I woke up today hear about a deal from Groupon in my area.  I heard about it via my wife who is still subscribed. I unsubscribed a while ago (see here).  I’ve seen photographers trying to sell or make great deals via Groupon and I don’t think I’ve ever seen it do any good.

There might have been a point when I thought there is potential for a deal like this to be a great stepping stone for a new photographer.  However, I know this situation/deal is only  a “win-win” for Groupon.

I hope the photographer makes it out a live! Or is making money in some other way in the mean time as well.   I’m all for the democratized photographer but I’m a little scared by these kinds of deals.

At the time of writing this, 30 people have bought the deal.

What’s your take?

Yes, many photographers start out with the intentions of artistic freedom. Many architecture students start out with intentions of artistic freedom as well, to realize there are restrictions, limitations, and demands of clients that lead to anxiety. The same holds true in web design, print design, graphic design, and any field you want to include. The moment you introduce a client, you’ve got a new variable and obligations that go outside of your own artistic freedom.

Thus, I’ve always wondered about photographers anxiety. I deal with anxiety on a pretty heavy level and medication helps me out a lot. Regular exercise and healthy eating are helping me out even more than I ever thought. One of the best ways I’ve overcome photographers anxiety is to face it. I had to put myself into situations to see where the anxiety was actually coming from. How was my anxiety coming about? Was it from deep rooted fears of failing, looking like a DB, feeling unsuccessful at my high school reunion, or was my anxiety coming from somewhere deeper in my soul?

Where Anxiety Comes From

This leads me to the commentary that Jorge wrote after the quote from Simon Bray:

I have nothing against wedding photography other than realizing it’s not the type of work I want to take on. How do you avoid staying away from projects that you may not be passionate about? Don’t focus too much about how much you can potentially make. Concentrate more about how specific projects make you feel. When I think about wedding photography, I get a feeling of anxiety that I never experience when I’m doing the type of work I love.

Jorge gets a feeling of photographers anxiety when thinking about wedding photography. Wedding photography is a very different animal than shooting fine art photography or street photography. However, interestingly enough, you can connect them all together. That’s beside the point right now, though.

I wonder where the anxiety for wedding photography really comes from? This isn’t something I ask because Jorge mentioned it. I’ve read blog posts by Thomas Leuthard and other photographers that state they shoot for themselves only.  Here’s the thing:

Does the photographer’s anxiety come from the fact that you would be worried about missing shots, not knowing your camera well enough, don’t like photographing people, or worrying about the need to please specific people with the results (aka deliver great images as promised?). Or does the anxiety come from simply knowing you’re doing something you were never intended to do and that it’s deeply going against the grain of your purpose, cause, or beliefs?

There’s a pretty big difference. Thomas Leuthard mentioning that he doesn’t do any client work made me think that he just doesn’t want to have to worry about having to please anyone but himself with the images:

I don’t want to earn money with my kind of work. I just want to have fun, travel around the World, meet a lot of people and share my knowledge. Maybe one day, people would pay a lot of money to participate in one of my workshops. At the moment they are still cheap and this is fine. I don’t want to live from street photography as I don’t want to have the pressure to produce good photos. Today I can just hang around somewhere with my camera and I don’t care if I have one or ten good shots. If you want to earn your living, this is much more important and the pressure is getting high. I also don’t want to teach photography every day, this is not what I like. I like it like it is at the moment. I have a job in IT which is paid well, gives me the needed flexibility to follow my passion and lets me travel to the big cities now and then.

This is cool but introduce the idea of delivering for clients and you’ve got a different game on hand.  You’ve suddenly got stress, anxiety, commitments and deadlines to adhere to – all the while, you’re trying to improve your photography, try new things, and artistically express your creativity and vision.

This doesn’t mean that, as a photographer, you’re giving up your artistic freedom or fitting into a mold at all. It means that you’re learning a totally new element of photography, one that goes beyond just you. It takes time to try new things with clients in the same way it takes time to try new things with photography and style. You may learn how to avoid certain types of clients and how to work with clients that will allow that freedom to come out more.  I play devils advocate and ask what does IT do for ones artistic freedom?  I could shoot certain types of photography as a day job and explore just the same ;)

As new photographers gain experience, their anxiety lowers and lowers. Although there is always going to be a bit of stress and nervousness with client photography because you have to perform. But this, in my opinion, the great kind of stress that highness your awareness – much like the beginning of a sports final or race.

The Grand Scheme of Things

Photographers anxiety is much different than regular types of anxiety from my experience. Shooting photography is amazing no matter what type it is anymore. With the purpose of using photography to help inspire more people to do the things that inspire them, I can shoot any type of photography and know that I am moving forward. I am enriching lives of others with any photography I put out into the internets and out into the world.

However, on the flip-side, my anxiety skyrockets when I think of working within a call centre or within my old work environments. I was wasting away and being hammered by angry people. I was doing a job that meant nothing in my grand scheme of things and didn’t utilize my creative talents in ways that I was intended to use. That is anxiety that makes me sick just thinking about it. I wanted to help people in different ways and be connected with passionate teams of people.

So photographers, where does that anxiety really stem from? This is something to seriously explore. Are you afraid you won’t deliver? Are you afraid you’ll have to please someone outside of yourself and the likes you get online? Or is a specific type of photography seriously against your purpose, cause, and beliefs? I believe it’s possible to find parallels to photography within any job; however, shooting different niches of photography to help me grow as a photographer is so invaluable. I’ve looked for ways to do work that helps me continue towards my dreams and I’ve looked at how my photography can impact other work opportunities.

