ade and gina | pennsylvania wedding photographer | pennsylvania bridalmakeup artist | small business saturday

hey all,

i have teamed up with my life partner gina to provide photography and makeup for lovers. 

[edit] have you seen our new website?

  www.adeandgina.com

she  is a physician as well as a bridal makeup artist. we have formed a family oriented company aimed at creating lasting memories for brides and grooms of which our personal values and by extension our company values are based in the concepts of love, style, fun, and healthy relationships.

bridal makeup artist

her name is gina charles and you can see her work at www.makeupbydrg.com
gina specializes in bridal and beauty makeup. as well as mentioned earlier, she is also a family medicine physician with a concentration in women's health. gina also treats skin, specifically acne and hyper pigmentation. over the years she has fused together both of her passions; i.e. treating patients as well as doing their make up: which is all part of her campaign to make women feel as good as they look.

small business saturday 

we have worked together on a number of weddings, creative projects, portrait sessions, birthday parties etc... take a look of some of the work we have produced over the years.

ade and gina | pennsylvania wedding photographer | pennsylvania bridal makeup artist | small business saturday

the crutch of social marketing

this week we have a guest blogger, Andy MacPherson who is one half of Macpherson Family Photography. Andy and his wife Connie are wedding photographers who hail from new jersey.  Andy has an interesting take on why it is necessary to get out from behind the computer and socialize in regards to marketing.

Success isn't something that just happens - success is learned, success is practiced and then it is shared. - Sparky Anderson

The main thing I wanted to talk about is marketing a new business and a few interesting things I have found. I have a rather “new” photography business because I recently moved my business from Florida to New Jersey, which created a whole new set of challenges. This meant, I had to find creative ways to get my name out to my new community. I’m a little bit of an introvert, I’d rather stay at home and hang out by myself than go out and with a group of people. I’m much more comfortable sitting home drinking a craft beer and playing video games, or surfing the web: this is a very common trap for anyone who is trying to grow their business. Like most creative people we tend to be introverted which does not translate well into expanding into larger markets. Being introverted does not have to be a business killer, if you know how to embrace it and use it to your advantage.  Therefore, I always keep in mind: “Take responsibility for yourself.., because no one's going to take responsibility for you.” -Tyra Banks

I originally thought I could just grow my business and get new clients by using social media, my blog, my website, and anything else I can find online. As photographers we should be using all these outlets to promote our business but we should not use it as our only form of marketing. Business is about people and by only using the internet we are limiting our reach.

Subsequently, business is about the owner solving problems for clients, and getting a financial return for their efforts. If people trust a business person they will gladly compensate you for your product. As a photographer my product is my photography and what I can create for the client. Photographs are  my product, and most importantly it is a part of me, it is my creation. People are hiring me  for what I can do; they are hiring me because they like and trust me. Think about it, if you lined up 100 photographs of different weddings from 100 different photographers and the photographers weren't allowed to be in the room with the display. Then, ask a bride to pick a wedding photographer based solely on the photographs in front of her, what would her main objection be?  I can guarantee you it would be “well I would really want to talk to the photographer and meet them before I decide”.  So I have to remind myself to get out of my comfort zone and get out of my house and do some real marketing. Because it as William James, the father of modern psychology said, and I paraphrase: one has to run far enough on their first wind to find out if they have a second wind.”

 So as I close, I want to challenge you to get out there, start meeting people, vendors, and potential clients alike, then find out their needs and help them. Some concrete ways of doing so is to be a part of fundraisers and community events.  One of our family clients recently had their little girl diagnosed with leukemia. We did a fundraiser for her and people loved it, which helped raised money for her treatment. So get off the computer and get out there and meet people.  Find people on social media and meet up with them, find groups online you can get involved with then go in person and make connections. Find creative ways to let people know what you do.

