In this episode of Chase Jarvis RAW, a fired up Jarvis goes off on a thoughtful stream of consciousness and details why so many photographers or filmmakers might not see the engagement they are looking for with their work. To him, it's because they likely stop working once the content has been created and shared, and they don't go on to interact with their community or audience.
Last year, I came up with an idea. A far fetched idea though it may have been, it was something I really wanted to do. I wanted to combine all of the things I love into one project, and make it a reality. Those things were photography, helping those less fortunate than myself, physical printing, travel, traditional cultures, and the sharing of knowledge.
I've been following Adam Krowitz on Instagram for some time now, and I saw him post this a while ago but it wasn't until last night that it really had me thinking and reflecting on the past year. The entire video was put together so well, the quote worked perfectly, and I was drawn into the video the whole time I was watching it.
The month of January is generally a slower time of the year for portrait photographers. While you spend most of the year working hard in your business, the down times give you an opportunity to plan ahead and get organized for the next busy season.
On a recent visit to my hometown, a friend of a friend asked if I would be able to photograph some inventory for her online art business. Most of her products were small to medium sized and she had a considerable backlog that needed to go up as quickly as possible.
About ten years ago I was buying a new vehicle. I went to three different dealerships. All three sales personnel had very different approaches in their technique for sealing the deal. While I was not a sales person myself at the time (life prior to being a photographer), I understood the behavior.
I remember one of my first introductions to branding. I was sitting in a workshop and the Nike logo popped up on the screen and then Mercedes and then Coca Cola. It’s the most common way to explain branding. Showing popular logos and letting the audience realize they have a connection to that logo, good or bad, and therefore a connection to that company and their product.
Although you read it on a website related to photography and videography, the information in this article can be applied to many other businesses. What I'm going to share is based on my own experience, not based on marketing books.
Boudoir photography at its core is more about the experience the client feels than the reward of the album or other products. When the client steps foot in the door, they have already committed to a life changing event that he or she will be relying on the professional to create for them.
In this high-tech, fast-paced world, we all "snap pics." I'm going to go ahead and venture a guess that the majority of us tend to do so from our phones, since we now have these amazing portable devices that can provide a decent exposure for us. What has come out of these great technological advances is a larger-than-ever movement of aspiring photographers...
You heard it all across the internet last week as YouTube legend Casey Neistat ended his daily vlogs after nearly a year and half and sold his company Beme for an outstanding amount of money. Jumping to a new project of this scale can only be described as scary and empowering.
It’s simply impossible to ignore the change our industry is undergoing. The wide availability of industry-standard equipment has seen an uprise of people pursuing photography as a career. Photographers are battling against many threats to their careers; increasingly, celebrities who are trying their luck behind the camera.
While many of us have grown to love the services offered by the web giant Squarespace, their e-commerce options have been seriously lacking one important feature needed for professional photographers. In this candid letter to Squarespace, I pose a couple of questions that I feel the company may not be listening to.
Dearest Squarespace,
Hanging a photograph from your wall will always have its appeal. Make that photograph the work of a famous and respected artist, and the appeal starts to rise. This is why well-established artists can demand such a high price tag for their work. But this entire process relies heavily on the person purchasing the piece to actually enjoy the art.
Earlier in the year, I reported on a photography service that was offering tourists the chance to summon a professional photographer through an app — essentially the photo-equivalent of Uber.
Are you using Instagram Stories in your marketing? Are you wondering how photographers are using Stories? With new features like tagging and Boomerang being added this week as well as the possibility of links being added in the near future, Instagram Stories is quickly becoming a great tool for marketing that every photographer should take advantage of.
Planning and timing is the key; especially, when it comes to a serious photography or video work. Usually, you have to deal with lots of details in a fast-paced environment, and manage your own crew as well. Therefore, it's better to be planned and be prepared against any possible misfortune.
Now I'm not sure about the rest of you, but the art of responding to a new lead is an ever shifting task for me and my photography business. We all do our best to stay on top of the trends, by researching our genre of photography to better understand our perspective clients and keep our responses fresh and interesting.
The photography industry has made one error over and over again. It is expressed in the assumption that since the march of technology makes it possible to achieve something with less effort, photographers will be happy to accept the current standard and pay extra for more convenient ways of achieving it.
The logo. That simple stylized image that is supposed to help people to recognize you. It's one of the first marketing moves you do when you see yourself as a not-just-a-camera-owner-anymore. But why do you do it?
Those of us working within the creative industry are often held captive to an unwritten rule: working for free. No other field suffers the same stigma; we don’t expect our laywers, our handymen, or our child-minders to work without payment. So, why is it so often expected that we will?
Last weekend was PDN’s Photo Plus Expo, and like a lot of east coast photographers I was in attendance. It seems like every year photo conferences get bigger and better drawing in massive crowds and yet there are still photographers who don't see any value in them. It makes me wonder if people understand and are taking full advantage of these events.
Photographers are often perplexed by the variety of clients they encounter each day. Even with a target market identified, it seems that no two patrons are the same. Though with time and patience, photographers can begin to categorize clients.
