With a Bang!
There is one component about being a wedding photographer that can be tough and very rewarding – constantly working with new people all the time. Not only must we work with brand new couples, but also new florists, cake artists, wedding planners and venues. On the one hand, starting a rewarding relationship can be tough. Conversely, new relationships that really blossom can last a lifetime and be very beneficial for your sole. With new clients, I like to help the process along. Inside are a couple strategies I use to ensure relationships start with a bang!
Meet Michael – Photographer and Friend
The other day I had the opportunity to help a friend with work. Michael needed some new head shots and I was more than happy to help out. Not only is Michael a friend, but the second photographer for all of the weddings we do. Many of you may already know him. Many more will meet him soon as this year ramps up. Step inside to learn just a little more and to see this familiar face.
Gravity & the Importance of Thanking the Team
This morning I have been sitting in my office doing chores. Then it dawned on me – my chore this morning is actually pretty important and could be of interest to others. So here it is – gravity and the importance of thanking the team. Yes, I am might use a space analogy to demonstrate the importance of team work and recognizing good work. I have to warn you though, this post could get a little punnie (Ha!). Step inside to see how just a little effort can really strengthen your brand and market your wedding photography business.
Guide to Growing a Wedding Photography Business
I have some recommended reading for you. Don’t worry, this one is easy and short. If you are a wedding photographer, or considering becoming one, definitely check out the latest guide from PhotoShelter – How to Grow a Wedding Photography Business. This PDF guide features a lot of great content covering everything from marketing to client care. It also features input from top industry professionals including Ryan Brenizer, Brian Dorsey and your’s truly. You can get your free copy here. Step inside to learn more, including tips not including new tips not included in the guide.
VIDEO – VSCO Film Overview
In the past I have done a couple posts concerning the Visual Supply Co. VSCO Film preset package for Lightroom. As you may know, I snapped up this package pretty quickly and have been using it for a couple months. I have never bought a preset package before and to this day, VSCO Film is the only preset package I own. There is a big reason for this. Included today is our first video, and I decided to tackle and overview of VSCO Film. Jump inside to see our first (low-budget) video and learn a little more about VSCO Film.
Published – The Knot Magazine – Holly & Brian
It’s really rough spending Christmas in Florida with family. Of course, I’m saying this with a pound of sarcasm. It was weird being in the warm Pensacola climate at Christmas time, but we survived just fine. The 15-hour drive home seemed to take forever, but I was greeted with some amazing news when we arrived. As I always do, I promptly fetched the mail from our mailbox. Stuffed inside was about 25 pounds of late holiday cards, Christmas catalogs, and other detritus. However, hiding among the treasured cards and other trash was a curious little package. In a Christmas habit, I gave the package a squeeze and a shake. Then it hit me! I tore into the package and was greeted by long awaited, but temporarily forgotten news. Step inside to see what has me doing the robot dance in my kitchen!
Elise – Real Film vs. VSCO Film
So a simple question – which one of the two presented photos is real film? As many of you may know from my prior post, I happen to shoot both film and digital. I have also been playing around with VSCO Film lately, a new preset package designed to make digital photos mirror their film counterpart. I’m definitely not a fan of preset packages because the results can often times look unnatural. However, the idea behind VSCO Film seemed to be entirely different. Step inside to see a comparison between VSCO Film and the real deal.
Initial Impressions – VSCO Film from Visual Supply Co.
If you have been around here long enough, you know that I shoot a mixture of digital, film and polaroid. I love each for the qualities and capabilities that they bring to my visual voice. Film brings amazing colors, depth and range. Digital brings versatility, speed, and accuracy. Visually speaking, I have always favored film. Now enter VSCO Film, which promises to make digital photographs look like film. Does it work, or even matter? Step inside for my initial impressions and some samples.
Published – The Knot Magazine – Jamie & Ethan
Right about now is a good time to imagine me dancing around my office doing The Robot. It’s actually happened three times. First, when I found out I would be published in Professional Photographer Magazine. The second time was when I got a call from TheKnot.com asking for photos to feature in The Knot Magazine. And most recently was just about five minutes ago when I got a email from The Knot with images of the final feature. Step inside to have a gander at our latest magazine feature.
A Bird, Boat, Bike, and Bridge
I often find myself location scouting for weddings on odd days here and there. Add to this that I am easily distracted (look, something shiny!), and I typically come home with a grab bag of images. Included in this post’s grab bag is a healthy dose of alliteration.
Crafting Heirlooms
My modest Cleveland home is filled with fine-art prints of all sorts. There are family photos, photos of friends, some clients and even some crazy prints. For example, a large print of two friends dressed for a wedding as Dumb and Dumber. Seriously, a wedding! We also have a few albums, all of which we treasure. When developing our recent branding redesign, we also reconsidered the fine-art prints and albums we offer. To match with the our clients expectations and the brand, we had to make improvements. Step inside to learn how we have applied an heirloom approach across all our products.
