The Ultimate Survival Guide to Build A Thriving Photography Business Right This Second
There are easier professions than photography. There are jobs that pay more. There’s work that demands less. But for all that, there’s something magical about having a camera in your hand. About living life, not just as an observer, but as a creator. The photography landscape may be changing at breakneck speed, but that doesn’t mean there’s no way to make it work. And there’s help.
I asked each of the 39 experts one simple question:
What’s working in the photography market right now?
The answers ranged from timely strategies that could only exist in the here and now to tried-and-true principles that are just as important as they’ve ever been. All in all, there’s enough here to fill 31-pages in Word with a full spectrum of answers. You’ll get tips, actionable strategies, opinions, guidance, and insight.
My two cents? Go deep.
Now more than ever, it’s not just picking the right strategy. It’s picking the strategy and committing to it until you go further than most others. Until you adapt a strategy to your specific market and your specific approach, you’re leaving money on the table. So start by taking a look to see what fits. Then steer into things and stay the course.
I broke the answers down into 6 categories based on the responses I received. Each contributor is listed in alphabetical order by section:
Business Strategy
The Client Experience
Exposure and Reach
Google and Facebook
The Sales Funnel
Voice and Vision
BUSINESS STRATEGY
Mike Allebach
Call it Blue Ocean Strategy, call it finding your niche, or big fish in a small pond.Whatever you decide to label it, finding something no one else does in your town and focusing in on it is my favorite strategy.The strategy that has served me well over the years is going where others weren’t willing to go in my town. When I started wedding photography I first photographed any wedding I would get hired for. Then I had this idea, what if I photographed brides with tattoos. I knew they existed but I didn’t see any “out there” in magazines. So I approached a tattooed friend of mine in 2007, put her in a wedding dress and the rest is history. My business focused on tattooed and offbeat weddings.
Fast forward to getting a studio and I started getting inquires for couples boudoir even though I didn’t advertise it. I took this as a sign as most boudoir photographers are afraid to photograph couples or don’t know how to. My marketing efforts focused in on this one experience. Once you are a big fish in one pond, you can branch out into other ponds as well. Finding your niche is one of biggest marketing tools you can use. One of the biggest misconceptions is once you have a niche, no one will book you for anything else. I get lots of headshot inquires due to the couples boudoir & tattooed weddings I photograph!
Hailed by a Rock n Roll Bride as “the Original Tattooed Bride Photographer” Mike Allebach possesses an amazing ability to naturally photograph life on the fringe.
Learn more about couples boudoir at allebachphotography.com
Rachel Brenke
Why You Need a Photography Contract
One of the most important tools you can use in your photography business is a contract. Here are a few reasons you should protect your business with a written photography contract.
Sets Expectations
The contract not only helps protect your business, but also provides customer service by helping prevent possible miscommunications between photographer and client. It should state exactly what you expect from the client as well as what the client can expect from you, from before the session through delivery of the image gallery or products. Think of it as a roadmap or outline to make sure everyone is on the same page.
Protects Your Rights
There is a common misconception among the general public that because a client hired you for a photography session the client then owns the photos and can do whatever they wish with them. In fact, under US Copyright Law, the photographer owns the rights to the photos and this copyright can only be transferred in writing. The contract outlines copyright ownership as well as how the client can use the photos.
Helps Ensure Payment
Photographers with policies and contracts are more likely to be viewed as professional and paid by their clients. The contract spells out your payment terms (amount, schedule, etc.), including late fees.
Protects Photographer and Client
Each party gets a sense of protection and the reality of protection by having all expectations, responsibilities, and information outlined. This document and communications serve as evidence of the professional relationship and can help develop trust with the client. While the contract’s main purpose is to protect your business and reduce your risk and liability, it also protects the client’s interests and provides accountability for both parties.
These are just a few reasons photographers need a written photography contract. For more information about photography contracts visit www.thelawtog.com
Rachel Brenke is the founder of the Business Bites podcast, and several successful legal niche brands including TheLawTog®, FitLegally, and BlogLegally. Through her podcast, brands, and 1-on-1 services, Rachel helps creative entrepreneurs with business strategy and legal needs such as business formation, contract drafting, and business and intellectual property law.
Learn more: rachelbrenke.com
Mick Shah / Nine Dots
At Nine Dots we love the shooting and creative side of being photographers but understand there is a business process one that needs attention but isn’t always that exciting. So one thing we’ve really found that helps streamline that process side is automation. It doesn’t sound very “sexy” or “exciting” but what it allows you to do can be!
There are now so many great pieces of software or studio management software tools out there now that really help take the headache out of all that monotonous stuff – accounts, contracts, invoices, contact forms, arranging meetings etc etc that we believe if you can get those parts of the business running almost automatically this frees up precious time and mental energy to spend on the bit we love i.e. photography and those areas that really need our personal attention to go that whole way in loving your clients!
Our Favorite Automation Tools:
Gravity Forms to collect information
Zapier to integrate different services
Xero for accounting
Receipt Bank for bookkeeping
Typinator to insert text into documents
Google Drive
Canned Responses for Gmail
Studio Ninja as an all-in-one solution
NineDots is the wedding photography learning community and exists to help you take your craft and business to the next level. It all started with our uniquely collaborative wedding photography workshops, then we created the unrivalled NineDots Gathering – and an amazing supportive community of wedding photographers continues to grow as a result.
Learn more: nine-dots.co
Jamie M Swanson
Over the last few months, I’ve seen a fundamental shift in the type of person who is willing to pay for photography.
There’s a new, relatively untapped demographic of people rising up who value photography and are willing to pay good money for it.
However, I’ve seen the demand for wedding, portrait, family, and more traditional photography niches decline significantly (and have sadly watched several talented, smart and successful business owners close up shop recently because of this decline).
With everyone carrying a camera on their phone with them all day long and with DSLR costs dropping significantly so anyone can become a photographer, consumers simply do not value photography like they used to.
So who is this new, growing demographic of people that does value professional photography and has the money to pay for it?
High-level entrepreneurs and influencers who want to grow their personal brand.
Successful entrepreneurs and influencers don’t WANT to be taking all their photos themselves. They prefer to outsource it to someone who can get them high-quality images that help them connect more deeply with their audience, which increases the number of clients they’re able to get.
They will continue to need new images for their social media accounts, website, products, ads, and more, so they love the idea of hiring you on an on-going basis, working with them monthly or quarterly.
This means you get a steady stream of income that you can count on, even during your off-season, and you can spend less time marketing for new clients and more time shooting the ones you already have.
Plus, because they are using the images commercially to help them make more money in their business, they expect to pay more than a consumer would.