‘The more you do something the easier it gets: “If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves. -Thomas Edison

fear based marketing

 fear is a powerful emotion and motivator to buy.

my financial consultant, suggested to me sometime ago that "in america, only purchase a new car if you are a millionaire...get as much out of your current car as possible."  i may have taken his advice a bit too far but in the process of becoming even more financially responsible, i literally and figuratively watch every dollar i spend.

my current german model make car has continued to serve me well and has taken me as far as ohio, new york, marylannd, virginia, connecticut, new jersey and back to shoot portraits. at 145000 + miles it is strong and continues to run.   

so recently, i went to get an oil change at a monro service center  in my city and the attendant was telling me that i needed new front brake pads and rear tires for my vehicle.

now instead of simply telling me, he took out a brochure with pictures of brake pads and tires on them.  along the bottom a scales measuring the thickness of break break pads and tire threading in inches. most importantly, the scale is composed of 3 main colors: red, yellow, and green similar to a traffic light.

moreover, around the world, red is associated with danger and yellow associated with caution and green means its ok.  note well, two of 2/3 main parts of the scale is is based on caution: red and yellow.

the attendant then proceeded to check off that my brake pads were in the red zone and rear tires were in the cautionary yellow zone. now, more than likely anyone ending up in the 2/3 cautionary zones what do you think they would more than likely do? that's right, feel fear and buy, buy, buy.

how can you use some of these marketing concepts in your photography business? 

keep kewl!

marketing via instagram

my instagram: www.instagram.com/shodiphoto

instagram is owned by facebook, as a result both platforms are interlinked with each other. one can post from instagram directly to facebook, tumblr, and four square with one click. facebook is one of the better social marketing tools for entrepreneurs and instagram is also rising in popularity. it makes much sense to have both.

some basics of instagram

 the platform can be used from your computer, iphone, or android. 

designing your instagram; follow the same rules as designing for other social networking sites. you want to focus primarily on your business; however you also want to demonstrate a bit about your personality. the reason for this is that people get bored with you shoving business in their face all the time. your clients and potential clients want to know a bit about your personality.  

 tools to manage instagram (all free)

there are multiple tools for managing instagram, some are used to see who follow and unfollow you and so forth. i don't concern myself with that because it is is a waste of time for the most part, and has little to do with bringing in revenue. i have a business to run and time is precious. though the more people are aware of your brand the more likely you are to be successful. you will have to figure out the balance for yourself.

i do however use instasize, since instagram offers a 640x640 pixel window. instasize re-sizes your images to fit the window. also picstich which makes 2 or more pics into a collage.

hashtags: allow you to reach a wider audience, so i strongly suggest using them. the key is to increase brand awareness. if you are a wedding photographer who posted a bridal pic one of your hashtags that can be used is #bride among many others.  a potential bride who searches clicks on #bride hashtag will be able to find you.

video: as of wed august  7th, 2013 instagram is now allowing you to upload pre-recorded videos. which means you can showcase your business with show reels.  the specifics for the video is that has to be no more than 15 secs long and 640x640 pixels.  

here is an example of a video i showcased on instagram for of some personal work  which also markets my business 
http://instagram.com/p/dITGnVs5Zk/

keep kewl!


harrisburg, pa wedding photographer

last lap lime and value.

lime verb \li-ime\
transitive verb
1: to hang out and chill with friends
etymology: of caribbean origin

recently Dr. G makeup artist and i shodiphoto hosted a lime for our past clients and friends. we went to a union hall for a bit of bocci, beers and socializing.

for my non west indian friends, a lime is defined as a hangout for friends and depending on the region it can be a bit more complex. it was a lime with a bit of twist, pun intended of course.  the twist was that we did it without "west indian music" (reggae and soca.) and food. instead we had beers and attempted to play bocci  and offered lollipops... we had a great time.

never miss an opportunity to advertise or market.

no matter how skilled you are at your craft or good of a product you offer, your business will drowned without solid marketing and advertising. does macdonalds still need to advertise and market? they are global already, so why advertise? a few months ago i was driving down interstate 81 and i kid you not i believe i saw a macdonalds billboard at every mile. market and advertise!

