Professional Photographer - April 2021

PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER • APRIL 2021
P.32 UP YOUR INCOME

Ask for the Money P.42 READY & ABLE
Review: Nikon Z 5 P.46 GOING TO EXTREMES
Christopher Michel
Drifting
PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS OF AMERICA INC.
©JANET THETFORD
VOL. 148 • NO. 2507
APRIL 2021
Here’s to the Next Chapter
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THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS OF AMERICA
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Senior Editor Joan Sherwood, jsherwood@ppa.com
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Art Director / Production Manager Debbie Todd, dtodd@ppa.com
Editor-at-Large Jeff Kent, jkent@ppa.com
Contributing Editors Don Chick & Ellis Vener
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PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS OF AMERICA

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President Mary Fisk-Taylor, M.Photog.Cr., CPP, ABI, API, EA-ASP, mfisktaylor@ppa.com
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Treasurer Kira Derryberry, M.Photog.Cr., CPP, kderryberry@ppa.com
Chairman of the Board Gregory Daniel, M.Photog.Hon.M.Photog.Cr., CPP, F-ASP, gdaniel@ppa.com
Mark Campbell, M.Photog.Cr., CPP, API, mcampbell@ppa.com
Allison English Watkins, M.Photog.Cr., CPP, awatkins@ppa.com
Pete Rezac, M.Photog.Cr., CPP, prezac@ppa.com
Makayla Jade Harris, CPP, mharris@ppa.com
Trish Gilmore, Cr.Photog., CPP, tgilmore@ppa.com
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Copyright 2021, PPA Publications & Events, Inc. Printed in U.S.A.
4 PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
©NICKI HUFFORD PHOTOGRAPHY ©URI AND HELLE GOLMAN
66
April 2021
CONTENTS
PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
42
78
6
COURTESY NIKON
In Every Issue
10 Editor’s Note
19 Giveaway
20 On the Cover
20 Merited
86 President’s Message
86 Perspective
90 Final Frame
Foreground
13 Mirrored:
A Spanish architectural wonder
14 Saying Thank You:
Portrait sessions for frontline workers
16 Hidden Treasures:
A hide-and-seek plan to boost
small businesses
18 On Cloud Nine:
©GABBY SALAZAR
Daydreaming pays off
56 Success
25 Stop Procrastinating:
Features Putting things off does us no favors

26 Your Thoughts Don’t Own You:
46 Humanity in the Extreme Overcome negativity to establish
Christopher Michel documents humankind’s place your definition of success
By Jeff Kent
By Jeff Kent
32 Walk the Walk:
56 Linking People to Nature Ask for the money you deserve
By Monica Sigmon
The power of storytelling in conservation photography
By Amanda Arnold
66 What You Love, You Will Protect The Goods

Even a near-death experience couldn’t stop the Golmans’
37 Soft, Tough, and Textured:
conservation mission Bay Photo Textured MetalPrint
By Robert Kiener
38 Cross-Compatibility Made Easier:
78 The Joy of Letting Go Westcott JF-XR Wireless Receiver
By Betsy Finn
When clients’ needs evolve, it’s time to reach for something new
By Stephanie Boozer 42 Ready to Work:
The Nikon Z 5
By Ellis Vener
PPA.COM/PPMAG APRIL 2021 7

E D I TO R ’ S N OT E
Just a Thought
SET YOURSELF FREE
We spend more time thinking than we do anything else. There is hardly a waking
minute we don’t have things streaming through our minds. We think about the
past. We think about the future. We ruminate, we hypothesize, we remember, we
project, we assume. We mull, speculate, daydream, and imagine. And because
we’re so entrenched in our thoughts—they’ve been our constant companions
since as far back we can remember—we can forgive ourselves for occasionally
making the mistake of believing
that our thoughts define us or “If you’re sometimes concerned
that they explain the world we
experience every day.
that your thoughts tend toward
Although your thoughts seem the contrary or gloomy, know
real, everything in your mind is
that you’re not alone and that
happening only in your mind.
These ideas, sensations, and you’re not peculiar in that regard.”
feelings are not things that are
present in the world outside you. Our thoughts feel real because we give them
©EDDIE TAPP
constant attention. But they don’t necessarily correlate to the real world. They’re
stories we tell ourselves. You reply to an email from a prospective client and don’t
get an immediate response. You think, They’re probably busy. Hours pass and still
no reply. You wonder, Did I say the wrong thing? A day later and it’s, Well, they probably
editors@ppa.com found another photographer because they don’t think my work is good enough. None of
these stories are real. We are alone in living them out because they’re happen-
@ppmagazine ing only in our thoughts. The narrative we create in our minds is just the story
we write to help us make sense of or to accept things; it isn’t necessarily based
@professionalphotographer_mag
in reality.
Humans are biologically driven to look for danger, which means we focus on
@ppmagazine
the negatives to help us survive. If you’re sometimes concerned that your thoughts
tend toward the contrary or gloomy, know that you’re not alone and that you’re
not peculiar in that regard. Your negative thoughts aren’t a mirror of reality. And
they aren’t a mirror of who you are. In fact, when you stop giving negative, stress-
ful, nonproductive thoughts your attention, those ideas disappear completely.
Business coach and communications consultant Robyn Hatcher knows all about
what’s called our negativity bias, and she’s got some help for everyone who strug-
gles against it (which is to say, all of us). In “Your Thoughts Don’t Own You” (page
26), she explains the phenomenon and offers tips on ways we can reboot the brain
to work around that negativity bias and reduce our stress.
When you accept that your thoughts don’t define you, you can let go of a whole
history of anxiety, stress, and mental exhaustion. Next time you find yourself
dwelling on negative things, remember that those ideas don’t reflect the real
world. Without your energy, they don’t even exist. •
Jane Gaboury
Director of Publications
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FOREGROUND
By Amanda Arnold
©PEDRO LUIS AJURIAGUERRA / pedroluisajuriaguerra.wordpress.com

Mirrored
A SPANISH ARCHITECTURAL WONDER
Is it a spaceship? A space station? “The dichotomy of fact or fiction buildings, he knew he had something special.
is perhaps what makes it attractive,” says Pedro Luis Ajuriaguerra of
his photo of a boy at the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, Spain. “I have to say, the photograph obtained was not so creative and striking,”
Ajuriaguerra traveled there specifically for photography, waiting he admits. But then he sat down to edit it one rainy day and turned
several hours in planned locations to capture daily scenes while trying it into something enchanting. “You accentuate the colors, you find
to remain invisible to other people, he says. When this child wearing symmetries, you correct distortions, you find mirrors in it, and that’s
a bright orange jacket ran between the facades of one of the main how it goes paving the way for photography as you see it now.” •

FOREGROUND
Saying Thank You

PORTRAIT SESSIONS FOR FRONTLINE WORKERS
Wanting to express gratitude to people who’ve been battling the COVID-19 pandemic, Holly Howe, M.Photog.Cr., and Keith Howe, M.Photog.
M.Artist.MEI.Cr., launched a promotion in January to offer free portrait sessions and a framed 8x10-inch print to healthcare and education
workers and first responders. The Howes own Photographic Images in North Platte, Nebraska. Holly talks about the project:
Q: What inspired this promotion?

Holly Howe: We’ve had clients in the studio who haven’t had a day
off in weeks and in some cases are working 12-plus hours a day.
When someone is overworked and feels like they are at the end of
their rope, if someone else says, ‘I see how overworked you are and
I really appreciate everything you’re doing,’ it’s so much easier
for those workers to keep going. I was not able to volunteer at
the hospital or help out in a virtual classroom. I don’t have those
skills. But I am a pretty decent photographer. I can do that and
say thank you.
IMAGES ©PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES / photographicimages1.com
Q: How did you fund the project?

Howe: We went into this fully prepared to cover all the costs of
those free prints and frames. But we also knew we’d probably see
some additional orders. That wasn’t the important thing. We just
wanted to express our gratitude. The very first client who placed an
order more than covered our entire out-of-pocket cost for all the
80-plus sessions.
Q: How did you get the word out about the promotion?
Howe: We generally keep our marketing and advertising budget at
5% to 10% of anticipated gross sales for any promotion. Because
we were giving the sessions and prints away for free, we didn’t feel
like we could invest anything in promoting it. So we relied on social
media and email. I also contacted the newspaper and the local TV
station, both of which were thrilled to feature a story about this.
Q: What did you take away from making these

complimentary portraits?
Howe: When you do the right thing, good things happen. … I
have several stories where we walked out of the session feeling
particularly good about what we could do for these people
beyond just creating a great portrait. Like the single mom who
told us she and her kids had just escaped an abusive relation-
ship and were starting over. She said, “This portrait will mark
our start as a new family.”
Q: How did this promotion impact your business?

Howe: The majority of these sessions have been new clients
who’ve never been to our studio before or experienced what
we do for them. Several of them are now our clients and have
already made plans for future family sessions and senior
sessions. There is a great benefit in staying busy. You stay
creative when you’re doing a lot of sessions back to back.
You keep your skill set fine-tuned. But most of all, your mood
stays upbeat. Every day we were seeing four to eight new families,
meeting new people, and making new relationships. It’s been a
tough year for everyone, but somehow we’ve felt a lot more
upbeat in what is usually a slow and depressing month. •

FOREGROUND
Hidden Treasures
A HIDE-AND-SEEK PLAN TO BOOST SMALL BUSINESSES
©ERIKA ZOLLI / erikazolli.it
Erika Zolli (above) packaged nine prints of her fine art photography and stashed them in shops and
bistros around Milan. Her social media followers then shared snaps of themselves (below) with her art
in hand when they made their discoveries.
Sometimes it’s hard to know how to help. But if an idea

comes to mind, it’s best to simply dive in, says fine art
photographer Erika Zolli.
Zolli, who lives in Milan, Italy, recently created a treasure
hunt, placing prints of her fine art photography in some of
her favorite bistros, flower shops, and retail establishments
throughout the city. She shared clues on social media,
challenging her followers to track down her artwork—
the prize for their efforts being the art itself and the
opportunity to discover—or rediscover—parts of the city.
The idea came to her as she was speaking with the owner
of a bistro. Because the restaurant is located in an area
replete with office space and most people have been work-
ing from home during the pandemic, the restaurant had
experienced a significant drop in customers. “[This] prompted me to create this project to
bring people to places that I believe to be real hidden pearls of Milan, thanks to the care and
love that these shopkeepers employ in their work,” says Zolli.
The treasure hunt is like an “unstructured exhibition in space and time, a sort of not-on-
display exhibition,” she says. “2020 was a year in which many exhibitions and art fairs were
canceled. I wanted to react and play by immersing myself in a new perspective through
which art becomes a prize and at the same time a means to bring people to relive and
discover places in Milan that have been overshadowed for some time.”
The shops she chose are places with an unmistakable style that give a person the
impression that they’ve come home, Zolli explains. The business owners were delighted to
participate, and all nine of the works she stashed away were found by Zolli’s social media
followers. “This moment of great general uncertainty paradoxically opens the door to
design the unthinkable, to have ideas that push us beyond habitual thought patterns.” •
17
PPA.COM/PPMAG APRIL 2021

