Professional Photographers of America

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of PPA – Professional Photographers of America. All opinions are 100% mine.

 

This is the biggest reason I love photography.

Have you ever heard the saying that if you keep one foot in the past, and the other in the future, you are ruining today?  I believe that to be true, and a visual way of reminding us that the only time we have control over, is today.  Photography, and the images themselves, bring us to that place and remind us to FOCUS!

I have always loved taking pictures.  I took one class in college, Photography I, where I was able to experience the magic of the dark room.  I was mesmerized as I watched my images magically appear before me in the gurgling liquids.  I became entranced with the art of expression through snapshots.  Every artist had a unique "look" and I appreciated them all.  I loved peering at life through the lens of others and comparing how their interpretation may have been different from my own.

I wasn't able to graduate from college with a focus in photography, as I would have liked – and time moved on.  I became a busy mother of many and supported my husband in running our business, but I have never lost the love for photography.  I have had to develop the craft on my own now, for years – and although I feel like I gradually get better – I still crave the camaraderie of peers around me that love the same thing that I do, and enjoy perfecting their craft.  I have taken lots of little kids pictures, some weddings, friends, landscapes and more, but I'm ready for the next step.

That's why when I found out about Professional Photographers of America, I was so excited!  (PPA)  It is the largest international non-profit association created by professional photographers, for professional photographers.  It's been around since 1869, and has close to 27,000 members!

The PPA always has amazing things going on that I want to be a part of.  The second I checked out their website I was trying to figure out how to join, and fit some of their events into my schedule.  The "Summer Photolosophy" is a place where members can showcase their work, and learn more about the business, and grow as photographers.  Their events are located all over the United States, including workshops, master classes, business courses and exhibits.  They also have a competition that runs from August 3-7 that will draw thousands of international participants. International Photographic Competition

Over 26 nationwide event titles and locations include: iClick Expo (Des Moines, IA), Projection Sales in Your Pajamas (Atlanta, GA), Texas Summer Roundup (Kerrville, TX), Photopalooza (Fairview Heights, IL), Photo Safari (North Andover, MA), CAPTURE 2014 (Little Rock, AR), Storytelling Photography (Dallas, TX), Little Red Schoolhouse: Great Gatsby Style (Galveston, TX), and the annual International Photographic Competition (Atlanta, GA). Here is the total  Summer Photolosophy Schedule

Through signing up,  Photocare pays the premium and covers $15,000 in equipment replacement, lenses, and other photography.  You can protect your images with PPA's Copyright Resource Center – which is interesting to me, because I don't know how to do that for myself.  They also offer you a personalized eduational program PPAedu with business and photography technique courses, and degree and certification programs, available online 24/7 which is a HUGE bonus when you have little kids running around!

Now, instead of dropping everything I'm doing in my personal life, I can sign up and go to photography school from my home.  I have actually been searching from something like this for years, and when I finally found it – I couldn't believe it.  There is a reason to have the credentials of a photographer, so that your clients can trust you when they hire you to do a job for them.  This is why I'll be joining PPA. In the end, it costs photographers more money to do business in photography without a PPA membership.

Photo Credit: Vasilena Balaboanova of Jupiter, Florida

I'd love to hear if this is something you are interested in, as well!  Let me know! It would be really fun to keep tabs on each other and watch the progress that we are making together! This may even be a great excuse to take a vacation and visit some of the fun classes being taught, in the name of education – of course. Here is the link where I'll be  joining PPA today.