value

always remember people like value. if your friends or past clients are coming out to hang with you. ask yourself what is the value in them being there? different people attend social gatherings because they find different forms of value. those values may range from something as simple as socializing, having a good time, friendship, food and drinks, potential business or potential romantic relationships... but if people see no value in attending most people won't waste their time.

this is the same for service or products you offer. ask yourself, what value am i offering to clients?  value is subjective in regards to products, time, and perception.  high end business spend a ton of marketing dollars in creating a perceived value for their products. there are many reasons as to why consumers view a product as having value. here are only two of those many reasons 1) part of it is based on how well the service or product is presented.

a few years ago i was in paris and at the louis vuitton store they serve drinks (champagne, orange juice, water) while customers shop.  2) the amenities that surround that product also gives the product perceived value.

keep kewl!

six steps to creating a unique client experience

"people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." - mya angelou

your unique client experience should be geared towards making clients feel positive emotions.

i once shot a wedding at the watermill and one of the honored guest who was already married was assisting the bride, i lightly teased about the size of her wedding ring. and for the rest of the wedding i referred to her "the lady with the big ring" she enjoyed it, the bride enjoyed it and to this day she is known to me as such.

when the bride contacted me a few months after, she mentioned "the lady with the big ring" enjoyed herself and the photos." as well as she [the bride] enjoyed herself by extension of my interaction with the honored guest.


6 steps 


1. website: the experience begins with your website. before clients  meet you, they should be visually stimulated by your work. as well as your website should be easy to navigate and give an introduction to your personal and/or business identity.

2. before the consultation meeting: respond promptly to emails and calls. thank them for contacting you and make a connection via telephone or email if possible as well as establish a bit about your personal identity.

3. consultation meeting:                                                                                   
a) dress for the occasion:  this could mean many things.  i wear a pair of shoes, jeans, a blazer, and button down shirt. i smell great, my nails and hair are properly groomed.

b) engage all the clients' senses: the meeting place should smell good. therefore i recommend any of the following as a background accented scents: candles, scented oils,  incense, food, brewed drinks, fresh flowers (smell). hug, shake hands,  if possible go through a mini posing session and this point you can show them how to pose by holding hands, hips, shoulders (touch).  offer a tasty beverage (taste.) have a beautiful ambiance, lighting, and great prints, albums etc (sight and touch.)

c) credibility: speak to clients as friends, truthfully, joke lightly and laugh. most importantly listen to their needs and expectations. set client's expectations and connect with them.

4. after booking/ after consultation meeting: send a thank you email or if booked send a custom gift, which they aren't expecting and a thank you card, business cards, custom folder, containing other custom items: contracts, promo cards etc.

5. wedding day/engagement session: be early, light complements for the bride, groom, guest and wedding party. engage briefly in conversation. attend to their needs and make their family and friends comfortable. you want to be viewed and treated as a guest at the weeding and not a vendor. 

6. post wedding: send a custom thank you card or another thank you gift. deliver their images, albums and other products before the allotted time based on the client expectations set in the beginning. 

one of the main keys to your unique client experience is to under promise, and over deliver in a way that's unique to your business and by extension your personality; do not promise or deliver like another business, find your own niche that works for you. 

take a look at this video from ninja new york restaurant and get an understanding of a great client experience, then google and read the reviews on yelp.

keep kewl!

seeing with my heart

as i grow as an artist; i begin to see more with my heart.

when i was a boy, no older than ten years old, i kept a sketch pad.  i would place one of its pages over an image and use carbon paper to trace the outlines of animals, then color the image that i replicated with colored pencils.

one day i decided to do something different, i tried to draw freehand, the three little pigs it was... needless to say, when i finished coloring them, my pigs were brown, the legs were disproportionate, they wore hats unlike the original. but most importantly they were my pigs: different than the original. from that day on, i never traced again.

in my wedding photography, i have started to look more for moments between client and photographer as opposed the old photographic model i operated on i.e. of maximizing the number of photographs between lens and client. this new model has begun to make a profound positive difference in my relationship with clients and development as an artist. i connect more with clients and my eyes, lens, and heart find and see more moments.

