Make the Leap from Shoot and Burn to Product Sales!

Every once in a while, people drop notes asking how to handle various situations. I received this one today from a photographer in a Facebook group. Is this a letter that you could have written?

                                                                             

Hi! I just saw a post on a Facebook photo group about charging $100 for a disk of images versus just offering prints and products I am assuming? She said that you had helped her convert... Well I am one of those photographers that offers sessions for $125 and they get to choose 10 poses for edit and receive a disk of the finished product... it works, but I am leaning more and more towards not offering digital images anymore. I guess the main thing holding be back is the fear of losing clients or not staying busy enough... I am still trying to get my name out there and grow my business and I wish I was busier the way it is... I feel like if I didn't offer a disk then I would slow way down as most of my clients come to me because they want a photographer that offers this. Do you have any words of expertise for me?! I would love to hear what you have to say. Thanks for your time.

- Scared to Switch

                                                                              

Dear Scared -

Thanks for your note and being brave enough to reach out. It's really difficult to make the leap, but the biggest obstacle is how WE think, not how our clients think.

Will you lose some clients by switching to a product-based model? Of course. There are people out there who want cheap. If you raise your prices and still give them the files, odds are they would leave you anyway in search of another $125 photographer. We simply have to get over the fact that these are our "starter clients".

With properly priced product, you WILL make more money. It's a fact. There are a number of photographers in the group who worked a shoot-and-burn model initially, then realized they were putting in hours of their time and talent and not reaping the benefits, emotionally or financially. Ask them; they simply won't go back.

Your fears are identical to theirs. They worried that they would lose clients. They worried that they would slow down. And yes, those things happened.

But then, a funny thing also happened. These same photographers began getting BETTER CLIENTS. Clients who valued the product the photographer produced, not simply the low price these people were charging. Suddenly, they became a good value in a high grade of clientele.

So, the decision is yours. Do the same thing and get the same results, or take the risk to change your model - and believe in it - and start making a decent living in this business.

It's not an overnight thing. You need to plan your pricing and prepare answers for why you're not $125 any longer. You can still offer files, but they need to be priced SIGNIFICANTLY higher.

Is it scary? You're darn right it is.

What's scarier is working as hard as you do for little or nothing.

- David

Print Competition - or Print Education?

It's that time of year when photographers everywhere are preparing images for Print Competition. It's really a lot less about "competing" with others, however. It is a lot more about the inner challenges you make with yourself and the educational value it holds for you in your photographic career.

When I entered my first competition nearly 30 years ago, I picked my 4 best selling images from that year, made 4 16x20 prints and sent them off to PPA. I even included the extra fee so they would send me the critique; I wanted to hear how good I was.

When I received the case back from them some months later, I was shocked to learn that my highest scoring print was a 68. 68!?!? (Remember, you're shooting for 80 and above; anything below 70 gets put back in the case and doesn't even get displayed!)

I wasn't very happy. I popped the tape into the player to hear the critique and the judge's voice said something about "I'm not sure how much experience you have in this . . . while these are probably images the clients enjoyed, they're not at all what we are looking for in professional competition."

I was PISSED. "Screw them. The first ribbons I want are green ones with dead presidents on them. Who cares about print comp, anyway."

Fast forward to a year from then. A friend of mine drops by the studio because he had invited me to go along to the meeting of the local PPA Affilliate. "Oh, and it's print competition; bring some prints!" he says (as he's pulling prints out of frames on my wall.)

So . . . I go along to watch this. As I'm watching, one of the judges says to the others "If we're just handing out ribbons, we're doing ok, but if we're trying to help the makers prepare for PPA competition, we're not helping anyone by being lenient with our scoring."

Guess whose prints came up next? Yup - mine. 73, 71, 70. I listened to the comments, but knew I was done entering. Forever. This print comp thing sucked.

The next day I'm putting my prints back on the wall and the judges' remarks are still going through my head.

"The lighting is too flat and broad."
"Her hand looks like a claw."
"Cropping on this is too tight."

I had a session that afternoon, so I loaded a 220 roll instead of a 120. (For those of you who never shot film, that means I used a 2g card instead of a 1g. )

I used the first 10 frames to do the session the way I normally would have and the second 10 frames to do what the judges said (mostly just to prove those bastards wrong.) When the film came back from the lab later that week, I looked through the images and was stunned . . . the second set looked so remarkably different, I never even showed the client any of the first 10.

It completely changed how I handled every session. My old "style" was no longer . . . it just didn't have the same impact. Images I would have shown the client in the past were now ending up in the reject pile . . .their only purpose was to show me what I'd done wrong and how to correct it.

Take the time to look at the work of others who have been successful in print competition. The link below will take you to a few galleries of various makers' work that did well in competition.

http://mnppa2.com/main/members/galleries/

As Travis Gugelman says "If you want to be fat, eat what fat people eat. If you want to be successful, do what successful people do."

Good luck!

