Photo Pro Magazine March Welcome:

Hammersmith Heaven West London was the place to be last month as all roads led to the SWPP Convention

There was no point trying to get hold of any wedding or portrait photographers during the second week of January. For a few days pretty much everyone was out of town or, more accurately, they were all in town, over at the Novotel in Hammersmith to be precise, enjoying the latest Societies’ Convention.

As always it was a privilege to be there and to share in  the sheer enthusiasm and sense of cameraderie that always typifies this event. We all know that there’s a recession on and that times are tough for many in this business of ours but you wouldn’t have guessed it from the upbeat feel that emanated from the delegates piling in to the many workshops and masterclasses taking place around the corridors of the Novotel.

Instead there was a real buzz about the place, the trade show and all of the events being held were pleasantly packed and people everywhere were looking ahead with optimism and planning to meet any downturn with a new set of skills that could open fresh doors. It’s a refreshing attitude and one which will surely see such astute photographers through any slump. It was great to come face to face with so many Photo Pro readers while I was there and also with so many of our columnists, all of whom I’m pleased to report were addressing rooms that were packed to overflowing. Zoe Richards, Damien Lovegrove, Julia Boggio, Xander Casey and Mark Cleghorn were all passing on their expertise and all were thrilled with the response that they got from their audience. Julia actually asked her crowd whether they had seen her column in this magazine and the response was virtually one hundred per cent, so we know that Photo Pro readers were well represented! I also met up with our competition winner Alex Bright at the event and her report on her very special week can be found in our Wedding Pro section this month. Alex was determined to extract every last drop of information out of the convention and her attitude was typical with delegates hanging on to every word, getting feedback on their work and scribbling down notes as if there were no tomorrow. I’ve said it before and I’ll now say it again: I cannot believe that there is a more  sharing industry anywhere and the way that professionals at every level are willing to pass on the benefit of their knowledge and experience is humbling at times. This is a competitive business in tough times and still that sharing goes on: that’s something we can all be truly proud of. Terry Hope Editor Subscribe to Photo Pro Magazine