Who Really Sees Your Facebooks Posts? What Message Are You Really Sending?

It's a funny thing. A few years ago, many folks were very leery of signing up for an account on the new thing called "Facebook" because they didn't want the world to see what they were doing or be able to pry into their personal lives. Yet a few years later, it seems as if the best possible app that could be developed would be one that warns social media users when their personal filters are completely off.

For example, this post appeared in my feed over the weekend.

It took me by surprise that quite clearly the photographer posting this update failed to remember that the client for whom they had photographed the wedding is one of their friends on Facebook. Yes, the client saw the feed (as evidenced by the comment.)

So . . . what message did the photographer send to the client? Was it a warm fuzzy "wow, I had an awesome time photographing a wedding this weekend" or was it more along the line of "I'm driving home from my stupid out of town wedding and now I'm going to be inconvenienced because I'm running into traffic"? While the photographer did not specifically state either thought, the tone of the message is one that could easily give the client the wrong impression.

Of course, I make it a habit to not use profanity around my clients or on my Facebook page. To me, it sounds unprofessional.

When making Facebook updates, it's a great idea to ask yourself this: if the person was standing right there, would the same words that you're typing on your keyboard be coming out of your mouth?

Of course there's another rule that may even fit much better. Sometimes, when you're angry or frustrated, the best and safest status update is none at all.

- David Grupa

Are You Unknowingly Referring Your Clients to Your Competition?

Recently in one of the many Facebook groups in which I participate, I was walking one of the members through a somewhat involved process. It got to the point where it was just going to be easier to pick up the phone and talk them through it rather than try to type out line after line of instruction in messages. I clicked on the person's profile and followed the link to their Facebook business page. Since there was no contact information listed, I located the website link and clicked through to that.

Beautiful work. Awesome images. But how do I find them? Oh, here . . way down in the bottom corner, a tiny "Contact Us" button. I clicked on it and all it lead me to was an email contact form. No address or city . . . what time zone are they in? Is it too early/late to call? Ehhh, doesn't matter . . . no phone number listed, either. 

I went back to FB and mentioned this to the individual and left my phone number so they could at least call me. When they called, one of the first questions I asked was "Why don't you have any contact information listed?" The reply? "I don't like to be bothered on the phone. I just want to deal with people through email."

Bothered? Really? Isn't this your business we're talking about? Aren't clients the reason we even have a business? Without them, we don't have much of an income.

If you are running a photography business and using your home or mobile phone as the business number, why not just leave a professional sounding message that identifies your business, thanks the caller for their inquiry and invites them to leave a message so you can return their call at your earliest opportunity? That way, it doesn't sound like they've called a personal number and gives them the impression that you as a businessperson care about them as a client. While a contact email does essentially the same task, it does not offer the personal voice contact that happens during a phone call.

It started me thinking about other ways that people unknowingly drive business away. Beautifully designed postcards, websites, product brochures . . . all lacking easy-to-find contact information.

If you look at product catalogs you receive in the mail (let's say Victoria's Secret, but any mail-order catalog works) what is on each and every page?  

Website. Phone number. 

So . . . now you've gotten them to your website. If it's a national chain, what else is prominent on the first page? Yup it's a . . .

Store locator. 

Why? Because customers want to know where to find you! Even though many of us do not run retail establishments, prospective clients still want to know where to find us!

Think of it this way . . . if you were going to invest serious money in any product or service, don't you feel better having contact information? A phone number to call and an address to visit all instill confidence in a prospective client. To me, a website with nothing other than an email contact form conjures up visions of a photographer wearing dark glasses and a trench coat with a camera and a laptop in a graffiti-filled alley whispering "Psssst . . . over here. Wanna buy a CD of pictures?" 

It amazes me to see so many websites without as much as an address or contact phone number. Sure, some people will fill out an email contact form, but what about those who want to talk to you and are in the market for your product or service RIGHT NOW? You know what happened to them, don't you?

They went to one of the other websites in their search results; one with full contact information listed.

Yup. They called me. 

- David Grupa

PS - Thank-you for the indirect referral!

When Was YOUR Last Time?

As if I don't already have enough on my plate, I was flipping though Facebook friends today and looking at their profile images and it got me thinking . . . 


We invest a lot of effort and energy (not to mention $$) into convincing our clients why they should use a professional photographer, but what about us?


How recent is your last family portrait? Do you actually have a large print displayed in your own home, or is that just something we show off on our studio walls to help convince clients it's something they* need?


Better yet, when was the last time you updated your own professional headshot? What's the image displayed on your Facebook profile? Are your clients viewing a quality photograph of yourself, or are they seeing something that doesn't accurately reflect your professional reputation?


Everyone knows another photographer that you can pick up the phone and call. Maybe it's time you plan a "play date" with that person and update each other's images. It not only improves your appearance, but puts you in the client's position and gives you an opportunity to see how someone else works!

