When I first met photographer and business coach Mark Rossetto last year at WPPI, I was intrigued. As a successful portrait and wedding photographer, he had shifted into helping thousands of other photographers in his home base of Australia and across the world, to grow their own businesses. Last year I had a personal coaching session with him, in which case I saw the number of jobs I was getting skyrocket. That has paid off, as my bookings have continued to increase this year at a rapid rate. This year, Mark came out with the Master Your … [Read more...] about Photography Marketing: Master Your Marketing with Mark Rossetto
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Photographer — one of the worst jobs ever? Never!
"You may never become rich financially being a photographer. You will live a very rich life." -Kevin Ames The photo above is me in 1986 right after completing the photography of one of Atlanta's landmark buildings. That is the face of a photographer who absolutely loves his job. Contrary to current reports ... According to a post in SLRlounge.com, being a photographer as the 25th worst job in America. In the first line of the post, the article cites 24/7 Wall St. as saying that they believe the 2018 Jobs Rated Report from CareerCast makes … [Read more...] about Photographer — one of the worst jobs ever? Never!
Mind Your Own Business Podcast with Bobbi Lane | Photofocus Podcast April 12, 2019
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/mind-your-own-business-podcast-with-bobbi-lane-photofocus-podcast-april-12-2019 Get the show here or get it on iTunes — Please, post a review on iTunes. Welcome to the Mind Your Own Business Podcast! Today we chat with commercial and portrait photographer Bobbi Lane! We discuss: How Bobbi got her start in photography How she constantly changes with technology to make her business more enjoyable. Why practice is so important in her business The latest trends photographers struggle with … [Read more...] about Mind Your Own Business Podcast with Bobbi Lane | Photofocus Podcast April 12, 2019
Portrait Tips: Remember for yourself
It's a good idea to look back. Ten years ago I was looking at my photography idols and wondering what it'd be like to be doing this for a decade. Now I'm here, and I love that I can look back at 10 years' of work. As I do, I'm impressed by one thing, and it's the thing I've been telling clients for a decade. Photographs unlock the power of memory Scott Bourne calls us the high priests of memory protection. I believe that. And we always tell clients that they'll treasure these pictures for generations and all the things they experienced in … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Remember for yourself
Weekly Wrap-Up: March 24-30, 2019
The Weekly Wrap-up features articles from this week on Photofocus. Scott Lawrence explores the Nikon Z6 for headshots, guest writer Julie Powell talks about the art of still life, Kevin Ames reviews the Asus 32" HDR monitor, Bob Coates show us his "musicians hall of fame" in a restaurant he works with and Michèle Grenier starts her mirrorless camera dating. Enjoy! Take the Photofocus Weekly Wrap-Up with you to read on the go... … [Read more...] about Weekly Wrap-Up: March 24-30, 2019
Google+ kicks the bucket
I recently received an email from Google+, the social media site that is was all the rage with photographers. Back when it started, I posted often and grew a following. Then something changed on the site and I didn't quite understand it, and I quit interacting. My blog posts continued auto-posting, but I haven't even visited the site in at least six years. On the other hand, I know several photographers who continued through the changes and kept a strong following and interaction with their audience. I liked Google+ because the interactions … [Read more...] about Google+ kicks the bucket
Monetizing personal projects: The restaurant, part two
This is my sixth year working with an entertainment restaurant. The original relationship was due to a personal project I created and shared with them. A quick recap for those pressed for time will find I photographed a restaurant to learn and practice new photography techniques. I gave the restaurant a framed print. For the full story check out part one here. The story continued and involves another personal project involving a musician, which was also shared with the owners. When the owners saw my artwork they decided to feature the bands … [Read more...] about Monetizing personal projects: The restaurant, part two
The Nikon Z6 for headshot photography
The mirrorless bug finally bit me. As a long time Nikon shooter, I was patiently waiting for the Z series. With a D4S and D850, I was interested to see how the Nikon Z6 could fit into my professional (and personal) workflow. As a corporate headshot photographer, I’m typically on location, in a conference room for the day or in my studio for individual sessions. Headshots on location For the volume corporate headshot jobs, the D4S is still my favorite tool. It will sit there all day, ready for action in a fraction of a second. I love that it … [Read more...] about The Nikon Z6 for headshot photography
Monetizing personal projects: The restaurant, part one
Monetizing personal projects is important to me and I have found it to be a profitable way to build my business. You can too! First connection I made a twilight photo of my favorite local restaurant while experimenting with showing the lighted interior and a sunset. It was where I learned that the easiest way to make an interesting architectural photo of real estate was to set up the camera on a tripod and capture images over a time period of 20-45 minutes and blend them together. After this image was made I entered it in the Arizona … [Read more...] about Monetizing personal projects: The restaurant, part one
Photographer or model: Who owns the image?
