What Filter was that?!?

a post on post ettiquette.

So we've all seen it, right? That post where you thought "Oh my Gosh, they did not seriously write that on facebook?!"

Or the image that something just looks ... off... and someone has posted a comment about it, telling the photographer (or worse, the client) what is wrong with the image and that they could have done better. 

Or my absolute favorite "well, you can get better pics if you come to me, the sitting plus all pix on disk is only $25."

We, as an industry, and even as clients, need an intervention. When common courtesy and even common sense have gone out the window, we need a Manners Movement. 

I've asked photographers all over the US to add to this list of things that are "Do's and Don'ts for posting and commenting on Facebook." If you are a photographer, or a client of a photographer, this list is for you. 

***

Ready? Then lets just do this!

1. DO remember that when posting something online it can be very hard to convey sarcasm, inside jokes, etc. 
Be very careful, because things often look about ten times "ruder" in a comment than they do anywhere else. 

2. DON'T comment or post with any CC (critique) unless it's asked for.
If you're seeing a photo posted anywhere other than a closed group, it's probably best to NOT post CC. If you have something to say, private message it to the photographer - but don't expect it to be taken well. 

3. DO remember that every photograph that includes a person, that person will probably see that image - and every single comment. 
Is your opinion worth hurting them over?

4. DON'T post anything you wouldn't say to someone's face - client or photographer. 
That person has real feelings. The old adage "If you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all" applies here.  Anything you write, the actual client and their family may see it. Just because you can write whatever you want to, doesn't mean you should. 

5. DO Remember, art is subjective. 
People hire photographers based on what they have seen them do. Some people are very traditional, and some people are not. And just because you don't like something does NOT mean you have to post that opinion.

6. DO think about writing an encouraging comment on a photo or share a photo whenever you can - not just click the "like" button. 
Commenting on photos can really make the day of the client, possibly even change their self image, and they always make a photographer feel great (even better than a simple "like"). 

7. DON'T be afraid to delete negative comments and block the person from your page. 
You have the right and responsibility to protect your clients. 

8. DO thank your commenters for their kind words. 
It's never a good idea to post and run.

9. Clients, DO tag and mention your photographer when you share an image or use a photo as a profile or cover image. 
It's a wonderful courtesy to your photographer, who will probably look at that photo often to see what your friends have said about it. 

10. DO think before you post anything - a status, an image, a comment. 
Is it beneficial, true, something you'll be ok with a search engine finding in a year? Err on the side of caution.

Mini-Session Maximizing

Some people love them, and some people hate them. They don't fit every business model, and they aren't for every business person either. As with every marketing avenue you consider, if you can't take the time to do it right and do it well, don't do it until you can. 

Mini-sessions are a Marketing venture first and foremost more than an income generator (although they can definitely be that, too). They are a good way to introduce your business to a new base of clients, although this base of clients will be ones that you will be cultivating and educating on the value of portraiture. They will not be ones that recoginze your value immediately, nor will they instantly be willing to pay your regular boutique level pricing. If you're looking for a quick fix, quick turn client, this is not the answer. This is a long turn, steady client that will go for your mini session a few times a year and eventually turn into a higher dollar client a year or so down the road. This client takes patience, pampering and convincing. 

Still interested? Read on. 

9 Things to consider

1. Marketing ROI

In order to gain Top of Mind Awareness with your target market and get them to respond to your marketing, you need to get your message in front of them at least three times. Don't understand what I mean? Pay attention to radio and television ads. You'll hear their main message and business name at least 3 times during their ad. Remember this for your FB, emails and blog posts (and offline pieces). 

You can also plan that for everything that you do, you can expect about 10% response. Response can be anything from picking up the ad to visiting your site to calling and booking a session. The depth of the response will increase with the number of impressions on the prospect (which is another reason you can't be a 1-and-done). 

2. Repetition

In the same spirit of above, no "1-and-dones".  Plan at least 3 different Mini Sessions this year so you know if it works for you. This will also show your clients that you're not a flake - that they can trust that this is something they can count on for your business (and they can count on your business in general). The more they get used to seeing something from you, the better your booking rate will get, and the higher your ROI will get as a result.  

3. Timing, Booking and Assistance

Part of the Mini Session is about the timing. You want to get promotional photos of these at least 6 weeks prior so that you can begin advertising about a month before the session happens. Sessions should last no more than 30 minutes, and not be booked back to back. Always leave yourself a 10-15 minute window between sessions. Something will inevitably go wrong, someone will be late, and someone else will be early, or someone will really, really REALLY hate Santa (that would be my kid). And no clothing changes on a Mini.  

