How To Create Photography Packages That Sell - The Modern Tog Creating photography packages is one of the most popular ways to present your services to your clients. As I have been helping photographers with their pricing and packaging, I’ve seen a number of common mistakes over and over again that are easy to avoid and will help boost your sales. Before making packages, however, make sure you’ve worked through the Photographer’s Pricing Guide to determine how much money you need to be making on average per shoot. We’ll use this information in setting up your packages. So let’s jump right in! Know what your clients want Your packages simply won’t sell if they are full of things that people don’t want. This doesn’t mean you can’t offer products that traditionally don’t sell as well. I do this with canvases. For portraits, I find that my clients want at least one larger image to display in their home, then several smaller images to carry with them, or to share with family and friends. Eliminate clutter and filler Cluttered: Simple & Clean: It’s brilliant.
How to Price your Photography for Profit: Photographer's Pricing Guide This post is Part 2 of The Modern Tog’s Photographer’s Pricing Guide series. Here’s the link to Part 1 of the Pricing Guide in case you missed it. Today it’s time to think about one of the main goals of your business: your profit. The first step in determining your prices is to figure out how much you want to take home in the form of a paycheck. There’s two ways to go about this process. Defining Success The first method is to think about how much you’d ultimately like to be making in the future and use those numbers. Short-term Planning The second method is to determine your profit goal for the next year. Things to Consider It’s helpful to remember that your annual salary, if you are an employee for another company, most likely has deductions taken from it for things like taxes, social security, health insurance, etc. If you’re using the Photographer’s Pricing Guide Workbook, click on the “Personal Profit” tab of the worksheet (it’s at the bottom of the screen).
5 Consultation Secrets Every Photographer Should Know Consultations are the main thing people use to decide what photographer to hire, so it’s absolutely vital to do things right! Trust me. I had no idea what I was doing when I was just starting out and made lots of mistakes. After trying all sorts of things to see what worked well and what didn’t (as well as learning a lot about sales and marketing in the process), I came up with 5 main things that I believe are key to effective consultations. While I write this mostly from a wedding perspective, every single point can be applied to a portrait pre-sales consultation as well. Here’s my 5 consultation secrets that every photographer should know: 1. When I first approached consultations, the goal was to tell them about me, my services, and get them to book. While there’s nothing wrong with sharing those things, you have to find a way to make it valuable to your clients as well. Educate and empower them and they’ll leave feeling like their time was well-spent, which is a very good thing for you.
How to Have Happier Clients using Photography Questionnaires I think I’m in love. My friend Andy recently told me about something called Gravity Forms that he uses for his client questionnaires and contracts. I’ve been doing an informal questionnaire with my wedding clients before each wedding, but Andy and I photographed two weddings together this past month, and we used his questionnaire. Oh. This little WordPress plugin rocks my world. It’s the most easy to create form I’ve ever seen, and being able to use conditional logic (that’s a fancy way of saying that you only show certain questions based upon answers to other questions before it) is just rad. Yeah, I just used the word “rad”. So after figuring it out and getting it all set up, I immediately decided that I had to tell you all about it and why I think you should buy it, too. Not only that, but I created a free contact page for you to use on your photography site, just because I love you and want to save you some time. Why are questionnaires and a good contact form so important? Cool, huh?
Home Photography Business | What every photographer needs to know to start and run a home based photography business Work with Great Photography Suppliers November 3rd, 2013 Choosing the right suppliers to work with can make or break your photography business. Photographer’s Library – 5 Books to Improve Your Photography Skills September 5th, 2013 There are so many great books available to help us to improve our skills. Essential Principles For Your Photography Website – Part 2: Information is Key October 18th, 2011 When was the last time you visited your competitor’s website? Essential Principles For Your Photography Website- Part 1: Visual Aspects August 23rd, 2011 It would seem like a safe bet to assume that most photographers probably have a website already. What is keeping you from starting your own home photography business? April 29th, 2011 Starting a home based business of any kind is a decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Best Practices for Successful Photographers. April 25th, 2011 The Myth of the Shoestring Budget April 21st, 2011 Why is it bothering me so much? December 16th, 2010
50 ‘Must Have’ Wedding Photography Shots On the few occasions that I’ve been asked to photograph weddings by friends I always found it helpful to create a list of shots that I wanted to take on the day. I found that setting out a list with the couple of not only ‘WHERE’ they wanted shots but also some of the different combinations of WHO they wanted IN the shots was helpful. There’s nothing worse than getting to the end of the day and realizing that no one took a picture of Aunt Mildred or that you only got shots of one set of parents with the bride and groom and not the other side of the family! Earlier in the week Brian Delia from The New Jersey Wedding Photographer sent me a list of 50 ‘must have shots’ for weddings (although many of them are actually multiple shots so taking them all will leave you with potentially hundreds). Wedding Photography Shot List What other ‘must have’ wedding shots would you add to the list? Wedding Photography Shot List What other ‘must have’ wedding shots would you add to the list?