(BTW - I lied when I said I was done entering . . . I received my Master of Photography Degree in 1998.)

- David Grupa

Family Portraits with Sam and Patricia Gardner - THIS WEEKEND!

Don't miss this opportunity to learn from 2 amazing photographers this weekend! 

No need to be a member of the SDPPA, just call 763.390.6272 to register.

Get One Year of Photovision for Just $49

One of the most popular methods of learning what's new in photography is to see and hear what other professionals are doing in their own studios. Unfortunately, it's simply not possible to travel the country and drop in on someone. Facebook groups can be helpful, but you really never know if the individual giving the information is accurate or just blowing smoke.

 

This is where Photovision's DVDs come into play. Every 2 months you receive a new DVD in your mailbox. Pop it into the TV or your computer and watch well-known industry professionals share their methods and techniques. Pause it, play it back, watch your favorite segment over and over. If you prefer to stream it online, you can do that as well!

 

Photovision has been given the "Hot One" award by the Professional Photographers of America for the quality programming they produce.

 

I’ve been receiving PhotoVision for years and always looked forward to the arrival of the DVDs in the mail. Even though I consider myself to be “seasoned” I feel like I learn something from every issue! 

 

Now, you can save $150 by using the promo code PVFAN. Just click on the link below and get all 6 DVDs or streaming video for just $49.

 

http://www.photovisionvideo.com/?afid=1646

 

Have fun!

Some Inspiration from the Sandy Puc' Tour . . .

While I was working the NILMDTS table at Sandy Puc's seminar last night, she said something that made me smile and start thinking . . .

Sam was talking about photographers and comparing them to television characters . . . and she said:

"Did you ever notice that Wile E. Coyote has enough money to buy every known gadget from ACME, but apparently doesn't have enough sense to just buy dinner?"

Since the beginning of time, photographers have been gadget hounds. It's always amazing for me to hear the conversation at conventions about "how much I need x product" or "I would just love to have whatshisname's thingamajig" . . . and, I'm guilty of it as well. Almost every photographer has a shelf of things that they had great intentions of using often when they purchased it, but for whatever reason, never really put it into their routine.

Years ago I had a photographer who shot for me who constantly complained about not having enough money to buy a new lens he felt would truly improve his photography. I asked him how much he spent on cigarettes and we figured out that if he quit smoking for 6 weeks, he could have that lens. After that, puff away. (He never did do it . . . )

Then there's The Professor from Gilligan's Island; he's smart enough to be able to make a bicycle-powered washing machine, power the radio from a couple of coconuts and make enough stuff to help them survive, but he can't figure out how to fix a hole in the boat and get them off the island.

I once had a colleague who would invest hours into making studio accessories. Not props and backgrounds, but actual studio equipment. He once decided that instead of just buying a couple of studio lights, he would make a more powerful one himself . . . using parts from a local surplus store. Did it happen? Let's just say that hundreds of dollars (and many years) later, he was still trying to reinvent the wheel when we could have simply purchased one for a few dollars more. There is such a thing as being penny-wise and pound foolish.

Yup . . . I know a few photographers like that. Do you?

We all like shiny stuff. New stuff. Cool stuff. Expensive stuff. Stuff that may or may not make us money. We just need to make those important decisions as we run our businesses.

Will this investment help me make more money, or just add to my cool factor? Is it something I can utilize often enough to make it pay for itself in a short period of time, or is it going to end up having a "shelf-life", living in the back room and rarely seeing the light of day after the initial lustre has worn off? Am I wasting money in other areas that are preventing me from buying the things that I do need to help me grow my business?

Some people are truly daring. Think about the person who first looked at a chicken and said "I'm going to eat the next thing that comes out of that bird's behind!" We are risk-takers by nature . . . after all we decided to go into business for ourselves and walk away from the security of a job where someone else made the decisions and all we had to do was put in our time and collect a paycheck.

Now, we ARE the person who makes those decisions. And the paycheck we collect depends on how well we make them and how quickly we can adapt to change.

Perhaps Sam's best line of the evening was as she closed this segment. "After all, the road is full of flat squirrels who couldn't make a decision."

Don't become a flat squirrel!

(Thanks to Sandy Puc' for some great material!)

You Can't Get by Solely on Designer Jeans and Expensive Shoes.

There's been a firestorm brewing on Twitter, Facebook and private blogs the past few days over something called "The System - A 10 Step Guide to Starting Your Photography Business". A number of heavy hitters have weighed in on this already and while I don't really want to start anything over this one, because David Jay isn't the only one preaching it . . . I do feel compelled to make a couple of comments (oh, c'mon, you knew I would!) ;-)

I have a difficult time getting on board with the "Stuart Smalley" logic of "Go ahead, you can do it." There is something to be said for experience (be it one wedding or one hundred) that cannot be replaced by "blind faith" or "passion". You have to be good at what you do, no matter how likeable you are as a person. Photographers at all levels still need training and experience; "spray and pray" is a HORRIBLE philosophy under which to send anyone out to do a job professionally.