in regards to images, my heart envisions lots of images that look and feel vintage. so how do i as an artist balance my nostalgia for things vintage: jazz, old photographs, vintage fashion, black and white images, deep textures etc... with modern wedding photography? i don't trace, i create little pigs that are my own; i see with my heart.

note: see with your heart as well as find balance between you and your client's needs, yet you must come to the point of deciding "this is how i shoot, this is my style," and hold steadfast to that notion. it sounds a bit counter intuitive but its not. and stay away from trends. "two roads diverge in a yellow wood" you can't travel both if you want to have a legacy.

keep kewl!

find the light and match the light

photography begins and ends with light

this particular blog post is personal: it comes from a place of struggle, frustration, hard work, calling my friends on the phone after many weddings and belly aching about how much i hated my work, and from a place of never giving up.

you want to be a better photographer? learn to light! study it, practice with it and master it. n.b. mastering light like is akin to life, it is a journey, it is a continuous life long process. there are many nuances to lighting and on your journey you get an understanding of basics and then the advanced. however, there is always much more to learn.

with portrait and wedding photography for the most part, light the face. when viewing a photograph our eyes are drawn to the lightest part of a photograph and you want the eyes to be drawn to the subject's face.

most people who say "i am a natural light photographer" is generally code words for i haven't yet practiced and mastered flash, other color lights, mixed light situations, and light sources other than outdoors.

nevertheless, these rules aren't written in stone, they are some basic rules:

find the light 

speckled light

• in wedding reception photography, set the stage and let the actors walk on to it.  i shoot receptions using both on and off camera flash at the same time, as well as separately. find a sweet spot where the off camera light is just spot on and hits your subject beautifully and let them walk into that spot and photograph them.

• outdoors

open shade

1. backlight. always turn their backs to the sun or you will end up with harsh shadows and squinting eyes. 
2. open shade you absolutely cannot screw this up, this light is gorgeous. do not confuse the shade of a tree as open shade, many trees create speckled light (bright spots and shadows) open shade results from the side of a building, an under path etc. it is one soft light across the body
3. window light: use it to your advantage, its free and gorgeous like open shade.

• indoors

1. in wedding photography, keep lighting as simple as possible because of time constraints. therefore, maximize the use of room lights. use it to light the face.
2. if there isn't any light, use a video light, use flash, a room light

match the light

use of room light, to light the face 

i can't tell you how many photographs i have seen ruined because of the in ability to match the light by myself and by second shooters who have worked for me. when the light is one temperature through out the room, most cameras do a good job of matching the light by the use of auto white balance. i don't trust it. i custom white balance all the time, with practice, it takes about 30 seconds to custom white balance and note you can use almost anything to do so, from placing cheap tissue paper over your $1600 lens or the expensive,  expodisk or the cheap whiteblance caps . it dosen't matter, white balance even when the light is consistent. i custom wb for window light, and in open shade and as well as when using room lights.

for receptions i gel my flash to match the the room temp, if i need to add a flash or video light i gel them too match the temperature of the light.  and set my camera to the preset temperature. take for example if the light if the reception hall is tungsten. i set my camera to tungsten, gel the flash using a CTO gel and then shoot.
if you don't match the camera and flash to the the room light's temperature you will have awful colors that cannot be corrected in post.

the goal is to always get the skin tones as close to as they look in real life by matching the light.

keep kewl!

a simple way to photograph bride and groom's details

...during wedding prep.

the best time to photograph the bride and groom's details (bouquet, rings, shoes, jewelry, garter, cuff links, watches, earrings etc..) is during wedding prep, this is when the bride is getting her makeup done or the groom is dressing.

my favorite and easiest way to do it is to use window light, remember at weddings keep lighting as simple as possible because of the time constraints i.e. use as much as the available light sources as possible.

