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Vermont Professional
Photographers all abilities welcome!

Event calendar

    • September 24, 2023
    • 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
    • Virtual - Zoom
    Register

    David Hakamaki, Cr.Photog., is a renowned international speaker, educator and photographer. Loved by audiences around the world, his programs on HS Seniors, Sports and Business show his innovation and connection to his clients.

    David operates a highly successful full-time, home-based studio in a small town in Michigan. He serves on Simply Color Lab's Simply Seniors Speaking Team, Fundy Storyteller, Flashpoint Ambassador, & Savage Universal Featured Photographer. He is a regular speaker at WPPI & PPA Conferences/Workshops throughout the US, Canada and UK.


    David started out in the business world and opened his photography studio in 2002. His home studio generates 6 figures of revenue in a small, rural Michigan community. David has taught business, marketing & economics at multiple colleges and trains photographers on all aspects of posing, lighting, client relations, business and marketing.

    His presentations not only focus on photography, but dig deep into the art of sales, marketing and client interaction with his fun, quirky and dynamic teaching methods. David is the go to” speaker on running a home based photography studio, HS Seniors, HS & Youth Sports and Business topics.  

    David is a proud member of WPPI, SWPP, SISEP, & PPA. He is highly active in his local community and roams the country with his family in search of adventure.


    The statistics do not lie. There are now more home based photographers than "brick and mortar" studios. With camera equipment now more readily obtainable than ever, established photographers are finding it difficult to maintain a traditional studio or are moving back into their homes. By operating out of your home, photographers are faced with a whole new set of issues that make it difficult to attract customers and make your studio look professional”.

    A successful photography business requires knowledge of BOTH photography and business. You will look at your studio objectively and determine what its strengths and weaknesses are AND how to maximize your strengths and minimize those weaknesses. By using smart business tactics, you will soon be aggressively competing against established studios and turning heads. No secret formulas, no sales pitches and no bull.

    David Hakamaki is a popular International Speaker & Photographer who operates a full-time home based studio in rural Michigan. With unconventional marketing, session, and sales techniques he quickly became the go-to studio in his economically depressed area. Long gone are worries of how to attract clients, juggle a second job, or wonder where the next job will come from. David uses his background in the business world to show you how his studio consistently generates 6 figures.

    As a special addition, David will show you how he juggles a full time studio with family life in a very unique and humorous way.  David's presentation will get personal as he shows how his photography studio has morphed into a peaceful coexistence with his wife and 4 children.  Tips on making your home studio look professional, separating the props from the toys, dual utilization of rooms/spaces, and the art of conducting a successful sales session in your home will create a learning environment for anyone wanting to turn the corner and make their home studio successful.



    • January 07, 2024
    • 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
    • Virtual
    Register


    What we will cover:  Why do consumers value the things they do? How can we reach the demographic of people that best suits our business? How can we maintain a positive relationship with clients? These questions are the roots of marketing for a creative business. Marketing is simply connection. This course will lead us through creating, maintaining, and deepening a connection with the people that value our work the most. We remove the veil of overwhelm that marketing can often create and allow us to do what we do best - be creative. Come away with a marketing plan that is not only tangible, doable, and proven, but also one that is uniquely you. 


    Who I Am:  I am Aly Elliott of Bloomington, Indiana.  I'm married to Sam and we have 6 gorgeous children. We travel, homeschool, and take in every sunset we possibly can. I've been a professional photographer for coming up on 16 years. We had talked about opening a studio for awhile and, when our daughter died, I needed something to pour myself into. My studio is on the adorable little town square in a place where people still walk around downtown. I have undergrad degrees in Fine Arts and Marketing, as well as a CPP, Master of  Photography, Craftsman, and Master Artist degrees from PPA. In 2022, I was honored with 2 Grand Imaging Award finalist images (in Senior portrait and in Master Artist) I am certified in the family, baby, newborn, maternity, and child categories by NAPCP in addition to being a proud ASP member. I am an exhibiting artist and have worked all over the world (29 countries so far!). I am always looking for ways to continue learning - about business, photography, and people.  I am a firm believer in having it all.


    • February 04, 2024
    • 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
    • Virtual
    Register

    Save the date! Details to follow.

