moved

i have moved the blog to www.photographers.adeoshodi.com

anatomy of headshot | dermascope magazine publication

Gina, Dr. G Makeup Artist  recently wrote an article for Dermascope Magazine. if you have followed our work www.adeandgina.com you are aware that she is both a  physicaian and makeup artist who has used both her passions, in treating skin as well as makeup. she needed a headshot to go alongside her article so i built a studio in our living room, using pillows, stools and all sort of mcguyver equiptment to produce a professional headshot.

the purpose of this blog post is to:
1) show the skill, large amount of time and expertise in producing one photograph. while clients believe that you simply snap a photo. this shows how it took 5 hour to get one..
2) if a photographer has the know how, a good photograph can be produce almost anywhere


This took a total of five hours and 6 minutes:

• 2 hours for building and testing studio lights in our living room
• 1 hr of actual photographing 
• 2 hours to load file onto computer, select the best ones, then select the best one out of the best and process it. 

OUR LIVING ROOM

this took about two hours to put together

EXPLANATION OF TOOLS INVOLVED

everything had to be tested and retested to make sure the lights

and the reflectors were in perfect ratio and not over powering 

each other.

HOW LIGHT BOUNCES TO LIGHT THE SUBJECT'S FACE

there are two flashes involved. one to light the face and the second to light the hair.

the hair light also lights the side of the face. the purpose of the

hair light is to create a visual sepration between subject and background

PROCESSING PART #1

this program handles the file and is similar to a dark room where film is developed. the average person cannot process this and it must be done professionally. if a client asks for their DIGITAL negatives from their photographer, this is what they would be getting. which most photographers don't give out or show because its useless since the client does not have the capability to manipulate/view or process the file.

here you can see a few adjustments made, in terms of color correction.  with professional digital cameras, we must set and control the color. the light in the room is "somewhat" different color from the flash. when the flash bounces off the ground it creates a different color light. so one must know how to set your camera to control the color so it makes the skin look like it should.  the reason most photographers don't show the behind the scenes is because people believe if you have to do so many corrections that you are not a good photographer. that far from the truth. during the film days, in the darkroom with the use of chemicals everything was corrected.

PROCESSING PART #2

after color correction, the file is then opened in photoshop to remove blemishes. any stray hairs, brighten eye, lips and hair saturation.

 a map of what need to be corrected

notice on the right hand corner shows how everything is processed using different layers.

THE FINAL IMAGE

PUBLICATION | DERMASCOPE MAGAZINE

on being asked to work for free

dear photographers,

stop complaining about people asking you to work for free, if that's happening for the most part it is your fault.  why?

• the presentation of your brand is weak or inconsistent.

• you can afford to hire yourself

• you have not done your due diligence to educate  clients

this does not mean once in a while people don't ask me to work for free, this does not mean that i don't work for free.  what it means is that i work for free when it is beneficial to my company or worth my time. even the $10,000 plus wedding photographers work for free but when it benefits them. 

one of the best ways you can avoid people asking you to work for free is to strengthen your brand.

brand

there are entire books written about this but i will go ahead and list a few premises:

• you are your brand: 

• appearance matters, you should be well dressed and groomed in a manner that's consistent with the message of your brand.

• website, logo, email should speak high volumes and be consistent

• have great work and it should be well presented

• impeccable customer service: how well do you answer the phone from the beginning of the interaction?  are you returning emails on time? are you delivering on time? etc.

• your brand should be consistent: presentation, marketing materials, social media, pamphlets, website, invoices, your attitude, the way you dress and speak et al.

...and the list can go on

you can afford to hire yourself

n.b consumers associate price with value.  i cannot afford to hire myself, i am too expensive. i’ve spend, sometimes 15 hrs a day honing my craft, i have read hundreds of books, and study thousands of videos, inturned, carried other photographer's bags, paid for and attend seminars, workshops fell and rise and worked extremely hard. my craft is worth what i am charging. the time i spend documenting other families is valuable time spent away from my own family. my time, expertise, and the art i produce is valuable. if you are not charging your worth, how can you expect people to respect your time?

education

the key is to never say no to a person asking but rather to do your due diligence and educate them as to why you won't work for free. i have had this happen before and based on the education i provided, it turned into event work, a wedding, and more event work from the entire family.  don't be afraid to let people know the cost of doing business, also that you pay insurance, and taxes. educate.

