Marketing

I think the biggest challenge I face is just creating my "Brand" and marketing that. Over the last week I've been quite here on the blog because I have been busy trying to figure out how to really sale my brand. You see there are so many photographers for clients to choose from how do they pick? Is it purely Technical merit? Artistic? or something else? I think you have to have the technical and artistic, but most photographers venturing to this realm have that. So a lot of times it comes down to who you are. Do you sale yourself as THE photographers they want?

I've really been focusing on my wedding work this past week so I am going to talk about that for a bit. Now I am still actively working on entering the commercial ad world too. But I do enjoy shooting weddings. It is very rewarding to create the first set of family memories for a new family. I work very well under pressure, and I never slow down the entire day. I push and push for the next great image. After talking to my mentor this past week I realized that a lot of what I am doing at a wedding and the shoots surrounding it is actually editorial work with some lifestyle thrown in here and there. I honestly hadn't looked at my work that way before. And all of the sudden I felt really comfortable moving, no sliding over into commercial work.

I've also been flipping through bridal magazines cutting out great images for inspiration, and even cutting out the ones I know I could do better. Thinking and thinking, "How do I get out there?" I need to sale me. So I decided to put together a promotional video. Why should a bride have to wait to meet in person to hear how I feel about wedding photography? They shouldn't so I put together a 9 minute video that touches on what I think the most important points about how I shoot, and what I bring to the table are. And I'll give you a hint, there is no gear talk or talk about lighting or even a sales pitch about free prints.



Now you may be wondering why am I putting this effort into my wedding work? I have no intention of stopping my wedding photography. As a matter of fact for the market segment of commercial work I intend to shoot for I think it just goes hand in hand. However, you can expect to see in several months a new commercial centric website. It will be separate and apart from my wedding photography. The two will not link to each other. It's not that I am ashamed of one or the other, but my clients have got to see a consistent message. You know you can not be all things to everybody, and that is more true in the world of photography.

The First Polaroid

Well not ever, but from me!

Late Day Update

The bike ride finally happened. I managed to get six frames while ridding around. I think that was still probably shooting too quickly, but I plan on heading out tonight and grab some more. Maybe....

Got back and the mail man had been nice to me. I got my Polaroid SX-70 and my four packs of The Impossible Project film. Awesome. I'm getting ready to play with this a bit.

I should have a couple of scanned images tonight to update the blog with!

I Am Blaming It On

Blaming it on the rain. i mean really Dallas gets like 1 inch of rain a year. I get a new camera and want to take the bike out and it rains. Jeez, so I'm blaming this blog on the rain! I admit I still like Milli Vanilli...come on you know you do too.

So my new camera? A Holga. Thi sis what is referred to as a toy camera. It has a plastic lens, only two apertures f/8 and f/11and like four focus settings. It is also a medium format camera taking 120 film.

So why on Earth did I buy a toy, film, medium format camera? Well, I'll get to that in a minute. but I also purchased a Polaroid SX-70 Timezero Autofocus Model 2 from Ebay (I'm still waiting on that baby). Ah you are now saying, "Wait a second John. They don't make Polaroid film anymore." And you are right, sort of. Polaroid doesn't, but The Impossible Project  does! Oh yeah, have four packs on the way to me.

So why this crazy obsession with lo-fi film all of the sudden? It is simple really, I want to focus on the image not the technical pieces. I have found myself bogged down by the technical bits of lighting, depth of field, shutter speeds, etc while shooting. I want to shoot for the sake of shooting. I want a tool that will free me to focus on composition, art, creativity from the point of what I shoot not how I shoot it. I also have to admit that I love the quality and feel of these images. They just suck me in. Don't get me wrong, I have some ideas on incorporating some lighting stuff into both of these units, but in time, not now.

I realized walking around NYC last month that I do not shoot enough for the sake of just shooting, playing, having fun. As a matter of fact back in NC I went a couple months without picking up my camera. Blame my depression, work, self doubt, or all of it most likely. But how sad, I missed two months of growth in something I love. No more!