Does a style of photography not interest you because you feel you would then have to fit in? What if we approached it from a point of few that we’re getting into that industry to be artistic and break the mold?

In the end, some people do things to fit in. Some photographers don’t want artistic freedom. Some photographers want to fit right into that mold. Some of the best photographers are quite boring, no? ;)

Graphic Designers need to create and show their work to people. The Web Designer needs to design websites and show their work. The illustrator needs to create illustrations and show their work. Developers need to develop applications and show their work. Photographers need to shoot photographs, edit, and show their work. If you’re not showing your work, are you seriously doing anything? I have every single right in the world to feel as if you’re sitting on your ass doing nothing related to photography that needs to be done. You’re waiting for the answer to appear instead of trying to solve the equation. Work it out.

Sitting in your bedroom reading photography books or business books means nothing. Watching photography classes online means nothing if you don’t take action. If you never update your website, the cob webs set in and every single person that shows up (if any) has no idea if you’re actually shooting photography anymore. It’s not only your website. How often are you sharing photographs within social media? How often are you showing or sharing your passion and purpose?

How is anyone else supposed to spread your amazing photography, if you’re not uploading new photographs, trying new things, sharing experiences, and sharing your work. Show you’re committed. Prove that you’re committed.

The architect posting to Instagram is showing more photography growth and interesting more people than you. These people already have one leg up on getting hired for a photography job than you. Each little Instagram photograph is putting that person in the viewers mind. How many chances do you have to stick in the top of someones mind? Exchange any other social channel for Instagram. Do you have an account on 500px.com? How about Flickr? How about uploading new images to your blog? Do you have a monthly newsletter that updates people on what you’re doing?

As an example, I just posted a teaser graphic to Dribbble this morning that is for a website I’m creating specificly to help share, show, and promote my mobile and instant photography. You see the image here too. This is for my own amusement, but it’s also a peek behind the curtain that things are in motion. And it shows that my love for Instagram and mobile photography has not actually diminished.

Fail to show it and you’ll fail to grow it. Your online presence is important.

It starts with YOU. You don’t need a CreativeLive class to make or break your dreams. You need a drive to make a difference via purpose, passion, and cause.

How bad do you want it?

Moo isn’t a printing company that is going to allow you to customize every aspect of the process. You’ll more than likely need a local graphics and printing company to add features like spot uv, foil, embossing, and letterpress.  One feature I’ve always wanted from Moo happened to be rounded corners.  In fact, when I ordered my last set of business cards I didn’t have the option to round the corners.  Since my wife does some pretty creative work herself, she had a device that rounded corners manually.

Manual labor sucks. Photographers are notorious for the desire to batch process anything they can. While I could manually round 4 corners of every business card, my photographer hands were needing to rest for big days with the shutter.  You know how important it is to rest those delicate hands. In April, we got a nice surprise though:

We invested in a really amazing die-cutter to make sure that no corners are cut when the corners are cut! We think they’re really stylish and bound to leave an impression

- Moo

Moo now offers us photographers the rest our hands deserve! Moo Rounded Corner Business Cards came out a little while back and they look really good.  The rounded corners are subtle, smooth, and rather sophisticated.  You won’t make a mess of clippings in your living room either.

Not everyone likes the corners rounded on their business cards, but at least now you know the coolest place to get some style added!

Have you ordered any of business cards from Moo with the corners rounded? Or know anyone that has?

How are they? We want real world examples and stories! If not, it might be time you put in your order.

Get Rounded Corner Business Cards from Moo

Seriously? What’s the point?

• To sell prints
• To serve as your portfolio and gain clients
• To experiment
• To serve as a transparency tool
• To start a 365 project
• To achieve a goal or number of goals
• To show you like photography
• To show family and friends your photos

Photoblog Intent

What are you intending to achieve through your photoblog? Anything? I would cringe if you just said there is no intent behind your photo blog.  There should be a reason that you have the urge to show photographs to the world on a photoblog, especially one that’s costing you for a domain or monthly hosting costs [because I assume you're that much more serious about photography].

I visit a bunch of photoblogs everyday and the photography is outstanding but I can’t always leave a comment that says, “GREAT SHOT.”  I love leaving feedback on these photoblogs, but I don’t know if the photographers are really interested in the comments. Like if I leave a short critique, is it looked at positively or in negativity?

Here’s the thing, I have no idea why many people have a photoblog.  This semi-applies to my own photoblog as well.   When I was making use of the before and after feature, the purpose was to share my photography and the difference post-processing can make to an image.  The point was that images take WORK beyond snapping the shutter.  Some photographs require more post-processing than others.   I’ve been slowly moving away from such a purpose to my photo-blog though.

These days, my photoblog has dual purpose for me on a daily basis.  I’ve talked about some of the purpose within my photoblog, but I want to explain it here in more detail.  My hope is that you take a few moments to better define your photo-blog for your viewers.

1. My Photoblog is a playground

The photoblog on Nuwomb is a photography playground and plays into the fact that I view Nuwomb as an incubator for photography. Hopefully we’ll both learn some things as I play, test, push, pull, and stumble thought images that I share in the photoblog.

One day I might post an HDR image.  The next day I may share a macro photo of a flower. The day after that I might share some car photography. There isn’t a single niche focus for the images that will be posted on the photoblog.  This isn’t because I’m secretly hoping to appeal to a general audience.  It’s because I feel the need to explore and see what other forms of photography may lend to another.  Trust me, there are connections between differing types of photography and you probably already know that.

