I found this post from Scott a little while back and the point he makes is so relevant. Instead of being overwhelmed at what you don’t know and letting your frustration throw you into an I-give-up mode, think about all you do know. Even better think about how much more you understand about the business today than you did yesterday.  Then smile over how big your network is growing in comparison to the  ”Uncle Harry’s” out there.

We’re in the peak of convention season and Scott’s thoughts are so appropriate to your attitude in the weeks ahead. All of you should be planning on at least one convention, be it a big national show or a local state convention of photographers. Use these opportunities to reinforce your skill set by attending programs to help fill up your bag of tricks and at the same time build your network. Make it a point to meet new people. Talk with other photographers about what they’re doing in their communities. Share your ideas as well as the frustrations you have in your own market.

Most important of all – don’t give up and don’t let yourself be intimidated by how much you might still need to learn. My old buddy Don Blair when once asked, “What’s the best photograph you ever took?” answered back, “I don’t know I haven’t taken it yet?”  Photography is a never-ending educational process and there will always be more to learn!

Copyright Scott Bourne 2010 – All Rights Reserved 

There’s a documentary film called “I Can’t Do This But I Can Do That.” Upon seeing this movie I was motivated to consider how this saying can and does apply to photography.

It dawned on me that low self-esteem, combined with the bullying that is prevalent online, might work to stop some potentially great photographers from moving ahead with their photographic pursuits.

If you find yourself doubting your ability to become a serious photographer, try this exercise.

Make a list of things that you struggle with. It could be focus, or posing or composition or post-processing. Okay. So there’s the elephant in the room. All too often, that’s where people stop. Don’t be that person. Do the second and more important step. What do you do well?

It could be any of those same things. Perhaps you’re great at getting sharp focus, or devising great poses or you might be a master at Photoshop. If you’re good at remembering names and making people feel comfortable – write that down too.

Now here’s the important part. Start thinking about, talking about and living in the world of the stuff you CAN do. Concentrate on what you CAN do and not on what you CANNOT do.

I am not saying that you shouldn’t pay attention to improving in the areas where you need help. I am saying that 80% of your focus should be thinking about what you can do and not what you can’t. There’s a way to make this even more successful. Only surround yourself with positive, supportive people. Ask them to stop you dead in your tracks if they start hearing what you can’t do. Ask them to remind you what you CAN do. I bet you have more going for you than you realize.

Good luck.

 

I’m feeling like there’s a lot going on, because there is! And if I’ve learned nothing else in all my time on the planet, which Scott Bourne regularly jokes about my time here so far being extensive (Hey, I’m an old fart in this industry and proud of it!) I’ve learned that everything always does come together.  You can’t rush it, just take it one project at a time, finish each project and then before you know they’re off your plate!

I know it’s going to look like an infommercial, because it is. Just like so many of you, who send me updates on what you’re doing, I’m pretty excited about everything happening this month! Here are the events and links!

PhotoPro Expo: It starts on February 2 and I’m the last presentation before Super Bowl kick-off. I finish at 6:30 and kick-off is estimated to be at 6:40 or so. I promise I won’t run late! Hope to see a lot of you there – David Ziser, as the event chairman, has put together a great program!

Skip’s Summer School: I’m working hard to get the last minute changes into this year’s program and it’s going to be terrific. The three biggest things people have asked about in the past are for a more intense hands-on experience, more marketing and business and a different location. I took on more than I anticipated with trying to incorporate all three, but we’re going to do it and the announcement will be on the website on February 1st as promised.  Here’s a hint though – if summer school in the past was “under-graduate” work, then this year you’ll be working on your Masters!

Photographer’s Ignite: I’m honored and ecstatic to be included in this year’s line up of speakers, but all my slides are due on February 3, with the presentation on February 19. It’s five minutes and twenty slides (15 seconds per slide) to make a point! The hardest thing anybody can do in communicating is to be concise and it’s actually turning out to be harder to do this five minute presentation than it is to work on my two hour program for PhotoPro Expo.  What a kick to be involved!

GoingPro Bootcamp:If you’re not signed up yet, give it some thought. It’s not about being new to the industry or just starting out, but about building a solid foundation for your business.  Plus, the experience that Scott Bourne, Michele Celentano and I will be sharing will all be based on your input and the areas so many of you need help with.

