Let's go on a location scout for my music video. The needs for photographers and directors can be similar, and how you approach the location scouting can really help you have a smooth production.
Photography studios can be very profitable if you create them the right way. Photography studios can earn you $100K in medium markets and up to $200K+ in some of the larger markets. In addition to photographers renting the studio, there are other alternative methods to booking your studio day and night. There are workshops, yoga classes, private dinners, and even YouTubers needing a space regularly.
There are a lot of photography myths regarding pricing and money. In this, I will cover big myths and expand on them in the video.
You are going to learn how to book more photo clients now! It’s easier when you ask the right questions. This blog will guide you through the first client meeting. It's the most important meeting where they decide who to hire and for what budget.
A photography studio can be exciting and profitable. It can also have major pitfalls that you should be aware of.
Photographers who want to dabble with video and have some apprehension will learn from this post. While video and photography are not identical, they have great overlap in concepts and it's likely that you know more than you think.
Inflation is slowly killing your business, and many photographers haven't seen the big picture yet. Inflation is an on-going process but the past couple of years have really taken a bite out of the small business success story.
Photographers are making some terrible mistakes with their TikTok and Instagram Reels content.
If you want a successful career as a photographer, you have to dismiss one toxic term that damaged our industry: "starving artist." It has caused more damage and more self-doubt to artists across the globe than probably anything else.
I operate a channel that helps photographers on YouTube and Instagram, and both audiences are predominantly male. I've worked on sets for over a dozen years, where there is the expectation that men are the directors or photographers and women handle the glam. Is that a problem? Yes, it's a big problem, and here's why.
It's not easy and if it were, everyone would be doing it. You have to keep repeating that to yourself because it's true and you are entitled to some grace, as you grow. These 3 tips help me continue and I'm sharing them with you!
You don't need many photography lights or a big crew to accomplish a professional campaign, but it helps. The big crew and system is a major asset, especially if you have the assistance of lights to help you shape an image.
Having a successful business means you are often changing, learning, and creating a better path to success. In this video, I'm discussing four habits that I have seen with many photographers actively participating in.
One could easily say that nothing is what it seems because our minds create a subjective representation of the world around us. With memories, this representation may be even more complex. As scientists explain, encoding a memory in the brain is a biological event that begins with a sensory experience. Every memory we have captures emotions, and colors are one of those aspects that evoke and illustrate what we feel.
One of the first things you learn when using strobes is the advantages they have over constant lights. Here are the reasons why using constant lights can be better in studio than strobes.
Last week I wrote about the importance of the test shoot for the budding photographer, and even the established photographer. It's a way of proving your talents and style, something new clients are always looking for.
Today, Fstoppers has teamed up with NiSi filters to launch a brand new, free tutorial series with landscape photographer Elia Locardi. Not only are we releasing new video lessons every week, but we are also giving away over $600 worth of free gear with every video. Welcome to our long exposure adventure in Puerto Rico!
Creative entrepreneurs have a different hill to climb compared to other professions. Other professions have a set path to follow. Sign up for the right classes, then pass the predetermined tests, and qualify for a piece of paper that tells the market you are good enough.
The landscape of all businesses looks different, and store after store keeps closing because of online businesses. The type of business we see consistently is the dining establishment, and their need for content is immense.
I am a photographer but I often forget to shoot. Isn't that a ridiculous thing to say? I must admit, it's my reality more often than I'd like to admit.
You'll make countless mistakes as a professional photographer. This is how we grow as artists and entrepreneurs, and I encourage experimenting with your marketing and photography. I'm certain someone will object, but show the person without mistakes, and I'll show you a person who has accomplished very little.
I have noticed a huge trend of photographers calling themselves creative directors. On the social media app Clubhouse, there was a wave of creative directors. I hosted rooms to educate the photography community on what a creative director does and why calling yourself a creative director prematurely might hurt your growth.
Do you charge for your photography? For the photographers who want to use their passion as a revenue opportunity, you will have to figure out what works best for you.
For years, we've heard clients ask photographers for a few images. The client would pay for all types of usage rights and then they'd ask for a few images as freebies, for social media. And that trend continued for several years. We'd throw in a few for social media and make the client happy. As social media grew, the budgets stayed small.
For the bulk of my career, I’ve operated on single-light photography for my projects while many others relied on multiple heads. This video is for the photographer eager to start and they think it requires a stockpile of gear. It’s to remind them they can operate on a lot less and start sooner if you have a clear direction with your concept.
In my 10th-grade drama class, my teacher would usually hand me a detention slip for "toilet humor" for breaking her rules with my drama productions. I was immature and found humor in pushing her buttons.
