Ever wish there was an online hangout exclusively for pro photographers? Wish granted. Let me introduce you to theLoop--it's THE social network for professional photographers, and it's waiting for you! (Well, it is if you're a PPA member.)

Need professional advice? Want to share an accomplishment or an inspiration? Now you can! TheLoop makes it easier than ever to connect with your fellow professional photographers in a safe place. Not only can you trade thoughts or ideas with your peers, you can discuss sensitive topics like customer service, dealing with demanding clients, and best practices without fear of being exposed to potential customers or other vendors.

If you're ready to get in theLoop and explore, here are the three super-simple steps to get started:

• Log in to www.PPA.com (use your normal PPA login information).
• Read & accept the Official Etiquette Guide that will pop up on your screen (you only have to do this once).
• Watch the "Welcome to theLoop" video for tips & start building your profile!

We can't wait to see you in theLoop!

As a photographer, there's probably a part of you that wants to put a barbed wire fence with laser-activated missile launchers around your images. They represent your hard work and creative soul! And we at PPA understand (but we also know that those missile launchers are not legal for this purpose--sorry).

Instead, remember that PPA membership grants you access to all our copyright and advocacy benefits! We can help you navigate those complex copyright issues via our full-time Copyright & Government Affairs department.

So, are you doing everything possible (short of those missiles) to protect your images?

• Start by brushing up on your basic copyright knowledge & applying it. PPA has downloadable resources to help you, from the Copyright Kit (updated annually to reflect U.S. Copyright Law and rules changes put in place by the U.S. Copyright Office) to sample forms and articles that walk you through addressing infringements and crafting licensing agreements.
• Watch free webinars (only for PPA members) to answer even more questions about copyright, licensing agreements or other legal forms.
• Ask PPA for help. We are happy to help our members (as much as we can) with individual copyright questions or to ensure copyright compliance. Sometimes we can even work with you on a one-on-one basis to communicate with an infringer if you find images that have been used without permission!

PPA even takes this one-on-one help a bit further...like all the way to Capitol Hill further. Our Copyright & Government Affairs staff regularly participates in discussions on copyright, small-business matters and health insurance concerns. We meet with congressional staff to discuss how legislation might affect pro photographers like you. And we meet with the U.S. Copyright Office about copyright rules and regulations and how changes could benefit or harm your ability to protect your image rights.

Why in the world would we bother? Because after listening to member comments, meeting key players on Capitol Hill and reviewing legislation, we can then take action on issues that might affect you as a photographer and small-business owner. We want to make sure that you have a voice in the matter!

Assisting members, educating the public, and acting to protect the rights of photographers all play an important role in PPA. (So don't worry about the barbed wire or the missiles; we'll back you up.)

Not a PPA member, but wishing you were after reading about this and all the other benefits? Who could blame you? For full-time assistance from our copyright and advocacy team, join PPA today!

You lucky dog, you. PPA's connection with FedEx® snags PPA members a shot at energizing your business with hundreds of prizes (totaling $25,000) during their FedEx Advantage Sweepstakes! You'll be automatically entered in the sweepstakes and eligible to play the game when you submit your enrollment application for our FedEx Advantage® discount program. PPA Members: Get the Code to Enter Here.
 
Remember, the more eligible FedEx shipments you make, the more entries you'll receive--up to 50--from Sept. 12, 2012, through Nov. 7, 2012. Take this chance to advance your business with these prizes:

• $10,000 Grand Prize
• $5,000 First Prizes (2)
• $25 Instant Win Reward Cards (200)

PLUS, members of PPA will also save up to 26% on FedEx services during the sweepstakes and beyond! What's not to love?

Improvements are good...wouldn't you agree? (The word "improve" is in it after all!) That's why PPA created PPA's Merit & Degree Program in 1937 to recognize photographers for their achievements in the industry, define industry standards and promote excellence. It's just one way we incentivize you to continue growing and developing your skills and know-how.

Have you heard about this program yet? I'm not talking about the kind of degrees you get after completing a university curriculum. A PPA professional degree is different. It's a way to track and promote your ongoing progress in the industry and commitment to your craft! It's a goal to help you grow, and if you're a PPA member, it's worth a second (and third) glance.

Let me explain in a bit more detail:

• PPA's Merit & Degree Program is based on a "point" system of merits, which are earned by being active and excelling in the PPA photographic community. Depending on how you choose to participate, there are different types of merits (and degrees) that you can earn. For example, let's say you teach or attend an approved class, compete in the International Photographic Competition, or volunteer in your PPA Affiliate association. Such activities translate into the 4 different types of merits: Exhibition, Artist Exhibition (formerly called Electronic Imaging), Speaking and Service.
  