As a photographer, protecting the images you create is critical to your success. Your photography is your product, your art and your brand. As a model, protecting your likeness and how it is used is critical to your success. So when a photo is made by a photographer of a model, who owns it? And the answer is, the photographer. Shortest article I have ever written. The end. Copyright explained There may be a little more to copyright law and image usage than that. But, in most situations, the moment a photographer presses the shutter button … [Read more...] about Photographer or model: Who owns the image?
Mind Your Own Business Podcast with Michele Celentano | Photofocus Podcast March 8, 2019
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/mind-your-own-business-podcast-with-michele-celentano-photofocus-podcast-march-8-2019 Get the show here or get it on iTunes — Please, post a review on iTunes. Welcome to the Mind Your Own Business Podcast! Today we chat with family portrait photographer Michele Celentano! We discuss: How Michele got started with her career The importance of education in every photographer's career The role empathy plays when interacting with client The role psychology plays during a portrait session … [Read more...] about Mind Your Own Business Podcast with Michele Celentano | Photofocus Podcast March 8, 2019
Portrait Tips: Teeth whitening in Lightroom (easy does it!)
Teeth come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Your primary goal when retouching teeth should be to keep the teeth from distracting from the eyes. If teeth are very colorful, then they can be distracting, but if you make them bright white, then you're not doing any favors for your subject when people meet them and see yellower teeth than their portrait depicted. Lightroom's Adjustment Brush is a good tool for whitening teeth. One of the best things about using it is that the Auto Mask feature allows you to paint sloppily but keep the effect on … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Teeth whitening in Lightroom (easy does it!)
How to attract and keep more clients
Being a photographer obviously implies taking pictures. But being a photographer also requires many other skills in order to be successful. Some of those skills are not about photography. They make a huge difference between a struggling business and a thriving one. Here are the ones I use to grow my photographic business. Surprising facts that are NOT about your photography skills We've all seen great photographers with amazing creativity having a hard time getting contracts. On the opposite side, we've also seen very "average" photographers … [Read more...] about How to attract and keep more clients
Portrait Tips: Headshot factory
One of my favorite things to do for corporate clients is to make headshots at their annual meetings. Their employees live all around the country, so this is the only opportunity to make pictures for them all in one place. This is a challenging shoot, but it's a lot of fun — like a headshot factory that quickly turns out good portraits. My setup is simple and adaptive, and something similar could help you make a lot of portraits quickly. The space As you can see, I'm not allotted a whole lot of room. This is in the hallway outside the … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Headshot factory
Mind Your Own Business Podcast with Brent Watkins | Photofocus Podcast February 8, 2019
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/mind-your-own-business-podcast-with-brent-watkins-photofocus-podcast-february-8-2019 Get the show here or get it on iTunes — Please, post a review on iTunes. Welcome to the Mind Your Own Business Podcast! Today we chat with portrait photographer Brent Watkins! We discuss: How Brent got started as a photographer in a small town The importance of staying up-to-date on the latest techniques and being relevant The importance of giving your client a great experience during their photo session … [Read more...] about Mind Your Own Business Podcast with Brent Watkins | Photofocus Podcast February 8, 2019
5 tips to use NOW to reach your goals faster
I made a point in 2019 to take control of my business. I had a great 2018 but I know I can do more — and do better — to reach a higher level of success. Whether it is for your professional life too or for your personal one, these next five tips will help you reach your goals faster, and in a very satisfying way! 1) Have a clear goal in mind If it’s money-related, write how much money you want to have instead of "I want more money." For example, you could write "In February, I want to have an income of X amount." Writing "I want to lose … [Read more...] about 5 tips to use NOW to reach your goals faster