keep kewl!

using direct sunlight through a window

as wedding photographers, we love to use window light for brides and grooms. it is one of the most tasteful light sources and easiest light sources to master. it easiest to use on overcast days and evenings, but it can be difficult when there is direct sunlight through a window. wedding photographers tend struggle because they expose properly for the face but blow out the bride's dress or over expose the groom's shirt.  here i will teach my method of using direct sunlight through a window, it is easy to set up and does not take more than 3 minutes.

tools:

1.     knowing the basics of exposure (i.e. the brighter the scene the more your meter should be reading on the + side and vice versa)
2.     light meter
3.     nylon (i bought mine from B&H)4.     posing: turn the head to the light and turn the body away from the light (this helps to light the face properly and there will be dramatic fall off on the white dress so it will not be blown out
5.     posing and shooting: shoot on the shadow/short side, this will slim the face down.  the broad side, will make the face look bigger.
  

how

1.    thumb tack the nylon over the window, this will make the window into a giant soft box by evening out the light. 

2.    set camera to matrix metering

3.    use your light meter and meter for the face.  if you don’t have a light meter assess the light scene and dial your meter to the plus side, if and only if the scene contains a lot of white. ( a good educational video that i recommend is photocafe’s perfectexposure for digital photography by tim cooper , it teaches the zone system of exposure that was invented by anslem adam 

4.    pose the bride or groom  by turning their face to the light and body away from the light

5.    set your camera to readings of your light meter and shoot.

this shows the window without the nylon  ISO: 200, f/3.6, 1/200 sec. the red highlights indicates areas that are blown out.

 nylon hung over window with harsh/direct sunlight

below, nylon over the window

ISO: 200, f/6.3, 1/200 sec. 

note the light is even and softer, as well as the face is properly exposed and the dress is not blown out. 

some hotel rooms where the bride and groom gets prepare, the windows have a sheer material behind the curtins. so there is no need to hang nylon, ther is already a giant softbox created for you. 

creating bokeh backgrounds

here, i'll teach you the basics on how to create bokeh backgrounds, the technique becomes simple, after you practice, practice, pracitce and learn the basics.

you must practice this over and over before you decide to do it at a wedding or engamenent session. i don't believe in talent, or genius, those things are overrated, i believe in practice, i believe in practicing for long hours, daily.

how

1. meter for background lights (photo 1 that would be the fairy/christmas lights "A"
in photo 3 that would be the window lights of the buildings of New York City) a simiar concept is used in photo 5, using the sparklers "E")
2. under expose the background lights
3. add a video light or flash  (B, D or F.) to light the face. in photo 3, 4, 5, & 6  either my wife or assistant is crouching behind the couple with a videolight or flash

practice and enjoy...

five tips for great wedding vendor relationships

...for brides, grooms, and vendors from the perspective of a wedding photographer.

my bride and i are both wedding vendors: ade and gina, i am a wedding photographer and she is a bridal makeup artist. as wedding vendors who recently got married, here we will provide a perspective from both side of the fence. when we got married a few days ago, we knew what to expect from vendors and how we should act because of we are in the industry. vendors in the industry tend to forget or don’t know that our business thrives in not just making immediate money from the bride and groom we are currently serving; it is also from the referrals they send us after their wedding.  if we provide excellent and friendly customer service, the bride and groom become customers for life, as well as they refer us to their friends.  the vendors who fail, to retain this simple concept, also fail as vendors for that particular wedding. here are five tips for brides on how to deal with vendors as well as how vendors shoudl deal with brides:

1. vendors don't get upset when bride and groom changes an aspect of your service:  even if it cuts into your earnings, simply smile and move on or offer an alternative service. if you get frustrated at any point and appear to be angry this will give a negative vibe on your part and more than likely they will not recommend you. simply have your contracts in order and charge your worth. so if anything is cancelled your worth for the remaining service is properly compensated.  by sharp contrast our florist bill of deihl flowers was extremely patient with gina. she changed the original bridal party bouquets, and finally added more flowers in the end. he was available to meet with her more than once, spoke to her by phone and catered to what she needed.