Photographer Branding and Mark Twain
I was doing things the same old way. When I started, I designed my own business card and found a cheap printer. $19.99 for 1000 business cards is a good deal right? Everything kinda looked professional, but there was a problem. The brand didn’t represent my clients or me.
Make the jump to learn about how we considered who we are and who we wanted for clients when re-developing the design and brand.
Film – Star or Dinosaur
Before digital, there was only film. It was a barrier to amateurs becoming professionals because of the high cost of film processing and the even high technical knowledge required. Photography was both a pursuit in the light, and in darkrooms that smelled of sulfur. Once the digital revolution began, the claim among professional photographers became film is not dead, yet. The operable term being yet. Now, most children have never seen film and most people think it is dead. Step inside to find out whether dinosaur film is dead, and can it be a star again?
Wedding Photos – The Very Best of 2010
Back again with another best of 2010 post. If you missed the very best of 2010 engagement photos, please stop by and have a look. For today the focus is on weddings. 2010 was an amazing year in weddings for me. Our business grew substantially due primarily to great clients. Our clients are truly extraordinary and this year set a new bar. Step inside to meet our amazing clients and to see some of the best from this year.
Engagement Photos – The Very Best of 2010
WOW, what a year! 2010 went so fast I hardly had time to notice it was gone. With the new year comes a time for reflection. I regularly take time to celebrate what I have done well while planning to improve other things. This is especially true during the new year. Join me after the jump and help me celebrate some great engagement photos from 2010.
Creative Wedding Photos – Polaroids
Back again with a little more of Jamie and Ethan. I mentioned before that they were dream clients. They really let me experiment in many ways to provide creative wedding photography unique for them. Given this latitude, I went all out with Polaroids.
Gear Review – Think Tank Retrospective 20
Before I discuss all the great things the Think Tank Retrospective 20 does well, you have to understand what this bag is not supposed to be. If you confuse the purpose of this camera bag, then you will be disappointed. However, if you understand the niche this bag fills, then you will be elated. Hit the jump to learn why the Retrospective 20 is the perfect bag for wedding photographers…
Hey, that’s me in Pro Photographer Magazine!
The package waiting for me at home could have been a surprise, but PhotoShelter kept me informed throughout the process. In the end, I was expecting the two glossy copies of Professional Photographer Magazine nestled inside the padded package. Nonetheless, I am thrilled to be published in this month’s issue. Make the jump to learn more about the article and how I market my Cleveland wedding photography business.
Around here it’s all about service
The rock-solid principle upon which I build my business is service (and good photographs). Providing my Cleveland wedding clients with the very best service is how I fulfill their needs, keep clients coming back, and ultimately ensure the success of my business. Part of my formula is providing my clients with great online services, and I have my service provider to thank. Hit the jump to see how we provide wedding clients with the latest tools to help them capture and share their wedding memories.
Intermittent Blog Round-up
Back again with another blog round-up. It is clear that these are not going to be weekly, but frequently enough to cover interesting topics.
Speaking of interesting topics, my goal is to cover articles that are good for the novice, amateur and pro photographer alike. I get a fair amount of traffic from novices that are interested in learning more, so I certainly plan to share information for all experience levels.
What makes a good photograph?
This is not going to be a post that will give you a photography formula. Photography is not and never will be a science. Sure, a camera is a scientific instrument designed to measure and map light, but creativity is king. To start, you must have vision.
Your vision does not need to be ground breaking, but it should be unique to you. The subject matter does not need to be something fresh either. Heck, I am a portrait and wedding photographer. There is nothing new about that. Surprise, I photograph people! However, I try hard each day to approach my work with my vision. To create worthwhile photographs, for you, start with your vision.
Weekly Blog Round-Up
Not much this week regarding wedding photography, or Cleveland for that matter. I am also trying to decide how often to do a blog round-up. At most, it would be weekly. More than likely, it will be every couple weeks. If you have a preference, let me know. Also, leave a comment if you have a story, video, or inspiring images that deserve more air time.
New Client Gallery Feature – Social Network Sharing
We have just implemented a new feature that will allow wedding clients, portrait client and friends share galleries on many different social networks. The feature is integrated directly with each client photo gallery. To share any gallery, simply locate the share links at the top of the screen.
Art Photography Prints for Everyone
If you have an interest in art and photography, definitely check out 20×200.com. The team at 20×200 has a well established mantra they stick to: (limited editions X low prices) + the internet = art for everyone. Each week, they release two new limited edition works – one photograph and one work on paper.
