DC PUG Blog

June PUG Meeting Details

2010-06-14T11:25:00.000-07:00

Hey DC Puggers,
Just a reminder that our next PUG meeting is June 14th at 7pm!

I am excited about this months PUG meeting because not only are we going to share images from our PUG shoot out from last month, we are also bringing back the ever famous - Studio Spotlights!
This month we have the lovely Jessica Del Vecchio presenting her self and her photography business for our listening and viewing pleasure.

I am hoping that this meeting will be a time for us all to reconnect, talk shop and have a good Q&A with each other.
I will be making a list of your discussion topic ideas during Monday's meeting which will be used for future meetings. I have had some great response from the PUG survey (which if you haven't already taken, we'd love your feedback) of ideas for future meetings.
Some of which are:
Pricing
Finding New Business
Advertising
Workflow
Lighting
And much more.
Along with photography business ideas we will also be chatting a bit about things we can do outside our PUG meetings, such as, photo outings, museum trips, volunteering with our local communities etc. So come ready to share you thoughts!

Please mark June 14th - 7pm on your calendars.
We will be meeting at Jessica Del Vecchio's house in DC - 2123 California Street, NW, Apartment A5, Washington, DC 20008
See you then!

Please take our PUG survey!

2010-05-27T15:44:00.000-07:00

Hey Folks,
Just in case you didn't get the email I sent out, I have put together a quick 10 question survey to help guide us in the next year of meetings.

If you could please take a peak and leave us your feedback it would be hugely appreciated.
You can find the survey by clicking HERE!

We need to hear from you so that we know how best to move foreword and make the PUG experience the best it can be.

Thanks so much,
Sarah

________

Dane Sanders at next PUG Meeting - Balto/DC Combine Meeting!

2010-04-12T15:05:00.000-07:00

Hey Folks,
Just in case you didn't already know, out next meeting will be held at Love Life Images in MD on April 27th - 7pm. If you haven't already RSVPed - please do so in the comment box so that we know how many folks to plan for.
I will be heading up early for dinner at The Rams Head Tavern if anyone would like to join me I will plan to be there by 5:45. Please email me directly if you think you can make dinner - sarah@blinkdc.com

I hope the DC PUG crew will give Dane a big warm welcome - lets represent people!
Dane will be having his work shop the 2 days following the DC Pug, if you don't already know about it, you can get more info here - Fast Track Photographer.

We look forward to seeing everyone on the 27th!
Sarah and Geoff

Jim Collins at Jan PUG - Dinner before at Rock Bottom Brewery

2010-01-19T17:00:00.000-08:00

Hey Folks,
As you already know, Jim, our oh-so-fabulous CEO is coming once again to DC to share his wisdom, knowledge and possibly some inside info on the many big things that are happening at Pictage!

It would be great if you all could join us for dinner before hand at the Rock Bottom Brewery in Bethesda, MD.
Jim will be dining with us too, so come on out and lets see if we can't get our CEO to eat a whole basket of RB famous soft pretzels!

We'll be meeting at the Brewery at 5:30. Please contact me directly to let me know if you will able to join us. I will need a head count no later than 12pm on Jan 25th.
sarah@blinkdc.com

Looking forward to seeing everyone on Monday the 25th!!
Sarah

January PUG - Pictage CEO Jim Collins returns

2010-01-08T12:36:00.000-08:00

Date: Monday, January 25, 2010

Time: 7:00pm

Location: Michael Bennett Kress & Associates
7906 Woodmont Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814

Starting the New Year off right, we'll be visited by Pictage CEO Jim Collins. Jim will be discussing an inspiring topic that was a big part of his keynote at PartnerCon and will talk about some exciting future plans for Pictage.

What does Dream, Create, Inspire Mean to You?
We’re going to take a moment to breathe and dream a little. We’re going to celebrate the incredible work you do and we’ll contemplate creativity. What inspires your creative energy? What drives your vision? What’s your next big thing? Let’s shake a few of the cobwebs lose in your soul. Ultimately, this session is about beginnings. It’s about a mindset. It’s about being open to what’s next. Onward, indeed!

This event and all PUG meetings are open to any photographer who cares about his or her business and enjoys meeting other like-minded professionals. You don't have to be a member of Pictage to attend. And we won't try to convert you. We just want to meet you and play nice. Really.

Hope to see you there!

Justin and Mary's STL tour is only days away!

2010-01-04T09:18:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to send out a quick reminder for any of you out there who signed up for J&M's STL tour...
We'll be meeting at Allison Britton's Studio 115 S. Patrick St. Ste 101 Alexandria, VA at 2:30 for registration!
Can't wait to see everyone.

Sarah

Justin and Mary in DC Jan 7th - Spread The Love Tour

2009-12-16T13:06:00.001-08:00

Be there!!!

If you haven't already heard, Justin and Mary Marantz are bringing their Spread The Love Tour to DC in January!!! More info Here!
If you haven't seen Justin and Mary speak about how they approach their photography business and also how to balance that
with living your life, you NEED to be there on January 7th!
If you were lucky enough and had the great fortune to see them when they were here in 2008 on their DC Pug tour, then you will get the
opportunity to not only see their lovely faces once again, but gain even more inspiration and knowledge on how to wow
your clients, but also how to retain or create a good work/life balance.

I have to say that seeing Justin and Mary in 2008 was one of the major turning points that year which made me decide to keep my business going.
I was at a tough crossroads in my life and business, I was truly ready to throw my hands up in the air and say, "Forget this crazy business, it's too hard!"
The very night that I was going to make the decision to throw in the towel (which is what I really wanted to do), I drug myself to the PUG meeting where
I got to hear Justin and Mary share some remarkable ways to approach the "selling" of one's self and business... and what I found was it was less about
the "sales pitch"... oh, it was SO much more. It was about connecting!

You mean, we can connect with the people who we get to share in one of their most intimate days with? I mean really connect, form friendships and still
retain a strong sense of business? Well, this was revolutionary to me!
The part of this business that I tend to loath is the "selling", but when I was able to see the whole process in a different light, I felt renewed, I felt like
someone had just given me the tools and permission to really make a connection with my clients which is what I was longing to do.

So, to make a very long story short(ish), Justin and Mary's talk that night rejuvenated me and my desire to move forward.
I urge you all to sign up for this tour, I will be there will bells on! I might even be wearing my I *heart* J&M - if it doesn't make
me seem like a stalker... :D

I hope everyone is having a great holiday season so far and I look forward to seeing you on
January 7th!

Winter GTG - Dec 18th!

2009-12-16T12:25:00.000-08:00

If you haven't already heard, a bunch of us will be getting together for a fun winter get together with our dear friend and Pictage photographer Shawn Reeder this Saturday in DC.

