I remember a challenge year’s ago when I was the regional manager at Polaroid.  We had a problem with the Kentucky Driver’s License program and it was my fault. Instead of trying to sweep it under the rug like most of the managers in those days used to do, I figured I was better off to just publish a memo on what went wrong. In the memo I explained why it was my fault and how I was going to fix the problem.  It was bizarre, because instead of getting beaten up for my mistakes, I got a lot of good press for being up front. I never expected the accolades. I was just trying to save my job!  

Well, here’s today’s issue. Last week I announced that registration was going live today for Skip’s Summer School. At that time I was absolutely sure I only needed a few more days to lock up some of the final details. The bottom line is that it’s taking me longer than anticipated and late yesterday I was forced to move registration to Monday. I simply ran out of bandwidth, chasing some of the last minute details. It’s sort of ironic that I also wrote a post about it on GoingPro.

Rather than post all the information on the site that’s half-baked, I decided to wait until everything was confirmed and in its place.  That means all program descriptions, the schedule of events, headshots of all the speakers, extra benefits for this year’s attendees, etc.

However, here’s one good one that I’m very excited about…WPPI just approved full registration for all Summer School attendees to WPPI 2013 for just $75.  That’s an incredible value to the biggest convention and trade show in professional photography!

I apologize for missing today’s go-live date, but I can promise you it will be worth it!

One of the key topics of my program related to the “Big Three”, brides, babies and pets. After speaking last night it sure seems to make sense as a relevant blog topic today!

To start, I absolutely accept that my relationship with my dog is over the top, but here’s what so many photographers forget. Most pet owners are a little nuts about their dogs or cats. In fact, so much so, there are an estimated 170 million households with pets, making pet photography number three in the heirarchy of why people hire a professional photographer!

In a survey done by Kodak years ago and I don’t believe it’s changed one bit, the heirarchy went brides, babies and pets, in that order. What makes the big three exciting is they’re all related and can create a perfectly natural transition for diversity in your business.  Brides have babies and families have pets. The connections between all three couldn’t be more natural to help photographers bring diversity into their business.

Almost four summers ago, children’s photographer, Vicki Taufer launched what’s become the gold standard of community pet events. She offered a free sitting and one 5×7 of your pet if you brought in a donation for the Peoria Animal Shelter.  Vicki and her staff wound up doing over 120 sessions that day, leaving 40 people on the wait-list. It was a classic. Her original purpose was simply to get people to know who she was and see her studio. Today, in addition to her children’s business, she’s become one of the best known pet photographers in the area.

In addition, her promotion became one of the standards for partnerships with other vendors, community involvement and publicity.  I know of at least a half dozen other photographers who took Vicki’s concept and used it as a model to develop their own program, each time customizing the original concept and making it even stronger.

I’m a huge fan of diversity in your business model, especially in this economy. While there are some who feel it’s more important to specialize and stay with one category, e.g. weddings, children, family, seniors etc. I’m a believer it’s critical to never say “Sorry, I don’t do that kind of photography” to a client. I believe you need to be skilled enough to take on just about every request that comes through your door!

Think about the transition. If you did a great job on the wedding and the client loved your images and working with you, then why wouldn’t you want to be there when the first baby was born? And as the family grows, why wouldn’t you want to be there for family reunions, holiday portraits and even their commercial needs, depending on what kind of business they’re in. Brides have babies, babies grow up and become seniors and through the entire cycle their are endless opportunities for professional photography.  Along the way there are opportunities for maternity, weddings, day in the life kid’s portraiture and pets, just to name a few.

Just my two cents on diversity. It sure seems to make sense!

PhotoPro Expo is technically the Kentucky Professional Photographers Convention, held in Cincinnati. However, the show is drawing from all over the Midwest and I’m convinced it’s all because David Ziser, chairman for this year’s event, put together a great platform of speakers and the entire KPPA team backed the play.

For me, I’m flattered and honored to be on the program, even batting last and finishing 10 minutes before Super Bowl Kickoff!  I’m hoping at the very least my wife will be there, since she’s neither a Giants or Patriots fan. LOL

Other states, even PPA, could stand to take a lesson from the crew in Kentucky! Focus on goals together and work as a team and give up the politics. It’s hard to imagine how much stronger so many different events could be if everyone just worked together.

