General Information Imaging USA 2027 Schedule

Browse the official Imaging USA 2027 agenda and make the most of your time in Charlotte, NC. Explore in-person classes, pre-convention workshops, the keynote, special events, expo experiences, and networking opportunities for photographers at every level.

  • Classes run January 31–February 2 and are included with your All-Access Pass.
  • Pre-Convention Classes and Workshops take place January 28–30 for an additional fee.

Program and schedule are subject to change without advance notice.

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The Complete Actor Headshot Session Workflow

Pete Coco

Speaker

Pete Coco
Headshots
3 h

Capturing Success: Creating Stunning Event Images That WOW Clients & Win More Business!

Gustavo Pomar
En Español

Speaker

Gustavo Pomar
Technique Lighting
90 m

The Death of the Safe Photographer

Sanjay Jogia

Speaker

Sanjay Jogia
Inspiration
75 m

Adding Value to Your Business with Video and Content: Getting Started with Video for Photographers

John Branch

Speaker

John Branch
Video
75 m

Permission Granted: The Freedom to Fail, Experiment, and Create with Intention

Richard Johnson

Speaker

Richard Johnson
Inspiration
75 m

Wired to Win: Marketing for Your Personality Type

Rachael Boer

Speaker

Rachael Boer
Marketing
75 m

Emotional Portraits

Sveta Butko

Speaker

Sveta Butko
Fine Art Inspiration
75 m

5 Essential Studio Lighting Setups Every Photographer Should Know

Eli Infante

Speaker

Eli Infante
Technique Lighting
90 m

Creating Iconic Portraits with a Fine Art/Fashion Fusion

Sarah Edmunds

Speaker

Sarah Edmunds
Portrait Lighting
90 m

Print on Site Photo-ops-When Faster IS Better

Bill Vahrenkamp

Speaker

Bill Vahrenkamp
Volume
90 m

The Booking Call Blueprint: Mastering the Conversation That Converts

Speaker

Business Marketing Boudoir
90 m

Pro Results, Budget Gear: Mastering Lighting for Fashion, Seniors & More

John Gress

Speaker

John Gress
Lighting
90 m

Seeing Beyond: Creating Beauty and Fashion Photography That Is More Than Skin Deep

Tracy Bosworth Page

Speaker

Tracy Bosworth Page
Portrait Technique Lighting
90 m

Strobe vs Continuous Light…how do you choose? PM

Ian Spanier

Speaker

Ian Spanier
Technique Lighting
3 h

Strobe vs Continuous Light…how do you choose? AM

Ian Spanier

Speaker

Ian Spanier
Technique Lighting
3 h

Gels, Color, Impact! AM

Lindsay Adler

Speaker

Lindsay Adler
Portrait Lighting
3 h

Gels, Color, Impact! PM

Lindsay Adler

Speaker

Lindsay Adler
Portrait Lighting
3 h

Dog Photography with Jen Hillenga PM

Jennifer Hillenga

Speaker

Jennifer Hillenga
Pet
3 h

The Boudoir Business Audit: Identify What’s Actually Holding You Back

Lori Unruh Poole

Speaker

Lori Unruh Poole
Business Boudoir
90 m

Dog Photography with Jen Hillenga AM

Jennifer Hillenga

Speaker

Jennifer Hillenga
Pet
3 h

Studio Portraits Made Easy: From Simple Setups to Creative Lighting PM

Eli Infante

Speaker

Eli Infante
Lighting
3 h

On Set IQ: Crew, Clients, and Controlled Chaos

Ab Sesay

Speaker

Ab Sesay
Commercial
75 m

Studio Portraits Made Easy: From Simple Setups to Creative Lighting AM

Eli Infante

Speaker

Eli Infante
Lighting
3 h

The Photographer’s Sales Playbook: From Consult to Close / A Creative’s Guide to Confident Selling

Jennifer Stitt

Speakers

Jennifer Stitt
Business Sales
9am - 5pm

AI Workshop with Kira Derryberry

Kira Derryberry

Speaker

Kira Derryberry
AI
9am - 5pm

La Magia De Usar Una Sola Luz -“Mastering One-Light Portraits for Professional Results”

Alvaro Balderas
En Español

Speaker

Alvaro Balderas
Technique Lighting
90 m

The Professional Real Estate Workflow: Structure, Speed, Consistency

Jonathan Lee

Speaker

Jonathan Lee
Commercial Real Estate
90 m

Getting started in Wedding Photography

Scott Johnson

Speaker

Scott Johnson
Wedding
90 m

Lighting on Purpose: Stop Guessing, Start Shaping

Chloe Ramirez

Speaker

Chloe Ramirez
Lighting
90 m

What’s the Right Strobe and Modifier for Me? A Practical Lighting Guide for Every Photographer

