The Missing Ingredient To Your Photography Dreams

Last night we had dinner with some very dear friends. We met them over 15 years ago at a bridal expo, and have been friends ever since.

They’ve been in the photography industry for over 30 years now, and I have to say they are in love with it as much now as they were when we met them. They’ve changed direction along the way, and are doing things completely different even from a few short years ago. But sitting with them is a motivating experience. They love what they do. They never run out of ideas. And they always reach their goals because of their passion.

So last night I started thinking about what separates photographers like them from other photographers. And I came up with five characteristics – or ingredients you have to have to find success in this business. 

1. Dreams. The first ingredient is where everyone starts. It starts with your dream of doing something different and meaningful in your life. You can’t accept what you already have. You have to dream of where you want to be. The more vivid your dreams, the easier you’ll be able to make them a reality.

2. Make it positive. What motivates you to do better has to in a positive light. “I hate my job and want to do something else” will only get you so far. It doesn’t have depth or commitment. Instead, “In 2011, I will work as a full time photographer out of my studio in XXX location” will provide you a positive direction.

3. Knowledge. I’ve owned my own business for 20 years now, and I can tell you I still don’t have all the skills needed to be successful at many different things. The only way to get better at what you are doing is to educate yourself on where you need the most help at the moment. If you’ve never operated your own business, get help from someone who has. Take a class. Sign up with a coach. Always, always, always learn. If you’re excited about it, the key is there for you to learn from.

4. Belief. Do you have the belief you can do it? Many people say, “I’m going to have my own studio one day.” But secretly they don’t believe they have what it takes to make it. They like having a stable job with a paycheck on Friday’s. They like the stability of their life and don’t want to “rock the boat”. 

While those 4 ingredients are mandatory for every successful businessperson, I discovered last night there is a fifth. It’s what I saw in our long time friends. And it’s something that you have to have if you want to guarantee your success in the future.

The Missing Ingredient
A desire and a vision of what’s to come. If you don’t have a purpose for what you will be doing, it puts everything else on the back burner. You have to know that in a few months (weeks, years – you choose) time, everything you are working for will lead you here. It might be a vision of a new home on several acres, with a kitchen that overlooks a beautiful lake. It might be the ability to take three months a year off to travel with your family and friends to exotic locations.

Everything you do, everything you work for puts you one step closer to that desire – that vision. Ever created your own vision board? I have had many vision boards over the past 20 years. When you put things down, you make them a reality. It really works – give it a try.

Photographers – Make Your Own Light Reflector

Are you starting your own photography business? Then you know the value of learning how to make your own light reflector. Not only can it save you money to invest somewhere else, but it can also give you a quick way to instantly improve your photography.
When shooting portraits outside, it’s easy to tuck people next to trees and near buildings to avoid the harsh sunlight. But sometimes you find a scene that would be perfect for your client – yet the direct sunlight is streaming in. That’s when a lift reflector comes in handy.
When people talk about light reflectors, they are usually talking about one of two things.  A light reflector that bounces the light.

A light diffuser that softens the light.

A light reflector generally comes in two colors, silver and gold. Silver provides a bright reflection; gold provides a warmer, softer glow. Both are designed to be used close to the subject, using the light as a directional source to bounce back into the subjects face. Play with the reflector until you get the lighting you are looking for – its easy to see results just by tilting the reflector.
A light diffuser is made of white material, and is designed to absorb the light, soften it, and spread it evenly over the subject. The larger the diffuser, the more area you can block from the sunlight. We always carry at least to 3 foot by 6 foot panels with us to make sure we can have soft lighting no matter where we are.
While many different types of reflectors are available from stores and through various Internet sites, there is an advantage to learning how to make your own light reflector.
1. You can make as many as you choose. Save even more by buying in bulk or by watching for sales.
2. Build a frame and change out materials. Less to carry in your equipment pack.
3. Create the sizes you need most.
Want to learn how to make your own light reflector? We’ve used this blueprint for years in our own studio. I know you’re going to love it.

Photographers – Get Exposure Through Photography Directories

Imagine a bride heads to Google to start her search for her wedding. She types in wedding planning, and starts sifting through the sites that come up in the results.

Very quickly she’s going to find her favorites, and rely on them throughout the planning process.

That’s where directories can help you.

Everyone knows how to use a search engine – Google, Yahoo, MSN. Yet there are thousands of niche directories that make it easier to find things in select industries.

Let’s look at some directories that may be of benefit to you.

 

Eventective
A directory catering to event planning within the USA and Canada. Makes it easy to find everything from musicians and catering, to photo and video services. Create a text listing for free, or upgrade to city or metro listings from $72 per year.

PartyPop
A directory for party, event and wedding planning. This directory has been around a long time, and continues to rank high under various key terms. Add your link for free.

