SPPA Meeting

[Brandon]

Seattle Professional Photographers Association

Monthly Meeting.

http://www.thinksppa.com

[Scott Aitken]

I have never bothered to join any of the professional photographer associations. I've never really been convinced that the membership dues buy you anything of value. But I confess I've never really looked into it all that seriously either.

What do you get out of membership? Is it worth the dues? Is one group any better than another (there seem to be a few different associations around)? Or do they serve different purposes?

[Lamblight]

Scott,
I think that is a really good question. The Seattle Professional Photographer Association, is part of the big Professional Photographers of America.

Here is what SPPA says its benefits are (go to 'membership', and then to 'Why Join SPPA?' button):
http://www.thinksppa.com/

Here is what PPA says its benefits are:
http://www.ppa.com/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=69

My husband is part of the SPPA, but I am not right now (I am too busy with my "mom of three small kids association"). When I lived in Texas, I was a part of the TPPA (Texas Professional Photographers Association), and I went to some of the monthly meeting there, as well as other events. The big benefits to joining one of these that I see are:

1) The chance to have letters added to your name. There are print competitions through the PPA that give you a chance to earn merits. Obtain enough merits, and you can receive a Master of Photography degree (and other fun sounding degrees, too).

2) Getting new creative ideas to help build your business from the monthly speaker. The SPPA has a featured speaker every month. Now, just because someone is a great photographer does not make them a great speaker! If there is a lame speaker, then you have to sit though a painful hour of lecture... But, if you can glean one money making idea off of the event, that may be worth it.

If you want to check out SPPA, I think you can go to the monthly meeting without being a member.


Lamblight