25 Ways To Generate Leads For Your Photography Business Today

25 Ways To Generate Leads For Your Photography Business Today

1. Submit your stock images to one of the many online stock agencies such as IStockPhoto. Stock companies allow you to build a bio page, and list links to other sites and information. Use this to selectively promote yourself to people that enjoy your work.

2. Send a press release to your local paper submitting a story idea. Newspapers, television, and radio shows are always on the lookout for a good storyline. Provide them with a story that’s relevant to the season, and makes for good news.

3. Visit a local networking group and offer to photograph the group for the website. Many of today’s networking groups have a website to promote their services. Adding photographs provide a personal touch, and will allow you to capture attention as a photographer.

4. Send out letters to your past clients with a new promotion. Your best client is a past client. Make them an offer they can’t refuse.

5. Visit a local chamber of commerce and sign up for the next networking group. Your chamber of commerce offers a variety of groups for you to network with. Choose a few groups and visit them to make a handful of new connections.

6. Find a complementary business willing to hang samples in their offices. Provide them several framed images at no cost. Because these images will potentially hand in the office for many months, make sure you use your best work, and provide top quality in both mounting and framing.

7. Post a comment on an online message board. Make sure you provide a link back to your website, yet don’t blatantly sell your services. Provide good quality content, and show you know your industry well.

8. Call three prospects and promote your business. Think back over the past couple of weeks to the connections you’ve made. Choose the three that have the best possibility of becoming a client, and connect with them over the phone.

9. Create flyers and hand them out at a networking event. Make your flyer short and to the point. The purpose should be to make them connect with you, either by brining in a coupon, or visiting your website for more information.

10. Write an article for one of your association newsletters. Most trade publications have a shortage of quality material. Offer an article to use, and use it to educate your association members.

Click here for the additional 15 Ways To Generate Leads For Your Photography Business Today

Helping your photography business, how to start a photography business and wedding photography business visit virtualphotographystudio.com

Celebrating Earth Day Through Photographs

Happy Earth Day! As a way of celebrating Earth Day, I decided to share photograph tips, sites, and strategies that have caught my eye this week. Enjoy!

Earth: From A Different Point Of View
Think its hard taking photographs here on earth? Try taking them from space. Not only does this post have amazing images taken from space, you even get a tutorial on how it was done.

Kodak and Earth Day
What is Kodak doing to make planet Earth a better place to live? Find out how Kodak is focusing on environmental issues.

2009 Earth Day Photo Contest For Students
Have a child in grades 5-8? Have them create a photograph showing our changing world. They may win a digital camera.

Earth Day Photo Project
Have a Flickr account? Join the EPA in putting together a photo project showcasing the many aspects of Earth Day.

Earth Mosaic
What are you doing today? Now imagine one large photograph showing what everyone in the world is doing in honor of Earth Day. That’s the premise behind Earth Mosaic.

Photojojo – Recycled seat Belt Camera Straps
I love this place – where do they find those funky ideas? Check out these recycled seat belt camera straps, an interesting idea.

image source sachyn

Wanted: Wedding Photographer with The Credentials of Annie Leibovitz and the Price Tag Of Wal-Mart

Hiring Photographers – Amateurs Can Work was the title of the section on photographers in a newly released wedding planning book I found on the shelves of my local library. I picked up the book, well, just out of curiosity. Being in the wedding industry for as long as I have, I still pick up a ton of wedding resources, just to see what people are talking about and to find new and interesting resources.

Anyway, I read the section on photographers. And the more I read, the angrier I became.

Hiring Photographers – Amateurs Can Work
If you have friends or relatives who are good with a camera, you can save a lot of money by hiring them to document your wedding. If you have a friend or multiple friends take pictures, you can upload all of them onto a site like Kodak Gallery and let everyone buy the prints they want for just pennies apiece. If you do hire a photographer, give him or her a list of the pictures you would like taken, and be sure to include the rights to the images in the contract. Most photographers charge outrageous prices for printing and do not let you keep the negatives or digital files. You should also consider hiring a professional photographer who does weddings on the side. If the photographer has another source of income, he or she may be more willing to negotiate the contract price and image rights.

I won’t mention what book this came from, because it could be from a variety of sources. I’ve read things like this more than once.

As a wedding photographer that easily commanded five figure prices, I can tell you wedding photography is one of the most difficult forms of photography.

• You’re dealing with dozens of personalities, all on a frenzied day.
• You’re dealing with a ton of vendors all with a different purpose in mind.
• You’re dealing with a ton of family that all have their own idea of a perfect photograph.
• You have to create a perfect photograph in a hundred different locations. (From the back of a hairdressing studio, to a small dressing room with 25 females trying to get ready, to the great outdoors under blaring sunlight, to a dark dance floor with one spotlight.)