Please contact me if you will be able to join us for some or all of Friday's fun events.
sarah@blinkdc.com

Here are the details:
We will be meeting at Teaism on 8th and D St between 11:30 and 12noon for lunch.
From there we will be heading to the National Gallery of Art and possibly the National Portrait Gallery.
We will spend the day touring museums but also having fun shooting around DC.
Most likely we will pick a location for dinner that night and then I know Shawn our rural CA photog would like to do some night shooting around the city as well.

We hope you can join us!

November PUG Meeting - Gary Fong

2009-10-28T11:22:00.000-07:00

World-renowned photographer, entrepreneur, and Original Pictage Lab founder Gary Fong will be visiting our PUG in November for another special combined DC/Baltimore event held in Savage, MD at Love Life Studios. We hope to see you there.

Fabulous Fall PUG - Monday October 19th

2009-10-08T11:45:00.000-07:00

Fall is Fabulous! Hope you are enjoying the season and staying busy. We'll be discussing fall/winter promotions, especially family portraits and how you can maximize revenue through the end of the year. Bring your ideas to share with the group as well.

As always there are big updates from Pictage and a preview of PartnerCon in New Orleans November 3-5, including Michael Kress' presentation on Bar/Bat-Mitzvah Photography. If you haven't registered yet, there's still space available! http://pro.pictage.com/community/ppc/neworleans/

Joe Buissink coming to town

2009-08-04T13:35:00.000-07:00

Don't miss this free opportunity to see Joe Buissink who will come and give a discussion about the psychology involved behind shooting weddings. Who we are when we shoot an event and how it shows in the work! It's another combined DC/Baltimore PUG held next to Love Life Images Studio in Savage, MD. Hope to see you all there!

New Picnic Details Announced!!

2009-07-10T13:52:00.000-07:00

RSVP HERE!

Please check the Evite for location information and remember to RSVP! Can't wait to see you all there!

SAVE THE DATE! DC PUG BBQ ~~ July 19, 2009

2009-06-18T12:47:00.000-07:00

RSVP HERE!

June PUG - New CEO Jim Collins is Coming!

2009-05-28T14:22:00.000-07:00

This month’s meeting will be held on a special day, Thursday, June 11, 2009 at a location to be determined in either Bethesda, or Washington, DC. This will be another combined DC/Baltimore meeting and will feature a visit from the new Pictage CEO, Jim Collins. We’re excited to have Jim back in town after meeting him in April. We are very excited about some of the changes he has already implemented and the promising developments he has in store for Pictage in the months to come. Come meet Jim and pick his brain, or give him some feedback. I hope to see you all there!
- Geoff

Lightroom for Wedding, Event and Portrait Photographers

2009-05-25T21:11:00.000-07:00

Here's a great opportunity for anyone interested in getting the most out of Lightroom. Hope to see you there!

Click Here to sign up.

Peter Krogh, Lightroom alpha tester, presents a day-long course on getting the most from Lightroom for the wedding, event, and portrait photographer. The program will focus on safe and efficient workflow, including getting the most from the Develop tools, and streamlining your output and integration with services like Pictage. Make your images look great, faster than you ever thought possible.

The course will cover:
• Shooting for Lightroom - how Lightroom should affect the way you shoot
• Catalog set-up and management
• Efficient Download - we'll look at ways to automate the download process using either Lightroom or ImageIngester Pro

Library Workflow
• Tagging and Grouping Images
• Using Smart Collections to control workflow
• Ratings Workflow - how the built-in keyboard shortcuts were designed to be used

Develop Workflow
• Getting Autoblacks during import
• Work -order for the develop tools
• Finding, Installing and Using Presets
• Use HSL controls to control skin tones
• Use of Negative Clarity for skin smoothing
• Use of Sync and Auto-sync to do batch adjustments
• Use of Snapshots
• Use Virtual Copies to get Color and B&W versions of your images
• Local Adjustments

Batch Output
• Export Controls
• Installing and using Export Plug-ins

Archiving
• What to do with the catalogs and images when you're done

Details
Location:
The seminar will be held in Peter Krogh Studio,
3301 Oberon St.
Kensington, MD

Date:
June 16th - 9am through 5pm

Cost:
Individuals $200
Photographer with assistant $350
Lunch (Baja Fresh) provided

Click Here to sign up.

May PUG Update

2009-05-20T13:50:00.000-07:00

I will now be disseminating info in three ways - so I am sure to get everyone's attention. I will be sending out this email following each month's PUG as well as posting the update on our blog: dcpug.blogspot.com, and on our new facebook group page. As soon as dates are announced for upcoming meetings, I will notify everyone, but we've got an exciting summer planned our June meeting featuring Jim Collins, new CEO of Pictage, a summer outing in July, and a visit from Joe Buissink in August.

Thanks to everyone who came out to the May PUG to hear about some of the new product updates from Pictage and the great direction that the company is heading under direction of the new CEO Jim Collins. We also got a chance to hear from our friends at Critical Exposure that some of our photographers have already been volunteering with. From this month's meeting we have decided that Critical Exposure will be our official philanthropic partner.

This means a few things: First, we will be starting our own fundrasing drive to help with the wonderful work that this group does (make a donation here: http://www.criticalexposure.org/support.php).

Second, we will be starting a used digital SLR drive (thank you Nicole Wolf for this great idea) so that the students, who are currently using digital point and shoots, can improve their technique and can better capture images and tell their stories.

Third, we will make announcements about upcoming opportunities for our PUG members to serve as mentors to the young students, training them on the digital SLRs and helping them learn more about photography.

Fourth, this will also provide opportunities for promising students to tag along as assistants to learn more about possible careers in photography.

Here are some links to view some of the work that Critical Exposure has been doing:
From Books to Bottles (focusing on teen pregnancy in Alexandria):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQJJAp8wo2s

Eyes on Education (our Pennsylvania project):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcRWnQZDP8g

In addition, you can search for Critical Exposure on Facebook or go to: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Critical-Exposure/79944774450?ref=mf to see what is going on currently.

Hope to see all of you in June - date to be announced shortly.

Best,
Geoff

I'm back!!.......Again!!

2009-02-27T05:40:00.000-08:00

Ok.....go ahead and say it, I'm a slacker. Its OK...I can take it. Yes, I said that I would be blogging about something every day and NO, I haven't blogged about something every day. But the truth is, I have been really, really busy over the past month. Probably the biggest thing going on is that I have moved myself and my business to Ashburn, VA. Getting settled has taken a while and I've been fighting an awful flu. Also, I quietly rebuilt my website and am getting good feedback on the new design. Feel free to stop by and send me feedback. Anyhow, I'm back and busier than I have been in a while. My calendar is filling up with weddings and engagement sessions and I couldn't be more pleased. OK....I could handle a little more business, but I'm not complaining. With all of the stuff thats happening in my life, I'm feeling truly blessed these days.

