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Is Photography A Possibility?

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We’re coming into the final stretch of 2011, and no matter where you sit today, one thing is for sure. 2011 has been filled with change.

This is the year we hit 7 billion people on earth. And while the number of people on earth is growing phenomenally every day, there is one thing that most are not doing: fulfilling their potential. People have the potential of changing the world, releasing their own uniqueness, and catapulting themselves into any direction they choose. Yet most aren’t. Why?

This past weekend was a “movie weekend” where many top notch films were released. Did you see any of them?

One of our favorites was the movie Hugo. If you haven’t seen it (or read the book), its about a boy who loses his family and ends up living in a train station. He ends up meeting a toy shop owner, his daughter, and their lives are entwined through a series of events set around the production of movies.

While I won’t give away the plot of the movie, one scene tied everything together, and stuck with me all weekend.

In it Hugo has a revelation. He sees the world as a machine. Every person on earth, everything we see and have around us, is here as a part of the machine. If one piece is missing, or broken, the machine can’t function the way its supposed to. So it’s up to every person to fulfill his or her passion, to fulfill their destiny in order to keep the machine working at 100 percent.

For just a moment, it makes you look at the world a little differently.

Not everyone here on earth is meant to be a Tony Robbins, the president of a large corporation, or even the President of a major country. Most people are here in supporting roles, and are meant to do one thing that will inspire the people around them, even if its only a handful of people.

So what if your destiny is photography? What are you doing to make it come true? [Read more…]

Filed Under: Start A Photo Business Tagged With: , , ,

How Can You Turn Your Passion Into A Photography Business?

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What if you grew up loving something and being very passionate about it, and always wondered if you could turn it into a business and a career. Can you really turn “anything” into a lucrative business model?

I think that’s one of the exciting things about small business, and what the Internet has done for us as a society.

Small businesses can be started from scratch, immediately, and you’ll know within weeks if it has potential. Add in the Internet where you can reach millions of people with just a few clicks of the mouse, and you’ll be able to define your target market, and whether or not you’re truly onto a unique idea.

This week I found a great video from a photographer who makes her living photographing “secret” places. She’s invited into some amazing sites, and has created photographs that will haunt you and inspire you. In her presentation, she makes one key point that to me relates directly back to turning your passion into a business. She says she spends more time contacting and connecting with people to allow her to photograph in the places she loves then she does actually photographing. That’s the key.

You have to be willing to do whatever it takes to make your business ideas a reality. If you want to sell something big, it may take weeks or even months getting the idea into place. You can’t get discouraged. And you have to knock on as many doors as it takes to make it a reality.

Filed Under: Start A Photo Business Tagged With: , , , , ,

How To Be An Exceptional Photographer

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There is only one way to be an exceptional photographer:

Find out what makes you exceptional, and use that to build your business.

The reason we have the great photographers of the world is because they have leveraged their unique talents in such a way that they “get known” for what they are great at.

If you jump in and try to be a general photographer, taking in whatever prospect calls in and offers you money, you’re not building your greatness.

If a business offers you money for a product shoot, and it’s to develop a catalog for car parts, it may be a lucrative venture. But if you love working with babies and new families, and car parts are the furthest thing away from how you picture spending your perfect day, you’re not building up your greatness.

Be Aware Of Today, Get Excited About The Future

If you’re just starting out, you may not know exactly what you want to do. And that’s okay.

When we started out, we were generalists. Then we moved into weddings. And then we added babies and families as our wedding couples started having families.

We started out as generalists because, well, that’s pretty much how everyone starts out.

But we became exceptional photographers when we narrowed down our interests, and really focused in on what we wanted to be good at, what we wanted to develop over time.

If you don’t know what your unique talent is yet, don’t get discouraged. In all reality, unique talents change, build and grow over time.

I know what worked in the past. We loved weddings, and all they had to offer. We loved capturing one of the most exciting days in a couple’s lives.  So we made it the focus of our business.

I know what works now. I love marketing and coaching, and have found a unique way of incorporating that into my life through VirtualPhotographyStudio.

And when I look at growing towards the future, I simply sit down, and ask myself a few questions. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Planning Tagged With: , , , ,