Vacation Portraits – Tap into the Multi-Billion Dollar Travel Industry

www.karmahill.com

When do you have money burning a hole in your pocket? When do you save money just so you can spend it in one short period of time?

Vacation!

I learned how to tap into tourism and capture some of the billions of dollars that flow through the travel industry by treating my photography as a vacation activity instead of a traditional portrait session. Tourism exists in all 50 states and all over the world. Whether you’re in a tropical locale or next to a natural wonder like the Grand Canyon, there is a market for vacation portraits.

When I first moved to Maui and decided to start a photography business, I did an online search to see what was out there, and I found pages upon pages of photographers, almost all of them focused on wedding photography. At first I felt a little discouraged, then I decided to …

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Tips for Booking and Rocking Same-Sex Wedding Shoots

© 2012 Cindy M Brown

© 2012 Cindy M Brown

Documenting the story of a same-sex wedding is really not that different from documenting the story of any wedding, at least from the perspective of a wedding photojournalist. In both, a photojournalist’s job is to capture the personalities, the emotions, the moments, the context and the details that work together to give viewers a sense of the love shared by the couple, their family and friends on that one special day.

© 2012 Sharon McMahon

So, how do I go about booking same-sex weddings?

1)  Seek this business only if you are truly supportive. If you have any reservations about the right of gays and lesbians to make meaningful, legal and sacred commitments to each other, that uncertainty will likely show when you meet with couples.

2) Make it clear on your website that you’re open to photographing same-sex unions. Show photos of same-sex couples if you have …

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Tips to Give Brides Before Boudoir Photography Sessions by Denise Adamo

PhotoLife5

Today’s modern bride is classy, confident and fearless. As a boudoir studio that’s been around since the 1990s, we’ve seen our share of brides. We’ve been shooting bride’s boudoir photographs since 1997. Today’s brides want the best of everything, they know they deserve it, and they’ll stop short of nothing to get it. From booking reception locations to florists and caterers, they spare no expense. This is also true when it comes to giving the groom a gift he’ll never forget. Boudoir photographs have become the number one gift on the bride’s list.

Many brides ponder booking a sexy boudoir photo shoot, but when it comes to actually making that call, they have all kinds of questions and doubts that go through their minds. That’s why we send brides a helpful list of tips when they book their boudoir photo shoot. We want them to be prepared long before they come in to …

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Make More Money with Event Cards

customeventcards

If you’re an event photographer, there’s no better opportunity to reach your target market than at an actual event. No matter what kind of event it is — a wedding, mitzvah or birthday party — most of your client’s guests are potential NEW clients for you! Traditionally, client communities consist of similar socioeconomic classes and aesthetic preferences. So, the guests at that event this weekend are prime examples of your target market! And if your client liked you enough to hire you, then many of their guests might too. Don’t pass up an opportunity to market directly to them.

Spread the word at the event – use event cards! Not only will you give them a take-away with your contact information, but you’ll also give them the keys to access the photos from the event.

Many companies, like Pictage, provide turnkey solutions for event cards. Or you can make them yourself. Here are some key tips:

• Book a pre-shoot with your clients (engagement session, portrait session) so you can create an image that people will want to save. Use this image on your card (the goal is to have guests save the card on their refrigerator!) • Tell your client that you will be providing event cards as a “way to help guests find their photos without bother the bride and groom.” • Place the event cards in a prominent location, such as nearby the guest book or at place settings (ask your client first!) • Include your logo (keep it small and simple), contact info and instructions for how to access the event photo gallery. • Include a clear “call to action” on the card. If guests need to pre-register for an event, make that super clear on the card. You want it to be easy to see the photos.

When used consistently, event cards can significantly boost post-event print sales and get you new clients at the same time! For more creative ways to use event cards and marketing techniques at events, check out these helpful articles:

Why Shooting Hugs & Mugs Can Be Fun and Profitable

To Sell More, Think More Like Your Customer

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The Fantasy vs. Reality of Becoming a Professional Photographer by Lara White

the-fantasy-vs-reality-of-becoming-a-professional-photographer

When we fall in love with photography, we go on an amazing journey of self-discovery and creative expression. Some of us begin to imagine a career as a professional photographer, filled with days of capturing glorious sunsets in remote locations across the globe, or attending glamorous parties and living the high life, all the while getting paid to do what we love. What a dream!