February PUG - Dinner Before?

2009-02-06T13:27:00.001-08:00

Hello Folks,
I hope to see you all on Monday at the PUG meeting in the new MBK studio!
I wanted to see who would be up for dinner before hand?
If you are interested, please send me an email - sarah@blinkdc.com

Tentative plans for Monday night are dinner at Red Tomato Cafe 4910 Saint Elmo Ave in Bethesda
at 5:30.
If we get a large number of folks wanting to come to dinner we may need to change locations, but I will keep you all posted.

Thanks so much and hope to see you Monday!

Sarah

January PUG tonight CANCELLED!

2009-01-27T08:11:00.000-08:00

OK, so I just returned from shooting a wedding in Palm Beach, Florida and am greeted with the biggest winter storm of the year! Since it will get worse before it gets better, I have decided to cancel tonight's PUG. I hope this does not inconvenience everyone - I was looking forward to seeing you all and to show off our new studio. We will now have a pre-WPPI PUG on Monday February 9th. Hope you're all staying safe and warm.

Best,

Geoff

January PUG Rescheduled for Tuesday the 27th

2009-01-12T08:37:00.000-08:00

Hello all -

I hope everyone had a great holidays. Ours was busy at Michael Bennett Kress & Associates as we moved to our new location - 7906 Woodmont Avenue - still in Bethesda. While we hoped to be ready today, we're still getting unpacked and settled into our new space. So we have rescheduled for Tuesday, January 27th. I hope this does not inconvenience anyone and hope to see you at the end of the month!

Best,

Geoff

Winter Get Together - Update

2009-01-02T07:56:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a fantastic NYE, and celebrated 2008 going out and 2009 coming in with a bang!

I just wanted to give a quick update for those of you who are interested.
Myself Jess and Shawn will be at the Corcoran Gallery at 10am. The Corcoran opens at 10 and since Shawn is still operating on west coast time, he will be raring to go since he is quite the early riser! :D

We will view the Richard Avedon exhibit and then head to lunch.
I have two places that I love to recommend to "out of towners", Teaism and Ollies Trolly.
We can take a vote as to where we would all like to eat after the exhibit.
I believe we went to Ollie's last time and it was a big hit.

We hope that you can all join us.
If you come late, don't worry, I am sure we will be in the exhibit for at least an hour and a half, maybe more.

Please email me at sarah@blinkdc.com to let us know if you will be joining us.
And on Saturday if you need to reach one of us, you can call my cell 703 851 8463.

Can't wait to see you all!
Sarah, Jess and Shawn

Winter Get Together!

2008-12-30T06:10:00.001-08:00

Hello to All,
I hope you have been having a wonderful holiday!
I wanted to let you know that myself and Jess are planning a
get together for this Saturday January 3rd.

The amazing Shawn Reeder will be in town visiting for the holidays
and we would love to show him a warm DC/NOVA/MD welcome.

Are plans so far include a possible trip to the Corcoran to see the
Richard Avedon exhibit.
We would also like to scout around the city for some shooting/play
time.
We welcome any ideas and of course would
love to see you, for all or just part of the day.

We will list a schedule here and on the Pictage forums when
we have a finalized the plans.
So please send me an email and let me know if you are interested in joining
us. sarah@blinkdc.com

Hope to see you all!
Sarah and Jess

November Meeting Recap - Weathering the Economic Downturn

2008-11-13T13:13:00.000-08:00

We had a great meeting about the state of the event and portrait industry as we weather the economic downturn. I've always felt that professional photography for weddings, events, and portraiture has been a recession-proof industry. People are always getting married and celebrating life events, and new babies are born every day - creating a seeming limitless supply of clientele.

Our conversation centered on marketing and customer service and how the two combined can help your business stand-out amongst the competition all the time. These two become even more important when people are guarding their money more and doing much more due diligence before making their purchasing decisions.

We discussed ways of getting more return on the time and money we invest in marketing, obviously using Pictage helps us generate additional sales, but also helps to get our name and work in front of potential new clients from those events as well. Traditional vehicles like magazine advertising now take a backseat to search engine optimization and good old-fashioned networking with professional organizations. Amie Otto added some great tips on using social networking like Facebook to help get the word out as well.

Look out for info on our December meeting - our social committee is working on a fun get-together!

Best,
Geoff

Michael + Anna Costa

2008-09-17T19:26:00.000-07:00

Big thanks to Michael and Anna Costa for visiting us yesterday on their multi-city PUG tour and to everyone from Baltimore and DC who showed up to hear about standing out in the photography industry. We had a great crowd who thoroughly enjoyed learning some of the strategies that have made this duo an almost overnight success. Stay tuned for info on October's meeting.

--Geoff

PUG Dinner before Michael and Anna Costa

2008-09-15T08:21:00.001-07:00

As many of you already know, Michael + Anna Costa will be joining us for a combined DC/Baltimore PUG on a special night, Tuesday, September 16th. You will hear this dynamic duo discuss "Standing out in the Photography Industry."

I will be setting up a dinner at the Austin Grill before hand should anyone want to join me.
We will be meeting between 5:30-6pm.
Please send me an email at sarah@blinkdc.com if you would like to be added to the reservation list.
Emails must be received by 2pm tomorrow (9-16).

Looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow, and hearing what I am sure will be a sweet presentation from Michael and Anna!

Sarah

Michael + Anna Costa for September 16th Meeting

2008-08-18T11:23:00.000-07:00

Michael + Anna Costa will be joining us for a combined DC/Baltimore PUG on a special night, Tuesday, September 16th. You will hear this dynamic duo discuss "Standing out in the Photography Industry."

In the sea of wedding photographers how can one hope to stand out in the crowd? It seems a daunting task, yet Michael and Anna have managed to catapult their business into the high end in three short years and will be sharing their secrets of success in this information-packed presentation! Be ready to make small changes in your business that result in big rewards by learning how to:
• Get noticed through your amazing artwork
• Shoot BOTH digital and film/create an edge
• Hire associate photographers to increase revenue
• Create Branding that puts you at the top
• Outsource the things that are weighing you down
• Become a champion sales person
• Don't "Run" your business "Build" it!

This presentation is perfect for photographers wanting to get their business onto the fast track and achieve a new level of success!

Michael + Anna Costa
Michael and Anna Costa have been recognized by some of the most prestigious companies and publications in the photography industry and will be seen in the fall of 2008 on the We Network TV show "Platinum Weddings." Michael and Anna are honored to actively speak at international conventions - previously at Pictage Partner-Con 2006-7 in Chicago & Los Angeles, in 2008 as Platform presenters sponsored by Fujifilm for Wedding & Portrait Photographers International in Las Vegas and have been invited to be presenters in January of 2009 for Professional Photographers of America.