I believe that Personal Brand Photography is the single best opportunity for photographers to make money in our industry today, and it’s why I’m pivoting my entire business to specialize in it.
The thing is, what high-level entrepreneurs and influencers are looking for is very different from what most photographers are currently providing.
In fact, most photographers who are “doing things right” in traditional photography niches are unintentionally doing the very things that will keep an entrepreneur and influencer from booking them.
If you’d like to learn more about Personal Brand Photography and understand how it differs from traditional photography and how to find these clients, click here to visit my website, and click here to join my free Personal Brand Photography group on Facebook . I’ve already helped lots of other photographers break into Personal Brand Photography, and I’d love to help you too. Learn more: www.PersonalBrandPhotography.com
THE CLIENT EXPERIENCE
Bryan Capporicci
Professional photography has changed.
We are about to enter the fourth era of professional photography. It’s called The Experience Era. Are you ready?
In the Experience Era, you must design and deliver experiences. The photographs, the images, the prints and the products will be a byproduct of the experience you create.
Why? Well – today, people are seeking experiences and they’re willing to pay more for them. Any photographer who is not delivering an experience will quickly become a commodity, and it’ll be a race to the bottom.
To get started with experience design, first create a customer journey map. Your customer journey map tells the story of your customer from the moment they begin their experience with you. It documents what your client is thinking, feeling and doing throughout the entire journey with you, and outlines every touch-point.
The process of creating a customer journey map forces you to think about your customer first, and helps you think about their experience with you with empathy and compassion. There are 5 steps for creating your customer journey map:
- Think – Put yourself in your customer’s shoes.
- Define – Define the stages.
- Identify – For each stage, identify what the customer is doing, thinking and feeling.
- Map – Map out the customer’s emotional journey.
- Design – Design the customer touch-points.
Bryan is writing a book all about Experience Design and how you can start designing and delivering experiences for your clients. To learn more about it as soon as it’s available, join SeedsToSuccessEmail.com
Ben Chernivsky
I know that a lot of photographers get work from word of mouth, blogging, SEO, etc, but that has never fully worked for me. We live in an era where photographs are just too easy to make look acceptable and attractive, and most wedding clients are thrown into an industry of intensely visually aware professionals. Think about it from the client’s point of view: their favorite photograph is probably a selfie they took on NYE with their significant other. That’s the place you need to work from when you are putting together your photography business in 2018.
You really need to stop thinking as an artist and creative, and start thinking like a couple planning their wedding. The other day I jumped on Yelp to get a few quotes to fix a small crack in my basement wall. You know who got the job? The first person who a) didn’t automate a vanilla message back to me, b) was quick to respond and quick to the point, and c) made it easy for me. After dealing with 4 or 5 companies that made me work too hard, I actually didn’t care about paying a bit more (although price was still important) People are not only price-shopping, they’re looking for businesses that speak their language. So please, just stop trying to impress yourself all of the time! Don’t get me wrong: it’s important to feel great about what you create, but if you want to actually run a profitable business, you’re going to have to get out of your head as a photographer.
Ben Chernivsky is the founder of this is feeling photography and zippybooth. He leads a small team of creatives who live and breathe a fresh vision with over 20 years experience photographing 300+ weddings.
Learn more: thisisfeeling.com
Pat Furey
The key is foolproof pricing and an email strategy to book more work
We’re finding that the signal to noise ratio in the wedding world is overwhelming to newly engaged couples, with a plethora of information barraging them from nearly every angle and facet of the planning process. We aspire for our couples to a relaxed wedding planning zen with us, so we’ve simplified and streamlined our pricing and email strategy with great success. When couples inquire with us, we try our best to adhere to a few strategies to insure a seamless experience for them. Pricing and communication should never stressful on prospective couples, it should be straight-forward, honest, and immediate. We have two strategies you could immediately implement now to seriously raise your booking percentages all while keeping people calmer, and happier.
We have a hard set rule to respond to every new inquiry (and subsequent follow up emails) within 24 hours. Canned responses in Gmail are super helpful for sharing links and information quickly with new couples, but don’t rely on them entirely. A personalized couple of sentences or a paragraph before dropping your canned response goes a long way with each inquiry in letting your personality shine. I’d highly recommend setting up a great initial inquiry canned response and keeping to at most a twenty-four hour turnaround on prospective couple emails.
Secondly, keep your pricing simple. Minimalist, even. A ten page pricing guide with various add-ons, and numbers thrown everywhere will confuse and put off many prospective clients. Instead of using an add-on page in our pricing guide, we kindly remind every couple that all of our collections we’ve put together are only guidelines (rarely does one size fit all) and that we’re happy to customize something to their specific needs. We find this structure of pricing to work best for us after a decade of experimenting.
Pat Furey Photography is equal parts Pat Furey and Claire Hudson. We’re East Coast based wedding photographers with an emphasis on stylish, clean, and editorially charged wedding images. We were named a Rising Star of Wedding Photography by Rangefinder Magazine, our work is frequently featured in various publications both digital and in print, and we’ve been in business for the last decade.
Learn more: patfureyphoto.com
Nate Grahek
Build relationships by being generous.
Over the last decade, with the introduction of smartphones and the explosion of social media, our lives have gotten noisy. People are starting to push back. This affects us, because as photographers, we’re in the business of catching potential clients attention. As consumers turn down the noise, the old marketing tricks and hacks just aren’t going to work anymore. Does it mean we all have to work harder to get people’s attention? Not really. It just means we need to be more focused. Being generous will help us do that. When we stop interrupting people in a desperate attempt to get our next booking, and instead focus on giving, everything gets easier and a whole lot more rewarding in the process.
I’m not suggesting that you work for free. Building relationships by being generous, means showing up in your community and finding ways to help businesses or organizations that desperately need help. Whether they need your marketing expertise, your creativity, or of course your photography services and images. Another way to be generous in your community is to offer a free gift on your website. Again, I’m not suggesting that you work for free. Offer the gift of education. Free tips on taking better pictures with your smartphone or new DSLR, or tips on your favorite vendors for prom or for weddings in your city. The bottom line is, you have an amazing network of knowledge and wisdom that is unique to you. And when you share it, it’s a powerful first step to building relationships with clients and potential clients.
Nate Grahek and his team have been building marketing training and software for photographers for over six years, their latest project is StickyEmail.
Learn more: stickyemail.com
Ben Hartley
Anyone who listens to the six figure photography podcast knows that I have a few key pillars that I really push hard. This post touches on three of them – Getting more bookings, extending the value that you provide your leads (before they give you a dime), and separating yourself from everyone else.
