When it comes to selling canvases and albums, bigger can be better. A large canvas – or a collection – makes a great statement piece. When a client wants to fill their home with personal art, there is no better way to go than large canvases hung in predominant locations. Imagine a pair of 20×30’s hung side by side in an entry foyer, for example! “Planting Sales Seeds” Pre-Shoot I always plant the seed for this concept prior to the sales session so your client has time to consider a large-scale piece in her home and the investment involved. A planning session prior to the shoot is the perfect time to make product suggestions. In addition to discussing the session itself, you can let the
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5 Ways to Keep Portraiture Natural on the Wedding Day
One of the best compliments I receive from potential clients is that my photographs feel natural and aren’t forced. That’s music to my ears because I consider myself a storyteller first and foremost. Probably 90% of my wedding photography days are spent covering the action in a photojournalist manner. At the end of the day, however, I gravitate towards portraits. It has always given me great pleasure to have clients who tell me “we’re so unphotogenic,” and then deliver images that truly wow them! Let’s face it, if you can make someone look good, you’ve just earned another advocate for your work. Seriously, who doesn’t want to look amazing on their wedding day? How do you keep things natural? How do you make people feel
The Truth about the “Rockstar Economy”
Here is a fundamental truth: Nothing is equal. No actions, no thoughts, no ideas. Certainly no two people. I would be lying if I said what works for me won’t work for you, but the more important and accurate statement is that what works for me won’t work the same for you. Not in the long term. In the short term, we may not see the differences, but over the course of a career, results will always vary, and not always in the way we want. I could rattle off 5 tips to improve your business now. If they’re the right 5 for you, they’ll do something. But there are no ruby red slippers in real life, and there is no secret sauce. There is
Winning Word of Mouth Referrals – it’s a Marathon not a Sprint!
I’m the poster boy of how NOT to utilize social networks to help grow your business.I don’t have thousands of Facebook fans or Twitter followers. I don’t update my blog often enough, and my blog gets moderate (but very welcome) traffic. However, I’ve been fortunate enough to grow and expand my business year after year, despite downturns in the economy. And 2012, my ninth wedding season, will be my best year ever. I’m also somewhat lucky because my clients generally seek me out based on past referrals. It’s not uncommon for me to see one or two former clients at any given wedding I shoot. The referrals I get from past clients mean everything to me and have been the building blocks of my business.
The Nutcracker Challenge: Part I
“Even in the works of the greatest master, the organic sequence can fail and then a skillful join must be made.” – Tchaikovsky Several months ago, a childhood dream of mine came true. My Mom and I saw the New York City Ballet perform The Nutcracker at Lincoln Center. Growing up, I was enchanted by this world of sugar plum fairies, whimsical music and indoor snow. Nearly two decades later, these childhood fascinations were re-energized. After the show, I became curious about why The Nutcracker is such a commercial success and how it became the most popular ballet in the world. Exploring this story offers deeper understanding about creating a “Nutcracker” within your photography business. Create Space for Listening In 1892, the first production of
Five Tips for Dramatically Improving Reception Photos
When I shot my first wedding in 2007, I was lucky! The reception was pretty bright (and my camera was worthless above about ISO 400, so that was a good thing!) Since then, I’ve learned – sometimes the hard way – that not every wedding reception is inundated with light, and you know what? I love that. Bright is great, but dark is full of endless possibilities. Consider a wedding reception outside at 2 p.m. under a clear sky (I know, not common, but play along). There’s not much you can do with that light, right? Your hands are pretty much tied; you’re not competing with a cloudless sky with the speedlights that most wedding shooters have in their bag! Now take a pitch black 9
On The Edge
Sometimes you should ignore the bride and groom. I don’t mean ignore them completely, but remember to turn your camera’s gaze toward others attending the wedding. Many of my favorite photographs from weddings are of guests! My first commitment is to my client, but their loved ones are equally important parts of their wedding celebration. One of my journalism mentors used to say, “always look around the edges of your frame.” What he meant was, keep your viewfinder poised to capture images on the periphery. Often these are quiet moments between ‘The Moments.’ They’re not the iconic first dance, or the obligatory cake cutting. They are poetic, unexpected, or funny glimpses into the personalities of your clients’ family and friends. This photograph was actually made
Four Ways to Bring Your Clients Into the Creative Process
Communication Getting your clients to be creative with you starts with good old fashion communication. Communication of today’s world such as email, Facebook and Twitter are no substitute for face-to-face communication. If an in person meeting is not possible, picking up a phone or making a Skype call is the next best thing. When you talk to your clients, ask questions about what their interests are such as their favorite music, favorite movies and art, magazines they read, clothing styles they like, the stores they shop in, and even the type of architecture they are drawn to. I also like to ask what other photographers’ work they admire. Getting to know your clients on a personal level will shed more light into the creative process.
People Without People
The tiniest things tell us the most about people. A locket on a bride’s bouquet contains a black-and-white photograph of her grandparents, a hand-stitched handkerchief is embroidered with a groom’s monogram, ornate hats are testaments to traditional British wedding culture. Seasoned photojournalist Alan Berner calls these details “people without people.” He explains, “For me it is the sense of people without them being there. It’s the part representing the whole. It’s the significant detail giving instant insight into the person, organization, the culture.” Sounds strange, but it’s a powerful concept. Details reveal key traits about people without actually showing them. These photographs are often tight, close-up shots that give our eyes a chance to linger longer on objects. As photographers, we have a responsibility to
The Value of an Image
“Photojournalism isn’t just an invitation to sit on the front row of global history, it’s also an invitation to sit on the front row of family history.” -Rachel LaCour Niesen, Intimate Invitations: The Photo that Changed My Career In the three weeks that I’ve been married, I’ve had the opportunity to remember our wedding ceremony through many conversations with family and friends. Without fail, in each and every one of those conversations I have been asked about my favorite part. While I loved each and every part of our wedding day (weekend really), there was one piece in particular that stood apart from the rest. We called it our “Unity Ceremony,” a time during our wedding where the communities that raised us came forward and