The Photo Managers Conference 2025
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
April 22 – 26, 2025
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
April 22 – 26, 2025
Three Ways to Join:
Choose the best way to experience our annual conference!
📍 Full San Diego Conference (April 22-26, 2025)
Experience the full conference in person! Attend workshops, network with industry pros, and explore San Diego while learning from top experts.
🎟️ Day Pass in San Diego
Short on time? Join for a single day and access live sessions, expert talks, and networking opportunities.
đź’» Virtual Conference
Attend from anywhere! Get live-streamed sessions, interactive discussions, and on-demand access to recordings.
Lucy Kelleher
Keep Them Loyal
Thursday 4/24 from 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Success in the photo management business isn’t just about technical skills—it’s about building strong, lasting client relationships and a steady stream of referrals. In this interactive session, you’ll learn how to create a consistent pipeline of clients by leveraging smart lead generation strategies, deepening client relationships, and developing valuable partnerships.
We’ll cover:
âś… Proven strategies to attract high-quality leads without the constant hustle
âś… How to turn first-time clients into lifelong relationships that generate repeat business and referrals
âś… The power of networking and strategic partnerships to grow your business in a sustainable way
Through real-world examples, actionable exercises, and a clear roadmap, you’ll leave with a customized action plan to implement immediately—helping you create a business that thrives on connection, not just transactions.
Friday 4/25 from 2:00 PM - 3:15 PM
Discover the real-world tools and techniques behind successful photo organizing businesses. In this engaging panel, six experienced pros share their unique approaches to three essential client services: digital photo organizing, photo book creation, and slideshow design. You’ll see side-by-side comparisons of workflows, hear tips on choosing the right tools for different projects, and walk away inspired to refine your own systems—no matter your style or specialty.
Saturday 4/26 from 9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
Join members of The Photo Managers Advisory Board for a candid conversation about the current landscape, emerging trends, and what the future holds for professionals in our field. From AI and automation to shifting client expectations and new service opportunities, this panel offers valuable insight from seasoned leaders helping shape the industry’s direction. Bring your questions and leave with a clearer vision of where we’re going—and how to grow with it.
Wednesday 4/23 from 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Sponsored by:
Mylio Drop-In Sessions:
Come-and-go anytime between 1:00–3:30 PM
Curious about how Mylio can elevate your photo management services? We’ve carved out time just for you—and brought in the experts! These casual, drop-in sessions are designed to answer all your Mylio questions and help you gain the confidence to integrate it into your business.
Featuring Angela Andrieux
Angela is a Mylio evangelist, fine art photographer, and photography coach with over 15 years of experience. She has a talent for breaking down complex tech into clear, simple steps—so you can organize, edit, and protect your clients’ photos with ease.
Plus, special guest Alex Tsepko
We’re thrilled to welcome Alex Tsepko, Mylio’s Director of Marketing & Business Development. Alex brings insider insights into the company’s vision, upcoming features, and how Mylio is partnering with professionals like you to grow the community.
Topics You’ll Explore:
âś” Setting Up Clients in Mylio
âś” Identifying the Ideal Mylio User
âś” Mylio Certification & Concierge Program
âś” Live Q&A and One-on-One Support
Whether you’re brand-new to Mylio or ready to go deeper, this is your chance to connect directly with the people behind the platform. Drop in, ask questions, and leave empowered!
We can’t wait to see you there!
Archoral Drop-In Sessions:
Come Learn How To Deliver An Interactive Archive That Will Last For Generations
Discover Archoral—the platform purpose-built for media managers, family historians, and legacy builders. These sessions are designed to help you elevate your client work with tools that simplify organization and bring stories to life.
Hosted by Kate Forry Guanci. Each session offers a welcoming, interactive space to learn, ask questions, and walk away with practical strategies to impress your clients and build upon the services you already provide.
What You’ll Learn in each session:
âś” 360 interactive views of family stories. How media can be linked to multiple people, timelines, and locations. Learn how one item can have a ripple effect!
✔ You’re already doing genealogy!
Learn how to take photo management and give your client a thirst for familial research. Upsell your services for a richer client experience.
