Keeping your craft current and fresh helps you ace the game. In the wedding space, couples hire a specific photographer because they like what they see on their website and social media. They want their wedding, engagement shoot, or family portraits to reflect the style and brand of the photographer they like.
The same can not be said for commercial photography, which is exactly why Mitch Colagrossi is drawn to it.
One of the biggest impacts Tracy Autem has seen hit the wedding photography industry during her years as a photographer and educator is YouTube photo mentors.
“I teach a Business for Photographers class at the local university and when I ask my students how they learned how to use a camera, most of them say Youtube.”
As a longtime wedding photographer and business owner on the lookout for new talent, Tracy is excited to see so many newcomers. But she cautions her students about the flaws she finds with the YouTube education model. “I always tell people that they have to check their sources. They need to look at the work of the person they are putting their faith into and make sure it’s solid.
Taking the guesswork out of client meetings is too much of a time saver for Erin Morrison, wedding photography expert, to worry about the potential fallout from oversharing. The Knoxville, Tennessee based wedding photographer believes knowledge is power, even when it comes to including information on her website that other photographers might consider counterintuitive, like listing her limited availability for elopements.
Featuring Kuoloon Chong & Qiya Ng with Kompactfaen
We hear it all the time. The old saying, “you can’t please everyone.” But in the social media-focused world of wedding photography, going against the grain is tough. The more people like you, the more work you’ll get.
So in an industry that relies so heavily on referrals, ignoring criticism from other photographers and vendors is a big gamble. But it’s one that paid off for Qiya Ng and Kuoloon Chong. Despite a lack of support from their community and colleagues, just one year after the couple created Kompactfaen they were named one of 30 Rising Stars of wedding photography in the world by Rangefinder Magazine.
The holiday season gives many of us a lot to be thankful for. And in the spirit of gratitude, we asked some of our ShootDotEdit customers to share how they give back around the holidays and throughout the year. The responses were not only heartwarming, but they also highlighted the idea that generosity comes in many forms. We loved reading about what our customers do to help those in need and we’re honored to share it with you.
When dealing with luxury weddings at a certain price point, clients can sometimes feel like they can call all the shots. Even when it comes to how the shots are taken. Gurvir Johal is based in the UK and specializes in Luxury Asian Wedding Photography. And while he travels all over the world to shoot weddings, he often meets clients in his office in London. That’s where he’s often met with what he describes as internet-planted gear-specific questions from couples.
“They come in with a list of questions they think they are supposed to ask that they must have read on a forum or in a magazine.” Gurvir humors the couples, answering even the silliest queries. But there was one increasingly common one that forced the photographer to create a special album.
The idea of earning extra cash to increase your photography income around the holidays is one everyone can get behind. Who wouldn’t want extra spending money to spread more holiday cheer?
According to a recent survey, a lot of your fellow photographers are taking action on that idea and it’s paying off! Here are some ways our ShootDotEdit Customers are adding to their bottom lines.
When it comes to time spent on income earned, mini sessions are king. A survey of some of our ShootDotEdit photographers revealed that a successful mini session campaign around the holidays can make or break the year for many small businesses.
Santa Claus is big business this time of year and Professional Wedding and Portrait Photographers are cashing in. With the wedding off-season fast approaching, photographers in colder climates are making up for a lack of wedding income with special holiday-themed mini photo sessions. Many photographers target their current clients and offer spur of the moment photo booth style shots.
“I offer a reasonably priced 15-minute holiday session where the client can choose what they want in their set. Options include: wreaths, presents, lights and small handheld type things like snowflakes and bells for little kids to play with to keep them smiling.”
Diane Clifford with Diane Nicole Photography
While quick and easy works for many photographers looking to up their income during the holiday season, some go all out — creating a buzz and a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out) among their colleagues.
“We’ve talked about doing personal Santa experiences with families. Hiring a professional Santa and giving each family 15-20 minutes to meet and take family photos with and without Santa. I’ve heard of photographers making thousands in a weekend with this idea.”
Santa may be the star of the show before Christmas, but don’t rule out other holiday-themed ideas, like a family pajama party that can live on long into the winter months. And, if you pair holiday-themed photo sessions with holiday photo print sales with EXTRA, your income won’t skip a beat this winter.
Happy Holidays from everyone here at ShootDotEdit! May they be merry and full of photography sessions!
Featuring an interview with Ryan Burhop, SDE Client and EXTRA pro user.
For many wedding photographers, the income stream from a wedding ends when the images have been delivered to the clients. Digital images delivered means job done. Right!
But what if that wasn’t the final answer? What if you could continue to make money after the wedding with no more work than you’re already doing? You’d be all in on that, right? Do I hear a “heck yes!” from the crowd? If so, let me introduce you to Extra — a stunning wedding photo gallery site that sells prints for ShootDotEdit clients and ALSO offers free storage, free hosting, an automated state-of-the-art sales & marketing engine, and takes zero commission.
Simply put, taking advantage of Extra after every wedding generates the closest thing to free money you can get.