FOREGROUND
On
Cloud
Nine
DAYDREAMING PAYS OFF
“I wanted to make something

that could resemble the emotion
of love, so I picked the rose,” says
Lan Nguyen, of this photo in his
whimsical series of silhouettes
and clouds. He’d already cut out a
silhouetted hand holding a stem.
It was just a matter of waiting for
the right cloud to come along.
“Luckily there are a lot of cloudy
sunsets in the Netherlands
during autumn, when I made this
last year,” he says.
Single clouds can be hard to
spot. “Sometimes it takes hours,”
he says. This one came along
as he read by a window, looking
up every 15 minutes to see how
the sky had changed. He used a
Sony a7 with a 24-70mm f/4 lens
to make the photo of the cloud.
In Adobe Photoshop he added
the silhouette and positioned
the rose in the appropriate spot.
“With Photoshop I just made the
colors pop and made it more
vibrant.” •
©LAN NGUYEN / 19xcv.nl
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MERITED
ON THE COVER
Out of the Dust of the Earth, He Formed Them

Janet Thetford, M.Photog.
Thetford Photography
Alma, Arkansas
LOCATION: Colorado’s Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

CAMERA & LENS: Panasonic Lumix DCM-G85, Panasonic Lumix G Vario 45-150mm F4.0-5.6 ASPH, with polarizing filter
EXPOSURE: Set of three exposures at f/6.3, ISO 400; 1/1,000 second, 1/640 second, and 1/400 second
LIGHTING: Available light
POST-CAPTURE: The HDR was combined in Adobe Lightroom, and the image size was increased by a factor of two in Topaz Gigapixel AI. Final cleanup and dodging
and burning were completed in Adobe Photoshop.
©JANET THETFORD / sthetford.com
ABOUT THE LOAN COLLECTION: The current Loan Collection comprises more than 850 photographs chosen by jurors of PPA’s International Photographic
Competition. The compositions are considered the best of the best in contemporary professional photography, having been awarded the Loan Collection distinction based
on their success in meeting the 12 elements of a merited image.
That Better Be the Best Porridge Ever
Elizabeth
Convery-Luce
Bark Furtography
Edgartown, Massachusetts
CAMERA & LENS: Canon EOS

5D Mark III, Canon EF 24-70mm
f/2.8L IS III USM lens
EXPOSURE: 1/160 second at
f/10, IS0 160
LIGHTING: The main modifier
was a Godox P120H deep
parabolic soft box with diffuser
and a Godox AD600BM camera
left 45 degrees and above the
dog, slightly tilted down. The
separation light at camera right
was a 8x36-inch diffused and
gridded soft box with Neewer
DS300 on the lowest power
angled 45 degrees to the dog
from the back corner.
POST-CAPTURE: Elizabeth
Convery-Luce processed for
light, shadows, and contrast
in Adobe Lightroom and used
Adobe Photoshop for more
intensive work. She made the
hood match the color tones of
the brown eye, pulled the hood
©ELIZABETH CONVERY-LUCE / barkfurtography.com
farther down the dog’s neck,

and evened out lumps with
Liquify. She cropped the image,
cleaned up the background,
and used Nik Collection
Color Efex Pro to bring out
details, and dodge and burn to
intensify the shadow, light, and
depth. Finally, she repositioned
the ear and painted the back
edge details of the bear hood.

MERITED
Cry Baby
©GIGI O’DEA / memoryportraitsbygigi.com

Gigi O’Dea, M.Photog., CPP
Memory Portraits by Gigi
Bradenton, Florida
CAMERA & LENS: Sony a7R IV, Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM lens
EXPOSURE: 1/160 second at f/9, ISO 100
LIGHTING: Gigi O’Dea used four AlienBees lights: a 1600W, two 800Ws, and a 400W. The main light was a 3x5-
foot soft box and the front light was a 30-inch parabolic umbrella. The two back lights used strip boxes that were
angled to the ceiling to fill the background.
POST-CAPTURE: In Adobe Camera Raw she did minor adjustments in exposure and white balance. Then in Adobe
Photoshop CC two images were combined to create the best composition for the hand and blanket in relationship to
the subject. An additional image was added to give better color harmony. Finally, the image was painted to soften it.
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SUCCESS
Stop Procrastinating
Procrastination, the BREAK IT DOWN. A huge task can be overwhelming, but
experts say, is not a
personality flaw. It’s segment a supersize goal into bite-size portions and suddenly learning to
an issue of emotional juggle flaming knives seems doable. When we chunk a long-term goal into
regulation. Or else
it’s a form of self-harm. smaller tasks and give each task a realistic deadline, we’re more likely to
Or maybe it’s because follow through because we can both enjoy the pride of accomplishment
we’re easily distracted.
If we can’t pinpoint and see that we’re making progress. STOP OVERCOMPLICATING. “Yes,
why it happens, at I’m going to get right on that, I just need
least we can agree
that procrastination to research the best way to do it. And
has been around as I’ll post a question on Facebook to see if
long as closets have
needed reorganizing. any of my friends have tips for me. And
Who knows … maybe there’s probably a YouTube video with
even longer. Research
has found that expert advice.” Just get going already.
the cost of our SET A TIMER. Proponents of the
procrastination
can be tallied Pomodoro Technique suggest
in both stress setting a timer for 25 minutes to work on something, then taking
and dollars.
We acknowledge a five-minute break. This gives your brain two helpful cues: 1. You’ve
that procrastination only got to do this for 25 minutes, and 2. Yipes! I only have 25 minutes!
does us no favors, so
how do we stop it? PROMISE YOURSELF A REWARD. On the one hand, it seems a little childish
to have to promise ourselves a treat for acting like a grown-up.
On the other hand, treats! FOCUS YOUR ATTENTION.
The plethora of enjoyable distractions available to us
means it’s never been easier to put off doing now
what we hope to safely get away with never
doing at all. Put the cell phone in a drawer,
turn off the music, and tell the kids
absolutely no disturbances unless blood or
broken bones are involved. •

SUCCESS
Your Thoughts Don’t Own You

OVERCOME NEGATIVITY TO ESTABLISH YOUR DEFINITION OF SUCCESS
By Jeff Kent
Have you
H y ever felt crippled
rippled by
negative memories right before a
k moment in your career? Maybe
key
prior to an important nt shoot you’ve
dd l remembered
suddenly b ed a session that
w
went h bl wrong.. Or perhaps
horribly
y
you’ve prepped d for a key sales
presentation and d all
ll you can think
ab
about h client
is the l meeting that
w a slight
was l h d disaster.
h phenomenon
This h n is called
negativity b ooted in our
bias. It’s rooted
evolutionary drive to survive, but
(Continued on p. 30)
SUCCESS
CREATE AN AVATAR.
Craft an alter ego you can step into at
any point. Imagine a role that is aspira-
tional and start to reprogram your brain
to think like that character. “Because
our brains like to be efficient, they
want to keep us on a well-established
path,” says Hatcher. “Every time you
do something to reinforce a particular
way of thinking, it builds that pathway
more, and that path gets well worn.
back
starting
Your brain thinks it’s saving time by
m in d a n d
down the ativity sending you down that well-worn
Shutting r io u s N GB” (neg path.” Creating an avatar helps you
o done,
the “Not said than
up minus e a s ie r tress
create another path and start to nudge
h) can be ias and s
bias glitc y b your brain down that alternate route.
neg a tiv it
y if your ontrol.
especiall t o s p ira l out of c
d
ve starte techniqu
es.
levels ha e rs a fe w
atcher off
Robyn H
OWN IT WHILE YOU HONE IT.

The formulation of an avatar leads into one of Hatcher’s favorite exer-
cises: acting as if. Act as if you are the professional you want to be, the
success you want to become, then translate that act into your normal
interactions. Act the part. Look the part. All the while, you’re honing
your skills and your confidence. “My belief is that we all have incredible
brilliance to share,” says Hatcher. “So the question is how do you hone it
OPEN YOUR “WOW WALLET.” while you own it? By practicing, acting as if, you’re letting out this dimen-
Hatcher carries a wallet with fake sion in ways it hasn’t been explored before.”
dollar bills adorned with notes of
positive reinforcement written on the
back. Before a stressful moment, she
can open her wow wallet and look at
a list of things that have gone well,
and then proceed more confidently. A
simple journal of positive experiences
also works. “Try it before you meet
with that difficult client or send that
big proposal,” she says. “Put that
positive data in your brain. It’s hard for
your brain to argue with data.”
BREATHE.
Deep breathing is great because the negativity bias glitch is activated by
stress hormones that are triggered by the nervous system. Calm them
down and then move forward, says Hatcher.
WRITE YOUR OWN STORY.

This is what Hatcher calls your brand
hero story. The idea is to write a story
about how fantastic you are and how
CREATE A SENSE OF AWE.
amazing you can become. The story
Look at something soothing and con-
arc should start off with a limiting
stant. Find something that inspires you.
statement like, “Once upon a time,
Elicit a feeling of awe that can make
there was a photographer who only did
you more present in what you’re doing.
….” Then add to the story with some-
thing like, “and then she did something
amazing that no one else was doing.”
And continue the tale to a place of
absolute success that reinforces your
unique capabilities.
CREATE A POSITIVITY BIAS.
Looking ahead to the next stressful situation, how can you build a system
that will help you build a more positive self-view? Hatcher recommends
establishing the foundation for positive thinking by looking inward,
assessing your talents, and rewriting your own story with a compelling
main character.
DO A BRAND AUDIT.
A brand audit is an accounting of how
people close to you view you and your
work. Solicit feedback from friends,
clients, and family. Ask, “What are the
first three things you think of when
GET AN ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER. you think of me?” This feedback often
Identify someone with whom you can provides positive information that you
share all the negative feelings, self- can put in your wow wallet.
doubt, and limiting beliefs as a way
of getting them out of your system. A
good accountability partner can listen
and empathize, help you recognize the
negativity bias glitch, and dispel the
negative misconceptions.
SLOW DOWN.
Slow down the way you’re reacting. Sometimes, simply slowing your pace
can reduce your stress level and help you see things more clearly.

