Leading Online Photo Services Provider to Have Ubiquitous Presence at Association’s Annual Gathering as Prominent Exhibitor, Convention Sponsor, and Featured Conference Presenter; Company’s Week-Long Convention Festivities Highlighted by “Lens & Learn” Photo Education Event on Sat., March 6 Hosted in Partnership with Canon, Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas

WPPI 2010 Convention and Trade Show -- TORRANCE, Calif. -- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Pictage, the leading professional photographer community and online platform for marketing, selling, and fulfilling professional photo products, today announced it will unveil its new, completely-redesigned corporate brand identity, and introduce several new exciting, innovative online services for professional photographers, at the Wedding & Portrait Photographers International (WPPI) 2010 Convention and Trade Show, March 4-11, 2010, at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas, Nev.

The company’s 2010 convention attendance represents a comprehensive event marketing initiative which combines a broad range of visual, viral, educational, and community-focused activities throughout the week-long gathering.

The WPPI Convention and Trade Show, one of the world’s largest conferences for professional photographers, brings together over 12,000 attendees, nearly 400 exhibitors, and more than 100 visionary session presenters to showcase new products, services, tools, and techniques that enhance the creativity and imagination of the photographic arts. The staging of this year’s affair, which debuted in 1970, commemorates the historic 30th anniversary of the event.

“As the most prominent, visible, and well-attended conference for the professional photography sector, the WPPI 2010 Convention and Trade Show represents an important showcase for the new-and-improved Pictage, and serves as a major platform for the company to emphasize its passion for empowering photographers and enabling their success,” said Jim Collins, chief executive officer of Pictage, Inc., and an avid photographer. “The Pictage team has invested tremendous time, energy, and resources over the past year in listening to and engaging with members, creating member-driven communications and forums to exchange valuable feedback, and developing innovative products and services that meet the specific business and artistic needs of photographers. The result is an organization with a fresh perspective, a vibrant member community, and a suite of offerings that is truly allowing today’s generation of professional photographers to focus on what they do best: capturing beautiful images that inspire, enchant, celebrate, preserve, and remember life’s greatest moments.”

Beyond the planned introductions of its new brand identity and online services, Pictage’s extensive show presence will also include a newly-designed, state-of-the-art booth situated on 600 square feet of exhibition floor space (Booth No. 433, Level 1, MGM Grand Conference Center); a full schedule of in-booth presentations featuring Pictage senior executives and member photographers (http://pro.pictage.com/wppi/pictage-booth.html); on-site demonstrations of the company’s new online services for members, strategic partners, and journalists; and an invitation-only V.I.P. party, officially called “Thanks to You” and sponsored by KISS Wedding Books and ShootQ, on Tuesday, March 9 at the MGM Grand’s world-famous, multi-level nightclub, Studio 54.

At the WPPI 2010 Convention and Trade Show, Pictage has agreed to a multi-faceted sponsorship agreement which calls for the company to serve as a major sponsor of the closing WPPI Awards on Wednesday, March 9, a special evening which celebrates and recognizes exceptional photographer talent, passion, courage, and creativity. In addition, alongside Dane Sanders’ FastTrack Photographer and the Bui Brothers, Pictage is a co-presenting sponsor of the show’s New Media Lounge, a casual salon located in the Marquis Room where attendees can relax, check their e-mail, charge their mobile devices, and post blog updates. The New Media Lounge will also be the staging point for educational sessions on utilizing social media, as well as live video stream sessions by FastTrack and Pictage. Finally, Pictage is underwriting and promoting a new program at this year’s convention called Pictagerazzi, which seeks to capture show events and attendees, upload them to Pictage event Web sites, and offer the ability to order free prints. Pictagerazzi are Pictage members who will take pictures at key show events, and then share and upload them to a real-time stream. In exchange, Pictagerazzi will get a WPPI V.I.P. access pass, worth $250, to exclusive seminars and WPPI events, a complimentary one-month Pictage membership, and a cool T-shirt to wear when shooting.

The company’s week-long series of convention-oriented activities will be highlighted by a “Lens & Learn” photography education day, jointly hosted with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas and sponsored by Canon, on Saturday, March 6, 2010, for area children interested in exploring the magic and artistry of photography. The half-day event, scheduled from 12:00 – 6:00 p.m. PST at a designated organization clubhouse, will provide 80-100 boys and girls with detailed classroom instruction concerning photography basics, followed by hands-on, in-the-field training and photo shoots at the Spring Preserve, a 180-acre cultural institution designed to commemorate Las Vegas’ dynamic history and to provide a vision for a sustainable future. The preserve features museums, galleries, outdoor concerts and events, colorful botanical gardens and an interpretive trail system that meanders through a scenic wetland habitat.

About Pictage, Inc.
Founded in 2000, Pictage is dedicated to empowering professional photographers and enabling their success. Pictage offers the best online platform for marketing, selling, and fulfilling professional photo products, and serves a passionate community of almost 10,000 photographers worldwide. Pictage honors and respects the courage and creativity of its customers, and strives to deliver intuitive products and services designed to simplify and grow their studio business. By streamlining workflow and taking on time-consuming tasks such as image enhancement, album design, fulfilling client orders and handling customer service, Pictage frees photographers to focus on shooting more events and making lasting, favorable impressions with their clients. For more information, please visit http://www.pictage.com.

About WPPI
Wedding & Portrait Photographers International (WPPI) is an organization that serves the educational and business needs of wedding and portrait photographers. Celebrating its 30th convention anniversary in 2010, WPPI is a professional association that exists to help member photographers by providing them with exclusive information, programs, and services that support their photographic artistry and business needs. WPPI routinely supplies its members with new benefits and valuable industry information that enables them to compete effectively, especially in tough economic times. WPPI membership gives photographers the resources they need to succeed, and the tools they require to build and develop a strong personal support network. For more information, please visit http://www.wppionline.com.