2. My Photoblog is a place for free-form writing

I don’t try and formalize my writing most of the time, but I really let it all slide over in the photoblog.  I do want my images to speak and I believe my 900px emphasis helps to show that.  In providing commentary for the photoblog post, it may relate to the image or it may relate to something else about photography, social media, projects, or even something personal.  I use the space as a way to get some thoughts out of my head – something you do when free writing.  Normally you might place this kind of writing behind a screen – ie 750words.com.  Since my photoblog is a playground, I’m free to rant or ramble.  It’s not a place for perfect writing just in the same that it’s not a place for pixel perfection or one type of photography.

What Having a Purpose Does

Giving a purpose to your photoblog does a lot for you and for your viewership.  There are many times in which I wonder if the purpose is to inflate the photographers ego.  In the past I continually notice issues in the photographs that apparently no one else notices.  I can’t help but question these issues after 20 comments that express a perfect photo.  In my head I’m freaking out.

I have never been one to kiss butt and I’m not exactly saying that all comments are fake.  I have noticed that some photographers do get very uptight when you challenge them on something though.  At the same time, some photographers are very appreciative of constructive feedback and continuing the conversation.

Having a purpose, one that’s clearly defined, will allow viewers to understand what you’re doing.  If you’re looking to improve, perhaps you’ll state that you would love constructive criticism and you appreciate when people point things out that you may have missed.  If you’re using Fotomoto and there are links to buy the photo, I’m going to assume that this is the final copy you’re looking to sell. Perhaps you’ll want someone to point out a processing issue so that the photo is more appealing and may sell some prints.

The point is, I have no idea. Is it for a cheerleading squad and you don’t care about being pushed by other photographers? Is your photoblog directed to art buyers and not photographer critiques? Are you trying to attract a photographer community that high fives?

I honestly get more and more lost everyday.  I love that people share photographs everyday and fill that creative urge.  I’ve been looking further into the future and I’ve lacked the view on many photoblogs.  The photography is hugely inspiring and highly motivational, but I am not sure how I should be commenting as the days go by.

So, does your photoblog have a purpose?

Building a Wedding Photography Business: 10 More Quotes From Jasmine Star on CreativeLIVE

In the past, I’ve actually gotten a bit frustrated with some of the constant tweeting of quotes.  Hard to believe but sometimes the quotes tweets were ridiculous as everyone hoped to win a prize giveaway.  This class didn’t feel quite that excessive though and I was happy for that.  Even though I’ve found frustration in past tweets, I wanted to express compassion for the 2 day class and embrace the tweeted quotes.  Yesterday, I shared 10 Jasmine Star quotes from her Day 1 class and I hoped the post would help out any other photographers that missed the live feed.

I am actually very amazed with Jasmine Star’s approach to photography and business.  I am beyond happy that I align with many of her views.  I assure you that I didn’t go out and try to pick quotes that I would agree with.  I wanted to find quotes that I could challenge Jasmine Star on, but I didn’t see anything.   That said, I will keep my ears open while I watch the downloads on my own time [over and over again].

Here are 10 more quotes from Jasmine that were shared by various awesome people on Twitter:

1. Your First Wedding

If you screw up on your first wedding, it is OKAY

~ Jasmine Star

When I was watching, I caught this statement from Jasmine.  It was really early on in Day 2 and probably the reason I flipped all of the chesterfield cushions to find money to purchase the creativeLIVE downloads.  While I completely know and understand there are going to be speed bumps with every venture, it’s always comforting to hear these words from someone you can look up to.

No matter how much you second or third shoot, it’s still possible to screw up. This isn’t meant to scare anyone; it’s real life.  You have to get out there and take the risk. Putting yourself out there will create a possibility of screwing up but you’ll be stronger no matter what happens.  I’ve experienced a troubling first wedding and I’ve learned more than any theory or book could have tried to prepare me for.

You’ll probably do much better than I if you’re soon to shoot your first wedding!  I’d love to hear your first wedding shoot experience.

2. The ONE Rule on the Wedding Day

There aren’t any rules on a wedding day, the rule is for you to have fun

~ Jasmine Star

@Shan939.  Context for this quote would be awesome, but it’s not necessary. Without the context to surround the quote, we can play with Jasmine’s words in a couple of ways.  This rule for the wedding day could be directed at the photographer, but it would also be a rule for the couple that’s getting married.   You know what, we can actually assign this rule to everyday life (especially photography lifestyle design).  Have FUN!  The more open everyone is to having fun, the better the photographs are going to turn out.

If you watched Tamara Lackey’s Child Portrait Photography class, there was a VERY similar message. Tamara mentioned that on portrait shoots, we photographers are not out to raise moral children.  We are out to have a blast and play for the time in which the camera is out!   A Wedding is time for everyone to celebrate and have a great time.

As the photographer, don’t be a stick in the mud – Enjoy that Uncle Jim is hanging around taking some video. Perhaps you can talk to Uncle Jim for some of that footage because it might show you doing your thing!  As the couple, be willing to lower your inhibitions and have a good time.

3.  Perfection in Photography

The quickest path to perfection is procrastination

~ Jasmine Star

Shared on Twitter by @Studio_B_Photo. This couldn’t be any closer to the truth.  The desire to create the most perfect images only leads to procrastination. I really don’t know how it works, but it only leads to the production of NOTHING.   Perfect doesn’t even exist and there is a movement that says we’ll accept imperfect photography for the ability to share images quickly (look at the popularity and acceptance of mobile photography).