Yes, even a blind squirrel still finds a nut now and then, but you're more apt to get more than a "lucky shot" if you know what to do, where to be positioned and how to set your camera (and I don't mean on AUTO-everything!)

I love baseball. Those of you who know me understand this . . . I have played, coached, broadcast it on radio and cable tv . . . BUT . . . no matter how much I want to be a professional baseball player, the fact remains that my skill set is nowhere near what is required to play in the Major Leagues. Just because I want to be a pro baseball player doesn't make it so; I'm now too old and too slow, and even if I did train all year long and get into "playing condition", I'm still not going to even get a look by a club. "Buy a ticket and watch from the stands."

Photography, however, is not determined by age, as Mr. Jay claims. Those of us he's calling "old guys" (I'm not old, but since I've been in this business longer than many of you have been alive, I'll put myself there) still look for new ideas, new ways of doing things and what's current in the industry. We attend seminars with new, young speakers and make those changes in our business to remain competitive. Unlike a pro ball player, I don't have to "hang it up" just because someone younger and faster has come along.

While I understand that there are people who just want a DVD of images, the bulk of the consumers out there still want quality photography to hang on their walls and display in their home. This business has always been about service, but not in the "shoot and burn" way he preaches. There is a great deal of service in satisfying the needs of my client by providing a top-quality product.

He's giving people a taste of the product to entice them to purchase. Why does the grocery store or Sam's Club set up little demo booths all around the space? If they give you a sample of what you can buy and convince you that you want more, you'll pay them for the entire product. David Jay details this in his "shoot for free" philosophy (although he calls it "sharing"). It's showing them they want what you have.

He's doing the same thing in this entire ad piece which he has very cleverly disguised as a helpful article. It it a bad thing? Not at all. It's his marketing. He can market however he chooses.

Caveat emptor.

It's Actually More Expensive to NOT Join PPA Groups.

So . . . I'm back after an awesome weekend at the Northern Light Regional Convention.

Not only do I love the learning opportunities presented at these events, I love the camaraderie and fellowship that I get to share with my colleagues from the 3 state area. That experience is second only to serving on the board of directors; planning and putting on awesome events such as this really get my blood flowing.

Since this is a place for photographic education, I would be remiss if I didn't seriously suggest that you take the next few minutes of your life to check out your state's PPA affiliate associations and inquire about membership.

I know, you're thinking "dues are too expensive."

PPA pays the premium on $15,000 in equipment insurance as a part of my membership dues. MNPPA will pay for the hosting of my Wordpress website on their server and offers special member events that are included in my membership. TCPPA has monthly gatherings and even picks up the tab for dinner.

What benefits does your Facebook group offer? (I mean, other than sucking the life out of your productive time . . . )

You don't need another toy for your camera. You need education. Invest that money in yourself.

What are you waiting for?

You can find your nearest affiliate group at the link here:
http://www.ppa.com/community/affiliates/affiliate-directory.php

Let me know if you have any questions; I'm happy to help!

- David Grupa

Do You Really Need the Latest, Greatest Camera Body?

With Nikon's announcement of the D4 and D800 series bodies, photographers everywhere are drooling over this latest morsel and trying to find a way to fit it into their camera bag and checkbook. The same thing happens when Canon introduces new product.

This has been a long-standing argument with photographers; should I buy the more advanced camera body, or should I buy a better lens?

Here's my 2 cents worth (c'mon, you knew it was coming!)

Unless you're working with a very low-end consumer grade DSLR, I'm going to tell you to buy the better lens every time. When we dealt with film, I always said "the body is simply the film holder and advance mechanism. The glass is where the difference is made." I stand by that advice with digital.

Think about it like this: would you go out and invest in a Porsche but then decide "ummm, I can't afford the really good tires, but I think I have some at home I took off the mini-van." Are you nuts?!?! You now have a high-end sports car and you will NOT get the expected performance out of it with crappy bald tires. You can, however, put better tires on the vehicle you currently drive and feel the improvement in handling, cornering and even the smoother ride immediately. Is it going to be as sexy as the sports car? Probably not, but it will still get you to the desired destination while being safe and comfortable as well.

The same is true in our industry. Do you really need the latest, greatest camera body? Probably not. Sure, you may be giving up extra megapixels and not have full-frame capability, but as long as you're not photographing "professionally" with consumer-grade gear that's designed for hobbyist applications (car snobs refer to it as driving a "total POS") you will benefit more from getting better glass first. That WILL give you a noticeable improvement in your images immediately!

Whether you're a Canon or Nikon user, the coatings used in the production of better lenses will give you a distinct advantage over the ones used in the "good enough" kit lens that came with your camera. Go ahead and upgrade the body if you really need the new hardware (especially if your camera says "Rebel" on it), but investing in good quality lenses will NEVER be a mistake.

- David Grupa

Ahh, The Art of the Camera Tilt.

