Earlier in the week I started profiling this year’s Summer School instructors.  What started out as putting them up, three at a time, has really become a labor of love.   Three at a time was just too much information.   However, more important than Summer School, is the fact that these people are some of the movers and shakers in our industry. 

If you want to stay on top of the trends and challenges then you need to have each one of these icons in your network.  So, if you can join us at Summer School in August terrific, but if you can’t, then make it a point to keep in touch with each of these photographers.  Read their blogs, look at their teaching schedules, keep track of what they’re doing.  They’re teaching because they love education and they believe in the growth of professional photography…so get to know them.   And today I get to introduce you to Kay Eskridge!

Kay Eskridge:  This year’s Summer School theme is about diversity and few photographers are more diverse than Kay!  She’s a marketing and branding machine, looking for new ways to support the community around Phoenix.   Over the past year her studio work has branched out into the pet market, boudoir and Seniors, not high school seniors, but the Golden Age senior crowd.  

Think about that for just a second.  It takes a monumental effort to get on the radar of the Golden Age crowd, but there isn’t a grandmother on the planet who doesn’t complain about not having pictures of her family and virtually none of them have images of themselves that are up to date.    It’s a unique opportunity, well worth working to develop.

When it comes to developing new concepts and testing out new ideas, Kay’s secret weapon is her enthusiasm!  She’s a family photographer with incredible energy and creativity.  Best of all Kay walks the talk and is constantly looking for new ways to expand her business.   She loves to teach, is a terrific instructor and proof that hyper-active kids grow up and have great careers!

The only sad thing about Kay is that she has my Arnold Palmer signed putter hanging over her fireplace when it belongs in my house…it’s been over ten years since she outbid me at a PPA Charity Auction and after years of therapy I’m almost over it! LOL

Want to learn more about Kay?  Visit her website, Images by Kay.  You’ll find her on Facebook too.  And if you’re on Twitter, you’ll find her there too!  She’s also got a great blog, well worth reading on a regular basis.

Monday, I’ll hook you up with Kevin Kubota!