The moment I stopped the path to perfection was the day procrastination took a backseat.  This quote probably has some War of Art influence.  We use perfection as an excuse that lets in the resistance and it easily overtakes us.  Perfection is scary and leads to the resistance that stops us from doing anything to push work out.

I love that Jasmine has reinforced the act of sitting own and doing your work.

4. You’ll Find What’s Right

Do it wrong because in the process of doing it wrong, you find what’s right.

~ Jasmine Star

Shared on Twitter by @KellySauer. A teacher of mine always talked about the value of mistakes. You never set out to do things wrong or make mistakes but they are going to happen. Jasmine reminds us that there is bliss in the act of doing things wrong. My first wedding contract was not done right.  It was totally done wrong, but I know that now and I have found a better path because of it.  If I wanted to be perfect, I’d probably still be procrastinating on booking a wedding to photograph today.

This quote also makes me think about shooting in Manual. Setting your camera on Manual mode will cause you to make mistakes with your shots.  You’ll set the wrong shutter speed for the aperture you desire. You’ll underexpose and overexpose all the time, but with each click of the shutter you’re learning.  In the process of setting the wrong manual settings, you’ll find what’s right.  If you desire to shoot Manual, you’ll have to make the decision and understand you’re going to be wrong for a while. It all eventually pays off.

5. Emotional Connection

Slideshows to create emotional connection.

~ Jasmine Star

Shared on Twitter by @LauraAnnPhoto.  In one of my Moleskine journals you’ll find some brainstorming around Animoto Video Slideshows.  What is happening in a video montage? Other than “it’s a cool things,” what does an Animoto video do for the clients?  Jasmine wasn’t reading my Moleskine; however, she let’s us know that slideshows connect to our emotional state.

These short videos can create an emotional connection on a number of levels too. Slideshows can be shown on your monitor, your HDTV, your Apple iPad, and your iPhone.  There is a different connection that’s created when you view media on an iPad vs a monitor.  To hold the video in your hands is a very intimate experience .  It feels amazing and deepens the connection to the imagery. The same is true for photographs.

Now imagine throwing an Animoto video to your Apple TV and playing it on an HDTV.  This event creates a different emotional connection. This connection is less intimate than on an iPad or iPhone and can connect a group of people together. The emotional connection feeds off the reaction of the group watching.  This also brings a social connection to the slideshows and the clients feel amazingly important.

We must understand the connection that a slideshow and music can create.

6.  Your Photography Website’s Impact

If your website does not ooze you, excrete you, then you’re doing it wrong.

~ Jasmine Star

Shared on Twitter by @MacklerMedia.  When I see the term “website” today, I associate this with an entire domain and should include static pages mixed with a blog.  Soon enough these 2 terms should merge and become your overall online presence. WordPress has become so strong that everything can exist as one.  Even beyond your website, I believe you have the ability to let your personality ooze out.  Any profile you create can be branded to excrete what you stand for now.

Jasmine is right though, you’re website is all about you – the photographer and the person.  Your photography website should show off everything that is you because it’s what people will connect with when making the emotional decision.  I’d rather hire someone that is a hardcore Survivor fan if they make it known to me.  The problem is that most photographers won’t make any of there personality known.   In trying to appear as a perfect photography business, you can only come across as sterile.

If clients want sterile, than I want to repel them.  I’ll be working on this wisdom even more on my websites.

7.  Constantly Redefining

I’m constantly redefining the person I am, the person I want to be.

~ Jasmine Star

Shared on Twitter by @ssorensenphoto. I connected with this quote because it’s a constant area that I work on too.  Life is dynamic and we’re influenced by everything around us.  Hang around a specific group of photographers and you’ll be influenced by the way everyone post-processes.  Unknown to you, you’re being redefined by your surroundings. The point Jasmine makes, in my eyes, is that I need to be aware of the person I am defining so that I can consistently redefine myself back on the track of where I want to be.

Be present or risk being stagnant.  Life is dynamic and your beliefs can be redefined.  You’re in charge.  You’re wedding photography will be refined as you redefine the person you are.

8.  Polarizing Wedding Photography Clients

Attract clients to similarities and repel through differences on your blog.

~ Jasmine Star

Shared on Twitter by @EllenGolden. I swear I’ve heard this before…Oh right, I remember Jasmine talking about polarizing people with her blog.  Many websites that teach blogging will tell you do do this kind of thing too.  Like the earlier quote about a website that screams who you are, the blog is easily the best place to share your personality.  A blog is a place that you can be yourself.  I love writing free-form on my blog and hope that it feels as if we’re simply chatting.  I don’t want any one to feel as if I’m talking down to them because I’m never writing in that mindset.

I started talking about Instagram and mobile photography the day the Instagram app was available in the AppStore.  I want people to know that I adore mobile photography.  I also want everyone to understand that I don’t am to separate professionals from amateurs or hobbyists.  The hobbyist turns into the amateur and the amateur turns into the professional (if they so desire). If there is a photographer that doesn’t wish to associate with a newbie photographer, than they might be repelled by this blog.

9.  A Branded Photography Website

A branded website became a game changer, I was able 2 raise my prices, book more weddings…

~ Jasmine Star

Shared by @KellyMullaney on Twitter.  I’d like to look at this quote in a different light.  The branded website was a game changer for a photography business but why? The ability to raise prices and book more weddings happened because the website was branded? Not really.  The branding of the website boosted a wicked confidence.  Remember that I haven’t seen this part of the video, but I feel that having a photography website you’re proud of will boost your overall confidence to drive traffic, to blog, to share your photography, and to interact in social media. All of this can happen as a result of a beautiful and branded website that works for you.

