Join/Renew   Currents Newsletter   Regional Resources   Document Library   Speaker's Bureau   President's Page   Member Survey   Membership Info	President's Message May/June 2002 Networking by Jim Clark, President Networking. According to Webster's, it means "to make connections among people or groups of a like kind." Networking sounds like a cliché these days, but it is one aspect of our craft and profession that we can't live without. Whether it's to just meet someone new or to learn about a potential opportunity, networking is vital to the business of nature photography. The more networking you do, and the bigger your network becomes, the more opportunities will become available to ply your expertise and get published. Nature photographers are a solitary lot and taking the steps to develop a network can be a daunting task. For extremely shy photographers, just to meet someone can be a challenge - they'd much rather be face to face with a bugling elk or a beautiful landscape. Networking, however, can help the photographer get that image of the elk or landscape published. It is often better to have a publisher or editor meet you in person than through an email or letter. Meeting others in your chosen field of endeavor can help you learn new approaches to your craft as well. One of the great things about NANPA is the chance to expand our network of friends, colleagues, and business contacts. Even for the pros, there are new opportunities at the Summits for expanding contacts. I had the pleasure of having dinner with Art Wolfe last summer while we both attended the New England Camera Club Council Conference in Amherst, Massachusetts. I asked Art about his feelings for NANPA and without hesitation he said he loved it. What he liked most was the opportunity to meet other photographers, both professional and amateur. He appreciated the opportunity to form new alliances and increase his professional and personal network. Even as well-recognized and successful as Art is, he still finds NANPA and the Summits worthwhile. Even my dear friend, the late John Netherton, couldn't get enough of NANPA once he became a member. It was like pulling hen's teeth to get John to join NANPA and attend a Summit, but once he did, there was no turning back for him. John not only loved the Summits and meeting all the folks, but he enjoyed working with the student scholarship program and like Art, forming new friendships and contacts. NANPA is not for everyone--whether amateur or pro. And that is perfectly okay. Success does not equal membership in NANPA, nor does it work the other way around. As with all professional pursuits, nature photography requires long hours and dedicated effort. But for those who like the camaraderie and the opportunity not only to network, but also to fine-tune their photography and business skills, NANPA Summits are the ticket. Summits allow participants to meet some of the world's best photographers and to simply have fun. Summits also allow us to collectively celebrate the successes of others. When one of our members succeeds, then NANPA succeeds as well. I'm proud that our members have used their images of nature to create awareness about the beauty of life. I rejoice when our images have been instrumental in saving another piece of the earth. We do make a difference. Through networking, we have become an even more influential cadre of artisans and professionals. NANPA Summits offer a great venue to share our passion for not only photography, but for the natural world as well. We have the time to share experiences, to create new friendships, and to learn a thing or two. Our Summits provide an extraordinary opportunity for ten lucky high school students to spend a week learning and experiencing the best of nature photography. These young folks are our future, and I'm proud of the accomplishments they achieve during this fast-paced week. They have a unique vision, an unbridled enthusiasm, and a can-do attitude. It is these young people who will carry on our traditions into the future. The NANPA Summit gives us all a chance to help them become inspired and motivated and to begin their network of mentors and teachers. With the 2003 summit in Albuquerque, I will be returning to a place I used to call home. What an exciting place for nature photographers to convene! This Summit, like all Summits, will be inspirational. It will offer a chance to renew old friendships and to create new ones. And like all other Summits, the Albuquerque gathering will give us an opportunity to hear and see from the best of the best in nature photography. Folks, it doesn't get much better than that! I hope to see you in Albuquerque in February. And keep networking! 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