âś” Explore inclusivity within an Archive.
Adoption, Fosters, Blended families and LGBTQ, learn how to tell your clients story to the fullest
âś” Metadata and Future features
Take a peek at what we have planned of the future, and help guide us in what enhancements to do next!
Schedule:
12pm – 1pm: Explore how to get a 360-degree view of your media
1pm – 2pm: How is Photo Management tied to Genealogy?
2pm – 3pm: Explore inclusivity within your clients’ Archive
3pm – 4pm: Discover and discuss Archoral’s future features!
Natasha Lee
Na-Nu-Ja Photo Books
Tech Tools - Beginner
Creating professional-quality photobooks is easier than ever with Canva. In this session, Natasha Lee will show you how to leverage Canva’s user-friendly platform to design beautiful photobooks for your clients. From organizing and editing photos to using Canva’s templates, customization options, and collaboration tools, you’ll learn how to streamline the entire process. Natasha will also explain how Canva’s cloud-based platform makes it easy to work from anywhere and collaborate with clients or team members in real-time.
You’ll leave with a structured workflow for creating stunning photobooks using Canva, equipped to design and collaborate with ease, no matter your level of design experience.
Paul Einarsen
Bluewater Imaging
Tech Tools - Beginner
If you work within the Apple Photos ecosystem, this session is a must. Since iPhoto’s release in 2002, Apple’s photo management software has maintained a familiar interface, even as it evolved into Apple Photos. However, the launch of macOS Sequoia and iOS/iPadOS 18 brought significant changes to Apple Photos’ navigation and layout. The traditional ‘All Photos’ view has been replaced by a unified ‘landing page’ that provides direct access to groups, albums, and collections, with customizable features for a more personalized experience.
In this session, Paul Einarsen will guide you through the key changes from macOS Sonoma to Sequoia, covering how features have been remapped and what new tools are available. You’ll also learn how familiar tasks now behave in the redesigned interface, including the impact of Apple’s AI-driven features in photo management. Whether you’re answering client questions or using these updates to enhance your own services, this session will give you the insights you need.
You’ll leave with a thorough understanding of Apple Photos’ new layout and features, ready to navigate the changes confidently and add value to your client services by leveraging these tools.
Peter Bennett
Fotoflow Solutions
Tech Tools - Beginner
Permanent.org provides a long-term solution for preserving family history. Unlike typical photo platforms, it acts as a true historical archive, ensuring collections remain accessible for generations. In this session, you’ll explore how to use Permanent.org to create both public and private archives, incorporate storytelling, and collaborate on legacy projects. You’ll also learn the full workflow—gathering metadata, uploading media, and setting up legacy contacts to ensure seamless transfer of archives.
You’ll leave with a clear workflow to help clients organize and preserve their photos using Permanent.org, and the skills to communicate its unique benefits as a legacy preservation tool.
Allison Freedman
Arrange Wander Focus
Tech Tools - Advanced
We’ll start with a review of “the Mylio client” then move on to the more advanced topics of how to unleash the true power of Mylio for you and your clients using spaces, categories and quickfilters to customize the Mylio user experience. We’ll review use cases such as true separation between groups of photos (example: work vs personal photos, keeping portions of the library separate from what’s shared with family, etc) and how to set these up as spaces for both you and those with whom you share your library. We’ll also look at how to search using the filter menu, advanced non-obvious searching techniques and setting up quickfilters to truly find anything in the Mylio library. Note: There is a big update coming to Mylio this spring, depending on the timing of the release we’ll talk a bit about that too.
You will leave with a solid understanding of how Mylio fits (or doesn’t fit) with your photo storage offerings, and how to personalize your client’s Mylio library with a setup unique to their needs.
David Mark Erickson
Tech Tools - Advanced
Staying on top of the latest tech tools is key to managing the ever-growing number of digital files in your business. In this session, David Mark Erickson will walk you through the top five tools he uses in his workflow, including how to optimize your storage with customized drives, use cloud sync systems with RAID for sharing large datasets, and move large files efficiently without relying solely on cloud storage. David will also showcase how he uses Topaz AI to upscale scanned images and Peakto to search across multiple catalogs, providing practical tips for improving your productivity.
