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Finding Inspiration And Making Connections

This Article Features Photo Zoom

Subdivisions encroach on wetlands near the mouth of the Connecticut River in Old Saybrook, CT.

Last week I attended the 16th annual Nature Photography Summit, hosted by the North American Nature Photography Association in Reno, Nev. This was the 10th summit I’ve attended, and I continue to find great benefits from attending. The summits are a mix of skills-building breakout sessions, portfolio reviews, an industry trade show and beautiful keynote presentations by some of the world’s best nature and conservation photographers. Every year I pick up some great new skills from the breakouts. The highlights of the skills sessions for me this year were Kevin Adams’ in-depth treatise on night photography, and Ian Shive’s and Rob Sheppard’s discussion on the emerging world of shooting video with DSLR’s. As great as the breakouts are, I find that the biggest reward from attending the summit for me is making connections and finding inspiration. This event is a great way to begin the year full of excitement and wonder and the energy to formulate my own projects for the coming 12 months.

I honestly can say that I probably wouldn't have been able to take the leap to being a full-time photographer nine years ago if I hadn't attended several NANPA summits and made connections with other professionals in the industry. While I've made a few sales as a direct result of showing my work at the summit, a much bigger boon to my career has been meeting and learning from both photo editors and other photographers who have become friends over the years. At my first few NANPA summits, I learned simple things about how to present my work and how to talk to editors that were a huge help in becoming a professional. Most of these tips didn't come from actual breakout sessions, but from incidental conversations and the phone calls and e-mails that followed. Now I find that by just asking around in between breakout sessions, I can pretty much find out anything I need to know, whether it's the specifics of a Photoshop technique, a question about a piece of gear, or feedback on marketing ideas I have. As a group, photographers seem to be generous with their time and knowledge, and whether you're a beginner photographer or seasoned pro, networking at an event like NANPA can pay big dividends down the road.

Farms next to the Connecticut River in northern Vermont and New Hampshire.

As I mentioned before, I attend NANPA summits to help jumpstart my year in photography, and the keynote presentations usually provide an inspiring look at another photographer’s work and life. Watching a presentation by photographers like Joel Sartore, recipient of this year’s Outstanding Photographer of the Year Award, is almost always entertaining, but it's also incredibly helpful to see how other photographers accomplish their goals, both in life and in photography. Early in my career, presentations by Gary Braasch, Robert Glenn Ketchum and Tom Blagden helped me formulate the way I approach my career as a conservation photographer. This year, presentations by Staffan Windstram, Piotr Naskrecki, Phil Borges, and Paul Colangelo have inspired me to take my conservation efforts up a notch. In addition to the big presentations, I love hearing the success stories of those not presenting. NANPA photographers are a diverse bunch and the majority are amateurs, but I find most have a deep passion for conservation and photography and use this passion to accomplish really interesting goals. I think that to be successful, it's imperative for photographers to get out and see what other shooters are up to. The NANPA summit isn’t the only place to do this, but it's one of the best. (An in-depth review of this year’s summit can be found at www.pronaturephotographer.com.) To join NANPA or learn about their upcoming events, visit nanpa.org.

Another photo organization, The American Society of Picture Professionals (www.aspp.com,) has an upcoming event in Boston, on April 15 through 18. ASPP is calling this a “Reinvention Weekend” where you can reinvent, re-imagine and re-invigorate your career. Unlike NANPA, ASPP isn't focused on nature photography and it has a more diverse mix of picture professionals that includes stock agents, researchers, editors, publishers, art buyers, photographers and consultants. This is a great place for professional photographers to network as well as see what other photographers are doing to succeed in a quickly changing market place.

On a personal note, there's still room in my Photoshop and Lightroom seminars scheduled for March 20th and 21st. There's more info on my website: http://www.jerryandmarcymonkman.com/photo_instruction.html.

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