LA Party! fun fun fun!

Los Angeles BBQ and Headshot PUG!

This month's LA Pictage User Group marked the Second Annual BBQ/Headshot PUG. I pair photographers up to shoot headshots of each other, and everyone brings food to put on the grill. I try to pair photographers who don't know each other because the idea is to get a new headshot by another professional while getting to know someone new. its really fun, and this year's party was a big success!





THANK YOU to Laura from Beautiful Day Photography who took my headshot this year. I thought she made me look quite glamorous.

Michael & Anna - Raleigh, NC

This past Tuesday's PUG brought in Michael & Anna Costa! We had a great turn out due to a BIG email boost a couple of weeks before along with lots of reminders leading up to the meeting. Our group is growing and we had lots of new faces this week. This was also our first meeting at a member's studio. We have been meeting at a Sports Bar in a private room, a welcome change! I am hoping to meet at studio's more often, I think it lends to a more personal setting than the restaurant. We ordered pizza and drinks for dinner and just enjoyed chatting, people also seemed to enjoy seeing another studio.

I am looking into changing our meeting to another night because a lot of our members have church small groups on Tuesday and are not able to make it. Would anyone care to comment on what night they have found to reach or not reach higher attendance in their group? I am thinking Thursday nights would work well but I am totally open to suggestion!

So far it has been quite a challenge for me to grow the group. I live two hours from Raleigh, so I don't really know a lot of photographers in the area. I have just been focusing on growing relationships with people in the group and counting on them to help me invite, reach out, and tell me who I should call myself to invite... it seems to finally be working! I think we are off to a great start for building a really solid group here!







- Millie Holloman

Dallas/Ft. Worth PUG-August Test shoot

The DFW area PUG got together for a very laid back shoot for August. No models, no fuss! Although some of our members look like models! We agreed to bring equipment and ideas to test out on each other. We tested a variety of light sources from small bare strobes, using umbrellas, some genius electrical tape snooting, homemade ring flash (less than $1 go Jenna!), various flashlights, mirrors (for bouncing light), video light, and strip-like work light!


members in action:

Here we tested the idea of white balancing with our Fong Lightspheres (idea found on http://cutframetv.com/view_video.php?viewkey=68e1840a1324e839230d from Trevor Brucki)

auto:
fong white balanced:

Some off-camera strobe fun:

Some Home Depot work light strip fun:

July- Santa Barbara PUG

I have to appologize for not added anything to this in so long! Now that I'm almost 4 months pregnant, it's been hard enough staying awake to shoot weddings and have time to run my business :)

...LIFE COACHING PUG...

I asked my friends Sue and Tracy to come speak to our group. Sue and Tracy used to be clients of mine in my fitness Boot Camp a few months back. They are now certified life coaches, and I thought it would be great for the other photographers in our group to get assistance from them in creating more balance between work and everyday life.

It was great hands-on meeting and we all got to know each other a little better while sharing our hopes, dreams and even fears. I had such a great time with all of there fun exercises.

I've already gotten emails from the people that attended saying how this meeting really helped them find direction in their crazy lives...

PUGS not Drugs

Emily found this shirt online and we HAD to share with you all!

Check it out here :)
~Becky & Emily

Michael & Anna Costa at the LA PUG.

We had a GREAT Pictage User Group this month in LA. Thank you to Rudy Arpia for being our Studio Spotlight. I was so impressed by the Spanish Wedding Photography Forum he created, Foro De Fotografia.







Our speakers, Michael & Anna Costa gave a lot of great information! Thanks for coming down from Santa Barbara to speak to our group, guys.





Anna was getting ready to sing for the American Idol auditions, so we asked her to sing for us, and she did!! She has such an amazing voice. Best of luck, Anna!

Long Beach PUG & Michael Costa

First off....we are no longer a Puppy PUG!!! We are a full fledged PUG!! I am VERY happy about that!

The Long Beach PUG wants to thank Michael Costa for stopping by and sharing his work with us! We had an awesome time!

Here are a few photos that Leo Flores, Photographer and Pictage Employee took for us! Thanks Leo!!

PGH PUG info GALORE!

Where do I begin...we have so much going on here!!!

I'm not going to re-post all details to all happenings that are already at our Pictage Forum Pittsburgh PUG page link and at our PGH_PUG Google Group - check the links out for all the detailed info on what we've got going on in Pittsburgh... but here's a snapshot of our progress and events to come:

We've created our Studio Spotlight list for the remainder of 2008 and into the Spring of 2009 - which is so cool for everyone involved! And I've posted the Studio Spotlight Guidelines on our Google Group and at the Pictage Pug Page for all members to have easy access on how to prepare for their "15 minutes of fame."

We have a follow-up event tonight at www.photoforthepeople.com from our June PUG and 2nd Annual Cookout where Justin & Mary Marantz came into town to speak with us!

August brings us Justin Kifer and Jared Bauman with their BookIt / ShootIt Workshops on August 13 and 14 respectively!

And then in September - I know it's a little way off, but I am so excited to have them with us - Michael and Anna Costa will be here with us in Pittsburgh speaking too!

Hey DJ! How can we get you to come back again? We miss you...!

I have a feeling this summer is going to fly by as we are rockin' it out in PGH!

BIG love, Joanne Bartone, Photographer

Los Angeles PUG

Los Angeles' June Pictage User Group was very informative with Justin Kifer of Gigbooks as our speaker. I thought his ONLINE business organizational software was very comprehensive and I definitely want to check it out further.

Thank you to Jennifer Disney for being our Studio Spotlight for June. She is so talented and it was great getting to hear her story and learning a little about her.

As usual, our host, Ann Kelley made an amazing spread (including rootbeer floats!) for us to snack on.







Jennifer Disney













Justin Kifer

Pittsburgh PUG / J+M Marantz Visit

We had our second-annual Pittsburgh PUG Cookout last night and Justin & Mary Marantz came down from CT to join us and share their love! Thanks for coming - it was wonderful to have you with us and great to hear about all the marketing pieces you've got in place that have helped you grow your business.

It was a great time with a great group of people who gathered together to eat, drink, be merry and listen to some great ideas for building relationships with clients and other photographers. It was held at Kelly Crawford's home in a beautiful country setting - a BIG THANKS goes out to Kelly, his wife Nancy and their family for opening their home to all of us...it was a late night...

Here's a couple of images from the night...



We're planning another picnic in the Fall, so Justin and Mary or any other PUG leader or member is more than welcome to join us!!!
Best, Joanne Bartone, Photographer