SUCCESS
More by Robyn Hatcher (Continued from p. 26)

robynhatcher.com
it can be an impediment to success in mod-
ern society. Creative entrepreneurs like pho-
tographers have a particularly hard time with
negativity bias because the process of selling
your work feels akin to selling yourself. That
emotional aspect of the sale can exacerbate
negativity bias and derail an otherwise pro-
ductive interaction.
But there’s hope. Robyn Hatcher is a com-
munications consultant, business coach, and
professional speaker. She explains that you
“What do my
customers
want?”
“Knowing that you’re dealing with
a glitch can help you get ahead
of it. Acknowledge it. Don’t just
deny it. So when the Notorious NBG comes
back, you are not inclined to believe it.”
can counteract negativity bias by understand- have gone wrong in the past. Instead of being
ing it, acknowledging its role, and repro- excited about a big new project, we flash back
gramming thought processes into a more to the times when a proposal didn’t go well or
positive sphere. when someone rejected our work.
ORIGINS OF NEGATIVITY BIAS FIXING THE GLITCH

Over the millennia, human brains have The first thing photographers need to do to
evolved to be efficient command centers combat negativity bias is understand that the
for our bodies’ responses to various stimuli. process is a glitch. Hatcher likes to call it the
Through this evolution, the brain has priori- “Notorious NBG” (negativity bias glitch). The
tized survival above all else. It devotes a lot brain thinks it’s defending us from threats, but
of its attention to keeping us safe, which in- that’s an overreaction. “Knowing that you’re
cludes remembering past experiences when dealing with a glitch can help you get ahead
we perceived danger. Thousands of years of it,” says Hatcher. “Acknowledge it. Don’t
ago, these experiences were likely to involve just deny it. So when the Notorious NBG comes
danger such as a hungry predator. Today, the back, you are not inclined to believe it.”
same processes are at play, but instead of Then restart. Like a computer, the brain
recalling perilous encounters with predators, sometimes needs a reboot, says Hatcher. Discover what your
our brains are more likely to be triggered by “Turn your brain off, meditate, slow down, customers want to
stressful moments at work and other negative get awareness, practice some relaxing breath-
but not life-threatening stimuli. While we’re ing techniques, and then restart without the buy, where they want
not physically at risk during these episodes, Notorious NBG.” their sessions, and
our nervous system nevertheless reacts with a
similar fight-or-flight response. To deal effi-
Negativity bias may be a glitch, but it’s not
going anywhere. Even the most confident
how to meet their
ciently with negative experiences, our brains people suffer from it occasionally. The key expectations.
devote more room in our memory to them is to acknowledge it and understand that it’s
than for positive experiences. So negativity trying to keep you safe. Also know when to
Start learning here:
bias occurs at this most basic cognitive level, push it aside.
effectively emphasizing negative, stressful
times in our memories so we can react to
“Appreciate your negativity bias for what it
is and for what it’s trying to do, but then say, PPA.com/Edu
them better if they reemerge. ‘I am going to do this my way now because it’s
Every time we’re faced with any sort of important for me,’” says Hatcher. That’s how
trigger from a previous negative experience, you begin to own your brilliance and write
our brain reminds us of all the things that the next chapter in your success story. •
SUCCESS
Walk the Walk

ASK FOR THE MONEY YOU DESERVE
By Monica Sigmon, M.Photog.Cr.

IMAGES ©SIGMON TAYLOR / sigmontaylor.com
It’s one of the most persistent and common

questions photographers ask: How do I in-
crease my income? Photography entrepre-
neurs have found a variety of answers to
improving their profitability, including new
marketing strategies, improved sales tech-
niques, differentiated product offerings, and
many other solutions.
While all those tactics help, one thing I’ve
learned over the past 20 years in business is
this: You’re leaving money on the table—and
more important you’re underserving your
clients—if you don’t believe in what you do
and what you’re providing. I know; it seems
like a no-brainer that confidence is essential
to business success. And it definitely feels like
a generic answer. But hear me out as I explain
“How do I get
the clients
I want?”
specific ways to build your confidence to ask prove and never settle. Nothing is off the table.
for the money you deserve. I’ve seen firsthand that as we surround
ourselves with experts, my own confidence
SURROUND YOURSELF WITH EXCELLENCE increases because I know I’m constantly
It’s always fun to be at the head of the class. It working toward a higher standard.
strokes our egos to be the expert or the go-to
when someone has a question or is stuck. It DO YOU FEEL GREAT ABOUT
feels good to help, and it reassures us that WHAT YOU CHARGE?
we’ve got it all together. We’ve all dealt with anxiety in the sales room
But there’s danger here. Even if you’re do- at some time. When I stopped to question
ing a lot of things right, it’s easy to stop striv- where my anxiety came from, I realized it
ing for significant improvements if you think stemmed from the belief that something we
you’re out ahead of the pack. were delivering wasn’t worth the price we
A few years ago my husband, Michael were asking. When this insecurity crops up,
Taylor, M.Photog.Hon.M.Photog.Cr., API, it’s a good idea to take a look at three things:
F-ASP, and I started a very small mastermind • The quality of the product. Am I using
group with three other topnotch studios. Each the best vendors or am I trying to cut costs?
is at the top of the photography profession • The quality of the photography. Is my
in both business and photographic skill, and skill set sufficient?
Michael and I have admired them for many • The quality of the experience. Is every-
years. In this group we’re definitely not at the thing from the physical space where busi-
head of the class. We’re constantly stretched ness is conducted to product packaging and
to think differently. As a group, we look out- processes meeting the standard I want to set?
side our industry for solutions and innovative This was the source of my unease, and I’ll
ideas. We push ourselves to constantly im- share how I overcame it. Unlock new knowledge
and create an authentic
brand that appeals to
your ideal clients.
PPA.com/Edu
SUCCESS
YOUR SERVICE MUST

OUTPACE YOUR PRICES
We run a high-end boutique studio, and our
pricing is not for the faint of heart. I realized
that on some subconscious level there were a
lot of little things we were doing that weren’t
congruent with a luxury business model.
For instance, although our studio was very
nice, the landlord hadn’t done any work to
the parking lot in several years. When I was
honest with myself, I knew it made for a lousy
first impression. I hated that parking lot and
it made me feel bad every day when I came
to work. Furthermore, our space was small
with low ceilings and didn’t allow for display
portraits in the sizes I believed clients should
have. I felt uncomfortable talking about those
sizes when I didn’t have any properly dis-
played in our studio. It felt sales-y and that’s
not what we’re about.
When our lease was up, we moved our
studio and almost immediately things began
to change. The building and parking lot were
more impressive, and the new space was ware-
house style, so it accommodated much larger
portraits and more of them. But beyond the
physical improvements themselves, I could
acknowledge and be proud that this change
was a way to serve our clients better. That ex-
cited both Michael and me, and we hunted for
other ways to improve our clients’ experience.
We were now able to demonstrate our con-
viction for wall portraits and our belief that a
family portrait is the most valuable art some-
one can own. We also made our framing area
more prominent, letting clients know that we’re
a complete one-stop solution, from creation
to framing to installation, all for their conven-
ience. We can and will take care of everything.
We started looking for ways we could
surprise and delight our clients—from small
gifts to a beautiful tray of healthy snacks on
the conference room table to making lunch
or dinner reservations for them post-session,
complete with a surprise dessert. Some of our
changes cost a little money. Others cost noth-
“How do I
improve my
sales?”
ing: meeting clients at their car to help carry prices were commensurate with all aspects of
items they want to use in their session, hold- what we were delivering. I was asking for the
ing the baby or playing with the little ones money I believed we earned and deserved.
while Mom is in the makeup chair, steaming As our sales increased, we were able to take
outfits that were wrinkled in the car. fewer jobs, be more selective of clients, and
We also put our money where our mouth spend more time with each. This allows me to
was with a happiness guarantee. For example, take as many phone calls and answer as many
one client wanted to make an adjustment to emails as necessary to ensure the wardrobe Gain confidence,
the retouching we’d originally agreed on, and for the session is just right, make house calls conquer anxiety, and
it necessitated us reworking and reprinting to measure walls or to discuss redecorating
one of her wall portraits. Rather than being around artwork, and even to create a cus- make more money
upset about the extra cost and work on our tomized storyboard for a project. All of these with classes taught by
end, I found myself loving the fact that, because elements layer more value into the experi-
we charge what we do, I could easily handle ence we provide. They also they feel familiar
industry experts.
the problem and make her over-the-moon to our high-end clientele.
happy. Again, this bolstered my confidence Making these changes was a slow process
in the prices we were charging. On the rare that took about a year. The result: We dou-
occasion that a problem arises, we can make bled our average sale without raising prices. I
things right and do so in a manner that a
high-end client expects. No ifs, ands, or buts.
always knew the work and the physical prod-
ucts were in line with our pricing; now I have PPA.com/Edu
It also felt great to upgrade a few features the client experience to match. There is no
on our albums, retool our printed products, better feeling than knowing in your heart of
and spiff up our packaging. All these upgrades hearts that you can—and do— provide some-
aligned with the prices we were charging. thing of deep meaning, value, and worth. •
As my confidence grew, our sales grew. I
no longer had even the slightest anxiety in Monica Sigmon and her husband, Michael Taylor, own
the sales room because I truly believed our Sigmon Taylor Photography in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Find Peace of Mind
Amid the Uncertainty
You’re only one upgrade away from

enhanced equipment coverage. Provided by
Lockton Affinity, PhotoCare Plus insurance gives
you even more protection against damage and
theft, so you can worry less about your gear
and focus more on your images.
Upgrade today:
PPA.com/GetPlus
THE GOODS
Soft, Tough, and Textured

