SEPPA

Derica and I just got back from beautiful Athens, Georgia from the Southeastern Professional Photographers Association Semi-Annual Convention.  Wow, that's a mouthful isn't it!

What an experience, incredible photographers from all over the Southeastern US, everywhere from Maryland to Florida.  Lots of  to learn from and get ideas from.  That's why we go to conventions, to get inspired.  We have some ideas up our sleeve, so stay tuned!

The educational programs put on by the PPA and it's affiliates are second to none.  I have learned so much in the two short years I've been involved with these organizations and my only wish is that I had become a member many years ago.  If you are a bride or a customer looking for a photographer, I suggest you ask how involved your potential photographer is with their education.  Too many photographers open their doors, buy lots of equipment, sell their work, and never take the time to learn and improve.  That is a huge disservice to our customers.  The "mood" in the photography industry is constantly changing, people's tastes change.  For example, can't we all pick out wedding photographs from the 70's?  They just look a certain way.  What if your photographer never took the time to learn and adapt since then?  Wow, I'd hate to see those wedding photos!  Ask your photographer what organizations they belong to.  If they don't belong to any, then ask yourself how much they care about your photographs!

OK, I'm back off my soapbox now.

SEPPA is also a NATIONAL level print competition.  The best of the best go here to compete.  Each entrant can submit up to 4 images.  Almost everybody puts in 4, it's expensive and time consuming, so "Play hard or GO HOME!".  This was my first time entering this level of competition.  There were nearly 800 entries.  The "Holy Grail" of print competition is a MERIT PRINT, that is a print receiving a score of 80 or above.  Only about a third of the entries reached that level.

I am incredibly proud to say that 3 out of my 4 prints were awarded "MERIT" status and were on display as exhibition prints at SEPPA this year.

This is an amazing achievement (even if I do say so myself).  I'm sure you've all seen photographers that have a bunch of letters after their name.  Those are degrees awarded for service to the photographic industry, teaching, and print competition.  I am on my way to having some of those letters after my name and these 3 merits are each worth their weight in gold (well, more than that really) toward earning these degrees!