PhotographyPros
A directory for everything photography. You can list your business under a variety of niches, and even has photography related sections for niches such as make up artists and picture framing.

VirtualPhotographyStudio
Our very own directory for photographers to list their businesses. We have thousands of photographers listed, and it’s used as a resource every single day. Make sure you’re listed – it’s free.

Better Outdoor Portraits – 10 Photography Tips

I’ve been a professional photographer for over 20 years. Even though I have a ton of ideas and styles, sometimes I find going back to the basics creates portraits that clients truly love. Here are some simple solutions that everyone can benefit from when capturing your next outdoor portrait session.

Select a location
Locations are very important and should be thought out in advance. Look for locations that bring interest and enhance your session. Parks, lakes and other open spaces offer natural scenery and tend to be the first places people think of. But don’t forget about architecture. Buildings and other structures bring warm elements into a portrait. Doors, windows, walls, a staircase or pillars will bring wonderful life to a portrait.

Choose a location that is not busy and bustling with activity. A quiet area will allow a client to be more focused, and allow them to be able to listen to your posing instructions without distractions or loud noises that would otherwise interfere.

Repeating lines
A great way to add depth is to find a location with repeating lines. Columns, pillars or other structures add interest to a portrait and create a portrait that stands apart from others.

Use a longer lens
By selecting a longer lens, you can put the focus on your subject, leaving your background soft and out of focus. This adds to the drama of the portrait, and can give you a unique look and style. One of my favorite lens to use is a 70-200mm F2.8. Use your longer focal length (150mm – 200mm) to separate your subject from the background.

Clothing selection
To ensure optimal results, consult with your client about clothing selections prior to your portrait. Stay away from busy patterns (ie plaids, polka dots or flowery prints) and use darker to medium tones.

If you have more than one person in the portrait, teach your clients about matching. If one is in jeans, they all should be. Black turtlenecks always work well. Long sleeves work better than short sleeves or tank tops. Put the emphasis on the face, and you will really increase your sales.

Pose by example
Show your subject how you want them to pose, what to lean on or how to sit. I always find that it’s easier to pose by example, so each person can see the pose you’re looking for. It saves a lot of time and frustration on both parts, and makes the whole experience more enjoyable. It’s easier to make minor moves when they are 90 percent there.

Groups -start with the smallest and grow
Once you have a setting selected, start with the smallest groups and build up. When one person is posed and comfortable, its much easier bringing in the second to them. Try and build in triangle formation within your groups (two people on the ground as a base and one behind and between)

Use a tripod
A tripod gives you stability and the ability to move quickly. Your camera will remain focused on a particular area while you move the subjects in and out in different group formations. A tripod will also ensure a crisp image, no matter what size lens you are using.

Ensure that the eyes are in focus
When the eyes are in focus, you have a guaranteed seller.  The client will not be happy if the eyes are not sharp.

Perfect time of day
With a wedding or event, you have no control over the timing. Not so with a portrait. Always work around the sweet light – early morning or late evening. By having the sun in the lower hemisphere of the sky, you can work in a variety of situations without dramatic shadows, squinting eyes, and harsh lines.

Use a reflector
I have never been a fan of adding flash outside during a portrait session. With beautiful, natural light, why bring in “fake” light? A reflector can be an invaluable tool for a portrait session. You can easily direct light right where you want it – the face and eyes.

Softboxes
While reflectors are great if you have directional light you can bounce into place, sometimes you are working with much softer light, and a reflector won’t work. Try a softbox. A softbox separates harsh sunlight spots from beautiful natural, light. Softboxes can easily be made with pvc pipe for a frame and stretch white material, rip-stop nylon or a cotton bed sheet, to fill the frame. I use elastic corners to keep mine snug on the frame. You can make a variety of sizes to easily tuck in your bags for travel.

Capture in RAW
Unlike the larger exposure range that film has, digital cameras have a smaller exposure range. Shooting in jpg mode where the camera processes each image into a final processed image limits the ability to adjust in post processing.  If your exposure is incorrect, the image will be underexposed (loss of detail in the shadows) or overexposed (loss of detail in the highlights) and could be a complete loss. Another issue associated with jpg format is loss of information every time the file is saved causing a degradation of image quality. RAW is an unprocessed format, which allows adjustments to color, contrast and exposure. Once adjusted, the RAW format can be processed into a final jpg image without image quality loss.

Are You Worried About What Your Clients Can Do With Your Images?

There are two ways of looking at social media.

From the old school perspective, social media is a nightmare. People can take all of your content and use it for whatever they want, whenever they want.

Copyrights? What are those? People are so used to using images they see nothing wrong with grabbing your photos, and using them to create whatever they choose. Ever have a client come in and proudly show you their calendars/greeting cards/images they produced using your files? Yes it can be frustrating.