"Whats the Big Deal with Wedding Photography Anyway?"

2008-08-18T10:31:00.000-07:00

Ok folks...Time for the teacher in me to come out. With the economy in the state that it is now, wedding clients are becoming more aware of what they are spending on that special day. While this is normal and I would be the same way if I where going through this process, some folks are questioning the value of the photography itself. So, after hearing this a few times recently, I have some thoughts that might help other photographers and brides.

When you think about the expense of a wedding, it can get rather overwhelming and you start to weigh out what is most important to you when you choose vendors. Here is something to think about; when your wedding is over and you have gotten back to your routine, what elements from your special day will remain with you for the rest of your life? The food and the beverage will be gone and forgotten, the flowers will be gone, the music won't be playing any more and your friends will have gotten back to their routines as well. The only elements that will remain is your wedding dress and the memories that your photographer had captured. Now I'm not saying that those other things aren't important. They help make your day fun and enjoyable! But they don't last any longer than a day. The memories from that day are the only thing that will last forever. Just some food for thought...

August Meeting Follow-up

2008-08-14T13:24:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who joined us for this month's meeting. We look forward to hearing more of your experiences with the new Canvas prints from Simply Canvas and Pictage. Stay tuned for more exciting developments.

Special thanks to Adam Levner of Critical Exposure who shared with us the great work that they are doing combining the power of documentary photography and youth voice to strengthen campaigns and organizations working to secure a quality education for all children.

Here's a link to the show we saw of students' photos, writing and statistics from the project in PA: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcRWnQZDP8g

For more, here is Link to student-created video from a teen pregnancy prevention project in Alexandria, VA: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc7GQqOi62Q

You can contact Adam directly at:
Adam Levner
Critical Exposure
1816 12th St. NW, 3rd Floor
Washington, DC 20009
202-745-3745 x19
www.criticalexposure.org
alevner@yahoo.com

Look for September meeting preview shortly.

Geoff

Picnic Success

2008-07-28T11:22:00.000-07:00

Despite the rain and crazy location of Fletcher's boat house, the DC PUG picnic was a success.
Thank you to everyone who braved the rain to join us!

We look forward to seeing you all at the next PUG in August.
For some fun photos check out Armin's blog .

PUG Picnic!

2008-07-09T07:53:00.000-07:00

Hello All You DC Puggers,

Are you ready for a good old fashion BBQ?

We have thought long and hard about how to make our first annual DC PUG picnic a memorable one... and while we are still figuring out just how to do that, we would love to know if you are able to join us or not.

We can promise lively conversation (we may even talk about stuff other than photography), good food, kid and grown-up friendly out door games and much more.We hope you can join us in creating some DC Pugradery! :D

This will be a pot luck picnic so please check the list on Evite to see what you can bring. Here is your chance to show off the fact that you are more than just masters at photography! We may even have a prize for the most creative/tasty side dish.

If you have any questions you can contact us via email or phone.

Sarah - 703 851 8463 sarah@blinkdc.com
Jess - 202 744 3746 jessica@jessicadelvecchio.com

We will be updating the Evite shortly with a location site so stay tuned! Please RSVP and let us know you are coming!

GigBooks coming to our June PUG

2008-06-09T07:10:00.000-07:00

At our June meeting, next Monday, June 16th at 7:00pm, we will be discussing some marketing ideas that really work and we will be joined by Justin Kifer of GigBooks, an online business management system for photographers. Also, Rob Holley will be in the studio spotlight.

Hope to see you there.

Geoff

Couture Books coming to Bethesda 6/13

2008-06-05T20:01:00.000-07:00

Friday, June 13th from 1:00pm - 4:00pm, our friend and former Pictage Pro Consultant, Dave Luebke, now of Couture Book (http://www.couturebook.com) will be in our studio showing these amazing products. For those of you who missed these books @ WPPI, they're probably the hottest new books out there - so stop by and check 'em out.

We look forward to seeing you next friday.

pDNA - See what you're made of!

2008-05-13T20:57:00.000-07:00

As mentioned last night's PUG meeting, Dane Sanders - Pictage Evangelist, Community Leader, Founder of Fast Track Photographer - has offered us a 15% discount on the pDNA.

What is the pDNA you ask? Great question!

The pDNA is a personality profile assessment built uniquely for photographers to both identify your unique strengths as well as to offer a custom prescription on how to best leverage your DNA as a photographer ... to build a killer business around your best resource ... you!

Imagine someone asking you some questions and a few moments later getting a totally tricked out report detailing what only you do best ...
Then, imagine if it went one step further and also gave you a list of super practical "to do's" to totally take your business to the next level ...
Finally, imagine the power of a small community doing this and being able to help each other really make their mark together!

That's the kind of edge the pDNA offers to both the newer photographer as well as the established pro looking to take their success story even further. What's so cool is Pictage has endorsed this program so that you get an exclusive PUG benefit! Let me explain ...

The pDNA normally costs $20. With our exclusive Affiliate Code you will get an automatic 15% discount ($3 off).

go to: https://fasttrackphotographer.com/buy/pdna/dc

And you'll automatically receive the discount at checkout. Isn't it worth $17 to help understand some fundamental issues central to your business?

I'm about to do it myself and I'll update you all at next month's meeting.

Geoff

May Pug

2008-05-13T06:39:00.001-07:00

First, another big thanks to Robert T. Williams for visiting the April PUG combined with the Baltimore group. We had a strong showing of over 40 photographers - you can see some great pics on the Love Life Images blog.

Last night the crummy weather could not hold back a great crowd who came to learn a little more about finding their target market and how they should be establishing their pricing. Most of the information I presented comes from our friends at photo lovecat who really have some great information on their blog for fellow photographers.

Click on the marketing link to find both the formulas for pricing your products and services, as well as the why questions you should be asking yourself to help shape your business.

Thanks also to M.J. Love of Studio of Love for sharing some of his work and showing us his new Justin and Mary Marantz-inspired "close box" with gifts for the bride and groom to be.

Don't forget the Professional Photographer Magazine Cover photo contest - go to ppmag.com. It's free and you can enter as many times as you want.

See you next month for an exciting meeting - details to come.

Geoff

April PUG Meeting Update

2008-04-14T08:02:00.001-07:00

To those of you that will be meeting up at MBK studio right before heading up to see Robert T. Williams this is our plan....

We will meet at MBK at 5pm which will get us up to Love Life by 6pm at the latest, which will give us the opportunity to hang with some of the Baltimore PUGgers for happy hour.

There are two places that might work for longer term parking:
1. There is a paying lot across from MBK that closes by 11pm (which of course we will be back in time for) and 2. Geoff was saying that on the East side from Wisconsin there is a big public parking lot that is for the Bethesda Farmers' Market that might be an option.