When booking, try to focus on booking just 1-3 subjects.Too many people and you're bound for a mess.  Don't shoot family Minis unless it's the holidays (and book them a little longer time, like 45 minutes). 

Don't overbook yourself. 25 Mini-Sessions in one day is insanity. You are not wonderwoman and you don't have to try to prove to me or your mama that you are. Even Tamara Lackey would tell you to put that calendar down, girl. Just because there is white space on it doesn't mean you gotta fill it up. 

Don't overbook yourself, pt. 2. Don't book a Mini day every month. You will get burnt out. I promise. 

Always have an Assistant. Make sure someone is there to help you check in your clients, make sure that clothing is straightened, make sure you have water (I swear, its water, not vodka. What do you mean you can smell it on me??) , get a bathroom break if needed, faces cleaned, etc. You never know if you'll need those couple of moments just to regroup. 

4. Style

You are going to have a really hard time making a Mini Session successful if you shoot them just like you do every other session in your portfolio. Mini sessions are different, themed, special. They have that "stylized" feeling. Remember, like I said above, these are people you're introducing to your business, so you should probably do something with a little STYLE for them. Don't make them cookie cutter, give them some edge, give them some spunk, personality, and fun. Theme it if you want, and bring it to life. You want these new prospects to see the best of the best, to be your guinea pigs for your ideas, even. Feel free to try that new thought with them - and don't forget to get those model releases!

The more creative and fun you get, the more interest you'll spark with your marketing and with your brand, and the more you'll be inspired to educate your clients. 

5. Pricing 

There are two major pricing pitfalls I see when most people start to do Mini Sessions. 

Pitfall #1 -- CheapieFreebie (loss leader/might as well have gone groupon). This is the $29 session fee with the free 8x10, 4 5x7s and 5 digital files on a disk mini session. And then, it's even 50% off print prices. 

Yet... no one buys anything more than what they get for free. And why should they. The photographer doesn't get it. They think "But I shot these awesome images and gave great discount, why didn't they buy anything else?" So they email them and follow up, and they never book and the photographer gets irritated and thinks, well, minis aren't for me. 

Pitfall #2 -- TheGrownUpMini. This is the $200 (discounted) session fee, 30 minute session, and 20% off prices.

This is fine if you have an established client base and you've been doing minis for several years and your clients are used to your pricing structure. Note: This is not all bad, but you cannot start out with this mini. You can do this mini after a few years and you are a solid, strong business. 

The Right Way (IMHO): The Staring Out Mini: Price your session fee at around $49.99 and either discount your normal prices around 30% OR create a special price list just for Mini Sessions (still should be discounted and presented to them as such when they inquire). Note: I never recommend sending your pricing to your clients (or home with your clients) in any way, shape, or form.  

It's introductory enough that it will weed out the cheap-os, but low enough that people can still swing it. You're also not giving away the farm, and being able to introduce people to your work, and to your pricing on a very custom level that is comfortable for you. 

6. Marketing: Offline and Online

It's important to not rely simply on Facebook, email and your blog for filling your Mini Session spots.Of course, use these mediums, but make sure to use actual flyers as well. 

Partner with local vendors and boutiques to place well done and professional flyers and lay-cards about your mini-session in the weeks leading up to your event. Place these out about 4 weeks before your session dates, and make sure that they feature strong sample images (not too many), emotion words, a strong call to action (ask for the action you want them to take - don't be passive), and your contact information.

With your social media and emails, make sure to use a photo on Facebook and share it multiple times, tag people in it, ask people to share it. Create an event and invite people to it. Share it on Google plus, create a blog post and share it multiple times. Create an email marketing piece and send it out following a marketing strategy over a series of a few days. Tweet about it over different days and a different times. Ask local friends and vendor partners to do the same. 

7. Ordering Appointment

Treat your Mini Session clients as you would all of your regular clients. Do in person ordering, and upsell. Create custom storyboard composites, sample products and collages during their slideshows to show them. Show them your elite collection of products that you have available out of your full price line, too, even if you have created a special pricing guide just for them.