10. Don’t Miss the Point

If you feel like you have to do it like me, you’ve missed the point.

~ Jasmine Star

Shared on Twitter by @SMurrayPhotos. We have to remember to use the knowledge that Jasmine has shared with us as a springboard for a wedding photography business. The point isn’t to replicate Jasmine’s business to a tee.  A clone business isn’t going to be YOU. It’s never going to feel right and you’re always going to chase the wrong things.

The point I’ve taken from this 2 day wedding photography course, is that we should “BE” like Jasmine.  Be transparent, be open, take risks, take business seriously, submerse yourself in your passion for photography and embrace everything that is YOU. Review how you’re going about aspects of your photography business and if you’re touching the points Jasmine discussed.  You don’t have to attracted media savvy clients.  Perhaps you’ll reflect and realize you need to change up your website because you want to attract traditional clients that don’t know what to do with a disc of images – they want the print orders that they’re used to.   You’re going to make mistakes and you’re going to find the right way of doing things as you embrace all that is you [not Jasmine Star].

Conclusions

Jasmine Star cares. If there is anything I can take away from looking over these quotes and the small amount of footage I’ve seen, it’s that she is a photographer that cares. Jasmine doesn’t just offer an amazing amount of knowledge related to photography, she offers huge knowledge related to Business.  I’ve watched the her 5 day wedding photography course in the past [many times] and you can tell why she had a scholarship to Law School.

I can only hope that a tiny bit of her wisdom rubs off on me.  I really want to improve my photography business so that I’m shooting 5-15 weddings per year.  The wedding photography industry in London Ontario is wild and I’m trying to find the client I want to attract.  The last few weeks have really helped me realize who my clients are and who I want to focus my attention on. Some of the ways I came about these realizations were not exactly awesome, but everything happens for a reason.  Go figure there was another wedding photography class at this time too.

I am so grateful for creativeLIVE putting these courses on for us photographers.  You are all doing an amazing job out there in Seattle and I hope the sales are showing how much we all appreciate it.  We look forward to everything you’ve got cooking for us in 2011 and beyond!

///

Was there a quote that you found amazingly motivational or inspirational?

Show us you’re alive out there and leave a comment!

10 Jasmine Star Quotes from Building a Wedding Photography Business Class

I decided to favorite a number of these Jasmin Star quotes being shared via Twitter, quotes that resonated with me.  These quotes do not have any context surrounding them – other than the fact that they are going to be from a CreativeLive class on Building a Wedding Photography Business. Thus, please try and relate the quotes back to that fact.

I’ll try my best to discuss why I really connected with Jasmine Star’s words below the quote.  A number of these are totally business related and I’ve recently experienced the value of the situations.

1. You’re Always Growing

“You might not like where you are but if you look back at where you started, things begin to come into perspective“

~ Jasmine Star

This quote was tweeted out by @JamesRawls. I know this feeling and I am certain you’ll relate.  You feel as if you’re not at the place you want or expect, but looking back reveals true growth.  The photographs you’re shooting are much better, the contract is better prepared, and you’ve gained a wealth of experience from booking to finishing.

We always look at what we want in the future but never spend enough time reflecting on where we’ve come from.  Regularly reflecting on experiences will allow for a better perspective.

2. Attracting Your Type of Client

“I attract low key brides & that type of client…but media savvy“

~ Jasmine Star

This quote was tweeted out by @AshfordDaly.  I’ve struggled with this in the past and I didn’t find it easy to know my exact type of client in the beginning.  My ideal client to attract was to get one that was willing to pay me.  It’s very tough to understand how you’ll connect with certain types of people in the beginning.  Any work is welcomed early on.  The thing I’ve realized is that as you work, you’ll be able to gain greater and greater focus on your type of client.  Not everyone willing to give you money is the right kind of client.

I agree with attracting media savvy clients.  I want to work with clients that love their iPhone, find it so amazing to be able to access their photographs on their iPad, and love video slideshows.  Obviously, media savvy goes far beyond these few terms; however, they are a great start.  I adore clients that want to take our photographs and use them as a stepping stone for their own creativity.  I love seeing what people do with their photos, ie making their own thank you cards and scrapbooking.

I don’t see media savvy as constant text messaging. I have to note that I am a photographer that prefers communication via e-mail and not any text messaging (unless it might be during and while driving to the wedding).  We have to remember that it is still a business relationship and text messaging is not the best method of communication for business.

3. It will Eventually Happen

“Think about your cancellation policy terms“

~ Jasmine Star

This was another quote Tweeted out by @AshtonDaly. You should seriously think about this quote from Jasmine.  Most of us won’t until it actually happens to us.  However, you should pretty much expect it to happen one day and there will be huge value if you’re prepared for that day.

How will you deal with a cancellation? Will there still be a cost to be billed still or does your retainer fee cover this all. Thinking about this is tough, but it’s a must.

4. Making use of Your Photography Business Blog

“I use my blog for educating my prospective clients“

~ Jasmine Star

This Jasmine quote was tweeted by @PhotoDivaLV.  At my photography site, I admit that I’ve not moved forward enough with my own ideas.  I always wanted my photography blog to be educational for current and prospective clients.  Being a bit different, I actually want a newsletter autoresponder to help with this aspect of educating clients over time as well.  This has been really on my mind due to recent events with a client.  Don’t sit back on using your blog and/or a newsletter to help educate and walk clients through your process.

