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Maryland Professional Photographers, President’s Message Who Sees Your Work ? Recently, I took a long car trip with a well-known PPA Photographer who has been honored with top recognitions given by PPA. We enjoyed stopping in places to photograph the many interesting things, places and people we saw and met along the way. We even shared knowledge as we set our cameras in position to capture a variety of images. We talked about a lot of things concerning our craft but the one thing that stuck out was the discussion about who sees and ultimately purchases our images. We agreed clients who contract with us for a specific job usually not only sees our work but also buys it. What we ultimately focused on was the vast public who never sees our work, especially the fine art that so many create. It is true we are dazzled regularly at print competition with expert lighting, composition, presentation etc. but who sees it after its few minutes of fame in front of the judges and our peers. If we are real lucky, it might get published in one of our association’s books/ booklets, yet again a audience of our peers. I am willing to guess once merits have been attained, degrees earned and the lucky few whose prints “hang”, prints retire to our studios to collect dust or worse to be stored in protective coverings where they will not collect dust and will never ever be seen again. There should be money in those awesome prints that you worked so hard to create. Not just the original print could be sold but also many, many reprints. That could happen if somehow we found a way to market what we see here to the general public. Marketing! Oh, what a dreadful word that seems to make us look the other way whenever it is being discussed. We have a difficult time getting the room half full for a seminar where the topic is marketing and yet without it we may as well get in the soup lines. If we could join forces and create a forum for the public to see our work and be offered the opportunity to buy it, we would be creating an avenue for all of us to be recognized and rewarded for our skills. Clearly, we need to do something. The economy is getting real tight and what do you think people will do without first? Yes, the average person is not going the think of fine art ahead of gas, food and lodging. Especially so, if it is not being made available for the masses of people to reach out and not only touch the art but also get to know the artist who created it During the last seven years I had the honor of being with my eight-nine year old uncle during the final stages of his life. On many occasions I would come into his presence feeling down about my new career, as a photographer and he would say very simple and basic stuff to me. I remember on one occasion he said, “Your work is good. Someone special has to see it”. I knew at that very moment exactly what the meaning of that simple statement implied. You have to get your work our there so people can see it and you must do it in a way that shows people you are worth them coming to you to purchase that one of a kind work of art. I know this association is not on a mission to create a market for members to sale anything for a profit. We are about providing recourses for photographers to grow in the profession by improving their skill base. What if we stepped out of the box on an occasion and actually had a public forum where our members could bring their best work to market and for them to be there to not only sell to the public but to educate the pubic concerning the value and the artistry of the items exhibited before them. Would we not be fulfilling our mission to improve the skill base of members? The association could provide the venue and the advertisement. Photographers could purchase space and sell their wares. It could be a win, win situation for all involved. My point is to find a way to get people to see what we see and to learn to value what we see. It can be done and who can do it better that a bunch of trained professionals like you? David C. Corry, CPP, MDPPA President
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