by Barry Howell: I have been a professional photographer since the early 80’s and am in the throws of embracing change like I never could have imagined. I have photographed hundreds of weddings and thousands of high school seniors. I was honored with the first ever Haga Wedding Album award for the best wedding album in Minnesota, and have entered many competition prints over the years. I began shooting weddings for a couple of studios, worked part time on my own for several years, and bought a very large studio operation in 1995. My first digital camera was a Fuji S2 and that is where my journey into the digital world really began. A good friend (and former employee) encouraged me to take a look at Lightroom and then Gavin’s presets from Seim Effects.
My years of experience (and significant volume) causes me to very careful how much “post production” we commit to. Having studied with the likes of Monte Zucker, Frank Cricchio Don Blair, David Ziser and others, I learned to produce near perfect images in the camera. There just wasn’t much editing we could do with our C-41 in-house lab printing from medium format Hasselblad negatives. I am the “techie” guy that loves everything shiny, new and cool, but I didn’t jump into digital until I felt the cameras and output options rivaled film quality. My journey from film to digital has been a long and at times very frustrating path. If you are just starting out (i.e. have never shot a roll of film-I know you’re out there), appreciate my story and be glad you can develop a workflow without transitioning from anything else. Take the time to think about ways you can do it right from image capture to customer delivery.
Continue reading ‘Old School Meets New School. Getting an edge:’
Click To Listen>> Photography Podcast. PPS #66
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The Panel... Gavin Seim – David Ziser – Dennis Zerwas – Douglas Coon – Barry Howell
This week the panel discusses the latest news, nigh photography, Ansel Adams, business ideas and more.
Podcast #66 forum discussion:
Notable Time Indexes:
- 00:00 Random news and ideas.
- 47:43 Lets talk tips and business.
- 1:15:24 Zisers Secret. FUTURE FEELINGS.
- 1:51:20 Promoting to venues.
Viveza2 is here. You can save 15% with code PPS.
LumaVue panels are a great way to stand out.
OnOne’s new suite is here too. Save 15% with code PRPHTPC.
Olympus E-PL1 a $600 pen camera.
Get David Zisers new book. Captured by the Light.
Aperture3 is here. What do you think.
Treys. World in HDR book is available.
Gavin’s Color Fantasies Lightroom presets are here and ready to rock.
PICKS:
Thanks all… Gav
by Gavin Seim: If all you want to do with your photography is buy new gear, go on photo walks, make a few prints and get friends to say “ooh aah”, then that’s Ok and spending all your time learning better photography techniques is fine.
If however you want to be a profit making professional you need to think business. It’s the cold truth, but a known fact that being a successful pro is more about business sense than about art. Sure amazing images turn heads, their great and I love making them too. I’m not saying a photographer should ignore skill building, but most budding artists would be better going to a marketing school while practicing their art, then going to to an art school expecting to graduate and make a profit.
Here’s some things I’ve found to get my business mind thinking (share your own favorites in the comments). Some of these are books and some are free resources. Try making a commitment to getting into at least three of them (all would be even better). This is stuff I’ve tracked down over years of learning and talking to other photographers. Take time to learn something fresh every week and you won’t regret it.
- The Purple Cow.
Seth Goden’s book focuses on making a client experience that is memorable. It’s a short book with advice that could be considered simple, but a lot of people overlook it. I’ve gleaned a mindset of service from this book. You can get in on Amazon as well as on Audible as a convenient Audiobook.
- David Ziser.
If you don’t know the name you need to read more and there’s no time like the present. David has been in the business for a long time and his blog is a great one to follow. To get you started check out… The Portrait Consultation Part1 and Part2 and The 14 step plan for a successful sales presentation. Then start browsing thru the rest of his great business tips.
- The Ultimate Sales Letter.
Writing good copy is valuable in any business. Some of the examples in this book may feel more like a car salesman than a photographer, but the principles can be used to help you market better. I have not found an audiobook, but you get get the print edition on Amazon.
- 19 Tips for 300 Client Inquiries.
This is a guest article Matt McGraw wrote for PPS. While every tip on the list may not work in your situation, you’re sure to get some ideas in a very short read.
- How to Sell Anything to Anybody.
If we can do what the title says we’re good. Seriously though selling high end photography is about knowing how to sell and this book will give you a few ideas. Here’s the Amazon link.
- 22 immutable laws of marketing.
This is a short easy read that interesting. It looks at big brands in past years and analyzes successes and fails. You may not be the next Coca Cola, but the concepts used in big marketing the effects the way you approach your own. You can find it here on Amazon. and there’s also an Audible version.
Continue reading ‘11 Killer Marketing Books & Resources for Photographers:’
Click To Listen>> Photography Podcast. PPS #65
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Gavin Seim
This week Gavin just talks about things. Life, photography, business stress, some selling ideas, working with venues and more.
Podcast #65 forum discussion:
Gavins Lightroom Power LIVE online is next week.
Notable Time Indexes:
- 00:00 Some personal thoughts from Gav.
- 13:10 Talking shop and stuff.
- 32:45 Promoting to venues.
- 45:45 Thoughts on selling large fine art.
Article about signing and branding your prints.
Gavin’s fine art images.
The Wall Portrait article.
Promo codes on the deals page.
How often do you go to a gallery and see a quality masterpiece that’s not signed?
by Gavin Seim: If your name is not on your art you’re missing the marketing boat. The hard reality is that “selling” photography is not about having a passion for photography, but about marketing. Is your work just piece of paper, or is it a piece if art? I usually find that people who don’t brand their images, do it under the guise of giving a higher level of quality. In reality it’s often because they’re inexperienced, lack confidence and don’t consider their images of high enough value to hang equal next to other art.
It’s no insult to have classy branding on an image. In fact it usually adds value. Heck, even the cars we buy have a logo on them. If you bought a Ferrari would you want it without the emblem? I think not. Why then should the art you make be unmarked? Are there exceptions? Sure, but not many. For example a commercial client will often require unbranded images, but they should also expect to pay a premium for that.
This HDR of the Seattle skyline shows an example of how I signature mark images for gallery and print while keeping them classy.
Continue reading ‘How to Logo, Sign & Brand Your Photos:’
by Gavin Seim: I recently joined David and Kerry over on the Camera Dojo podcast to talk about making and selling large wall portraits and canvas pieces. I’ve been chatting about this quite a lot these days because it’s become so relevant to my business. Large prints sell and they look spectacular doing it.
Head over to Dojo and check it out. I apologize for in advance my hyperactivity. It was not coffee. I’ve just been very excited about large prints. Once you make and sell a few you’ll probably understand. Also take a peek at my recent article on large prints. Be prepared however. This has been the most hotly discussed topic ever on Pro Photo Show. I’m sticking to my guns because I know from recent experience that large prints sell and make sense. That said there’s no law against disagreeing with me. Enjoy… Gav
