AIPP (Photo credit: *pic)
If you’re a serious amateur, at some point or another you will have flirted with the idea of going pro. And if you have, joining the AIPP (Australian Institute of Professional Photography) ought to be a serious consideration. But why? – you may rightfully ask, “What’s in it for me?” That rhetorical question is also the title of a post by Kylie Lyons on the AIPP blog.
To begin with, the number of discounts and promotional offers available to members means that AIPP membership partly pays for itself. Next, as a photographer your ability to display the AIPP logo is a guarantee to clients of certain minimal standards of quality and service. However, the unquantifiable and non-monetary benefits are even more valuable, Lyons suggests.
For instance, though a professional photographer can – of course – learn a new technique or two from a specialist in another area, over and above that, those pros who have perfected the business side of the profession are often willing to assist those who do not possess business nous. In addition, availability of a Code of Ethics which members must abide by ensures that professional photographers do not fall into error and stay on the right side of ‘the line’.
One thing that is no longer a membership benefit is the annual APPA book. AIPP has just announced that the 2012 Canon APPA book will be available as a paid-for PoD (Print on Demand) in two formats: “a comprehensive and stylish 2-volume set that contains all the Gold award winning images . . . or as a single edition comprising 4 categories of your choice.” AIPP explains the financial and marketing reasons behind this change in their blog post.
In any event, the book, printed using Canon’s cutting-edge DreamLabo technology, promises to be a sumptuous treat for the proverbial coffee table. One wonders if the AIPP did not miss a trick in not arranging for a smaller-sized, limited-plate version of the book so that it could be purchased by pros in bulk at a discounted rate to be given as gifts to clients? That would have been a triple play: money into the AIPP’s coffers, a delightful surprise present for clients, and the AIPP and pro photogs earning brownie points from the general public! Oh well, next year maybe?
If one wants to keep looking beyond the obvious, many more hidden benefits of membership lurk beneath the surface, says Lyons, none more critical than for a member to gain and enjoy the supportive community of fellow professional photographers. As she extols the virtues of AIPP membership, perhaps this is Lyons’s most compelling argument.
The AIPP is “largely a volunteer organization,” and is also at heart a community; therefore, there is a consequence which is made evident in the ‘sea-nic’ analogy Lyons uses for the institute and its members: “We all own the boat and we all have to paddle.”
If you’re an amateur shaping up to join the pro ranks, the AIPP could use you as an ‘able-bodied seaman.’ We wish the AIPP friendly seas!