Yet again, thanks to books like this, brides head out into the ranks of their family and friends, trying to cut corners and hire a person with a camera who’s taken a few photographs.

Let’s actually analyze what this “bridal expert” said.

If you have friends or relatives who are good with a camera, you can save a lot of money by hiring them to document your wedding.
I know there are a ton of people out there that have bad photography from their weddings. I run across them every day. Whenever I mention my background, the stories begin. No matter what they say, it’s always focused around the photography. Is the purpose really to save money? Or maybe most people have been over-exposed to amateur photography and at this point can’t tell the difference.

If you have a friend or multiple friends take pictures, you can upload all of them onto a site like Kodak Gallery and let everyone buy the prints they want for just pennies apiece.
Again, the complete focus is on price. When it comes down to price, people can’t see professionalism. They see average pictures, and don’t want to pay a big price for something they can get from a family member. They need to see a difference to pay the difference.

If you do hire a photographer, give him or her a list of the pictures you would like taken, and be sure to include the rights to the images in the contract. Most photographers charge outrageous prices for printing and do not let you keep the negatives or digital files.
Two issues here. First, if you are a true professional, do you really need a list? Don’t you know to take a photo of the bride with her mom? The only list we ever asked for was for unique photographs to the bride and groom (i.e. the bride’s nanny flew in from London just for her special day). And second, rights to the images? Sure, the bride and groom should have access to as many photographs as they want. But the only reason someone says they want rights is so they can take the image files down to Wal-Mart and print them up. If a photographer is to remain a professional, he or she has to charge professional prices. It’s not the cost of the final product, it’s the education and commitment that built up to giving the photographer the talent to create that special image.

You should also consider hiring a professional photographer who does weddings on the side. If the photographer has another source of income, he or she may be more willing to negotiate the contract price and image rights.
Again, I see the lack of talent and originality shining through. If people can’t see the difference between what their friends produce, and what you as a professional produce, there is no way to charge a fair price.

As a photographer, if you snap a few photographs, and hand over the digital files to the bride, you’re not providing a full service. The more photographers shoot and promote themselves this way, the more it’s to be expected. The only way to change it around is to change the way we present it to potential clients.

Wedding photography has to be centered around a complete experience. From beginning to end, you have to be in control over everything. It’s not just about the photography. It’s about the show you put on as a professional photographer.

Even when we were shooting with film, a ton of guests would come up to us telling us how great our images were. AND THEY HADN’T SEEN ONE IMAGE YET! It was all the appearance, and how we were perceived as photographers.

Photography matters because it’s the only source we have to create and maintain our memories.

But really, the low image of a wedding photographer isn’t the fault of the wedding planners, wedding experts, and authors of bridal guides. It’s the fault of us, the photographers.

A bride doesn’t hire a photographer for a few photographs. She hires a photographer to enhance the memories of her entire day. You have to photograph it as such. And you have to sell it as such.

image source Ryan Brenizer

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.

Equipment Needed For a Wedding Photography Business

If you are contemplating opening a wedding photography studio, use these guidelines to help you understand what equipment is needed for a photography business.

To start, spend a few minutes thinking about the type of photography you will be offering your clients.  Will you be photographing commercial work? Are you in your studio, photographing portraiture? Are you out on location photographing weddings, and traveling to many different states and countries? Will you be offering your clients a combination of these services?

Once you have a goal in mind for your business, then you can begin gathering the proper equipment.

To give you an idea of what I consider to be the minimum amount of equipment needed, I’ve created the following list.

Equipment needed for photography business

*At least 2 camera bodies. At all times, under any circumstance, you should always have at least 2 camera bodies. Not only is it important to have an extra in case one shuts down or quits working, but it’s also nice to be able to have two cameras ready with different lenses – so you are ready to capture anything at any time.

* Flash cards. Most photographers are now shooting with digital cameras. Having a variety of flash cards handy is a must. I recommend having several available for each of your camera bodies. I don’t recommend buying large cards with capacity to do an entire shoot. If you have an error in your card (low chance, but you never now), you’re better off using a variety of cards for different portions of your shoot.

* Laptop computer. And shoot can be better managed if you can place your flash cards into your laptop at the time of the shoot, download the images, and save them to one or more sources. You can view the images, and begin organizing them immediately.

* Lenses. I feel lenses are a personal choice, depending on the type of photography you will offering. Have a variety to use in many circumstances. Fast shutters are great for low light situations. Telephoto lenses are great for working event photography.