Metal prints make a great impres-
sion with vivid, luminous color, and
Bay Photo offers a version with a
fine stippled texture. The Textured
MetalPrint lends a soft look in a
glare-free matte surface, which can
be a great finish for some subjects.
These prints are waterproof, scratch
resistant, durable, and remain free
of fingerprints. They come in several
display options, including framed,
double float mount, exhibit mount,
and creative edges. A 16x24-inch
MetalPrint starts at $89.25. •
COURTESY BAY PHOTO / bayphoto.com/metalprints
©NICOLE SEPULVEDA

THE GOODS
Cross-Compatibility Made Easier

WESTCOTT JF-XR WIRELESS RECEIVER ALLOWS MIXED USE OF STROBES, SPEEDLIGHTS, AND BRANDS
By Betsy Finn, M.Photog.Cr.
Equipment compatibility issues are nothing Westcott FJ400 Strobe and FJ-X2M Trigger,” ly rather than buying a new studio kit in one
new. Most of us learned long ago to think January 2020). I applauded Westcott for shot. You could even get the FJ-XR receivers
carefully about cross-compatibility. But new creating a remote trigger that was compatible for all your third-party strobes and use them
tech comes along all the time, making that with multiple camera brands. Now Wescott with the FJ-X2m trigger on its own even if you
increasingly difficult. And sometimes maybe has upped its game with the JF-XR Wireless don’t have an FJ400 strobe unit. This could
we’re one light short for a lighting setup Receiver. This little add-on allows you to use also be a good solution if you use older studio
we’re envisioning. In situations like these, it’s any third-party flash, speedlight, or strobe strobes and don’t yet have a trigger/receiver
nice to have options. A whole studio make- in your lighting setup, with or without FJ400 system. When the radio trigger for my studio
over isn’t in the budget for most of us, and strobe units. strobes died a few years ago, I wished for
sometimes it would be nice to use speedlights This may not seem like a big deal, but it is. something simple like this. It would have
to flesh out a scene lit primarily by strobes. By adding this functionality, Westcott opens been perfect.
the door for photographers to use a blended
HANDY ADD-ON lighting system with speedlights and strobes. PLUG AND PLAY
Last year I reviewed Westcott’s JF400 strobe and It also gives us the ability to transition our Speaking of simple, using the FJ-XR is a
FJ-X2m Wireless Radio Trigger (“Freed Up: equipment to the Westcott platform gradual- breeze—it’s literally plug and play. You plug
IMAG
ES @
Pros
B
ETSY
• Budget-friendly
FINN
• Works with third-party strobes and flashes

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• Small and easy to use

sysp
hoto
Cons
gra
phy.c
• Requires FJ-X2m trigger unit(s)

om
• Strobe or flash output must be manually adjusted
FREE PhotoMatchTM software
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THE GOODS
it into the sync port on your flash or strobe,

turn it on, select a channel and group, and
then forget about it. The unit connects using
a 2.4GHz frequency, no setup or pairing
required. Since it relies on the sync port,
you don’t have to deal with wired or optical
sensor communication; you can pretty much
put your lights anywhere. My testing didn’t
include the range, but the spec sheet claims
164 feet if unobstructed.
The FJ-XR has a rechargeable battery that
takes one hour to charge via USB-C connec-
tion. On a full charge it lasts for 15 hours of
use, and the battery itself lasts for 500 charge
cycles. I appreciate the folding 3.5mm sync
plug, which allows compact storage (and
keeps you from getting poked if it happens to
be in your pocket).
I took the Wescott wireless duo (FJ-XR and
FJ-X2m) and a third-party strobe light on a
You won’t be able to adjust output on third-party strobes from the camera position using this system,
so you’ll have to make adjustments on the lights themselves. location session to test its performance in the
field. Everything worked as expected, and I
had no equipment issues.
It’s worth mentioning that you won’t be
able to use the Westcott system to adjust the
output on a third-party flash or strobe. I
made my adjustments on the strobe itself.
Since I was never more than 30 feet from
my strobe, this was no big deal.
CLEVER PRODUCT
Westcott’s FJ-XR Wireless Receiver is a clever
AlienBees product. It can be used on third-party strobes
and flashes, and that benefit, along with
the price point, makes this a smart, budget-
friendly option. I still remember how much I
spent when I had to buy new transceivers for
my studio setup—four units, plus a fifth for my
camera. It set me back about $500. Now you
can get four FJ-XRs and one FJ-X2m for about
$200. Sold.
Yes, Westcott’s FJ-XR offers limited func-
tionality. But if you’re looking for something
simple that works with the gear you already
have, maybe this is the right choice for you.
The FJ-XR Wireless Receiver allows third-
party flashes to be controlled with Westcott’s
FJ-X2m Wireless Radio Trigger and retails for
$24.90. The FJ-X2m flash trigger retails for
$99.90. •
Betsy Finn has a portrait studio, Betsy’s

Interfit Badger Photography, in Michigan.
Portrait Photography
© Shannon Squires-Toews
Resources
Grow your business with education,

tools, and resources created speciﬁcally
for portrait photographers.
Learn more:
PPA.com/PortraitFocus
THE GOODS
Ready to Work
THE NIKON Z 5 IS A SUPERB AND ECONOMIC CHOICE
By Ellis Vener
IMAGES ©ELLIS VENER / ellisvener.com

In terms of image quality between ISO 100 and
640, there’s little difference between Nikon’s
Z 5 and Z 6 cameras. Exposure: 1/50 second at
f/8, ISO 100.
Nikon markets its 24.3-megapixel Z 5 as an

entry-level full-frame camera, but that’s an
understatement. While the 24.5-megapixel
Z 6 and Z 6II are more fully-featured, the Z 5
can hold its own, and it makes a fine choice
for a second body. To see what it could do, I
brought it along with my Z 6 while covering
different editorial and commercial jobs. I
had the Z 5 kit that includes the camera body,
COURTESY NIKON / nikonusa.com
EN-EL15c battery and charger, and Nikkor Z

24-50mm f/4-6.3 zoom lens.
The primary internal difference between the
Z 6 models and the Z 5 is the type and resolu-
tion of the CMOS sensor. While both the Z 6
models use a 24.5-megapixel backside illu-
minated (BSI) CMOS, the Z 5 is built around a
standard 24.3-megapixel CMOS. If you’re a
JPEG-only photographer, the difference begins
to show up as less noisy shadow detail once
you go beyond the base ISO. There’s little
difference in shadow detail among the three
cameras between ISO 100 and 640, but the Z
6 models are better at ISO 800 and above. As
with all digital cameras, this improvement of modate SDHC, and SDXC media, the latter the built-in monitor measures 3.2-inches and
shadow detail separation comes at the expense being nearly as fast as XQD and CFExpress is mounted on a heavy-duty bi-directional
of highlight detail at higher ISOs; as you media types. The Z 5 autofocus system speed hinge mechanism. However, the monitor is
increase the gain applied to the signal, fewer and accuracy are on par with the original Z 6 half the resolution of the one used on the Z 6
photons get counted. The BSI CMOS also and Z 7 models. For portrait, studio, journal- and Z 7 models—1.04 vs. 2.1 million dots. The
makes the image processing pipeline faster. ism, and event work, the AF response is more Z 5’s electronic viewfinder (EVF), a 0.5 inch
In still camera mode the maximum ISO than adequate, even when working with large- 3,690K-dot Quad VGA OLED, is identical to
range of the Z 5 and Z 6 is identical (100-51,200) aperture lenses like the Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.2 S. that in the Z 6, Z 7, Z 6II, and Z 7II cameras.
the Hi mode of the Z 5 goes up to the equiva- Externally there are differences between Nikon’s EVF remains the best offered by a
lent of 102,400, while the Z 6 can, in a pinch, the Z 5 and other full-frame Nikon Z bodies. hybrid still/video camera.
be set for Hi 2 (ISO 204,800 equivalent). In The Z 5 lacks a top-deck LCD camera status For video shooters, the Z 5 can record in 4K
movie mode, the Z 5 Auto ISO mode is capped panel, and the exposure mode control is on (3840x2160 pixels) at 30, 25, and 24 fps, full
at 25,600, while the Z 6 Auto ISO range goes the right side of the electronic viewfinder HD (1920x1080 pixels) at 60, 50, 30, 25, and
from 100 to 51,200. hump; otherwise it handles just like the Z 24 fps. The chief limitation for video work is
Another difference between the Z 5 and the 6 and Z 7 cameras. The rear, top, and front that only the central 58% of the full sensor
Z 6 is the choice of recording media. Much criti- buttons and dials are in the same positions. area is active. This 1.7X crop factor is useful
cism was directed at the Z 6, which sports a The right-side handgrip remains the same, when you need a narrower angle view but
single XQD or CFExpress 2.0 Type B card slot. with a curving inner edge for a more natural limits ultra-wide angle use.
The Z 5 uses dual SD slots, which also accom- finger position. As on the higher-end models, The simplified top deck makes for better
The Nikon Z 5 features dual SD slots, which can accommodate SDHC and SDXC media. SDXC is nearly as fast as XQD and DFExpress media types.

THE GOODS
ergonomics, but I wish Nikon had incorpo-

rated a lock on the dial that selects expo-
sure mode. More than once, I found I had
inadvertently switched modes. In practice,
the rearrangement of the top deck controls is
both handy and a little maddening. I would
be lying if I said I don’t miss the top deck
LED panel that’s been a staple of higher-end
Nikon bodies since the N8008 of the late
1980s. The settings for ISO, aperture, shutter
speed, white balance, exposure bias, flash-
mode, battery status, and more are all avail-
able in the EVF and on the rear LCD panel,
but I’m accustomed to being able to glance
down at the deck for that information.
Physically, the Z 5 body is only 0.2 ounces
heavier and a mere 0.1 inch thicker than the Z
6 or Z 7. All full-frame Z cameras use the same
viewfinder screen with 0.8X magnification
One big difference in body design is the elimination of the top deck LED on the Z 5. Though all the
status and settings you need to see are available in the EVF and the rear LCD panel, it may take
some getting used to.
of 100% of the sensor area, providing the best
EVF experience available today.
The kit lens performed surprisingly well.
It’s small, making it a good choice when you
don’t want or need larger lenses and for using
the camera on a stabilizing gimbal.
If you’re a Nikon Z shooter, the Z 5 is an excel-
lent choice as a second camera, especially
considering the $1,399.99 price. The Z 5 comes
with an EN-EL15C battery, which can charge
through the camera’s USB-C port. All Nikon
EN-EL15 series batteries work in the Z 5, but
only the EN-EL15b (dark gray) and EN-EL-15C
(black) batteries can charge in-camera, and the
newer batteries have a greater capacity as well. •
Measurements and analytic data from

photonstophotos.net was used in researching
this review.
In Nikon Z 5 video capture, only the central 58% of the full sensor area is active, giving it a 1.7X crop factor.