Recessions are rough on nearly everyone, especially the businesses without a store front because we miss out on the community drives to save a business from going under. That's OK, we'll survive and here are 6 of my favorite tips to help you have a bigger punch during the pandemic.
I'm fairly certain this one might light up the comments: If you don't act on your photography business goals, you're selfish.
Location scouting is a job you do, whether you know it or not. In this video, I discuss the four methods that I often use for finding the perfect photoshoot location.
You'll often hear people talking about your photography style, but what does that mean? Does it matter in how you book jobs or how much you can charge? How does one even find their photography style, and why is it important?
I recently used one of my quarantine nights to create an art project for myself. A few weeks ago the rules were stricter about staying home and I used it as an opportunity to expand my own skills and vision. I encourage photographers who are stuck at home either because of the quarantine or protest curfews to push their limits and try new things.
Life as we know it has suddenly changed, and most of our businesses have ground to a near stop. Many of us were left scrambling to figure out how to keep some sort of work coming in. But when you primarily photograph people, yet your state has issued stay-at-home orders, you really have to explore ways to carry on.
Freelancers, we're no different than anyone else suffering because of the pandemic and associated economic setbacks. Maybe that's not correct, because we've probably become more resilient to uncertainty just by our job description alone. Lucky for us, some brands are paying attention and doing what they can do soften the hit. This is how I received three months free from Adobe Creative Cloud.
Hard times ahead? It's likely and while no one knows for sure, it's inevitable that the current quarantines will affect everyone's business in the coming months. How will you change your marketing methods? Here's something that worked for me and I want to share it with you.
When I picked up the camera a little over a decade ago, I decided that I'd cut out magazine photographs and make a journal of images that had closeups of the eyes. It was the only access that I had to see the reflection that showed me a little moment behind the scenes of the photoshoot. It's the "lighting hack" that I tell everyone about, because it is the first clue to what type of lighting modifiers were used to achieve an image.
Photographers: if you're looking to have a smoother shoot, you might want to try these few tips that really contribute to my photography sessions. Remember, it's how you manage a shoot that really contributes to someone's opinion of you, assuming the photography is already done well.
There will always be paid advertisement, and you can explore that. Do not forget about the possibility of free advertisement from people in your lives. Your friends and family are there to help. Getting a recommendation from your close circle serves as a powerful tool for the new photographer.
Photographers, with another 10-15 seconds per Instagram post, you can enjoy the benefits of stronger SEO. Here are the steps that you need to take get a boost within Instagram and on search engines.
Photographers have a long history of finding things unique and affordable for their photography needs. I'm no different, and that's why I just wanted another top-of-the-year reminder. The goodness of the dollar store cannot be overestimated, because they can carry many similar items found at higher-priced outlets. It seems in the past few years, the quality of goods at the discount stores has increased. Am I correct in that assessment?
Last week someone asked what I did to have a strong photography career and be able to photograph some of the most legendary people? For the end of the year, I thought it was great to list some of my favorites habits which I am hopeful will also help you. Watch the video to see me break down some of my favorites.
One of the most rewarding parts of photography is choosing the right type of light for an assignment. The light that will best help convey what we’ve been hired to shoot. Nowhere is that more true than in shooting athletic wear.
It took roughly five years to learn the lesson the lesson that helped increase my bookings. That lesson was show fewer styles to book more.
There are three questions that I ask each new potential client, and those answers will determine the entire creative direction of the project.
One thing that we love about the YouTube community is that people always show up to help the beginners. There are countless threads from YouTube newcomers who are unsure of how to start out, but plenty of creators with more experience are willing to lend a hand.
I get many viewer questions, but this is one of the most asked. What if the model wants the photographer to pay for the shoot? Before anyone raises concern, this is a photo shoot to build the model's portfolio, not for an ad campaign.
Test shoots are essential for the photographer and really help fill the gaps in a portfolio. On test shoots, everyone contributes for free. The photographer, makeup, hair, wardrobe, and model all work for free. Everyone is building on their portfolios on test shoots and if done correctly, it should fill the creative gaps in a portfolio.
Ever since I first picked up a camera, I had questions that wouldn't be easily answered by reading a book or watching an edited YouTube series. I wanted real and unedited conversations, something you might have at a bar or coffee shop.
With drones being so accessible and easy to use, everybody is taking aerial shots these days. But there's nothing like crawling into a tiny Cessna and exploring the skies from a plane for yourself! Here’re 10 tips on how you can do just that.
When the general public picture photographers, they tend to envision a creative individual who goes out and snaps away at anything and everything that inspires them; architecture, nature, sports, or whatever assignment they've been put on. It's likely that they never think of the hours we spend marketing, writing proposals, editing, doing book-keeping, etc.
Try searching your own name. Now, what do you see? Most importantly, what do your clients see?