Personalized video & audio is more important than ever in 2018.
It’s also easier than ever to to make happen.
I’m not talking marketing videos, about videos, ads, or finalized video production for an event. I’m talking basic, everyday, off the cuff dialogue with your clients.
There is an amazing service out there called Loom. www.useloom.com (Shout out to Nate Grahek of StickyEmais for showing me this one! Thanks bud!)
What Loom allows you to do (for free I should add) is reply to clients through video rather than text.
Here is how it works. When a lead hits your inbox with a question, Loom allows you to, with a single click, record a video response to the email and embed it to be viewed right inside of that email. This personal touch allows you to show far more personality, nuance, personal touch, care and human connection with your emails than Helvetica ever could.
Ben Hartley is a dynamic photographer, inspiring educator, and modern influencer. He is founder of Style & Story Creative based in Columbus, OH and named one of the top 10 wedding photographers in the Country in 2017. Ben is the host of the weekly Six Figure Photography Podcast to help inspire, empower & challenge photographers towards creating a life of abundance in joy, meaning & profits.
Learn more: sixfigurephotography.com
Matt Hoaglin
We made some adjustments in 2017 and we are starting to see them really pay off in 2018.
The adjustment we made was that we created smaller touch points in our marketing mix for cold traffic of people who don’t know who we are. 10 years ago, it was easier to have a call to action of “call us” or “book now”. Nowadays people are more skeptical of business owners especiallyof businesses that advertise on Facebook and other online platforms.
If you move too fast with your call to actions, it is like asking someone to marry you on the first date. They get nervous and creeped out. So we looked at our marketing and created low barrier to entry (or first dates). No more marriage on the first date for us.
All the ads we run are now to free lead magnets or resources that the customers care about. How do we know they care about them? Because they answer the customers more common questions.
Our favorite free download is our “What to wear guides”. We have found that if we run facebook ads to a free downloadable guide, you get a lot more traffic from your ads and therefore a lot more leads.
Place this free download on your website and start seeing your website become a lead generation machine.
If you want to see more info about how we do this, we created a free class for you.
You can sign up at get.matthoaglin.com/get-clients-now-class
Lena Hyde
Packaging can either make or break your brand. Whether you’re a luxury jewelry store that delivers products in a little blue bag, complete with a white satin ribbon, or you’re a photographer who has your copper logo embossed onto charcoal boxes, you know that your packaging is your opportunity to positively impact your image and client experience.
THE WHY
That high-end jewelry corporation we talked about before? Yeah, we meant Tiffany & Co. We’ll bet we didn’t even need to mention the Tiffany name – you could instantly picture their brand and packaging in your head (even if you’ve never stepped foot into a Tiffany store). Most businesses would kill for instant recognition like that.
Let’s be honest, your packaging might never reach Tiffany-levels of recognition in the photography market. But you can take steps to ensure that your potential clients always remember you after that initial first impression.
Packaging and design serve as a visual reminder of a brand’s identity and core values. Combine that with the fact that you need to stand out in a highly competitive market above other talented creatives, means that distinctive packaging and design is a must in order to make a resounding impact on your clients.
The more impactful your packaging, the more likely your clients will remember you and your brand. Which means the more likely they are to choose you when it comes time to book a session or event. Not to mention that unique packaging will allow your clients to physically engage with your brand and encourage them to share your impactful marketing materials with friends and family.
Image © Sanne Popijus Fotografie
THE VALUE
Upscale shops and department stores, like Saks or Louis Vuitton, know that special packaging solidifies a luxury brand experience. Delivering your marketing materials and fine art with top level care and consideration reinforces your status as a valuable investment and puts you on the same level as other premium brands.
Presentation nurtures a relationship between a business or brand and the client, sometimes even well after a purchase has been made. Tiffany’s customers will often hold onto (and even display!) those blue bags and boxes well after they’ve made a purchase. It serves as a reminder of a pleasant luxury purchasing experience and can ultimately encourage brand loyalty.
Image © Tiffani Jones Photography
The thoughtful experience you provide, from your studio services all the way down to your high quality, branded bags and boxes, will increase the amount of value your client places on your work and ultimately increase the amount they’re willing to pay for your services.Whether it be a welcome folder filled with studio information or a keepsake box filled with the best prints from a recent session, your clients will know that they’ve received something special and worth the investment.
THE INVESTMENT
High quality branded packaging can super-charge your business to a whole new level. We’re talking about attracting new clients, which can translate to more money into your pocket. Studies have shown that for every dollar spent on packaging, you can get $7.21 return on your investment. It’s a no-brainer investment that will result in immediate improvements to your business.
But premium packaging doesn’t have to come at a premium price.
If you’re not sure where to start with your packaging, we recommend our Paper Shop Packaging Starter Kit ($30). This kit is more than just a handful of swatches, it’s a 100% usable modular set of our favorite boxes, bags and more! With the starter kit, you can explore the offerings of the Design Aglow Paper Shop without committing to purchasing a full set of branded boxes or folders.
Word of mouth is one of the best ways to generate more business. Present your artwork in professional eye-catching packaging and your clients are sure to show it off to their friends and family. By investing in branded packaging, you’re showing your existing and potential clients how much you value their business.
Design Aglow is one-stop shop for albums, frames, packaging, portfolio boxes, education, design resources & success tools for the professional photographer.
Learn more: designaglow.com
Karen Kelly
What’s working now? Listening
Sound too simple? When was the last time you called a client – just because? It’s easy to say we don’t have time, and lord knows there’s plenty of “other” noise to tune in to. Somehow we’ve convinced ourselves that if we just keep busy, the business will come. But we keep waiting.
Many business owners are well-intentioned, but none of it matters if we aren’t willing to get back to basics: put down our devices, look our clients in the eye and connect in the one on-one way we all crave more than ever. Our clients are waiting for our permission to celebrate their growing belly, a decade of marriage, the fur ball that warms their feet each night, or quite simply, THEMSELVES. All you have to do is listen.
Karen Kelly is Boston wedding and family photographer dedicated to keeping clients for life. She speaks nationally on branding and client experience, and is honored to have been named one of Boston’s Top 10 photographers in 2016 by WGBH, Bridebox, and Weddingful.
Stephanie Padovani
Want to stand out from the other photographers in your market?
FOLLOW UP.
Be fast. Friendly. Different. Persistent.
I recently used Thumbtack to find a head shot photographer for a client while I was out of town. Within hours I had a dozen quotes to sift through. Who do you think got the gig?
My minimum criteria were great reviews, an excellent portfolio and a website or profile with personality. But the photographers who actually sent a separate message and followed up were the ones I engaged with.