Photography Marketing: More ways to get the word out
A few years ago, I wrote a piece on how to find your first client, and how to get the word out about who you are as a photographer. Things like sharing your photos, communicating with past connections, volunteering and more are great ways to get your work out there as a photographer. Now that you've landed your first client, what else can you do to gain even more clients? Build that portfolio Even if you don't have clients, that doesn't mean you can't start building your portfolio. If you're interested in photographing portraits, grab some … [Read more...] about Photography Marketing: More ways to get the word out
A practical guide to selling your photography online
Are you considering selling your photos online? At some point, we likely all consider ways to create income from this photography obsession of ours. I mean, why not right? We have the images, there are plenty of options and opportunities out there to sell our work but finding the right avenue to do this can be time-consuming, confusing and overwhelming. Type of work Are your images considered fine art (that’s a whole other discussion), are they stock-worthy, portraits, commercial or do you feel they don’t fit in any category in particular? … [Read more...] about A practical guide to selling your photography online
Beyond Technique Podcast with Adam Mowery | Photofocus Podcast January 16, 2019
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/beyond-technique-podcast-with-adam-mowery-photofocus-podcast-january-16-2019 Get the show here or get it on iTunes — Please, post a review on iTunes. Welcome to Beyond Technique, a podcast empowering photographers to bring their businesses to the next level. In today's episode we chat with outdoor photographer Adam Mowery. We discuss: How Adam got started as a photographer The things he did to stay focused and chase his dream The role of relationship building as he furthered his career … [Read more...] about Beyond Technique Podcast with Adam Mowery | Photofocus Podcast January 16, 2019
Mind Your Own Business Podcast with Karen Kuehn | Photofocus Podcast January 11, 2019
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/mind-your-own-business-podcast-with-karen-kuehn-photofocus-podcast-january-11-2019 Get the show here or get it on iTunes — Please, post a review on iTunes. Welcome to the Mind Your Own Business Podcast! Today we chat with photographer Karen Kuehn! We discuss: How Karen got her start in photography Challenges of being a female in the industry The role of relationship building, ask for help How much things have changed in the industry (art directors, how companies use your images) … [Read more...] about Mind Your Own Business Podcast with Karen Kuehn | Photofocus Podcast January 11, 2019
Photography Marketing: Five resolutions for the New Year
Happy New Year! As photographers, we often look to the future when it comes to our business. We think of booked sales, potential repeat clients and more to fill our calendars. Maybe you always take yearly photos of a family in your neighborhood or rely on several events that you're consistently hired for on an annual basis. While this is great to have, things can change with the snap of a finger, meaning you need to think of creative ways to pick up more clients. Below are five resolutions to get your marketing going into 2019. 1. Get … [Read more...] about Photography Marketing: Five resolutions for the New Year
Beyond Technique Podcast with Julie Dermansky | Photofocus Podcast December 19, 2018
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/beyond-technique-podcast-with-julie-dermansky-photofocus-podcast-december-19-2018 Get the show here or get it on iTunes — Please, post a review on iTunes. Welcome to Beyond Technique, a podcast empowering photographers to bring their businesses to the next level. In today's episode we chat with photojournalist Julie Dermansky. We discuss: How Julie got her start in photojournalism The challenges of having a career in photojournalism some of the photographers she followed to … [Read more...] about Beyond Technique Podcast with Julie Dermansky | Photofocus Podcast December 19, 2018
Mind Your Own Business Podcast with Nick Vedros | Photofocus Podcast December 14, 2018
