If you want to take your photography business seriously a great way to learn is to attend the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) convention. Already a PPA member? You are probably already set for your plans for the Imaging USA January convention. If you have not been a member, becoming one gets you free convention entry during your first year of membership. A great bonus!

I’ve been a member of PPA since 1997. The education, networking, image reviews and competition have been invaluable to my career. I highly recommend checking out membership!

Imaging USA convention overview

Imaging USA is PPA’s premier photography conference that takes place over three days, January 28-30, 2024. Their slogan this year is “Connect, Learn, Thrive,” the holy trinity of what photographers can expect at the show. The location of PPA’s conference changes from year to year, in 2024, you’ll find it in Louisville, KY. In 2025 Grapevine, Texas will be the host city.

Typically, around 10,000 photographers attend the event. Attendees range from small business owners and amateur photographers to professional photographers with three-figure studios, world-class educators, brand ambassadors, and more. 

Photographers attend Imaging USA for different reasons, but top draws are expert speakers, education, hands-on learning opportunities in small class settings, the photography expo, networking events, inspiration, and the parties. And, strangely enough with all these photographers in one place you learn as much, if not more, in the hallways and over a coffee, lunch or cocktail in the off hours.

Imaging USA Expo

Okay, not ready to jump all the way in? You can attend the trade-show for free. There will be over 130 photography vendors and the industry’s latest products, services, and almost everything you can think of and many things you haven’t, photography-related. You can touch and try these new products and chat directly with vendors!

The Expo+ Pass includes admission to the Expo, the opening keynote, Networking Avenue, the Express Talks Theater (30-minute educational sessions at the top of every hour on the Expo Floor), and the International Photographic Competition. It’s free and is a great option for photographers interested in attending, but not able to drop the dough on a full pass. You won’t be able to attend educational sessions with the trade-show pass, but there are plenty of benefits.

Networking avenue

An incredible perk for all attendees, a fun, informal event brings together photographers to mingle, take photos, and capture incredible shots of gorgeously styled models. A cash bar is also on offer, making it an excellent way to top off your Sunday night! And, speaking of networking you might want to prepare some in advance so you get the most out of your time. You can find some tips from PPA here.

Final thoughts

I’ve made great friendships as well as made business connections that have been pivotal in my success as a professional photographer. If you are looking to improve your photo education, quality of work and meet with like minded individuals make sure you check out membership and the convention.

Did I mention you can ‘Join and Go’? If you aren’t a PPA member and register before Imaging USA, you can “Join and Go.” If you become a PPA member you can attend your first Imaging USA for free! People can learn more about our different options for registering on the Registration Page.

Yours in Creative Photography, Bob

“We were inspired by the NYT Cooking Cranberry Curd Tart for its bright color, smooth texture, and sweet-tart flavor,” said Elsa Goldman, Associate Creative Director, Culinary at Ingredient. “We’ve seen vibrant colors popping up in food photography, like ube cheesecake, and knew the cranberry theme for this recipe was perfect just before the holidays. The sugar coated cranberries, toasted almonds, and mint leaves turned a plain tart into a gorgeous and unmatched centerpiece.”

As the culinary world continues to evolve, Ingredient remains at the forefront, consistently delivering outstanding creativity and helping brands captivate their audiences. The IACP Award serves as a testament to Ingredient’s unwavering commitment to excellence, and the agency looks forward to continuing to develop award-winning creative concepts for its clients.

Numerous team members played a pivotal role in the development of the award-winning tart and its captivating photography:

• Jenny Salita, Senior Designer (Photographer)
• Elsa Goldman, Associate Creative Director, Culinary (Art Director, Food Stylist, Recipe Developer)
• Neil Bertucci, Director of Culinary and Visual (Creative Director)
• Laine Bergeson Becco, Lead Copywriter (Copywriter)
• Susan Pagani, Creative Director, Copy & Brand (Creative Director)

“We’re honored to have Dinner Bell as a long-standing client. Their commitment to high-quality dairy shines through in this award win. Our creative recipe development reflects their dedication, and we eagerly anticipate exploring new food trends together and serving up delightful surprises for butter enthusiasts everywhere in 2024,” said Catherine GIllis, Chief Operations Officer, Partner at Ingredient.

For more information about Ingredient, visit ingredient.mn.

About Ingredient

Ingredient is a food marketing agency inspiring connections between brands and consumers. The team is built of experts in marketing strategy, creative, and culinary professionals to tell unique brand stories that build lasting relationships with consumers. Since 1994, Ingredient has led marketing and content strategies for iconic food brands, including both CPG companies and grocery retailers. With a deep commitment to understanding clients, their target audiences and channels, plus an in-house production studio and chefs on staff, Ingredient is the agency partner for delivering scroll-stopping work.

