros and are a part of the exclusive SanDisk Extreme Team.

Zach and Jody specialize in weddings, bringing a blend of advanced off-camera lighting & photojournalism into their work giving their imagery a unique edge. They are recognized nationally for producing their distinct look entirely in-camera with minor post-processing.

Even more than just taking fantastic images, Zach and Jody have worked to build a successful photography business using innovative marketing techniques built around word-of-mouth and word-of mouse marketing.

Behind the heart of their business is the desire to see others succeed: clients in their marriages and photographers in their work. This has proven to be a foundational key to their work in the industry, and will continue to drive them in everything they do

Meet our [...]]]>

This year we’re adding a day of fun and education to the quarterly and offering a Portrait Buisness Bootcamp. We have 7 awesome instructors who have volunteered their time to prepare and present a class for you! Everyone will get to attend each program so don’t worry about having to pick and choose. Meet our super awesome group of bootcamp instructors! Terrell Moffett – Digital Capture The best quality images are produced from the best captures. The how’s and why’s of getting your image right in the camera and why you shouldn’t rely on “just fix it in Photoshop.” Kelly Zimmerman – Business Am I running a business or getting paid to do what I love? An enthusiast or a pro? Any one of us can pick up a camera and be called a “photographer”… here’s what separates the hobbiest from the professional, and what you might need to take it up a notch. Kim Critchfield – Classic Studio Lighting Build a foundation, then make it simple while keeping it beautiful… Tiffany Hix – Pricing Knowing how to price yourself for profit is one of the most challenging aspects of business. Learn tips, techniques and strategies to help you know where to start and how to price yourself for profit! Travis Gadsby -Posing 101 Whether you believe in active or passive posing, a photographer must know what to look for in a pose and how to correct it in order to portray your clients in the most pleasing way. We will be going over posing with a live model and discuss everything from constructing the pose to lighting it and adjusting for hair styles and body types. By the time we are finished, everyone should be confident in making women appear smaller and men appear larger than life. Cyndee Wanyoni – Client Connections One of the most important aspects of retaining clients is your relationship with them. Join me as I share techniques on how to connect with your client before, during and after your session to ensure lifelong followers. Dennis Hammon – The Power of Print Competition Print Competition is not only to compete against your fellow peers, but most importantly it is a gauge of how much your work is stacking up and a way to push yourself with print quality. Dennis is a big advocate of print competition, having served as an PPA approved print juror for over 20 year. He believes print comp is a valuable way to raise the bar for yourself and your studio’s quality. Dennis with nearly a 100 print merits, and most recently receiving the Fellow of Photography from the American Society of Photographers will guide you through the 12 elements of print competition, and encourage you to pursue the adventure of competition. Touching on the Certification program will round out the experience.

]]> http://www.ppofidaho.org/index.php/bootcamp/feed 0 http://www.ppofidaho.org/index.php/nurturing-the-creative-soul-by-julianne-jonker http://www.ppofidaho.org/index.php/nurturing-the-creative-soul-by-julianne-jonker#comments Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:11:49 +0000 admin http://www.ppofidaho.org/?p=506 Most photographers, if asked what they would like to change about their businesses would answer that they would like to do fewer sessions, be more creative with each session, and get paid more for their work.  I believe that one vital ingredient in facilitating this change, is to nurture your creative soul.  Here is some [...]]]> Most photographers, if asked what they would like to change about their businesses would answer that they would like to do fewer sessions, be more creative with each session, and get paid more for their work.  I believe that one vital ingredient in facilitating this change, is to nurture your creative soul.  Here is some food for thought.

The majority of photography businesses revolve around a “busy season” where we barely have a minute to breathe, we work more hours than is considered healthy, and we can be left feeling drained and void of all creative energy by the end of the season.  We can, however take some proactive steps to prevent this from happening.

When we think of our physical health and well being, we know that we need exercise.

We don’t always do it, but we all know that exercise is as important as having a healthy diet with all the essential nutrients.  If you don’t do both, it’s very difficult to achieve your goals.  I believe that these same principles apply to the nurturing of our creative souls as well.  We need the steady diet of inspiration, new ideas and creative training (through all the available classes and seminars).  However, we also need to exercise the new inspiration by creating something with it.  Act on it.  Self-assignments, collaborations with other photographers, working alone with a model to create a vision you’ve had in your mind, or simply shooting out in public places; these are all avenues to keep your creative juices flowing and to keep the love of photography alive.  The more we exercise this part of ourselves, the stronger it becomes.  And it’s infectious!

It’s time to get out the plethora of teaching tapes and DVD’s that we have purchased with every good intention to listen to, but haven’t yet.   Dust off your art books, visit a museum, visit another country, write some music, play an instrument, search artists web sites for inspiration, whatever it takes to get the juices flowing, then SHOOT FOR THE LOVE OF IT!  Get a group together and use each other as models, or hire a model, and play…

I can guarantee that whatever you produce will amaze both you and your clients.  It’s hard to carve out the time and expense, but it all comes back to us.  Make samples of your new creative works and hang them in your studio.  The press printed gallery wraps are the perfect presentation for this type of work.  And, if you are brave enough, paint on the gallery wraps with oils to bring them to the next level.  Before you know it, you’ll have a new high end product line to offer your clients.

Nurturing your creative soul in this manner cannot help but carry over into your client work.  You will find that you will carry this creative energy into your sessions.  Your work will begin to set itself apart from the ordinary, and you may just find that you can do less sessions, be more creative, and get paid more.  Enjoy the journey- I will leave you with a favorite quote:

“People do not quit playing because they grow old, they grow old because they quit playing.”

JulieAnne Jonker, M. Photog, Craftsman Photog, CPP, A-MPPA

Members of the Professional Photographers of Idaho receive a number of benefits.