Hope to see you all tonight.
If you have any questions feel free to give me a call or email.
Thanks!
Sarah

sarah@blinkdc.com
703 851 8463

Party "bus" to see Robert T. Williams

2008-04-10T08:46:00.000-07:00

Monday as most of you know is our trip up to Baltimore to see Robert T. Williams, and I wanted to check in once more to see who will be wanting to car pool from MBK (party bus style) up to Baltimore?

I have 6 people so far who are game for the bus. Is there anyone else who would like to join us?
If so, please email me ASAP (before Friday April 11th) to let me know if you are in.
sarah@blinkdc.com

Thanks, and see you all Monday!

Robert T. Williams confirmed for April PUG

2008-04-05T11:35:00.000-07:00

Robert T. Williams is on for the April Pug, to be held next monday April 14th at 7:00pm. For those who do not know Robert, He is not only an accomplished photographer with a great success story, but also a great guy. He'll be talking about pricing, finding what is right for you and your business, and improving your client presentations. Robert has been a featured speaker at Pictage PartnerCon and WPPI as well as others. This will be another combined DC/Balto PUG and will be hosted by Jennifer Domenick and Mary Gardella of Love Life Images.

We may not have enough budget for a true party bus - but I would encourage everyone to be green and carpool. At least some people can party that way...

Address:
8600 Foundry St. Suite 217C
Savage, MD 20763

Here are directions:

From 95 North or South:

Take Exit 38, Rt 32 East toward Fort Meade
Exit at Rt. 1 South
Turn right at light at end of ramp
Go through 1 light
Turn right on Gorman Road
Go about 1/2 mile
Turn right on Foundry St.
Pass red railroad bridge
Pass building with Savage Mill sign and turn left immediately after the sign
Park in lot near Ram's Head Tavern, overflow parking is in a larger lot at the top of the hill (follow signs)
Once you are in the building, look for signs posted in the building pointing you toward the studio. It's an old mill and the signs are not well marked. Go towards the Spinning Building. We are right near the Paymaster's Office, the Red Door Studio, and Madeline Metz Studios. Feel free to call if you are lost. 410-491-5433.

March Recap and WPPI Product links

2008-03-26T18:46:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone for the great turnout for the March PUG meeting and judging by the response so far in the dc pug blogosphere sounds like everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Kudos to Sarah "Social Committee" Hodzic for sharing with us her struggles and recent successes in building her photographic career. Loved the video!

I also want to give a shout-out to my March birthday mate, Jess and thank Armin, Jenn, Sarah, Paul and Ralph for a great pre-PUG dinner.

In case you weren't taking notes, here are links to the best stuff I found @ WPPI:
Pictage Art Books - best new product (not just cause they told me to say so.)
www.Couturebooks.com - Amazing hand-made art books
www.liveretouch.com - 24hr turnaround at competitive rates
www.finaoonline.com - awesome albums to rival other leather album makers
www.digineg.com - film archiving of digital images. confused? learn more here
www.waxworksphoto.com - unique creative artwork from your images

Thanks and look for an announcement shortly about the April PUG meeting.

- Geoff

Rock Star Road Trip Dinner

2008-03-25T13:14:00.000-07:00

The Rock Star Road Trip post workshop dinner, drinks and festivities will be taking place at...

Bailey's Pub and Grille

2010-A Crystal Dr., Arlington, VA 22202

703-416-0452

We will gather as a group, form a line and hold hands as we walk down the block the the restaurant. :)

Please do drop me or Jess and email to let us know if you will be joining us!
Thanks!
See you all on the 31st.

Great March PUG Meeting!

2008-03-24T21:37:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who came out for the March PUG meeting. It was great to see everyone and be able to share our excitement and enthusiasum from our WPPI high.
And a big thank you to everyone who stayed to listen to my Studio Spot Light chat.
It was great to share a bit of my story with so many amazing photographers!

Just wanted to let you all know that Jess and I are working on finding a place for the post Rock Star Road Trip workshop lets see if we can get Amber to pass out festivities! :)
Ok, well we really don't want Amber to pass out, but she did put forth a pretty great drinking challenge...
We would love all of you who are going to be at the workshop to join us afterwards for drinks and general merriment.

We will post the details on the DC PUG Blog very soon.
Stay tuned.

And in the mean time... you can enjoy these lovely photos of Jess, Geoff and I in Vegas.
Photos taken by the fabulous Justin Marantz.

WPPI Recap + Celebrating Geoff and Jess's birthdays!

2008-03-22T22:35:00.000-07:00

What a time we all had at WPPI!
I can't wait for our meeting on Monday, there is so much to share.
Not to mention the fact that we have at least 2 March birthday's to celebrate.
Geoff's birthday was on the 20th and Jess's birthday is actually on Monday!

We will be getting together Monday the 24th at Cafe Deluxe to celebrate our March babies.
5:30pm sharp, be there or be square.
And please do let us know if you will be coming so we know how many people to make a reservation for. :)

Can't wait to see you all on Monday!

Photo Nights for Charity Lecture Series

2008-03-21T20:44:00.000-07:00

Jennifer Domenick and Mary Gardella of Love Life Images have started a lecture series that they host at their studio in Savage, Maryland. The Photo Nights for Charity Lecture Series kicks off on April 9th with Rita and Joel Wiebner - check it out!

- Geoff

See you Monday for Vegas recap

2008-03-21T20:23:00.000-07:00

What a whirlwind trip to Las Vegas for WPPI this week. Michael and I enjoyed every minute of the seminars and fun events, including two events hosted by Pictage. It was great to see so many familiar faces from the area!

So many amazing photographers, such great seminars, and cool new products. My head is still spinning. We'll have a complete wrap-up at Monday's meeting including: lessons learned, exciting new offerings, and news about upcoming events for the pug.

- Geoff

For Future Reference

2008-03-10T07:22:00.001-07:00

We have received a number of inquiries about bringing guests to the meetings. I want everyone to know that this should be encouraged so we can expand the community. We will continue to focus on finding good information to help you run your business and the ways that Pictage can be your partner in those efforts. Everyone is welcome.

-Geoff

Our largest PUG ever!

2008-02-19T21:09:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone from DC and Baltimore for coming down to make this month our largest attended meeting ever! We had photographers from DC, MD and VA to hear Justin and Mary Marantz share their success story and practical strategies for taking control of your business and exceeding client expectations.

The group was eager to hear some of the brilliant marketing strategies that have helped these newlyweds create buzz and turn clients and other photographers into great friends and referral sources. It's always nice to hear a fresh perspective and the passion that these two exude is inspiring.