Respond to your leads with speed and personality. Don’t be lame and ordinary like everyone else, for goodness’ sake! Let them see your quirky personality, use contractions, write like you’d talk to a real person. Follow up relentlessly until they book or tell you they aren’t interested. If you haven’t followed up at least 5 times, you’re losing money.
These simple tips will grow your photography business immediately.
Stephanie Padovani is a writer, marketer and business coach at The Awakened Business and Book More Brides. She believes that what you’re called to do is too important to be stalled by challenges. You’re here to overcome them, and she’s here to make that inevitable…and have fun in the process.
Steve Saporito
When taking on a wedding assignment understanding that this wedding effects more than just the Bride and the Groom is paramount.As a parent of these two people, a wedding not only effects the parents, but it also creates so much emotion for them as parents. To not include these people and see them as important is to miss a huge part of the wedding.
On a wedding day, you are not just photographing a Bride and a Groom – you are also photographing someone’s daughter, and someone’s son. You need to see them through their eyes. Understand what makes them unique in their eyes. How this couple elevates each other to be the best they can be together.
These conversations that will help you understand the heart of your subject will allow you to photograph more than an object. You will see their soul. The most valuable part of these conversations though are to this family, that is now asked to search for what they see, believe and love about the people that they love. It helps them receive each other differently on their journey to the wedding and present themselves as the best version of themselves for you to photograph. They start to see more in each other, because we asked them to search for it.
The result is that you now have separated yourself from the competition and they want to book you. It no longer becomes about price, because you added value to them and their family. More of your photos become relevant to them, they “see themselves” in the photos and value them more. They buy more pages because they want to. They buy wall art because they want to. Parents want to design their own wedding albums. We no longer have to push people to buy, because we have understood them and allowed them reconnect.
Steve is an international business mentor that builds client focused Photography Businesses. He guides you to become the photographer everybody loves to now and helps you build a business without the guilt.
Learn more: intuitiontosucceed.com
Anna Sawin
We want marketing ideas to be all SUPA HOT! FRESH! NOW!, but take a look at one of the classics of etiquette and communication, the handwritten thank-you note, and try a fresh approach with it for 2018.
Yawn….thank-you notes? YES, REALLY.
Here’s how: I keep a pen and set of notecards in my camera bag at every wedding—I don’t use notecards branded to my photography business, but instead I pick ones related to my pretty coastal village, the area that my clients love so much that they choose it for their destination weddings. I even look for the notecards to have a seasonal feel, since I’m in New England.
When I have a moment towards the end of the night, I’ll reflect on a few of the things that really worked well: the bridesmaid that averted a bridal meltdown, the aunt that helped move the family photos along, the DJ that kindly waited for my bathroom break before the parent dances, the coordinator that kept everything humming AND ensured I got dinner. I’ll write a short note, just a few sentences, seal it up with their name, and leave it tucked in their space where they will find it when they head home.
Something like this:
Dear Becky,
You are the absolute MVP of all maid of honors, ever, of all time. I’m so appreciative of your help and support today, your patience helped Carolyn and Steven stay calm and truly enjoy their beautiful day.
A thousand thank yous,
Anna Sawin
Anna Sawin Photography
I find it can mean a lot to be thoughtful in this handwritten way, and it really stands out in an era of communication through texting and gifs, which make up the other 99% of my communication. When was the last time you received a handwritten note? Remember how good it made you feel, and think about harnessing that feeling of warmth towards you and your company.
Anna Sawin is a wedding and portrait photographer in the seaside village of Stonington, CT. In 2015 she used her communications background to found Pencil & Lens, an online store providing photographers with essential communication tools and templates to power their photography business. (In other words, it’s the closest thing to buying time.) Look for her Family Portrait Toolbox, launching this spring.
Learn more: pencilandlens.com
The Youngrens
At our studio, we try not to lose sight of the importance of one-on-one interactions with our clients – and although we love our systems, we know that systemized conversations through email templates and automated messages can only take us so far!
This may be surprising, but we’ve been usingtext messagesas a way to make the lead process increasingly efficient and personal.And trust us, we spent YEARS training our clients to stay away from texting with us — until we realized how muchfasterour initial conversations would move with our clients if we could communicate with them in this much more active medium.
Practically speaking, we use Dialpad as our studio phone system, which has the ability to send text messages within their app. We don’t send these texts from our personal cell phones – they receive the texts directly from our studio phone number. (For smaller studios that don’t need multiple phone lines, Google Voice has similar features.)
Our process looks like this:
- We get an inquiry through our website, where a phone number is required.
- We call back the lead ASAP, but usually get a voicemail because we’re not in their phone’s address book.
- We follow up that voicemail with a simple text that says something like “Hey, it’s Erin Youngren! I got your inquiry through our website and your wedding sounds amazing – I’d love to find a time to connect with you to hear more about it! I’ll send you an email with some times we might be able to connect – feel free to respond either via email or text!”
- After that, we send an email to send our pricing guides and to set up a phone call.
- Book 100% of all wedding inquiries. Ever. (okay maybe not all of them…but this sure helps!)
This has worked well for us with weddings, portraits, and even corporate events!
Jeff and Erin Youngren are the luxury husband and wife wedding photography team known as The Youngrens. For over a decade, their deeply emotional style has led them across the U.S. and around the world to photograph extraordinary couples at exclusive resorts, with regular features in The Knot, Exquisite Weddings, and Style Me Pretty.
Learn more: theyoungrens.com
EXPOSURE AND REACH
Fer Juaristi
Joining forces with wedding planners is a win-win situation. They know your style so they can filter the kind of couples that will resonate more with your vision. Once you have the connection, the’ll be building your business for you, even when your not. Of course, this isn’t something new, but the truth is, it still works now as much as ever. 1/3 of my bookings come from these connections alone.
Fer Juaristi has been recognized as one of the top wedding photographers in the world, and regular teaches at conferences and workshops. Fer Juaristi is unique in his approach to photography and that’s just the way he likes it.
Learn more: ferjuaristi.com
Scott Wyden Kivowitz
My hope is this year photographers think smarter about their marketing efforts. For years photographers have been told they should blog. But rarely are they told how to blog strategically. Or what the goal should be of their blog. Consider creating a lead magnet that your potential clients would give an arm and leg for. If not that, maybe an email address. Once you know what lead magnet (or freebie) to create, the rest can fall into place. Create a funnel which guides people from your blog to the lead magnet, and then into a nurturing campaign. That is smart and future thinking. That is a strategy that will work for your business, with minimal effort (once the funnel is created).