My point is an easy one to understand… I’m really proud to be included in this year’s PhotoPro Expo, but I’m even more proud of David, Randy and the Kentucky team who’s worked so hard to make it happen!

There are still a few details to work out, but in keeping with my promise of a February 1 announcement, here’s what’s in place so far…  

Dates: August 5 – 8, 2012. Plan to arrive Sunday afternoon. The mini-trade show starts at 4:00 pm, the first presentation at 7:30 pm with Summer School ending Wednesday at noon.

Format: Let’s talk about more hands-on shooting first.  We’re going beyond the two hours of shooting with each photographer we incorporated last year and give everybody two full days and then some. Every attendee will have their choice of two of seven different outstanding photographers. In addition, there will be a two day film-making workshop in which participants will work on the skill set they need to create a marketing video for their own promotions and website.

Hands-0n Faculty: This year’s faculty is top shelf for hands-on shooting. Imagine being able to spend a full day with photographers like Clay Blackmore, Michele Celentano, Tony Corbell, Jerry Ghionis, Kevin Kubota, Bobbi Lane or Roberto Valenzuela. 

Film-making and Storytelling:It’s a special addition to Summer School with Ross Hockrow and Jeff Medford, along with a ton of video gear from the MAC Group. They’ll be teaching an intense film-making program for the full two days. Some of you may have met Ross and Jeff on their Get In Motion tour last year. They’re outstanding instructors and the founders Cinestories.  Attendees will not only be learning the techniques of video storytelling, but learn how to create their own personal promotional video. 

Class Size: Classes will NOT exceed twenty people. There will be no exceptions. This includes the video workshop as well. We will not allow more than twenty people in any hands-on program! This guarantees everyone a more intense experience and the ability to learn from the very best.

Marketing and Business:  It’s at the top of everyone’s list and we’ll kick off Summer School on Sunday night with my new program on marketing and business with special guest, Melissa Ghionis.   If you’ve never heard Melissa present, a key part of her background is the lost art of customer service. 

Catherine Hall will join us for a special key note program on Monday night. As co-host for TWIT Photo she’s taken branding and marketing to a completely new level. She’ll provide attendees with great ideas on how to expand their reach in their own communities.

Website Review: Many conferences offer portfolio review, but the minute you register for Summer School, we’re going to review your website and give you some solid suggestions on your galleries and your ”About” section. These are two of the most important elements on every photographer’s site. It’s the equivalent of a portfolio review, but done ahead of time, before you get to Summer School. This will give you a chance to identify more of what you need to grow your skill set prior to working with your instructors.

Sponsors and Mini-trade show: There will be some incredible products and services offered by this year’s vendors, including the sell-off off all the lighting and video gear used in the various workshops. It’s a terrific opportunity for you to pick up the additional gear you need at dramatically reduced costs. The first trade show session will start right out of the blocks on Sunday afternoon from 4:00 pm to 7:30 pm. 

Location: We’re headed to Chicago this year! Chicago is one of the easiest and least expensive cities to fly in and out of in the country. Decent airfares make it an economical mecca for reasonable travel costs.  We’ll be at the Doubletree Hilton in Oakbrook, Illinois, just ten miles from the airport.  It’s a great property and we’re pretty much going to “own” the hotel, making the experience even better.

Everything else on this year’s educational event along with some additional surprises will be announced on February 9 when registration goes live! What a kick this year’s Summer School is going to be!

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?

A trip to Las Vegas in February isn’t just about WPPI anymore. It’s about adding new building blocks to your business and some of them are outside WPPI programming. For two years I’ve started every marketing presentation with the same statement.

Just because the media says it’s going to be a bad year, doesn’t mean it has to be!

That’s a big part of the GoingPro theme and Bootcamp. We started the project because there are so many aspiring photographers interested in going pro and missing the boat on the right way to get started. Frustrated, they jump into the market with lousy quality and low-ball pricing. Instead of building a business on a solid foundation, they try and build it on the word “professional”, having no understanding of the importance of how to sustain a business.

