PPAM upcoming events

The Art of Imagination: A Playful, Interactive Dive into the Psychology of Creativity (Sunday, November 22, 2026)

Sun, 22 Nov 2026 15:00:00 GMT

PPAM Photopalooza 2026

The Art of Imagination: A Playful, Interactive Dive into the Psychology of Creativity

Rachel Smook

DATE: Sunday, November 22, 2026

TIME: 10:00 am - 4:30 pm

LOCATION: Lucozzi Portraits, 71 Faulkner St #215, North Billerica, MA

This palooza offers a hands-on opportunity to explore how your thoughts, emotions, and environment shape the way you create. In this interactive workshop, you'll learn about different types of creativity and find new pathways to inspiration through interactive challenges that help you connect with your artistic voice. Bring your camera, your curiosity, and a spirit of play as we explore different ways to fuel your creative journey.

Bio: Rachel Smook is a licensed psychologist with graduate degrees in clinical psychology from Loyola University and William James College and a postdoctoral fellowship from Harvard University. She has been in the field for her entire adult life and has had a private practice for seventeen years. She is a co-author of the 2005 edition of Our Bodies, Ourselves, which now has over four million copies in print around the world. She is also the author of a chapter in the Handbook of Private Practice, published by Oxford University Press. Rachel has held leadership and governance roles in several divisions of the American Psychological Association and was a contributing editor for the APA's Psychotherapy Bulletin for several years. Her clinical work addresses a wide range of psychological concerns for adolescents and adults, and she spends much of her clinical time to providing care to doctors, nurses, and other therapists, as they navigate the challenges of frontline medical care. Rachel’s passion for the human story also has an artistic expression, through her work as a professional photographer. Rachel’s photography is oriented around portraiture and events, and she focuses on deep connection with her clients and their stories to create authentic and emotive imagery.

Lunch: order in from a local sandwich shop or bring your own

What to Bring: notebook, pen, and camera

All PPA member attendees will receive 1 Merit.

PPA # Must be provided at time of registration.

Class limit: 10

DATE: November 22, 2026

Class Hours: 10:00 am– 4:30 pm

Payment must be made upon registration

Location: Lucozzi Portraits, 71 Faulkner St #215, North Billerica, MA

PPAM Holiday Social 2026 (Sunday, December 06, 2026)

Sun, 06 Dec 2026 17:00:00 GMT

PPAM Holiday Social

Sunday, December 6th, 2026

Location: Lucozzi Portraits
71 Faulkner Street, Suite 215
North Billerica, MA 01862

Time: 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm

‘Tis the Season’ of giving and celebrating together!
Join in the festivities, food and fun in a casual environment at PPAM’s Holiday Social!
(Spouses, significant others and friends are welcome)

More details to follow!!!!

In the spirit of the season...

Please bring a new, unwrapped gift to
benefit the Toys for Tots program.

Please be sure to register in advance, so we know how many to expect!

Creating Client Experiences That Change Lives (Sunday, January 10, 2027)

Sun, 10 Jan 2027 15:00:00 GMT

Creating Client Experiences That Change Lives

Steph Johnson, M.Photog.Cr.,CPP

PPAM QUARTERLY SEMINAR

DATE: Sunday, January 10th, 10am - 4:30pm

Natick Hampton Inn 319 Speen St, Natick, MA 01760

Creating Client Experiences That Change Lives is an interactive learning experience designed to help you craft and implement a better more meaningful, more client focused, experience for your client.

This is an opportunity to experience what your clients experience. Learn how many, maybe even your own, client journeys typically work. We will find opportunities to implement meaningful change either small or large with design and intention.

Let’s have some fun, maybe be a little vulnerable and create experiences that help your clients feel seen, heard, valued, confident, and empowered and most importantly tell their friends about you.

Biography

Steph Johnson, M.Photog.Cr.,CPP

After getting a BS in Business, Steph began in distribution and supply chain leadership and management, moving up the corporate ladder and around the country. She became a division Vice-President in one of the fastest growing national companies at the time, at only 27. With both field and corporate management and leadership experience, she completed an Executive MBA at the University of Denver.

Steph runs two small businesses, Quad J Farms and Steph J Photography. She also teaches photography, business or leadership skills within the photographic industry or leadership and mental healthcare/suicide prevention and advocacy to special interest groups.

Steph has earned the Master Photographer and Photographic Craftsman Degrees and CPP (Certified Professional Photographer) degrees through Professional Photographers of America (PPA). She is completing the final phases of juror training and hopes to be an approved juror in 2027. Steph is an award winning, internationally published photographer and actively involved with both PPA, and VPPA (Virginia Professional Photographers) where she serves as an elected councilor for PPA, and Board member for VPPA.

EVOLVE 2027 - Photo Convention (Friday, March 05, 2027)

Fri, 05 Mar 2027 17:00:00 GMT

EVOLVE 2027

PPAM's Annual Photography Convention

Friday, March 5th - Sunday, March 7th, 2027

Join us for education and fun as we Evolve!

at the Hilton Boston/Woburn

2 Forbes Rd, Woburn, MA 01801

More to come on the Speakers and Events. Stay tuned!!!

Navigate The Light & Evolve The Portrait (Monday, March 08, 2027)

Mon, 08 Mar 2027 15:00:00 GMT

Navigate The Light & Evolve The Portrait

with Seth Miranda

Monday, 3/8/27

Registration starts at 9 AM

Time: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Hilton Boston/Woburn 2 Forbes Road, Woburn, MA 01801

Lighting is a feel as much as it’s a science. The technical aspect is one thing but what about the approach? Light is predictable so let’s get to a place where we aren’t guessing anymore. If you’ve seen photographer Seth Miranda you have probably only seen one hour at a time. What if he had all day to run through lighting set ups, why/when to use them and evolve the setups based on collaborating with you in attendance. No chat rooms. No comment sections. Just those in the room for a full day studio session.

Biography:

Seth Miranda's career in photography has been as unique as his images. Having publications under his belt at age 15, he sculpted his lighting technique day and night in the fast-action world of BMX and skateboarding. With experience running the spectrum of all formats of film, experimental/older forgotten processes all the way to today's digital medium, his versatile style has been featured in DigBMX, RideBMX, Juxtapoz, MakeUp Artist magainze and Transworld media publications as well as billboard and print ads for agencies like Deustch. He has assisted legend photographers like Joe McNally on set and also been featured in galleries covering subjects such as punk and alternative lifestyles.

Seth has brought his skill set and experience to the studio to masterfully capture every vision and concept thrown at his lens by the Special Effects MakeUp artists in attendance having worked for MUD MakeUp Designory, MakeUp For Ever, MakeUp Artist Magazine, IMATS, and many more facets of the industry. In his quest for mastery, Seth has also pushed his cinema still style docudrama images outside the realm of photography and into other mediums as stenciling, resin cast, and screen printing. Today Seth Miranda is a content producer, host, edcuator and tech for Adorama and their various platforms

This is a PPA Merit event. Provide your PPA number in the registration to earn.