You’ll leave with a suite of tech tools and practical tips that will help you boost productivity, manage large datasets, and save time in your day-to-day operations.
Shelia Merkel & Gonny Gutierrez
LIFEazine
Workflows
Add a powerful new service to your photo management offerings with a Legacy Storytelling Service. In this workshop, Shelia Merkel and Gonny Gutierrez will show you how to offer a premium, high-value storytelling package that clients will love, all while creating a new revenue stream for your business. You’ll learn how to implement the Decade-by-Decade method to help clients organize and select key photos that tell their story, and follow a step-by-step journey to guide clients from scattered photos to a cohesive, story-driven legacy. With step-by-step processes and workflows, this session makes it easy to introduce storytelling as a service without adding complexity to your business.
You’ll leave equipped to offer a new Legacy Storytelling Service, helping clients preserve their meaningful memories in a lasting way, while growing your business with an additional revenue stream.
Darla DeMorrow
HeartWork Organizing
Workflows
A great project finish should not only impress your clients but also lead to future opportunities. In this breakout session, Darla DeMorrow will guide you through everything you need to know to wrap up photo projects with style and professionalism, whether you’re working with physical photos, digital assets, or a combination of both. You’ll learn how to choose, source, stock, and price your delivery materials, from starter packages to luxury options, ensuring that your final presentation aligns with both your clients’ needs and your business’s profitability. Darla will also share insider tips and favorite sources for delivery tools, including what to avoid, so you can enhance your final product with confidence.
You’ll leave with the tools and knowledge to elevate your project delivery process, ensuring that every client is impressed with the final product, and positioning your strong finish as a gateway to future business.
Kerry Butkovich & Becky Hussey
PhotosFinished
Workflows
Running a successful photo management business means finding the right balance between providing excellent service and increasing profitability. In this session, Kerry Butkovich and Becky Hussey, co-owners of PhotosFinished, will share how they transformed their business by viewing all their clients as “hybrid clients,” where projects are handled collaboratively between the client, outsourced experts, and themselves. They will also highlight how integrating FOREVER services has significantly enhanced their workflow and bottom line.
During the session, you’ll learn how to strategically blend services, set clear client expectations, and use tools like FOREVER to improve efficiency. Kerry and Becky will take you through real case studies from their own experience, showing how they manage workflows, onboard clients, break down projects, and decide what to outsource. They’ll also provide insights into how using FOREVER’s tools, such as their Valet and digitization services, has allowed them to scale their operations while maintaining high client satisfaction.
You’ll leave this session equipped with practical strategies to maximize profitability by blending your expertise, client participation, and outsourcing to trusted partners. You’ll also gain a deeper understanding of how FOREVER can fit into your business model to increase efficiency and help you grow.
Caroline Guntur
The Swedish Organizer
Workflows
Ready to take your business beyond six figures? This breakout session is designed for photo managers who want to grow scale up by focusing on winning high-value projects and building recurring revenue streams. Learn how to identify and target the right clients, estimate and craft compelling proposals for $5,000+ projects, and establish a laser-focused approach that brings in a steady stream of high-value orders every month. We’ll dive into proven strategies for prospecting, pitching, and closing deals that transform your business and drive sustainable growth. This is for you if you’re ready to stop chasing small gigs and start building your path to $100K and beyond.
You’ll leave with the tools and confidence to stop chasing small gigs and start securing high-value projects that transform your business into a six-figure operation.
Rachel Arbuckle
2000 Paces Photo Organizing
Workflows
Once you’ve landed those $5,000+ projects, how do you ensure smooth on-time delivery and client satisfaction? This breakout session focuses on building and refining workflows that can handle larger, more complex orders with ease. From project planning and task management to communication strategies and quality control, you’ll learn how to create a scalable workflow that ensures every project runs efficiently and meets your client’s highest standards. Discover tools and techniques that support your team, keep clients informed, and maintain a consistent level of excellence, enabling you to handle multiple high-value projects without sacrificing quality. If you’re ready to optimize operations and provide an exceptional client experience, this session is for you.
You’ll leave equipped with the workflows and strategies to manage multiple high-value projects effectively, providing exceptional service without compromising quality.
Rachel Hagar
The Family Archivists
Business Processes and Operations
Mastering project estimation is essential for every professional Photo Manager. In this session, you’ll explore real-world case studies that showcase the entire printed photo project lifecycle—from client consultation and scope assessment to time allocation and resource management. Each case will highlight key insights, common pitfalls, and the actual hours spent at each stage, giving you a realistic benchmark for your own project estimates. You’ll also see examples of final deliverables to connect each phase with the polished outcomes clients expect.
You’ll leave with practical strategies for implementing customized estimation practices, resulting in more precise timelines, efficient resource allocation, and enhanced productivity in your printed photo management projects.
Clémence Scouten
Memoirs & More
Business Processes and Operations
As a business grows, building partnerships with trusted professionals is essential to delivering comprehensive services and working more efficiently. In this session, Clémence Scouten will share her personal experience of collaborating with seasoned Photo Manager Julie Kessler. Clémence will walk you through how she identified the right partner, structured the collaboration, and nurtured the relationship. You’ll learn practical tips on when and how to bring in external experts, what to look for in a trusted collaborator, and how to maintain productive, mutually beneficial partnerships.
You’ll leave with a clear understanding of how to form strategic collaborations that enhance your business, provide more value to your clients, and help you work more efficiently.
Shlomit Levy Bard
Studio SLB
Business Processes and Operations
Managing multiple projects can be overwhelming, but Trello makes it simple. In this session, Shlomit Levy Bard will teach you how to use Trello to organize, track, and manage your photo organizing projects. You’ll learn how to set up boards for different clients, use lists and cards to represent project stages, and leverage Trello’s checklists, labels, and file attachments to keep everything organized. Advanced features like Trello’s Power-Ups and Automation will also be covered to help you streamline repetitive tasks and improve your workflow efficiency. While this breakout focuses on Trello, many of the same concepts and workflows can be replicated in most project management systems.
You’ll leave with a fully customized Trello board for managing multiple photo organizing projects, equipped with the skills to streamline your workflow, improve communication with clients, and automate time-consuming tasks.
Dionne Merriott
Captured Memories Photo Solutions
Business Processes and Operations
If you’re at the point where you have more work than you can handle, it may be time to hire help. In this session, Dionne Merriott will guide you through the process of finding, hiring, and training your first employee—whether it’s an intern, virtual assistant, or part-time staff. You’ll learn how to document and refine your processes while training your team, how to use technology to track employee time and handle payroll, and how to ensure that your business continues to grow profitably even as you delegate tasks. Dionne will share her own journey of hiring help, along with tips on using grants, university services, and outsourcing payroll to make the process smoother.
You’ll leave with actionable steps to hire and train the right team members, streamline your operations, and continue growing your business profitably.
Kathy Rogers
Photo Organizing Coach
Business Processes and Operations
Managing the financial side of your photo organizing business doesn’t have to be complicated. In this hands-on session, Kathy Rogers, a seasoned photo organizing coach, will walk you through the fundamentals of small business accounting and help you demystify essential financial statements, including balance sheets, profit & loss statements, and cash flow reports. You’ll explore various financial systems—from a simple CRM + spreadsheet setup to more advanced options like Wave Accounting and QuickBooks Online—so you can find the right fit for your business. Kathy will also cover strategies for invoicing, payment tracking, and managing quarterly taxes, as well as tips for ongoing financial education using tools like LinkedIn Learning.
You’ll leave with a solid understanding of how to simplify and optimize your financial management, enabling you to confidently navigate business finances using the tools that best suit your needs.
Gawain Weaver
Photograph Conservator
Miscellaneous
This breakout session will cover the basic principles of disaster recovery of photographic materials based on the existing literature and the extensive experience that Gawain has acquired through 15 years as a photograph conservator in private practice. Using a wide variety of examples from real-world disaster recovery, Gawain will discuss basic workflows in disaster recovery and when to call a photograph conservator or other disaster recovery specialist. While his focus will be on the most common photographic processes found in collections, such as B+W and color negatives, gelatin silver prints, and chromogenic prints, other more fragile processes such as tintypes and autochromes will also be discussed. Understanding the basics of disaster recovery will also help a photo organizer to choose enclosures and other photo storage to best protect a collection in the event of a disaster.
You will be better prepared in the event of an item-level or collection-level disaster.
Dr. Yvonne K. Scarlett
Red Lotus Wellness Center
Miscellaneous
Long hours at the computer and on your feet, heavy lifting and bending can lead to tension, fatigue, and burnout. In this interactive session, Dr. Yvonne K. Scarlett shares simple movement, breath-work, posture techniques and other tips to relieve stress, improve alignment, and restore energy, helping you work pain-free and with greater focus.
You’ll leave with a customized stress and posture reset toolkit, empowering you to work pain-free, reduce fatigue, and maintain better alignment, leading to improved focus, comfort, and longevity in your photo management career.
Becky Ball
SPONSORED BY PROJECTOR
Miscellaneous
Home movie conversion is rapidly becoming a sought-after service among professional photo managers. In this breakout sponsored by Projector, you’ll explore best practices for managing home movie projects, whether you’re handling the conversion in-house or outsourcing to trusted partners. You’ll also dive into innovative delivery and sales strategies, including the ‘Archive and On-Demand Viewing Service Package,’ which combines solid-state external drives with on-demand viewing access. Professional photo managers who are industry experts will share actionable insights on leveraging sustainability, targeting niche audiences like the 55+ market, and using language inspired by streaming services. Walk away with the tools and strategies to enhance your offerings and deliver unforgettable client experiences.
You’ll have a clear roadmap for successfully managing home movie conversion projects, whether handled in-house or outsourced, and implementing innovative delivery methods. You’ll also gain actionable insights to target niche audiences, leverage sustainability, and enhance client experiences with strategies inspired by industry trends, equipping you to elevate your services and grow your business.
AJ Holmes
SPONSORED BY NEGATIVE SUPPLY
Miscellaneous
Join Negative Supply CEO, AJ Holmes, for a hands-on demonstration of film scanning with a digital camera. Scanning of various formats will be covered, as well as general film scanning workflow tips, equipment suggestions and more. 35mm mounted slides, 120 mounted slides, 35mm and medium format negatives, 4×5, disc film, and more will be demonstrated. Attendees are encouraged to bring slides or negatives to test for themselves.
You’ll leave this session with the confidence and skills to start scanning film with a digital camera, along with a streamlined workflow that saves time and boosts profitability for your Photo Management business.
Darin Myman
SPONSORED BY MYSEUM
Miscellaneous
What happens when a consumer social media platform seeks the expertise of professional photo managers?
In this breakout session, be among the first to explore Myseum and learn how it is positioning itself at the unique intersection of social media and professional digital asset management—two worlds that have traditionally existed in silos.
We’ll discuss how your input as a photo manager can shape Myseum’s future features and user experience, and why your perspective is essential to the platform’s mission of long-term, privacy-focused content preservation. Whether you’re intrigued by emerging tech, curious about future client solutions, or interested in influencing platform development from the ground up, this session will connect you directly to the visionaries behind Myseum.
Join us for a conversation that could influence the future of digital memory keeping—and your role in it.
You’ll leave this session with a clear understanding of how emerging platforms like Myseum can expand your services, strengthen client trust, and position you as a forward-thinking leader in the evolving landscape of digital preservation.
Arrival Days:
Tuesday, April 22
2025 Masterclass Arrivals & Cocktail Reception
Wednesday, April 23
2025 Masterclass Full-Day Intensive (all day)
Conference Starts at 4pm
Departure Days:
Saturday, April 26
Conference Ends at 1pm
*Schedule is subject to change.
Back by popular demand—but with a twist! We’ve reimagined our virtual conference to better meet the evolving needs of our attendees. Your time and attention are precious, and we’re here to make every moment count.
