Review from San Antonio

Each month the Professional Photographers of San Antonio has a meeting where photographers share fellowship and dinner.

A speaker and print competition are part of these meetings. There are no special categories for print or folio entries, and all members of PPSA are encouraged to participate. Monthly print and folio winners are featured on this page.

Come back often to see examples of some of the best photography in the San Antonio and South Texas and a recap of our monthly speaker.

JULY SPEAKER - Karyn Sarganis Fritz

Karyn Sarganis Fritz came all the way from California's Sonoma County to speak at San Antonio's July guild meeting, but not before stopping in Dallas for the last three years to relocate as her husband was transferred to Texas. They reside in Murphy Texas.She had been in business for 20 years but only part time as her children were growing up. After doing weddings for 10 years , she decided the weekends were too important as a family so she ended her wedding business to concentrate on portraiture with a specialty in children. Her advice was that you must find your niche and specialize much like a doctor specializes in one area of medicine as opposed to being a general practitioner. Marketing for Karyn consists of joining network groups such as the Chamber of Commerce, displaying her work in local shops and doctor's offices, and photographing the kids in your child's class or church, also doing charity work. She has even had kids sell gift certificates for her studio with a kick back going to the cause. Karyn gave a whole list of great ideas and how to prepare for every age from a newborn to older children, how to involve the parents or not the parents as in the case of photographing older kids, letting the kids enter in to their own creative ideas for being photographed. She invests in great props and clothing, even hiding surprises inside, also anything from formula on hand for babies to baby wipes. I loved her idea of sticking cheerios in between a baby toes to make them grab their toes and using dryer sheets to reduce static in babies' hair. Finally she makes her sales by projection and there is no minimum order. She believes in a no pressure sales approach. As for the diference between working in California where everthing is Shabby chic and here the frames are big and wide and over the top, she has made the transition and loves being Texas. We thank you Karyn for a program full of a generous amount of instruction and ideas for all of us to employ in our own businesses. Our print and folio winners were: First place(prints), Sam Roberts; 2nd, Doris Cain; 3rd, Laura Nikas- 1st(folio) Laura ikas, Tie 2nd Sam Roberts and Doris Cain. Sam Roberts won both half price certificates.

by Corene Dyer

TPPA Corespondent