Media Contact

Eliza Kjar, Palmer Public, 1 7125517774, [email protected], https://palmerpublic.com

SOURCE Ingredient

A jellyfish “elevator” carrying a hitchhiking fish up from the ocean depths has been captured in a photo documenting one of the largest migrations in the world — one that takes place every night. 

Tom Shlesinger, a marine ecologist at Tel Aviv University, took the photo, titled “Nightly Elevator,” off the coast of Florida’s Palm Beach. It won the Behavior category at this year’s Royal Society Publishing Photography Competition.

Shlesinger’s photo captures the vertical journey of billions of marine creatures that live in the twilight zone — between 660 and 3,280 feet (200 to 1,000 meters) beneath the ocean surface — as they travel up to the surface. In the photo, an unidentified jellyfish species carries a hitchhiking yellow fish as it ascends from the depths.

According to a statement from the Royal Society, many small or young animals hitch a ride up to the surface on jellyfishes, providing them with a “unique elevator.” 

“Not only that these juveniles can peacefully rest while the jellyfish transports them above, but they also get some protection,” representatives wrote. “With their stinging cells, the jellies protect their hitchhikers from predators that will avoid getting too close.”

Researchers think the nightly migration — known as the diel vertical migration (DVM) — is related to feeding behaviors, enabling smaller creatures to feed in the food-rich surface waters under the cover of darkness, which helps protect them from predators. Before dawn, they descend back to the safety of the twilight zone.

Related: Alien-like comb jellies have a nervous system like nothing ever seen before

The overall winner of the photography competition was Irina Petrova Adamatzky, whose image “Martian landscape” depicted the slime mold Lamproderma scintillans growing on a fallen leaf in the U.K. 

Other category winners included an image of a starfish on a coral reef, also taken by Shlesinger, and “A crack in time,” by Chia-Hsin Tsai, which shows a fault in an outcrop in the Corinth Canal in Greece that was exposed during excavation work in 2022. 

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“Star of the night” by Tom Shlesinger won the Ecology category of this year’s Royal Society Publishing Photography Competition.

The year 2023 has been a captivating revitalization for the photography market, with brands such as Leica, demonstrating the enduring value of compact cameras with models like the Q3. The market has seen a resurgence in analogue photography and a growing interest in professional video features, making the current camera market a playground for photography enthusiasts.

Blending Classic Design with Modern Technology

Camera brands have been successful in blending classic design with modern technology, making them aesthetically appealing and functionally superior. The Leica Q3, for instance, is a testament to this with its superior quality that surpasses what smartphones provide. It’s a nod to photography purists who appreciate the unique capabilities of dedicated cameras over mobile devices.

Resurgence in Analogue Photography

Interestingly, the photography market is experiencing a surprising resurgence in analog photography. Instant cameras, in particular, are gaining popularity for those inclined to explore or return to film photography. This trend reflects a nostalgia for tangible prints and the unique aesthetic film photography offers.

The Appeal of Professional Video Features and High Resolution

Professional video features are now common across many camera models, reflecting a growing interest in videography. Medium format digital cameras, boasting large sensors and lenses, cater to image connoisseurs seeking exceptional detail. Despite the varying prices, these cameras share one common trait: they are ideal for photography enthusiasts who appreciate the artistry and technical prowess of dedicated cameras.

This year, photographers traveled across the United States, meeting with individuals and communities to document diverse cultures and shed light on issues including environmental inequalities and reproductive rights. Through the lenses of photographers contributing to the Guardian US, the images below offer a view of 2023 America.

Akayla Jackson reads a book in her grandmother’s dining room after a day of online classes in Jackson, Mississippi. Residents experienced a major water outage earlier this year.

Housing construction on Geer Street in Durham, North Carolina, in what was previously considered a less “desirable” neighborhood that is now gentrifying.

Tama Matsuoka Wong, a finance lawyer turned forager, among late summer wildflowers in Flemington, New Jersey.

Ben Dickert walks through fields beneath the CPV Fairview Energy Center at his family farm in Jackson Township, Pennsylvania. More than 1.5 million people in the state live within half a mile of active oil and gas facilities.

Alex and Emmery DuVall on their property, where they’re living in a trailer until their family can build a permanent home in Berry Creek, California. Berry Creek has struggled to recover after devastating fires in 2020.

Rudy Diaz, the resident mycologist at the Los Angeles Mycological Society, smells a bioluminescent western jack-o’-lantern mushroom in the Cleveland national forest in southern California. This year, California experienced a “shroom boom” after heavy rains created ideal conditions for mushroom growth.

Workers farm baby marijuana at Ever-Bloom, one of many cannabis farms in Carpinteria, California, in Santa Barbara county. Some local residents have expressed frustration over the rise of cannabis farms in the area.

Luana Nelson-Brown in front of the Shattering Silence sculpture in Des Moines, Iowa. Nelson-Brown organizes to stop violence and highlight racial and gender disparities in homicides in Iowa.