Learn more: scottwyden.com
Jenna Kutcher
One of the most missed opportunities for marketing as a photographer is Pinterest. Sure, you might be using it to pin pretty things, but Pinterest isn’t social media, it’s a search engine. You’re likely employing search engine optimization on your website or blog but have you tried it on Pinterest? When you use keyword rich images and pin content that links back to your site, you can drive traffic in a whole new way. Pinterest is the #1 referral source for our business and the best part about it? It’s not a rat race to get the most amount of followers because what matters more is driving traffic and then having a plan to convert that traffic into clients.
We love using Pinterest strategically to not just target our photography clients but to also display our brand. You want to make sure you’re not just pinning your own work but creating a sort of branded experience so that you can connect with people beyond just what you do. Not sure where to start? Think of Pinterest as an editorial look at your brand, so if your brand had a magazine, what categories would you cover? I include things like: fashion, home decor, travel, and beauty because my ideal clients enjoy using Pinterest for those categories as well, thus connecting us and hopefully leading them to see more pins directly related to my work so that when they need to hire a photographer, I’m the first person they think of!
Jenna Kutcher took a $300 Craigslist camera and turned it into a 7-figure empire. Host of the Goal Digger Podcast, one of the top business podcasts on iTunes and an expert at authentic marketing, Jenna loves teaching others how to work smarter, not harder. She teaches Pinterest at teachmetopin.com and you can learn more about her at www.jennakutcher.com
Mario Masitti
“Snapchat is useless”. Right?! Do I have your attention yet? If you are exhausted with social media… give me the next 60 seconds to make your life easier.
Truth #1:Focus on creating great content for your client’s social platform, not yours.If you have 10 followers on Snapchat, and your senior has 400… make sure they are sharing on THEIR platform during the photoshoot! If you encourage them to create a social story, sharing naturally… you will ultimately reach your audience way faster than trying to attract clients to your own platform. This is great if you hate the idea of social media (ugh, what’s next after Snapchat). Ride the coat tails of their social work and make it easier on yourself.
Truth #2: Marketing will expedite your business’s weakest link. If your branding, message, presence, imagery, or ANY other combination of your business is weak… doing something like Facebook ads will simply expose that. Before you dismiss marketing efforts as a failure, make sure your entire business is in tip-top shape to receive those extra clicks.
Mario Masitti runs the SESSIONS education platform where he has helped thousands of photographers create the art and business of their dreams.
Learn more: sessionseducation.com
Anna Pumer
Inbound marketing is something I’ve only recently discovered, but it’s incredible for making sales and getting clients.The idea is that you put out an advert, for example on Facebook, offering a tempting free ebook or PDF that you KNOW your targeted audience will want (getting them to join a free Facebook group is a good idea at this point too). Then send them an email a couple of days later with some more awesome advice or tips, then a couple of days later another email letting them know about your product or service, then another email with a timely offer on that product or service. THEN, the most important bit: retargeting. The Facebook Pixel on your site tells you who went to your site from your ad but didn’t buy. It targets only those people, with a fun message saying they obviously got distracted and did they want to go ahead and buy? All the while, nurture your Facebook group, make yourself an expert in their eyes, and mention your product or service now and then. Boom – sales start rolling in. It can work with anything from shoots to album sales.
Anna Pumer is a super fun wedding photographer and kick-ass writer. She runs Kick Ass Photographers, which is a site that sells useful online tools for photographers – tools she creates with her web-coder partner Thomas. Their top seller is the ‘wedding blog post generator’, which is a pre-filled template for photographers that saves you hours and takes away the stress of writing blog posts – while also using loads of SEO elements to attract your ideal clients.
Learn more: kickassphotographers.com
Blake Rudis
If you do not have email marketing at the core of your business I think you may be missing out on a very powerful engagement tool. With all the buzz going around the ever-changing direction of Facebook’s algorithm for business pages, I am reassured that email marketing is the way for me. I run a very successful business and I do it with less than $700 in Facebook ads per year.
Just to give you a bit of background. I resisted an email list for several years during my early days of blogging. However, I really wanted to get out of my full-time job and pursue blogging as a career. When I finally made the decision to dive into email marketing, I was able to quit my full-time gig with a small 800 subscriber email list. Sounds impossible, I know! But it happened.
Let’s fast forward. After years of email marketing in the industry I can tell you it has been the most lucrative form of marketing for many reasons.
1. They are all warm leads if you gathered them correctly. A warm lead is someone who is interested in your product and has shown you that by voluntarily signing up to your newsletter. Notice how I stated “voluntarily”. It is important to ensure these people came to you on their own volition and have not been bought or paid for.
2. You have access to them without paying a dime for ads. Facebook, Instagram, and Google are all great places to post ads, but why do it if you don’t have to? The leads you generate from social media are a lot harder to convince that you are an authority figure. Your email subscribers are already there, they know you are an authority, and they already like you… or at least they should 😉
3. You can engage with them for more than just a sale. This one is important. I engage with my list all the time. However, I am very cautious with about how I do that. I am not always out to make a buck and I ensure they are always receiving something valuable. Remember, the people on the other end of your message are people, they have families, they eat great food, and they want more from you than a sale. Remember to give them value and do it often, all without asking for anything in return.
Blake Rudis is the creator of f.64 Academy and has dedicated his career to helping others make better photos in Photoshop.
Learn more: f64academy.com
Christine Tremoulet
Does Blogging Still Work in 2018?
Of all the forms of social media, blogging is the oldest of the pack. So old, that many people don’t consider it social media – when it is actually the center, the foundation, of your social media plan!
People are giving all of their best content away, for free, to the other networks – the ones that they can’t control, and that they don’t own. By doing this, they are at the mercy and the whim of the latest algorithm changes, the need to pay for people to see your posts, and the ongoing quest for new followers.
I get it. It feels good to see the number of likes grow, and the number of followers or friends increase. They aren’t always an accurate measure of the health of your business.
When you build on the land that you own – your blog – as the primary home for your content, you can then use that content across multiple social media platforms at a time. Working smarter, not harder, it is the foundation of your marketing & editorial calendar plan. You can then reuse the images from the blog post, share quotes from the post, even post the entire post on Facebook if you wish.
Blogging works together hand in hand with social media. Posts on Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, or Twitter are only seen for the life of the post. A day, maybe two. Posts to your blog can be used for content for the next several years, as long as they still apply to how you are serving your clients!
Christine Tremoulet is a business consultant and mentor who helps photographers create successful, profitable businesses out of their passion. A veteran blogger of almost 20 years, she coined the name WordPress, and she hosts the Life Boss podcast. She brings her approach of authentic branding, marketing, and selling, teaching photographers how to use the power of their story to connect with clients and stand out in their market.
