SWPJC – Don't wait till Next Year!

Dave Black former speaker at SWPJC

SWPJC March 10 – 12 and Student Workshop 9 – 10

"Next Year" is the common thing I always here from people when I ask them if they are going to Southwestern Photojournalism Conference this year.

This is the 25th annual meeting of the conference. The conference has changed through the years to reflect the industry as best we can.

In 2007 and 2008 the economy was hard hit and our numbers were suffering because everyone's personal budgets were hurting.

We added a Student Workshop to the front end of the conference for students to get some one-on-one time with our speakers. This has proven to be very helpful for students to get their work reviewed and talk to the industry leaders.

The industry has been hit hard. Last year Canon and Nikon Sales were down close to 50%. All this doom and gloom doesn't mean there is no longer a need for photographers.

At the same time the industry is changing the amount of pictures taken last year was up. That adds up to more than 14 trillion photos annually (14,600,000,000,000). Much more conservatively, if only one billion people have cameras or phones, and take less than 3 photos per day/1,000 pictures per year, that's still 1 trillion photos captured every year.

The need for those who know more than just how to push the button are in great demand. People know that with all these photos being created every moment for their "Brand" to be seen it must break through with images that "Capture the Audience."

This year's keynote speaker Garrett Hubbard [left] at a previous SWPJC.

I know I go to the conference to meet people that I can hire through the year as projects pop up for my clients. Last year I hired many photographers for projects and continue to look for more photographers. This is where I go to find not just great shooters, but those who see this as a calling.

Esther Havens past speaker

Don't wait for next year anymore. Commit to meeting with other photographers who see this as a calling. Come to Fort Worth this year and connect. Listen to some of the best in the industry tell you where they see things going for the professional photographer.

Go to the website to learn more SWPJC.org Then go and book your transportation and hotel. I hope to see you there.

Gary Fong with the Chick-fil-A Cow.

Don't put off to Next Year when there might not be a Next Year conference. Signup and come while we are still doing SWPJC.

I am attending the Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar and you should too

The Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar

I have three friends that I have talked with in just the past couple of days who are driving in to go to the seminar today. All of us combined have more than 100+ years of experience, so why go to something like this when you have so much experience?

This years faculty

Deb Pang Davis

Some of the workshops intrigued me.  I was really interested in hearing from Deb Pang Davis on "Branding Strategies & Marketing Yourself."

While I even teach regularly on this topic, I am interested in how others are seeing the industry and places for growth.  With the economy so upside down and my industry taking a major hit these past years, many of the traditional avenues for income are not just down, but gone. I hope to hear about how some photographers are remaking themselves and finding income.

I am not interested in copying their path, but how they discovered the new niche may give me insights to where some potential growth for my work could lie.

I find that everyone sees things much differently and that when I am open and listen I grow and learn something new. I try to then see how maybe I can incorporate some of these perspectives into my life.

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Tom Kennedy

The other workshop "Understanding the Changing Media Landscape" led by Tom Kennedy really appealed to me.

Kennedy is on the faculty of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University as the endowed Alexia Foundation chair in the multimedia, photography, and design department.

I first met Kennedy when he was the director of photography at National Geographic. I remember showing him my work and he commented that he didn't see any surprises. You can read more about this in my past blog on "To break the rules, you must first know the rules."

When I was co-president of ASMP Atlanta Chapter we invited Kennedy to speak. He packed so much in on this topic back then I just about got carpal tunnel syndrome from that talk. I am really looking forward to hearing him.

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If you come to the seminar you will see more than the four old guys sitting in the room listening to some of these young folks.  You will see more of us, because we understand that when you stop learning you stop growing.

Keep yourself vibrant and growing by attending a seminar or workshop. If you are in Atlanta December 2nd and 3rd then come to the workshop.

Simon Bruty

By the way, Simon Bruty :: Sports Illustrated speaks on Saturday morning at 9:25 a.m. and this is free and open to the public, courtesy of Canon’s Explorers of Light program.

If you are an amateur you are welcome to attend as much as any professional or student.

While the speakers on the program are outstanding, I can tell you from my 30+ years of experience going to these events that those in attendance sometimes are on the same level and sometimes better known than the speakers.

Come and hang out with us. My daughter calls these events that Daddy goes to "Nerd Fests."

There will be Nikon and Canon gear to see and other vendors as well.

Hope to see you there. If you are there, come and say hello to me.