“When love and skill work together, expect a masterpiece.” – John Ruskin Whenever I hear of a filmmaker or wedding videographer documenting a wedding or special event alone, I scratch my head. Maybe I am worse at my job than most, but I can’t fathom being responsible for all the big, tiny, and fleeting moments that happen thousands of times at a wedding…by myself. Weddings are filled with “one-chance” events. Miss the first kiss and you are screwed. What if you miss the mother of the bride’s tearful reaction to the vows while you are busy filming the vows themselves? Won’t be the end of the world, but WHAT A GIFT to have that moment to give to the family! People’s memories are worth so
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3 Best Practices For High Impact Holiday Email Marketing
The holidays are here! It’s time to dust off your email marketing list and bring in customers for the holiday season. If you want true impact from your email campaigns, it’s important to stick to these 3 best practices. With the power behind best practices in mind, here are three list management rules everyone should follow: 1. Clear and Direct Keep the opt in obvious! Wherever you collect your contacts, make sure you mention how you’ll use the email address. If you’re adding customers to your newsletter list for example, a separate unchecked box asking permission at the point of purchase is the way to go. 2. Recent and Engaged Quality lists take time to build. It’s tempting to hang on to older subscribers even when it’s clear they’re no longer reading promotions,
Pinterest for Brands: Questions to Ask and Inspiration to Consider
Pinterest isn’t just another social network. It’s much more than that. For brands and individuals looking to provide value to their specific audience, Pinterest is an opportunity to provide particularly relevant content through curation. No one’s audience is at a loss for information. In fact, most people are inundated with useful information. The key ways that you provide value to your audience in an information-rich atmosphere are: Providing context Curating the content that’s most useful for them A museum without a skilled curator is just a warehouse. The value differential between a warehouse and a museum is obvious. To start evaluating whether Pinterest is a potential channel for your business, ask yourself these questions: 1. Does your ideal audience hang out on Pinterest? If your audience consists
The Best Thing I Ever Learned
Sometimes the best lessons are simple, one-sentence thoughts that often seem trivial at the time but turn out to be monumental. I came across one some eight years ago; it forever changed not only my photography but also my business. I was a student at the Foundation Workshop (FW2), an annual workshop held in Texas that shaped me not only as a photographer but also as a teacher. I was a student that year but have since been involved in every workshop since – all eight of them. The Foundation Workshop is for wedding photojournalists who have no photojournalism experience or those who want to learn the art of visual storytelling; it is run by some of the best wedding photojournalists in world. When I attended
A Photographer’s Journey to Find Purpose and Meaning In Expanding Horizons
“It may be that when we no longer know what to do we have come to our real work, and that when we no longer know which way to go we have come to our real journey.” –Wendell Berry I have been a commercial photographer for about 16 years, but my journey as an artist—even as a human being—started two years ago. Two years ago I took my first trip to Haiti. Somehow, on this island littered with destruction yet filled with hope, my paradigm shifted—my heart crumbled—and I discovered my purpose and mission in life. It’s my hope that I’ll encourage you to do the same. I have captured most everything and anything through the language of photography. From chefs to musicians, celebs to
Lighten Your Load: 4 Tips to Reduce Gear on a Shoot
How do I reduce gear on shoots? I ask myself this question almost weekly. Since I shoot 100% out on location (most requiring travel), what’s in my bag can either cost extra baggage fees or save my keister on a shoot. Just because I can lug a three-light setup, doesn’t mean I should. My key: Be prepared not just as an artist, but as a Boy Scout. Gear holds me back more often than I admit. This coming from a frugal Boy Scout who admires MacGyver. Give me a van full of photo-related gear to bring to Burning Man (see above photo) and I’m happy as a clam. Granted, I used about 55% of it, but glad I had it all. It’s easy to say,
Giving Families a Slice of History: Make a Wish Foundation
I didn’t get into photography for the art of it; nor did I get into photography for the passion of it (which isn’t to say I’m not passionate about my art). I got into photography because after moving to Los Angeles to write for television, and doing that (and then not), I needed a job. A steady one. That I was in control of. I chose photography, because I am passionate about family. And about family history. And about leaving a legacy. I live and work in the entertainment capital of the world – where everyone is beautiful, where if the sun doesn’t shine every day of the year, it can be painted in, and where even the unglamorous seems glamorous. I have delivered chicken soup to
The Power of Personal Projects – Farms, Food and Photography!
What do farming and food have to do with photography? For Maine-based photographer, Audra Bayette, farming and food fuel her creative spirit. Her inspiration flows from her farm into her photographs of Maine couples getting married. She’s balancing work that fills her bank account with work that fills her soul. Without work that fuels your creativity and feeds your spirit, you’re sprinting down a path to boredom and burnout. To explore the power of personal projects, The Photo Life is publishing a series of posts from photographers who pursue personal projects. Summer in Maine means a busy wedding season. For me, it also means a busy farm season! My husband Matt and I live on two acres of land in Scarborough, ME. We live in a little
5 Tips to Get Clarity: Specialize To Save Your Sanity
A year ago, I battled a monster of my own making: burnout. I had just completed my eighth consecutive wedding weekend with five more ahead in the season. On my schedule for the week were two high school senior sessions, one newborn session, and a family session. This wasn’t an unusually busy week. It was part of my new normal; behind on work, overwhelmed and constantly exhausted. On paper this looked like the success I aimed to achieve. I was working hard, making great money, my schedule booked to the max. I loved my clients and I was making them really happy. But my happiness was missing from the equation. Somewhere between “I love photography so much that I want to make a living doing
How Photographers and Planners Can Work Together to Build a Dream Team
col·lab·o·rate: (v) 1. to work jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor It takes a team to create a stunning, memorable event, and collaboration is one of the hallmarks of great teamwork! We got the chance to ask Angela Young Proffit, the owner of Elegant Weddings by Angela and Events by AP in Nashville, TN, about some of her tips for collaboration to help make the wedding day as smooth as possible. 1. What can photographers do to be most helpful to coordinators prior to AND during the wedding day? Communicate! Discuss order of preferable picture order. Discuss what is important to the bride and the vendors. 2. What makes you want to recommend a photographer to future clients? If my clients