Wildflowers in bloom at Molok Luyuk, a rocky ridge just north of San Francisco that is home to Indigenous village sites and more than 30 species of rare plants. The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation and other environmentalists are petitioning the Biden administration to protect the habitat.

Costumes from the film Where the Wild Things Are in the Warner Bros film studio archive in Sun Valley, California. The studio celebrated its 100th anniversary this April.

Nery Lima Jr sits with his sister, Leyla, while listening to their father recount his experience of crossing the US-Mexico border from Guatemala to flee gang violence. With the aid of advocates, the family recently reunited after being separated for four years.

Visitors pose for a group portrait with Randy Williams, the “sultan” of Slowjamastan, during an event in the self-proclaimed “micronation” in the California desert.

Professor Becca Franks tends to fish at Oko Farms, the first outdoor aquaponics farm in New York City.

Amelia Huntsberger, an OB-GYN, is overcome with emotion as she speaks about having to leave her home in Sandpoint, Idaho, because politics have made it difficult for her to practice.

Ron Hunter sits in a hotel room near Times Square in Manhattan, New York, a few blocks from where he was forced into prostitution at the age of 12 by his Boy Scouts of America troop leader. Hunter recently published a memoir on being a survivor of child sexual abuse.

Jasmine and her baby outside their home in Washington state. After discovering she was pregnant, Jasmine wanted an abortion but found that accessing the procedure was confusing and involved difficult steps.

Mike Watters mows his lawn wearing a gas mask. Watters has polycythemia vera, a rare blood disease that doctors say is linked to PFAS contamination in his blood. He lives in Fayetteville, North Carolina, near the Chemours plant. A study released this year highlighted how PFAS “forever chemicals” are polluting waters around the plant, which manufactures the toxic substances.

Vincent Turner is incarcerated at San Quentin prison in Marin county, California. This year, the governor, Gavin Newsom, introduced a $380m plan to transform the prison into a “rehabilitation center”. Turner hopes for “more opportunities, more space, more access to programs, and a culture where we’re treated like humans”.

Don Fields Jr holds a letter he wrote, which was read out loud by his attorney during a final court hearing for him to complete a years-long restorative justice process with his family.

Glenn Morrison is president of the Desert Radio Amateur Transmitting Society, a ham radio enthusiast club in California.

Sisters Joann Murray and Sandy Boykin-Hays at a church in Shreveport, Louisiana. Their brother, Ted Boykin Jr, died of heatstroke while living in a home without air-conditioning in July 2023. Boykin-Hays considers her brother a victim of the climate crisis and has criticized her congressman, the House speaker, Mike Johnson, for his failure to acknowledge climate change.

Don Tadgerson, Joel Cameron and Aaron Lothrop fish on Lake Superior in Paradise, Michigan. Beneath the lake’s surface lies the controversial Line 5 oil pipeline.

Cisco Manthing performing at Bipoc Emo Night in Bushwick, New York. Organizers of the event are working to make emo culture more welcoming to people of color.

Eliza Greenman climbs an 18th-century silk mulberry tree in Purcellville, Virginia. Greenman, a fruit explorer, searches for and works to preserve the genetics of fruit trees.

Zachariah Ben with his wife, Mary, and son, Yabiitoh, on their family cornfield plot in Shiprock, New Mexico. Ben and Mary decided to grow produce to make their own baby food after finding it difficult to access fresh, local, traditional baby food near the Navajo Nation.

Patrick Braxton, the first Black mayor of the town of Newbern, Alabama, on the grounds of the town’s public library. Braxton filed a civil rights lawsuit after being barred from taking office by the former mayor and his council.

Micah Jameson studies the board during a chess game with Aleeza Ben-Asher at Queers’ Gambit, an inclusive chess night at Purgatory Bar in Bushwick, New York.

Jared Genser, an international human rights lawyer, has represented high-profile political prisoners including Siamak Namazi, Aung San Suu Kyi, Desmond Tutu and Félix Maradiaga.

Daniel Watson, who is unhoused in New Orleans, Louisiana, chugs some water provided to him. The city saw record heat this summer.

Lawyer Don Tamaki, who recently served on California’s reparations taskforce as the panel’s only non-Black member, works on his bonsai trees in his backyard in California.

Andrea Harris Smith with her daughter in Washington DC. Harris Smith is the granddaughter of the two researchers who devised the “doll test” that led to the 1954 Brown v Board of Education supreme court decision to desegregate public schools.

Sergii Zhuk teaches his mother, Natalia Zhuk, how to drive near their home in Los Angeles. Zhuk moved to be with her son after escaping the war in Ukraine.

A student raises his hand in class at Stege elementary school in Richmond, California. Black and Latino youth are more likely than their white peers to have a homicide happen near their home each year.