In our last blog post we gave lots of great advice about preparing for shooting your first wedding as a professional photographer. Today we are going one step deeper. We are talking about the benefits of having an engagement session before shooting a wedding. And going even further giving you tips on shooting your first engagement session! In the last blog post I also shared with you that we, as wedding photographers, have always given away our engagement sessions for free. Whether you feel like that business model works for you or not, matters not. You can still place an appropriate value on the engagement session not only as a means to boost the wedding sale / income, but also as a preparatory time for
Let me give you a hint, it’s NOT pictures! GASP! (I know). It’s obvious that this generation, the most photographed generation in history, has the least appreciation for photos. That appreciation seems to decrease by the day. Have we, as a society cheapened the professional photo? Maybe so! But, we are here to tell you, in today’s blog article, that you CAN still make a living as a photographer if only you understand what you are really selling as a photographer. Is the photography industry dying a slow painful death? NO! With the question listed above I felt the need to answer that really fast but read on. So no matter what phase of business you are in a professional photographer you have heard the
Photographers Need a Professional Network Photographers need a professional network. Regardless of what niche of photography you are in, you need a network of professionals, who are NOT photographers. GASP… you mean people who don’t understand what an F-Stop and a Shutter Speed are? But they just don’t GET the business! Yes, we get it, they don’t understand photography which is good for you and that is WHY you need them! In today’s blog post we will talk about what a professional network looks life for photographers specifically, how to build one and what to do with your photographer professional network once you have it! Professionals in other areas of business, WILL become your largest source of referrals and new clients! Think of it this
Most photographers start businesses because they are turning a craft they love, into a money making venture. Quickly they realize that this business is just that. A business. Ensuring that you have a photographer creative network built around you will help protect you from burnout. What is a photographer creative network? Creative networks inspire and teach you to make yourself better. Creative networks are more centered toward helping you hone the CRAFT of photography than the business. There are plenty of places that you can learn to run a successful business. Business principles are not unique to photography, but the skills of lighting, posing, exposure, and editing are things that only photographers know. Building a creative network around yourself reduces burn out and keeps you
As photographers, most, if not all of us, are small business owners. Yes, we can socialize with our friends and family but no one quite understands this business, like another photographer! It’s hard to explain to your 9-5 or even your SAHM friends and family that you are still working at 1 am on a Saturday night. Having a social network is important. In this article we will show you why you need a photographer social network and how to find or build one! Work from home professionals lack a built in social network. Photography is a draining profession. We put ourselves into our work, abusing our bodies, working long hours in less than optimal situations and conditions, putting countless hours into crafting, editing and
You buy insurance for your home, your car, your health, your life… WHY would you NOT have insurance to protect your livelihood? One of the FIRST aspects of building a protections around yourself as a photographer is making sure that you, your business, your equipment and your life are protected. In the third edition of this series, we will talk about building a photographer protective network. We hope to show you why it is important to accomplish this as soon as you start your business. If you missed Part 1 of our Photographer Networking series you can catch up here! Protecting your Physical Business/Equipment. Protection for your actual business is pretty simple to accomplish. Photographers need to protect themselves with the best insurance network they
So you have decided to become a professional photographer. Or you have been a pro for a while. Either way, one of the cornerstones of photography is something that is becoming a lost art. They say “no man (or woman) is an island”. For photographers, this could not be more true! In today’s blog article we will explore the art of building photographer networks. Most photographers, if not all, are small businesses. Many are one man shows. Sometimes you are lucky enough to have a partner or a spouse who has embarked on this journey with you. If you have been around 30+ years you may have a protégé or a child who is being groomed to take over the business. In ANY case, it