There has been an evolution of sorts in the media and photography realm in the last decade or so. One change you’ll notice is tight cropping, which a lot of photographers have incorporated as well as the TV media. When done properly, it pulls the viewer's attention into the subject’s eyes. In the photography world, we have also found that tipping our cameras can lend an artistic flair to an otherwise simple composition. However, there are some simple rules to live by when using this advanced maneuver. Let’s go over some tips for tipping.

Let's start with a simple before and after of a senior guy. As you can see, tilting the composition and reframing the subject adds a lot more interest. Notice that the senior is in the exact same pose, but the photographer is capturing from a higher angle and has tightened up the shot to exclude shoes and legs.

The biggest rule to follow to make this work is having a vertical line somewhere in the image to anchor the subject. Notice where the true horizon of the images really are.

The above rule can be broken in some instances and still lead to a visually strong image such as in this example here.

While this image breaks the rule about tilting, it also follows a number of rules of composition. The subject's face is in the top right power point of the composition which follows the Rule of Thirds. There are also strong diagonal leading lines from her body and the lines of the flooring which pull you into her face.

When done properly, the camera tilt ends up being very subtle and directs your attention to the subject, not the tilt of the camera.

That's all for now!

- Kirsten Holscher

Bring a Friend to Camp David 2011 With This Great Offer!

One of the best parts of going to seminars and educational events is attending with friends. You can take and compare notes afterwards, with each of you drawing different points of interest from the presenter. Having attended the South Dakota Spring Seminar in Sioux Falls this past weekend, I compared notes with Kirsten on the drive home. Both of us had some common points in our jottings, while each of us also took some of the info in different directions, based on what the need is in our respective studios.

We want you to have those same experiences at Camp David 2011, so here's our special offer:

Register both yourself and a friend for just $149! That's a savings of 25% off the individual registration price. CLICK HERE to download the registration form and get signed up today. (Don't worry; if you've already sent your form, drop us a note and we'll give you a rebate when your friend registers and uses your name.)

We have an amazing day planned and we don't want you to miss out. We have some excellent sponsor participants who have provided us with some generous gifts to give away during the course of the day as well . . . maybe you'll be the lucky one!

Bring a friend, share the experiences and let's learn together.

- David Grupa

Register Now - Camp David 2011 - Take Control!

Camp David 2011 - Take Control!

Date - Monday, April 25th   Location - Maplewood Community Center  2100 White Bear Ave - Maplewood, MN Time - 9:00am to 6:00pm  -registration/check-in begins at 8:30am (informal dinner to follow at Jake's - Maplewood)

                                                             

Has your photography "business" take over your life? Are you tired of spending all your time in Photoshop? Has your family ever asked "How much more time are you going to spend in front of the computer?"

Are you new to the industry and just need to learn the proper way to get started?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions or you would like to get better in lighting, workflow, sales and marketing, or just become more profitable, it's time for you to Take Control of your business.

Join David Jones, Dave Johnson, David Grupa and Kirsten Holscher for a full day of helpful information. Last year's Camp David was a huge success and 2011 will be even better!

Spend the morning at our lighting and workflow stations; learn studio lighting, lighting on-location with off-camera flash, color balance and workflow, and presentation and sales techniques.

We'll pause for a brief lunch together, then get right back into things for our afternoon breakout sessions. Choose from the following:

David Jones - Lightroom

Learn how Adobe's Lightroom can speed up your workflow and help organize your images.

Dave Johnson - Get Away From Your Computer and Get Your Life Back!

Learn how to automate your regular tasks in Photoshop by building actions. Every second you save is time you can spend doing something you really enjoy!

Kirsten Holscher - Business By The Numbers

Your business numbers are more than just the price of your products. Knowing how all of the numbers fit together will allow you to chart your course and keep you on track.

David Grupa - Social Media Marketing

Social Media encompasses your internet presence, including Facebook, Twitter, your blog and website. Spend your time online doing something productive for your business.

Register by April 15th and receive the "trade show in-a-bag" gift, 
loaded with goodies and more!

Cost - $99 per person/ $129 at the door - Registration includes lunch and a PPA Charities t-shirt!
NEW - Register with a "Buddy" and Both of you come for $149!
(Buddy Pass offer good only when both registrations are received together.)

A portion of the proceeds from all Camp David registrations will be donated to PPA Charities

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
 

For more information call David Grupa at 651.748.8779 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            651.748.8779      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or email info@CampDavidPhoto.com

Coming from out of town?

Emerald Inn Maplewood - 651.777.8131 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            651.777.8131      end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Days Inn Maplewood - 651.288.0808 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            651.288.0808      end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Country Inn Vadnais Heights - 651.483.1625 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            651.483.1625      end_of_the_skype_highlighting

9 Things To Do in Preparation for the HS Senior Season

As photographers, we just love to have people in front of our cameras. Being creative individuals causes us to "think outside the box" and come up with new ways to light, pose, photograph and sell to our clients.

