Nov
25
So you 
have a camera, and you would love to earn enough to buy a few more lenses. So you make a few business cards and start announcing you’re open for business. People start telling you the easiest way to make money is to shoot a wedding. Why not? Sounds like fun.
Think again.
Wedding photography is one of the most difficult niches in the photography industry.
- You must deal with dozens of different personalities, all in a highly stressful situation.
- Taking a perfect picture of a bride and groom – one in the whitest white, one in the blackest black – can be exceedingly difficult. Especially because you’re very likely going to have to capture the two of them outside in the sunshine, and inside in almost pure dark conditions.
- You cannot control the situations – you have to go with the flow. You have a few short hours to capture hundreds of amazing images.
- You may be expected to be in 2 (or 3, or 4…) places at one time. How are you going to control the situation so you’re not stressed?
- Guests travel from all over the world for this one day event. There are no do-overs.
Which is why as a professional wedding photographer who photographed hundreds of very high-end weddings over the years, I cringe when people say to get their start in weddings.
If you have the desire to start a wedding photography business, here are my suggestions.
Nov
21
Questions always come through in themes. I get a ton of email from you every week, and keep track of the questions to make sure I cover everything in a timely manner. (If you would like to send in your question, please send it to info at virtualphotographystudio.com)
One of the more common questions is:
“How can I learn Photoshop, and improve my photography using Photoshop tools?”
So I’m always on the lookout for great tools and resources. Occasionally we’ll be putting up tutorials like this one.
I also found this tool that I think could help you become even better at Photoshop. It’s called Learn Photoshop Now. You’ll find a guide to help you through actions, and videos to show you exactly what to do.
Nov
20
5 Things To Make You Quit Your Photography Business
Filed Under Photography Marketing | Leave a Comment
The headlines everywhere read doom and gloom. It’s the toughest time of all to make profits with a business, not to mention the possibility of starting one up. Should you take all of this to heart? If you’ve always dreamt of starting and growing a photography business, and turning it into your career, is now the time?
Yes!
I’ve started up 3 separate businesses over the past 20 years, and I’ve seen Read more
Nov
17
What’s Your Guarantee?
Filed Under Photography Marketing | Leave a Comment
What makes 
a business better than their competition? It may be your guarantee. And not just what your guarantee is, but how you communicate that guarantee to your customers.
Let’s start with what you can offer your client. You can approach it from satisfaction from the shoot itself:
You love your photographs, or we’ll redo your session at no charge.
Or you can off a money back guarantee:
You love your photographs, or we’ll give you your money back.
Both are strong and show your level of commitment to your work. Read more
Nov
13
How to Target 5 Magazine Clients For Your Photography This Week
Filed Under Photography Business | 4 Comments
You love traveling. You love photographing. And you’d love to combine the two to make your income. 
A lot of people are doing this every day. They are getting paid $100, $200, even $500 per image that is included in a publication. And if you could sell 10 or more photographs per month – you’re well on your way to a six figure income.
Is it hard to find companies willing to pay these prices for one photograph? Not at all. It’s just a matter of finding the right magazines willing to pay the right price. There are thousands of magazines in publication today, and they all need photography. Add in websites, online publications, and internal commercial communications, and you have a ton of opportunity available to you.
Step #1 Identify your interests
We would all love to be an award winning photographer with National Geographic magazine. But the possibility of starting Read more
Nov
10
The digital era has made copyright protection more difficult. And as more applications and opportunities to place images online grows, the opportunity to lose out on revenue may seem to go along with it. But it doesn’t have to. It’s all about knowing and understanding your rights, and putting the proper photographs into the proper places.
Clients Images
If your client comes in for a session, sell to your client BEFORE you put them online. Or make them a part of your package deal.
For example, if you photograph a high school senior, they should come in and purchase their images and packages. After the order, you can place a few online to show off to family and friends. Don’t place all of their images online; just the images them purchased. This gives them more incentive to Read more
Nov
7
Do you use Twitter? Do you have a clue about Twitter or how it works. Twitter is a microblogging format that allow you to keep your followers updated on you. Any thing you want to post within a 140 character space. Yes it is short and sweet but you do get used to it.
Twitter can be an invaluable tool if you have a group or subject that you are interested in. Twitter is allow links to be placed into the posts or updates so if you find an interesting item on the internet, share it.
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We have put together a list of Twitter connections:
If you want to keep up with Andrew or Lori on Twitter, here are the links:
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http://www.twitter.com/andrewosterberg
http://www.twitter.com/loriosterberg
Nov
5
Turn Your Photography Into A New Business
Filed Under Photography Business, Photography Marketing, Wedding Photography | 4 Comments
So you’ve been photographing for awhile. You’re fairly well known in the industry, and most of your business comes to you through referrals.
You have the business part down, and you are ready to try something new. Now what?
I had those same thoughts seven years ago. So I decided to take on a new venture.
Creating a coffee table book out of my photography.
Using a variety of our images from our wedding photography, we put together a small coffee table book, Being A Bride.
Every page is filled with four color images, and a quote that expresses why its so important to girls and women to be a bride.
I actually created this book Read more
Nov
4
Does Your Photography Studio Need More Sales?
Filed Under Make Money With Photography, Photography Business | 1 Comment
It’s finally here. After today, the election will have come and gone, and it will be time to move on, and focus on how to finish up 2008 with a roar. Can it still be done? Can you still meet your sales goals? You bet.
Now is traditionally one of the best times for a photographer to make money. And this year is no exception. Instead of splurging on high ticket items, more people are going to look for things of value. And what could have more value than a family portrait?
There are three ways to bring in more sales.
1. Bring in more clients.
2. Bring in the same clients again and again.
3. Sell more to each client that walks through your door.
If you’re new to this business Read more
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