If you have not read your PPA Magazine yet, you should. Kalen wrote a wonderful articule on “Starting Over: Merit worthy” page 38 of your PPA Magazine. Love the read, so check it out today. Thanks for the wonderful writing you do Kalen.
Category: News about Members
Awards
See Kalen’s articule in this months PPA Magazine on page 34.
Starting Over: IUSA-A Wellspring Of Knowledge
Kalen Henderson
Starting over
Imaging USA: A wellspring of knowledge
Kalen Henderson shares what she’s learned beginning again in an industry dramatically different from the one she first entered more than two decades ago.
At one time, no professional photography studio was without essential gear like back – drops, posing props, tripods and lighting solutions. Today, the studio’s must-haves include a Facebook page, a special font for its logo, and a slogan to go with its brand.
I mostly understood all that when I was starting over—the font selection says a lot about your style; Facebook is the Yellow Pages of this generation (if they can’t find you there, you do not exist)—but what about the perfect slogan? Facebook research for inspiration turned up “Live. Love. Laugh”; “Letting You Be You”; and “Photography As Nature Intended.”
Then I thought of something I’ve been saying for years: It’s not what you own, it’s what you know. I’d found that out in my first go-around, thanks largely to discovering a pool of knowledge all in one location, at Imaging USA (imagingusa.org). I met a lot of inter – esting characters as I walked up and down the aisles of the tradeshow that year, and the print competition glowed like the Emerald City. Soon I understood how to use the equipment I’d gone in hock to buy to become a better photographer and businessperson.
That vital info is available at every IUSA. The seminars and workshops, the trade expo, the print exhibition and the networking with other professionals from all over and in every stage of their career, all add up to a tar – geted educational experience second to none.
Before every Imaging USA, I still write down questions I need answered. Whether it’s about a new product or service, a camera setting, or new ways to pose families for por – traits, I don’t leave the convention without the answers. I can remember my dread of asking a recognized and much decorated photographer a stupid question and embar – rassing myself. But I found that medals didn’t make those photographers better, their experience did, and the knowledge they gained came at the price of making mistakes and learning from them. If I heeded their advice, I could avoid making some of those mistakes and save myself a bucket of grief.
Attending Imaging USA is an opportunity to grow as a professional photographer. You make new friends and expand your network of support and knowledge. You learn what works in business, in art, in marketing, in selling, in handling clients, and much more. You get to peruse every kind of product for professional photographers, every kind of new technology. Take your checkbook and you could go home with one of those prod – ucts at a specially discounted expo price.
You can stay home and surf the Internet looking for shortcuts to success. Me? I’ll continue to invest my hard-earned money in attending Imaging USA.
ASP would like to congratulate the following people for their achievements in photography at their
Illinois State Convention.
Dan Thorton: ASP Elite Award, Best Black and White, Best Illistrative , CPP , 4 for 4 and Top 10
Michael Barton: Best of Show, Best Album, Kodak Gallery Award, 4 for 4 and Top 10
Rick Trummer: National Award, Best of Out of state , 4 for 4 and Top 10
Again Congratulation to all these ASP members …
Robert Golding,
With deep sorrow, the ASP family mourns the passing of
Robert Golding, M. Photog., Cr., CPP, F-ASP, EA, H.F-ASP.
Bob was key in the continued success of the ASP Fellowship program and will be greatly missed.
Golding graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology in 1958 with a bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Since then, he has specialized in Architectural Photography and is recognized nationally by many Architectural and Contracting firms as one of the top photographers in the United States in this field.
Throughout the years, Golding has been notably active in professional organizations affiliated with photography. He has held several offices in these societies, including President of the Society of Commercial Photographers of Delaware Valley; sixteen years as Commercial Councilman for the State of Pennsylvania; several years on the Commercial Division Executive Committee of the Professional Photographers of America, as well as National PEC Chairman for 3 years. Golding has served as a PEC Jury Chairman at both affiliated and national judgings from 1975 to present. He is also Chairman of the Fellowship Program for the American Society of Photographers.
He received the National Award from the Professional Photographers Association of Pennsylvania in 1979 and the American Society of Photographers in 1986. He was certified by Professional Photographers of America at the inception of this program in 1979. In January of 1992, the Norwegian group “fame” presented Golding with their highest award of Professional fame Photographer of which there have only been 22 such awards given. In July of 1992, Golding was the eighth person to ever receive the Honorary Fellowship from the American Society of Photographers, which is the highest honor they give, “for selfless, uncompromising dedication to the achievement of contributions, which eminently advance the image of professional photography”.
Life Membership may be awarded by the Executive Committee to any member who has been a member of the ASP, Inc. for five consecutive years, who is listed as a PPA Life Member or a Retired Member who is permanently retired from the active full time practice of photography and is at least 60 years old.
Life Honored members for 2011 are ….. Read all about them in the ASP Summer Magazine.
I have been fortunate enough to make 2 journey’s to Haiti along with a non profit organization who has been looking to document the people who are in such needy help.
This image was captured on my last trip (Feb 2011) while we were staying in Port Au Prince. We stayed in a makeshift commune that houses volunteers from all over the world.
Behind this building are many many tents that are set up for the hundreds of people that lost their homes after the devastating earthquake in 2010 that took over 300,000 lives.
It is here that we find children laughing, crying, playing and surviving. Warm and friendly people is what I experienced. The many faces and eyes that tell a story we could never imagine.
I’m blessed to be a photographer so I can tell the story through my images.
Many times we forget how important our job is. When we are documenting and relaying our feelings about people, it’s not just about pushing the shutter. It’s about caring and respecting life.
The story behind “Hope and Desire” is as follows.
While in tent city I spent some time walking amongst the people, trying to get to know them and making them feel comfortable. I came upon these two young girls who have been in this Tent City for about a year. One seemed quite eager to have her photo taken, while the other one was very shy. With some coaxing I finally was able to grab 3 or 4 images before I continued on.
There are many times when I don’t even realize what I have captured. We become voyeurs while hiding behind our cameras. We even at times loose our sensitivity while trying to capture the emotions around us. It is not until I actually get back home and start editing that I become very emotional and effected by what I have captured. It is at this time when reality hits. It is at this time when we no longer can hide behind a piece of equipment and separate ourselves from the world. I am getting ready for my third trip the end of September, 2011. I’m hoping to continue my story. I’m hoping that my images can in some way help a country so devastated and so in need, yet so proud and grateful, even for the little that they possess.
I’m am so grateful that I can share my story with everyone through my eyes.
To Life,
Jim LaSala
William Branson III from Durham, NC