using window light

1. look for non competing-creative textures, reflections, and compositions
2. mount the detail  within 4 feet from the window
3. turn off the room lights to avoid mixed lighting
4. mount the detail at the height of the window
5. light the detail at 45 degree or 90 degree depending on taste
6. if the window light is too harsh you can purchase white nylon ripstop and use thumbtacks to quickly put it over the window as a diffusion panel.
7. custom white balance you camera
8. use any white surface to bounce light on the shadow side of the detail.

no window light?

bounce your flash off the white side of your reflector or a wall

not possible during prep

do it during the reception. bounce your flash off a reflector



keep kewl!

making subjects appear as if they are lit by room lights but instead they are lit by flash

the goal is to make the photograph appear as if it is only being lit by the room light. in this particular case the chandelier. however, it is lit by a flash to camera right. the flash is used to mimic and supplement the room light because the chandelier does not have enough power to light the entire body. the flash thus give the photo a magical feel and is primarily used sculpt the subject resulting in a smooth, yet sharp contrast between highlights and shadows. additionally, the flash  is manipulated  in ways the room light cannot.

tools
1. large expoimiging rogue flash bender with diffusion panel
2. cheap manual flash, cost about $30 USD
3. impact power sycn16 dc transmitter and impact power sycn16 dc receiver
4. nikon d700
5. nikon 85mm f/1.8 g
6. 11 feet manifrotto light stand
7. CTO gel

techincals

ISO: 1250
aperture: f2.2
shutter: 1/60

flash
about 1/4 power.


N.b. 
flash: i don't know the name of the flash i used and this is purposely done because, i don't want to know. i bought 2 cheap manual flashes that i use as kicker lights for weddings and events. the point is it does not matter. the goal is to learn to control and manipulate the light. though i still carry my alien bees 1600s and nikon flash with me as back ups.

flash bender:  why? again for this particular photograph it does matter the diffuser i used. you can use an umbrella, soft box or any type of diffuser for your photograph. it only matters if you are going for a specific look that a particular diffuser creates. why do i use the flash bender? because i can hold it in one hand, with a flash synch cord and shoot off camera flash at the same time as well as have my assistant hold and direct it quickly for individual and group portraits.

CTO gel: was used to match the temperature of the tungsten chandelier.  i set camera's white balance to tungsten and gel flash with CTO gel. if you don't gel your flash to match the temperature of the room, its higly like you will have ugly colors that cannot be corrected in post. the goal is to photograph the skin tones and capture them to as close they look in real life.



note this type of lighting can be used to supplement candles, bond fires, kerosene lamps, window lights. the main thing is to match the light by gelling the flash with the correct gel and aim the the flash in the direction where the light is pointing towards your subject. as well as including the light source in the frame, because this will create the illusion that the room light is lighting the subject.  you can purchase rosco gels cheaply for camera mount flashes, the only caution is that it contains 1/2 CTO and not a full CTO. however it contains gels for matching window light, fluorescent etc...

another tactic not shown here is, if you have large lamp shades you can hide a flash in the lamp shade to mimic the light of the lamp. there are may ways to accomplish this type of lighting, you need to practice and experiment.

see more here: http://www.shodiphoto.com/2013/06/20/deara-is-fabulous/

keep kewl!

presenting your photographs on social networks for non photographers

before you read expect some of my quirky sense of humor. earlier this year i was listening to a brilliant lecturer tal ben shahar, who stated that humans view virtual reality as an extension of their own reality. i believe this to be true, so within that intellectual frame work, here is some tips for presenting your photographs on social networks for non photographers. 

• take fun photographs when you go to fun places, post and share.

• do not post a photograph from every event attended; you and your friends are not the cash money millionaires

• when you take photographs envision your best self  because it will show in your face

• practice a handful of your most flattering poses and smiles in the mirror and do it over and over and over and over in your photographs

•  men look best when they have strong manly poses: legs apart, shoulders square

• women look best when they have feminine poses: body turned slightly to the camera (not square shoulders) elongated neck, crossed legs, smile with your eyes (smize a la tyra banks) etc…

• limit posting photographs every day, you will wear out people’s attention

• absolutely no blurry or dark photographs...