Maybe my first film shots will be junk, maybe not, maybe they will be award winners, or when I'm dead they will go for millions, but I know I'm having fun, finding the love of the craft and art again. Don't ever loose that..just don't hold onto it no matter what.

Business Update Time:

I have a wedding consult tomorrow evening. I'm looking forward to that. I love meeting new couples. I have six serious prospects currently. Weddings take time to book, and I expect folks to shop around. I'm getting good leads from Decidio and a couple of folks hitting through to my website from Facebook. While I'm not Ryan Brenizer I am getting about 25 hits a day on my site. If I can convert 1% of those on a monthly basis I'll be rocking!

Other things.....let's see I attended a meeting of the Dallas Camera Club last night. Trying to get out and network. I'll be hitting the butterfly gardens this Saturday with the local Flickr group. That should be cool. Maybe I'll have the Polaroid in time.

I'm keeping daily tabs on my Craigslist ad, seeing where I fall down the list. I don't want to go below 2/3 of the way down. I'm also checking click through rate on Facebook. Seems I do better on Tuesdays and Sundays. Not sure why, but I'll keep monitoring for trends to help me target my ad.

More later!

Getting It Done

Or at least trying to. I took a ride this morning on my bike with the purpose of taking some photographs of downtown Dallas. I wasn't feeling it much, but I did get this:

It is a shot of the JFK Memorial. Imagine if you will a big square concrete box with two narrow entrances. How do you shoot that? This is what I did. I don't really like it. I now have a challenge. Get a creative, artistic shot of this concrete box!

From there I hit the farmers market, no photos, but plenty of veggies and fruit. Now anyone who knows me will attest to the fact that I like to eat. And often it is not the best of things...I'm a southern boy after all. Fry it, cover it with gravy, and add potatoes please. However, I have made a commitment to change some things about my life. It is my life and I need to do better, be healthier, be happier. So I'm trying to do better on the eating front and exercise daily. Lucky for me I have an entire city to explore on my bike. I really enjoy it too.

I also want to talk about emotional and spiritual happiness. I'm not going all preacher on you so calm down! I have realized over the last few months that we do in fact make our own happiness or our own unhappiness. How do you handle things? Do you pursue your dreams? Are you honest about what motivates you? What irritates you? Where do you derive satisfaction and self worth from? Those are lots of questions that only you can answer. I don't know all of the answers for me yet. So I really can't help you! But seriously I am devoted to really thinking, meditating if you will on these questions. Almost every night I listen to an audio book called The Four Agreements . Very simple concepts, but darn near impossible to implement 100%. But I try, when I fail I try again. Now if you're still with me then you know I previously talked about my depression. It is real, it is clinical; most likely a lack of serotonin or said receptors. I'm not under the illusion that a book and some meditation can cure that, but it can help. Being mentally healthy is as, if not more important, than our physical health. I've neglected this for so long, and I know better I was a Boy Scout. What does that have to do with the price of peas in China you ask? OK (The Boy Scouts have all the answers by the way) the Scout Oath clearly covers this:

"On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the scout law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight."

And before you ask, no I did not need to look it up. I was a Scout, still am at heart so :p 

Seriously though mental health is right in there. i never understood it as a 10 year old, but boy do I now. So if you are going down this road of pursuing a dream my question is this: Are you mentally awake? You had better be because there will be trouble, doubts, hesitation, rejection, and worry. Can you tell the difference between the normal of those and when there is real trouble?

OK, onto more positives! I finally started my how-to videos today. Overall I am happy. Considering I am not a videographer, and I have a staff of one they are not bad. I made a big decision today though. I'm going to offer the content up for free. I'm just going to ask for donations, and if someone wants it on disk then I will sale them one. So what am I filming? My years of experience with the Nikon CLS system. I know there is a lot of off camera lighting videos, blogs, sites, etc. But this is a bit different. I'm talking to one system in pretty good detail. Taking the viewer from beginner on up through advanced uses of the system. I will obviously have to cover some lighting technique, but this whole thing centers on CLS.