Photography is a craft almost everyone indulges in at one time or another. For some, it’s a weekend hobby. For others, it’s a full-time affair. Either way, photographers are forever debating amongst themselves whether or not it’s a wise career choice. Should we attempt to forge a career from something we enjoy so much or save it for our own pleasure?
Photokina is a juggernaut. Held every two years since 1966 (intermittently before that beginning in 1950), it has long become one of the largest, and arguably the single most important trade fair in the photo industry.
While there are many insurance companies that are out there for photographers and drone pilots, Verifly is the first drone liability insurance company that protects pilots and allows them to pay on demand.
There's nothing wrong with saying your opinion when it has sound arguments. It is normal to have different preferences when it comes to photography style, lighting, gear, and post processing. However, many times people don't put themselves in the shoes of the author and don't know if there was a pebble during the photoshoot.
For as long as there has been business, there has been networking. If you read any book on business or entrepreneurship it's immediately apparent that people and relationships are the cornerstone of success. It will come as no surprise, therefore, that the merit of social media is huge; this is well-trodden ground and tiresome.
If you’re interested in shooting production sets, like with fashion photography, you’re going to need to build a team beyond yourself. The truth of the matter is that your success will depend on who you know and what they can do for you. As blatant as that sounds, it’s the nitty-gritty truth about building a team.
After the hack today that took down some pretty major sites out there that we all use on a daily basis, I wanted to share some helpful information I've come across in the WordPress world. I myself have been hacked twice. Ever since moving my photography business website from a big company, I've finally been able to move on with my life.
As DSLR cameras become more capable in capturing high quality video, there is a temptation to add videography as a service to clients. But the learning curve from photography is videography is a steep one if you attempt to do this on your own, believe me, I tried!
For many photographers who are primarily outdoor shooters and don’t have their own studio, finding an indoor space to shoot on a budget can be difficult.
Last week I wrote a post detailing my frustration with getting airline agents to check my bags under the "media rate" that I am entitled to as a photographer or "film making crew." I decided to print my own media pass so that this will never be an issue again and today they arrived.
It's common as professional photographers to spend so much time researching the latest technical tips and advice that the space within our mental hard drives originally intended for common sense runs low. We can become so focused on the latest and greatest that mundane day-to-day tasks sometimes suffer.
These days, more and more of us are investing in professional portraits of our pets. What better way to forever preserve the memory of our nonhuman family members? If you offer pet photography either as one of your services or as your sole specialty, you can appreciate that photographing animals professionally brings forth a unique set of challenges and opportunities.
I've been shooting real estate for about two years now. Today, I am shooting for my company, Simply Visual Productions, and another company, Jump Visual, which has been around for many years, and because of them, I have learned so much about working in this field.
It happens to me all too often: a bride or groom sees our wedding work work in a bridal magazine or blog and tells me that it's been a dream of theirs to be featured and can't wait for me to submit the wedding. Often, this happens far before her wedding has been shot; I'm talking first meeting and boom, "I can't wait to be in a magazin
Did you know that photographers and videographers get special rates on checked bags with most major airlines? Some airlines will allow you to save money on extra bags and others will allow you to save money on over-weight bags. You just have to prove that you are a photographer/videographer and that's harder than it sounds.
When it comes to price, everything we think we know is an illusion. Consumers assume that paying handsomely for something magically increases the product’s quality. We can acknowledge that there is a logical fallacy in this thinking.
Whenever I am working with models on a shoot, I always have their best interests at heart. You may say I care too much about my models, but I am alright with that. No one badmouths a caring photographer.
If you take a look back at Ikea's marketing catalog used to showcase their new products and looks for the season, there was a time where they decided to use images displaying only the products and Ikea-styled sets with no human intervention or interaction.
You get what you pay for. In most cases, this saying rings true. However, there is another narrative playing out in the photographic world. This other, rather untold story has a central character getting much, much more than what they pay for. When it comes to portrait photography, clients are reaping rewards from photographers who are unwilling or too fearful to raise their prices.
It's October and this year has been one of my most productive years as a working photographer to date! I finished writing my second book this year (which will launch in August), I'll have taught over 30 workshops by the end of the year, my number of clients has increased exponentially, and my income has also increased as a result of that effort. How?
Marketing your business and your creative work can be tough. Doing it in a small market can be even tougher. It can often seem overwhelming, but with some careful analysis and planning, you can maximize your opportunities.
Saying that you're "just a photographer" can be one of the most self-deprecating things that you can say as a professional. Those three simple words can destroy your credibility even if you're just trying to be humble about chasing your passion.
If you’re like me and live in a town of 1,300, marketing is the most difficult aspect of business you’ll encounter. Marketing with conventional methods is often extremely difficult or even impossible. In this article I will outline some conventional and non-conventional ways of marketing yourself in a small town.
One of the biggest hits at a wedding reception (or any event) is the photobooth. It’s an area where guests can gather around and make ridiculous faces, dress in silly props, and have an overall great time.