46
IMAGES ©CHRISTOPHER MICHEL / christophermichel.com
Humanity in the
CHRISTOPHER
MICHEL
DOCUMENTS
HUMANKIND’S
PLACE
BY JEFF KENT

C
hristopher Michel’s life expe- cratic Republic of Congo, Papua
riences are almost as varied as New Guinea, at the North and
his photography. The Califor- South Poles, and along the edge
nia-based editorial photogra- of space. Currently, he’s serving
pher grew up overseas before as the national artist in residence
returning to the United States to for the National Academies of
join the Navy, where he became Sciences, where he’s working on
a navigator and flight command- a portrait series called “New He-
er aboard P-3C patrol aircraft roes” that portrays scientists as
hunting Russian submarines. figures of admiration in society.
Later, he attended Harvard busi- Michel’s experiences read like
ness school for his MBA before a laundry list of extreme photo-
launching and selling two tech- graphic adventures and bucket-
nology companies. While Michel list expeditions. However, the
was at Harvard, a close friend string of extraordinary projects
gave him his first camera. From weaves cohesively through a cen-
that moment in 1998, photog- tral purpose. “My objective in
raphy became an increasingly photography is making a differ-
important part of Michel’s life ence, spending time on things I’m
until 2008, when it became his interested in and with people
primary pursuit. I admire,” he says. “To do that, it’s
Along the way, Michel has pho- important to be able to effectively
tographed stories in the Demo- tell stories from the perspective
of the people who lived them.” of starvation and strife. It was a
Indeed, Michel feels that the good reminder that, while it’s im-
storytelling element is not only portant to document the harsh
central to his work but critical to reality of the situation, it’s also im-
the future of all photography. portant to show the different sides
of that reality—including human-
THE HUMAN TOUCH kind’s eternal search for hope.
Michel’s photography carries the “Because there is hope in every
theme of finding humanity in ex- thing if you look for it,” says Michel.
treme environments. That search
for humanity extends from the AN UNUSUAL
frozen expanse of Antarctica to POSITION OF TRUST
humans’ most confined existence Michel brings a unique set of
in maximum security prisons. experiences to any project, and
Many people wouldn’t necessarily those experiences provide per-
think about the beauty of human- spective. “Those varied experi-
ity when spending time with a con- ences are differentiators,” he says.
victed murderer, “but there is “People don’t look at me as just
humanity in all of us,” Michel as- a photographer.” For example,
serts. And that’s what he’s search- Michel worked with the National
ing for: humanity, beauty, and our Academies for 15 years, not as a
existence as people in the greater photographer but as someone
context of the world around us. who helped with their commu-
To make a captivating environ- nications, before they brought
mental photograph, it’s usually him in as their inaugural artist in
the environment plus something residence. So he already had the
else. Anyone can point a camera connections and had built trust
at a pretty scene. The way to among decision makers.
engage viewers with the image Trust is a critical element, he
is to bring them into it, to find a explains. “Working with large or-
connection. For Michel, that con- ganizations, they need to be able
nection is the human element. to trust you to tell their stories.”
“Looking at these extreme envi- When Michel landed the assign-
ronments, what is it you want to ment to document a superhigh-
photograph?” he asks. “A lot of altitude flight aboard a U.S. Air
times photographers are waiting Force U-2 spy plane, the Air Force
for people to leave the frame. I trusted him to tell the story of
wait for people to enter it.” what it’s like to fly at 70,000 feet,
And then there’s the pursuit of not to sneak in an exposé about
originality that makes people stop everything that’s wrong with the
and consider an image. To achieve Air Force. For Michel, that trust is
this pause in our ultra-image-laden important, and it’s built on rela-
lives, it’s important to avoid clichés tionships and on a commitment
that can make an otherwise excep- to pursue a story with a particular
tional scene appear all too familiar. angle. It also fits with his world-
For example, there’s the well-worn view. “It’s easy to focus on what’s
imagery of humans carving out an wrong with the world, but I pre-
existence surrounded by daunt- fer to look at the wonder that’s
ing circumstances. There is va- present in the world,” he says.
lidity in those images, but is that
all the scene has to offer? Michel FINDING OUR REFLECTION
thinks back to a project in the “Often, what we create is a
Congo, when someone on the trip reflection of how we view the
urged him to look for hopeful im- world,” says Michel. “That’s the
ages of Africa, not just the scenes wonderful thing about photog-

“What seems average and mundane to
some people can be fascinating to others.”
raphy, especially more abstract And those postcard photographs
photography. The viewer brings are fine, but that’s not really
their impressions and viewpoint what I’m looking for.”
into the image.”
These impressions can include YOUR UNIQUE STORY
images of the seemingly mundane. The search for a unique angle is at
Michel feels the images he’s made the core of Michel’s approach to
that have touched people the most storytelling. It’s also a trait that he
are the subtle photographs of feels defines today’s most success-
everyday people living their lives. ful documentary photographers.
He recalls a shoot in Greenland, “The photographers who get the
where he photographed a family, most interesting projects are the
including several young children, ones who tell the most compel-
pulling pilot whales out of the ling stories,” he says. It helps to
ocean and carving them up. It consider: What special point of
seemed like such a dramatic and view do you bring that makes you
rare scene, but when he asked the right person to tell a particu-
the father what he planned to lar story? And just as important:
do with the meat, he shrugged How will you tell that story in
and said, “Feed it to the dogs.” new or intriguing ways that draw
This impactful moment for one people in more effectively?
person was nothing more than a “What we need is more people
routine activity for another. who can effectively communi-
That’s often the story of pho- cate,” says Michel. “I used to be
tography, says Michel. “What more of a purist, adhering to
seems average and mundane to documenting straight out of the
some people can be fascinating camera, but now I’m more about
to others. There may be images I new ways of storytelling. The
didn’t necessarily think of as par- world is changing extremely fast,
ticularly compelling, but there’s and we have to adapt to it. That’s
humanity in those images. So you where the future of photography
have to think about it. Because if and visual storytelling is going—
there’s something dramatic like a finding new and creative ways to
polar bear or a nuclear icebreak- tell a story in the most effective
er nearby, you want to go there. way possible.” •

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56
IMAGES ©GABBY SALAZAR / gabbysalazar.com
Linking
People
to
Nature
THE POWER OF
STORYTELLING
IN CONSERVATION
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY AMANDA ARNOLD

Gabby Salazar
“I was always interested in

how you influence people’s
perceptions and attitudes and
understand their relationship
with the environment.”
Can an image inspire someone to donate to

an environmental cause? And if so, what kind
of image—or series of images—motivates them
to follow through on that impulse?
These questions are central to Gabby Sala-
zar’s career as a conservation photographer.
Over the past decade, she’s traveled the world
documenting conservation work—for exam-
ple, efforts to bring back birds from the brink
of extinction on the island of Mauritius. But
what purpose do her images serve if not to
raise awareness and persuade the public to
donate time and money to these causes?
“It’s really important to think critically about
the visuals we use when we communicate
about these big issues,” she says. Research shows
that people process images more quickly than
they process text. They also remember images
more than the written word. “So it’s really
important to think about what we are commu-
nicating and why we are communicating it.”
CONSERVATION PHOTOGRAPHER
IN THE MAKING
Salazar’s photography journey began at 11
years old, when her amateur photographer
father took her to a friend’s backyard bird College London and is now working toward a
garden to make images with a long lens. “I doctorate at the University of Florida, where
was just completely hooked the minute I she’s studying people’s perceptions of envi-
saw a bird through the lens and I could see ronmental images and the impact of images
the details in the feathers and the glint in on support for biodiversity conservation.
the eye,” she says. Her hobby blossomed and She’s also part of the International League
soon brought her international recogni- of Conservation Photography, a group of
tion; at 16 she won the BBC Young Wildlife more than 100 photographers worldwide
Photographer of the Year award and traveled who document environmental problems
to England to see her work displayed at the and solutions.
London Natural History Museum. What sets conservation photography apart
In college at Brown University, Salazar studied from wildlife or landscape photography, ex-
science and technology with a focus on the plains Salazar, is its mission-driven focus on
environment and society. “I was always inter- a narrative, or series of images, that tells the
ested in how you influence people’s percep- whole story of an environmental issue. “Of-
tions and attitudes and understand their rela- ten it’s more about storytelling and less about
tionship with the environment,” she says. “That a single image or artistic expression.” When
grew out of my interest in photography be- she documents a project—for example, scien-
cause I saw how people reacted to my images tists working to save an endangered parrot on
when I had exhibits or shared them in presen- an island—Salazar addresses all the issues sur-
tations. I noticed that people were not paying rounding the problem and its solution. In
close attention to nature in the way I was. this case, her photography would tell the
And I was interested in media’s role and sci- story of the pet owners who keep the endan-
entists’ role and photographers’ role in bridg- gered parrots, the parrots as they are in the
ing that gap between people and nature.” wild, the habitat the parrots need to survive,
the threats to the parrot’s livelihood and
CONVEYING THE WHOLE STORY existence, the pet parrot trade, the scientists
Since college, 33-year-old Salazar has ad- who study the parrot, and any conservation
vanced her studies on the impact of environ- efforts toward saving the bird. “It’s a whole
mental imagery. She completed a master’s suite of images that try to visually show the
degree in conservation science at Imperial whole story of why the parrot is endangered,
SWEET MOMENT
While studying for her Ph.D., Salazar has been
documenting water conservation in her home
state of Florida, using an underwater housing
to photograph manatees in the area’s fresh-
water springs. As a result, she was able to cap-
ture a rare photo of a manatee nursing its calf.
“It was a really wonderful moment,” she says, to
hold as still as possible in the water, photograph-
ing the manatees, “and to have them feel a sense
of trust that I wasn’t going to do them any
harm while they had this interaction. That’s
why I love what I do—that you get to have
these moments that are pretty unbelievable.”
what is being done to help it, and what could
be done to help it,” she says.
But her role doesn’t stop with the click of the
shutter. “It’s about where the images go and
the power they have,” she says. Typically, it falls
on the photographer to get the images out to
the public, whether that’s through local or in-
ternational media or through exhibitions at
schools, libraries, and museums. “As a jour-
nalist, you know how to make those connec-
tions,” she says, how to curate an exhibition,
how to pitch a story to a magazine. “So that is
part of being a conservation photographer.”
It’s great to know from the outset the main
audience for the imagery. “I start brainstorm-
ing from day one where the images are going
to go,” she says. “For instance, for one project
I did in Peru I knew one of the main outputs
was going to be a photo exhibition that was
going to be in multiple locations. That helps
inform what types of images I’m going to
take, what types of images I need to tell the
story. And I think it really helps to have a goal
for the project.”
FUNDING AND LEADS