WPPI:Having spent a good part of my life working with an incredible team to build the show up to what it is today, heading back to Vegas again for the convention is always a kick. It’s a great trade show, incredible educational venue, but the best part for me is always catching up to my network and the old and new faces that become part of the “family”. It all starts the day after Bootcamp. See you there!

Body Parts:We’re only a few weeks into the ordering process and it’s great to see so many people adding it to their list. If you’re thinking about it but just can’t decide, here’s something to consider. We’re only planning on this one print run. We’re not in the book business and don’t want to carry a lot of inventory, so while we’ll print a few additional copies, this is a classic opportunity for a classic publication. If it’s on your list, put your order in at the pre-publication price and save ten bucks, because we’re only going to do a very small overrun.

Cameras for Kids Foundation: My post last week says it all, but here’s a rare opportunity to get every photographer involved and you don’t have invest anything except the time to click your mouse and vote once a day for the next couple of weeks. Cars.com is giving away up to $100,000 to the charity who gets the most votes and CFKF needs our help! Voting is just a click away!

Resource Magazine: If you haven’t seen it yet, get yourself a subscription or look for it on the news stand. It’s becoming the fastest growing magazine in photo. The staff is top notch. Many of you met when Alex, Aurelie and Adam when they joined us at Summer School last year. But don’t just enjoy the magazine, check out their online presence for RescourceMag online and RETV.  I’m writing a column on the challenges of becoming a professional photographer and it’s a kick working with these guys…and oh yeah, it’s one more deadline on my plate this morning! LOL

Okay, that’s it for this Monday morning. Whatever happened to the first quarter of the year being the slow time?

Cyber Monday Over At Kubota Image Tools

Yes, Kevin Kubota is a good buddy, but he became a good friend because of the way he’s supported photographers in the industry. We all have people on our admiration list and Kevin is at the top of mine. Everything comes down to the way he gives back and the philosophy is the same with all of the people in the company, but that’s not why I feel you should check out the special offers he has going on today.

Think about one of my favorite subjects, making your work look different. Far too many people complain about “Uncle Harry” just because he has the same gear you do!  The truth is, while he might have the same camera he doesn’t have access to the same creative tools.

Well, today, Kubota Image Tools has a blow-out program to get you into the full line of creative tools to do just what you need…make your work look different! Save $100 or more! Get $50 off all qualifying Photoshop products today and get $50 in KubotaBucks tomorrow for yourself or gift to a friend.  

Time to exceed client expectations and make sure your images are the best they can be! Here’s the link!

GoingPro Bootcamp, February 18

I know everybody has a lot going on over Thanksgiving and into the final stretch of 2011, but if I didn’t believe in the program so much I wouldn’t be guilty of this shameless self-promotion this morning.  This is a great program in part because of the experience the three instructors bring to the party.  But there’s so much more because of the energy and networking experience that’s been created each time we’ve worked together, in part thanks to the sponsors and spirit of the attendees. I wrote a little about it last week.

It’s tough enough to make the decision in this economy to start your own business, but GoingPro Bootcamp gives you a chance to focus on the non-photo side of doing things right.This is about paying attention to the detail you need to be a successful business – we’re not teaching photography, but sharing our experience and the “secrets” so many new business owners forget about. We’ll be talking about everything from social media to selling techniques to becoming your own publicity machine, just to name a few.  What good is creating the finest images of your life if nobody knows who you are or you can’t close the sale?

This program is absolutely going to be limited in attendence. We’ve kept the cost down to $99 and moved the program just off the strip to the Hampton Inn. No frills, just outstanding content. We’ll start promptly at 9:00 am and run through the day until 5:00 pm. At the end of the day you’ll leave with a whole series of ideas on things to do in order to make sure your business is on track – all just in time for the WPPI convention and trade show which starts the next day.

Here’s the link for registration- hope to see you there!

There’s a lot going on in the industry right now and over the next few weeks I’ll do my best to keep you plugged into special programs and great offers you should know about!  Happy Monday!

First, it’s a great idea and demonstrates just how much a photographer can push the edge of the envelope, especially when it comes to new directions.  Second, there’s a second part to the post, the live interview with Carey, now in the GoingPro Podcast archives. She shares a lot of great ideas, especially when she talks about “pounding the pavement” and ways she worked to get her name out there and build brand awareness for her company, Barefoot Memories.