• ask whosoever is taking the photo to avoid sticking you directly in the middle of the photograph, a little bit left or a little bit right.

• do not name you album “just me” that’s the most mentally lazy thing you can do! you went to grade school right? you took a creative writing class right?

• choose 1 or 2 , or 3 max photographs from any outing and post only the best ones. only the best ones! nobody wants the see an album/photographic essay on how to do duck face

• a bathroom mirror is not a photo studio, restrain yourself. lol!

•  consolidate your albums by topics, people have a short attention spans, stay away from having 87++ albums

• you are probably the only person that cares that you bronzed your baby’s first pamper.

• narrow down your profile pictures to your best current ones, these are the first photographs people reach for, your potential mate is bored by photograph ten :-)

• your social networking site is personal but if you don’t celebrate your friends and family in your photographs, what does that say about you?

• celebrate your partners; love is and always will be a beautiful thing, you will be respected for it. hiding them does not protect them from anyone except your insecurities

•  avoid posting photos from the hospital, or of something terrible happening to you. most people don’t care if you lost a tooth, just put it under your pillow and be rid of it, already

•  if you must post pics of your food, i suggest you create a separate album for your food pics, so everybody can skip that album

• the title of the photograph is almost as important as the visual message you are trying to communicate in the photograph. “just me” “me and my babe” is mentally lazy titles. think of something kewl that’s consistent with your personality

• posting rachet photos, exposing other people, says that you are just as rachet, avoid that at all cost. [see urban dictionary: rachet]

• just like in real life, if someone pays you a complement or comments on your photo, don’t ignore them, you aren’t the artist formerly known as prince, starring in purple rain, you are on a social network, social networking with other humans

•  initiate and reciprocate complements, comments as well as "likes," don't be a closet hater lol!

•  stay away from negativity, ignore it

• don't try to impress others, trust me; you are kewl enough, be your best self and people will like your photographs that demonstrates your already kewl self

• have fun 

  

·      

stay kewl!

five tips for wedding photographers on working with a makeup artist: and creating more business opportunities

reblogged from www.makeupbydrg.com

the aesthetics of a wedding are crafted by a number of artists working together: photographer, cake, hair, makeup etc. for these artists, a significant portion of their business comes from referring each other to clients. the aim of this article is to primarily guide the wedding photographer on how to best serve the bride while building rapport with the makeup artist, which in return will lead to referrals and more business.

1.  CONSULTATION

 prior to photographing a wedding, the photographer should ask the bride for the Makeup Artist’s (MUA) contact information and then consult with him or her. i find that calling the MUA and setting up an appointment to meet or talk works better than an email. this builds rapport and both artists are less likely to bump heads during makeup prep on wedding day.  during the initial consultation the MUA and photographer should exchange contact information, talk about how both can benefit from each other’s businesses and their respective goals for the wedding day.

2. WEDDING DAY

since window light is one of the prettiest light sources that flatter brides while their makeup is being applied, the photographer should recommend that the MUA set up close to a window. additionally, the photographer should be lightly conversing with both the MUA and bride during makeup prep; this lightens the mood and helps things flow smoothly.

 








3. BEFORE SHOOTING

one of the things i recommend is to never photograph the bride until her makeup is almost complete. Always keep in mind that she is the star of the show and every picture the photographer takes and presents to her should flatter her in the best way possible. therefore, begin shooting when her foundation or concealer is complete. this is where it pays to know a bit about makeup or simply ask the MUA to alert you when the bride’s foundation or concealer has been completed. the reason being is that both of these products hide her blemishes.

4. PHOTOGRAPHY TECHNICALS

i prefer to photograph the bride using a shallow depth of field. generally, the room where she is being made up has other people getting ready, assisting her, or there is some form of clutter. by using a shallow depth of field you can isolate her from the background. I’d suggest an aperture (f/1.2-1.8). In particular for photographing lashes, I suggest a macro lens.  additionally, the photographer will want to capture the MUA preforming his or her craft, also record their tools, and look for creative compositions such as mirror reflections etc.

