Photos courtesy PhotoPlus Expo
This year's PhotoPlus Expo Conference features a rock-star lineup of commercial and editorial photographers, art buyers and photo editors. As always, there are lots of classes and panel discussions to choose from.
Here are my top picks for those looking to advance their commercial or editorial business:
Wednesday
Get Better Clients Bootcamp Intensive
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
A lot of marketing discussions focus on the core pillars of print promotions, meetings and email marketing. This all-day intensive covers those but also dives into the territories of content marketing, thought leadership, and how to get PR and media attention.
Thursday
Talent Only Gets You so Far: Learning the Business of Photography
8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
The high-energy enthusiasm that Monte Isom brings to his work photographing athletes and movie posters will surely be an asset during this talk. Isom plans to dish out lots of real-world advice, covering everything from targeting the right clients to taxes.
Building an Audience in the Age of Distraction
10:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Photoshelter CRE Andrew Fingerman knows what it takes to rise above the chatter and online distractions that photographers face every day. Many photographers rely almost solely on word of mouth, which is great, but is leaving some potential clients on the table. Fingerman will cover how to convert your audience to clients, and then turn your clients into evangelists. Inspiring examples will give you lots of ideas for your own marketing efforts
PDN’s 30: Strategies for Launching and Building a Career in Today's Market
10:15 AM - 12:15 PM
New and emerging photographers join Bloomberg Businessweek's photo editor to share the steps they took to build their career.
The Content Creator's Guide to Working with Top Brands and Destinations
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Seems everyone these days is marketing themselves as an influencer. Meanwhile, the nuts and bolts of how to work with brands and build your business remain a bit of a mystery. This panel, featuring Kody and Kyler McCormick, will tackle how social influencers and content creators work with top brands and travel destinations.
The Big Picture: Editorial Photography Behind the Scenes
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Editorial portraiture superhero Art Streiber talks about what goes into large-scale productions, how to negotiate jobs, the importance of custom printing and much more.
How to Bid Ad Jobs (and Win)
4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
PDN's Executive Editor David Walker will lead a panel in bidding a mock integrated assignment including print, social media, and video components.
Friday
Photographer as Entrepreneur: Unleash Your Creative & Financial Potential
8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Doug Menuez spent years documenting the creative geniuses that built Silicon Valley into what it is today. Their counter-intuitive thinking influenced the way he approached his own business and pushed him into new directions.
ESPN The Magazine "Body Issue": The Photography and the Photographers
10:15 AM - 12:15 PM
The "Body Issue" is one of editorial's most-anticipated annual projects. ESPN The Magazine Director of Photography Karen Frank, along with photographer Kwaku Alston and others will talk about the athletes, concepts, and logistics that go into producing this hallmark package.
What Photo Editors Want Now
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Hear first hand from top magazine editors how photography and video serve their editorial missions and how they find and hire photographers. Featuring New York Times Magazine editor Clinton Cargill, The New Yorker's Joanna Milter, Refinery 29's Toby Kaufmann and others, this panel is a must-see for anyone wanting to work in the competitive world of editorial photography.
They Stole My Work! Now What?
4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Learn how to turn infringements into a significant second revenue stream for your business. Avoid common mistakes when communicating with infringers and learn the steps necessary to discover the full extent of an infringement.
How to Use Social Media to Build Your Career
4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
An impressive lineup of photographers -- with significant social media presence -- explain how they price and manage Instagram takeovers and other social media assignments, as well as ideas for marketing, fundraising and reaching new clients and buyers.
Saturday
Visual Storytelling: How to Gain Trust and Access to the Human Story
10:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Deanne Fitzmaurice shares tools and techniques for building trust and gaining access into subjects' lives.
Chase Jarvis in conversation with Gary Vaynerchuk
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Two masters join in conversation to talk about how to create a successful photography business. Sure to be entertaining and enlightening.
Attending the expo and want to fine-tune your portfolio beforehand?
Book a Skype Portfolio Review.
"I came to Jasmine for an honest, inventive and unique assessment on my body of work. She went above and beyond my expectations and reignited the feelings I have towards photography."
- Dennis Burnett, Commercial Photographer and Director