Well, it’s been two years since we started the GoingPro, which originally was just a book with Random House. Now it’s a blog with an estimated 50,000 followers and sixty-four podcasts, resulting in 120-150,000 downloads a month. Last but not least, it’s our second Bootcamp, an all day event helping you with everything, but photography.

George missed the last GoingPro Bootcamp, but we didn’t and neither did a 100+ aspiring and working professional photographers. He’s got another chance and so do you! With the combination of Michele Celentano, Scott Bourne and me we’ll help you with ideas on marketing, pricing, building your business, insurance, social media, community involvement and local networking, just to name a few. Most important of all, we’ll help you figure out how to promote yourself and your work so you can get your second customer.

Anybody can get their first customer. The trick of building a solid business is getting your second customer and even better, getting the first customer to come back a second time. You know how to focus your camera. Well, we’re going to help you focus on concepts like quality, value, integrity and the ability to exceed customer expectations. Those are the key attributes of any business that brings customers back!

And speaking of exceeding expectations – that’s just what we intend to do on February 18. It’s only $99 for the day. So, whether you’re just getting ready to take the plunge into the pro side of the business or you’ve been out there for a few years and need some help – we intend to exceed your expectations. 

See you in Vegas! Signing up for GoingPro Bootcamp is just a click away!

What I’m most excited about though has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with new technology or for that matter even my business. This is about friendships and my network. Over the next few days I’ll have a chance to catch up to dozens of people I haven’t seen in months. I’ll  catch up to faces from the past, photographers and exhibitors I haven’t seen in years.  We’ll all greet each other with that look that says, without one word being uttered, “Wow, you’re still in the industry!”

At the other extreme will be new faces, who I might feel like I know really well, but they’ll all be friends from social media, who I may have “talked” to dozens of times, but never actually met. Again, all part of my network. We all share the same passion and love for the craft.

So, as you get ready to head out to any of the shows here’s a really easy suggestion. Let your friends know your schedule. Make arrangements to catch up to old and new friends. Make sure you keep your cell phone on and check your email and text messages throughout the days of the convention. Plan your social calendar in the same way you’ve planned your overall trip.

I’ve written dozens of posts, both here and at GoingPro, all talking about how to “work” a convention. I’ve pointed out must-see vendors like SmugMug, Album Epoca, Asukabook and Kubota Image Tools, just to name a few.  Well, in the same way you know the vendors you need to see and the speakers you want to hear, do the same with your friends and associates.

I wrote about the Golden Rule of Conventions a few days ago, “NEVER HAVE BREAKFAST, LUNCH OR DINNER ALONE!”  Take the time to plan a dinner with old friends, a lunch with a speaker or vendor you might be close to or just a quick coffee with another photographer you’ve been talking to online. Introduce yourself to the people sitting around you at each seminar you attend.

The photographic industry has been built on a foundation of every one’s love for the craft.  Take advantage of that energy and appreciate that wonderful feeling of anticipation you feel before every major convention, workshop or event.

Alexander Shulgin wrote, ““…Some part of me can’t wait to see what life’s going to come up with next! Anticipation without the usual anxiety.”

So, on that note, it would be an understatement to just say I’m excited about this upcoming first trip of the year. Wishing you all safe travels – see you in Vegas or New Orleans!

Well, we all make mistakes and they can’t be avoided.  Depending on what you do with them, they can stunt your growth as an artist or just the opposite, create a growth spurt. It’s all in how you look at the mistakes and if you choose to learn from them.

My good buddy and partner in GoingPro, Scott Bourne, wrote the following post about making mistakes. No matter how seasoned you are, the pressure of business, the economy and new technology all change the game and suddenly you find yourself buried in mistakes you never used to make.  Scott’s put together a great check-off list for cutting out one serious variable in your life, mistakes with your gear.

Tomorrow we’ll come up with the same kind of list for promotions.  The secret is all in taking the time to plan rather than be reactionary. In the mean time, see if Scott’s list makes sense for your gear.

