Traveling the US, Judging and Speaking

This year has been incredibley busy! In addition to running the Studio I have a job with a local company that has me doing photography, graphic design, web design and many other interesting and unusual jobs. My boss has been extremely flexible with my schedule to allow me to maintain the studio and my travel schedule which has been crazy.

The year started in San Antonio, TX at Imaging USA. Traveling with my BFF and speaking partner Jessica Vogel and our great freind Barbara Yonts. We helped setup and take down the International Photographic Exhibition, saw a few programs and in general got to visit some of our best freinds in photography.

A few weeks later Jess and I were on the road to Richmond, VA where we both judged and each of us did a program. Jess spoke on children and introduced the new Baje (Barb & Jess) line of childrens photography products, which are so cool.

I spoke on seniors and did a live shoot with a beautiful young lady named Haley. We had a great time with the people of VA!

Home a few days and off to Jess's suprise 50th birthday party in Bowling Green. Got home from that at 2:30am, had to get up @ 4:45am to leave for Atlanata, :[ to a PEC (Photographic Exhibition Committee meeting at PPA Headquarters. A great trip spent with many good freinds and lots work being done. Arrived home at midnight only to leave the next morning to PPO (Professional Photographers of Ohio) Convention. Shared a room with great freinds and judged beautiful images for two days.

If you wonder why I travel so much, it is that you get so inspired being with other photographers and seeing so many incredible images as you judge.

I leave this Wed for North Central District Judging and Heart of America's Convention where I'll speak on family photography and Jess will speak on children. We'll both judge. Home for a few days and it's off to Yakima, Washington for the Western District Judging and home a few more days and off to Martha's Vineyard to judge the North East District.

Haven't posted in a while and thought if anyone was interested this is kind of a synopsis of what the heck I'm doing.

Judges Workshop

I'm in Atlanta teaching the PPA Judges Workshop with Dennis Craft. We've got a great group of students! The days are long but it is so much fun to see the transformation as the students begin to get a handle on the judging process.

Dennis has taught the class for many years and he is great at helping the students to see that judging is not just punching in numbers, but a deep thought process that takes substantial thinking and the ability to put into words what your seeing and feeling about a print.

The transformation from each students first turn with a scoring pad, generally stumbling and strugling for words and validation of their score, to late yesterday watching someone move the panel seven or eight points with an eloquent challenge and rebuttal.

There are definitely some potentially good future affiliated jurors.