Our largest event of the year!
Don't miss the biggest photographer event in the Twin Cities! TCPPA's 'Made in Minnesota' is a full day opportunity to network with like minded peers, talk with photography vendors and view sample products, as well as learn from educational presentations by some of the area's best minds in the industry. Bring a few of your photography friends and come make many more! (And bonus points for embracing the "Sci-Fi" theme for this year's event - costumes welcome.)
The heART of the Sale with Meghan Doll • Minneapolis, MN • meghandoll.com
"The heART of the Sale" is tailored for photographers seeking to enhance their business by incorporating artwork sales into their repertoire. Delving into the intricate intersection of art, emotion, and commerce, this talk illuminates the keys to positioning oneself as an expert in the sales room. Through a blend of insightful strategies and practical tips, attendees will learn how to elevate their clients; spaces with art while maximizing sales potential. From mastering the art of home decor to understanding the nuances of framing, this talk equips photographers with the knowledge and confidence to curate meaning fun art experiences for their clients. With a special focus on the unique concept of "heart art" - capturing the essence of loved ones in artwork - attendees will discover how to forge deeper connections with clients and turn passion into profit. Join us as we explore the heART of the sale and unlock the transformative power of art in the home.
Bio: Meghan Doll, CPP, is a seasoned professional photographer with a passion for helping others thrive in the industry. With over two decades of experience under her belt, she has mastered the art of staying profitable and enjoys sharing her expertise by coaching fellow photographers to do the same. Armed with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the U of MN, Meghan's background in fine art photography forms the very core of her business. She has coined her unique style as "Heart Art", which captures the essence of your loved ones as artwork for the home.
Posing for Purpose with Cameron & Tia • Minneapolis, MN • cameronandtia.com
Posing for Purpose: A System for Explosive Growth - Get ready for posing talk that will leave photographers both new and experienced energized with new prompts and an innovative new framework to approach posing as a marketing tool. Cameron & Tia both discuss and demonstrate their signature posing method that centers around creating an experience for clients that transforms them into raving fans. Expect demonstrations of silly, laughter inducing prompts and emotional, thought-provoking invitations. You'll leave with out-of-the-box ways to support your clients, encourage memories to be made, and to supercharge your posing experience into a bold marketing tool fueled by referrals. Think not just rockstar posing, but posing designed to promote memory-making and create raving fans!
Bio: Cameron & Tia are wedding photographers and business coaches based in Minneapolis, MN. They met in second grade at Johnathan Elementary School. Sixteen years later, CAmeron proposed to Tia at that sane elementary school. Cameron is an ex-attorney and Tia is a past dance teacher who transformed their passions into a career that allows them to have a life together filled with independence and tons of travel. Now, they teach others to create the same flexibility and freedom in their own businesses.
They are known for their keen business strategy and systems (yes, there is an Asana task for everything) and polar opposite personalities - Tia is a firecracker and Cameron is smart and refined. Their dynamic posing style is document in viral 1 million+ view TikTok videos and taught in their signature course Posing for Purpose. Cameron & Tia continue to photograph weddings, seniors, and families while managing their team of six associate wedding photographers. Additionally, they are business coaches offering mentoring to photography and non-photography businesses, speakers, and YouTubers. Personally, they are either out and about traveling- Italy, Iceland, Alaska, and Hawaii are their top spots - or hosting an epic themed part at home!
A.I. Workflow Must Haves with Nate Peterson • New Richmond, WI • npdesignphotography.com
Are the robots working for you yet? Nate will demonstrate the time-saving and quality-improving, practical solutions that have come to our industry through artificial intelligence technology. This will be a fast-paced demo of techniques for the following: retouching using two different platforms that will cut your retouch time and costs to a minimum, how to use Photoshop generative fill to extend canvas gallery wrap edges, photoshop's new Remove Tool to get rid of distracting elements and finally Midjourney's generative art to create background world's to place your subject in and what to do to make it realistic looking. And at the pace the A.I. world is advancing, there could event be something new by then!
Bio: Nate Peterson, M.Photog, CR, CPP has been full-time in the photography industry since 2011. He has won many awards and has spoken on the national platform stages, educating fellow photographers on sustainable business practices. Along with his wife, and studio manager, Teresa, they own and operate NP Design & Photography, which specializes in story-telling high school Senior portraits, sentimental family portraits, professional business headshots and edgy sports images. Nate and Teresa live and work together in their 100-year-old historic commercial studio building, reversing the home-studio into the studio-home. Along with a small staff and their French bulldog, Curly, their business that was awarded one of the top 100 studios in the country by the Elite Mastermind group in 2017. Nate has been a member of TCPPA since 2009 and has served on the board for eight years, including serving as President in 2019.
Hacks for the Lazy Photographer with Jeannine Pohl • St. Paul, MN • block-studios.com
Marketer, salesperson, bookkeeper, retoucher, website creator, social media guru, set designer, IT specialist, networker, hype-person, editor, receptionist, wardrobe consultant, janitor. Most photographers wear all the hats in their business. We can become obsessed with editing to perfection until 3am or spend 45 minutes on just one email. Why are there only seven days in a week?! How can we manage all the things we need to do?! Discover how to turn into a productivity powerhouse, learn skills that'll have you working like a boss on a beach, and say goodbye to email overwhelm faster than you can say "cheese"!
Bio: Jeannine has been a photographer since 2007 and has photographed over 1,000 weddings. She has a small but might team at Block Portrait Studios in St. Paul, where she creates visual assets for companies and legacy portraits for families. She is proudly out of the office six to eight weeks a year traveling, reading, gardening, watching baseball, or napping.
Designed to Sell with Vicki Taufer • Morton, IL • vgallery.net
Learn how Vicki created her boutique brand, V Gallery, and how she uses her client experience to increate sales. She will discuss how her boutique business has evolved over the last 25 years. Some of the topics Vicki will discuss include relationship marketing, studio design, sales, and the client experience.
Bio: Vicki Taufer has been involved in the photography industry and has owned her studio, V Gallery for 25 years. V Gallery has been everything from a small home based studio, to a large storefront with multiple employees, and everything in-between. Vicki has a passion for people. Her journey with a camera has taken her around the world. She has been recognized internationally through her teaching, awards, and publications. Vicki's most important goals include a healthy work/life balance for her family and business.
Schedule of Events:
11:00 am - Vendor Trade Show
12:00 pm - Intro/Welcome
12:15 pm - Meghan Doll: Selling Heart in Your Art
1:00 pm - Break: Box Lunches & Vendors (box lunch details coming soon)
1:30 pm - Cameron & Tia: Posing for Purpose
2:15 pm - Break: Vendors
2:30 pm - Nate Peterson: AI Workflow
3:15 pm - Break: Vendors
3:30 pm - Jeannine Pohl: Hacks for the Lazy Photographer
4:15 pm - Break: Vendors
4:30 pm - Keynote Speaker: Vicki Tauffer - Designed to Sell
6:00 pm - Break: Set up shooting bay
6:30 pm - Vendors, Happy Hour and Creative Shooting Bay
8:00 pm - Optional Dinner/Social at Lakewood Tavern