Carey is an outstanding photographer, but for me the most fun has been watching her business grow over the years as a result of a lot of hard work, marketing, attention to SEO/SEM and just an outrageously positive personality!  Carey stays focused on having fun no matter how hard she’s working. There it is, that word “fun” – too often forgotten in business today! 

If you’re not having fun then you’re doing something wrong. Maybe it’s as simple as taking an afternoon off and just doing some of the things that got you interested in photography in the first place, getting back to your roots.

Ruben Villamil, our AV guy, is absolutely one of the best in the business, but here’s what makes him unique. He’s a passionate photographer as well. So, after three years of Summer Schools, he not only knows how to get the job done, he knows so many of the speakers and even a few attendees.

Bambi Cantrell coordinated all of this year’s models. It wasn’t in her contract and she didn’t have to do it – she just took over and said, “Trust me!” Then she and Cate Alivekios got gowns for the wedding models and somehow it all worked out. Few photographers believe in education the way Bambi does and it shows in every class she teaches.

Clay Blackmore headed out to take on the Las Vegas strip. Many of you probably haven’t seen the video that follows, but it provided a rare opportunity for photographers to see Clay in action and fine tune some of their own skills. And again, this wasn’t part of his program, but something he just wanted to do. Most fun for me was that he talked good buddy, Calvin Hayes, into coming to Vegas for Summer School.

Alex, Aurelie and Adam from Resource Magazine gave us some great insight to how a story is put together. Doing an upcoming story on Summer School, Adam’s skills as a journalist really came shining through. I’m nuts about the magazine, but even more impressive are these key members of their staff! This is about passion and all you had to do was talk to them for a minute and you picked up on how much they love what they do. They loved talking to so many of you as well.

Brent Watkins, within a day or two of getting back to Ohio had a facebook page set up for Skip’s Summer School and then upgraded the music on Clay’s video so we could all continue to enjoy it. There’s a reason why I’m so excited to see him on the board of PPO. Brent just gets stuff done.

Tony Amat, new to summer school, probably holds the record for the most pictures ever taken of me at Summer School. You name it he captured it, but it’s the enthusiasm that’s come with each posting that has made it such a kick! Summer School is about new friends and expanding your network. What a kick to have Tony involved and so many of you new to the program.

Special friends, who I’ve hung around with for years, jumped into the attendee list with Helen Yancy and Nancy Carr. Brian Palmer bailed me out a few times with some extra needed help and then there’s Gokhan, Elena, Matt, Levi, Christy, Beverlee, Yasmin, Kellie and Yusuf, who all did their share to tweet about the event, before, during and after!

And no program could ever wrap up without a big thanks to Scott Bourne. The Summer School concept has grown thanks to Scott. He’s pushed me to think outside the box so many times and continues to help me think through so many different challenges in this industry. GoingProgets a few hundred thousand page views a month and 150,000 downloads a month on the podcasts. It’s been a remarkable journey, with the book due out in late October. Scott attacked the challenges of getting the word out on Summer School the same way he does everything – there’s never a compromise!

The sponsors this year were remarkable, especially with the panel discussion on Wednesday morning at 7:30 a.m. Just the fact that they were up that early without a table to sell anything says it all. I wanted the attendees to understand the level of expertise from the vendors and they shined with great ideas on customer service, staying focused and marketing, just to name a few.   It’s so important to include these vendors in your network, because they can help you in so many different areas, NOT just with the service or products they provide.

Last on the list is Michael Pishnery who helped with so many different aspects. It’s a challenge for any program when you hit a new hotel, but over and over again, he was behind the scenes helping to fine-tune the set up so that everyone got the very most out of each program.

Then there’s that one person, but really this “thanks” post is from both of us. Sheila is as much a part of Summer School as she is part of my life. So, while I want to remind her that so many projects of mine wouldn’t happen without her support, she’s also part of the team thanking all of you for your support and sharing so much of your photo-lives with us.

That’s it until next year, although there just might be a few surprises before then!

Thanks again to so many people who made Summer School the best one yet! We get by with lots of help from our friends!

Skip and Sheila

Akron Photo Series: I’m making it the first on the list, but it’s only because last week’s programming was pretty remarkable. We got Bambi Cantrell to the Midwest and in her Monday night program and all day Tuesday, she demonstrated first hand what makes her one of the most sought after instructors in the industry! She’s a remarkable teacher.

Her all day hands-on workshop was terrific and a big thanks to Brent and Teri Ann Watkins of Sylvart in Barberton for the use of their studio. Splitting the day into classroom and hands-on shooting everybody walked away with new ideas on technique, learning to see the light and even diversity.

