I belong to PPWM (Professional Photographers of West Michigan). I am on the board, and I am the program chair. It is my job to line up speakers for 2009. So, I am asking for your help with ideas. Let me give you a little background.

Our group is a little small right now. We have a brand new board, who is trying to revamp our group and give it some new life! We want to try to attract some new members, especially new members who have a great style! To do this, I feel that we need some awesome speakers! Some of the speakers that we have had in the past have been good, but a little "old school" if you know what I mean. But, since I am in charge for lining up next years programs, I want to change that!

I want to bring new life to our group, and I want it to GROW! It is amazing how many photographers there are, but how few are involved in a group like this. This group is a great way to learn, make great friends, and grow as a photographer. It is great fellowshipping with other photographers!

So, back to what I need....

I am looking for speakers. I want fun, fresh, cool speakers! We have our all day programs lined up, so we are just looking for evening speakers. But, here is the catch. Being that our group is small right now, we don't have a large budget. We are looking for speakers who are willing to speak for PPA merits, and not much monetary compensation. We only have $200 budgeted for our evening program speakers, to help pay for their gas and hotel. I know that most speakers' time is much more valuable than that. But, I hope speakers would consider helping out the professional photography community by considering this!

Our programs are usually the third Monday night of each month.

So, if you are willing to speak, or if you know someone I could contact, please let me know!

(Oh, and if speakers have sponcers that will pay them more, that would be great!)

Amy Wenzel?

Great idea! I just emailed her... thanks!

Jen Kroll?

Hey Jodi,
Nice to see you here!
Actually funny... I just emailed Jen also! (And John and Holly who she does workshops with...)
We will see what she says!
Thanks for the ideas! Keep them coming!

Kari

Not sure to to suggest but I wanted to add this:

Speaking for these types of engagements truly helped me figure out if I wanted or enjoyed speaking in the larger events (Imaging, WPPI, etc) I fine tuned my speaking aspects as well as meet some AMAZING people who have not only helped me along the way grow and succeed but also became life long friends in the business.

If your even thinking about speaking or wanting to share your ideas and thoughts with other photographers who share this amazing passion for this wonderful art form I would take Kari up on her offer and jump on board and speak.

The PPA merits are nice (I have my craftsman degree) but more importantly to me at least was meeting people, helping others grow in the process and in turn you learn SO MUCH MORE than you would ever do simply by sitting on the sidelines of things.


Good luck Kari I look forward to seeing who takes you up on this wonderful chance to speak in a professional level.

Serious props for the effort and passion you are putting into this, Kari! You want to make something even better and are going straight for the gusto!! Good on you and best wishes:)

Mike,

I'm not sure if you remember, but it was awesome to get to meet you in Vegas. Great great insight on this post! Nice, man, nice!

Thank you so much Mike and Sticky! I am really excited and pasionate to help our group grow! I really want to take it to the next level. I appreciate your comments!

Still looking for speakers though....

hey kari,
this is great!  there are so many of us in the area and it would be great to find ways to bring us together.

i love jessica johnston's work...she's over near ann arbor i believe.   and of course my dream speaker to hear would be bobbi but i don't know if she does this kind of stuff.  maybe see if reps from album co. would be interested in coming.  i know zookbinders and kiss albums are in the midwest area, right?

Thanks Kelly... let me do some checking on your ideas!

Also, thanks for everyone who PM'd me. I have some great stuff in the works...

And, those of you from West Michigan, you better come check out PPWM for next year. We are going to have a GREAT line up! (And this year too!)

Jasmine Star!!!

Thanks David, I LOVE Jasmin's work... but I don't think $200 would cover her costs to come speak for us! (I doubt she would pay to come speek for us!)

Kari:

http://blog.danesanders.com/2008/04/03/40-...e-jessica-dane/

This would be cool if he would come here to do this (all in one, not over several weeks)! I left him a comment saying as much!

Hey Jodi,
Yeah, I saw that too! Very cool.

Brianna Graham is local. I know she has her workshop thing going, but maybe she would do something on a budget because it's local.

Also, I know this wouldn't exactly be a "big name" that would attract a ton of people. But if you were having a difficult time getting speakers, maybe, to fill in until you find speakers is to assign local photographers to a certain technique or some kind of topic that they could try to master and then teach the rest of the members. I guess what I am saying is you could call someone like me (as an example) who doesn't have the merits to be a "speaker" but assign me a topic or technique that the memebers wanted to learn about. Then give me a month or whatever to learn as much as I can about that topic or technique. Then I would come "speak" to share what I learned. I (and probably a lot of others) would totally do that. I know its not ideal, but it might fill in until you guys find speakers that will do it for charity.

You could assign topics to different people. Topics like:

Viral Marketing
Sales Techniques
Creative ways to use your blog
Off Camera Flash techniques
Staying current
Fresh posing ideas
obtaining new inspiration
New Photoshop tricks or techniques
Dealing with bland venues
Finding creative avaliable light
How to deal with an annoying assistant

It would be kind of a community of exploratory hands on kind of learning.

Just an idea

- M -

(see ya friday)