5. Client Wants in the 21st Century

“Clients want to share your images on Facebook… not prints.“

~ Jasmine Star

Great Jasmine quote shared by @jstoryphoto.  I’ve been experimenting with different models – above and beyond the print or album model.  I have felt that there are much different values emerging over prints. Facebook is one of the places that clients want to share photography.  Are clients more interested in getting images the next morning? Seeing the images a week later to share on Facebook? Or do they still want to wait 10 weeks to then order some classic prints?   This comes back to attracting the right type of clients you want to work with.

6. Invest in Yourself as Becoming a Photographer

“You are becoming a better photographer if you invest in yourself too“

~ Jasmine Star

Tweeted out by @AshfordDaly.  Everything we do, from taking a few hours everyday to practice, to watching CreativeLive, to reading forum threads related to photography is investing in yourself.  All of this content will make you a better photographer.  Embracing photography as a part of your everyday life is going to result in creating a better photographer.

7.  Accessibility to Images

“Not responsible for images a year after the wedding date…“

~ Jasmine Star

Tweeted by @AshfordDaly.  I actually had no idea I was favoring a number of these quotes from the same person! Obviously I connected with the same quotes from Jasmine that Ashford was connecting with.  I have to say that my connection to this quote is because I have wanted to offer a service that is archiving the photographs for the client.  I wanted to offer an upsale that says your wedding photographs will be backed up and archived so that if you’re disc is damaged, lost, or stolen, you’ll have your photos still. The other option is that you become fully responsible for your images and if something does happen, you’re out of luck.   Essentially, we all need to backup our photography with an offsite location and why not have your photographer be your backup away from home?

8.  Want a Couple that Values Your Work

“I want weddings where the couple want us, can afford us & value us…“

~ Jasmine Star

Jasmine Star quote shared by @JGenevish.  This is something that I’ve recently been obsessive over.  I want a wedding couple that values my work and the style of photographs I shoot.  I don’t want people to try and get a special deal from our photography business just because they know us, or because they can afford us.  I want couples to want us and to be inspired to hire us and our work for their wedding.  These are the weddings that will create the best photography in the long run.  I know the feeling of a client trying to take you for all your worth and not valuing your hard work as a photographer.   These are not the couple I want to work with and I am sure you don’t either.  Staring out and trying to build a wedding photography business is not easy and hopefully your initial clients will understand you’re going to run into some speed bumps. If they don’t, they probably don’t value the fact that you’re trying hard but this is new to all of you.  You need to keep going and you’ll find those clients that value you and are willing to work with you through the bumps.

9. Shooting Manual Mode

“When I started shooting 100% Manual, my work changed 100%“

~ Jasmine Star

Quote shared by @lorrainepaoli on Twitter.  I was actually talking about this the other day on Twitter myself. I said that photographers still stuck on Aperture priority need to take a leap and try out manual priority! I found my images found a groove and really improved with moving into 100% manual.  It really does make a huge difference, in my opinion.   I admit that my architecture and HDR photography is still geared towards aperture priority.  It’s very different from portrait work.

10. Wedding Photography Will Change You

“I believe every photographer should be a wedding photographer before they move to something else“

~ Jasmine Star

Jasmine’s quote was tweeted by @KellyMullaney.  I could not agree with this statement anymore.  Think you’re a kick ass photographer? Try being a wedding photographer for a few weddings and have your ego become fully challenged.  The speed at which a wedding moves is intense as the moments you need to capture will heighten your overall sensory vision because you need to be on top of it.  The lighting conditions on a sunny day with clouds will challenge your photography skills like never before.  Dealing with client meetings, editing a massive numbers of photos, and  still having a good time will be a real eye opener.   You’ll know if you really like it or not.  Either way, you’ll come away as a much stronger photographer!

Conclusion

These were just a small number of amazing quotes from Jasmine Star’s Day One event on CreativeLIVE.  Right now, Day Two has already been on for a few hours now.   If you’re building your wedding photography business, I highly recommend buying the downloads to watch in the future.  The wisdom Jasmine is sharing is definitely going to help my own wedding photography elevate a few levels higher.

Get the Jasmine Star Course – It’s cheap before the class ends! Show support and it will help keep these kinds of classes coming for all of us to benefit from.  Thank You CreativeLIVE!

Show us you’re alive out there and leave a comment and another quote that resonated with you.

///

I’ve started many blogs and I’ve realized the pure frustration that can come from maintaining those domains without a team.  Sure, I could spin my content and build backlinks to benefit SEO, but it’s not a sustainable model either. I decided to turn Nuwomb into a hub of photography activity for both myself to share photography and discuss topics that pertain to building a photography business centered around having a good time.

Instead of saying that I’m passionate about photography, I decided to live it. With that said, I needed a way to organize some of my most fascinating Instagram images.  The photoblog found on Nuwomb could have easily accommodated the mobile photography but I want to keep the images separate without having to start a subdomain or another blog.   Luckily, WordPress makes all of this insanely awesome to do now with custom post types.

Instagram Custom Post Type

Using custom post types [or call them custom content types if it's easier to get your head around] I can organize my own content within the Nuwomb website.  This allows Nuwomb to become much more than a blog and I owe much of the knowledge I’ve gained to the WooThemes team.  In having custom posts for Instagram Photos, I can separate my photography in a much nicer way.  This same kind of thing could be done for different types of photography – ie Wedding Photography, Child Photography, or Engagement Photography.  I enjoy the ability to go beyond the use of categories for certain types of content.

