This is my May/June President’s Message published in “The Photographer” magazine.

“If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.”

~Thomas Jefferson

The old adage is true: you get out of an organization what you put into it. What are you getting out of TPPA? How are you interacting with the group? How are you giving back to your industry? There are many opportunities to engage with TPPA, and we would love to get to know you better. From the moment you join, you have the chance to be part of it all.

Events

• Did you feel the excitement of registering for Texas School at 11 p.m. on January 3? All around the world, like-minded photographers joined you in the anticipation of getting their primary class choice. Even if you missed that moment, I hope you attended Texas School with nearly 1,000 of your newest friends! And don’t forget to mark your calendar now for the next registration (same time, same place!). Texas School 2026 is April 25-May 1!
• Did you compete in the annual TPPA Image Competition? Or at least watch the live judging to cheer on your friends? The 2026 Image Competition will be here before you know it, so start preparing your images now!
• Have you attended any Webinars? White House photographer David Valdez was captivating, “What are the Judges Looking For” was inspiring, and Guy T. Philips provides great information about Lightroom every month! What a great way to interact with members all over the country! You can find the recordings in the TPPA365 library at https://tppa.org/welcome-tppa365. Keep an eye out for more webinars coming soon.
• Summerfest is coming June 20-22! Register at https://tppa.org/summerfest2025.  
• More events are in the works! Check out https://tppa.org/events for the latest information!

Volunteer

It takes a lot of people to make our events happen. We always need help, whether it is set-up or tear-down, manning booths and talking to people, wrangling for instructors, or driving speakers to and from the airport. Let us know if you want to help.

Educate

Are you working on your Photographic Craftsman degree or already a seasoned instructor with a program that would benefit other photographers? Let us know if you are interested in presenting a class. Speaker applications can be found at https://tppa.org/events-speaker-application.

Apply for the Board

Here is the big one. Are you interested in making TPPA the best organization possible? Do you have new ideas? Do you have the commitment to make things happen? This is where the future of TPPA is created. Apply to be a Director for 2026 at www.tppa.org/considerations-for-leadership. Deadline to apply is July 1.

Fellowship

What happens after you participate? You can earn your Associate Fellowship and Full Fellowship Degrees! You earn points for everything you do at TPPA. All the program details and Application Form can be found at www.tppa.org/fellowship.

I challenge you to get involved and make the most out of your membership in this organization.

Take the Challenge: Get Involved.

I cannot wait to see what you accomplish! Share with me at Shawna.Hinkel@gmail.com.

Shawna Hinkel, M.Photog., CPP

TPPA President

P.S. A special Thank You to Don Dickson and Cindy Romaguera for a fabulous 50^th Anniversary of Texas School! You have created something very special, and I know it will be in good hands going forward. Thank you for your enduring service to TPPA for so many years! We all wish you the best in retirement.