Wedding Photography Poses and Tips | kelowna wedding photographer A photographer can be one of the most important components of your wedding day. When friends or relatives volunteer to take your wedding pictures, think long and hard about it. A professional will thoroughly understand lighting techniques and will be experienced in capturing the joyous occasion. Determine your budget clearly at this meeting. Remember, price is not the most important item – look for quality and creativity. Be sure you feel comfortable with the photographer. Note for photographers looking for tips and advice – make the couple relaxed and comfortable, make that your number one goal. Photos During the Ceremony Formal Photos after the ceremony (see note below) Various combinations and numbers of the following photographs are typical. Photos at the Reception Notes on Formal Photos: Formal posed photos usually include various combinations of the bride, groom, wedding party members, and immediate family members. How much time should be allowed for formal photos?
7 Tips for Better “First Dance” Wedding Shots Today Ronan Palliser shares tips on how to capture the ‘first dance at a wedding. You are most likely invited to weddings every now and then, and I’m betting that most people bring a camera with them. Chances are, if you looked back at your photos and compared them with those that other guests took on the day, there will be many shots that are the same. The most photographed moment of the day is often the bride and groom’s first dance, and with a little bit of know how, and if you’re lucky enough to have it, some extra lighting tools, it is possible to get a shot of the first dance that will stand out from the crowd and identify you as a capable photographer. Tip 1: Change your shooting angle Most people, most of the time, take photographs from the same viewing point – i.e. they hold the camera up to their eye and press the shutter. Tip 2: Move to the other side of the dance floor 99% of photographs of the first dance that guests take are captured from the same side of the dance floor.
5 Wedding Photography Composition Tips Daniel Lowe and his wife Cindy photograph weddings as Orange Turtle Photography in sunny San Diego. Check out more of their work at their blog. Get the first kiss. The first dance is coming up. How do I pose the couple so they don’t look so awkward? Composition is the core of any photo and should never be forgotten even when you’re struggling to get a clean shot of the first kiss or trying to deal with 30 family members waiting for a group photo. 1. We all know the rule of thirds right? 2. If you see a bunch of lines going in the same direction, follow them. 3. It can be dangerous to shoot wide open all the time, but it can also help you with your composition. 4. Hide in the bushes and shoot. 5. Give your portraits context by including a bit of another person in the photo. For example, in this photo, the subject is the groom, but I’ve sliced off a bit of the bride to give him some context. See more of Daniel’s wedding photography at his blog. Get the first kiss. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 1. 2. 3.
The Wedding Day Call Sheet: Part 3 – The Evening A Post By: Natalie Denton (nee Johnson) This post is the last in a series. Check out the previous posts at The Wedding Day Call Sheet: Part 1 – The Morning and The Wedding Day Call Sheet: Part 2 – The Afternoon. Candids in the Dining Hall Image by Sean Molin With the guests seated, but before the food is served use this as a good opportunity to take pictures of guests relaxing and chatting with one another. Speeches Pictures of bride and groom entering the dining hall, plus the guest’s reactions make for some nice images before then the speeches begin. Food As the food is served ask a waiter to have you bring one of each dish to you to be photographed first – again this is something the couple has taken the time to choose and will however daft it may seem, want to remember this in the future. After dinner shots The arrival of evening guests Cutting of the cake Image by Aquistbe Before the cake is cut, ensure you have taken a few stills of the cake intact at varying angles and focal lengths.