MorePhotos is back from the recent trade show season and we wanted to give an update on how it went! Even though there are shows held all year long, the ones we will touch on today are the major shows held at the beginning of the year
The first major show of the year was PPA Imaging held in Nashville February 1st-3rd. Nashville was a great place to hold the show, and the main reason I’m saying this is because the attendance was great! It turned out to be one of the best shows we have had for at least three years.
With the great turnout and amazing energy in the air, the photographers were eager to learn and seemed very excited about the coming year. The Photography business needed this show and many more like it to keep this industry alive! The negative I felt was the PPA staff seemed not helpful and unavailable. I hope they will clean up the staff situation and keep the momentum going into next year, when Imaging will be held in Atlanta January 10th-12th 2016. If you could only do one show this would be at the top of the list, with WPPI a very close second.
With all said, if you do not belong to your local PPA, DO IT NOW! No reason not to and hundreds of reasons to join!
WPPI was the second big show of the year in Las Vegas March 2nd- 4th. This was one of the best organized shows we have been to in a long time, plus they made everyone feel welcome! (Watch out PPA) The turnout was a little less than last year, though over all it was also a great show. Having a trade show in Las Vegas is always a good time, with lots of things to do and see, plus you can write it off! There were a lot of good speakers just like PPA, though WPPI puts the fun factor in. Why not take advantage of this, learn the latest techniques and get away for a few days! With the upbeat and welcoming atmosphere at this show it will only get bigger and better. We are most definitely looking forward to WPPI next year.
MorePhotos attended close to 20 regional shows from coast to coast since the first of the year. And I have to give a shout out to the Ohio PPA chapter, they are one of the most organized state groups in the country and they are growing! I will never understand why every photographer does not join their state group – This is a very BAD trend, and if it does not start to move the other way – there will be no Pro in Professional Photography. Yes these organizations can do better and be more appealing to photographers, so I challenge you to join yours and help make the changes. And because this is so important, I want to say once again, if photographers do not support their profession it will become obsolete! Look into your local PPA chapter soon and give them a try.