And if you look at some of the major companies in existence online, they not only believe in sharing, they promote it. Just look at snapfish.com latest promotion

 

1. Login to your Snapfish account.

2. From Snapfish’s website, click on Facebook and login to your Facebook account.

3. Select any photo from your Facebook albums, or those of your family and friends, and start ordering.

Sure it might be a great idea if you post cute photos of your small child, and grandma wants a copy for her brag book. But what if you are a professional? What if your client happens to be your friend, and he or she takes the image and prints it up for her family and friends?

 

What can you do?

Here are three options.

1. Forget everything you ever learned about being online. Stop everything. Shut it all down. It’s just too much anymore, and it’s costing you a ton of business. So why be in business at all? Maybe its time to call it all quits, and go into another field.

2. Charge a small fee and hand over everything. Your client will use everything you take in any way he or she chooses. So why fight it? Just snap a few pictures, burn it to a CD, and hand over the rights.  As long as you realize this is just a side income anyway, and you never hope to grow rich as a photographer. It’s impossible today, right?

3. Okay, now that we have the polar opposites up there, hopefully you’re asking yourself about a third option. I run across a ton of photographers that could be characterized by 1 or 2. Yet I still am very optimistic about the future of photography.

It all comes down to how you value your services, and what you present your clients. You have the right to charge what you’re worth. If you have the expertise as a top notch photographer, its okay to charge thousands for your work. Yes, you may not be able to get $150 for an 8×10. Instead, bump up your creation fee, and charge less for your 8×10s.

The true value isn’t in the paper it’s printed on; it’s in the creativity of the artist.

Think like an artist. Market like a businessperson. And you’ll quickly find success.

Helping your photography business, how to start a digital wedding photography business and wedding photography business visit virtualphotographystudio.com and keep up-to-date with all of the photography happenings via our free newsletter.

7 Tips To Creating Your Wedding Photography Contracts

When we first started out in the business, we knew we needed a contract. But beyond that, we really didn’t know much about it. So we bought a generic wedding photography contract from another photographer and started using that.

Over time, we learned many lessons. We learned there are truly some things you should have in a contract. And we learned how to cover yourself in the greatest way possible. Here are 7 tips to help you as you develop your own version.

1. In many cases, the contract will go beyond one page. While you may only need signatures at the end of the contract itself, provide spaces on every page for the bride, groom and photographer to initial that they have read and agreed with the terms.

 

2. In some cases, your clients will be out of town, and you’ll handle everything by email/snail mail. Never send a contract through Word – always create a PDF file, or send it through snail mail. If you send it in a workable file format, the bride and groom can make changes to your contract at will.

3. Include all the details of the event: bride and groom names, wedding date, location and times, and a description of the services you will be providing. Make sure you have both the bride and groom sign off on the contract.

4. Consider adding clauses for price increases. Wedding photography can often be booked a year or more in advance, and can sometimes take months for the couple to place their final order. That’s a long time as a photographer to hold your prices steady. Make sure you add a policy for how long you’ll keep prices the same, and what the policy is for changing out the pricing structure.

5. Include a model release. Make sure you list out everything you will be using the photographs for in the future, including marketing possibilities. If you post images online for the world to see, make sure your release states it.

6. Be very specific for payment methods. In some areas it’s important to word your contracts correctly for deposits and final payments. Make sure you include statements about nonrefundable deposits, and how you collect the fees throughout the process.

7. Start by writing up your own contract; and then bring it in to a lawyer for final review. This saved us hundreds of dollars over the years. In general, once you get a good working copy of a contract, it’s easy to add a few clauses here and there. It gives the lawyer a starting point, and allows them to spend their time editing instead of starting from scratch. It also gives them a basis for things you require, and allows them to add the legal jargon to make sure it holds up in court if you ever need that behind you.

Helping your photography business, how to start a digital wedding photography business and wedding photography business visit virtualphotographystudio.com and keep up-to-date with all of the photography happenings via our free newsletter.

Photographers – Increase Your Sales With Multiple Poses

Photographers like to take close up images. And for very good reason: People love to buy close up images.

But will a customer really buy a 20×30 of an image if it shows just a face?

Probably not. So instead of snapping a few close ups from different viewpoints, why not take environmental images as well?

One of the reasons we’ve always enjoyed on-location portrait sessions (as opposed to in-studio) is the ability to capture a part of the environment in the image as well. And if the subject is very small in the image, it’s almost required that a larger print is made for displaying.

1. Start by taking the more traditional poses. Take your standard images close up, capturing great smiles and angles.

2. Back it up. Now take a look around you, and find a way to make your client a part of the surroundings, not just the main focus of the image.

image by Crystal Touch Photography

3. Talk to your client ahead of time to find out what she loves. Maybe she has season tickets to the theater – why not incorporate your local theater into the background. Or maybe she loves hiking in the great outdoors. Add trees, flowers, mountains – whatever you have in your local area into the background.