Ian Spanier

Speaker

Ian Spanier
Technique Lighting
75 m

Rock Photography with Jeremy Saffer

Jeremy Saffer

Speaker

Jeremy Saffer
Lighting
75 m

Taking Ownership of the Numbers

Lisa Asp

Speaker

Lisa Asp
Business
75 m

The Human Algorithm: Connection Based Marketing that goes beyond the ‘Gram

Tiffany Crenshaw

Speaker

Tiffany Crenshaw
Marketing
75 m

Combining Traditional to Trending – Team Sports & Media Day

Alison Carlino

Speaker

Alison Carlino
School, Sports and Events
90 m

Light Anything: Master Product Photography for Any Material

Jeahn Laffitte

Speaker

Jeahn Laffitte
Lighting Product (Food/Tabletop)
90 m

Inside School Photography   Systems - Strategy – Scale

Speakers

School, Sports and Events
90 m

From Awkward to Confident: Photographing Professionals Who Hate Headshots

Glynns Thomas

Speaker

Glynns Thomas
Commercial Headshots Posing
90 m

Cinematic and Scroll-Stopping Boudoir with Tina Meerloo

Tina Meerloo

Speaker

Tina Meerloo
Lighting Boudoir Posing
90 m

Tu Mirada Creativa “Your Creative Gaze”

Gustavo Pomar
En Español

Speaker

Gustavo Pomar
Fine Art Inspiration
90 m

Simple Gear, Extraordinary Images

Daniel Norton

Speaker

Daniel Norton
Lighting
75 m

The Portrait Photographer’s Guide to Social Event Photography for Year-Round Income

Steve Foisy

Speaker

Steve Foisy
School, Sports and Events
75 m

How to Book More Jobs without Feeling Salesy

Vanessa Joy

Speaker

Vanessa Joy
Portrait Marketing
75 m

Redefining the Senior Portrait Studio: Editorial Imagery, Gen Z Clients, Real Profit

Matthew Orbaugh

Speaker

Matthew Orbaugh
Portrait Sales
75 m

Picture Perfect Plans

Glen Varhagen

Speaker

Glen Varhagen
Inspiration
75 m

Turning Ordinary Spaces Into Cinematic Portraits

Meg Loeks

Speaker

Meg Loeks
Inspiration Portrait Lighting
90 m

Profitable Pet Photography

Arica Dorff

Speaker

Arica Dorff
Sales Pet
75 m

Adding Volume to Your Portrait Studio (The Side Hustle That Supports Your Portrait Habit)

Brent Watkins

Speaker

Brent Watkins
Portrait School, Sports and Events Volume
3 h

Paper Negatives

Daniel Norton

Speaker

Daniel Norton
Film
3 h

The Profit Shift: Pricing and Sales

Jenn Lewis

Speaker

Jenn Lewis
Business Sales
3 h

Photographing the Big Cats of the World

Kevin Dooley

Speaker

Kevin Dooley
Wildlife Nature Podcast
3 h

Multiple Streams of Income: A Photographer’s Guide to Adding Video Services That Elevate Client Value

Jeff Carpenter

Speaker

Jeff Carpenter
Business Video
3 h

Commercial Photography 101: Contracts, Bids, and Red Flags

Ab Sesay

Speaker

Ab Sesay
Business Commercial
3 h

Level Up Your AI Workflow: The Simple Social Media Shortcut for Photographers

Jennifer Stitt

Speaker

Jennifer Stitt
Business Marketing AI
90 m

Luxury Without Borders: Photographing Multicultural Weddings with Authority, Respect & Representation

Abhi Sarkar

Speaker

Abhi Sarkar
Wedding
90 m

Marketing to the Luxury Client

Lindsay Walden

Speaker

Lindsay Walden
Portrait Marketing
90 m

The Quiet Power of Flash: An Introductory, Natural-Light-First Lighting Workflow

Matias Ezcurra
En Español

Speaker

Matias Ezcurra
Lighting
3 h

Film Photography in the Digital Age

Bill Manning

Speaker

Bill Manning
Technique Film
3 h

Social Media with Ashley Laray Lowder

Ashley Lowder

Speaker

Ashley Lowder
Business Marketing Social Media
3 h

Gimbal Mastery: Creating Cinematic Motion with Confidence

Samuel  Bouret

Speaker

Samuel Bouret
Video
3 h

Dominando los Fundamentos de Iluminación en el Retrato “-Mastering the Fundamentals of Portrait Lighting