Create the setting, educate them, show them the way you mount your prints, the framing options, show them the difference. If you can, have prints available from the "cheapie" printers versus your pro prints to show them what they're getting from you . Talk about the archival qualities of the papers, the processes of the printing done at the pro-labs. Make sure that you really take the time to go through with them and build that custom experience collection that is perfectly suited to their needs, get their information right in their file, get their model release signed, and ask if you can contact them again for an upcoming mini sessions and studio events. Let them know what they can expect as far as the next part of the process. 

8. Marketing Afterwards

Make sure that you don't forget about these clients! While they're not your target client  - yet!-  you'll still want to make sure you're keeping up with the follow up, the follow through, and the emails. Seriously -  the marketing pieces of everything you offer in with their completed order, the notification of new mini sessions, referral cards for them to hand out, Open House invitations, invitations to Vendor partnership events, client education information blog posts, and anything that you can get in front of them that keeps your name in the forefront and reminds them of the service and the quality they got from you, the better. 

9. The Mini Session Client

And last but not least: The Mini Session client. This is the client that is sort of sick of going to JCPenney and Sears and really hates Walmart. She likes PicturePeople but knows there are still better options out there. Olan Mills kind of appeals to her too ... but she heard from someone, somewhere, that a private studio/photographer is even better... but that same someone told her they're really expensive and she could probably take good pictures with her own camera. Bleh. Maybe she'll just stick with PicturePeople. 

Wait... Oh that picture is really nice. Oh I like those colors. And oh, that price isn't bad, and that's really close to me. 

This is your Miini Session client. Or at least, who they start out as, usually (from my experience). Remember this as you start to work with them, that this is what their biases are. They don't hate you, their just skeptical. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So now you've got enough info and ideas to decide if this fits for your business or not. You'll have to let us know what you decide to do and how it goes. And don't forget to track it with a tracking sheet.

Hugghins Photography: Featured Photographer, week 2

Studio and Location Photographer

Serves: Gwinnett and Athens, GA areas

Online: Website, Blog, and Facebook

Market: Maternity, Newborns, Children

Go to gear: Canon! I shoot with a 5D and LOVE my 85 1.8. I'm working on upgrading my current 50mm.

Business Story: After college, I knew there was nothing else I was meant to do. I didn't want to work full-time and luckily I had a husband to do that for me! After the recession, I was forced to get serious about owning my own business. I designed my own logo, business materials, and joined a few online groups to continue my education. 

My advice if you're new in the industry: I love helping out new pros because I feel like we are all one big family in the photo world! I have a few blog posts specifically geared towards those wanting to learn more about their craft. I still have so much more to learn, but if my little bit of knowledge can help a struggling photog, then I am a happy girl!

One big mistake I see new pros make is not taking the time to learn about light. It is the essence of photography and still people think they'll just "wing it". It doesn't work that way. Research, research, research, then practice, practice, practice!

I think the biggest thing you learn from those who have been around the block a few times is to learn from their mistakes. See what they aren't doing, because there is probably a reason for it! Don't copy, but be inspired by their work. Try out new techniques and see how they work for you.

It took me quite a while and many trials and errors to find my shooting style, so don't expect it to come overnight! You don't necessarily have to be trendy- just shoot what feels right to you. Oh, and don't "specialize' in EVERYTHING! Pick what you love best and study the crap out of it!

Visit Hugghins Photography on Facebook 

Visit Hugghins Photography Blog

Check out Hugghins Photography Portfolio 

Getting Yourself Started

This is a sample of the checklist I use when starting or re-structuring a photographer/studio. They're not in any particular order, but I find it's a good thing to use the checklist a few times over the course of those first couple of months and then years, just to make sure you're staying on track.

• Business Plan
•  Marketing Plan
•  Business Name
•  Logo
•  Tag Line
•  Market Research, local area
• Benchmarks for progress created
• Website Url
•  Blog Url
•  Facebook Page
•  Marketing Calendar
•  Promotional Pieces
•  Branding Colors
•  Branding Image Elements
•  Photographic Style
•  Target Markets
•  Value Statement
•  Inquiry Script
•  Booking Script
•  Booking Policies
•  Sessions
•  Agreements
•  Presentation and Ordering Process
•  Vendors Chosen
•  Studio Management Software
•  Business License and EIN set up
•  Accounting Software Chosen
•  Product Line
•  Pricing
•  Packages and Presentation of Prices
•  Email Marketing Host
•  Email Marketing Database
•  General Advertising Piece created
•  Business Cards
•  Senior Rep Program
•  Moms Rep Program
•  Bank Account Set Up
•  Merchant Account for accepting Credit Cards
•  Cancellation Policies
•  Ordering Policies
•  Finished Order/Delivery Process
•  Customer Retention Program
•  Reorder Specials
•  Yearbook coordination
•  Digital Image Policy and Agreements
•  Modeling Releases
•  Word Bank (for ads, marketing, facebook, web)
•  Web Designer and Host
•  Email Communications written for each part of the process
•  Workflow process created
•  Critiques on all of your pages before launching
•  Social Media facets identified and branded with purpose – not repetitive
•  Idea Bank created (ongoing list of go-to ideas)
•  Inventory of props and supplies
•  Reviews from past clients on hand
•  Client review process created

