Are you a photographer that owns a business or are you a business owner who offers photography? That realization can sometimes mean the difference between having a successful business or not. Here’s why you should stop photographing people as the sole subject of your imagery.
Selling cameras is a tough business and it's only getting tougher. The market for digital cameras is contracting at a dizzying rate, so which camera manufacturer is going to fold next?
Have you ever seen a photographer breakdown his or her pricing for a decently sized project? Me neither, so here's one.
With a seemingly endless stream of new camera gear announcements rolling out on what seems like a daily basis, it can be difficult to separate what features you need from those that just sound good on a spec sheet. So, how do you know when to pull out your hard-earned money?
If you go by the groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, it’s going to be an early spring — a great excuse to get some photography-related spring cleaning done. Here are some of the spring cleaning tasks you should consider.
When you are new to photography or videography, it can be a bit tough to get clients to give you a chance, which might lead you to wonder if you should offer your services for free. This quick and helpful video discusses why it might be beneficial to do a few free shoots to build out your portfolio a bit.
Scams are nothing new to photographers, but scammers are getting cleverer and more thorough. A scammer who targeted me in November was the most convincing one I’ve had yet. I’m going to share the scammer’s emails and the clues that gave him away.
The top question that haunts wedding photographers is: how do I get more clients? When it comes to wedding photography, get creative with your marketing tactics. These ideas to attract wedding photography clients will refresh your routine and expose you to clients you may not otherwise reach.
With all the discussion of the best camera on the planet or the most powerful lights, there’s a lot in a professional photographer's bag that goes overlooked. So today, I’m going to take a short look at what’s in my own camera bag.
Photography websites are here to stay, despite social media's best efforts. Having a website is really affordable and simple in 2020, but there are several faux pas that could be stopping your viewers from booking you.
Wedding photography is a tricky and demanding genre, and the business side of it can be just as difficult as the shooting itself. If you are looking to improve your wedding business, this great video discusses several common wedding photography pricing myths and what you should do instead to ensure you are putting as much money into your pocket as possible.
Being a freelance photographer or videographer is an never-ending onslaught of emails, invoices, phone calls, marketing, networking, and occasionally, picking up a camera. It takes a lot of discipline and savvy to successfully balance it all while still having a life outside work and not getting burned out. If you sometimes struggle to be productive and efficient, this excellent video will give you some helpful tips to speed you on your way.
Did you know that the initial idea for "Bad Boys" was to have Jon Lovitz and Dana Carvey as the main actors? If that happened, today, the movie would be probably known as a family movie. Instead, there were unfortunate events around the production of the blockbuster that made a few people quite famous.
There were lots of preconceived notions I had for being a professional photographer. Some were right, some were wrong, and most were somewhere in-between. But there were aspects that I hadn't even considered.
One of the most nebulous concepts in professional photography is the task of pricing your services and products. If this is something you struggle with, this helpful video will give you a lot of great guidelines for knowing what to charge to maximize your income.
Some photographers love the meditative process of film photography: it's tactile, immersive, and for some, evocative. However, there are those among us who put this traditional practice on a pedestal, claiming that it is the only true form of photography. But as long you get the image that you want, does the process really matter?
If you are running a luxury photography studio but have not starting using in-person sales (IPS) you may be leaving money on the table. The investment menu is key to having a fluid sales session. But did you know the importance of where you place the collections on the menu?
We live in a day and age where the phrase "Everything is relative" is the final word for many conversations and a basis for conclusions. This kind of mentality can lead to disastrous results.
As much as you may call yourself an artist, you must also learn the importance of identifying yourself as a business person. If you own a camera, and you're not making any money, this is the reason why.
All photographers at every level have a similar problem. How do you know how much to spend on a new camera?
I have been fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of some great advice over the years. In this article, I go over the five bits that have resonated the most with me and that I think of on every shoot.
There are cases when a client insists that you restrain from publishing anything you've worked on with them. Would you charge them more or you have another policy?