Alvaro Balderas
En Español

Speaker

Alvaro Balderas
Portrait Lighting
3 h

Stop Running Your Photography Business Like It’s 2009

Jaimy Ellis

Speaker

Jaimy Ellis
Business Marketing AI Workflow Social Media
3 h

Elevating Your Portrait Photography With Editorial Lighting and Eye PM

AB + DM

Speakers

AB + DM
Lighting
3 h

Elevating Your Portraits Photography With Editorial Lighting and Eye AM

AB + DM

Speakers

AB + DM
Lighting
3 h

From Shoot to Delivery: How to Build a Fast and Personalized Workflow That Clients Remember

Ray Alvarez

Speaker

Ray Alvarez
AI Workflow
9am - 5pm

Professional Photography Certification Workshop | Hands-On In-Person Training

Carl Caylor

Speaker

Carl Caylor
CPP
9am - 5pm

Professional Photography Certification Workshop | Hands-On In-Person Training

Carl Caylor

Speaker

Carl Caylor
CPP
9am - 5pm

Professional Photography Certification Workshop | Hands-On In-Person Training

Carl Caylor

Speaker

Carl Caylor
CPP
9am - 5pm

Two Day Business Intensive

Speakers

Business Sales Marketing
9am - 5pm

Two Day Business Intensive

Speakers

Business Sales Marketing
9am - 5pm

Why Companies Still Hire Photographers: Creating a Corporate Headshot Experience AI Can’t Replace

Glynns Thomas

Speaker

Glynns Thomas
Commercial Headshots
9am - 5pm

Master the Art of Photoshop with Sandra Pearce

Sandra Pearce

Speaker

Sandra Pearce
Adobe Fine Art Technique
9am - 5pm

On-Location Real Estate Workshop with Jonathan Lee

Jonathan Lee

Speaker

Jonathan Lee
Commercial Technique Real Estate Workflow
9am - 5pm

Imaging USA Closing Party

Leave it all on the dance floor at Imaging USA Closing Party! Celebrate an exciting start to another year of photography with your friends and new con...
Open to All Attendees
3 h

PPA Award & Degree Ceremony

This ceremony is to honor those who have excelled in their craft and exhibited exceptional service to the photographic industry. Join us as we announc...
Open to All Attendees
90 m

Award & Degree Recipients: Q&A

There will be a brief Q&A session before the Award & Degree ceremony in which the ceremony will be reviewed, and degree recipients can share a...
Open to All Attendees
45 m

Award & Degree Reception

There will be a reception area available with a cash(less) bar for degree recipients relax and mingle prior to or following your Portrait Session.
Open to All Attendees
150 m

Express Talks Theater

Located on the expo floor, these 30-minute talks are led by industry leaders and take place throughout all 3 days of the conference, at the top of eac...
Open to All Attendees
12pm - 3:30pm

Expo Hall Concessions

Need a quick bite between sessions? Swing by our Expo Hall Concessions to enjoy a rotating selection of three delicious food options daily, along with...
11:30am - 3:30pm

Imaging USA Expo

The Expo is where you'll find all the latest products and services for photographers, but it's so much more than a trade show. This is your chance to ...
11:30am - 3:30pm

Industry Advisory Breakfast Meeting

Annual meeting of PPA’s Industry Advisory Committee.
90 m

Speaker Lounge

Welcome Imaging USA Speakers! Your Speaker Lounge is here for you to relax, prepare for your program and test your A/V before you hit the stage. Pleas...
7am - 3:30pm

International Photographic Competition Exhibit

Browse hundreds of award-winning images in the International Photographic Competition (IPC) Exhibit. Located throughout the Convention Center, each di...
Open to All Attendees
7am - 3:30pm

International Photographic Competition Finale

Join us for the live judging of the Final 4 images in the 16 categories and award $26,000 in prizes to this year's top image makers! Open to all badge...
Open to All Attendees
90 m

Council Meeting

This is the annual meeting of all PPA Councilors. There is reserved seating for PPA Councilors and their guests with additional seating in the back of...
3 h

Council Breakfast

A continental breakfast will be served outside the meeting room for the Council Meeting of the same day. Breakfast is exclusively available to PPA Cou...
1 h

Imaging USA Welcome Party

Get ready to kick off Imaging USA with a bang at the Welcome Party! Join us for an unforgettable night filled with great vibes, dancing, and fun. This...
Open to All Attendees
2 h

Networking Avenue

Connect, Create, & Celebrate! Join this fun, informal event to talk all things photography, meet industry professionals, and grow your portfolio. ...
Open to All Attendees
90 m