5. POST CONSULTATION

after the wedding, once again the photographer should contact the MUA and offer him or her prints or canvases or photo books or photographs for their website or any visual aid so that the MUA can show both of their work to future clients. it will cost the photographer a few dollars to provide prints or a photo book; however, if that MUA refers the photographer to a new client the cost of the visual aids are recovered. The photographer should also refer the MUA to other clients which keeps the cycle of business circulating.

i hope that both photographers and makeup artists understand that most of these tips can be used  between themselves and other artists working on the wedding.

keep kewl!

balancing business and art

artist/photographer: primarily concerned with producing excellent work
business person: purely profit minded
artist/photographer in business: producing quality work while still being profit minded

the goal is to be an photographer/(artist) in business. being a staunch business person will take out the emotional element that brides are looking for and being purely an artist/photographer will leave you broke.

therefore with every wedding your goals should be:

a) make the wedding party comfortable and have them love the photographer

b) produce solid work
c) turn a profit and sustain a profitable business
d) keep a relationship with clients after wedding

all the goals listed are equally important and interconnected, if one is to be a successful artist in business. look at it this way: if the photographer makes the bride comfortable and she loves you; she will recommend you to others and in return this means more profit.

a purely business minded photographer once said to me "my goal is to turn an 80% profit, i don't care if people think i am a shitty photographer."

as photographers our primary product is emotions, which are tied to the photographs we sell. a photograph when viewed by a bride incurs how she felt  in that moment. since photographs are the vehicle of emotions, then my rationale is this: someone who does not care about the quality of their work, generally does not care about the emotions they are selling. therefore a shitty photograph may reflect a positive emotional moment but it will never make her love your work or you.

to balance these 4 goals can difficult, because as one may be developing their photographic style while they are in business. there is a few ways it can be done. e.g. have some skilled business person(s) take care of the business if you are purely artist minded. if you are business minded, one way is to outsource your post production. 

or find a balance by putting in double time:

a) master your craft: photographic technicals and post processing

b) learn leadership skills

c) study and learn to market, sell, advertise, brand

d) work on being friendly, genuine, sociable.

e) learn to network

f) know when you need help and knowing where to find it

the key is not to let profit out weigh quality work or the emotional element outweigh profit or vice versa.

keep kewl!

style

anybody can take a photograph, it takes vigilance, time, hard work, and focus to create a masterpiece.

WHY? 

having a style is important: it will set you apart from every other photographer. you will be known for, it will help to define you as a an artist, it will become part of your legacy, it's a reflection of who you are and your feelings, and it is what will get you booked.

when you first start shooting you will copy everything and everyone, you will shoot every genera. it's ok!  this is the process of development, because nothing is new under the sun. anything you can think of has been done before. Note! your favorite photographer did not become good overnight. also note, talent is overrated, most people aren't naturally great, they work/(ed) hard to achieve what they have and you should too.

"Heights by great men reached and kept were not obtained by sudden flight but, while their companions slept, they were toiling upward in the night." - henry wadsworth longfellow

HOW

be inspired: but do not copy or try to reproduce the exact photographs others have done. go to museums, look at paintings and sculptures. explore other art forms: music, poetry, art etc. explore other genera of photography other than you own. food photography has influenced some of my wedding photography.

as far as movies i liked "the other boleyn girl": it has dramatic rembrandt lighting through out the movie, which reflects one of my favorite ways i like to light photographs. read this book "steal like and artist", the author brilliantly explains the process of artistic development. he states your style is like the genes of a child . a father's genes plus a mother's genes gives you a whole "new" set of genes. in short what you have learned or what you are influenced by plus your own gives you something "new."