2. vendors go above and beyond:  as a wedding vendor i was taught, "the bride and groom is only your friend if you do what they want." there is truth to that but in my own practices i have taken a different approach. the bride and groom will respect your expertise and align themself with you vision; if you create an environment which shows that you know what you are doing, you are friendly and you provide a valuable service. as a vendor, in order to accomplish this: you must first educate the bride and groom as well as provide impeccable customer service.  our cake artist, cakes by margie when above and beyond. she created a chat group via text message because she knew gina (who did her own makeup by the way) and i were in different locations when she need to make suggestions or ask questions.  we told her our vision for our cake decorations (toppings), she gathered the materials, even though this was beyond her expertise and made them.  she reached out to a friend of hers, formed an alliance. said friend ended up providing the specialty bases for our cake, and base for our table vases. she did not wait for us to email her and ask questions, she reached out to us, send us educational videos and made different suggestions. iher actions made us feel like we were part of our own cake development, yet she still maintained her expertise and completed her artistic vision. which leads me to the next point.

3.  brides, trust your vendors expertise: even if you are skilled in the particular area, understand that it is their vision and this is why you hired them. brides as a collective, rarely ever get the chance to tell the dress maker how they want their wedding gown made. so why would they micromanage other vendors? why should they tell a photographer how they want their wedding shot? this does not mean that you should not get involve, simply state what you want and what’s very important to you and then let them work. i gave our Dj, Dj Kevin a list of songs thats special to us that we wanted played during the wedding that is special to us. i also told him to “ figure out when is best to play them based on your expert knowledge."  He did it so well that the bride and I danced almost the entire time.

another example, during reversal a few of the bridal party/groomsmen suggested where they should take photographs. being a wedding photographer, i knew they had no knowledge of lighting and light could easily change in the beautiful area they wanted to take photographs. so i quickly and respectfully interjected, "let adachi, [adachi photography] pick the spot."  it so happen the beautiful area where the brides maid and groomsmen  men wanted to go, was flooded with harsh sunlight by the time we were ready to take bridal party photographs.

4. brides treat your vendors like guest: simply because they are human beings. additionally, this has a ripple effect, if you treat them well they will work harder for you. i told my caterer, "make sure my vendors eat before my guest." now this may seem strange.  however, take for example: when i was interning to become a wedding photographer, some years ago; sometimes myself and the lead photographer would be scurried off in another room and fed after the guest had eaten. imagine this scenario, if dinner starts at 5pm and is finished serving by 5:40 and cake cutting or whatever starts right after. the people who are strongly responsible for making your day special (photographer, Dj, wedding planner, full day makeup artist, videographer)  are served at 5:45 and then has to 10 minutes to rush and eat and then get back to work. also note, if your wedding started at 1pm these vendors mentioned had to be up at around by 5am, travelling, preparing and arriving at LEAST 2 hrs early to the venue. Feed your vendors the same time as your guest or before, make sure they have a place to sit, it does not have to be in the same room as guest but make sure they are catered to. you want them to be ready to start back working immediately after dinner.

5. brides, tip your vendors: if you like your vendors services, tip them or send them gifts, let them know that they are appreciated.

a very special thank you to our dear friends dwayne blackman and clewin mcpherson who served as our master of ceremony and officiant.  lisa o’brien, songstress, and russell schmidt, guitarist as well as keturah for linens and most importantly our wedding planner judy edwards, your work was amazing!

posing, a lost art

"Paul" -  Jean Baptise Pigalle (1760)

wedding photographers, tend to say "i am a photojournalist, i don't pose couples." that tends to remind me of the statement: "i am a natural light photographer" which typically means, "i don't know how to use flash."

all the great wedding photographers know how to pose as well as how to shoot photojournalistic looking images. some may sell themselves as photojournalist; however, take a look at their editorial work and you will see their posing mastery.

photojournalism is a wonderful medium for capturing pictures at weddings; however, photographers have been using the medium as an excuse for their laziness for not learning how to pose. this is not a critique of photojournalism, this is a critique of laziness and the refusal to learn basic rules of posing. i will continuously mention photojournalism through out this blog post because it is tyically used in contrast as to why photographers don't learn posing. 

photography was developed in part by observing classical sculptors and painters. who understood how to pose the body so it can be most flattering to the eye. posing is a lost art that photographers have forgotten or given up on. one of the reasons i believe this is so, is because posing is a skill which takes a great deal of time to master.  those who pose bodies, know that they must pose the hands, spine, feet, eyes, fingers, chin, torso…all in one photograph, pretty much every part of the body. i'll present a situation for you where i believe posing becomes important:

“as a photographer, you are hired to photograph a small wedding, in the heart of wedding season, at a catering hall in new jersery. the  setting has decent looking decor with dreadful mixed lighting we photographers all dislike. the bride’s parents are religiously conservative and do not speak much to the grooms family. the groom does not want to kiss the bride as much out of respect for the conservativeness of the family. [there isn't much going on] you have severe limited time at the catering hall, because as you know these places are wedding factories and there is a wedding immediately in the reception area where you are photographing. the maitre'd interrupts your meal to tell you "let’s go, is time to cut the cake." she also interrupts your family portrait session to tell you to speed it up. she then interrupts your bride and groom portrait session, to tell you to speed it up, again. the bride ask for a few more photographs as guests are hurried out the hall and one of the cleaners purposely bumps you as a way of telling you to get out the hall; all because they want to speed up the wedding you are photographing, so as to clean up in time for the next wedding, right there after. [delicious moments for you to photograph aren't happening] during the reception, few people are dancing or interacting. also the bride is a bit heavy set."

David - " Michealangelo" (1501-04) 
Image courtesy of wikipedia

what would you do?  first thing, is to not complain and remember you are doing exactly what you love!: my personal mantra. so here is what i did. i took the bride and groom away from their families, and took them outside, posed them so that the bride can looks most flattering, and photographed them. [the result] bride: "i liked the ones [photographs] the most, when you took us outside."  i presented that situation because i wanted to show, that there wasn't much opportunity for photojournalistic moments. additionally, knowing the basics of posing helps to make those who don't have the type of bodies we see in the magazines to appear most flattering.

a wedding presents one million monkey wrenches, having every tool at your hand makes you better equipped to handle those wrenches and posing is one of those tools.

so the next question is: after i pose the couple, how do i not make it not look too "posey?" stay tuned for part ii of this blog post.

french wine board

to be a photographer is to be obsessive, well at least for me. i obsess with light and composition. the first thing i look for when approaching a photograph is light: "good light." and if there is none, i don't care how great the location is or how interesting the subject matter. such a situation is  not worth my time. why? photo means light and graph means to write or draw. photography begins and ends with light. if it's absolutely necessary, and there is no light, i will then add my own light. 

light first! 

this presents a problem in my personal life, as it does for many photographers. for the past three years, within the context of my personal life, i've found it difficult to be an active observer/ to live in the moment, if you will. most of time, i engage in passive observance because i take out my cell phone or camera(s) to photograph or record videos: at dinner, on a nature walk, at a weekend retreat, riding my bike etc. sometimes, i am not "present" in the moment because i am documenting. i document to develop and leave a legacy so others can enjoy it after i am gone. 

it’s a trade off... this choice is greater than i.

so this past weekend gina and i went to wine country with a few friends and visited a number of wineries, quiet at a few wineries, ok a lot of wineries, ok, I love wine, don't judge me! anyways, at some of the wineries, after ever glass tasted, i walked away from the counter and looked around for light, interesting subject matter, and then returned to try the next glass. at one winery in particular, there was a riddling wine rack/ french wine board  sitting on top of two barrel in front of a window. 

voila!

and then it ensued: "lay on the floor," turn your head slightly left, soft, breath,...ummm... yeah!

social networks as tools of visual merchandising | pennsylvania wedding photographer

social network can be used for many purposes, as it relates to branding, sales, product placement, marketing etc. for small and big businesses alike.  facebook, instagram, twitter, tumblr, and the list goes on, can all be used as display windows similar to the ones storefronts use, to display your product.

what is visual merchandizing?

let’s define visual merchandizing, by its purpose:  the purpose is to attract clients, engage them in a meaningful way, motivate them to enter the storefront, and then purchase the product.

three do’s and don'ts to using social networks as a tool of  visual merchandizing

1. private [do not]:  if at any point you decide to use your social networks to display your products. it should never be set to private. privacy in the internet age is a myth; therefore, you should be operating under the notion, that if you don’t want it seen or known, then don’t put it on the net. your social networks like a display window at a store should always be open to engage potential clients. the high fashion stores of new york city’s 5th avenue, always have their display windows open. imagine,  if stores were to shut down their display windows and only after you ring the bell [request friendship/follow as in social networks] at the front door then you can go in to see the products. this would result in a loss for potential clients. 

