We’ve updated the PPETN by-laws. Please download the PPETN By-Laws and review them. We will be voting on them at the February meeting.

There are two changes made to the by-laws:

• The Michael Laughlin scholarship winner will be voted on by the board. If a board member submit an application for the scholarship, they cannot vote for themselves.
• We are adding in pro-rated fees for new members (by quarter). If we have someone who wants to join later in the year, they can pay dues of $20 per remaining quarter (so, if they join in May, they would pay $60 for the remaining year, August would pay $40…). Full dues would be required for all following years.

The scholarship change is due to Mrs. Laughlin’s health. This will allow us to continue to award the scholarship on a timely basis. We hope that by pro-rating the membership fees, we may be able to welcome more new members throughout the year..

The new by-laws won’t go into affect until the member vote on the changes. We will be voting on February 11th before the Salon competition.

Please join us February 11, 2010 for our annual 16×20 Salon competition. This is a wonderful opportunity to get judges opinions before entering prints into the regional and national competitions!

PPETN members in good standing may enter the print competition. We welcome photographers to come and watch the judging.

• You must be a PPETN member to enter the competition.
• Rules for entries are based on the PPA Regional Competition Rules.
• Up to a total of four prints or albums may be entered for a fee of $50.
• A total of six prints (or albums) may be entered for a fee of $75.
• Checks should be made out to PPETN.
• Include a CD of your submitted images for displaying winners on the PPETN website. Cases will not be acceptwd without check & CD
• Print Categories are “Portrait”, “Illustrative”, and “Wedding”
• Album Categories are “Event” and “Non-Event”
• Each submission should include an Entry Form.

Judges will be critiquing entries based on PPA’s Twelve Elements of a Merit Print. Judges will score prints as if they are entered into national print competition. Based on the number of prints entered, and allotted time, the judges may critique prints and give suggestive critisism to help entrants improve their prints for national competition.

Salon entries should be submitted by 6:45pm. we will not be holding our monthly 8×10 competition this month.

With SEPPA being hosted by TPPA this year, it is anexcellent opportunity to get critiques and improve your competition entries.

February 11, 2010
Mandarin House Restaraunt
314 Merchants Drive
Knoxville, TN 37912

6:00pm – Meet, Greet, & Eat
7:00pm – Salon Competition Begins

It’s that time of year again for us to renew membership with PPETN. New members, as well as current members, will need to fill in the membership application. Please mail the application to Jerry Godolphin. His address is listed on the application. Membership must be active to participate in the February Salon comeptition.

Here are some of the things we offer PPETN members!

Benefits of Membership:

• Monthly Seminars: Up to ten speakers from across the country discuss new trends, techniques, and marketing topics throughout the year. These seminars are included as part of your annual membership.
• Print Competition Support: We hold seminars and workshops to help prepare images for entering into PPA competition. Every February, we have a board of PPA judges come to review and score prints in our Salon Competition. If you enter prints into competition, this is the perfect opportunity to hear judges opinions before submitting the prints to PPA.
• Backup Photographers: Members are available to assist in case of illness or emergency, ensuring your clients receive professional coverage.
• Camaraderie with other professionals, keeping the enthusiasm and fire alive in your own work.
• Competition: We hold a monthly 8×10 portrait competition. Winners of each competition are tabulated to name our Photographer of the Year based on each photographer’s own work. Members strive each month to do better, which helps to keep improving on your work throughout the year.
• Michael Laughlin Scholarship:A scholarship is awarded each year to go towards continuing photographic education. One PPETN member will have up to $500 towards the photography class of their choice.

Annual dues are $75.00.

PPETN Membership Application

The boyscout event has been postponed. The organization needs more time to get the word out to their scouts. We will be rescheduling the events in the near future.

PPETN is helping to celebrate the Boy Scouts of America 100th Anniversary

     We are helping to celebrate the Boy Scouts of America’s 100th anniversary by volunteering to take photographs of the scouts in uniform. For a $25 donation to the scouts, each scout will get a 5 minute portrait session and an 8×10 print commemorating the anniversary. Some of the scouts will be volunteering to assist our photographers (taking names, collecting information…).

     Any of our members who would like to volunteer to take photographs, we would be honored to have you help participate. Photographs will be taken on January 23 and Janury 30 from 9:00am until 5:00pm. Volunteers would be needed for 2-1/2 hour time blocks.  Ambler will have space available at the Boy Scout Center at 1333 Old Weisgarber Rd in Knoxville. If you are outside the local Knoxville area and would like to participate, times can be arranged at your own studio. This region covers most of East Tennessee, so there would be opportunities needed outside of Knoxville area as well!

   If you would be interested in volunteering, please contact Ambler Brown @ 865.368.1291 for more information and to sign up.