One of the challenges we all face is getting caught up in the day in day out challenges of business. It’s critical that every photographer stay focused on a personal project and Bambi demonstrated she practices what she preaches with images of Icelandic Horses, one of her many fine art projects.

There was even some time to share ideas on marketing, leaving everybody with a good solid battery recharge when they headed home after a full day workshop.

The next program in the series is Jasmine Star on Tuesday night, March 29. Eddie Tapp and Judy Host join us in April, Julieanne Kost in May and Jerry Ghionis in June. And remember, at least 10% of every workshop registration goes to Akron Children’s Hospital. More information is just a click away!

Power of Passion Tour: Sandy Puc and Jerry Ghionis  It’s a 32 city tour and this week this incredible duo is in Atlanta, Raleigh, Nashville and Phoenix. All it takes is a click to register and use code SPT11 for a $79 rate.  The combination of Jerry and Sandy simply makes this a not-to-miss program! Tune in tomorrow for Jerry Ghionis’ part 2 of his Anatomy of a Powerful Image!

Skip’s Summer School:It’s an all star cast this year and with a little help from the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas, we’ve got a great room rate, $79/night and we held the price on the full program at $279. Plus, Pulitzer Prize winner Vince LaForet has joined the faculty this year. The new change in hands-on programming adds a much requested dimension to this years classes, giving attendees eight different instructors to choose from on the shooting day. One click and you’ve got all the information on this year’s program.

CLIQ: It used to be the annual PMA show, but this year the new venue is going to be a blow-out. It’s an incredible educational venue with the largest trade show in the industry. Workshops for professional and aspiring pros, retailers and even hobbyists, make this a not-to-miss program. Set up the link to check in once a week. There are new programs and speakers being announced regularly.

PhotoshopWorld Orlando and Las Vegas: Photoshop World Orlando is just around the corner, the end of this month. There’s no question this is the premier educational event for Photoshop. Each year the guest speakers get better and better and Scott Kelby and his crew develop the finest platform in the world!  Orlando is March  and Photoshop World Las Vegas overlaps with CLIQ, making Las Vegas a one-stop shopping destination in the Fall.

GoingPro:The first date for GoingPro Bootcamp that’s been announced is LasVegas in conjunction with CLIQ, September 10-11. But until then, we’re adding new content every day and three times a month new podcasts with new guests. Coming up over the next few weeks, Tamara Lackey and Kevin LaRue from Nik Software. GoingPro is about helping you focus, but not on your subjects! This is about helping you with the challenges of business and marketing! What good is creating the greatest images of your life if nobody knows who you are?

PhotoFocus: Started by good buddy Scott Bourne, the site is an incredible resource of information with guest posts, product reviews, podcasts and information to keep you up to date on the latest products and techniques! Plus, follow Scott on Twitter to really stay up to the minute on what’s going on in the industry!

These programs are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of great resources available. Best of all, they all share a common denominator, they’re all staffed by people who care about helping you grow. Check out the speaker list for all these events and over and over again you’ll find photographers who do their best to answer all your questions all year long – not just when you’re at their programs!

See you in Orlando or Vegas or Columbus or…

I’ve followed Joe’s work for a long time and recently he announced a new direction for his own blog, a how to series. He and Scott Bourne have done a lot of podcasts together at PhotoFocus, while Scott and I do a lot of work together on GoingPro and PWSPI. Well, it just made sense to call Joe and see if he had an interest in sharing content, since we both share such a good buddy like Scott and here we are!

You know you’re going to love following somebody who’s trying to ”save the world, one pixel at a time”! Follow Joe on Twitter and check out his new blog!It really is true, the best part of this industry is about the friendships! 

As a young photographer I asked my mentor at the time what was the worst thing I could do during a portrait session. I figured that if I knew what the worse thing was, I could avoid it. My guess was that he was going to tell me that setting the camera on M-synch when using electronic flash (remember that, old timers?) or some similar technical glitch, but to my everlasting surprise, he said, “not talking to the people.”

If you don’t talk to the people you’re photographing you’re never, ever going to make good images. If you’ve ever participated in a group model shoot, you know what I mean. Photogs using their longest possible focal length lenses—hey, that’s what Sports Illustrated swimsuit shooters do—blasting away with smoking memory cards and occasionally, some guy will holler, “hey, look here!” That won’t work if you’re trying to create the best possible portrait.