However, as small business owners we often fall a bit short of that creative mark. So many photographer I speak with either hate the thought of marketing their business or just have no idea where to begin; many end up doing nothing at all. If this describes how you feel about marketing your studio, you'll want to watch this page as the next few articles will deal with marketing ideas for high school seniors.

There are many facets involved in creating a coordinated marketing campaign, so advance planning is vital. You can't just mail out a card that says "Class of This Year's Seniors Should All Be Photographed Here" and expect that to do the trick. Competition for the photography dollar has never been more challenging.

Here Are 9 Ideas of What To Do in Preparation for a New Year of HS Senior Clients:

1)      Look back at the previous year. You can't tell where you're going until you know where you've been.
- What sold well?
- What items are just taking up space on your price list?
- Is it time to refresh / replace / remove slow-moving or non-selling offerings?

2)      Review your senior portrait menu.
- Is the design still relevant?
- Do your clients understand it easily without explanation?
- Is your pricing still profitable? (Do you need an increase?)

3)      Manage your web presence.
- Change out images on your website from past years so you continually look current. HS seniors (and their parents, who make the buying decision) love to see faces of people they know!
- Make sure you are keeping current updates on your blog.
- Don't forget about Facebook; it's not just for games and socializing!

4)      Decide on your offers and strategy.
- Should you offer a discount on sessions or packages? (Hint: I always discount sessions because the client only purchases one of these. If I discount the portrait packages, I'm now beginning to take money out of my own pocket. And NEVER give away wallets! What do seniors always purchase?)
- Will you mail postcards, post offers on your website, use Facebook, or a combination of these?
- If mailing, have you ordered a mailing list yet?
- When will you make these offers? What dates are they valid?

5)      Schedule model sessions.
- Arrange for a few of next year's seniors to schedule a mini-session in your studio so you can get some fresh faces online. This also gives you the opportunity to try new ideas and perfect new techniques.

6)      Design your materials.
- Whether it will be electronic or printed, design your campaign with a coordinated look. There needs to be continuity in your marketing.

7)      Update your studio / look.
- Perhaps it's time to purchase new backgrounds (or maybe just trade with a colleague to save $$ and still get a fresh look.)
- Make sure your props have a fresh coat of paint and everything is clean and free of dust, cobwebs, etc. (Nothing makes a senior girl cringe like a spiderweb!)
- Walk into your studio as if you were the client. What would you change / clean / repair?
- Schedule an Open House, for clients, colleagues or both! (Nothing makes you take a critical look at yourself as when you've got company coming!)

8)      Challenge yourself to waste less time.
- Seriously, how many frames are you going to show a client? We all overshoot, but sometimes we make more work for ourselves. Remember, the images you capture today you'll still have to edit later.

9)      Unclog the post-production bottleneck by preparing yourself in advance.
- Sick of retouching? Try a service such as Retouchup.com. You'll still have to do your own "finishing" to the image, but the basic retouching is handled for $5 a file or less.
- How many times have you looked at an image and run 2, 3, 4 or more different actions on it just to see what they do?
- Look at what you've done in years past; retire any effects that are outdated or overused. Decide what look you'd like for the coming year and highlight 6-10 effects that you intend to use regularly. Move them to a prominent spot in your palette along with other often-used actions to save time searching.

The list will continue to grow as you dig deeper, but these tips should give you a head start on preparing for a busy and profitable high school senior season!


- David Grupa

Stay tuned:  More Creative Senior Marketing Ideas in Coming Articles!

Preparing Images for Competition? Get a Headstart at Mark and Krish Kiefer's Workshop!

It's that time of year when photographers everywhere are preparing files in the hopes of earning merits toward PPA's Master of Photography Degree, or perhaps just evaluating how their work stacks up against others in the industry. With image competition deadlines right around the corner, what would you give to be able to pick the brains of not one, but two PPA Masters who've experienced their fair share of success in this arena?

Here's your chance.

On Sunday, April 3rd, you can spend the day with Krish and Mark Kiefer to learn the secrets of success in print competition. Join this husband and wife team in their Waconia, MN studio as they guide you through the process of visualizing, selecting, enhancing and then finishing award-winning images from your raw file to the final presentation.They will decipher the twelve elements of a merit print. Areas of emphasis will include composition, storytelling, impact, creativity and presentation. You will learn how to properly work with your RAW file to get the most out of it, including proper sizing, color management, enhancing and final presentation/matting.

Both Krish and Mark have earned their Master of Photography and Photographic Craftsman Degrees from the Professional Photographers of America. Both are Certified Professional Photographers, experiencing success at all levels of competition. They have been awarded numerous Kodak Gallery Awards, Fuji Masterpiece Awards, judges' choice ribbons, as well as many PPA Loan Collection Prints. Their studio has been featured on the Photovision DVD series.