So why give it away...................? Karma! I want to give back. I have learned so much from people who gave away content, and I mean content that I'm not qualified to write for another 20 years or so. Why not help out people with something I know pretty well. I'm hoping the pay it forward mindset will indeed have the universe pay it forward to me. It may take me a while to get these done. New town means I need new models, new assistants, etc. But that is OK because it forces me to get out there and meet people. 

Until later.......later  =)

What You Do When You Can't Sleep

You blog, or lay around and let your mind aimlessly drift through your to-do list. Since aimless drifting is no way to fall asleep I figure a blog post was in order. I finally finished up the last images from Kim and Kory's wedding. they are up on my site now for the world to see. Here are a few favorites of mine.

I don't know if it is me, but I'm really digging the black and white versus color at this wedding. It just seems to really add so much mood. But then I have been surfing the inter-web thingy for used large format gear. I don't' need it, but something about those huge negatives just draws me in especially in black and white. Could just be a phase, which usually means spending money in the photography world. I'll have to keep that in check.

Other updates...let's see. I start my mentorship next week. I'm really looking forward to that. I have some ideas, but maybe I should dismiss those until I see what my agenda is in regards to my mentor. But I'll fill you in on what I am thinking. I want to use my knowledge of wedding work to transition into commercial ad work which is geared to the wedding industry. I mean think about all of those wedding magazines, dress designers, lifestyle sections, etc. I see a lot, and I mean a lot of the same old thin model on grey seamless, standing next to a fluted column dress ads. Blah...I think I just tasted a bit of dinner in my throat. Seriously did the wedding industry not get the same message as every other market? Interesting photos get attention, get sales. I'm just saying. I think I can bring something new to the game. I hope.

So I want to reach out (meaning find at this point) some local boutiques. I'm not talking David Bridal. I mean real honest small businesses that are in the dress/ wedding business. I'm going to offer professionally produced images to them in exchange for the use of their merchandise. This is not shooting for free before you get off on a tangent. this is shooting for me, with the exact purpose of building a commercial portfolio worthy of hitting some AD with. Build a book. Inevitably this will involve me having to find some models and make-up folks too. I've had very little luck on Model Mayhem. Maybe the truth is always in the name....mayhem. Anyways I'll have to fish around on that front. But that is my loose plan for now.

Also on the agenda is my DVD. More precise it is a How-To DVD on a topic I am very familiar with. I don't want to give to much away, but I am very excited. It is not a "I know the best way, the only way, and know all" DVD it is simply me talking about a subject with which I have great experience. I'm looking for a launch price point of between $30-$50. We will just have to see how that plays out. I want to keep it cheap because I legitimately believe there is a group of people out there who really could benefit from some cheap good information.

So my agenda for this week:

• Exercise once a day (Most likely a bike ride). If I don't I'll have more nights like tonight..not good.
• Start filming the DVD, I should set an end date or I'll never push myself....Note made.
• Shoot some downtown Dallas urban landscapes (This should coincide with my bike rides nicely).
• Hit Ikea to return a table (Don't ask)
• Organize all of my gear on a new permanent shelving system (FINALLY!)

That doe sit for now. My eyes are heavier, and the bed is calling.

Details, Dealings, and Depression

No blog post yesterday. I did not get everything done I had wanted to. But that is OK. I really need to pace myself. I did manage to update my website with some new images, and changed the music. I think the whole thing fits a lot better now. Of course that could just be the mood I'm in today. that's a dangerous thing when contemplating website design.

