Let's Get Together

I want to meet you and connect you with other photographers in your area. One of the things that has helped me so much over the last six years of moving & starting my business over in three different states, has been the ability to connect with my peers and colleagues at local PUG meetings. No, we're not talking dogs, we're talking photographers. PUG meetings are sponsored by Pictage, but they are open to you no matter what lab you use (Pictage helps pay for snacks and drinks, as well as providing support for national photography speakers who offer free talks at meetings.) Local PUG meetings are open to all professional and aspiring professional photographers and are designed to help local photographers support each other. I host the PUG in Boston and every time I get an email from a photographer who just moved to the area, or a student who recently graduated and is now looking for people to work with, I always invite them to the monthly PUG.

Of all the professional groups in the city, it's the most welcoming group of photographers that are easy to connect with and are interested in learning from one another and helping each other out.

Our PUG has hosted free talks from people like Joe Buissink, Dane Sanders, Jared Platt, Mike Larson, Jim Collins, Wade Holloway, and so many more. After each meeting, guests have had a chance to connect individually with the speakers and get one on one feedback. Usually before a presentation, we spend time connecting with each other and sharing stories about what happened in the last month or what projects we're working on. We've also hosted many local people like Wedding Planners, Tax Accountants, Financial Planners, Commercial Photographers, Consultants, and even an engaged couple who met with many different local photographers just to get their perspective on the whole photography meeting experience. We have learned so much from each other, and we are all better off for it. As much as we can connect online and learn from webinars, what's still missing is that solid local support network that you can really only get by meeting your local colleagues face to face.

If your equipment fails and you can't rent in time... if you break a leg the day before a wedding... if your second shooter backs out on you... your local photography community is where you can find the help you need to uphold your professional commitment when time and resources are tight. There's just no replacement for that.

So, let's get together. I'm going to be visiting several PUG groups around the country to help people get their email, time, and brand under control with some quick & easy tips. This is a FREE event. If you're anywhere near the area, I hope you'll come out so I can meet you and so you can connect with your local photography community. Please RSVP if you plan to come out for the evening so we can have plenty of snacks and drinks waiting for you:

California - San Francisco April 20th:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=195098363855843

Florida - Orlando April 26th:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=151710554888959

Texas - Houston May 5th: (Christine will be there too!)
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=120351248039352

Michigan - Detroit May 10th:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=134529556615135

Anne Ruthmann is a lifestyle & wedding photographer from Boston, MA. She spent 10 years practicing marketing & management in corporate and non-profit businesses before pursuing her passion for photography as an independent small business. She loves helping others find creative and low-cost solutions to business problems. Check out her next workshop at SmarterBusinessWorkshop.com.