Since Krish and Mark are very close friends of mine, I could go on about their accolades but I think you get the idea. What I will say is this; these two are complete rockstars when it comes to the ins and outs of photographic competition. They're also good people who genuinely want to provide sound advice at a reasonable price. This is not one of those "thousand-dollar-days" that you won't be able to afford. (My understanding is that the price tag on this is actually under $200; how can you afford NOT to attend?)

Those attending are encouraged to bring images/files for critique and to work on. Bring your laptop to this full-day class so you can learn new techniques in Photoshop that will not only benefit you in competition, but bring up the overall quality of your everyday work.

Even though you may be asking yourself if you should wait until your images are better before start entering, the reality is the sooner you enter, the sooner you should start to see an improvement in your work. Do you really want to wait to improve your skills?

Entry deadline for the PPA International Competition 2011 is April 27th. Stop putting it off and make it happen now.

For information on this workshop (limited to 12 people to maximize the hands-on learning experience), call Krish or Mark at 952.442.5436.

Don't miss out on this awesome opportunity with two of the industry's best!

- David Grupa

Dare to be Different; What Kind of Business Owner Are You?

There are lots of photography forums out there; between Facebook groups and privately run sites, it's pretty tough to say that there are no places to go for "inspiration". Many of these sites encourage participants to share their images, along with the techniques used to create them, so that others may learn from what they have done. Photographers of all skill levels participate in these groups, some actively sharing while others are more comfortable "lurking" in the shadows. Of course, there are always one or two who just vie for attention, practically screaming "come on, dig me!" in their efforts to be the "most liked".

In addition to the online education, there are also dozens of opportunities such as seminars, conventions and privately run classes, again offering tips, tricks and formulas for success in the photographic world.

Inevitably, after taking the same classes, joining the same groups and using the same tips, actions and templates, suddenly some photographers' work begins to look "the same". Sure, there are a few folks who will copy an idea down to the last detail, but what is it that you do to set yourself apart? Too many new photographers find an image they like and repeat it over and over, or prowl through the websites of established photographers in hopes of finding an image or pose that their limited technical skill set will allow them to copy.

If running that new action to over-saturate the colors is your idea of "being different", maybe it's time for another look at the bigger picture.

            - After you find an inspiring image or a new pose, do you try to copy it exactly or do you take the idea and execute it in a unique way by adding your own style or twist?

            - Do you spend time looking at images of other photographers for inspiration, or are you "stalking their websites" in hope of stealing ideas?

            - Do you find yourself using the same actions on every image? Do your images stand alone without running actions, or have they become a crutch that keeps you from having to be technically "perfect"?

And finally, my personal favorite:

            - Do you find yourself constantly visiting the sites of other photographers in your area "just to see what they are doing?"

Recently, an individual new to the photographic industry, but no stranger to the business world shared this quote:

"The competitor to be feared is one who never bothers about you at all, but goes on making his own business better all the time." - Henry Ford

So think about this; are you so stressed over what your competitors might be doing that you can barely find enough time to be creative in your own studio? Or, are you the owner that sets focus on your own brand and business, always creating new items, striving to be better and offering products of high value to your own clients without visible regard for what those around you are doing?

Which one would you rather be . . . and which one would you rather do business with?

- David Grupa

Free Action Set Makes Editing Easier, Faster - Results in Better Sales Sessions!

Actions. We love them. Every one of us is looking for that one new action to make our workflow smoother and set our images apart from the rest of the crowd. We get antsy to buy as platform speakers extol the virtues of their latest-and-greatest action sets.

So, if I told you about one simple action that would speed up your workflow and make your editing a breeze, would you be interested?

What if I told you that using a related action would confuse your clients less, resulting in enjoyable sales sessions that make you look like a rockstar photographer? (Are you reaching for your credit card yet?)

But wait . . . there's more! What if I also told you about a secret bonus action that would keep you from overshooting on each and every session? (Now do I have your attention?)

Fasten your seat belts, boys and girls, because I am already using these actions and am reaping the benefits of their results.

Before you waste time looking for the link to click and the box in which to enter your PayPal info, take a deep breath. I'm a nice guy . . . I wouldn't charge you for these! Best of all, you can perform these simple actions right now and it takes just a few seconds.

Ready?

Action #1: Take your camera off continuous shooting. Yup. Single frame.

You see, we do it to ourselves. We set the camera on continuous and hold down the shutter. It's almost like when I was a kid. I wasn't always confident that I could knock the can off the fence with a single rock, but if I had a whole fistful of rocks, I was bound to hit something!

I once photographed with someone who complained bitterly about the amount of editing they had to do, yet rattled off 6-10 frames each time they captured an image. TV commercials don't even show cameras shooting that many frames!

Capture your images carefully and thoughtfully. Change the pose or the camera angle and go for quality rather than quantity.

Action #2: Edit brutally and only show the very best images. Do the hard work before the client sees them. Make choices that show your clients good variety without repetition.

