WIN a FREE Trip To ASMP Strictly Business 2 - Chicago

I think the business part of professional photography is darn important. That's why I've decided to sponsor one person from this community to attend the ASMP Strictly Business 2 seminar in Chicago April 11-13 for FREE. What's that? You don't live in Chicago? No problem - got you covered. I'll even fly you there, round trip airfare from anywhere in the lower 48 States, and I'll put you up in the designated conference hotel for 3 nights. The whole enchilada.

Here's how you win:

1. Put your name, url, and up to 100 words about why you'd be a great candidate in the comments section below.

2. Reach out to friends, family, co-workers, instructors, etc, whomever makes sense to support your nomination. In the comments section below, have them list also your name, your website if you have one, and have them write from 0 to 100 words - not more - on your behalf, why you'd be a good candidate, etc.

3. That means nominations will look like this:

I nominate (photographer name)
www.(photographer url).com

From 0 to 100 words about (photographer name) and why he/she would be great for this scholarship blah blah blah.

4. You and/or these people who you ask to nominate you must have either Google/Blogger account OR be registered with Wordpress, Live Journal, Typepad, or AIM so as to use Open ID option in comments. ANONYMOUS nominations will be deleted.

5. I'll track numbers and read/review all nominations. Consideration will be made for quantity and quality of recommendations, quality of photos, etc.

6. Winner selection may be somewhat subjective, but hey, that's how the photography world works. This will help you get used to it. I may choose the winner directly, or pick some finalists and inquire further, or put this to a vote. TBD.

7. Lastly, remember you can and should nominate yourself immediately if you're interested in attending (good starting place!), but please do so only only once. Any other nominations you recruit must legitimately come from other people (not your imaginary friend). Any rigging or monkey business will be severely frowned upon.

Depending on the level of interest, I think this comment section could prove to be an interesting read. It could favor those with conviction. It could allow people to read and learn about you and other photographers they might not otherwise know. It also not-so-subtly encourages your networking skills, perhaps gets more unlikely people (your instructor, your friends, your mentor, your mom?) involved in THIS blog's community, and it ultimately helps educate an aspiring photographer at the best photo biz seminar on the market. Heck, it may even help educate the rest of us, since I hope that whomever I send to Chicago might enjoy writing up a brief paragraph or two on the seminar that we could share here in the future.

Let's see how it goes...
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[BTW, international readers, please apply! This is not intended to discriminate against you, but I couldn't predict what it could mean to absorb your ticket from, say, Sydney or Hong Kong. Thus, if you enter and win, you'll need to get yourself to the continental USA, and I'll get you to Chicago from your point of entry.]

UPDATE: Thanks so much to the many hundreds of entries. The winners have been announced at this new post.