Creative Live: Jasmine Star Business Course Day 2
It’s been a couple of weeks since Jasmine Star hosted her creative live workshop. I’ve been slacking on posting, but here it is: a wealth of knowledge all stored in one place.
Day two was about about finding your style of photography, and how to deal with clients. Thank you again to Creative Live and the rest of the team, and ofcourse Jasmine herself. Thank you for being so completely transparent about what you do and how you do it. So many up and coming, and professional photographers appreciate it! :)
DAY 2
if you do not stand by that image, you should not give out the picture!
you want pictures on your website, that future clients can relate to and want to be like
you want pictures, of the types of shoots you want to move towards
if your website doesn’t ooze you.. you’re doing it wrong
Finding a photographic Style, Aesthetic + Voice
Use a process of dissection:
Figuring out the how:
* what kind of photos do you like?
* how are they processed?
Figuring out the why: (why do you like these photos)
* the use of natural light
* natural poses instead of high fashion poses
** IF … THEN :
* if you like natural light.. you need to pose outdoors
* if you like natural poses, you need to figure out how to get people into those poses
STYLE + VOICE BUILD A BRAND
* a brand is an experiance
* clients know what to expect ( you have told them over and over what to expect on your blog) and how to expect it ( tag in facebook)
You will get fabulous photos by:
* creating confident subjects
* educating them
* teaching them how to pose
* giving them a good time
* showing up and performing
let the client choose the location. let them have a part of the shoot, it shares the onus. Ask questions like: what do you do on the weekends? where do you enjoy going? THE ART OF CONFIDENCE
* i needed to create a photo that possessed the power to have the subjects and viewers see past insecurities
* if someone is uncomfy with their nose, your not going to take a profile shot of them kissing, you will take a 3/4 of them laughing, because it’s about the emotion
* it is your job to squash what clients are not comfortable with about their bodies, and highlight the parts that they are comfortable with
* it is your job to get good photos. if the client looks awkward.. that is your fault. you need to create confidence! you need to put them at ease!
* create a conversation – isn’t it a great day? how was traffic?
* release them from responsibility – you just have fun, and enjoy, it’s my job to make you look beautiful
* manage expectations – yes we can shoot on this bright sunny log, but it might not turn out.
* take suggestions – i shoot digital, if you have ideas, great, if not, its not me wasting film
* previsualization – have ideas for poses that you want to try
HOW TO PREVIUALIZE
* think of ideas in advance
* sketch on a notepad
* collect magazine ads
* create actions for your clients
* tell a story to narrate ideas – ppl are throwing rice, and your running out of the church holding hands
WEDDINGS:
* being in control is tantamount to being succesful on the wedding day
Communication
* 5-6 weeks before wedding get timeline
* first look : tell the bride to get ready 30 min before. Something always goes wrong. There are 10 thousand buttons etc
25 min to shoot bridal party
fam photos 25min
Promo codes: GETSHOWIT.COM/JSTARLIVE – one month free – 48 hours
SHOWITFAST.COM/#/SLIDESHOW/ – $50 discount – promo code: JSTARLIVE
THEBSCHOOL.COM – 25% discount – promo code: JSTAR25
PHOTOGRAPHERSEDIT.COM – 20% discount on first order – promo code: JSTAR2011
THE PERMISSION TO FEEL BEAUTIFUL: you are gorgeous, you’re beautiful, bring it on! let me see it!
Creative Live: Jasmine Star Business Course
Once again, Jasmine Star got together with the Creative Live team and delivered an exceptional 2 days of learning.
I’ve had the opportunity to take part in 2 of these classes in the past. One, was another Jasmine Star event, where she did a 5 day course and shot a LIVE wedding. Another, was children’s photographer Tamara Lackey letting us in on her secrets. Both.. were amazing! You can view J*’s event here, and Tamara Lackey’s here and here.
