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Culling in Camera: Can it Save You Time?

Author: ShootDotEditOn: Sep 29Categories: Lightroom & Photoshop Tips No Comments
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During the wedding day, how many images are you shooting? Chances are, you shoot hundreds of images from the wedding day (based on these most important moments) – most of which don’t make it to the final set you send to your clients. And, based on how many images clients really want, the culling process may force you to spend your time getting rid of a ton of images to get to your final total.

Culling your images in Lightroom is not the only way to start the process of delivering a set of the best images from the wedding day. You can start the process earlier by updating your process, and even culling in camera. The biggest question is, can these techniques save you time in your workflow? Here are a few steps you can take to eliminate the number of images you need to cull on your computer during your post-wedding workflow.

Step 1: Shoot What’s Needed

The first step is to start the process before you even take the first set of images. Achieve the best shots possible by properly posing your clients in a place where the background is ideal, the light highlights them, and you know it will be a memorable image. Or, if it’s something you cannot pose, position yourself in the best angle for the image. Before you take the photo, make sure you know it will result in an image that contributes to the overall story of the wedding day. If you only focus on the images that matter, you won’t have to spend as much time on your computer afterwards.

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Image Compliments of Sam Stroud Photography

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10 Memorable Photographers to Ignite Your Creativity

Author: ShootDotEditOn: Sep 28Categories: Wedding Photography Ideas No Comments
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As a wedding photographer, you likely spend much of your time thinking of new ways to advance your photography skills to provide clients with stellar images. Photography is constantly evolving from where it first started, so it is necessary for you to continue to practice and try new techniques for your shoots. In our Lighting and Posing Guide, we share how to properly use lighting and posing to create stunning images. To stay up to date with the latest in photography, and to advance your skills, it can be valuable to study other photographers and gain inspiration from them. Below, we share 10 memorable photographers to ignite your creativity.

1. Ansel Adams

Ansel Adams was an American photographer and environmentalist. He once said, “A good photograph is knowing where to stand.” Throughout his career, he would travel to locations with stunning landscapes, where he would practice taking photos in the correct position. You can learn about how to add landscapes into your photos from him. Not only did he know how to incorporate the landscape, he also knew which camera settings he preferred. He would often take 2 shots of the same scene to ensure he captured the best shot possible.

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Instagram Shortcuts: 7 Timesavers to Implement Today

Author: ShootDotEditOn: Sep 27Categories: Social Media Tips No Comments

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What’s the best part of using Instagram for your wedding photography business? You have the opportunity to place your images and other resources in front of potential clients to encourage them to access your website and blog (and book you for their wedding day). There are plenty of strategies you can use to connect with followers, and really make an impact on their decision of who to hire as their photographer.

If you have read our Instagram Guide, you learned some of the top tips and tricks to use on Instagram. (Haven’t read the guide yet? Check it out here). But, if the process you use for Instagram takes too much time, there is a chance you are not getting the most out of your account.

Your Instagram strategy should be streamlined, so you can reach potential clients and focus on other important tasks for your business. How can you maintain a fast process for Instagram? Here are 7 Instagram shortcuts you can implement to save time on the social media app.

1. Try a Hashtag Generator

By now, you likely have hashtags to use on your posts. To add hashtags to posts that are different, use a hashtag generator to speed up the process. A generator, such as Hashme or Hashtags by Pregram helps find the best hashtags related to the post you share. This saves you time, and helps you place images in front of unique audiences.

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Why Shouldn’t You Do It All Yourself?

Author: ShootDotEditOn: Sep 26Categories: Lightroom & Photoshop Tips No Comments

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When you first started your business, there were so many things you needed to do yourself to figure out the ins and outs of your new role. Then, as your business started to grow, you had more tasks and responsibilities than ever. And sure, doing everything yourself might have seemed like a good idea when you first started. But, taking on every project and task for your business is not a sustainable solution – not if you truly want to grow and reach your goals.

The cost of doing everything yourself adds up over time, and ultimately pushes you a little farther away from your overall goals. This is especially true for your post-wedding workflow, and even more so for your post production. Editing images from every wedding takes away valuable time from your workflow, which is an expense that can hinder your ability to advance your career.

Whether you edit the images yourself, or have an in-house editor, there are so many hidden costs of post production. What are these hidden costs, exactly? Take a look below at the various items you pay for when you do everything yourself.

Management Costs

One of your roles as a business owner is to manage your business. Although you manage it, you do not necessarily need to take care of every single task involved. When you edit images yourself, you take on additional management costs. What are some of these costs?
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Holiday Session Email Templates for the Wedding Photographer

Author: ShootDotEditOn: Sep 23Categories: How to Become a Photographer No Comments

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Thinking about the upcoming holidays and planning holiday portrait sessions may be a distant thought (we’re still in busy season, right?). With the wedding shoots stacked up, another project might seem out of the question. But, what if we had a way to plan your holiday sessions for you… and all you had to do was send the emails? With our Holiday Session Email Templates, created with Táve and France Photographers, we’ve made it simple and taken the guesswork out of launching these sessions!