You can have unbelievable landscape photographs ,but it might be difficult to make money. You can have a stunning artistic shot, but if there isn't a celebrity or product in the photograph, it's difficult to make money. If you love to take pictures for purely personal enjoyment, this article won't add much to your life. This is for the people who want to make money from their work.
If I told you that Facebook lies, you'd all probably shrug your shoulders and reply with an elongated, groaning "duh." Other than the moral issues, their lies genuinely hurt individuals and businesses. As photographers, it's important for us to take note of how Facebook is impacting us.
It's that time of year again when Shutterstock announce their annual creative trends report for 2020. This year's findings are particularly good news for photographers.
Is Canon still the top dog, and has anybody bought new mirrorless glass?
Did anybody purchase an old school DSLR this year? Could the iPhone 11 have affected camera sales?
Being a photographer comes with perils that only fellow photographers can relate to. Here are 7 things that only photographers care about on set.
It is theorized that 10,000 hours of deliberate practice will turn one into a master of their trade. When starting out as a photographer (or any other skill), you were told practice makes perfect. But is this true for everyone ?
2020 is underway, and there are a few tasks you should look at doing before you really get into the year. These jobs will save you time and give you a great starting point for the year.
Getting your first paying job is without a doubt the hardest task you will ever complete as a professional photographer. In this video, I give my advice on how to obtain your first paying client.
You need balance as a photographer, and that means addressing the business side as well. We are creative beings, and running the day to day is something we're so great at avoiding.
There seems to be a black hole of information on the topic of taste when it comes to photography, despite it being critical for what most of us strive to achieve. In making this video, I discovered why it's such an avoided topic.
SLR Lounge's Pye Jirsa has built a successful photography education business based on his success as a portrait and wedding photographer. There is no doubt that he has both the creative and business chops to offer accurate and informative advice on pricing and sales; however, some viewers don't share his opinions.
The video title alone should make you want to come and dispute this claim, but give it a couple of minutes of your time. The majority of people won’t support you or appreciate your work. You’re not alone, and here is an example.
Whenever an aspiring photographer asks me for the secret to beginning their career, I always respond with the same answer: Step one is to remember that photography is a marathon and not a sprint.
“Saying no is saying yes to what you want.” Chris Burkard is a world-renowned photographer who is on a level of photography and client list that many aspire to be on.
When it comes to blogging, there are a lot of things that can help drive traffic to your site. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of things that you can spend tons of time on and be left with a minimal return. In this video, Corey and Dylan give photographers a solid game plan for going into 2020.
The discount in the retail industry is a very common, if not vital, technique applied by all businesses, big and small. But is the discount applicable and economically sound in the world of photography and filmmaking?
I'm not joking. Anyone who comments on this article will get a follow up message in December 2020 to see how you got on. Why? Because both committing a goal to paper and telling someone your goal both increase the chances you'll meet it.
Scottsdale, Arizona-based headshot photographer Tony Taafe went from selling $60,000 in his first year of business to $250,000 in his third, and he wants to help other photographers do the same thing.
We all know that Lightroom has its ever-growing list of issues. Yet for IT-illiterate folk like myself, the change can be daunting. However, my move to C1 is perhaps the best thing I have done in 2019.
We have all been there, you pitch for a job and some other photographer has come in so much cheaper than you that the client would be a fool to not go with them. In this video I go over how to deal with these photographers.
Tis the season for spending on camera gear and all the latest and greatest tools. But sometimes, the best investment isn’t always the most flashy.
Despite the fact that it requires certain skills at a certain level, photography is one of the easiest things to do as a job anywhere in the world. But there are some other things to consider if you are relocating to another country.
You've photographed a commercial client, they select several images, but want all the unedited versions for a symbolic price. Obviously, you did a good job at shooting, but what about the negotiations in that case?
While the dream is to bill global giants for high-end work, the reality is that many photographers and videographers are often doing small jobs for tiny companies. Getting paid on time can be a bit of a battle, so here’s a system to try and advice to consider in order to make sure your invoices don’t disappear.
Photography is expensive, although there are many areas where we can save and cut corners. However, these five items are certainly things that you don't want to skimp on.