Learn more: ChristineTremoulet.com
GOOGLE AND FACEBOOK
Cyrissa Carlson
Live streaming video for your photography business is a great way to go, if you do it right. Here’s how.
Looking at your Facebook post reach is depressing, isn’t it? While your gorgeous photos used to get seen by a large majority of your audience, now? It’s crickets. But it doesn’t have to be that way, my friend! Oh no, despite the gloom and doom you’re hearing in photography forums, Facebook reach and engagement is alive and well…. IF you know how to play to the algorithm!
Facebook shows the “most relevant” and “valuable” content to its users. Towards the top of the algorithm foodchain is live streaming videos, aka: Facebook Live. Now, I know that the thought of going live is enough to make even the bravest of photographers tremble, but with a few quick tips, I can have you broadcasting with success!
Have a plan.
So much of what’s on social media is white noise. If you hop on live with a clear intention people are going to be more likely to listen to what you have to say AND you’ll stand apart from your peers {who are still too scared to go live}! Always have a memorable title, three main points, and a call to action at the end!
Know what to talk about.
This is the biggest struggle for most people! But if you listen to your audience, they’ll tell you exactly what to talk about! Not sure what to wear to family photos? Do a live teaching how to mix colors, textures and patterns. Not sure how many hours of coverage they’ll want on wedding day? Do a live about timeline considerations {and don’t forget to share a few pro tips to up-level your game}! Keep a running note in your phone of common questions you’re asked – and soon enough you’ll have an entire list.
Repurpose your live videos!
Most people have no clue that you can re-use live videos – but you can… and with great success! Link them in your welcome email series {remember that “what to wear” video you just did?}, embed them in your blog, and use them to show off the products you offer! You’re already doing the work – so let’s make sure we put it to good use!
Facebook Live doesn’t have to be scary and, after you have your first few out of the way, I bet you’re going to see increased reach, more engagement and more bookings for your business! Here are three more resources:
What to Talk About on Live Video
How to Repurpose Your Live Videos
Increase Your Engagement
Cyrissa owns Immerse Photography and is a business coach at Sparkle Society; known for her contagious energy and social media savviness! Get ready to be encouraged, educated, and empowered to make make strategic and informed decisions for your business.
Learn more: sparklesocietyworkshops.com
Andrew Hellmich
What’s working in the photography market for 2018?
Facebook ads continue to produce an incredible amount of work for PhotoBizX listeners in 2018. To have that same success, photographers need two things in place with their ads.
1. A clear strategy for your Ad campaign. What do you want people to do when they see your ad? What happens after that? If you can’t answer these two simple questions, you’re wasting your money.
2. Hyper focussed targeting – which applies to your ad copy more than inside the Facebook Ads Managers targeting options.
One of the biggest mistakes I continue to see from photographers is their fear of going narrow with their targeting – not only with Facebook Ads, this applies to websites or any form of advertising; anything to do with attracting your ideal client.
The more effectively you can repel people who aren’t a perfect match for you and your business, the more likely you are to appeal to and magnetically attract those who are.
This applies to any photography genre, any photographer.
Facebook ads simply makes hyper focussed targeting the easiest (and cheapest) way to prove this is the case for yourself.
Once a you understands this concept and releases the fear of, “I must appeal to everyone, offend no one and throw my marketing net as wide as possible”… The sooner you’ll develop a unique style, voice and appeal.
And the sooner you can attract your perfect client. The sooner you’ll have a sustainable and beautiful business.
Andrew Hellmich is a wedding and portrait photographer based in the Central Coast of Australia, and he runs the very popular resource, Photo Bix Xposed, where you can listen to weekly talks with different experts about photography.
Learn more: photobizx.com
Bernie Griffiths
With the portrait photographers that I coach, the number one strategy that is working to bring in income in 2018 is without doubt Facebook ads. Facebook is twice as effective if the post is Boosted rather than created through ads manager. With a little bit of refining your phone technique and internal studio systems, you should be able to convert 30% of your leads into customers.
Gift/loyalty programs created with third party affiliates like high end car dealerships remains a good steady, and strong source of qualified leads. This form of customer generation has been around for many years but is still relevant in 2018. Other possible joint ventures could be with jewellers, bridal salons, and marriage celebrants for wedding photographers, and Real Estate companies and Mortgage Brokers for portrait photographers.
The big key to marketing for this year is definitely to produce and show great and appealing images in your advertising material. You have to step away from the ordinary, and show your potential clients your “wow” factor. Give them a reason to get in front of your camera.
Bernie Griffiths is a photography business coach with over 40 years as a successful photography studio owner, and has done over 4,000 Skype sessions with his clients.
Learn more: www.berniegriffiths.com
Corey Potter
I probably don’t need to tell you that ranking on the first page of Google is a good way to get new clients for your photography business. You also probably know that ranking on the first page for competitive keywords is easier said than done. Fortunately, in 2018 there are more ways than ever to rank on the first page of Google.
If you do a Google search for a term that you would like to rank for, you’ll likely notice that Google shows several types of results. Depending on the query (another word for search term), Google may show an answer card, ads, a knowledge graph panel, images results, videos, rich snippets, or several other types of SERP features (SERP = search engine results page). You’ll also likely notice that on the first page you’ll see more than just photography websites. You’ll also see directories, articles or roundups, and maybe even social profiles.
Every one of these SERP features, directories, or other websites ranking on the first page for your desired keyword represent an opportunity for ranking on the first page. If you want to rank well in Google in 2018, remember to think about more than just your website. If you are creative, there are many ways to get your name at the top of Google, and if you are persistent, you may end up seeing your name multiple times on page one!
Corey is an SEO expert and the founder of Fuel Your Photos where he helps photographers get more clients by improving their presence in search engines.
Learn more: fuelyourphotos.com
Easton Reynolds
Most photographers have a love/hate relationship with Facebook. 5 years ago your Facebook business page was all you needed to get more clients. In 2018, a simple post to your page is likely to receive little to no interaction. Most photographers have tried boosting a post only to find out they just donated to Mark Zuckerburg’s new tee-shirt fund. Others have tried to run a Facebook Ad but the results have been underwhelming. Even if the ad generated some great results, most photographers can’t reproduce those results in their next ad. So what gives?
Using Facebook ads to generate high-quality leads is an art form just like learning to take great photographs. No one would show up to shoot a wedding without ever having picked up a camera, right? Of course not! You put in the Time & Energy to learn your craft. The same can be said for Facebook Ads. Just like anything else in life, if you want to be great at something you have to educate yourself.
