ppoc-bc

Happy New Year!

My name is Melissa Welsh and I am delighted to be your president for 2012. I started shooting as a teenager and studied photography at Fanshawe College in London. After graduating, I had the opportunity to take my business full time. Ever since, I have been working as wedding, portrait and adventure photographer. In recent years, I have owned a photo gallery, I published two books and a magazine, and I am now excited to shift my energy into the PPOC-BC.

I got involved in our association for a number of reasons. Firstly, I found that by working as a sole-proprietor, I missed having a work-place community. By being a member of the PPOC-BC I was able to have the camaraderie you get from a traditional working environment. Secondly, I felt that I needed a way to distinguish myself from the increasing number of amateur photographers. By becoming a member of a professional organization it has increased my credibility to potential clients. Thirdly, as a self-employed person there is no corporate ladder for me to climb – but as a member of the PPOC-BC there are measurable, attainable goals that I can accomplish, such as becoming accredited, CPA, MPA etc. And finally, I was ready to share my knowledge and experience with my peers.

I believe that we can all make the most of our membership by getting involved. We all have so much to learn from one another. By creating an open and engaging community where ideas can flow back and forth, we can all grow and evolve as professional photographers.

I encourage you to make the most of your membership in 2012. Imagequest is the best way for you to become an active member of our community. Once a year we connect with each other to learn, share ideas and most importantly have a good time. If you are unable to attend, there are a number of other ways to get the most out of the association. These include; entering the provincial and national salon, attending events in your community, volunteering for your local branch, submitting content to our provincial blog, sharing thoughts and comments on our facebook page among other things.

Together, let’s make 2012 the best year ever. Get involved, get to know one and other, and if you find yourself in the Kootenays – please pop in for a tea!

Yours,

Melissa Welsh
President