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/mind-your-own-business-podcast-with-nick-vedros-photofocus-podcast-december-14-2018 Get the show here or get it on iTunes — Please, post a review on iTunes. Welcome to the Mind Your Own Business Podcast! Today we chat with advertising photographer Nick Vedros. We discuss: How Nick got his start in photography How he capitalized on a rare opportunity to get his work out to the public Pushing the envelope on creativity and relationships Designing his career around the lifestyle that he … [Read more...] about Mind Your Own Business Podcast with Nick Vedros | Photofocus Podcast December 14, 2018
Weekly Wrap-Up: December 2-8, 2018
The Weekly Wrap-up compiles interesting articles published this week on Photofocus. This Wrap-Up has articles about opportunity, winter architecture, exploring your self, long exposures and writing. Enjoy! … [Read more...] about Weekly Wrap-Up: December 2-8, 2018
Flipping my photography challenges into opportunities
Have you ever had frustrating situations where you wondered how you'll ever overcome them? I have. Many times. And I got tired of it. I got tired of getting "No" as an answer and missing great opportunities. I decided to take control of my circumstances - instead of being a victim of it. As most of you may know by now, I do sports photography. I do commercial and advertising stuff and I also loooooove to cover events and competitions. As I offered my services to event organizers those past years, I realized that I often faced the same … [Read more...] about Flipping my photography challenges into opportunities
How to work less and achieve more
I’ve been traveling again, and as usual when the schedule becomes tight, time for certain things flies out of the window and we find ourselves having to make decisions about what we really need to do and what can be set aside for a few extra days — until we get our breath back or our feet on the ground and covered by Wi-Fi again. The fine art of making intelligent workflows When our time is tight, we learn to prioritize, and there’s no skill more valuable than that when it comes to running a business or simply getting our projects done. … [Read more...] about How to work less and achieve more
Beyond Technique Podcast with Brad Mangin | Photofocus Podcast November 21, 2018
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/beyond-technique-podcast-with-brad-mangin-photofocus-podcast-november-21-2018 Get the show here or get it on iTunes — Please, post a review on iTunes. Welcome to Beyond Technique, a podcast empowering photographers to bring their businesses to the next level. In today's episode we chat with sports photographer Brad Mangin. We discuss: How Brad got started in sports photography Lessons learned from the great icons Paying dues and working hard The role of relationship building The … [Read more...] about Beyond Technique Podcast with Brad Mangin | Photofocus Podcast November 21, 2018
How to make peace with TIME
8 killer tips to work smarter, be more productive and conquer a myth There’s days and there’s DAYS. Those days that are so full we almost dread them from the moment we wake up in the morning. How did we get to this? Why am I late with everything? But most importantly, how do I make sure this doesn’t happen again? EVER? Let me come right out of the gate and say that time management is a myth. You cannot manage time. You can only manage work, and that’s a BIG difference right there — to manage time, you’d have to be Doctor Who (and that’s … [Read more...] about How to make peace with TIME
Portrait Tips: Retouching must be invisible
Retouching portraits. This is an important subject and I'll tackle it with you in pieces. You've had a good session with your subject and now you can utilize your computer to finish off their pictures so they can present them to the world. When you show them their pictures, they should feel great about the way it looks. Their best friend should say, "Wow! That's a great shot of you." Their best friend should not say, "Wow! They did a great job retouching." As retoucher and photographer Kristina Sherk says, "The sign of a good retoucher is … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Retouching must be invisible
Beyond Technique Podcast with Jeremy Horner | Photofocus Podcast October 17, 2018
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/beyond-technique-podcast-with-jeremy-horner-photofocus-podcast-october-17-2018 Get the show here or get it on iTunes — Please, post a review on iTunes. Welcome to Beyond Technique, a podcast empowering photographers to bring their businesses to the next level. Today we chat with travel photographer Jeremy Horner. We discuss in detail: Relationship building and interacting with people The role of books and publishing in his business Advice to new photographers The importance of … [Read more...] about Beyond Technique Podcast with Jeremy Horner | Photofocus Podcast October 17, 2018