Sometimes efficiency isn’t going help you display your work in a way that you truly want.  While a plugin is a great and simple solution, it pays to go beyond if your needs go beyond.  The Instagram WordPress plugin went in the sidebar and rotated your last 20 shared photos.  If you’re happy with that, use the plugin.  There would be no point to try and figure out how to integrate the same functionality if you want same thing coded into your WordPress theme.  While I can’t integrate Instagram into my WordPress blog using the Instagram API [a way that creates the content automatically for me], I am happy that I don’t have such efficiency.

The Instagram photographs that I’ll be posting in our Instagram Photography Gallery will be my absolute favorites.  This allows my Instagram stream to become more free for sharing, exploring, experimenting.  The intergrated Instagram gallery here becomes more of a mobile photography portfolio for me.

Walking the Walk

I hated talking about Instagram and mobile photography without having a gallery on the site. I believe that photographers blogging about photography should be consistently sharing images.  I find it so weird when a photographer doesn’t share photography but continually tells me how to improve my photography.  The ultimate way to lead is by example, in my opinion.  I also have the desire to share more than a single photograph on most days. Now, the great thing for me is that when I post to this gallery I don’t flood my RSS feed.  There is traffic that could come from the RSS but I leave the actual blog posts for the blog.  I leave the photoblog posts to the Photoblog.  Organization! A functioning website instead of a crazy blog.

The Instagram Gallery is Only The Beginning

The gallery in the image above is really just the beginning of integrating Instagram into the WordPress website here.  The gallery makes use of a page template to get the gallery type viewing. This is almost like an archive page for all of the Instagram custom posts.  I love this page because it allows you, the viewer, to have a place that allows for quick viewing.  The quick viewing is enhanced with a prettyPhoto lightbox seen in the image below.

User Experience is Worth It

The lightbox loading means that a viewer doesn’t have to go to the single page for the post if they do not want to.  This could be removed and I could force viewers to load another page and help inflate analytics, but I hope the user experience is worth more.  If a viewer wants to get more information on the instagram shot, they can load the single post.

That’s right, the page template for the gallery is just one of the places each image shows up throughout the website.  Since the image is associated with an actual post, there is a single page that is created with the content I wrote for the photo(s). I have the ability to build page views and optimize the site for search engines. Plus, the single page allows me to show off the images beyond a lightbox – see below!

Single Post is the Key

The single post is key as I can link to this specific photo if I need to reference it for anything instead of just the gallery page.  If you were to upload multiple photographs for this post, they would appear below the main image as thumbnails and you’d be able to select through them as shown in the image to the right.

I would have never been able to set this all up without being a WooThemes Subscriber.  Being able to customized aspects of their themes is a joy and allows me to share my instagram photography in a meaningful way to me.

There is another place that the latest instagram photo will show up on the website though.  I wanted the homepage to be a great place to launch people all over Nuwomb. I also wanted the homepage to be continually updating and changing without having to constantly do it myself.  Finally, we find some efficiency, right?

If you check out the homepage, you’ll see that I’m currently showing the latest 2 instagram posts.  Soon I’ll be changing the homepage to show off only the 1 latest post and beside it will be links to valuable content centred around instagram and mobile photography. The key for all of this is that it constantly updates for me automatically once I publish a new custom post.

When I create a new instagram post, it actually gets shown in 3 places, but I don’t worry about any kind of duplicate content. I don’t worry about duplicate content because I’m using the post excerpt on the instagram page template and the homepage.  I’m interested to see how things go.

Below is a screenshot showing how the images appear on the homepage:

What about Instagram in the Sidebar?

Understanding custom post types has helped me realize I can put posts almost anywhere. If I decide to want a latest instagram photo of mine in the sidebar, I can easily do that just as I’ve integrated it into the homepage. The same could be said about the post footer.  I can have the latest update shown, specific posts with a specific tag, and anything.  I learned this kind of thing while working on MegaPixeld and it’s been a great reward now.   I’m not set on the images in the sidebar as of yet, but it’s something that could be done.

Wrap it up, B

As I’ve said before, this isn’t an Instagram API solution that integrates into WordPress.  This is a method using WordPress custom post types.  I’m very content with this solution as I don’t want every Instagram photograph coming up on the site.  I’ll leave the many pictures of Reese within my Instagram feed.

I enjoy being able to organize this website in a way that makes sense.  The ability to highlight specific content can be carried over into many other possibilities. This can be done for more than just Instagram images. It’s a really nice way to separate different types of photography within a website and it means that not everything has to flow through the blog feed.

///

What do you think of adding Instagram to Nuwomb in this way?

Would you be interested in getting something like this set up for your WordPress website?

Leave a comment and show us you’re out there!