Prevent Damage to Your Camera and Memory Cards

Here's something that lots of people do and don't even think twice about . . . they put memory cards into their pocket without first putting them into a case.

No big deal? Ahhhh, but it is . . . all of the crap in your pocket (lint, small stuff, sand, whatever) gets into the pin slots on the memory cards and makes life miserable. It can really ruin your day when the card becomes unreadable, or worse, bends one of the pins in your camera!

Before putting a naked memory card into your pocket, use one of those little plastic cases the come with or get a waterproof one that holds multiple cards. They are well worth the investment! 

You can find a case such as this at most photo retailers for under $20. I've also seen them on eBay; popular brands are Pelican and JJC.

- 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

Use a Handheld Light Meter to Nail Exposure Every Time!

It's been talked about here in detail; when you're photographing your clients, you should be utilizing the proper tools to make sure you achieve the proper exposure and color (white balance) for every image you create. Today, I'll show you exactly how easy it is to use a handheld light meter and white balance target and why you should be using them with every session you photograph.

Let's begin with one basic premise; your camera - no matter what brand - is simply a computer with a lens. When we feed it proper information, we receive the results we want. Sure, there are some "AUTO" settings that allow you to concentrate on composition, but because your camera set on AUTO-anything is now "averaging" the results, you may find that you spend quite a bit more time in post-production tweaking files for exposure and color. This will help you get some of that time back!

Why do I not just use the AUTO setting? As stated above, the AUTO settings tend to provide averages in both areas of exposure and white balance. Any of these AUTO settings can be affected by color of clothing, backgrounds, or just the available light source; all of these will influence how your camera's internal system reacts.

Every time I change lighting or location in a session, I pull out the meter and the target. (I wear my meter on my belt and the target around my neck, so it's not like I'm digging through gear to find these items.) It takes just seconds to check exposure and adjust the settings on my camera for a perfect exposure. The same is true with the white balance target (which can also be used to check exposure via the histogram on the camera's display); for info on how to use the white balance target for color calibration later, CLICK HERE.)

The images below are SOOC (straight out of camera) and show the difference taking a few extra seconds on the front end makes.

Many people first beginning in photography feel as if lighting, posing and composition are the #1 things they need to master. In order to take your photography to the next level, you need to learn to properly expose your photographs so that they don't require extra tweaking in Photoshop. Every minute you save by NOT having to "Fix it in Photoshop" is a minute of your own life that you get back.

Grab that light meter and save yourself time and headaches later on!

- David Grupa

To Meter or Not to Meter . . .

Oh, how I love Facebook groups. They have become a great place to share, network and socialize with other people who have similar interests. They can certainly be a source of entertainment. On occasion, they also become the source of material for debates.

Don't get me wrong, I love a good back-and-forth as much as anyone. I don't enjoy, however, when these take place in an environment where someone is soliciting advice and the people giving said advice are leading in the wrong direction.

A recent example is a discussion surrounding the use of a light meter; a number of folks felt that it is a necessary piece of equipment, while others deemed it outdated and not relevant. One commenter even went as far as suggesting that "there are loads of awesome photographers . . . that don't use a light meter." Really? I suppose if you want to get out your calculators and determine your exposure based on a guide number and distance, that's up to you. If you're one of those who just "guess and go", so be it. To me, however, the light meter is an essential tool in my everyday work; one that I'd feel very uncomfortable without. I'm also guessing that even though many of the other "awesome photographers" know their setup and equipment well enough and could probably get by without one, most of them still use a meter to determine their initial exposures and settings.

Am I just old-fashioned? Maybe it's the fact that I date back to the Collodion Wet Plate Process (okay, back to film days, anyway) and I constantly had a Gossen Luna Pro around my neck for ambient light and another flash meter in the studio. I just never photographed without checking exposure.

I realize that today's cameras have a lot of this "built-in", but until I find a system that's 100% infallible, I'm gonna keep my trusty Sekonic L-358 strapped to my hip. It takes seconds for me to pull it out, check exposure and photograph a target for WB purposes, allowing me to concentrate on my subject rather than hope I'm not in a position where the in-camera metering gets fooled. (But that never happens, does it?)

Besides, I honestly believe it gives me a more professional appearance than someone who's just happy-snapping with their DSLR. (Don't believe me? A few weeks ago I had a client who was coming to me after an unsuccessful visit with a "faux-tographer" who gave them disappointing results from a senior portrait session. The mom and girl both commented that "the other photographer never used one of these." I explained that it's just a part of the set of tools I need to do the job well and create awesome images. During the viewing as they were oooohing and ahhhhing over the finished images, mom asked "Why don't all photographers own the right equipment to do the job?"

A necessary tool? I think so.

- David Grupa 

(Check out www.Sekonic.com for some great tutorial videos on creating better portraits and why a light meter is crucial to the process!)