PPGCS Newsletter: December, 2005

Volume 16, Issue 12

1. Correction

2. New PPGCS Requirements

3. A message from the President

4. December PPGCS Meeting: Annual Studio Tour and a slideshow outlining exciting new changes in the Guild.

5. PPGCS Members in the News: Three new CPPs in the Guild

6. Quotable Quotes
   

7. Renew your Membership
   (Pricing and who to contact)

8. Membership and Advertising

9. Classified Advertising

10. The 2005 PPGCS Board of Directors

Correction:

Apologies to Taralyn Turner Quigley for the
repeated misspelling of her name in the November newsletter.

New PPGCS Requirements

  As photographers, we need to continue to strive to do the very best for our clients. Whether if be in customer service, photographing the needs of the client or just making them feel very comfortable and special at that given time. Not only will it make their day, it will make yours too. I think I get as much satisfaction when a client thanks me for beautiful and creative work as the client does. Set your standards high and review your progress weekly. As a member of PPGCS, you're expected to set high standards. This leads me to my next thought, change is coming to PPGCS. In the next couple of months, the board will reveal new standards each member will be required to complete. These changes will be incorporated into the By-laws of PPGCS and will take affect in January 2006. If we are to be called the, "Professional Photographers' Guild of Colorado Springs" and affiliate of PPA National organization, then members will be excepted to achieve certain objectives and goals as members.

- Thomas Henn, PPA Certified, M.Photog., CR.

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A message from the President

  This has been a very exciting year for the Guild with the various educational programs and speakers the board brought to the monthly meetings. Because of the diversity of our membership, it sometimes becomes a challenge to cover the varied needs and interests of our members. I believe our board of directors has done a super job this year and our members need to say "thank you" to all who have contributed to the success of this year's events.

  This President's Message is the most important message I will deliver to our membership this year. As I stated, 2005 has been a very full year. I am excited to announce that 2006 will bring new and exciting changes that will make the Guild bigger and better as an organization of Professional Photographers.

  Several months ago, a special meeting of the board of directors was called to address problems confronting the Guild, namely declining membership and lack of professionalism. A bylaws committee was appointed to update the Guild's bylaws to reflect the proposed changes. The revised draft bylaws are to take effect upon adoption by the general membership at the annual meeting in January. The objective behind the changes leading to "New Guild" is to raise the level of professionalism among PPGCS members.

  To find out about the changes happening in the Guild, you'll have to come to the first stop on the upcoming Annual Studio Tour. A brief PowerPoint presentation will be given highlighting the changes, explaining why the board felt change was necessary, and identifying the benefits of the "New Guild". A copy of the draft bylaws will be distributed to the members present at this time also. All of this will occur on December 15th as part of the Studio Tour starting at Lynn Boutte's studio at 500 W. Bijou in Colo. Springs.

• 6:00 P.M. - social time - Lynn Boutte Studio
• 6:30 P.M. - Food
• 7:00 P.M. - Slide Show
• 8:00 P.M. - Kent Stuck Studio

  To encourage and entice members to come to this important presentation, we've rounded up some pretty spectacular door prizes. Think a Digi-Matz Adobe Photoshop plug-in from Zookbinders! A 1 year paid subscription to Digital Photo Pro magazine! A beautiful soft box donated by Pat and Terry Moore. There are more prizes like these. They are listed in this newsletter (click here). I think you will agree that a chance to win one of these quality door prizes, along with some good food and camaraderie, will make it well worth your time to attend this meeting.

  So, why am I so excited about the changes? As PPGCS members, we are concerned about the issues confronting this industry and recognize that we must promote the professional photographer and professional photography as the "quality answer" to who will take Johnny's Yearbook pictures and shoot Suzie's wedding. As painful as it is, we are competing with Uncle Joe and his digital point and shoot! At the same time, we want programs to learn the new trends and techniques that can help propel our business into a profit making enterprise.

Let me give you some highlights of what will be discussed about the New Guild at the December meeting.

