2010 Ballot Statement: Larry Gatz

Endorsements: Nancy Brown, Chris Sattleberger, Leif Skoogfors, Keith Douglas, Matthew Pace, Vince Streano, Don Klumpp, Paul Morris

ASMP Member From 1984–1989, Rejoined 1990

ASMP Offices Held: South Florida Chapter President, (2000–2002); South Florida Chapter Treasurer (2002–2004); South Florida Chapter Board of Directors (2000–2006); Houston Chapter, Meeting Coordinator (1986–1989 approximate); Houston Chapter, Membership Chairperson (1986–1989 approximate); Houston Chapter Board of Directors (1986–1989 approximate)

Other Photography Related Organizational Affiliations: APA (current member, joined 2004); SPE (current member, joined 2009)

Ballot Statement: To maintain the status quo, read no further. However, I want your vote. If you want to change the ASMP National Board I urge you to skip over the candidates with the asterisk (The Governance Committee “blessed” ones) and select five new board members for the next three years. All the candidates have experience with chapter leadership positions including chapter president and all candidates are qualified for National Board election.

We need a National Board that the membership has complete confidence in and exhibits unquestioned ethical standards. The By-Law that allows members to be compensated for other-than normal duties should be adjusted to make the full board responsible, with an automatic roll-call vote, names noted in the minutes for payments to members. We need to revamp our communications efforts to allow a free flow of information among the membership and our National Board. The member forum should be immediately reinstated to facilitate this communication. The National Board must not be allowed to operate in a self-imposed vacuum.

ASMP has turned a corner in the past year with the reinvigorated ASMP web site, completion of dpBestflow.org, along with the new educational seminars and video tutorials, all accessible on the Internet. The 2009 Board decision to make these valuable tools available to non-members is in line with ASMP’s goal of promoting high professional standards and ethics in photography while protecting the interest of independent publication photographers.

ASMP should be looking forward with a strong effort designed to educate our clients and the general public about the purpose and fundamental value of protecting creator copyrights. With the increasing pressure from the free intellectual property proponents, our member’s economic survival is at stake. ASMP’s efforts to highlight the migration to motion/video are timely, but may not be practical for the majority of our members. Our clients and the multitude of amateur’s happily partaking in our industry have access to the same technology. Being able to produce motion content is a plus certainly, but motion is only the latest technological addition to everyone’s tool set.

ASMP’s guiding principle is that independent professional photographers shall receive fair and appropriate compensation for the creation of their images. We accomplish this by educating our members to first recognize the value of their work. In tandem a campaign promoting the creative, professional value of our services to the public and specifically our clients is necessary. ASMP, in many instances, is guilty of preaching to the choir.

Currently, chapters may request, once a year, a grant from ASMP Foundation for an event. To qualify the chapter must be in financial dire straits. If your chapter is on solid financial footing, National funds are not available. I would like to get more money, with less restriction to the chapters for local events to educate and generate new members. Funds generated by National programs held locally, return to National coffers.