Trainer Tuesday: Coaching Your Seniors to Ask the Right Questions

This post was recently featured at Inside the Locker and Senior Portraits 101

When it comes to establishing your senior program, one of the first things you need to think about is the questions that parents and seniors will ask you -- and all of the other photographers they call -- to book their session. It's a little about what they do ask, and also what they don't.

Almost always, they will ask you how much you cost. Like, you know, for an 8x10?

They don't necessarily want to know this. What they want to know is HOW are you different, WHY should they hire you and WHAT makes other people choose you. But they don't know what to ask. It'd be like calling an author about writing your life story and asking "how much is it for a page?"

As a photographer, it's your job to educate your clients on not only your value, but the value of photography in general. As a start, this is something I'd written for a website a couple of years ago, and it's a tool for parents and photographers alike. Parents, to get an idea what to ask. Photographers, it can be so much more.

As a photographer, this is a good place to start thinking about what makes you different. How would you answer these questions? If you have employees, how would they answer them? Are you all on the same page? What would your other clients say ABOUT YOU if they were asked these questions? What about your Senior Reps?  I encourage you, take a few minutes to think about these things ... and feel free to add anything else you think is important to think about in the comment section below.

The biggest thing that will show a quality photographer is expression. It has to be authentic. Whether serious or smiling, there needs to be the twinkle in the eye that so many miss. The color and quality should be true to life. It shouldn’t need a ton of editing to look amazing, and there should be a wide variety of options available.

A portrait photographer should guarantee their work, 100%. That means reshooting or fixing a finished print with no additional cost to the client. It’s their work — not your problem. What is their guarantee?

Are the photographers professionally trained, or just someone who bought a nice camera and took a few quick classes? How does their studio look? How many seniors have they photographed in the last year? How long have they been in business?

What types of sessions do they offer? Do they have the ability to take outdoor portraits? Where, and how will your child change outfits while they’re there? How many outfit changes can they have? Are they allowed to bring props?

How long will it take to see your images? When should you expect to place your order, and then receive it? What is the process you will go through?

What about yearbook portrait? Do they get it to the school for you, or is that your responsibility?

Look at the lighting in their finished prints, not only in their studio, but on their webpage. When you call them, ask them how they choose the images they put on their website.

Make sure you give them plenty of information about your child. Most professional studios will have time that they can consult with you and your senior about what you’re looking for and what their personality is like, but it makes it a lot easier for the studio to make recommendations if we know that the senior is shy, loves pictures taken, is involved in sports, has certain important hobbies, etc. The more information you can give us, the better.

If you have a daughter, do they provide makeup? How long has their artist worked with them? What products do they use? How do they usually apply the makeup? Is mom allowed to watch? If they don’t provide it, can they recommend an artist, or tips on how to apply makeup for photography?

What about hair? How long as the stylist worked with them? Can you see some of their work? If they don’t have one, who do they recommend?

Look at photographs from last year’s seniors – on their ads, in their studios, and in person. Ask your friends with past seniors if you can look at their portraits. The way you see other kids in their work should make them look natural, not overly posed.

While your photographer should be on the “same page” as you and your child, most photographers won’t have a complete vision until they’re in the session, working one on one with the senior, alone. That’s when real personality and real involvement comes out. If the photographer is good at what they do, they will be very personable and someone you feel at ease with quickly… and that will translate to real expressions.

Pricing shouldn’t be the deciding factor, because you get what you pay for. Yes, in this digital age, its easy to get things quickly and cheaply, but that’s exactly what you’ll be getting — quick cheap work. A real artist knows the value of their skill, and their prices will reflect that. And yes, really, most families can plan on spending at least $1000 on senior portraits ... most spend more.

This is one of the only times your child will have special portraits made of just them – its worth every cent you put into it, because you will never have this time back and you will always want to remember it.