Coming back from my second Imaging USA. A number of folks have seen some of my posts are are excited about attending in 2015. I thought I’d provide my thoughts and advice on making the most of your time.
Imaging is an amazing event attended by thousands of photographers from across the world. The event officially opens on a Sunday and runs through Tuesday. (February 1-3, 2015) There are however a number of pre-convention classes that occur on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday before the event. In my opinion this is the real value of the event. Yes they cost more but you’re already there. The class sizes are 15-40ish people vs. up to 500 or more. You have significantly more opportunity to ask questions. Also, many of the classes are hands on (bring your camera…).
If you’re fairly new or struggling to get started, I strongly recommend one of the business basics 2 day classes. It was an eye opening class for me. (My head almost exploded…). Everything from branding, legal, accounting, pricing, etc. is covered.
I chatted with a member of the PPA board while in Phoenix. He said they are planning on offering day long Photoshop and Lightroom classes. Details still need to be worked out.
When the convention opens on Sunday, there are numerous classes/demos to attend. They are typically around 1 1/2 hours each. The first usually starts at 8 and they run through 11:30 when the trade show opens (more on that later). After the trade show closes at 5, the sessions start back up and run into the evening. Whether a sports, wedding, baby, portrait or landscape photographer you’ll find something that interests you.
They have a number of parties and get togethers that will fill your nights if you desire.
The trade show is photo-geek heaven. It’s a great opportunity to see the latest offerings from the major companies. You can also talk directly to a vendor if you’ve been having trouble with one of their products.
If you attend, bring a pair of comfortable walking shoes. You’ll be doing a bit of walking. A backpack or rolling bag is useful. As to gear, most of the pre-convention hands on classes will have you using your camera. No need to bring lighting or other gear. Be sure to bring something for note taking. I suggest a hard cover notebook since only the pre-convention classes have a table to write on.
So do you need to join PPA? No but I suggest you consider it. If you’re not a member, they usually waive the convention fees if you join. PPA also has many benefits. You’ve probably heard about the $15,000 in free gear insurance. They also offer free (emphasis on free) access to a CPA for advice. They will help research answers for most any question. (One person said the CPA actually remoted into their quickbooks to help set it up.). PPA also has lawyers to help with legal issues such as lawsuits or cease and desist letters.
PPA membership gives access to their website which is a wealth of information and additional training. In addition you get their publication which is the best photography magazine I’ve seen.
If you have any questions about imaging or PPA, don’t hesitate to ask. I hope to see all of you in Nashville.