No matter how experienced, we all make mistakes. Sometimes we go out to shoot and nothing works. We’ve forgotten to reset the ISO from 3200 (shot the basketball game last night) to 200 (for the landscape shots at Mt. Rainier.) Or sometimes that odd custom white balance we set at the art museum gets saved and used for the next wedding. Oops.

Whatever the mistake, mistakes have a way of cascading. And it’s easy to get frustrated to the point where you simply can’t do anything right. When you reach this point it’s time to give up and start over – “reset,” as Joe McNally says.

To do this, you need to establish a baseline for your gear. Here’s my baseline. Your situation may be different, but this works for me.

1. Camera bodies off
2. Camera batteries recharged after each and every shoot – no exceptions
3. Flash(es) off
4. Flash(es) batteries recharged after each and every shoot – no exceptions
5. Set ISO to 200
6. Set aperture to wide open on all lenses
7. Set shutter speed to 1/125
8. Set mode dial to Aperture Priority
9. Turn off IS/VR on all stabilized lenses
10. Set all lenses with focus stops to focus maximum area of focus
11. Remove any and all filters
12. Check that the camera body and any/all lenses are set to autofocus (unless you just always use manual focus – in which case disregard.)
13. Set white balance to AUTO
14. Set exposure compensation to “0.”
15. Reset the focus point to the center.
16. Set motor drive to high speed advance
17. Make sure mirror lockup is disabled
18. Make sure to run camera’s auto sensor cleaning after each shoot, no exceptions
19. Do quick visual examination of the camera to look for damage defects
20. Reset additional gear like tripods, light stands, etc.

After bringing everything back to default condition, you can take a deep breath, find your subject, and start building the next shot knowing you’ve done all you can to be ready.

Remember, we all make mistakes. Even the pros. It doesn’t mean a thing. Fix it, reset, reshoot, repeat. You’ll be fine.

For me, time is always my most valuable commodity and there’s never enough of it. All of us are in the same boat and for many of you an upcoming convention may be your first venture out as an aspiring or professional photographer. Regardless, do a little planning so you’re sure to make each dollar spent on every minute away from your business well worth the trip.

I know I’ve written about this a lot over the years, but they’re all points, even the seasoned pros, seem to forget:

1. Look at every aspect of your business, from gear to software and services, before you leave. Analyze where you really need the most help.
2. Review the list of vendors exhibiting and highlight those companies you need to see the most.
3. Read through all the program descriptions so you can schedule those programs and workshops you need to expand your skill set.
4. Pick at least one program completely outside your comfort zone. You need to get exposed to every aspect of the business and there’s a great saying, “You’ll never learn to sail on calm seas!” Make it a point to attend programs that will challenge you.
5. When walking the trade show, start in one aisle and walk the entire show. There are so many exhibitors who might have services or products you know little about. You don’t want to miss anything!
6. Have a supply of business cards with you, but even better, put together something that shows your work. Personally, I love a creative looking postcard that’s a little bigger than a business card and shows at least three different images along with all your contact information.
7. It’s the Golden Rule of trade shows and conventions: NEVER have lunch or dinner alone! This is where you can build your network and ideally grab a meal with somebody you don’t really know. It’s easy to do – just talk to the people around you at every program you attend.
8. If there are special vendors you want to see at any convention, call them NOW! Introduce yourself and set up an appointment. If nothing else it will put you on their radar, so when you stop by their booth they already have an idea who you are.

Last on the list, and this is where I really sound like an old fart…if you can’t party with the big kids then don’t party. Over the years I’ve seen so many careers slow down simply because somebody partied too hard the night before and missed the bell in the morning.  In this case the “bell” is defined as everything from a meeting to a workshop you wanted to attend.  If you schedule meetings with vendors, sign up for workshops in the morning or simply make plans to meet people for breakfast then be there!

My favorites for the next few months?

DIMA and PMA in Las Vegas, IUSA in New Orleans, PhotoProExpo in Cincinnati, GoingPro Bootcamp in Las Vegas and WPPI in Las Vegas.  The next sixty days are going to be incredible!

Safe travels and I’ll see you on the road!