If you’ve been running your photography as a successful hobby and you’re ready to take the leap of faith and do it as your job, there are plenty of things to be aware of before you take the plunge. Photographing as a hobby can be a brilliant way to make some extra cash here and there, but there is a whole lot more to it if you want to set up a business and get into photography as your line of work without the safety net of a full time job in the background. While the idea of taking the...
I recently wrote about a session where I lost all of the SOOC files. Then it got worse. The day of the in-person ordering session came and as I was getting the gallery ready, the files that I had exported from Lightroom were too small. They were the size of your thumbnail. I don’t know what I did wrong, but it was a nightmare. Everything was falling apart minutes before my clients were to be at the meeting. We met and I told them the truth. I lost the files and I saved the edits in the wrong size. All...
We’ve all been on a first date, right? It’s a pretty big deal. You want things to go smooth and hope that you make a good impression. Especially if it’s with someone that you have had your eye on for awhile. Let’s compare how you prepare for that first date to how you prepare for the beginning of a relationship with your clients. We all want to win over our potential clients by giving them a great first impression, but how do we do that? Make an Impression In the early stages of a relationship, you work very hard to...
We all know how exciting it is to book a session. That excitement carries into the day of the shoot and increases as we rush home to get those images on our computer for a real look at them. Often we get so excited about the beginning of the process and tend to forget our job does not end there. We still have to show the client the images, and then after they place an order, present them with their goods. To me, this is almost as much fun as taking the shots, I love packaging! I love all things ribbons, bows,...
While picking the clothing to wear to a family photoshoot is difficult for your clients, it doesn't have to be. Here are some quick Do's and Don'ts you can share with them as they prepare to come to your for photos. With a few little tips, clients can do their part to ensure a beautiful outcome! DO Have either a fresh coat of nail polish on your nails that coordinates with your outfit or don’t have any nail polish on at all. You don’t want chipped nail polish. Wear makeup even if you don’t normally. If you don’t usually wear makeup,...
When I decided to start my photography business, I had no idea that being a personal wardrobe consultant would be part of the job. I mean, I wear jeans, black shirts and flip flops year round. I choose clothes that are comfortable and easy. Black is easy. So who was I to give suggestions on what to wear for a photo session! Since I do have 4 children, dressing children to coordinate wasn’t new to me. But telling others what to wear and why was new. I learned quickly that clients needing help on what to wear would become part...
We all know how Facebook is a great tool for our photography businesses. Most of us have business pages and are actively sharing our work to get noticed and get new clients. But did you know there are other social media tools that can be just as powerful? Instagram is an amazing tools for marketing your photography business and it is FREE! When I moved to a new city a few months ago and had to start all over with my photography business, I rebuilt my clientele in a few short months by word of mouth and Instagram. Yep you read that right!...
We all know Facebook is a tool we can use to market our photography businesses. Most of us have business pages and are actively sharing our work there as a way to get noticed and get new clients. But did you know there are other social media tools that can be just as powerful, if not more powerful, than Facebook? Pinterest is an amazing tool for marketing your photography business and it is FREE! I have used Pinterest as a tool to build my business. When I research where most of my blog traffic comes from, it's Pinterest! By a LONG shot! 3 Tips for...
When getting an inquiry from a client, I like to be as organized as I can be. Most of the time, an inquiry wants to know about pricing. I have my session fee listed on my website but that is the only pricing I have listed. I do this because I want clients to contact me. This opens the door of communication. I don’t want them looking at pricing and then talking themselves out of booking a session. I want them to email or call me so that I can start a conversation with them. By doing that, they get...
. For our third installment in our series on how to market yourself in fine art and stock photography, I want to talk about a few of the many resources that are available to you as you begin your journey. I will touch on a few of the ways that you can find opportunities to reach out to potential clients and galleries. WHERE TO FIND OPPORTUNITIES Fine Art Photography If you are a fine art photographer, there are many opportunities and venues for you to showcase your work. In fact, there are often so many opportunities out there that...
In my previous post, we looked at some of the key points you should consider as you think about new ways to market your work as a photographer. In this post, we will go a bit more in depth and talk about how to flesh out some of the ideas we have already discussed. While the other post focused on ideas to help you get started, this post will give you some resources to help you begin creating an online presence for your work. PORTFOLIO WEBSITES Before you begin sending your work to agencies and galleries, having a simple, straightforward website will...
Here at Pretty, we have a very diverse mix of photographers! While there are quite a lot of portrait photographers in our community, we also have a growing contingent of fine art photographers. And, for a lot of us, we do a combination of both. I want to talk to you about a few of the ways in which you can market your photography outside the realm of portraiture. Since this is such a vast topic, I will be breaking this up into four separate posts. In this post, we will look at identifying your strengths as a photographer, your potential market(s) and...