One of the most important aspects of communicating with your subjects is getting them to trust you and relax. Any shoot is a team effort, so be sure to tell them what you are trying to accomplish before and during the shoot. Feel free to make suggestions about posing and makeup, but unless they’re high school seniors and Mommy (who writes the checks) is there telling you exactly what she wants, avoid letting them take over the shoot. In fact with seniors, shoot what Mom wants, but be sure to shoot some you know the student will love as well.

Occasionally you will find portrait subjects that have such dynamic presence that you’ll tend to defer to them and while sometimes the resulting images can be interesting, it is rare. This is especially true in corporate portraiture when the client may already have a style they want to maintain, but as with senior photography shoot some that makes the sitter happy and some for the person who writes the checks.

The bottom line is that in order to achieve the best possible portrait, both model and photographer need to work together. Only when you communicate and cooperate will you be able to create great-looking images. Joe Farace

Joe is the author of“Joe Farace’s Glamour Photography”  published by Amherst Media and available from them, Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and bookstores everywhere.

Last week I posted a press release about a new resource for photographers, PWSPI, Professional Wedding & Studio Photographers International.  The announcement is about a new program Scott Bourne and I have talked about  for some time. The announcement sparked a lot of great discussion and a few questions came up. Since the website, www.PWSPI.com will go live later today, it sure seems like a great topic for today’s blog.

Eighteen months ago I started this blog. A few months later, Skip’s Summer School. Then, together, over a year later, Scott and I launched GoingPro and then, the first GoingPro Bootcamp this past October in New Jersey. Throughout all of these events there’s been a common denominator; a quest for more help from both new photographers just starting out and seasoned veterans, who simply need more help with marketing, business and social media.

In terms of associations, while a few people feel the market is over-saturated with “organizations”, the truth is we estimate more than 90% of professional photographers in the US, both full and part time do NOT belong to any association. And, they’re not finding the resources they need for help.

So, we’ve set out on a journey to build a new resource founded on the idea of providing additional education and help at a reasonable cost for its members. We’ve put together a stellar advisory board, each with a slightly different industry history, but all having proven over and over again their dedication to helping photographers raise the bar on their skill level. Clay Blackmore, Bambi Cantrell, Jerry Ghionis, Kevin Kubota and Tamara Lackey along with input from our members will help us build this new venue, brick by brick.

Within a week or so, membership will be open and a further explanation of benefits will be available. But that will only be the beginning as new programs and features will be added on a regular basis, again based on the needs and feedback from our members.

It would be a huge understatement to just say we’re excited about this new direction! PWSPI is here to help you become a stronger photographer and business person. We’re not suggesting we’ll have all the answers, nor are we suggesting anybody give up their memberships in other associations. Every photographer has different needs and your choice in an association is just that, your choice. In fact, in order to help you take advantage of the very best that every association has to offer, if you’re a member of WPPI or PPA, membership in PWSPI for your first year will be available at a 50% discount.

Thank you for your support and especially your never-ending feedback. It’s that feedback that’s become the first bricks in this new foundation.

Circle October 24 on your calendar

This is NOT about photography, but how to get your business started and the steps you need to keep it going.  This is about getting you the help you need to pursue your dream and get your business off the ground.  We’re not going to teach photography, but help you with ideas on marketing, social media, building your client base, pricing, added value, working on your selling skills and community involvement, just to name a few.  We’re going to help you develop that long list of necessities to get yourself established as a professional photographer.

Seating is going to be extremely limited.This is a boutique conference by design. We want to make sure we get time with each of you. We want to make sure that after you attend this business boot camp you are ready to start work immediately.

Whether you’ve been waiting to get started, recently started your business or you’ve been in business a few years and need help ironing out the rough spots, the expertise Scott, Tony and I share represents approximately 120 years of cumulative experience as business managers, entrepreneurs, marketing experts, professional photographers and active participants in the photographic industry.

If you’re not familiar with the GoingProconcept, check it out.  In just the first 2 1/2 months there were over 450,000 downloads of the podcasts.  There are now fourteen in all and a new one coming three times a month, around the 1st, 10th and 20th.  

GoingPro Boot Camp is your chance to pick up new ideas to get your photographic business on solid ground and then know the tools to keep it there!

Registration is just a click away!  See you on 24^th in New Jersey!