©GREGORY DANIEL PORTRAITS AND KYLA RENEÉ PAINTINGSPRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
by Audrey Wancket, M.Photog.Cr., CPPu Photographers get to earn our living do-
ing something we love. And we get to spend
our working hours creating images that cli-
ents love. That’s especially true for portrait
and wedding photographers. We create im-
ages that help our subjects feel great about
how they look, portraits that show children
how much they are valued, and wedding me-
mentos that are so much more meaningfulthan marriage licenses. Our portraits are of-
ten clients’ most treasured possessions.
A good photographer does not become a
good photographer without education and
experience—lots and lots of experience. A
great photographer knows that to be great,
we need to chase the dream of excellence,
search for inspiration, and keep the passion
going continually.Mentors and peer groups (sometimes called
mastermind groups) can make a gigantic dif-
ference in our growth.
In my late 20s, I met a photographer
whose work I aspired to equal. Her images
spoke to my heart and soul. She was an elegant
woman who spoke with a quiet, nurturing
voice. My mentor was Lizbeth Guerrina. I
was familiar with her beautiful portraits be-
cause she regularly had new Loan images
that placed in the American Society of Pho-
tographers’ top 100. I would stare at her por-
traits in the Imaging USA print exhibit and
buy the Loan Collection books so I could study
her work and try to emulate it. This was long
before photographers had websites, so this
was the only way to see such great work out-
side of Professional Photographer magazine.
I answered my phone one day and on the
other end was Lizbeth. It turned out we used
the same professional lab, and she saw my
portraits being retouched in the art depart-
ment there. She said she saw my “beautiful
portraits” (I nearly stopped breathing) and
wanted to ask about one of them. And so
our friendship began. From that point on,
whenever she was at a PPA convention, we
met for breakfast or coffee and to walk the
print exhibit. She would ask which images
inspired me and why. Of my own work she
would quietly ask why I chose a particular
camera angle or height. I learned more each
year without even realizing the impact Liz-
beth would have on me, my portraits, and my
life. She’s been gone for several years, and
I miss her guidance and friendship dearly.
This part of my professional journey was
made possible through my participation in
PPA. It’s where I first saw her work, where I
first heard her speak.
I write this as I sit in my hotel room during
a state photographic convention. My column
was coming along slowly so I took a break
and went to the lobby where, of course, all
the photographers were gathered. I sat with
a new acquaintance. “Would you be my men-
tor?” they asked with confidence.
You, too, have the ability to meet mentors
who are perfect for you. Just get yourself to
where all the great photographers go. I look
forward to connecting with you at Imaging
USA in Nashville next January.
By the way, I said yes to being a mentor! •PERSPECTIVE
THROUGH THE LENS OF PPA
LEARNING FROM THE GREATS
86 PPMAG.COM