Most of Salazar’s conservation photography
is grant funded; she’s had projects funded by
the National Geographic Society and other
private foundations, and she was a recipient
of a Fulbright scholarship. Seeking funding is
a huge challenge. “Doing a six-month project
is not something a magazine is going to pay
you to do,” she says. “They’re going to license
your images at the end. They’re not going to
pay for six months of field work.” So apply-
ing for and receiving grants is essential, as is
making in-kind arrangements with organi-
zations for housing, often in exchange for
access to images or help with storytelling.
“I think there are other photography jobs
that are more lucrative than conservation pho-
tography, like commercial photography or por-
trait photography,” she laughs. Very few outlets
are paying for this type of content to be pro-
duced. But most of her peers and Salazar her-
self do the work out of a passion for the cause,
she says, “and we find ways to make it work.”
As for leads on conservation stories to
photograph, she comes across them by read-
ing conservation literature and scientific re-
search as well as articles in the popular press.
Scientists also often tip her off to interesting
projects they feel deserve documentation
or reach out to her to document their own
IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD
Salazar has been fortunate to travel extensively to document conservation
efforts around the world. But she encourages photographers who want to
make a difference to tackle conservation photography in their own locales.
“There are conservation issues everywhere in every community,” she says.
“It’s equally important to tell stories of issues in our own backyard.” That could
mean documenting the biodiversity of an abandoned lot on the verge of
development, or as some of her peers have done, photographing the coyotes
of urban Chicago or the vernal pools of Virginia, where salamanders live. “If we
were all doing that in our own backyard,” she says, “we would have an incredi-
ble movement of people who are standing up for nature.”
RESOURCES
Conservation Photography Handbook from the North American
Nature Photography Association
nanpa.org/learning/publications/handbooks/
Impact: The Conservation Photography Podcast
jaymiheimbuch.com/podcast/
International League of Conservation Photographers
conservationphotographers.org

work. Salazar was recently invited by a scien-
tist to document their volcanic research on
an expedition in Guatemala. Opportunities
like that arise because, by attending scientif-
ic and conservation conferences and talking
to people whose projects could benefit from
her skills, Salazar has cultivated a network of
scientists who know her expertise.
SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS

In the third year of her doctoral program,
Salazar is in the midst of studying how people
perceive various types of imagery and the im-
pact that has on their environmental behavior.
“I would say that there is very little research on
this topic, on the impact of images, even though
visuals are obviously incredibly ubiquitous
in our lives,” she says. “Very little academic
research has focused on which types of envi-
ronmental images spark behavior change.
“One of the questions I’m really interested in
and what I’m doing experiments and studies on
is, Are people more motivated to donate money
or time to environmental causes when they see
negative images showing terrible environ-
mental problems or when they see images of
pristine, beautiful environments and animals?
Perhaps it’s not one or the other. Perhaps it is
a combination, which would really speak to
the power of the storytelling aspect of con-
servation photography. Those are the things
I’m studying. I don’t have all the answers yet.”
But she has enough to data to consider the
way she presents her work to the public. “I
am already thinking a lot about how my im-
ages make people feel because the emotions
we feel influence our actions. Whether or
not we feel sad or angry or peaceful or joyful,
these kinds of emotions all have different
implications for how we act.” This spring
before giving a presentation to university
students on conservation photography, she
had to assess how she should frame the issues
to influence her audience. Would her images
make them feel so overwhelmed that they’d
lack the enthusiasm to try to help? Would her
images leave them feeling content that every-
thing is being taken care of by someone else?
“Photographs have the ability to really pull
at the heart strings in different ways,” she says.
“For me it’s trying to find that right formula
of how much negative, how much positive,
how much do we show solutions. What is that
sweet spot that makes sure people get off the
couch or go to the website and click ‘Donate’?” •
“
Certification helped me get more
© Danica Barreau
consistent results by trying new
techniques with precision
rather than guesswork.
I not only improved my
craft; I got more clients!
It’s a win-win!
Danica Barreau
M.Photog.M.Artist., CPP
Elevate Your Craft:

PPA.com/Certification
Love
What
You You Will
Protect
EVEN A NEAR-DEATH
EXPERIENCE COULDN’T
STOP THE GOLMANS’
CONSERVATION MISSION
BY ROBERT KIENER
©KIM ANDERSEN
67
IMAGES ©URI AND HELLE GOLMAN / weareprojectwild.com
PPA.COM/PPMAG APRIL 2021

inally they can relax. For several an outdoor market in Libreville, the nation’s
weeks, Danish husband-and- capital, that they’ve visited during previous
wife photographers Uri and Helle Golman photo assignments.
have been working tirelessly to track It’s a typical 80-degree, muggy December
down and photograph forest elephants day, and the midday sun is beating down on
on the coast of Gabon. This Decem- the couple as they leisurely explore the color-
ber 2017 trip to the small Central ful art market jam-packed with masks, stat-
African coastal nation is the next ues, exotic pearls, and native costumes. In-
to last—the 25th—in their ambitious five- trigued by the numerous items on sale, they
year project crisscrossing the world to jostle against other shoppers who crowd the
search for and photograph endangered busy venue. Uri is examining an intricately
species in their natural habitats. carved African mask when out of the corner
They’re thrilled because they have the of his eye he notices a man walking toward him.
photos they came to get, and there’s only Without warning, the man rushes forward,
one more journey—to Australia—before their pulls out a chef’s knife, and begins attacking
project, called “Wild,” will wrap. Then they Uri. The first thrust pierces Uri’s stomach,
can publish their long-anticipated book of and the assailant twists it so it cuts into his
endangered animal portraits. Due to fly back liver. Uri screams as blood flows from his
to Denmark in a day, they want to explore wounds and he tries to fight off the unpro-
voked attack. He is stabbed again and again— an artificial coma, and for days he hovered
in the heart and then in the neck. between life and death.
Despite his wounds, Uri, a former member Nine days later the couple was flown by air
of the Israeli Defense Forces and a martial ambulance to an intensive care hospital unit
artist, fights back and flips the man off his in Denmark. There Uri remained in a coma
legs. They tumble to the ground as shocked until early January, when he opened his eyes
onlookers stare in disbelief. Uri tries to knock only to realize he was completely paralyzed.
the knife out of his attacker’s hand, but the He could not speak, move, or breathe on his
man keeps stabbing wildly. Helle rushes over own. Helle says the doctors took her aside.
and pounces on the man, digging her fingers “‘We are so sorry,’” they told her. “‘He will
into his eyes. She’s stabbed severely in the likely remain paralyzed for the rest of his life.’”
right hand, and her swift action helps the But Helle knew Uri was a fighter. She had
couple disarm the attacker. been with him on photo expeditions in many
Helle helps her husband to his feet and they dangerous places, from the extremes of the
dash to a friend’s waiting car that speeds them Arctic to the jungles of Papua New Guinea,
to the local hospital. On the way, Helle tears where he was trapped in a tribal war, to South
off her shirt and uses it to try to stanch Uri’s Africa, where he was charged by a massive
bleeding. He’s been stabbed nearly 10 times elephant. She had seen firsthand the courage
and is bleeding profusely. As the car speeds he displayed while photographing everything
away, she presses her shirt into his wounds from wild lions to leopards to crocodiles. On
and tells him, “I love you. You must not die.” his globe-trotting photo expeditions he’d
His eyes half shut, he whispers, “I love you, caught and recovered from cerebral malaria,
too. I’m not dying.” blackwater fever, dengue fever, and more.
She also knew how much their “Wild” project
A FIGHTER meant to him. They’d spent years amassing
The doctors at the local hospital did their best photographs of endangered animals and were
to close Uri’s and Helle’s stab wounds, then so close to putting their book together. Al-
they were transferred to a nearby military though she understood what the doctors were
hospital for further treatment. Uri’s condi- telling her, she felt Uri could beat the odds.
tion was life threatening; he lost more than As she stood at his bedside in Rigshospitalet’s
nine pints of blood. Doctors placed him in intensive care unit near Copenhagen, she

thought of the motto they’d formulated to
describe their environmental photography
mission and hoped it would help him fight
back: “What you love, you will protect.”
Uri remained paralyzed. Then two weeks
after Uri woke from the coma, the feeling in
his right leg returned, followed by feeling in
his right arm and then his left leg. The doctors
were amazed. Bit by bit, he regained the abil-
ity to speak. One day, when his two daughters
from his previous marriage and Helle were up and help him move his legs. Then just two. to a wheelchair, he continues to exercise daily
standing near his bedside, he looked at them Finally, one. Helle was a constant presence, and hopes to one day walk freely. “It is going
and said each of their names out loud, slowly encouraging him, willing him to recover. He to be years before I am back as I was,” he
and clearly. Smiling at them he thought, “You took his first proud steps alone, albeit just a admits with a wide grin as Helle looks on ap-
all are giving me the energy to fight, to come few, nearly a year after he was attacked. provingly at their country cabin in northern
back from the dead.” Uri, the fighter, was back. Denmark. He admits, “Recovery and rehabil-
Eventually Uri was well enough to be sent to a RENEWED PURPOSE itation from an attack like mine is a lifelong
rehabilitation center, where therapists helped Today, some three and half years after he was process.” He’s not able to hold and operate a
him re-learn to stand and then walk. In the attacked, Uri describes himself as a work in heavy camera and lens.
beginning it took three therapists to hold him progress. Although he is still mostly confined Both Uri and Helle are quick to explain that

