PPA Announces Grass Roots Efforts to Help Photographers During Tough Economic Times

Many Americans, including professional photographers, most of whom are self-employed, are feeling the effects of current economic tough times. And many photographers fear that if they don't get some relief fast, their businesses will suffer irreparable damage.

Throughout its nearly 130-year history, Professional Photographers of America (PPA) has provided business-critical resources to professional photographers. Today PPA, together with its long-standing Industry Advisory Committee, announced a renewed commitment to giving all photographers the help they need to combat economic challenges during the next several years. New programs and resources will be rolled out regularly, giving photographers tools and information to make a real difference in the bottom line of their businesses.

Many of the ideas for helping photographers navigate difficult times come from PPA's Industry Advisory Committee, which has met at least twice a year for decades, collaborating with PPA on ways it can help make photographers successful. In fact, the committee met again this weekend, praising PPA for its regular work on photographers' behalf in the areas of health care reform and copyright protection.

"It's wonderful what PPA is doing to lobby on Capitol Hill to secure health care benefits for photographers," adds Kevin Casey, CEO of Collages.net and member of PPA's Industry Advisory Committee. "This is an important issue that affects the daily life of photographers, and it's important that we are there trying to solve serious issues, rather than just talking about them."

"Our Industry Advisory Committee has been such an important part of our advocacy efforts. They care about photographers and are serious partners in helping us get through these difficult times. We have serious situations, and that means expending serious resources, including substantial financial resources, to make a difference," explains David Trust, PPA's CEO. "Some groups are out there talking, but this takes a lot more than talk - it requires real action, which PPA is already taking."

Photographers are urged to take advantage of the programs and resources available now, only through PPA, the world's largest non-profit association for professional photographers:

* PPA's Indemnification Trust: protection when things go wrong on assignment.
* Studio Management Services: providing business education and financial guidance.
* PPA's Financial Benchmark Survey: providing the data that defines a successful business.
* Full-time Copyright & Government Affairs Staff: fighting for photographers on copyright and small business issues.
* And more


Professional Photographers of America (PPA), a worldwide non-profit association, exists to assist its 22,000 members and the photographic industry in achieving their professional, artistic and fraternal goals; to promote public awareness of the profession; and to advance the making of images in all of its disciplines as an art, a science, and a visual recorder of history. For more information, visit www.ppa.com.