As always… I took copious amounts of notes. Hundreds and hundreds of notes.. anything I can do to remember even a sliver of the information that was taught. Creative Live is an online community, that offers free learning to Artists. Chase Jarvis, who launched CL is amazing, anyone who wants to share knowledge with those less fortunate deserves an A+ i n my book. :) . Anything and everything is taught here, and they stream the courses online for free! If you want to buy the courses afterwards, you can. You can visit creative live here: http://www.creativelive.com/
Anyways… that’s enough of my thoughts.. Here are the infamous Jasmine Stars thoughts :) These are my notes from day 1:
- “ I would rather you fail at something you love, than succeed at something you hate”
- Know who you is. – be comfortable with who you are. People will say crap about you, but their not booking you. We create something that is subjective, there will always be those that don’t like it
- David Jay – used a video intro introducing himself. He created an emotional connection using slide shows (music), 4-5 minutes in length, unique bio section, let people get to know the real you
- We’re trying to sell an educated service to an uneducated customer. good is good to a client. 5 years for a cx is just as good as a 1 year photog with a good action set
- On Pricing: If you are taking classes, you are smarter, and richer, have to recoup those costs to have a profitable business. RAISE YOUR PRICES
- On Pricing: you need to know your prices. Yes an album costs $500. but if it takes you 10 hours to edit, and create the album, you might as well be a barista at Starbucks
- Facebook: you want your photos on Facebook. The clients mom isn’t going to book you for a wedding, the friend from 4th grade on Facebook, is a potential client.
- On outsourcing: anything I don’t want to do.. I don’t
- On my blog I am castro and it is cuba.. I’m not paying for you to talk trash about me or my clients. – talking about the haters ( AMEN.. I so agree with this comment! Don’t waste your time on people who don’t like you, or your work)
- money should never be an issue where dreams are concerned.
- help others, do not be jealous or hateful. so many ppl in the world don’t have shoes. so what if you don’t have a 5d mk2
- if you’re not uncomfortable, you’re not working hard enough
- luck is when preparation meets opportunity
- put yourself out there, it’s the only way you will grow. GET UNCOMFORTABLE
- you don’t get to third base without running to first. shoot the pb&j bride before the whole foods bride, and make her look like whole foods.
- take more risks! Jump in and play the game, you can’t win standing on the side lines. it’s like playing double dutch, are you going to jump? or not?
- Have a mental checklist before each shoot. Check ISO, choose an aperture.
- Learn how to interact with clients before a paid shoot. Revisit magazine clippings for inspiration
- About your website: You are selling the idea of a wedding day. not you or your photos, cx’s are thinking of them on the day, not the bride you shot
- at the shoot: make your client comfortable. Tell them “my goal from this session is for you (the client) to have a good time it’s my job to make you look good”
- On contracts: it is the bride and groom’s job to advise all guests that there is a chance that the guests pic or likeness could be online. If there is an issue with this, it is up to the couple to advise the photographer
- On contracts: A deposit is refundable.. a retainers fee is not!
- On contracts: you will have back up copies of pictures for 1 year, after that you are no longer responsible. You have the rights to pictures, you may publish them to blogs, online, advertising etc.
Gettings the type of clients that you want:
- posing and shooting attracts the type of client
- look through magazines, work backwards from the picture that you like. The pose gives you the picture, that you can then market towards getting client that you want
- dissecting the how:
how is the photo illuminated
how was the photo captured
how was the subject posed?
how did the photographer get them into that pose?
how was the story told?
how was the emotion conveyed?
The name brand raisin brand theory:
It’s about the brand!! get the del monte raisins . Your brand defines you.
rent until you own
2.8 16-35 70-200
get a business licence tax id
sole proprietor
paying taxes
get insurance on yourself
creating a profitable business – you have to know your numbers
understanding my fixed costs:
outsourcing – $200 photo editing 1000 pics x.20
$45 average price per wedding for bookkeeping
$40 gas per wedding
$35 average price per online proofing gallery
$32 shipping hard drive – editing
$2 disc stationary, postage etc for client
total $372 per wedding
wedding price 1500 per wedding ( including cd)
take home per wedding: 1128
how do you differentiate yourself from other bloggers?
1. i don’t say I’m a mold breaker. don’t be high and mighty
2. find your skill set, and rock it.
ABOUT SECOND SHOOTERS
When you are the main shooter:
- make sure to get the photos that your second shooter plans on blogging. You want to get those to your clients.
- create clearly defined roles between you and the 2nd shooter, assign to your strengths
- set clearly defined goals
- if shooting with a spouse: set a schedule and have family time scheduled
When you are the second shooter:
- care about the person, not the photographer – make friends with the main photog.
second shooter faux pas – remember you are a division of that person’s brand
the only thing you have is your credibility
don’t tag clients in Facebook. they’re not your clients
don’t blog before the 1st photog.
don’t say you would do things differently
don’t be above schlepping bags
don’t stand behind the photog
how to get a second shooting gig –
engage in forums
comment on blogs – ppl want to know that you like them not the opportunity they create for you
write on Facebook fan page
talkback on twitter
leverage your assets – shake what your mama gave you
Jasmine’s initial photography investment in Feb 2006
$3000 : canon 20d, 24-70 2.8, business cards
LINKS
- osp forum – www.opensourcephoto.net/forum
- the b school – thebschool.com 25% discount jstar25promo
- Stephanie Fay from Arizona second shot for Bianca’s wedding. (J*’s sister)
- the war of art – Stephen Pressfield – book
Aloha!
