Hampton Inn & Suites
5820 Katy Fwy,
Houston, TX 77007
In 2019, a pivotal conversation led Mark McCall to rebrand his business around preschool and sports photography—and the results have been astounding. Hallmark Professional Portraits now photographs 18,000 kids annually, generating $500,000 in sales while working just 7 months a year. In this workshop, Mark shares the exact systems, tools, and strategies that built his high-volume, low-overhead business—no cold calls, minimal staff, and maximum efficiency.
What you’ll learn:
How to land preschool and sports jobs without making sales calls
Tools and workflows to photograph hundreds of kids solo
How to secure multiple shoots per year from preschools
A look at Mark’s free proofing software—no data collection needed
Tips to make parents, teachers, and schools love you
Tricks to calm nervous kids for photos
Automating sports image extractions and graphics with Photoshop
Why lower-resolution cameras are ideal for high-volume work
What you’ll need:
notetaking materials
laptop & charger
sack lunch
MEET THE SPEAKER:
Mark McCall is a nationally recognized photographer whose passion began at age 8 with a landscape calendar and a simple 35mm camera gifted by his grandmother. In 1996, he launched one of Texas's first fully digital studios, now known as HallMark Professional Portraits. A leader in digital imaging and print competition, Mark co-created the first online PPA District Print Competition in 2004. He holds three PPA degrees, six Southwest PPA District Fellowships, has earned 135 PPA print merits, with many accepted into the prestigious Loan and Imaging Excellence Collections, and literally wrote the Print Competition Guidebook. In 2020, he represented Team USA in the World Cup of Professional Photography, and in 2017, received PPA’s highest affiliate honor—the National Award.
Workshop fees:
PPGH or PPA member: $95
Guest: $125
Lifetime & honorary members: $10