* Flash units. Depending on your photography specialization, you will need to have at least one on-camera flash unit, and at least one stand alone flash unit for a more controlled light source.

* Internet access. This is a must for any business, old or new. With Internet access, you should monitor your own website to market your business, and should have the ability to connect with your lab for quick results.

With these basic pieces, your photography studio will be off and running in no time at all. The better prepared you are at the beginning, the easier it will be to grow along the way.

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

5 Ways A Photographer Can Go Green

The world is a buzz with talk of “going green”. I was in the bookstore earlier this week, and was amazed they now have an entire section on green living. As a photographer and a business owner, I’ve lived an eco-friendly life for a long time. But once you start focusing on it, it is easy to come up with more things you can do. 

Here are 5 ways you can start living greener as a photographer.

1. A great place to start is to become a member of Greener Photography. It’s a way of connecting with other photographers dedicated to finding environmentally safe ways to run your photography business. [Check out my article on working virtually]

2. Use eco-friendly products. GP Albums just announced a new eco-friendly photo album, The Green Photo Album. It’s made from 100 percent recycled content, and the pages are processed chlorine free, acid free and lignin free. They’re also made with electricity generated from windmills – how cool is that!

3. Choose vendors that have eco-friendly options. ProDPI Lab is an environmentally conscious professional photo lab that does everything from sending all invoices and statements electronically to avoid wood use, energy use, and waste water from paper manufacturing; to having several green photo paper options including a 100 percent PCW recycled photo matte paper.

4. Choose vendors that are close to you, and don’t require a ton of transportation to get the products to you. Your carbon footprint is measured by the amount of carbon dioxide that goes into the atmosphere as you go about your daily life. Shipping products half way around the world would therefore create a larger contribution than finding something in your hometown. Find fun, new ideas by doing a search online, and following some of your favorite blogs. I love Blue Orchid Designs, 100 Layer Cake, and Photojojo to get you started.

5. Create a virtual office. Email contracts, brochures, information kits, and newsletters to prospects instead of snail mailing. Do business through email and phone instead of meeting in person. Work with companies that package and mail final products directly to your customers, instead of requiring double mailings (first to you, and then to your customers).

image source doug88888

9 Sites Every Photographer Should Know About

1. David Bergman
Truly inspiring photography. I loved his work in January at the inauguration. And through this blog, you can share in a world of interest.

2. The Pioneer Woman
She has a very inspiring blog series. From home schooling, to photography, to living on a ranch, you’re sure to be inspired by her work.

3. The Big Picture
Their tagline – news stories in photographs. That’s the reason I love this site. Truly inspiring.

4. Twitter.com
Twitter is the fastest growing, amazingly simple site that can really give your business a boost. If you haven’t set up your account yet, do it now. Then start following photographers. @LoriOsterberg @PhotoshopTips @digitalps

5. Search Twitter
Once you’re on Twitter, you have to start following and connecting people. Use Search Twitter to find people to follow. Two recommendations: type in “photographer” and type in your city and state. You’ll find a ton of people quickly. (Follow a few at a time. Nobody likes an excited “spammer” who follows 1,000 people their first day out.)

6. Photo Editors
Okay, this isn’t really a site. But I found this article very interesting, and thought I’d share. We all use Photoshop. But what else is out there? What can you use for different photographs, in different situations? This compares 15 online photo editors.

7. World Hum
I love this site because of the beautiful photographs, and the chance to travel from the comfort of my home office. Use this site to get inspired.

8. Slideshare
Slideshare is a place for you to put all kinds of presentations. Even photography. Check out these amazing images.

9. Dieppa Photography
Aaron Dieppa has a wealth of information on his site/blog. I love his video blog posts, and his work is fresh and exciting. Make this one of the sites you visit regularly to stay inspired.

Providing new ideas to your photography business and information on how to start a photography business. Stay up to date with our photography newsletter which provides tips on your photography studio.

Hey Photographer, What Does Your World Look Like At 4am?

Part of why I love photography is the stories behind each photograph. A true photographer can take a photograph, and have it tell a complete story.

So what would your story be … at 4 am?

The 4 am Project is looking for photographers to take a photo on April 4th at 4 am, and share it with the world. Whether you’re up planning and setting up for an amazing shot, or you pop out of bed a couple of minutes before 4, start planning now.

If you head over to 4 am Project, you can get an idea of what other photographers are already doing. Some of the photos up on the site are amazing, and really capture the essence of the idea.

What does your world look like at 4 am?

Destination Photographer – Does It Have To Be Weddings?