Today has been filled with responding to some emails, checking leads from www.decidio.com , and checking on my Facebook ad performance. That is one thing new I did yesterday. I have actually booked one wedding from Facebook this year. I'm hoping for even better returns here in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Facebook allows you to target specifically who (or what group) you want your ad to be displayed to. You really need to think about your demographics on this. I could just blanket everyone who is engaged, but that's not my target market. I'm looking for a more sophisticated client, who can afford my price point. Keep that in mind if you go the Facebook route.

So maybe the other thing I should talk about is depression. I was real hesitant to put this out there, but heck it's just me, you, and the internet that'll read this. I do suffer from depression. Not major, but I am on some medication for it. I bring this up because could I have possibly picked a worse vocation to take up then being a professional photographer? Heck take the normal self doubt and frustration any photographer feels and sprinkle in a mental illness...nice. Do you have self doubt, worry, are you scared? I watch this video repeatedly to tell myself I am not alone.



Anyways, I want to tell you about an experience that was completely unplanned, unrehearsed, and very profound that happened last week at the workshop I attended in Dobbs Ferry with Joe McNally (I promise a full write, I swear). Joe was showing us how to setup an environmental portrait in a really cool workshop of a bagpipe maker named Charlie Kron (You can see Joe's Blog post here ). So Joe was getting some gear in place, and the class was chatting with Charlie. Charlie was asked how he became one of the country's premier bagpipe makers. Charlie simply said, "I come to work everyday. I stay busy even when there was no work, and I do what I think a bagpipe maker does everyday and it just happened." WOW! Now here is a guy who as far as he knows is talking to a bunch of professional photographers. Joe had not prompted him to say that. Heck the workshop was about "going pro" or business or any of those topics. But Charlie hit the nail on the head. You see Charlie is a creative professional too. Charlie knows that you have to do the steps. Just do them that's all. One step, next step, next step,and before you know it you are at your destination. I want to be like Charlie, and with my depression kicking in today I have to think about Charlie, his bagpipes, his dream.

Oh, and when Joe said he almost cried while shooting Charlie.....he really did almost lose it. If you doubt the passion you must have to go down the road of being a photographer then spend some time with someone like Joe.

Monday, Monday, Monday

Today was my "first" Monday as a self employed photographer. I'm proud of myself for actually getting up and putting in some work today. So what did I do:

• Set-up my new iMac 
• Followed up on an email with a potential wedding client.
• Started processing images from Kim and Kory's wedding that I had shot back in NC. 
• Processed some of my shots from New York.
• Processed some shots from a charity polo match I attended yesterday.
• Updated my Craigslist ad
• Updated my Decidio ad
• Updated my PPA profile
• cleaned up my website and client proofing site a fair bit (killed the music; it even annoyed me)
• Briefly surfed the real estate for lease ads looking for a possible studio (no money for that as of now, but I like to keep a list of areas and options going)

Yeah I know that doesn't sound like a lot but it was time consuming. I feel good that Put in a full 10 hours of work today. It was funny my wife asked if I had made any money today (joking of course). Well of course I haven't, but I did do things which make you money. I made sure I am taking advantage of the completely free sources of advertising. No they are not going to bring me a shoot for GQ or Vogue, but cash flow is cash flow. Any starting business needs that. I am not too proud to shoot for my dinner. Work is work, and work behind a camera beats an office any day.

One of the other things I have decided to try my hand at is selling "fine art" prints. I use quotes because I'm not sure what I shoot qualifies as fine art, but what the heck right? I really like some of the images I captured at the polo match yesterday. It was my first time shooting polo or even horses for that mater. Here are just a couple images:

I like them. Of course if you like them help support a photographer by purchasing a print at www.lightwalkerimages.com !

Alright tomorrow's agenda:

• Finish processing Kim and Kory's wedding
• Process more images from New York
• Blog on my workshop experience with Joe McNally
• Go grocery shopping
• Clean the house a bit, and do some laundry 
• Develop a new Facebook ad
• Start story boarding my DVD idea!