The key factors behind the changes are:

• to educate our members to be better photographers, to be better business people, to be better and more ethical professionals;

• to limit membership to those who are serious about their photography and aspire to high standards of professionalism;

• to increase dues so that we may continue to provide high quality programs and encourage continuing education.

The new Guild is positioning itself to address these factors and issues. The New Guild will:

• Establish membership requirements - including 16 hours of photography-related education each year.

• Provide orientation for new members through sponsorship programs that stress professionalism among photographers as well as reviewing the Bylaws and Code of Ethics.

• Increase dues to provide quality programs and provide incentives to members (Note: This is the first increase in dues since the Guild was started.) A portion of your PPGCS dues will be forwarded to one of your educational choices. E.g. PPC or PPA dues or the Breckenridge School.

• Create a new Public Relations Officer position on the Board of Directors to publicize the Guild and its members. It's time to get the word out and become more proactive.

• Educate photographers and the public

• Photographers:
  

  • Business practices, pricing, looking out for each other, ethics.

• Public/consumer:
  

  • The new Public Relations Officer (we have never had one in the past) will keep the public informed as to our goings on via Press Releases.
  • PR officer will do guest speaker engagements at PTA, Chambers of Commerce, Radio, Print etc.; to talk up the Guild and explain the value of the professional photographer and quality portraits over the snapshots from "Uncle Joe and his new Point-n-Shoot digital".
    

• Benefits
  

  • Use PPGCS logo to advertise business.
  • Education: PPA, PPC and PPGCS speakers, workshops, etc.

• Dues
  

  • Dues increase to support the new professionalism and education.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NEW BYLAWS

• Types of memberships: individual, firm, student, sustaining, honorary

• Membership is not automatic; must meet membership requirements every year.

• Sponsorship program to educate/mentor/advocate for a member applicant

• New officer positions and committees to support objectives (PR, Membership)

• PPGCS rights & privileges

• Expectation that members will abide by the Bylaws and Code of Ethics at all times

I know that you will want to be part of this New and Improved Guild. I'll see you at the December 15th meeting where each member will receive a copy of the new draft Bylaws, great food and tours of our members' studios. The Bylaws will be voted on at the Annual Meeting, along with the 2006 elections, in January - another meeting you won't want to miss!

PPG's President,
Thomas Henn, PPA Certified, M.Photog. CR.

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Door Prizes!

Below is a list of Door Prizes to be given away
at the December 15th Studio Tour at Lynn Boutte Studio

• 1 gift certificate which entitles the bearer to a 1-year FREE membership to Wedding & Portrait Photographers International (WPPI)($99 value) !! Super Bonus: This will include FREE registration the 2006 convention which will be held at both the Paris & Bally's Hotels in Las Vegas from April 7 to April 12, 2006. ($555 value). http://www.wppionline.com/convention/convention2006/wppi2006.pdf

• 1 free issue of Rangefinder magazine for everyone who attends the meeting.

• 1 CD-ROM Digi-Matz plug-in for adobe Photoshop from Zookbinders. This plug-in is for designing digital layout photo albums. http://www.zookbinders.com

• At least one 1-year subscription to Digital Photo Pro magazine http://www.digitalphotopro.com

• 1 free issue of Digital Photo Pro magazine for everyone attending the Dec. 15 meeting.

• At least one 1-year subscription to Outdoor Photographer magazine. http://www.outdoorphotographer.com

• 1 free issue of Outdoor Photographer magazine for everyone attending the meeting.

• Something from Mike’s Camera but it might not be here in time for the meeting. Sorry to be vague but they would not commit to that cutoff date.

• 1 20x24 wall portrait print from Portrait City.

• 1 JTL 48'x32' soft box.
  

• Studio Tours starting at Lynn Boutte’s studio at 500 W. Bijou in Colo. Springs.
• 6:00 P.M. - social time - Lynn Boutte Studio
• 6:30 P.M. - Food
• 7:00 P.M. - Slide Show
• 8:00 P.M. – Kent Stuck Studio