And it can be, absolutely. But for most of us, it takes many years of hard work, long hours, little pay and lots of business and marketing savvy in order to truly realize the dream.

One of the main reasons I started Photomint and decided to write Photography Business Secrets: The Savvy Photographer’s Guide to Sales, Marketing, and More is to counteract all the “feel-happy” business advice out there that highlights the glamour and omits the reality. There is a lot of fantasy concepts floating around, and …

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The Power of Realism in a World that’s Addicted to Perfection by LA Photography

the-power-of-realism-in-a-world-thats-addicted-to-perfection

We live in a world where people expect perfection. We are fed perfection through the media, through magazines and advertisements. Pressure to be perfect, look perfect and act perfect are everywhere. So, what’s the power of realism in a world that’s addicted to perfection? I didn’t realize the expectancy of our role as photographers until I photographed a client with a roll of film. She seemed less confident, unsure of herself and didn’t like the idea of not having Photoshop to ‘touch up’ her images afterwards.

I assured her; I told her she was beautiful and not to worry about changing a thing. Afterward, when the film was developed, she looked at them in awe and was excited to see that she loved how she looked with no “touch-ups” at all. It was like she was surprised to see herself in a ‘real’ light.

I see this mentality not only in my clients, but …

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How to Create a Home-Based Photography Studio: Part 2 by Megan Lane

In Part One of this series, I talked about the merits of having a home-based business and shared reasons why you might want to have a studio space for your home-based business.

Now, let’s get down to details: how can you create a home-based photography studio?

The short answer is: SPACE. You have to have some kind of space that you can create or convert. In the beginning, I converted a spare bedroom into a studio; it was tiny, but it was better than nothing! Now, after three years of planning and construction, I have over 450 square feet dedicated to my photography business.

Throughout these two processes, I spent months analyzing my business and trying to identify ways to address my needs and my clients’ needs — all while staying within my budget and physical space constraints.

The following inventory can help you analyze your own studio needs. Your budget, your existing …

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How to Create a Home-Based Photography Studio: Part One by Megan Lane

When I started my photography business, I dreamed of the day that I would be able to move my business out of my home and into a bright and shiny studio space. In my mind having a storefront was the true distinction of a “real” photographer. Oh, how silly I was!

Thank goodness, in the years that followed, I did some serious research about the business of being a photographer before I pursued a retail space for my business. I learned that there are lots (and LOTS) of incredibly successful photographers who not only operate a home-based photography business, they prefer it that way. Even more compelling, the Benchmark Surveys done by the Professional Photographers of America reveal that overall the most financially successful photography businesses in the United States are home-based!

As my knowledge of the photography industry evolved, I began to see my home-based business not as a stepping stone …

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A Wedding Photographer Reviews the Leica Monochrom by Chris Williams

“Be quick, but don’t hurry.” – John Wooden, former UCLA basketball coach

I love this quote and I think it fits perfectly with photography.

I started out with Rangefinders in wedding photography. Partly because those are the tools I had but also because I loved the intimacy I could achieve with a Leica due to it’s small size.

I’ll probably get some flack for this from film lovers (hey, I’m one too) but with their new Monochrom  - black and white 18mp digital Rangefinder, Leica has put the “Tri-X” back into digital photography. Perhaps they’ve even put the tried-and-true love of black-and-white back into wedding photography.

I think there’s a different thought process with black-and-white photography versus color photography. With the Monochrom, I don’t have the mindset, “I’ll just convert to black-and-white during post processing,” which can sometimes be lazy. I find myself taking time to think about the image before creating it, just …

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The Pro Photographer’s Guide to WPPI by Jason Aten

Headed to WPPI this week and next? Like 15,000 wedding and portrait photographers, you are headed to one of the biggest gatherings of people from our industry, that you’re ever likely to encounter. Whether you’ve been a dozen times, or are headed out for your first time, the entire experience can be a bit overwhelming (to say the least). Between the platform classes, master classes, impromptu classes, shooting experiences, mentoring, and of course – the parties – there’s a lot happening. Want to come back in one piece?

Here are my WPPI Survival Tips:

1. Don’t try to do everything. You’ll hear this a lot from many people who have been there, but seriously – DON’T try to see everything. You can’t. It’s too big, and you’ll end up robbing yourself of the benefit of what you DO take in. Be picky about where you spend your time. You’ll get the most …

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