In less than 12 hours Brian and I will be well on our way to Hawaii! We are going on a 10 day desperately needed vacation…. and I”m blogging to tell you that I’m not going to be keeping up with emails as well as I would like.
My wonderful sister invited us to come to Hawaii with her family just before Christmas. Her and her family had rented a condo for two weeks, and we were more than welcome to tag along. SOLD! :D Did I mention that I love my sister?
I’ve gone once, just after high school graduation.. but Brian has never been, so I’m hoping to introduce him to lots of new experiences. Snorkeling, whale watching.. and most importantly.. I’m hoping to get him to like the Ocean! Last time ( and his first time) Brian went swimming in the ocean, he dunked his head under and came up sputtering for air muttering “Yuck, Salt water”. Yes.. I realize that it will be hard to get this landlocked city boy to love nature and the outdoors ( he won’t go camping), but.. I’m going to give it my best shot.
Either way.. back to business. I will not be checking my emails quite as frequently, but do know that I will be responding just as soon as I find a free wifi connection.
I’m obviously bringing my camera, and am planning on taking a million and one pictures to keep you apprised of what is going on, and the beauty that is Hawaii. Although I don’t have any jobs lined up… my sister is pregnant (YAY!) so I’m hoping to convince her to do a couple photoshoots.
Also, a friend of mine said that I should take a bunch of business cards and just volunteer to take pictures of all the other tourists. Then I can hook them with my card and a promise of some pictures or prints.. and voila! new fans in a different country! This aforementioned friend obviously read my last blog post about trying to find creative ways to advertise!
Anyways.. it’s 1:30 Am.. and I am still not fully packed! Yes… I know that I leave things until the last minute.
So Aloha and goodnight to anyone who’s listening Have a great week wherever you are! :)
The picture is from my last Hawaii Trip.
Self Promotion + Styled Shoots
For the last few months, I’ve realized that I really need to get the word out there about me. About my photography business. How am I supposed to get paying clients.. if people don’t even know I exist?
I love the photography side of this business.. but if there’s anything I’ve learned watching my entrepreneur boyfriend of 6 years.. being a business owner is no fun. There’s the banking, the taxes, the organizing. the filing.. the general upkeep of finances. There are Budgets, and Business Plans, and meetings with Accountants, and the list goes on and on.
Either way.. if I could just photograph, and let the rest fall away and still somehow have a successful business.. That would be just my cup of tea. :) Sadly.. I first need paying clients to know I exist.. which get’s me back to the original point of this post. Advertising!
I could take out an ad in a magazine.. which costs zillions of dollars and probably won’t get me very far. I could post an ad in the local classifieds.. but I don’t know the first thing about them or go about getting one, plus it’s not really what I was going for with this idea. Or there are always Facebook ads, which would still cost money that I don’t have.
So.. after much thought and pondering. I decided to do what I like…. TAKE PHOTOS! I planned a styled photo shoot, which I plan on submitting to numerous online blogs, and hopefully one of them will publish my shoot.
Online wedding blogs are huge! Brides are going to wedding blogs almost 70% of the time now for inspiration for their weddings. Blogs like GreyLikesWeddings or StyleMePretty need new and fresh ideas to publish in order to cater to these brides. Which is where photographers come in :)
If I could get published on one of these blogs.. all of those potential clients.. would see my work! And hopefully visit my site. The relationship between wedding blogs and photographers is mutually beneficial. Bloggers need new material, and photographers get free advertising.
Free advertising is my kind of advertising!! :)
I decided to do a Winter Wonderland theme.. but I want something a little darker.. a bit edgy. I rented some furniture from a local vintage shop, and had friends help me with the setup. We shot on a freezing cold day in january, and I have to give HUGE props to Amy, my model, for not complaining once. ( it was COLD!!! )
So far.. I’ve submitted to two blogs, and both have turned me down, but, who says things happen right away. Trial and error right? I’m going to keep submitting it to other blogs and see what happens, but even if I don’t end up getting this session published.. it will have been worth it. I learned soo much, gained about 20 new fans on my facebook page (Amy is a popular girl hehe). And generally.. for my first run at this, I’m pretty proud of my self.
And because posts without pictures are so boring.. here’s a sneak peak:
