March Meeting

Newborn Photography Basics with Marcela Limon

Newborn Photography Basics Are you thinking about adding newborn portraits to your services but you don't know where to start? Are you wondering how others manage to get those peaceful perfect images, while you are always intimidated about holding babies? If you answered yes to these questions, this is the right class for you! I'm Marcela Limon and I've been a newborn photographer for over 10 years. Being child-free myself, I had the same fears as you when I started out. But over the years I've learned a trick or two that have helped me never reschedule a newborn session and provide a full gallery of adorable images my clients can't resist. I'm here to share those tricks with you! This class will teach you all about newborn babies: their physiology, reflexes and the differences you should keep in mind for their safety. We'll also go over the very basic tools and props you should have to guarantee a smooth and successful session. Using my StandInBaby (a professional posing doll), I'll show you the easiest and safest ways to hold, wrap, pose and light your tiny models. We'll touch on what images parents really want so you can create an irresistible gallery for your clients. Lastly, we'll go over the products that will make your images shine so every session becomes a profitable sale. After this 90 minute class filled with information and cuteness overload, you'll feel better prepared to handle and pose newborn babies in your studio. Go from clueless to baby in a whisperer in just a few minutes!

Hope see you there!

Marcela Limon is an award-winning portrait artist devoted to preserving the beauty of family through fine art portraiture. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, she crafts timeless mixed media wall portraits and albums for her clients, immortalizing important family milestones. For over 10 years, Marcela has been servicing her clients from her beautiful studio in Alameda, California. She specialized in maternity and newborn portraits exclusively for 9 years and has recently expanded her services to include children and families. Marcela is a Certified Professional Photographer through PPA and has earned her Master of Photography and Photographic Craftsman, as well as the coveted Imaging Excellence Award in 2024. She's also been certified and accredited as a Maternity and Newborn photographer through APNPI and has won prestigious awards in photographic competitions like platinum medals at IPC and the Newborn Portrait Division Winner at WPPI. Since 2025, Marcela serves in the Board of Directors at PPA, where she's a strong advocate for hispanic inclusion and works devoutly for the benefit of all of PPA's members.

Register HERE

Pre-Meeting Event: Swap Meet

This month’s pre-meeting event is a swap meet. Bring the equipment you would like to sell and bring cash to purchase.

This free event is only for this month's meeting registrants.

Separate registration is NOT required for this pre-meeting event. Anyone registered for the monthly meeting can come in early and take advantage of this learning opportunity.

Member Meet-Up

St. Patrick's Day Parade

Saturday, March 14, 2026

St. Patrick's Day Parade

Date: Saturday, March 14, 2026.

Time: Festival runs 9 AM–3 PM; Parade begins at 11 AM and ends around 2 PM.

Location: 8190 Park Ln., Suite 351, Dallas, TX

Cost: The parade is free to attend.

Activities: Over 100 floats, live music, food trucks, and a 5K race.

Photo Challenge: Street Photography of what captures the Irish Spirit.

*** This event is for Dallas PPA members ONLY ***

Registration closes on March 13th

REGISTER NOW

Member 2 Member Program

Registration closes on March 18th

REGISTER NOW

Member 2 Member Program

Shockingly Good Lighting with John Witcraft

 

John Witcraft has been photographing the world for more than 30 years. He is a Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) and is only a few merits away from achieving his Master of Photography degree through PPA, bringing decades of technical and creative experience to his teaching.

*** This event is for Dallas PPA members ONLY ***

Registration closes on March 20th

REGISTER NOW

April Meeting

FROM CPA TO CREATIVE:

The Invisible Structure Behind Luxury with Emily Donohoe

What truly creates luxury in photography?

It's not better presets. It's not more elaborate sets. And it's not simply raising your prices.

In this powerful and thought-provoking program, fine art portrait photographer and former CPA Emily Donohoe challenges the common myth that creativity and analytical thinking are at odds. Drawing from her unique journey from accounting to fine art photography, she reveals how structure - not aesthetics - is the real foundation behind sustainable, premium studios.

Attendees will discover:

• Why luxury is a structural decision, not a stylistic one • How intentional pricing and margin design protect artistic integrity • The hidden cost of underpricing time - especially in fine art and embellishment • A simple four-pillar framework for building a sustainable luxury photography business • How analytical thinking can multiply creativity rather than suppress it Through real-world insight, elevated perspective, and actionable structure, this session equips photographers of all genres and experience levels with the tools to design - not guess at - premium positioning. 

This program is ideal for photographers ready to strengthen their business foundation, elevate their offerings, and build a studio that confidently supports the value of their art.

Luxury isn't a look. It's a structure. And it can be built.

Register Here

Emily is the owner and creative force behind Pixels by Emily, a luxury fine art portrait studio in Mahomet, Illinois, renowned for its white-glove experience and heirloom-quality wall art. A Certified Public Accountant turned Master Photographer and Certified Professional Photographer through the Professional Photographers of America, she is currently pursuing her Craftsman Degree-further demonstrating her commitment to education, leadership, and mentorship within the industry.

Emily brings a rare blend of financial expertise, strategic business insight, and refined artistry to both her studio and the photographers she teaches. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Accountancy and spent more than a decade in public accounting before transitioning full-time into portrait artistry. Today, she specializes in museum-quality printed artwork, including hand-embellished canvases and custom-designed heirloom albums.

Her studio is guided by clearly defined client commitments centered on attention, connection, distinction, quality, and innovation.

Beyond the artwork itself, Emily is deeply passionate about using portraiture as a tool for impact and improving mental health-creating confidence-building Grace & Grit experiences for tweens and teens, and leading her current artist project, Through Purple Eyes, which honors and gives voice to individuals on the other side of domestic violence.

Pre-Meeting Event: TBD

Separate registration is NOT required for this pre-meeting event. Anyone registered for the monthly meeting can come in early and take advantage of this learning opportunity.

Member 2 Member Program

Off Camera Flash- Nuggets and Tips with Hector Reyes

 

In this member-to-member class, Hector will demystify Off Camera Flash (OCF) and High Speed Sync (HSS).

Off Camera Flash is typically referred to when flash is used in conjunction with available light to complete the total exposure for a photograph. Modern cameras and flashes are capable of constantly communicating to deliver the correct amount of light for the correct amount of time as the sensor is being illuminated or the shutter is moving across the sensor.

Hector will discuss HSS in both manual and Through-The-Lens (TTL) modes. He'll also offer his tips/tricks his experience of the years has taught him.

Bring your HSS-capable camera/flash. Hector will bring a model.

Hector Reyes, is a well respected fashion photographer, engineer, and speaker in Dallas, Texas. Mr. Reyes holds a PPA Master Photographer Degree and has been a Platinum Award winner in the International Photographic Competition (IPC). 

His work is known for being "professional", "clean" and “modern". He works with designers and brands to develop and photograph their fashion campaigns. In addition he works with many agency models to keep their portfolios up to date with images they love to show off.

*** This event is for Dallas PPA members ONLY ***

Registration closes on April 17th

REGISTER NOW

May Meeting

Moments in Time with Kevin Jairaj

Join Kevin as he shares his story of how he went from the corporate world to teaching himself how to be a very successful wedding and portrait photographer before transitioning to sports and managing a team of over 30 photographers for the College Football Playoff. Kevin will showcase some of his iconic images from over the years and share the back stories of how he was able to capture the moments. Kevin will go over some of his marketing and business strategies in addition to answering any questions that attendees may have.

Kevin is a Canon Explorer of Light.

In just a few short years, Kevin has not only become one of the most sought after photographers in the USA, but also worldwide. He has been commissioned to do photoshoots, weddings, and events all over the world in addition to the work he shoots in the rest of the USA. Kevin is also a favorite among the celebrity crowd and has photographed weddings and events for many musicians, actors, and famous athletes. Kevin is one of only a few people in the world to hold the Triple Master Title from WPPI as well as a Master of Photography from PPA. Kevin has also won Numerous 1st Place Awards in WPPI 16×20 and 8x10 print competitions in addition to having several prints selected in the PPA Loan collection over the years. He also recently won 1st place in the World Sports Photography Awards.

Kevin has covered several Olympics, Super Bowls, World Series, NBA Finals, and has been The Official Photographer for the College Football Playoff National Championship since its inception in 2015.

Pre-Meeting Event: TBD

Separate registration is NOT required for this pre-meeting event. Anyone registered for the monthly meeting can come in early and take advantage of this learning opportunity.

Dallas Photography Summit

presents

Photoshop Basics to Brilliance

featuring Unmesh Dinda, PiXimperfect

Take your Photoshop skills from foundational to professional in this immersive two-day workshop led by one of the most trusted educators in the creative world.

This hands-on experience is designed for photographers and visual creators who want to move beyond button pushing and truly understand how Photoshop works. You will learn not just how to achieve specific looks, but why the tools and techniques work, so you can adapt them to your own creative style and real-world workflow.

This isn't just another workshop you watch. Here, you do

Whether you are new to Photoshop or self-taught and looking to fill in the gaps, this workshop will help you build confidence, consistency, and creative control in your post-processing.

Come ready to learn, ask questions, and leave with tools and techniques you can use immediately in your own work.

Unmesh Dinda is an internationally recognized Photoshop educator and the founder of PiXimperfect, one of the most respected Photoshop education platforms in the world.

With millions of subscribers and viewers across YouTube and social media, Unmesh is known for his clear teaching style, deep technical knowledge, and ability to make complex Photoshop concepts feel simple and approachable. His philosophy centers on understanding how Photoshop works at a fundamental level, empowering creatives to move beyond step-by-step tutorials and develop true creative problem-solving skills.

Unmesh’s work has inspired photographers, designers, and retouchers around the globe to improve their editing workflows, elevate the quality of their images, and gain confidence in post-production. His tutorials are widely regarded for blending technical precision with practical, real-world application, making them valuable for beginners and seasoned professionals alike.

Through PiXimperfect, Unmesh has built a global community of creatives who share a passion for learning, growth, and mastering the craft of visual storytelling. His mission is simple: to help artists not just use Photoshop but truly understand it.

Member price $399 Early Bird Special $299

Non-member price $499 Early Bird Special $399

Not a  Dallas PPA Member?

Join today and save

WHEN

August 8th & 9th, 2026

WHERE

Grapevine Convention Center at 

1209 S Main St, Grapevine, TX 76051

Refund Policy

The event fee is non-refundable after July 8th, 2026.

A refund will be issued in the manner in which the

original payment was made.

This is a PPA Continuing Education program