This year, we’re thrilled to introduce the Virtual Conference Watch & Learn Experience, a dynamic event designed to maximize learning, collaboration, and connection.
The virtual conference is INCLUDED with the San Diego conference.
All FULL San Diego Registrants can attend Virtual Conference for FREE
$929
payment plan available
You’ll Get:
– A Full In-Person Conference Experience
– Lifetime Access to 20 Recorded Breakouts
– 5 LIVE Watch Parties
– Peer Networking & Small Group Discussions
– Opportunity to Meet Exhibitors
REGISTRATION CLOSED
$1029
payment plan available
You’ll Get:
– A Full In-Person Conference Experience
– Lifetime Access to 20 Recorded Breakouts
– 5 LIVE Watch Parties
– Peer Networking & Small Group Discussions
– Opportunity to Meet Exhibitors
REGISTRATION CLOSED
$50-175
price varies each day
You’ll Get:
– One Day Access to Educational Conference in San Diego
– Peer Networking & Small Group Discussions
– Opportunity to Meet Exhibitors
REGISTRATION CLOSED
$599
payment plan available
You’ll Get:
– Lifetime Access to 20 Recorded Breakouts
– 5 LIVE Watch Parties
– Peer Networking & Small Group Discussions
– Opportunity to Meet Exhibitors
Want to bring your team along? Get $250 off each team member registration. Contact support@thephotomanagers.com to take advantage of the discount. To be eligible for the discount, the business owner/primary member must be fully registered.
Refund Policy: Full refunds for the San Diego 2025 conference will be given until 12/31/2024. If you need to cancel your registration after 12/31/24, you may transfer your registration to another attendee until 4/14/2025. Registrations are non-transferrable after 4/14/2025. All transfers are the responsibility of the registrant and must be agreed to in writing with The Photo Managers before transfer. To cancel or transfer your registration, please contact us at support@thephotomanagers.com. Read our full event policies here.
Stay Where the Fun Happens
Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina
Our 2025 Photo Managers Conference will be held at the stunning Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina, perfectly situated on the waterfront. Not only is this a luxurious and relaxing place to recharge after a full day of learning, but it’s also packed with fun and activities right on-site!
The conference will begin the afternoon of 4/23/25 and will end around noon on 4/26/25.
From lounging by the pool with a gorgeous harbor view to renting paddleboards or kayaks for an adventure on the water, there’s something for everyone. Take advantage of the on-site tennis courts, unwind at the full-service spa, or savor delicious dining at one of the hotel’s restaurants, all while soaking up the beautiful California sunshine.
And let’s not forget—you’re in San Diego! Known for its year-round perfect weather, the city offers endless opportunities for exploration. Whether you’re visiting the world-famous San Diego Zoo, strolling through the lively Gaslamp Quarter, or simply enjoying a beach day, there’s always something exciting around the corner.
Book your stay today at our special discounted rate and make the most of your time at the conference and beyond!
Cutoff date for discounted room rate: March 26, 2025
“I was on the fence about spending the money on conference being so new to The Photo Managers. After attending in-person, I will never miss another conference. Absolutely wonderful to connect with other PMs and the training was an investment into my business that will bring immeasurable returns!”
Kari K.
ViKarious Living
“For anyone considering starting a business in Photo Organizing this is a MUST! It is the only industry I know that welcomes you with open arms, helps you set up and guides you through the process. Every expert is willing to help no matter where you are with your business. Conference is where you see it all come together, meet people who have the same questions (which get answered), learn about related business opportunities, more efficient workflows and meet face to face with vendors who have products you didn’t know you needed!”
Ana C.
Posterity Pro
“The best part of the conference, to me, was the chance to meet other Photo Managers, in person and pick their brains! The ability to collaborate and share ideas, best practices and stories was my favorite part. I loved making new friends, and being part of such a generous, giving community. I can’t wait till Denver!”
Karen H.
Near & Dear Photo Solutions
Interested in sponsoring our 2025 conference? Contact Cathi Nelson: cathi@thephotomanagers.com