“I love the idea of traveling with my photography. I’ve done a few weddings, but I’m not excited about making them my specialty. Do I have to do weddings to be a destination photographer?”

The great thing about being in business for yourself is you create the rules. Anything is possible as long as you build to make it possible. 

What is your idea of photography? How can you turn it into a business that allows you to travel?

Maybe you enjoy shooting in warm places in the heart of the winter. Why not become a fashion or product photographer? Catalogs are developed months in advance. They need someone to be shooting catalog spreads in places that show off their newest product line. So a company in Wisconsin may need swimsuit and spring fashion shoots on the beach in the Caribbean in January or February.

What about portraits? Thanks to the Internet, you can build up your client base anywhere in the world. Maybe your goal is to live three months on a warm, tropical beach. Plan for it months ahead, put together a website, and start selling photographs on the beach. Promote it to your existing clients, and they may just change their vacation plans to meet you on the beach.

Destination can be anything you want it to be. But it usually starts with an idea or two. Destination can mean anywhere in the world. So it’s up to you to decide where in the world that means.

Once you have your destination in mind, then you can put the business to work.

Learn how to increase your business and become a more profitable photographer – Six Figure Photographer

photo source whoALSE

Your Photography Business – Recession Proof It

What are you doing to your photography business to guarantee yourself an income … no matter what?

I’m out on social sites like Facebook and LinkedIn a lot. So I see a ton of conversations all related to the economy. People are worried about their jobs, wondering if they’ll still be employed six months from now, and trying their hand at building up a hobby to a reasonable income, so that it won’t hurt quite as bad if their job does disappear.

But what if you could build up your hobby to a full time income – a Six Figure income – and never had to worry about the J.O.B. every again?

I was actually in that same circumstance eleven years ago. Andrew was full time in our photography business, and we had built our photography business up to a good income – about $60,000 per year. Good enough for one income source, but not for two. Yet I knew if I quit my job, I could work hard and build that even further.

My job was always on the list of possible shut down. Our office continued to shrink as people quit. And our headquarters in Washington DC threatened to bring us back all the time. With a 3 year old daughter and a ton of family around us, we didn’t want to move.

So I marched in one day and quit. Scared to death. Lost all the benefits (insurance, retirement, etc). And yet it was the most exciting time of my life up until that point. I was now in charge of my destiny. I was no longer at risk of being downsized – I could create as much income as I chose.

So we did. We doubled and tripled our profit year after year from that point forward.

Having a job is sometimes a comfort – it helps keep you from doing what you truly want to do. It gives you just enough income to feel uncomfortable about leaving. While I’m not saying you should ever quit without having other income sources in place, it does make you look at your life in an entirely different way.

But once you’ve made photography your full time career, you start looking at what you can do to bring in more income.

• No weddings in your area during the winter months? Why not become a destination photographer!
• Portrait sales slow in January? Why not photograph babies (HINT: babies are born every single day of the year)!
• Commercial sales slow in the winter? Consider traveling to additional locations for catalog or fashion shoots.

There are a ton of ideas that can help you achieve the status of Six Figure Photographer quickly.

Which is why I’m also so excited to be releasing my Six Figure Photographer coaching program, updated for 2009 and ready in an entirely new format. I’ve listened to all of you who’ve been saving to afford the old manual format. I’ve listened to all of you from around the world who were looking for an electronic format. And the 2009 version is going to be the premier place for photographers to be – those photographers that want to turn a hobby or a part time income stream into a Six Figure success!

If you’ve been wanting a plan to help you build up your business this year, check out Six Figure Photographer. And let me know what you think of the new changes.

25 Ways To Generate Leads For Your Photography Business

1. Submit your stock images to one of the many online stock agencies such as IStockPhoto. Stock companies allow you to build a bio page, and list links to other sites and information. Use this to selectively promote yourself to people that enjoy your work.

2. Send a press release to your local paper submitting a story idea. Newspapers, television, and radio shows are always on the lookout for a good storyline. Provide them with a story that’s relevant to the season, and makes for good news.

3. Visit a local networking group and offer to photograph the group for the website. Many of today’s networking groups have a website to promote their services. Adding photographs provide a personal touch, and will allow you to capture attention as a photographer.

4. Send out letters to your past clients with a new promotion. Your best client is a past client. Make them an offer they can’t refuse.

5. Visit a local chamber of commerce and sign up for the next networking group. Your chamber of commerce offers a variety of groups for you to network with. Choose a few groups and visit them to make a handful of new connections.

6. Find a complementary business willing to hang samples in their offices. Provide them several framed images at no cost. Because these images will potentially hand in the office for many months, make sure you use your best work, and provide top quality in both mounting and framing.

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