  
• Once you have accumulated enough merits, you are eligible for certain PPA degrees, representations of our standards of excellence. Degrees show your dedication to growing in the photographic industry and can only be earned after you have accumulated 25 of those merits I mentioned earlier. And just like there are different types of merits, there are also different degrees that you can earn: Master of Photography, Photographic Craftsman and Master Artist (formerly called Master of Electronic Imaging). The 3 degrees represent different areas of expertise within the industry, much like their merit counterparts.

Kind of confusing, huh? It may be a tad complicated at first, but many PPA members say earning a degree is worth it. After all, your PPA degree can do more than just hang on your wall. It has the potential to improve your business and help make a name for yourself. How? The steps you take to earn PPA merits and degrees--from competition to continual education--strengthen your skills. (Plus, degrees are symbols of quality and improvement that your clients can recognize.)

Earning a PPA degree can be one more tool for telling the world (and all those potential clients) why they should call YOU, not the competitor down the street. Want to learn more? Walk through the details here: www.ppa.com/degrees 

Running a business is expensive--even the cost of buying Post-it notes adds up! So don't forget that PPA members have access to benefits specifically designed to save you money on things you use in your daily operations.

For example, you can save on office supplies via Office Depot. You can save on software like Adobe, Graphic Authority, Nik, onOne and Software Cinema. You can save on a host of other products and services, but let us leave this savings reminder with one of the biggies: the Allied Business Network (ABN).

Did you know that you can become an Allied Business Network member through your PPA membership? Once you do that, you can purchase from any ABN vendor and get discount pricing on office supplies, travel, promotional products, printing and more. (ABN negotiates these discounts with national business supply and service providers.) You won't believe what's available for the taking from participating vendors like...

• Hertz Rent a Car--Get up to 20% off every rental and a complimentary membership in Hertz #1 Club Gold® (a $60 value). This can be handy for destination photographers...or any photographer on a vacation!
• 4imprint Promotional Products--Get 10% off every promotional item, including sale items. From pens and mugs to photo albums, 4imprint has over 12,000 products and over 900 of them can be produced with your logo within 24 hours!
• Wyndham Hotel Group--Get up to 20% off the best available rate in your choice of Wyndham Hotels, including Baymont Inn & Suites, Days Inn, Hawthorn Suites, Howard Johnson, Knights Inn, Microtel Inn & Suites, Ramada Inn, Super 8 Motel, Travelodge, Wyndham, and Wingate Inn. Talk about the perfect discount for a traveling photographer on business or pleasure!

So the next time you have to buy something for your business (or just for fun), we hope you feel a rush of pleasure in knowing you got the best deal. It's the opposite of buyer's remorse...it's a saver's glee! To find out how to use these discounts, PPA members can visit their special web page on Using Member Benefits. (Your momma would be so proud!)

PPA was created by pro photographers, for pro photographers, and that has influenced us in all we do, especially our member benefits. For example, did you know about the $15,000 of equipment insurance that eligible members get for free? Did you know of the additional equipment insurance options available only for PPA members to purchase? We want to help you protect what matters, so read on...

What It Is
PhotoCare Equipment Insurance is an exclusive policy purchased by PPA for eligible members (U.S.-based Professional Active or Life members) and administered through Lockton Risk Services, PPA's exclusive broker. Simply put, we pay your premiums for you!

PhotoCare covers your cameras, lenses and other photography equipment, including computer hardware:

• $15,000 of coverage (paid for by PPA)
• Loss due to fire, theft or equipment breakage
• Worldwide, off-premises or "on location" coverage

Keep in mind that PhotoCare serves as an "excess/secondary" policy when other insurance coverage is present. For example, if your camera is stolen in your home, first turn to your homeowner's policy to see if it will cover your equipment loss. If it's not covered by that policy, then that's where PhotoCare would step in!

How to Use It
Since PhotoCare is administered through PPA's exclusive insurance broker, Lockton Affinity, we cannot activate your policy on your behalf. You must personally log in to PPA.com and activate the policy, which gives your approval for that coverage. If you do not activate it, you will not be eligible to file a claim.

Make use of the benefit created to help you, and activate your free policy now:

• Log in to www.PPA.com with your user name and password.
• Look under the My PPA tab (top left).
• Click on the "Yes, Activate My Free PhotoCare Equipment Insurance!" It will appear in the upper left corner of the page if you are eligible (U.S.-based Professional Active or Life members of PPA).
• Follow the prompts to download a copy of your PhotoCare Coverage Certificate!