their injuries and recoveries have made them
stronger. “We have been on so many wild photo-
graphic expeditions during our time togeth-
er, but this has been, by far, the wildest one,”
says Helle. “And it has given us strength.”
Uri quickly adds, “I don’t think of myself
as a victim. When you’ve survived something
like this, there is no time to be depressed. You
have to go on living and loving.”
While they’re no longer as mobile, they’re
still productive. They recently published
their long-anticipated collection of endan-
gered wildlife portraits, the 208-page book
“Wild,” which they describe as “our love letter
to nature.” It has been highly praised. As the
famous scientist and environmentalist Jane
Goodall has noted of their work, “You cannot
look at these images—really look—and not see
the animals as individuals with personalities
and emotions …. We see image after image
taken and presented with love for the subject
and love for the natural world.”
Inspired by their keen desire to help stop
the loss of wildlife around the world, Uri and
Helle have also established the Wild Nature
Foundation, which focuses on conserving
and restoring (“rewilding” is how the couple
term it) the world’s quickly vanishing wildlife
and habitat. Why take on such a monumental
task? “I am 46 years old,” says Uri. “In just my
lifetime we have destroyed 50 percent of the
world’s trees and 60 percent of all wildlife.
Time is running out.” Adds Helle, “We know
that we need to make people love nature to
help save the world’s wildest places.”
Uri pauses and tells the story of first visiting
Kalimantan, Indonesia, in 1997 on an assign-
ment to photograph birds and butterflies.
“I’d never seen such lush rain forests and
such a variety of wildlife before,” he recalls.
He went back in 2015 on another assignment
to photograph orangutans in the wild. The
small plane he was in reached cruising alti-
tude, and he couldn’t believe the sight below.
Tears began to roll down his cheeks. “Every-
where I looked, as far as I could see,” he re-
members, “the rain forest had been devastat-
ed and was replaced by oil palm plantations.
It broke my heart.”
After blinking back a tear, Uri explains,
“There’s another reason we have started
Wild. After what happened to us, we both
realize we have even stronger voices for na-
ture conversation. It seems like we were put
here to do this. You know, when I was on the
operating table immediately after the attack,
I was technically dead for a while.” He breaks
into a wide grin and continues, “And I have
discovered that when you tell people you
have been dead for two minutes and are
reincarnated, you really get their attention.”
A GENTLE WIND
Although Uri admits he is still is unable to walk
more than short distances and can’t hold a
camera, the onetime National Geographic con-
tributor has not lost the desire to photograph
wildlife. Recently a friend drove him to the coast
of Denmark to see what they might capture.
Their friend, Lothar Friis, set up Uri’s camera
with a 600mm lens on a tripod. Uri sat nearby
in his wheelchair. As a gentle wind blew in
from the coast, he spotted a flock of seagulls
in the distance. He has the use of one arm and
managed to squeeze off some shots of the sea-
gulls. One was a keeper. “It was exhilarating and
so emotional,” remembers Uri. “For just a mo-
ment I felt as if I could walk again, as if I were
free. It was, simply put, a magic moment.” •
Robert Kiener is a writer in Vermont.

Education
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10,000+ Photographers
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JAN 16–18, 2022 National Harbor, MD
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The Joy
of
Letting Go
IMAGES ©NICKI HUFFORD PHOTOGRAPHY / nickihuffordphotography.com
WHEN CLIENTS’
NEEDS EVOLVE,
IT’S TIME TO REACH
FOR SOMETHING NEW
BY STEPHANIE BOOZER

ome in the high school senior portrait niche might call her crazy, but Nicki
Hufford made a bold move last year and dropped her model program.
Long heralded as the tried-and-true bastion of a thriving senior business,
model or ambassador programs have granted studio brands coveted ac-
cess to high school hallways through the lips and Instagram accounts of
small armies of free marketers. But a couple of years ago, Hufford sensed
change on the wind in what she calls her “big small town” of Warren, Ohio.
Situated between the larger cities of Cleveland, Ohio, and Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, Warren is replete with picturesque old storefronts and
surrounded by miles of rich green farmland. Hufford also enjoys the
small pockets of modernity that have grown with the town, providing a happy mix of old and
new. Like many photographers in smaller American cities, Hufford describes a senior market
at the confluence of longstanding high school traditions (like letter jackets) and the shiny ap-
peal of the now (like social media influencers).
“We treat every one of our seniors like a mini celebrity,” she says, “because nowadays, that’s
what they’re looking for.”
Hufford successfully ran a senior model program for years, basing it on a series of creative,
heavily themed shoots with each year’s chosen team of reps. Then she caught on to a growing
trend: Teens would begin enthusiastically, then gradually lose their excitement for the pro-
gram over the season as other priorities began to dominate their lives.
“Our senior model program did very well for us for a long time,” Hufford says. “But these
kids just don’t have the time anymore. They all still feel like it’s something they want to be a
part of in the beginning, but they just stop participating about halfway through.”
Excitement is crucial for sparking interest among teen groups. When participation becomes a
chore and excitement becomes obligation, the benefits of the program wither. Hoping to stay on top
of the trends, Hufford polled local seniors for feedback. She found that their interests had evolved.
The model program was no longer the best avenue for her marketing. She found that each successive
year of seniors seemed busier than the previous one, which was a strike against the rigidity of the
program. Kids wanted to participate in the themed shoots, but they didn’t want to be locked in.
Hufford devised a new plan: Open up those creative, themed shoots to all seniors but limit
the number of spots available. “Instead of saying only these 50 models can do this creative
shoot, I say the first 15 that sign up can do it,” she says. So far, the response has been positive.
MEETING THEM WHERE THEY ARE

Teen response to the model program wasn’t the only thing that was changing. There was a
growing divide between the products seniors wanted and what their parents wanted to take
home and display or share with the rest of the family.
“I realized that I had to become not just a photographer but a content creator for my seniors,”
says Hufford. “I had to switch my mindset. These kids want to be the next Instagram star.”
That inspired her to rethink her session strategy and also to start offering digital files. There
was no question that her style would remain—clean, high-key lighting with a modern, editorial flair.
But to appeal to both mindsets in one session, Hufford made a concentrated effort to create images
that would be both Instagram-worthy and grab the hearts of parents and grandparents.
She also rethought her product offerings. Previously, seniors had the option to build wall collec-
tions and albums, but most were purchasing only about 20 images. When she asked them why, they
admitted they didn’t want giant portraits of themselves staring back from their walls at home.
What they craved was a digital collection of images they could use throughout social media.
“In my market, wall art is more for families,” says Hufford. “Seniors are fine with sending
awful selfies to each other, but they get embarrassed by these big pictures hanging on the wall.”
She came up with a compromise that allows clients to purchase beautifully crafted prints
and digital files. Her most popular package is what she calls a digital box, a collection of 20
mounted prints and as many digital files as the client desires.

“First of all, I make sure I charge enough for digital files,” she says, underscoring that she
doesn’t give anything away. “And second, when you educate your clients about quality, they
come back for reprints. You really have to show them and explain the difference.”
It comes down to knowing what your clients want, says Hufford. She asks families to pho-
tograph their walls at home so she can see their personal style and the kind of artwork they
already have. If she doesn’t see large wall portraits or any other large-scale photography, she
knows they probably won’t want that kind of product. Instead, she guides them toward some-
thing else that’s just as profitable but perhaps a better fit for their family.
“I am absolutely still selling wall art,” she emphasizes, “but I basically have products that I
can sell to those clients who just don’t do wall art. If they only want something to sit on a shelf,
I’ll push a metal composite image, for example. It really is a matter of figuring out who your
client is and steering them in the right direction.”
MEETING CLIENTS’ NEEDS WHILE STAYING TRUE TO YOURSELF

“With seniors, you need to be authentic to who you are,” says Hufford. “They’ll notice right
away if you’re not. They’re buying into your brand. Seniors don’t all understand the technical
side of photography; they just see cool pictures. They’re going to pick a photographer based on
style first, then budget.”
That’s where Hufford has benefitted from finding the route to making images that clients
want to buy while producing work that also makes her happy. Having played softball in col-
lege, Hufford is a huge sports enthusiast and has worked that passion into her business. Her
studio handles a large amount of volume sports photography throughout the region, and she’s
well-connected in that market. In fact, the majority of her senior clients are sporty.
“Half of our seniors come through our door because of team sports,” she says. “It’s perfect
for me because I’m still so heavily involved in softball in Ohio, and I know this area in terms of
softball like the back of my hand.”
That tie between her volume sports and seniors clients also influenced her decision to drop the
senior model program. With so many kids between the ages of 10 and 15 crossing over her studio
threshold for sports, Hufford realized she didn’t need the model program to lift her senior business.
“I still believe word of mouth is where the best marketing is,” she says, “and that’s what
you’re really looking for with a model program. We get that through our volume sports.”
By listening to clients and her gut instincts, Hufford has created a business that caters to
her own creative interests while cultivating a strong following in her market. For seniors, that
means listening to parents and teens, then creating sessions and product lines that appeal to
both. Navigating those sometimes divergent interests and doing it well is what has garnered
Hufford accolades from clients and industry peers alike. It’s also what keeps her in the sweet
spot in a market that’s always changing. •
Stephanie Boozer is a writer in Charleston, South Carolina.