As artists, we have the tendency to overwhelm our clients with choices. Trying to impress them with how awesome we are often backfires. Rather, show them just the best frames from the session. Less is more.

Side benefit: When your client only sees the best of your best, it make you an even more amazing photographer in their eyes.

But wait . . . there's more! As promised, here's the bonus action that helps prevent overshooting.

Secret Bonus Action: Load only the proper size memory card you need to complete the session. If this was film, you wouldn't have loaded a 220 roll when you only need a 120. (Hmmmmm . . . wonder how many people I lost there?)

What I'm saying is this: you already know approximately how many images fit on a specific card, so avoid the tendency to use the 4 gig card when you only need a 2 gig. Why select the 2 gig when 1 gig is adequate? We all get carried away and overshoot, so just plan in advance and save yourself time later.

Using these 3 simple actions, I guarantee you'll have more time to spend with the people you love rather than wasting it in front of your computer!

- David Grupa

Attend Camp David at the NorthernLightPP Convention PLUS more for just $129!!

Not going to Vegas? 

I realize that this is the time of year where people sit back and wait for the "busy season" and use excuses for not attending events such as these like "I have no money." How will you get what you need to better yourself when all of your competition is learning lighting, posing, sales and marketing from the Camp David Gang and other top people in the industry?

Here's your chance. You can attend programming at the 2011 Northern Light Convention on Saturday, February 26th and Sunday, February 27th for just $129. That's it. $129! 

Learn from David Jones, David Johnson, Kirsten Holscher and David Grupa when you take in Camp David. (But wait, there's more!) Experience a live shoot with Martin Grahame-Dunn, hear Canon Explorer of Light Michele Celentano tell us how she converts her children clients into family portrait buyers. Watch "The Lightroom Dudes" Kerry Garrison and Jason Anderson demystify Adobe's newest software.

And there's still more. A FREE Backstage Pass gives you access to even more programming, print competition and a Trade Show with some of the top vendors in the region. Socialize, network, learn, party and play at Breezy Point Resort for just $129! Really, it doesn't get any better than this.

This is a $260 value and the offer is not available online. You must call 763.390.6272 or 877.397.3241 to take register for this special rate; do it right now!

Don't forget to check out the Northern Light PPA Website and follow Northern Light PPA on Facebook or Twitter.

To Sell The Files or Not To Sell The Files . . .

There are always loads of questions centering around "should I sell my digital files?" My answer is always the same; "I have no problem including files as long as I am still meeting the amount I need from each client. With senior portraits, the number is set based on number of files purchased after a qualifying order; with weddings, that number is higher (since the average wedding sale is considerable higher.)

However, we all know of those who are selling (or worse, giving) the files for little or no compensation at all! I can not even begin to think that I am making a profit (or even a reasonable living) if I am photographing a session for $100-$150 or a wedding for $750-$1000 and simply turning over a disk of printable images and a print license. I'm just leaving far too much money on the table that the same client is now going to spend with SOMEONE ELSE.

My business model is based on providing top-quality finished products to a client. I want to sell portraits, albums and frames at a price-point that allows me to make a living without spending the rest of my natural life in front of a computer. If you have a family or spouse (and want to stay married), my suggestion is that this is the way to go.

A number of years ago there was a team call "Power Consulting". Jerrold Deck and Sondra Ayers spoke on the important of "Market Positioning". You could position yourself as one of the following three types of merchants:

• Price
• Service
• Quality

As a Price-based vendor, you would be focusing on selling your product for a low price. Of course, you'll have to do a lot of volume to make any money, but you will definitely be busy!

As a Service business, you are focused on providing a great experience for your client. You take your time and overwhelm them with great service during and after the session.

As a Quality merchant, you feature only the best products. Print are mounted, lacquered, textured and delivered in quality packaging materials (not the plastic baggie the lab sent them back in).

You can even choose to position yourself as any two of these, as long as neither is price. (As a Price merchant, you won't have time to give good service and you won't have the profits to give top quality.)

Ultimately, you may choose whatever business model works best for you, as long as you are able to make a reasonable living doing it that way.

This past summer I actually had a client call me after her son's HS senior portrait session to tell me that "we are a very technologically advanced family and don't have photographs in our home. We prefer to put in a disk and watch them on our big screen tv. Our son doesn't need wallets; he just wants to share the images on Facebook."

She wanted only the digital files and no physical photographs. Is it a monetary decision? Initially, I didn't think so. Both of their children attend high-priced private schools and they drive some fairly high-end automobiles. They live in one of the high-end suburbs . . . surely this could not be about being cheap.

Since I don't sell (or give) digital files as a part of my business model, I quoted her a dollar amount for the files she wanted that was comparable my order average for a HS senior boy. It was then that she looked at me as if I was an alien. "That's ridiculous. I mean, I'd be willing to pay you the same amount as you charge for a 5x7 . . . "

So, I asked her how big the TV is on which she'll be viewing the images. "Oh, it's a 52" Sony, top-of-the-line. They'll look just like big wall pictures on that." My quote to her was in the same ballpark as I charge for a 20" or 24" portrait, yet she's only "willing to pay me for a 5x7."