The truth is that Facebook ads, when done correctly, can change your business. I used to pay $1500/m to The Knot and would see very little return. When I stopped being mad at Facebook and decided to actually learn about the best way to get results with Facebook Ads, my business went from $100k/yr to $250k/yr! How you ask? Well, with Facebook Ads you can target people as soon as they set their status to “engaged”! You can even target people who like The Knot or Wedding Wire! So stop listening to people in random Facebook groups that tell you Facebook Ads don’t work. (They probably haven’t even tried them!) Educate yourself and dive in.
Easton Reynolds is the founder of TheArtofSixFigures.com, a social learning community focused on teaching photographers the business side of photography. He has coached hundreds of photographers on how to use Facebook ads to revolutionize their businesses. He is also the co-owner of LuReyphotography.com with his wife Laura. LuRey Photography was named Top 100 Wedding Photographers in the US & Canada by SLR Lounge.
Learn more: theartofsixfigures.com
SALES FUNNEL
Andrew Funderberg
Everyone knows the statistics. There are more photos taken now than ever before. In one year there are more photos taken than in all previous years combine. What we often forget is the simple economic rule. As the supply of one thing becomes infinite the price moves towards zero. The value of digital photography is moving towards zero at an accelerated rate. The value is in the printed product, yet photographers rarely market these products.
To see an immediate increase in your top line revenue, start filling your website and social media with printed products. Follow the lead from photographers like Makayla Jade of The Harris Co and Jamie and Heather Schneider of Folk Portraits.
Here at Fundy Software we believe in the power of the printed product – both for families to enjoy for generations, and for the difference it can make for professional photographers in their business. Founded by former wedding and portrait photographer Andrew “Fundy” Funderburg in 2008, Fundy Software was created to give professionals a template-free design solution for complete creative control.
Learn more: fundydesigner.com
Lev Kuperman
Go back to the basics by making sure that everyone gets a chance to buy your products. It’s simple, but it’s effective, and it matters now more than ever. You need to do what works.
For example, printed album sales were a big winner for me last year. If parents didn’t buy an album, I’d simply send an email to them after I finished with the couple, and offer 20% off. Since they just saw the wedding album, it made for an easy sale without any extra work. The same goes for following up with print sales and even making sure to send out emails to people with special offers from time to time. It not the super fun thing, but follow-up works, it’s profitable, and most photographers leave a lot on the table just by ignoring the basics.
Lev Kuperman is an award-winning fine art wedding photographer based in New York and focused on authentic storytelling through fun, fashion-inspired images. He is also the co-founder of the WRKSHP gathering.
Learn more: levkuperman.com
Chris Scott
If you’d like to grow your product sales in 2018, you should seriously consider offering Virtual In-Person Sales to your clients. With Virtual IPS, you get the results of a traditional IPS process, without all of the hassles of finding a location, traveling to your clients’ home or having them travel to your space. Also, you can keep your PJ pants on. Business on the top, sleepwear on the bottom… just sayin’.
Virtual IPS is a good fit for just about any photographer looking to increase product sales. Shoot and Burn? Virtual IPS gives you the opportunity to dip your toe into the print sales waters without the commitment and stress of traditional In-Person Sales. Sell online? With Virtual IPS, you’ll boost your profits and your service by offering an In-Person Sales process that is as convenient as selling online. Sell with Traditional IPS? Use Virtual IPS when a traditional IPS meeting isn’t an option for those destination or hard-to schedule clients.
Best of all, the only things you need for a successful Virtual IPS meeting are an IPS sales tool and a way to share your screen with your client! If you’re considering trying out Virtual In-Person Sales, be sure to check out this blog post before you make the switch!
https://www.swiftgalleries.com/post/vips-tips
Chris is the Co-Founder of Swift Galleries and an expert on In-Person Photography Sales. He lives in Colorado Springs, CO with his wife, 2 kids, 1 dog and 6 chickens.
Learn more: swiftgalleries.com
Allie Siarto
I’ve found that putting more emphasis on printed products is a great way to boost both your client experience and your bottom line. But when I started selling print products, I threw everything at my clients. I had way too many options, which led them to decision paralysis.I finally realized that I needed to curate a small list of products that I felt passionate about and could really put my heart behind.For me, that meant getting rid of canvases and standouts and moving toward framed wall gallery design (I use and highly recommend Swift Galleries for “virtually” designing wall galleries for clients’ walls). Figure out which products match your brand the best, and only sell those. We all know that we need to curate what we show in our portfolios, but we also need to curate the products we show if we want to ramp up our product sales.
Allie Siarto is the host of the Photo Field Notes Podcast, a weekly podcast series with actionable tips for photographers. She’s also the founder of Allie & Co. Photography, a team of wedding and portrait photographers based out of East Lansing, Michigan.
You can find her podcast here: photofieldnotes.com
Daniel Usenko
Photographers are always looking for ways to book more clients, but very few take full advantage of the clients they already have. One of the most underutilized opportunities that photographers have is offering products to their past or existing clients. It doesn’t need to be complicated – anything is better than nothing. It could be prints on a wedding anniversary, a family shoot for Christmas cards, or a wedding album years after the big day. Sure, not everyone will say ‘yes’, but some will. And that’s extra cash in your pocket, allowing you to grow in your art and business!
Daniel Usenko is a film photographer based in Seattle (danielusenko.com). He’s the founder of Pixellu, a software company that helps other photographers run successful businesses through album and slideshow design.
Learn more: pixellu.com
VOICE AND VISION
Kristi Drago-Price
CUT OUT THE CRAP & CONNECT WITH YOUR CLIENT
Let’s talk some real sh*t…there’s a lot of crappy content floating around out there!
Content creation? It’s one of those time-consuming tasks that often gets pushed further and further down the “I should do” list. But there’s hope because here’s a little secret I share at Editor’s Edge to make content work for you: Make it niche, make it specific and target it to your precise client.
IMAGERY: We are ALL about the imagery. Take a minute to re-assess your brand’s photography. Does it all flow together? Does it tell a cohesive visual story? Customers have to understand your offer in 3 seconds or less –on all your channels. Curate imagery to be uniquely your brands!
INSTAGRAM: What is your brand all about? Consider what related topics your ideal client is interested in, show and talk about that too! You’re way more likely to create that connection and grow your followers once you establish something in common.
VIDEO: Make your client feel like you GET them. Yes, being on camera can be intimidating but start small with Instagram Stories or Facebook Live and see how your core audience reacts.
VOICE: We LOVE a good brand voice. Do a self-assessment on your brand, your brand’s personality and how you would literally “talk” to your client if your brand came to life. Making that conversation real and authentic is how to cut through the crappy chatter to find your core audience!
