The timeframe to order food has passed, if registering after Thursday he 27th, please plan to bring your own lunch.

During my 19 years of being in business, 12 years of participating in Image Competition at International Photographic Competition, and past 4 as an approved IPC Juror. I’ve found a common thread amongst all of it! That thread contains PPA’s 12 Elements of a merit image on the work you produce on a daily basis.

We will spend time discussing the 12 elements and how they are a proven guideline to help you not only grow in image competition, but also in day to day work. Keeping them at the back of your mind will subliminally improve your craft and everyday work, which in turn should help you find the success you may be looking for in image competition.

I will share my philosophy in how I evaluate my own work, how I’ve curated a group of colleagues I can show my work to and get honest feedback, and how to converse using the 12 elements. Why I order critiques vs. every image competition possible. How I found my group of colleagues, and how they help. I’ll also share why you also need to be careful! I’ll cover how I use image competition to help me define my style, keep my mind thinking creatively, tell the story I want viewers of my work to understand, constantly refine the nuances of my lighting, why I keep my presentations simple, my subjects engaging, and my compositions memorable! If you are keeping track that’s seven of the elements just to describe how I think about image competition and every day!

Join me with your questions, your photographs, and most of all your willingness to have fun! If you can do that we’ll have a great conversation. My goal to leave you energized and inspired on how you too can use the 12 elements on your daily work - to help you reach your image competition goals!

How to Be Good with Minimal Equipment
During my 19 years of being in business and 7 years of teaching my fellow colleagues around the country - I’ve found that there is one thing in common at the end of the day and that’s to “Be Good”. Some might want to be superior and exceptional - but you have to be good first!

Now “Being Good” doesn’t mean you need to have the best and latest camera, or the biggest most expensive brand name lights - in fact if you aren’t good they can make you look bad! “Being Good” is knowing how to make Superior Photographs with minimal equipment - you might find yourself in a situation where you need to borrow equipment, but still need to get the job done.

I’ll show you a couple of in-expensive speed lights and the trusty old umbrella are more than capable tools to help you “Be Good” - of course I’ll spend a little time on what I think is a crucial piece of equipment that you should only need to buy once - and you can buy it used!

Bring your questions and let’s have a great time “Being Good” with minimal equipment!

Pete Rezac, a portrait photographer based in Reno, Nevada, still chooses to work with medium and large format cameras and film in creating his fine art portraiture because of the tactile process it provides him in creating his work, along with the rich tones and high fidelity of the photographs that come from these tools. Seeking an authentic look to his children character portraits, Pete was inspired to create timeless portraits showing children at their best. This work has earned him numerous accolades from the photographic community.

Pete holds the Master of Photography, Photographic Craftsman, and Certified Professional Photographer degrees from the Professional Photographers of America, he is an active educator teaching and mentoring other professional photographers throughout the United States. Pete also proudly serves on the Board of Directors for the Professional Photographers of America, and is an approved IPC Juror. He is a past President and Chairman of the Board for the Professional Photographers of California.

Accomplishments: Pete has earned the PPA 100 speaking merits bar and about half way to earning his second 100 speaking merit bar. Pete has earned his International Photographic Competition 50 merit bar for excellence in International Photographic Competition. Pete has earned the Imaging Excellence Award for placing 15 images into PPA’s prestigious Imaging Excellence Collection. Pete has been featured in “Professional Photographer” magazine for his Children’s Character Portraits, Charitable Marketing, and being a Certified Professional Photographer Pete has taught both pre-convention and platform demonstration programs at Imaging USA in 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022. Pete was awarded the PPA National Award from the Professional Photographers of California in 2020.