We've done it to ourselves. Photographers (professional and otherwise) all over have set the bar so horrifically low that clients expect "all photographers" will follow suit. In the case of this woman, she left without placing an order. (I did receive a small print order from her via email a week or so later . . . but very minimal.)

Set the expectation with your clients from the beginning. We are trained artists and photographers. We are not mass-producing widgets for a nickel each, we are creating one-of-a-kind images and working with our clients on a personal level.

Is it okay to let a client walk? As painful as it is, the answer is Y-E-S. Not everyone is our target client; we need to identify that from the initial consultation. We have to allow them to aspire to own our work. Anything else devalues our own work and talents, as well as affects the profession as a whole.

Don't be afraid to say no . . . and always attach a price to the ability to say yes.

Remember, photography is not our life. Photography is what we do in our attempt to create a good life.

- David

Hints For a More Successful Bridal Fair Experience

If you're a wedding photographer, odds are you've spent your fair share of time at bridal fairs and expos. This is a busy time of year for events such as these; while they can be great events for marketing and displaying your product, they can also work against you if you aren't prepared. Worse yet, you risk damaging your image and reputation if your attitude is too casual.

Long ago, I decided that if I was going to invest the money, time and effort into doing these events, I was going to get the most bang for my marketing dollar. Time and money are too precious to waste.

While you need to make your table or booth appear inviting, simply having a few large photographs or a slideshow playing isn't going to make you stand out from the other photographers in the show. You need to do both some advance work as well as follow-up.

Here are five simple (yet important) tips about getting the most from your bridal fair marketing investment:

   1.  Do your homework. Check the vendor list in advance. See which photographers will be displaying, as well as other vendors. If you have (or would like to have) a partner relationship with the vendors in attendance, see if you can trade table space for a small display. For example, if you have photographed at a specific venue, printing a small quantity of marketing pieces featuring images from that venue could work in your favor. I generally give the vendor 8-10 of these shortly after the wedding. The card may be a small press card (4x5, 5x7) featuring your images of their work. (Of course, you've discreetly placed a photo credit along the edge of the card; something like © David Grupa Portrait - www.DavidGrupaPortrait.com.) The vendor now has a professionally-designed card with their work in-hand; I always attach a little note that says "how much I enjoyed working with them and hope to again soon. Please accept these marketing cards with my compliments."

Invariably, they'll want more cards. Since they're handing out samples of my work for me, I supply them at a "preferred vendor rate". You get referrals, they get great images. Everyone wins.

If you need something to spruce up your table or booth, check with vendors who do decorating or floral arrangements. You may be able to work a deal where you can have a fresh arrangement or decor from that vendor (along with a sign, crediting that vendor's work) on your table. Again, offer to give them images from weddings you've photographed where they have also worked.

   2.  Control your environment. If possible, set up your booth or table so that it allows prospective clients to come in and interact. Too often, the table becomes a barrier between you and a bride. I like to set up my images on easels along the sides and pull the table to the back wall. This way, brides can "come in" to your space. It also maximizes the space available and provides the illusion of a larger booth.

   3.  GET RID OF THE CHAIRS! There is nothing that makes a vendor look completely uninterested as a booth at an event where the vendor is sitting behind a table. Stand. Interact. If possible, put the chairs in a position where prospective couple can sit and view your work. Get off your tail and look excited to be meeting new clients.

Also, keep any food, drink, snacks, etc. out of view. A half-eaten sandwich or partial bottle of soda just looks sloppy and unprofessional.

   4.  Network. When traffic slows and you are able to walk away from your table, use the time to speak with other vendors who appeal to the same type of client with whom you wish to work. Trade brochures, build a referral list with other businesses. Even though a particular person may not be in a position where they refer prospective weddings your way, they may have other connections which will prove valuable. Talk. Smile. Exchange cards and info.

DO NOT become a clock-watcher. While I realize these events can consume a good portion of the day, don't be one of those idle people standing along the sideline muttering "45 minutes left" to other merchants. You paid for this time, so use it wisely.

   5.  Follow up. Many shows supply you with a list of registered attendees, along with their dates and contact info. A follow-up message via USPS or email is often an effective method of spurring a potential client to action. If you choose the email route, design an attractive piece using a bulk email program such as iContact. Using a program such as this will also allow you to track when the email is opened, as well as any embedded links that were clicked on.

Do the same with the vendors you met; drop them a note and a small stack of marketing pieces or business cards. Better yet, schedule a visit and offer to photograph their site in exchange for a small display in their sales area.

Of course, the main thing is to do something. Doing nothing simply pushes you to the back of the pack where you'll be soon forgotten.

Whatever you do, make sure you do it in a timely fashion while your name is still fresh in the minds of your prospects.

Good luck - happy marketing!

- David Grupa