Kristi Drago-Price is the Founder and Creative Director behind Editor’s Edge, a boutique Content Consulting, Brand Building and VisualMarketing Agency.
Learn more: editors-edge.com
The Hons
The strategies working for us in the current photography market center largely on brand recognition and effective advertising. We utilize Facebook ads, Google AdWords, and The Knot to reach our potential brides and understand that consumers have to see a brand 7 TIMES before they trust it’s reputation. We introduce our brand with initial Facebook ads that don’t attempt to sell our services. Instead, they create a connection with engaged couples that enable them to trust us and our brand when they’re ready to book. The reason you constantly see sponsored ads (for many types of businesses) is that the more you are aware of the brand, the more likely you are to purchase from them next time you need something they offer. They know you’re likely to give in! Targeted marketing is the new wave of social media in business.
Not every photography studio could get away with the motto “We Give a Shit” and we know that. But we pride ourselves on being honest, real, and straight to the point so we have built our brand around that (and also being Fireball lovers). Our clients know us so well (thanks in large part to Brittani’s presence on Facebook Live and Instagram stories) that it’s not unusual to be offered a fireball shot by a bride at the end of the night or tipped with a Disney gift card for our daughter – just a few examples. Our strategy is to meet brides and grooms in our modern age by connecting with them on a personal level. We often showcase our personality long before our photography. Are you a fan of the TV show “The Office”? Use quotes, memes, or GIFs when you advertise to make other engaged couples who are fans connect with you, then introduce them to your photography. We have found this strategy to work well for all the different personalities and associates on our team as well.
Trial and error are so important. Put yourself out there, watch your website traffic and analytics. If it didn’t pop off, try again. Keep doing that until it something clicks.
We’re The Hons (Brittani + Jon) – known for our “We Give a Shit” motto and our no-nonsense approach to wedding photography as a profitable business. We do about 75 weddings each year personally (we like working…), and we also have 10 associates and a studio manager. We book them an average of 10-15 weddings each. It’s busy around here but we like it that way!
Learn more: thehonsphoto.com
Kirk Mastin
In 2018 I would say it’s more important than ever to have a tightly edited portfolio, from your website, blog, and down to your Instagram feed.
Couples are not only looking for good work, they are also subconsciously looking for your worst photo.
One bad photo, especially an old one that no longer represents your style, will lodge in their brain as a red flag that maybe, just maybe, you will not perform your best on their big day.
The difference I am seeing between those that do well in photography and command higher prices and those that do not, is the amount of effort put into grooming their public image. And it starts with what images you show and more importantly – what you don’t show. So go back through your social timelines and delete your mediocre work. trim your galleries down to 20 photos or less per event, and restrain yourself from posting any events on your blog that don’t represent your best work and where you want to go in your career. You will see results almost immediately.
Kirk is a Seattle based a ‘hybrid shooter’ with a dedication to film photography in a market saturated with digital images. He’s the man behind the Mastin Labs presets that make digital images look like they were shot on film. He’s recently moved into the app market with FilmBorn, which lets users the ability to get the look of film with their iPhones.
Learn more: www.mastinlabs.com
Bri McDaniel
One of the things I struggled with the most in my business was confidence and self image, but being confident means being able to find the right types of clients, being able to trust and grow your vision, charging the right prices, and just helping your clients feel more relaxed and empowered, because you have the chance to think about them.
Then, one day, I learned about the imposter effect. It’s important to realize that everyone else feels like an imposter. They have the same doubts about their pictures and they get nervous about sharing certain pictures, too. So, sometimes, you’ll put other people on pedestals thinking they’ve got it all down, but it turns out they really feel the exact same way you do, and it’s completely normal. So just know that it’s a feeling, but it’s not a reflection of you and your ability, and don’t let it stop you from believing in yourself.
BriMcDaniel is a wedding photographer who is passionate about love and diversity. She creates wonderful, natural photographs of couples who express their emotions without inhibition, and she believes that every love story is unique.
Learn more: brimcdanielphotography.com
Ian Weldon
I think that a vastly overlooked aspect of photography these days, is photography itself. In our digital world the business has changed, and how people buy has changed. This has created a new industry of so called professionals that will claim to guide through the murky waters of this new digital landscape. How to design facebook ads for maximum reach, SEO for dummies, keyword wording like a boss and how to sell your soul (sorry, self) It’s easy for photographers to get lost in all of this information.
How do we survive? We have to stand out. How do we stand out? By being ourselves.
It’s easy to get washed away with all of the noise, focusing on things that you are told will make you a better photographer, but fundamentally, as a photographer, your main focus should be photography. The study of the craft and the exploration of ideas. This helps you to figure out the why. The more you understand the why, the stronger the connection to your work. The stronger the connection you have to work, the more weight it will hold. More weight, more impact. You might not be a superstar billionaire rockstar photographer, but as things are changing at such an exponential rate who will survive……..The photographer that is franticly rewriting everything on their blog because the mighty Google moved the goal posts again, or the photographer who has vision, understanding, and consistency.
I certainly don’t have the answer, but I sure hope it’s the latter. If not, were all doomed.
Ian Weldon is recognized as one of the best 100 Wedding Photographers in the world, and runs the podcast Outer Focus.
Learn more: ianweldon.com
Tyler Wirken
Right now, the thing I’m working toward is video. As I continue down my path as a storytelling photographer and finding a pull beyond just documentary wedding photography I have come to realize that it’s important not to fall behind. The problem is I have ZERO interest in shooting video. Nada. Like I hate it. So you are most likely thinking “well there big guy seems like you are rather screwed then”, but I have a plan. That plan starts with my passion for journalism and true storytelling. So how do I produce videos without shooting much video? Two words: multi-media. I have come to develop a new passion for the power still photographs and audio can posses. As a still photographer there is only so much of a story our photos can tell but if we add an interview audio bed we can increase the power of a still photograph immensely. The end result are true documentary short films produced for businesses, non-profits, organizations etc…. Brand marketing at it’s finest.
I believe people are hungry for stories and not advertisements. I believe those same people are tired of being sold to with a barrage of over perfect product photos. I believe they can smell a fake a mile away and they crave the truth. When you can connect people with stories you can promote more than just what people do for a living but rather WHY they do it. I feel that is what should be celebrated and promoted.
Tyler has joined forces with Brandon Parigo for photographers wanting to take their storytelling to a new level. Camp Wirkshop, a Wirkshop Series event like no other, is a workshop that not only gives back but teaches the still photographer how to harness the power multi-media in their storytelling.
Learn more: wirkshopseries.com