    • March 02, 2024
    • 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
    • virtual (link will be sent prior to event)
    Register

    2024 featured speaker for 95th ANNUAL CONVENTION
    the Hampton Inn, Colchester

    Details to come – in the meantime, here are some of his works on Instagram, and check out his YouTube channel and website.


Past events

May 21, 2023 Fuzzy Duenkel - Garages are Great & Composing Images
March 05, 2023 Shannon Squires-Toews: Photoshop Skills
March 05, 2023 Brooke Shaden: Impactful Conceptual Images
March 04, 2023 Awards Banquet - Saturday Evening
March 04, 2023 Lisa Condon: Running a Values Based Business
March 03, 2023 VPP Print Competition
March 03, 2023 Annual Convention and Photo Competition
February 05, 2023 Annual Meeting & Macro Practice
January 08, 2023 Chris McGinnis: Macro Photography
November 15, 2022 "Ask Me Anything" Informal Chat
October 30, 2022 Pete Rezac: 12 Elements of Image Competition & How to Be Good with Minimal Equipment
October 29, 2022 Member BONUS Activity - SATURDAY
September 28, 2022 Jim Westphalen - Fine Art & the Path to Get There
August 10, 2022 2022 Summer Backyard BBQ
July 13, 2022 Mike Taylor - Lighting with Grace and Ease
May 29, 2022 Bonus: Photo Walk in Websterville
May 17, 2022 Jack Reznicki - Copyright and Model Release
March 30, 2022 Dan Burkholder: iPhone/iPad Artistry
March 06, 2022 Annual Conference - Day 3 (virtual) afternoon: Monica Sigmon
March 06, 2022 Annual Conference - Day 3 (virtual) morning: Leslie Andrews
March 05, 2022 Annual Conference - Day 2 VIRTUAL Awards Night
March 05, 2022 Awards Banquet - Day 2 (in-person) evening
March 05, 2022 Annual Conference - Day 2 VIRTUAL afternoon: Colby McLemore
March 05, 2022 Annual Conference - Day 2 (in-person) afternoon: Colby McLemore
March 05, 2022 Annual Conference - Day 2 (in-person) morning: Mark Mann
March 05, 2022 Annual Conference - Day 2 VIRTUAL morning: Mark Mann
March 04, 2022 Annual Conference - Day 1 (virtual) Image Competition
January 30, 2022 VPP Annual Meeting 2022
January 25, 2022 Bryan Welsh: "The Marketing Riddle"
January 12, 2022 Meet the Vermont Professional Photographers!
November 07, 2021 Introduction to Photoshop Painting with Karen McCall & Abby Sullivan
September 28, 2021 Gena Tussey: "Stop Adulting & Start Playing... Get Off Your Butt!"
July 15, 2021 Summer Backyard BBQ
May 16, 2021 Photo Restoration with Chris Paulis
March 05, 2021 VPP Annual Conference 2021
February 07, 2021 VPP Annual Meeting & Power of Personal Projects Workshop
January 19, 2021 Social Media Strategy - Part 2
January 05, 2021 Social Media Strategy
December 15, 2020 Chris Richman: From Inspiration to Merit
December 01, 2020 Clark Knight: In-Person Sales (IPS) Via Zoom Meetings
November 17, 2020 Douglas Weittenhiller: photographing families with teens
October 20, 2020 Robert Nickelsberg travels to Khanh Phu
October 18, 2020 Food and Product Photography with Scott & Donna Erb
October 06, 2020 Michael Schwartz: Travel Photography & Safety
September 15, 2020 Photographing Newborns with Natascha Dacres
September 01, 2020 Small Town Marketing with Aly Elliott
August 25, 2020 Learn about Mirrorless Cameras with Hunt's
August 04, 2020 Win Wolloff's Illustrative Art
July 08, 2020 Bonus Speaker Jessi Beyer
June 23, 2020 Light Painting with Loren Fisher
May 17, 2020 Adobe Photoshop with Jon Adams, M. Photog., Cr. CPP
April 30, 2020 Resilience and Photography with Retired US Diplomat Beth Payne
March 05, 2020 2020 Convention
February 02, 2020 Lights, Lights and more lights and Annual Meeting
March 14, 2019 2019 Convention

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