We'll be following up this visit with a discussion on the secret formula for pricing at next month's PUG meeting on Monday, March 24th following WPPI. Hope to see you there.

- Geoff

February PUG New Date

2008-01-28T06:17:00.000-08:00

Monday, February 18, 2008, 7pm

We've changed the date of February's PUG meeting to the 18th in order to accomodate special guests Justin and Mary Marantz who are currently on a PUG tour discussing "loyalty beyond reason," as well as turning clients and competition into friends. They'll share the secret behind their success and talk through their entire wedding client interaction process from initial consultations through and after the wedding.

Here's a post from their blog about their PUG tour (We weren't part of the original plan until Jessica Del Vecchio connected with them. Thanks, Jess!): http://justinmarantz.blogspot.com/2008/01/kickin-off-tour.html

We look forward to seeing everyone. Please RSVP at the PUG Homepage so we can accommodate - this is sure to be a packed house.

Thanks,
Geoff

Upcoming Photography Industry Events

2008-01-22T20:07:00.000-08:00

I thought I would post a list of all the upcoming events I mentioned at January's meeting and a few more that I have come across. Some of these events are specific and some more general, but take a good look to see if any of these may be right for you. We can always find ways to learn more and be better photographers, so check it out:

Maryland Professional Photographers Association Annual Convention
January 25th-28th, Sheraton Columbia - Columbia, MD

Four days of competitions and educational seminars. Guest speakers Hanson Fong, Mark Campbell, Mary Fisk-Taylor and Jamie Hayes.

Bruce Hudson's New Directions Reality Check Tour
January 27th, 2-7pm Hilton Garden Inn - Greenbelt, MD

Powerful strategies to thrive and NOT just survive in this ever changing market place. Covers a lot of ground including how to separate yourself from the competition.

Bob Davis and Mike Colon - Master Your Craft Tour
February 8th, 9am - 6pm BWI Marriott - Baltimore, MD

Intense one-day workshop covering everything from camera settings, workflow, and marketing.

The Modern Portrait - portraitseminar.com
February 23rd-24th at the Fairfax Marriott at Fair Oaks in Fairfax, Virginia.

Our friend Justine Ungaro and her mother Diana Adams created this seminar to help photographers make more money from their portrait work. Some of the topics they will cover:

- Branding & marketing

- Finding the right clients

- Products & pricing

- Consultations & pre-selling

- Selling with projection

- Getting referrals & repeat clients

WPPI - Wedding and Portrait Photographers International
March 13th - 19th at Bally's Las Vegas

The best convention and tradeshow for wedding and portrait photographers. be inspired by amazing speakers and see all the latest and greatest products.

Ed Pierce - Captivated by the Light Tour
April 30th, May 1st, May 4th

Lighting, workflow and marketing for a full day seminar and a mini tradeshow. Offered over three days in Baltimore and DC.

Sandy "Sam" Puc, Bellies & Babies Tour
May 30th, 5-11pm

Marketing, shooting and selling pregnancy and baby portraiture.

January PUG Meeting

2008-01-15T12:48:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who came out last night and contributed to a great evening. I hope you will all be scheduling your events on pictage well in advance to capture pre-registration from clients and generate excitement about each event - even before the photos are online.

As we discussed our goals for 2008, a recurring theme was marketing. Obviously this pre-registration is a great way to market your services to the clients, but in order to obtain consistent referrals, you must be marketing to an even wider audience. A great web site is a start, and two companies can help you do that inexpensively: BluDomain and BigFolio.

Another great tactic is to put your images into the hands of the people who refer you. Try a CD with images, or a great little 7x7 willow book showcasing your work. We'll have more tips as we go through the year and hope that every little bit helps you build your business in '08.

Please join us for our next meeting, Monday February 18 @ 7pm.

Thanks,
Geoff

Update to our Photographer Fun Day

2007-12-12T07:25:00.000-08:00

Hello Again,
Jess and I have finally decided on places for breakfast and lunch for our day of fun in the DC area.
If you haven't already sent me your email address to put on the evite list please do. You can send me an email at sehodzic@gmail.com

Here is the updated schedule with eating locations.
:D

9:30am - Meet for breakfast at Teaism on Connecticut Ave.
11:00am - Ansel Adams/Annie Liebowitz exhibit at the Corcoran Gallery of Art (see details below re: purchasing your ticket) Some shooting time here if you want - no flash photography and nothing in the special AA/AL exhibit, but there are some cool nooks there!
1:00pm - Lunch at Olle's Trolly
2:30pm - Shoot Around Town - bring your cameras! We'll be right downtown, so lots of opportunities to be tourists or just "shoot" each other!
4:30pm - Rock Climbing at Sport Rock in Alexandria VA - if people are interested we can get a group beginner class scheduled.
Followed by Dinner/Drinks if people are interested in hanging out more!

If you are interested in going to the Corcoran exhibits, the tickets are $14 each and can be purchased here. Select 11am entry time. There are plenty of tickets available as of now. I checked and they do not have a group discount, so the easiest seems for everyone to purchase their own tickets.

We are super excited!! Hope you are too! :D

PUG Holiday Party!

2007-12-11T22:41:00.000-08:00

Ok so it's that holiday time of the year, and our PUG holiday party is next week people...bring your party hats! This won't be like all of our other meetings - we're throwing the agenda out the window and spreading some holiday cheer with great food and beverage compliments of our friends at Pictage. We're encouraging you to bring in another photographer friend in the spirit of growing the group. Celebrate a great year and meet some new photographers! Please RSVP so we can get an accurate count.

Monday, December 17, 2007
7:00pm
MBK & Associates
4710 Bethesda Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814

View Larger Map

Hope you can all make it.

Geoff Chesman

Mike Colon workshop in February

2007-12-11T22:22:00.000-08:00

I know a couple of people have already emailed this out, but here it is for reference:

Master Your Craft Tour - Baltimore, Maryland

Sponsors:		Apple, Epson, GraphiStudio, Calumet, WestCott, liveBooks

Description:		Join Mike Colón and Bob Davis in this intense one-day workshop covering everything including: camera settings, creative lighting techniques, efficient workflow for high volume shooters, high quality printing, marketing techniques, and detailed explanations of Mike and Bob's most successful images. You will leave this workshop with a new passion and a ton of new information that will change the way you run your business forever. Seating is limited and this tour WILL sell out!

Fees:		$199.00

Date:		02/08/08

Time:		9:00am-6:00pm

Location:		Marriott Baltimore/ Washington Intl: (800) 228-9290 1743 West Nursery Rd Baltimore, MD 21240 view map

Click here to go to the oficial site

November Wrap, Holiday Preview

2007-11-30T09:39:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who came out to the November meeting, and thanks to Michael for running the show. I was totally under the weather and couldn't be there but I heard that everyone was impressed with the new Willow Book sign-in books and in the Studio Spotlight, Renee Cobb showed some great work.

