Benefits of Getting Together

by Stanley Leary
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Union University Photography Students during a photo weekend at Morris Abernathy’s home outside of Nashville, Tennessee, July 19, 2003.

Beyond learning new things and finding a way to meet up, you can build new professional relationships, make friendships with like-minded people, and even get to know others on a more personal level. 

Kristin Sayres has Ken Irby review her work during the Southwestern Photojournalism Conference in Fort Worth, Texas.

Early in my career, I went to conferences and workshops to get feedback on my work. I wanted to improve, and early on there was a lot of room for improvement.

Joanna Pinneo and Don Rutledge at Ridgecrest during the very first meeting of the SBC photographers. In the background are Paul Obrego,d his wife and daughter, and Carol Veneman.

In 1987, Jim Veneman and I were both trying to get better. We became friends because we both worked for similar organizations. We wanted to bring staff from MissionsUSA & The Commission, and other organizations together.

That first group included some of our spouses:

  • Don Rutledge
  • Joanna Pinneo
  • Mark Sandlin
  • Paul Obregon
  • Warren Johnson
  • Jim Veneman
  • Stanley Leary

This group would get together, share what everyone was doing, and then invite others to join, like Thomas Kennedy & William Allard.

Attending a workshop is like giving yourself a new opportunity to learn from peers with more experience and knowledge, and to bring a new bee into the world of professionals. 

Building new relationships and meeting new connections are essential to personal growth. A workshop gives you, as a professional, a great opportunity to meet others who share your interests. It is always a pleasure to meet someone with the same enthusiasm you do. Attending a workshop is a great way to meet other people in your area with shared interests. Of course, friendship isn’t guaranteed, but it never hurts to try. You will at least be able to find a friend and somebody who knows your “talk shop,” as it were, i.e., to discuss matters concerning your work, etc.

This Year

I organized a ZOOM meeting on Fridays this year to replicate, as best I could, the concept of getting together and getting to know other colleagues.

This is one of the many different meetings we had this year. The speaker was Dave LaBelle.
https://www.photojournalism.org/

If you love Photojournalism, I recommend attending this year’s event online. The 2021 Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar will take place virtually November 9-13, 2021, marking 49 consecutive years of the most extended continuously operating photojournalism conference in America.

In-Person Events

I am planning to host some fun get-togethers shortly. I am looking to host a lighting workshop for a few hours one day. If you are interested, let me know so I can put you on the notification list. These will be in the Metro Atlanta Area.

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