** Thanks to 365psd for the awesome instagram signing button. I used part of that PSD for the custom post type icon!

Photography Business Cards Series 4: So Fresh Inspiration for Your Next Cards

What do your business cards look like? Are you growing more and more ashamed of handing them out to promote your photography as a business or are you still thinking yours look stellar? In most cases, you probably don’t remember when you last ordered business cards for your photography work. There’s a good chance you placed an order when you started up your photography pursuits and you opted to order the pack of a million for the best deal. It might be time to see what other photographers and photography businesses are doing with business cards to see if yours are looking dated. It’s been over a year since I last created a post for the Photography Business Card Series here. I’m in the process of redrawing my own photography service business and I wanted to take a look at some fresh inspiration. I came across a number of business cards for photographers and photography studies that I wanted to share with the community. There are 40 business cards of photographers – some are photographers and designers.  We’ve got a mix of letterpress cards, cards printed by Moo, business cards that are die-cut, imbossed cards, and even included one photographer that put a QR code into their cards.   As couple found seem to be mockup designs for a photographer to possibly use – perhaps a designer once created an idea for a client but it wasn’t selected.  We don’t know but those cards presented some visual inspiration that another photographer might appreciate. Which ones stand out to you? Why? I found that the photography of the business cards was interesting when another object was included in the frame.  This doesn’t have anything to do with the photographer cards, but it definitely is an interesting way to show them off online.  I like the added creativity and I believe it says something about the photographer too.

Here are the business cards!

KML Photography

Atrero Photography

Amon Focus

Rodion Kovenkin

John Kyle – Printed by Moo

Ilyanne

Thomas Atterdal

Light + Love

Marc Adrian Foto

DK

Christian Garibaldi

Geoff Ball

Clint Shuttlesworth

Aaron Lindberg

Ken Wong – Printed by Moo

Mockup Design

Alexandru Vita

Photosee

Roger Pearce

Gary Nevitt Photography

Advocate Lens

Mike Kelley

Grenex Media

Aaron Storry

Markus Tsang

Patrick Love

Erik Merkow

Scott Lawrence Photography

Daniel VJ Sweeney

Bronwyn Sill

David Clifford Photography

Stefano Fabbri

Darius Pabrinkis

Bridge Photographic

We Shoot Cocktails

Amanda K Photography

White Tea

Peter Gaillard

Sara Bray Photography

Kenny Kim Photography

How do you use these photography business cards as inspiration?

Many of the business cards for these photographers have different styles and elements.  You don’t have to try and re-invent the wheel on this kind of thing.  Perhaps you like the square style, but also want to round the corners. Perhaps you hate the square style, but really love the business cards that incorporate a photo of the photographer or portions of images.  You can mash up different ideas from different cards and create something special or new.  I love the cards with colour around the edges. The best thing that you can do is to take note of what hits you and stands out in your eyes.  Moreover, consider what may help to expand and enhance your brand overall. Brand consistency continued through business cards is very important and it’s a massive reason I have to order new business cards for my own photography business and for this website.   The business cards for White Tea Photography are absolutely amazing! Look at how the brand is seriously presented before your eyes. If you’re designing your business cards yourself, we really hope these photographer cards help you take them to a new level.  Nuwomb is beginning to offer business card design for photographers very soon.  We would love to talk to any photographers that need the help.  You’ll have to be brutally honest with your own skill.  I know that us photographers want to be designers and designers love to be photographers, but I am confident that photographers are not going to play long enough.  The first idea is usually where people stop and you have to keep playing so that you get beyond the obvious stuff.

What next?

Leave a comment on your favorites, the worst, what you hate or love about some, or if any blew you away.  Let us know you’re alive! Comments, like broccoli, are good for you. ///

Photographers use Photoshop and Everyone Knows it

In the few mintutes I watched, Bambi made sure to tell the world that she never ever lets a client / customer see her photography before it’s been edited or before it’s finished.  She said that she doesn’t want her clients to see photography as the work of Photoshop tricks and that she doesn’t even want them to think about Photoshop at all.  I wish I had the option to purchase the downloads just to watch this again and more afterwards.   I can’t remember if she asked her special students the importance of not showing anything to the clients before it’s edited or not.  Their feedback would have been interesting to know too.

The mindset here is that she brands her photography and her photography business in an artistic way that clients cannot see images unless in their perfect form.  Everything the client sees must be pristine, perfect, and somehow it seems to reduce any connection to “Photoshop Tricks.”

They know you’re using Photoshop Tricks, Bambi.

Everyone has a digital camera today.  More and more people are rising up with a DSLR and realizing that images don’t come out of camera looking like professional photography or fine art relics.  Everyone knows that Photoshop is involved in photography.  The more I hear someone try and protect their work from being viewed as “photoshop tricks,” I get the feeling that more tricks are being used.

This isn’t an attack on Bambi Cantrell or Creative Live, so please do not think I’m stirring the pot or a hater.  I do get a little scared with lemming like retweeting that can and does occur. I’m writing this because it’s a fact that everyone knows photographers are f’ing awesome within Photoshop.  If you’re scared that clients will devalue your work because they can tell you used Photoshop, maybe they are not your proper client or they need to be educated more on the role of Photoshop and other robust programs within photography today.  We’re simply trying to extend this conversation instead of nodding our head at everything.

In my photography, I choose to not show the raw images because clients will often say that the image is great and want it instantly.  As an artist more than a photographer, I don’t like showing the images because of the client desire to have them right away –  before my vision has fully come out in front of them.  If a client asks, I educate on the process of art, of writing, of cooking, of drafts and final drafts.  I mention that seeing the images now is like trying to taste a dish based on one of the ingredients.  You can taste the one ingredient, but it does not tell you how the entire dish will taste.  That said, I will never turn a client or customer away from reviewing them with me if they ask to see them before I edit them, but it’s not something I’m going to offer up to anyone.  We need to educate upon the roll of Photoshop in photography, in a photography business, and your approach to creating artistic images.

In photography today, I feel that everyone needs to know post-processing is just as important as taking the photograph.  Everyone knows you’re using Photoshop or something equivalent. This is why I’ve created the before and after feature within the Photoblog here.