United Behind the Lens - Diversity & Inclusion Meeting

United Behind the Lens (UBTL) is an initiative centered on celebrating diversity, inclusion, and unity within the global photography community. During...
Open to All Attendees
1 h

Express Talks Theater

Located on the expo floor, these 30-minute talks are led by industry leaders and take place throughout all 3 days of the conference, at the top of eac...
Open to All Attendees
12pm - 5pm

Express Talks Theater

Located on the expo floor, these 30-minute talks are led by industry leaders and take place throughout all 3 days of the conference, at the top of eac...
Open to All Attendees
12pm - 5pm

Expo Hall Concessions

Need a quick bite between sessions? Swing by our Expo Hall Concessions to enjoy a rotating selection of three delicious food options daily, along with...
11:30am - 5pm

Expo Hall Concessions

Need a quick bite between sessions? Swing by our Expo Hall Concessions to enjoy a rotating selection of three delicious food options daily, along with...
11:30am - 5pm

Imaging USA Expo

The Expo is where you'll find all the latest products and services for photographers, but it's so much more than a trade show. This is your chance to ...
11:30am - 5pm

Imaging USA Expo

The Expo is where you'll find all the latest products and services for photographers, but it's so much more than a trade show. This is your chance to ...
11:30am - 5pm

Expo Ribbon Cutting

Join PPA's board of directors for the ribbon cutting and official Imaging USA Expo opening immediately following the Sunday keynote session.
Open to All Attendees
5 m

Opening Keynote

Coming Soon!
Open to All Attendees
75 m

Bridging the Gap Lounge

After your Bridging the Gap class, head to the Gap Lounge for a speaker Q&A session.
9:30am - 6:45pm

Bridging the Gap Lounge

After your Bridging the Gap class, head to the Gap Lounge for a speaker Q&A session.
9:30am - 6:45pm

Community Network School Directors Meeting

This meeting will cover PPA Community School Benefits, utilizing PPA resources, requesting PPA merits, and PPA renewal season.
8am - 12pm

International Photographic Competition Exhibit

Browse hundreds of award-winning images in the International Photographic Competition (IPC) Exhibit. Located throughout the Convention Center, each di...
Open to All Attendees
7am - 7pm

International Photographic Competition Exhibit

Browse hundreds of award-winning images in the International Photographic Competition (IPC) Exhibit. Located throughout the Convention Center, each di...
Open to All Attendees
7am - 7pm

Speaker Lounge

Welcome Imaging USA Speakers! Your Speaker Lounge is here for you to relax, prepare for your program and test your A/V before you hit the stage. Pleas...
7am - 5pm

Speaker Lounge

Welcome Imaging USA Speakers! Your Speaker Lounge is here for you to relax, prepare for your program and test your A/V before you hit the stage. Pleas...
7am - 5pm

PPA New Member Meet & Greet

The New Member Meet and Greet is the perfect place to network with other newbies and plan your conference agenda. There will also be experts on hand t...
Open to All Attendees
1 h

International Photographic Competition Live Judging

Photographers compete in the head-to-head bracket style image competition for big cash prizes, with an engaging emcee presiding over the event. Join u...
Open to All Attendees
9am - 6pm

Community Network Leaders Meeting

This meeting is for Community Network Leaders, by Community Network Leaders. This time gives Community Network Leaders a chance to explore topics rela...
8am - 5pm

Speaker Lounge

Welcome Imaging USA Speakers! Your Speaker Lounge is here for you to relax, prepare for your program and test your A/V before you hit the stage. Pleas...
8am - 5pm

Speaker Lounge

Welcome Imaging USA Speakers! Your Speaker Lounge is here for you to relax, prepare for your program and test your A/V before you hit the stage. Pleas...
8am - 5pm

Speaker Lounge

Welcome Imaging USA Speakers! Your Speaker Lounge is here for you to relax, prepare for your program and test your A/V before you hit the stage. Pleas...
8am - 5pm

Imaging USA Registration

Stop by to get your badge printed and pick up a free Imaging USA tote bag and notebook!
8am - 5pm

Imaging USA Registration

Stop by to get your badge printed and pick up a free Imaging USA tote bag and notebook!
8am - 5pm

Imaging USA Registration

Stop by to get your badge printed and pick up a free Imaging USA tote bag and notebook!
8am - 5pm

Imaging USA Registration

Stop by to get your badge printed and pick up a free Imaging USA tote bag and notebook!
8am - 5pm

Imaging USA Registration

Stop by to get your badge printed and pick up a free Imaging USA tote bag and notebook!
8am - 5pm

Imaging USA Registration

Stop by to get your badge printed and pick up a free Imaging USA tote bag and notebook!
8am - 5pm
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