Everyone was very helpful in providing feedback for future meeting topics and I am predicting a strong 2008 slate full of information to help everyone enjoy their photography and run a better photography business.

Our December meeting will be on Monday, December 17th at 7:00pm and will be a much less formal gathering. As it is close to the holidays, this will serve as our non-denominational holiday party. You are all welcome to join and encouraged to bring non-Pictage photographers as well. We'll have food and fun beverages (the alcoholic type) and a relaxed environment to get to know each other in a more social setting. There will be no Pictage program, no local agenda and no studio spotlight. Just a bunch of fun photographers hanging out and reflecting on the year that was. Click here to rsvp so we can plan for the proper number of party-goers!

See you all soon,
Geoff

DC Shoot Night - Thank you!

2007-11-16T11:13:00.001-08:00

A big thank you to everyone who came out this past Wednesday!
It was a lot of fun to all get together and learn, play and shoot with such a great group of people.

I have started a thread on the Pictage forum to share some of our favorite images from the night.
Link to post.

I hope to see everyone this coming Monday at the PUG meeting!

Sarah

Scott Kelby CS3 Workshop at the Convention Center. Don't Miss it!

2007-11-09T06:37:00.000-08:00

Hello Fellow PUGS,

Garrett from our PUG meetings asked if I would post this info for everyone.

If you haven't been to a Scott Kelby workshop I HIGHLY recommend it. One of the best things about his workshop (IMO) is the fact that you don't have to take notes! Scott always has his entire seminar/notes written out for you in a easy to navigate work book.

I myself and a highly visual person, so being able to see and then DO, is key for me.

Thanks Garrett for the heads up on the workshop.
Looking forward to seeing everyone for the Night Shoot on the 14th! :D

Sarah

by Scott Kelby

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Washington DC Convention Center
Room: Ballroom A-B
801 Mount Vernon Place NW
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: (202) 249-3000

Photoshop CS3 Power Tour

Shock yourself and amaze your clients after you amplify the voltage of your work with these high-powered, hair-raising techniques for Photoshop CS3! This one-day seminar, created by #1 best-selling computer book author Scott Kelby, will charge up your creative batteries and turn you into a Photoshop dynamo. Boost your already impressive Photoshop skills with awe-generating effects used by today's industry pros.

Class Schedule

Digital Photo Correction Secrets

10:00 to 11:00 A.M.
Enlightening examples of how leading professionals manage and prepare digital photos, and the step-by-step process for getting what you see on screen to reproduce in prints. Discover how today's experts color correct their images, when to shoot in Raw (and when you should not), the latest cutting-edge sharpening secrets, and how to get perfect flesh tones every time!

Photoshop "Photo-Finishing" Techniques

11:15 A.M. to 12:15 P.M.
Go light years beyond simple color correction to a totally new way to tone your images, adding spine-tingling vitality to every photo you edit. Learn the tricks you see in magazines and brochures to make images "pop," all without using Levels or Curves (you'll be amazed once you fi nd out how it's all done). These techniques will forever change the way you work with Photoshop.

LUNCH BREAK
12:15 to 1:15 P.M.

Yet Even More Down & Dirty Tricks

1:15 to 2:30 P.M.
Witness the quick and easy way to create the latest jawdropping Photoshop special effects-the same ones you see today on TV, in print, and on the Web. You'll learn how to "fake it" in Photoshop, how to recreate popular photographic effects and lighting tricks that save you time and money, plus loads of cool effects that look hard, but are easy once you know the secrets.

Photoshop Speed Clinic

2:45 to 3:45 P.M.
Get your workflow going like greased lightning with Photoshop's built-in automation tools. We'll show you actions that take your productivity through the roof; how to use Batching to speed everyday tasks; the secret to making the Bridge work in the background, and lots of other secrets that pros use to get twice the work done in half the time.

How to Show Your Work Like a Pro

4:00 to 5:00 P.M.
Deft presenters know that dazzling your clients is critical, so we'll teach you the latest layout techniques to really knock their socks off . You'll learn how to set your work apart from the crowd with digital framing techniques, how to add excitement and interest when showing your images, simple filter effects, plus a look at how pros create stunning layouts from within Photoshop.

DC Night Shoot - UPDATE

2007-10-31T07:50:00.000-07:00

Ok, shoot night update.....

Jess and I decided the 14th of November would work out well.

And my thought was to all meet at the Washington Cathedral around 4pm.
If we meet at 4pm we can get some cool dusk shots as Jess pointed out... which would be awesome.
We can then shoot around that area for a while, and go where ever our cameras and our photographer's eye lead us.

After a few hours of shooting we can head over to one of the great restaurants for some much needed grub. Shooting always works up my appetite!
My vote if for Two Amys - the best freaking little authentic Neapolitan pizza joint around! Mmmmm

Post and let me know what time you think you will be at the Cathedral.

Can't wait to see you all!

DC Night Shoot

2007-10-25T12:58:00.001-07:00

So, Jess and I were once again brainstorming on how to get more shooting time in that wasn't "work" related.

I really took to heart what Mike Larson was saying when he made the point of "How many hours do you shoot a week?" "If is less than five that's nowhere near enough."

I don't know about you but I need to be shooting more, and not just more weddings, but really I want to be shooting more for fun, for art, and for expanding my creativity!

I would love for a group of us to get together one week day have some dinner then head out into DC for some fun night photography!!
Then maybe hit Starbucks for a warm cider or hot chocolate afterwards.

If you are game let me us know and we'll pick a time, date and place.
Hope to hear from ya!
Sarah!

Winter Photog Fun Day!!

2007-10-18T16:15:00.000-07:00

Sarah and I have been brainstorming and came up with a couple ideas for the day. First off, it seems the best day based on the earlier thread is Thursday, December 20.

Here is the preliminary plan:

9:30am - meet for breakfast (place TBD)
11:00am - Ansel Adams/Annie Liebowitz exhibit at the Corcoran Gallery of Art (see details below re: purchasing your ticket) Some shooting time here if you want - no flash photography and nothing in the special AA/AL exhibit, but there are some cool nooks there!
1:00pm - Lunch (place TBD)
2:30pm - Shoot Around Town - bring your cameras! We'll be right downtown, so lots of opportunities to be tourists or just "shoot" each other!
4:30pm - Rock Climbing at Sport Rock in Alexandria VA - if people are interested we can get a group beginner class scheduled.
Followed by Dinner/Drinks if people are interested in hanging out more!

If you are interested in going to the Corcoran exhibits, the tickets are $14 each and can be purchased here. Select 11am entry time. There are plenty of tickets available as of now. I checked and they do not have a group discount, so the easiest seems for everyone to purchase their own tickets.