PERSPECTIVE
Up to the Challenge
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
By Mary Fisk-Taylor, M.Photog.Cr., CPP, EA-ASP, ABI, API, EA-ASP
Challenge is a powerful word with so many found me exceeding my quota on negativity.

meanings and implications. The dictionary However, it’s important to my mental health
defines it as both a noun and a verb. A chal- and my business that I take the time I need
lenge can be a call to take part in a competi- to process the events of the past year and
tion or an invitation to engage in a contest, drag myself back to a productive and positive
for example. Because I’m a small-business mindset. I know this can be easier said than
owner, I think challenge personifies me both done, but as challenging as it is, it’s doable.
personally and professionally. Let’s talk about As professional photographers we are
challenges and challenging ourselves as pro- fortunate to be part of the world’s most
©HAYES & FISK PHOTOGRAPHY / hayesandfisk.com
fessional photographers and entrepreneurs. amazing association that understands and

It is truly my honor and privilege to serve addresses our needs. When was the last time
as president of PPA this year. Of course, I you looked at all the amazing benefits and
gladly accept this challenge and am looking opportunities PPA offers us? The value of
forward to serving this great association and these benefits literally outpaces the cost of
our membership. Shortly after I was nomi- a year’s membership. PPA gives us opportu-
nated, I received an email from a photogra- nities to challenge ourselves as artists and
pher both congratulating me and asking if I business owners and to help us through
was scared or worried about this leadership challenging times in our creative process
position. They asked me if I was comfortable and day-to-day studio concerns.
putting myself out there, if I was concerned Some of the PPA benefits that help me
about being asked too many questions, what address the challenges I face:
I would do if I didn’t have the answers. They • Equipment insurance
reflected on the fact that 2020 had been a • Online education
rough year, that their business was awful, • Imaging USA
that the morale of so many entrepreneurs • Copyright advocacy
was low, and on and on. You get the point. I Some of the PPA benefits that have chal-
understood their questions and concerns. lenged me to be more:
The past year has been trying, especially for • Certification
small-business owners. I’ve chosen to take • Business challenge
this challenging time and make it as produc- • Degrees
tive and positive as I can. Trust me when I Challenge is a big word. It’s worth remem-
tell you that I have yucky days like everyone bering that it is both a thing you might expe-
else. Throughout my life I have cried a lot, rience and an action you can take. Accept the
been thoroughly discouraged, and gotten challenges that come your way and maybe
downright angry. But the past 12 months have even challenge yourself to some new ones. •
Reach More Consumers 2021 AFFILIATE
MAKE THE MOST OF THE NEW FIND A PHOTOGRAPHER
SCHOOLS
April 25-30
Texas School of Professional
Photography
Addison, Texas
texasschool.org/texas-school-2021
May 16-21
Mid-Atlantic Regional School
Cape May, New Jersey
marsschool.com
May 23-28
Great Lakes Institute of
Photography
Harbor Springs, Michigan
glip.org
June 6-13
West Coast School
San Diego, California
ppconline.com/wcs
As a professional photographer, you work steps you can take to enhance your listing and
Sept. 25-28
hard to create authentic images that tell a increase the opportunity for potential clients
Florida Photography
client’s unique story. Find a Photographer is to reach out to you:
Workshops
PPA’s consumer-facing website that helps po- • Go to ppa.com/profile.
Orlando, Florida
tential clients understand the value of using • Select Find a Photographer from the list of
floridaschoolofphotography.com
a professional like you. Its easy-to-use search options.
engine connects consumers to PPA photogra- • Click through each tab to update your
phers in their area. contact information, specialties, and other
DATES TO BE
The updated website includes tips for specifics.
DETERMINED
clients (such as what clothing to wear for a • Upload samples of your work to showcase
family session) and answers commonly asked your favorite images and add separate galler- East Coast School
questions (including what to ask a potential ies representative of each of your specialties. ppofnc.com/east-coast-school
wedding photographer). The site’s stream- Customizing your Find a Photographer
lined design reflects PPA’s move toward a listing this way increases the likelihood that PhotoWorks Georgia
more contemporary, user-friendly aesthetic a potential client will connect with you, so gppa.com/photoworks
across digital platforms. it’s worth the small amount of time it takes to
As a PPA member, your business is auto- update your business listing. • Kansas School
matically listed on the website, and there are findaphotographer.com kpps.com

PERSPECTIVE
Greatness Has a New Name

LOAN COLLECTION BECOMES IMAGING EXCELLENCE COLLECTION
Beginning this year, the top merited photographs in PPA’s International Photographic Com-
petition will be included in the Imaging Excellence Collection, previously known as the Loan
Collection. This compilation of the best of the best in contemporary professional photography
is published annually as a hardcover book by Marathon Press.
Historically, PPA’s photographic competition judged only prints, of course. The best were
assembled into a physical collection that was loaned to photographic and art organizations
throughout the United States. In this way, the Loan Collection prints served as examples to pho-
tographers, art students, and the public of the best in contemporary image making. The annual
Loan Collection hasn’t gone on loan in many years, and so the collection’s new title better reflects
its relationship with PPA’s Grand Imaging Award, which is bestowed each year at Imaging USA.
To have their images considered for inclusion in the Imaging Excellence Collection, pho-
tographers submit images to be judged in the International Photographic Competition. Jurors
select images based on PPA’s “12 Elements of a Merit Image,” and the merited photos are then
judged for the opportunity to become part of PPA’s prestigious Imaging Excellence Collection. •
ppa.com/events/photo-competitions
MARSHALL / sweetmemphoto.com
2021 COMPETITION DEADLINES

2021 District Competitions 2021 International Photographic Competition
Registration: March 2-April 14 (5 p.m. EDT) Registration: July 6-Aug. 17 (5 p.m. EDT)
Late registration: April 15-April 29 Late registration: Aug. 17-31
(with additional fee) (with additional fee)
Judging: May 9-14 Judging: Sept. 12-17
WHAT CONSUMERS WANT NOW

NATIONWIDE SURVEY REVEALS SPENDING HABITS
As the world has changed in many unexpected ways over the previous year, so too have
consumers’ spending habits, which reflect uncertainty in the face of so much turbulence.
In late 2020, PPA conducted a nationwide survey that focused on consumer
attitudes and behaviors, their feelings toward photography, and how COVID-19
influences their purchasing decisions. Members can view the compiled data in
PPA’s new consumer research report, “Consumer Behaviors 2020.” This snapshot
of buyers’ current thinking can help you understand when and why they hire a
professional photographer. Key takeaways of the report:
• Family events drove photography sales over the past three years.
• Communication is more important than ever. In particular, consumers want to
know your plan for working together safely.
• People are spending money to make their homes a pleasant place. Photogra-
phy is a way to bring community and loved ones into this nesting process.
• Although consumers take photos, they often doubt their technical skills. Your products and messaging can highlight the expertise you can bring
to small, informal events.
• Budget is at the top of consumers’ minds, but negative reviews and COVID concerns also influence who they’ll hire.
Included as part of a PPA membership, ongoing consumer research provides exclusive data presented in easy-to-understand graphs and with key
insights highlighted. This continually updated data allows photographers to tailor their strategy, marketing, and services in an ever-changing landscape. •
ppa.com/research
FINAL FRAME
©NICKI HUFFORD PHOTOGRAPHY / nickihuffordphotography.com
90
Capture the A ttention of
High School Seniors
3-piece marketing plans starting as low as $.80 per piece.
Price includes design, print, mailing list and postage.
Learn more at SeniorPhoto2022.com
BOGO GOING ON NOW

Offer ends May 31 st 2021 | BogoGradCards.com
Design. Print. Websites. Marketing.

w w w. M a r a t h o n P re s s . c o m | (800) 228.0629
Stronger Together
Join Your Local Affiliate
Photographers helping photographers is what PPA Affiliates are all about. These local
creative communities nurture and provide the support and tools to help you grow.
As an Affiliate member, you will:
• Connect with peers and mentors • Get recognized, build credibility,

and set yourself apart
• Sharpen your skills by competing in
your local image competitions • Give back to your photographic
community
• Earn merits towards your PPA
degree by attending or speaking at a • And much more!
PPA Approved Education Workshop
There’s never been a better time to get involved. After all, it’s together that we thrive.
Find a PPA Affiliate near you: PPA.com/Affiliates

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PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER • APRIL 2021

P.32 UP YOUR INCOME

Learn more and start designing at whcc.com/layflat-books

Director of Publications Jane Gaboury, jgaboury@ppa.com

PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS OF AMERICA

Chief Executive Officer David Trust, CAE, trustd@ppa.com

PPA MEMBER SERVICES

Daydreaming pays off

Features Putting things off does us no favors

66 What You Love, You Will Protect The Goods

PPA.COM/PPMAG APRIL 2021 7

“I just love growing a successful business,

Download The Photographer’s Guide to

©PEDRO LUIS AJURIAGUERRA / pedroluisajuriaguerra.wordpress.com

PPA.COM/PPMAG APRIL 2021 13

Saying Thank You

Q: What inspired this promotion?

Q: How did you fund the project?

Q: What did you take away from making these

Q: How did this promotion impact your business?

PPA.COM/PPMAG APRIL 2021 15

Sometimes it’s hard to know how to help. But if an idea

PPA.COM/PPMAG APRIL 2021

“I wanted to make something

IMAGES ©SCOTT ROBERT LIM

Out of the Dust of the Earth, He Formed Them

LOCATION: Colorado’s Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

©JANET THETFORD / sthetford.com

CAMERA & LENS: Canon EOS

farther down the dog’s neck,

PPA.COM/PPMAG APRIL 2021 21

©GIGI O’DEA / memoryportraitsbygigi.com

See the entire Loan Collection

25% Off Your First Order | bayphoto.com/metalprints

Image by: Scott Robert Lim

FIND A CLASS WHEREVER YOU ARE:

PPA.COM/PPMAG APRIL 2021 25

Your Thoughts Don’t Own You

OWN IT WHILE YOU HONE IT.

WRITE YOUR OWN STORY.

PPA.COM/PPMAG APRIL 2021 29

More by Robyn Hatcher (Continued from p. 26)

ORIGINS OF NEGATIVITY BIAS FIXING THE GLITCH

Walk the Walk

By Monica Sigmon, M.Photog.Cr.

It’s one of the most persistent and common

Start learning here:

YOUR SERVICE MUST

You’re only one upgrade away from

Soft, Tough, and Textured

PPA.COM/PPMAG APRIL 2021 37

Cross-Compatibility Made Easier

By Betsy Finn, M.Photog.Cr.

• Works with third-party strobes and flashes

• Small and easy to use

• Requires FJ-X2m trigger unit(s)

• Strobe or flash output must be manually adjusted

Powerful Software. Pro Lab.

Schools • Sports • Graduations • Special Events • Portraits

it into the sync port on your flash or strobe,

Betsy Finn has a portrait studio, Betsy’s

Grow your business with education,

IMAGES ©ELLIS VENER / ellisvener.com

Nikon markets its 24.3-megapixel Z 5 as an