 "bathsheba at her bath" (1654) - rembrandt | "garter" - ade oshodi (2013) 

focus: as you grow, you will begin to realize that you like some elements of photography (lighting styles, composition elements, different genera of photography, environments) more than others. it is at that point that you narrow down your focus and work hard at one or two genera of photography. ansel adams wasn't know for his boudoir, food, pet, and fashion work, he mastered nature photography. pick a genera that you love and stick to it! become a one trick pony.

reflect: go back to the drawing board. ask yourself what you do/don't like about what you are producing. make prints that you think reflect your style. ask the opinion of skilled artisans in photography, in different generas of art, as well as the opinions of lay persons alike. take a break, relax, then go look again with different eyes. refine.

competence and consistency: know your gear, equipment, lighting techniques, compositional elements, people skills, and everything relating to the technical aspect of photography like you know how to spell your name. i don't need to explain why, if you are reading this you know why. consistency: after you have reached a point where you have narrowed down what you like and chosen your path stay on that track, repeat it over and over and over and over and over, then you will begin to develop a style of your own and start inspiring others. and finally do not change your style to suit clients needs, you will run into much trouble, clients who like your style will book you for that and there is plenty of people out there who want what you are offering.

keep kewl!

on working with other photographers

close your eyes and say this: "other photographers aren't my competition, they are my friends."  hold true to that philosophy and it will hold true to you.

i have came in contact with photographers who give selflessly without looking for anything in return and by sharp contrast those tuned into radio WIIFM (whats in it for me.)

i'll tell you one horror story in regards to working with another photographer but before i begin, here is some background information on how i like to photograph weddings. i prefer to photograph weddings as a single photographer with an assistant, so i don't hire second and associate photographers.  simply because its a matter of style and I want the photographs i deliver to the client to be consistent with my brand.

with that said, if a photog asks to second shoot at one of my events, i have no problem allowing them to do so. as long as they are kewl and will not make guests uncomfortable.

horror story: i once photograph a wedding, where a photog asked if she could second shoot to gain some images for her portfolio. the agreement was for her to deliver the images (details and photo-journalistic moments,) a day after the wedding.  so i allowed her to use on her memory cards. after the wedding i called, exted,emailed, and she never responded. the client later asked about their photographs and i had to be upfront and honest with them. the good thing was that i always shoot and capture beyond what the client expects and as a result  they were happy with the package nonetheless.

how i fixed that particular problem? whosoever, wants to come to my events and shoot along side me, has to sign a contract and use my memory cards. i take the cards directly after the event and mail them the images later.

with all that said, here it is: other photographers aren't your competition, they are your friends. yet there are some small measures that you need to protect yourself; which will differ from situation to situation. but most of all, be true, be genuine, give freely with no ulterior motives and don't look for anything in return, and it will comeback to you. psychological studies show that people generally feel the need to reciprocate. and also importantly build genuine relationships outside of business with other photographers.

photogs who I've  mentored, taught how to shoot, met and networked with, shared learning materials, shared my contracts, business tips, marketing skills, pricing structure, etc... in return has sent me leads and clients thereafter.

keep kewl!

practise, practi[c]e, practi[c]e

glory. from a practice session with my niece

as artist we struggle with the notion of: "is my work good enough"; we go through a lot of self doubt: scrapping and retrying. akin to the proverbial writer in the movies, who types a script on his/her typewriter and then in an instant, brutally snatches the paper from the typewriter, crumples it, and tosses it into the garbage.

it makes the developmental process of art even more difficult if one is in the business of art because most times business take preference over art. so whats the key? practice! that age old concept that betters our skills, so when we are on location we are not practicing but rather preforming. i have an alarm on my tele that reminds me daily to "practice your craft."  most times when it alarms, i am in the process of doing so already. this could be a five minute process of looking for a new location and searching for contrast, color, shadows, lines, posing, light etc. or a six hour process depending on what i am doing. i believe in practicing with the camera, or simply with my mind's eye, as well as practicing my post processing techniques.

second, it is my philosophy that "art is a dialectical process," it is also what keeps me going. and by that i mean: i have learned the rules, i follow them, i break them, i am influenced/inspired by those before me, i add my own, i develop, i produce, i change, i grow, i refine, i add, i subtract, i worry, i scrap, i go back, i work hard, i do, i never give up!  and finally, i always keep in mind "all will be right in the end, and if its not right, it's not the end."

keep kewl!