I'll cross post this on the DC and Baltimore PUG sections, as well as the DC PUG blog.

Please post here and let us know if you plan to come and for what parts. And of course, everyone from everywhere is invited to attend! If you can make it to DC - you are in!

I'm excited!! Hope you are too! :D

Upcoming Events

2007-10-17T21:15:00.000-07:00

I won't be able to make it up to Photo Plus this year due to some last-minute corporate events, but I hope someone, or many someones can help share all there is to see and do in NYC. Anyone going to Photo Plus?

Also, coming on Monday October 22nd is the Clay and Jane "Capture & Creativity" seminar in Virginia at the Marriott in Tyson's Corner from 6-10pm. This looks like a fast-paced 4 hours of photographic knowledge. We know and love Clay and I know first-hand how great of a teacher he can be. They've got a ton of sponsors and there's even a mini-tradeshow.

Our next PUG meeting will be Monday, November 19th at 7:00pm. Stay tuned for details...

October Meeting wrap-up

2007-10-17T11:25:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone from DC, Baltimore and Virginia for making this month's meeting such a huge success. We had over 40 people in our studio to see and hear from Mike Larson who was great in sharing his work and ideas on the business of photography. I think Mike gave us some good things to think about when planning for the future of our businesses. Thanks to Pam long of Pam Long Photography for bringing her camera (a true professional) and getting some great shots of Mike interacting with the group.

Pre-PUG Dinner - Oct. 15

2007-10-03T09:44:00.001-07:00

Sarah and I thought it would be fun to meet up for dinner before our 10/15 meeting. Join us at Levante's at 5:30!

Please let us know if you are coming by posting a response on the thread on the Pictage Forum here.

Also, while you are on the Forum, check out our DC/MD/VA Photog Fun Day planned for December. Hope you can join us!

October meeting preview

2007-09-27T14:35:00.001-07:00

Exciting times for the DC PUG! October's meeting (Monday, October 15 @ 7:00pm) will be a combined DC/Baltimore PUG meeting featuring a visit from Mike Larson - an internationally acclaimed and published photographer who does amazing work. Here is a preview of his presentation:

Do not let your business be your life, but let your business support your lifestyle. At some point, as a business owner you must choose what you can and cannot do. One thing you cannot do is everything… especially as your business grows.

Whether you desire volume, profit or more freedom, Pictage offers the online tools and resources to save you HUGE amounts of time. As a result, you can be more efficient, and have more time to develop relationships with your clients and other colleagues in the industry. This also allows you to provide more value to your clients through the innovative product offerings and options that Pictage provides.

Dream of your future goals, and free-up time to spend developing them—rather than developing 4×6 print orders in the digital darkroom. You’ll have a higher profit in the long run if you invest in yourself by focusing on exactly what you’re good at, and “right-sourcing” the rest. With the time you save, you’ll have a whole lot left over to give to everyone else, especially your family.

Sound interesting? yeah, thought so...so sign up today to reserve your seat!

September meeting

2007-09-26T20:19:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who came out for the September meeting where we got a chance to review the new Pictage user experience. I think we were all pleased that they've listened to some of our comments and suggestions and the ultimate result is a better experience for all of our clients. Thanks also to Kevin Kennedy for sharing his work in the studio spotlight.

I hope everyone likes the new blog - I thought it was time we had a space for everyone to share. I welcome any and all feedback on the blog as well as upcoming topics for the meetings. I know it is going to be a busy fall and holiday season but I hope that we can all find the time to continue getting together to share each month.

Next month's meeting is Monday, October 15th at 7:00pm. Please RSVP so we can buy some snacks.

DC PUG Blog

June PUG Meeting Details

Please take our PUG survey!

Dane Sanders at next PUG Meeting - Balto/DC Combine Meeting!

Jim Collins at Jan PUG - Dinner before at Rock Bottom Brewery

January PUG - Pictage CEO Jim Collins returns

Justin and Mary's STL tour is only days away!

Justin and Mary in DC Jan 7th - Spread The Love Tour

Winter GTG - Dec 18th!

November PUG Meeting - Gary Fong

Fabulous Fall PUG - Monday October 19th

Joe Buissink coming to town

New Picnic Details Announced!!

SAVE THE DATE! DC PUG BBQ ~~ July 19, 2009

June PUG - New CEO Jim Collins is Coming!

Lightroom for Wedding, Event and Portrait Photographers

May PUG Update

I'm back!!.......Again!!

February PUG - Dinner Before?

January PUG tonight CANCELLED!

January PUG Rescheduled for Tuesday the 27th

Winter Get Together - Update

Winter Get Together!

November Meeting Recap - Weathering the Economic Downturn

Michael + Anna Costa

PUG Dinner before Michael and Anna Costa

Michael + Anna Costa for September 16th Meeting

"Whats the Big Deal with Wedding Photography Anyway?"

August Meeting Follow-up

Picnic Success

PUG Picnic!

GigBooks coming to our June PUG

Couture Books coming to Bethesda 6/13

pDNA - See what you're made of!

May Pug

April PUG Meeting Update

Party "bus" to see Robert T. Williams

Robert T. Williams confirmed for April PUG

March Recap and WPPI Product links

Rock Star Road Trip Dinner

Bailey's Pub and Grille

Great March PUG Meeting!

WPPI Recap + Celebrating Geoff and Jess's birthdays!

Photo Nights for Charity Lecture Series

See you Monday for Vegas recap

For Future Reference

Our largest PUG ever!

February PUG *New Date*

Upcoming Photography Industry Events

January PUG Meeting

Update to our Photographer Fun Day

PUG Holiday Party!

Mike Colon workshop in February

November Wrap, Holiday Preview

DC Shoot Night - Thank you!

Scott Kelby CS3 Workshop at the Convention Center. Don't Miss it!

Hello Fellow PUGS,

Garrett from our PUG meetings asked if I would post this info for everyone.

If you haven't been to a Scott Kelby workshop I HIGHLY recommend it. One of the best things about his workshop (IMO) is the fact that you don't have to take notes! Scott always has his entire seminar/notes written out for you in a easy to navigate work book.

by Scott Kelby

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Photoshop CS3 Power Tour

Class Schedule

Digital Photo Correction Secrets

Photoshop "Photo-Finishing" Techniques

LUNCH BREAK 12:15 to 1:15 P.M.

Yet Even More Down & Dirty Tricks

Photoshop Speed Clinic

How to Show Your Work Like a Pro

DC Night Shoot - UPDATE

DC Night Shoot

Winter Photog Fun Day!!

Upcoming Events

October Meeting wrap-up

Pre-PUG Dinner - Oct. 15

October meeting preview

September meeting

February PUG New Date

LUNCH BREAK
12:15 to 1:15 P.M.