Holiday Email Session Templates for the Wedding Photographer

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Wedding Time-Crunches: 5 Tricks to Never Miss a Shot

Author: ShootDotEditOn: Sep 22Categories: Wedding Poses No Comments
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Here at ShootDotEdit, we know that out of all of the weddings you have shot, chances are you have seen a timeline so off track you barely have any time to capture the most crucial images. Since your couple hired you to document their day, you have to know how to take those images in a limited timeframe. In our 127 Shots Guide, we share a photography playbook of the important images to take. Below, wedding photographers, Justin and Mary Marantz, share 5 tricks to help you never miss a shot during a wedding day time-crunch.
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Sometimes, things just happen at a wedding. Despite the best intentions, the best planning, the most meticulous timeline, sometimes things just…get off track. Like I always tell my brides, there’s “real time” and then there’s “wedding time.” The two shall never be the same.

I’ve seen it happen 100 different ways. There was that makeup artist out of state who took 2 HOURS and 15 minutes just to do the bride’s makeup. Then, there was that time there was an unexpected parade (I mean, a PARADE!) on the way to the ceremony. 200 guests sitting in a cathedral, and the bridal party is stuck behind the Fighting Irish mid-state championship marching band. Yep, anything can happen on a wedding day.

Over and over in the past 10 years of shooting, we have seen beautiful 2-hour cushions of time that were slotted for portraits get cut down to about 15 minutes. In 15 minutes, we had to do all of the couple portraits, as well as the wedding party! It can happen to even the best timelines and the best planning. Sometimes, stuff just HAPPENS. In those moments, we have two choices. We can either cry (tempting!) OR we can pull ourselves together and come up with a game plan. So let’s do that! I think the best way to break it down is by putting it into 5 tips.

Download our 127 Essential Images Guide to receive a comprehensive photography playbook for the wedding day!

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4 Wedding Photographers Who Will Ignite Your Instagram Strategy

Author: ShootDotEditOn: Sep 21Categories: Social Media Tips No Comments

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With over 500 million active daily users, Instagram is one of the most desirable platforms for you to use for your wedding photography business. In our Guide, Instagram for the Wedding Photographer, we take a look into how some industry leaders use strategies to attract and connect with followers, vendors, and fellow photographers.

Although there are various accounts from photographers all over the world, there are some that stand out more than others. Whether they have specific hashtags to use, curation methods, or engagement strategies, these photographers use Instagram to encourage followers to access their website or blog. In general, social media is perfect for you to attract and get to know followers and book them for their upcoming engagement or wedding shoot. To provide you with additional inspiration for your Instagram account, here are 4 wedding photographers who will ignite your strategy.

1. Lin & Jirsa Photography

Lin & Jirsa Photography have an Instagram business account that you can look to for inspiration. Throughout their account, they share stunning photos from their past wedding shoots. From creative ring shots, to detail shots, to dynamic backgrounds, to couple portraits, the images on their account represent their unique photography brand.

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9 Opportunities You May Be Saying “No” to Every Day

Author: ShootDotEditOn: Sep 20Categories: Wedding Photography Ideas No Comments

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As an artist and an entrepreneur, you have endless responsibilities for your photography business. As your to-do list grows, you have less time to focus on things that help grow your business and advance your photography techniques. In addition to your business, you start to slowly miss out on opportunities in your personal life.

For every task or project you say “yes” to, you may also be saying “no” to other opportunities which could benefit you more. These include items that do not require your attention, and could be outsourced to a specialist. Some of these may include post production, album design, housekeeping, yard maintenance, and so much more. These are items you do not need to focus on, yet may take up most of your workflow if you are not outsourcing. What are some opportunities you may be saying “no” to every day (and don’t even know it)? Take a look below.

1. Going on Vacation

Vacation is one of those things that can often be pushed aside when there are too many things on your to-do list. If you are overloaded with tasks, you have no time to take time off and enjoy yourself with family or friends. Vacation is a great way for you to de-stress and not focus on the business, especially when you trust specialists with your tasks.

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5 Secrets to Becoming a Better Wedding Photographer

Author: ShootDotEditOn: Sep 15Categories: Wedding Photography Ideas No Comments

5secretsbetterweddingphotosblog_headerAs a wedding photographer, it is necessary to constantly perfect your craft. The wedding day shoot can be hectic, and there are various images you need to capture to complete the overall story. When you advance your photography skills, you can more easily capture the photos your clients really want. In our 127 Shots Guide, we share the best images to take for your clients, and ones to share with a publisher. How can you advance your skills, and document every important moment from the wedding day?

Wedding photographers, Amy and Jordan Demos have 5 secrets they are going to share with you to help you get started. These secrets can help you strengthen your skills so you can become a better wedding photographer, and always deliver the best images to your clients.

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We shot our first wedding together in 2011, and only shot two weddings that year. Is it because we didn’t want to shoot more than two weddings? No! It was because that was all we had! If we hadn’t taken other kinds of work like family sessions and senior portraits, we would’ve clocked in a grand total of 18 hours on the job that entire year. We built our wedding photography business by taking lots and lots of portraits. And it was one of the best things we could have done. Here is why:

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