PPA members can also purchase additional equipment insurance coverage with PhotoCare Plus. Learn more at www.ppa.com/insurance

Each year, the Magazine Association of the Southeast (MAGS) presents its GAMMA Awards, which recognize and celebrate editorial and design excellence in more than a dozen categories. But why does that matter to you? Professional Photographer--the magazine PPA members get for free--brought home 17 of the awards earlier this May! (See a list of the awards.)

Those awards are just the tip of the iceberg. For over 100 years, Professional Photographer has been helping readers grow their businesses with practical, cutting-edge lessons on photo techniques, business management, sales and marketing. The magazine also showcases noteworthy photographers, trends in the industry and the latest products.

Yet the award-winning content of the magazine may not be the only benefit you receive from this PPA benefit. PPA member Tina Key of Key Essentials Photography in Texas recalls a time when the magazine itself proved to be a great resource. "I have struck gold just by carrying it around with me," she explains. "For instance, I was eating lunch and flipping through the magazine when I was approached by a lovely woman in need of a photographer. I gave her my card and took some of the most beautiful images of her daughter that weekend. I don't view it just as a magazine anymore; I see it as an asset."

Key finds Professional Photographer to be exceptionally well-designed and arranged, and she appreciates being able to pick it up at any time and find inspiration. As another PPA member, Wayne Eggleston of Wayne's View Photography in South Carolina, adds: "No matter what level of experience you have as a photographer, you can still learn more, still get inspiration."

Add in the website, digital edition, contests and Web Exclusives newsletter, and you'll be hard-pressed to find another magazine that offers a more complete resource for photographers. It's more than a magazine...even if it's been called the best business-to-business/association magazine in the Southeast!

Let's put it this way: Thousands of pro photographers pay to receive this magazine, but PPA members get it free with their membership. So, look for it in your mailboxes, access the digital version online (www.ppmag.com) and enjoy!

With the flood of amateur photographers in the market, it's increasingly important that consumers learn the difference a professional photographer can make. Often, it's on the pro to provide such education--and one of PPA's benefits can help! Our consumer-focused campaign, called "See the Difference," is targeted toward wedding couples, seniors and families to help you reinforce the value of pro photography.

PPA has been spreading this message on a broad front, via online advertising and social media. From the ads, potential clients are directed to specialized landing pages with articles, videos and quotes about the importance of pro photography. There, they are provided links to PPA's Find-a-Photographer database, where they can search for a PPA member in their area.

Tools You Can Use
Want to spread the message yourself? PPA provides the same marketing tools to members for use on their websites, in their studios and in their sales materials. For example, you can use the provided side-by-side image comparisons to help potential clients see the difference in quality (amateur vs. pro) right off the bat. (You could use them in brochures, online, etc.) The key here is showing some common mistakes that an amateur photographer might make...as opposed to the techniques you've learned and skills you've acquired to overcome lighting and posing challenges.

You also have access to Facebook tabs, sample brochures and online videos about the importance of pro photography. These videos, for instance, strike an emotional chord in potential clients, and they can be easily shared. You could post them on Facebook, your blog or your website as an example of why you do what you do. Some PPA members even play the videos in their studios. It's one more way to express the value of your art in terms a consumer can understand.

How It Can Work
PPA member Marla Austin of Marla Austin Photography, LLC, says that marketing this difference is integral to the success of her business. "I plan to show the See the Difference family portrait video to prospective clients, and I will post it to several social media channels for additional exposure," she adds. Marla also finds the brochures especially useful--great takeaway material to reinforce the importance of selecting a pro photographer like her.  

That kind of awareness is critical to reinforce. As mentioned earlier, many consumers don't fully recognize the importance of selecting a pro photographer for life's most important moments--not until it's too late--but with PPA's help and yours, awareness can multiply.  

Take it from one wedding client who DID see the value of pro work--and shared her thoughts on one of the See the Difference landing pages. Anna Marie Huffman, client of Esquire Photography, says: "You can budget aspects of your wedding and still do phenomenal things, but don't cut the budget on professional photography. No one's going to say they had a bad time because the linens were cotton not silk, but you WILL look back at your photos."

Think of this education as protecting your clients from compromising their memories, and help them to "See the Difference"! For more information and to download materials, PPA members can click here. 

Want to absorb all the business knowledge you can AND earn merits for your PPA degrees while you do so? Well, you can...with an Online Learning Pass. PPA provides you with the right education and the learning tools to aid in your continued success as a professional photographer.

Our webinars--online classes/seminars--form a growing online learning program that offers targeted presentations on essential elements for your business success, including: financial management, marketing, pricing, sales and workflow. You can choose to participate in a single, live webinar or sign up for an Online Learning Pass for $99, which gives you access to any live or on-demand webinar for 6 months! This 6-month subscription pass begins the minute you sign up, and you'll be able to enjoy every program in PPA's on-demand archive AND all of the new, live programs. It's the best deal for the best online education!