4. Sell via projection. You can’t sell a large wall portrait by looking at a tiny proof online. You have to showcase the look and feel of the portrait up on the wall. Show them how it would look in the size they are contemplating.

5. People buy what they see. If you have a studio, showcase your environmental images as large wall portraits. Set close up 8×10’s on the tables, reserving your wall space for your artistic images.

If you sell online, meeting people in their homes or over the phone, make sure you have a ton of samples on your website. Showcase your work, and take pictures of the large wall portraits hanging in your clients’ homes.

6. Be creative. Don’t be discouraged when your first client doesn’t purchase any of your new ideas – they weren’t sold on the idea to begin with. Once you have samples in place, your clients will be sold on the concept even before you take the images.

Fine Art Photography – An Easy Way To Find Your Next Festival

One of the things I love about the summertime in the Rockies is the arts festivals. I know I’m not alone in loving to hit the great outdoors, and walk through some amazing artwork at the same time.

Andrew and I also have a new interest as our future goal is to start building up our own fine art photography business.

So this weekend, we’ll be heading out to Downtown Denver Arts Festival, featuring Colorado artists, and 18 Colorado photographers.

I went to their site just to learn more about the festival, the submission process, and a few other details. And in the process found a great resource to share with you.

The Downtown Denver Arts Festival (and as it turns out hundreds of other arts festivals) use a program called Zapplication.

You can head to one source, fill out your application, upload your sample images, and begin applying to the festivals you are interested in attending. Each festival provides more information, including time/location of the event, and deadlines for submitting your application.

They provide a wealth of help sections and resource guides to answer all of your questions on the process, and how to take full advantage of using the system to get into more shows without wasting your time repeating the application process over and over again.  

I’ve now added Zapp to my favorites.

What resources do you have for finding easy ways to get into art shows?

Helping your photography business, how to start a digital wedding photography business and wedding photography business visit virtualphotographystudio.com and keep up-to-date with all of the photography happenings via our free newsletter.

How To Take Better Pictures

Have you ever wished you could take better pictures?

As a photographer, I know you love taking photographs. You probably bring your camera everywhere, ready to snap the candids every chance you have. But what about posing people for a more professional portrait. Can you easily jump in and set up groups easily? Or does it put a touch of fear into your heart?

Andrew and I have been busy creating a wonderful new program for everyone that nodded their heads when they read that last question.

We both understand that feeling well. When we first started out, posing was hard. When you have a group of people looking to you for guidance, where do you start? And before you ever get started, where do you meet them? Can you really find places right around your studio that will create great backgrounds?

That’s the idea behind 9to5PhotoTips.com Head over and watch our first few videos. We take the complex and break it down into very simple steps. We want you to be able to take one idea, learn a little about it, head out into the field and apply it immediately.

Head over to 9to5PhotoTips.com and watch the videos. Then leave me a comment or send me an email – I’d love to know what you think.

Photography Business – Increasing Your Awareness In Slow Times

What are you doing to stay in touch with your customers?

Every business is seeing a change this year. What you sold last year may not be selling this year. Your sales and profits are probably a bit different too. 

But its not that there isn’t business to be found out there. There are a ton of photography studios making money – good money – even as you read this.

In the words of Jeffrey Gitomer:
“Business is not down, it’s different.”

So what are you doing to “be different” as well?

One of the greatest assets of my business was my quarterly newsletter. I filled it with a ton of information and dozens of photographed. My clients cherished these newsletters – they really were almost like a mini magazine.

Keeping in touch with your customers is vitally important. When they are talking with a friend or acquaintance, and the conversation turns to photography, you want them instantly to think of you. And to refer and recommend you.

But its expensive to create a mailing today. There’s the hours of designing the perfect mailer. The weeks involved in getting it printed and mailed. The cost of the piece itself. Plus the cost of shipping each piece (and postage is going up in May.)

While I still use snail mail for occasional promotions, my full attention has turned to email. Where else can you communicate with clients whenever you wish for such a reasonable price?

My preferred method is with Aweber. For $20 a month, you can email up to 500 people as often as you choose. You can create a monthly newsletter, or ezine (if you get mine every month, you’ve seen the system in action), send out special announcements, and even create follow up autoresponders. I’ve used this system for years, and couldn’t be more pleased with the results.

So why is staying in touch more important now then ever? Because your competition is slowly pulling away from marketing – and is quickly going out of business.

The true winners in today’s economy are the business owners that see opportunity. They know people still have money to spend. It’s a matter of finding those people, and showing them your value. That’s easy to do with newsletters.

• Show them your latest portrait.
• Link them to your latest blog post.
• Showcase your latest wedding.

It will put ideas into your clients’ minds. And make them have a strong desire to choose you.