2. stay consistent [do]:  firstly, define your brand, then stay consistent with the images you post that is representative of that brand. if your product is cameras then there is no reasons you should be posting jokes about central american earthworms.  the point is, that which is totally unrelated should not be seen. here is an exercise for you: imagine you are going to purchase a ferarri, when you arrive at the dealership, you are greeted by the chuck e cheese mouse trying to sell you burgers and tickets for video games. does this sound like at turn off? yes it does [because the two are totally unrelated,] now go and clean up your social network and make sure its consistent with your product.

3. keep it fresh [do]: have ever noticed that google changes their front page ever so often in regards to holidays and celebrating famous people around the world?  like you, i too like to click on all the animations and play with them.  this serves many purposes, but in regards to marketing, it keeps you coming back to the front page of google, it's enticing. the reason they change the front page ever so often  is because people get bored. therefore, you must figure out a way to keep potential and returning clients engaged in a way which is consistent with your brand. one way you can do this is to showcase new photographs in regards to your product. take for example, specifically facebook, as seen in [2012-2014] your cover photo is prime space for visual merchandizing.

a method to creating epic dates and lasting memories: for married men and their wives | pennsylvania wedding photographer

photo courtesy of  vintage warehouse

WHY CONTINUE TO DATE AFTER MARRIAGE?

“always continuously date, no matter how long you have been together.”  this, statement i learned from my parents who have been married since 1967, when my mother was 17 years old and they are still married to date.

STAY AWAY FROM TRADITIONAL DATES

we all know why men should date when they are single; however as a married individual you should continue to date because it creates a space in your wife’s mind that she is still a desirable being. as well as the outings should be entitled: "dates," especially when you are married.  again this reinforces the notion to make your wife feel continuously wanted.  one of most important things you can do is stay away from traditional dates for the most part i.e. dinner and a movie because of the routineness of it all.  sometimes you will want to go to see movies and eat together but these should not be called dates, they should be casual. but if you do need to make a date out of a movie and dinner, then have an experience….

a friend of mine told me that he and his girlfriend at the time went to matinee with a twist. they snuck chinese food: tea, soup, wontons, and fried rice into the theater and had a meal during the movie.  naturally they were a bit crass but to this day he told me that she never forgot that date.

BE DIFFERENT

this method requires a few internal qualities: bravery, adventurousness, spontaneity, the ability to have fun, the ability to converse, and also plan. here is an alternative to simply going to a movie and dinner: see a foreign, black and white, or silent film; and if you must do dinner, have an exotic meal. the main point is to always do something different than traditional dates (movies and dinner).

so you can’t find something “different, ” try browsing, what i like call the artistic journals and the hippie newspapers.  in new york city that would be “the village voice.” those journals are jam packed with fresh ideas.  let’s assume none of you ever went salsa dancing and both of you are non-hispanic. if you decide to go salsa dancing, knowing that both of you can’t dance is adventurous and could only end in a good time.   

DATES AT HOME

by contrast dates can be carried out at home, for dates at home there are three main keys: creativity, dress up for the occasion, and set the mood.   let’s revisit the salsa example, you can decorate a room, dress as if you are going to a salsa club, cook or order out a spanish meal,  play salsa music, and dance. 

photo courtesy of wikipedia

SURPRISE HER

she should never know what you are planning, doing, or where you are going to, until she gets there.  you don’t have to hide, nor does it matter if she knows your tactics as outlined in this blog. this means she can see you putting the date together but there should always be an element of surprise, excitement, and anticipation, these are precepts to creating lasting memories.  the natural question is: what happens if we get to a place and she really doesn’t like it and you weren’t aware of it, prior?  take for example: so you take her to apple picking and she is allergic to apples.  here is what you do….

you must always have a plan A, B, C, and D and here is where spontaneity comes in.  never just go one place, if your main date is salsa night at a club, you must be able to scout the location prior to see what else is in close proximity.  so after or before salsa,  you stop at the local store, buy “hispanic imported drinks,” sit outside, or  take a stroll, and chat.  then stop for an impromptu session at an art store, or gallery talk about your favorite painting, purchase grapes from a vendor at the side at the street, or dance with her to the song you hear in the street.  with this method and key internal qualities listed, you will never run out of ideas. be brave, be adventurous, be creative, and think outside the box.

Happy Wife, Happy Life!

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/

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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.

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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.

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