"Really, for the price, you can't beat the six-month Online Learning Pass here on PPA.com," says Amy Hall of Nebraska. "The webinars related to pricing, marketing and more will really get you going in the right direction. Plus, you can just listen to them whenever you have time in the comfort of your own home!"

And those benefits don't even include the merits you can earn. For example, your Online Learning Pass makes you eligible to receive 1.5 service merits at the end of your subscription, which can help you reach the 25 merit total needed to earn a PPA degree (www.ppa.com/degrees). If you renew your 6-month subscription, you can acquire up to 3 merits in a year just from your Online Learning Pass!

"I've found these online classes to be great learning tools, so I think the main benefit to this PPA benefit is the knowledge you gain," adds Greg Yager, CPP, of Yager Studio. "I just look at the merits as a bonus."

It's easy to experience the unbeatable educational benefits of the Online Learning Pass for yourself--just sign up for one here. After you've purchased it, you can access your pass at any time:

1. Click on the "My PPA" tab located on the left of the horizontal menu bar.
2. Click on "My Online Learning Pass," found on the left of the screen.
3. Enjoy!

The Online Learning Pass is an exclusive benefit for PPA members. If you cancel your membership, you will no longer be able to access it. Please note that there are no refunds for the Online Learning Pass.

There are many, many reasons photographers choose to be PPA members--just ask our over 24,000 members!--but today we'll just be discussing two of them: software and equipment discounts. Not only can you save on items you might use in your business every day, but these benefits are easy to use. As a member, all you need to do is enter PPA's coupon code at checkout.

Ron Kolias of Ron Kolias Photography in New Hampshire loves finding new ways to take advantage of his PPA discounts. For instance, he used PPA's special pricing to purchase Adobe® Lightroom® 4 and songs from Triple Scoop Music. That's why a good rule of thumb is to check the Benefits page at PPA.com before you go shopping for almost anything related to your business.

Software Discounts
If you're a member, don't forget that you can save 15% on all Adobe products in the North American online Adobe Store.  By following this simple step, you can save $30 on $200 worth of software, which definitely adds up. Members, see how to use this benefit here.

Graphic Authority, LLC, is another software savings mecca for PPA members. This leading manufacturer of Photoshop tools for professional photographers has design elements, backgrounds and templates that offer unique and innovative layouts and designs. PPA members receive exclusive discounts on all Graphic Authority products. Members: see how to use this benefit here.

Established in 1995, Nik Software has become the recognized leader in digital photographic filter development and produces award-winning technology and software products for digital photography and imaging professionals. Would this software be a good fit for your business? If so, you're in luck because PPA members save on all Nik products. Members: see how to use this benefit here.

onOne Software's Photoshop plug-ins are created to help photographers create high quality, distinctive images in less time and with fewer steps so that they can spend more time shooting. And PPA has exclusive discounts to help you save on all of onOne's software products. Members: see how to use this benefit here.

If you want great photographic and Photoshop training on DVD and through online workshops on demand, Software Cinema might be a great choice. Plus, you can save with your PPA exclusive discount on all training titles from industry experts like Jack Reznicki, Jim DiVitale, Eddie Tapp, Jane Conner-Ziser, and many others. Members: see how to use this benefit here.

Equipment Deals
Don't forget that you can also save on certain equipment and equipment services via PPA. For instance, who doesn't love Apple® products? As a PPA member, you can access the special Association Member Purchase Program--netting preferred pricing for a company that doesn't really discount! Members: see how to use this benefit here.

Want to protect your valuable cameras and other gear? Try the PPA discount for Tenba® products: 25% off already specially priced purchases. Tenba introduced the world to soft-sided, professional camera bags in 1977, and they have been an innovation and quality leader in the decades since. Members: see how to use this benefit here.

If your camera does get damaged, though, Precision Camera (Precision Camera & Video Repair) might be able to help...and hopefully get your camera back to you in less than three business days. PPA members can take advantage of two special discount programs here, with discounted outbound shipping, discounted flat-rate repair pricing, free estimates and more. (There's even a discounted rate for infrared conversions!) Members: see how to use this benefit here.

Last but definitely not least, PPA members can also get help financing their equipment, thanks to our benefit partner, United Funding. This benefit provides a 2% rebate on the equipment cost (max rebate is $1,000) for all leases and loans...which also aren't reported to the credit bureaus. Interested? Members: see how to use this benefit here.

These discounts are just scratching the surface of what PPA offers its members, so remember to check PPA before you buy!