Wedding Photography

Jerry Ghionis, Bussick, Tucci, Bambi, all these names have more significance as I met and listened to their presentations at WPPI. I admire their work and will use their knowledge to find my own style. I loved that these photographers stepped outside of the traditional shots, and found art through contemporary, edgey, fashionable portraits. Who doesn't want to feel like a super model? And what better occassion than ones wedding to make them feel totally fabulous! Why wedding photography? Alot of my desires to specialize here stems from the fact that after spending a good chunk of "money that folds, and not jingles" on our wedding, a full fledged 3 day cultural celebration, our wedding photographer left us stranded. Yup, my husband and I have nothing to show for our wedding other than pictures that were snapped by other people. We have about 14 VHS videos though that our videographer provided. But who wants to watch hours and hours of footage....not me! I'm sure there is a way to print pictures from the video, but still....our photographer did us so wrong! So I plan to be that photographer that I should of had! What a special role photographers play as we get to participate in such a joyous event capturing, documenting, and using a journalistic approach to get real expressions of that day. I've participated in many weddings but always on the other end of things; floral, decor, planning, etc. I'm so excited for the weddings I have lined up with my sis L within the next few months! So here are a few pointers I picked up from WPPI about wedding photography:

-Be proactive but unobtrusive
-Learn to anticipate
-Capture the uninterrupted moments
-Get expected shots done early
-Consultation=chemistry with client, communication, expectations
-Know whats in your bag; BACKUPs
-Timing of posed portraits
-Stick to timeline
-Ceremony and traditions
-Money Shots
-Reception schedule
-See beyond what is there
-Be one with your assistant of 2nd shooter
-Lighting Techniques
-Postproduction

I see that all photographers have a recognizable style, which is an important reason why clients choose them. I hope to find a consistent stylistic thread that becomes a catalyst for clients booking me. One sweet day!:)

Marketing 101

I figure since I want to specialize in weddings, I need to start taking pictures of rings.....Isn't that a beautiful ring? I have to give a shout out to my husband who provided this piece of work 8 years ago when we decided to get married. When we had initially gone ring shopping, I had picked just a small princess cut diamond because I wasn't trying to start out our marriage with debt and was pretty satisfied with just living on "love" alone. Then to my suprise at our engagement party, he suprised me with this sucker....I was in shock, and of course thought to myself, "he's got good taste and is definitely a keeper!" :) My husband is always so proud when he sees this ring. Funny thing is, to this day my mother in law still claims shes the one that picked out the ring...and they can go back and forth for days. However, I'm just grateful for this beauty! Thank you Hun.

Anyways, as I've reviewed my notes, there were quite a few workshops I attended related to Marketing that I will share in this blog. I attended the business institute which really helped me to see the light at the end of the tunnel. As I've discovered this passion of photography, I learned that passion itself drives motivation which results in action. Think about it....if you are starting your own photography business, ask yourself why? As Mitche Graf asked, "is it the joy of being self employed and ability to dictate your own hours? is it the ability to dream your own dreams and reach your own stars? or is it the ability to "breathe life" into your own business creation and watch it grow and profit"....sometimes these answers can drive one to put everything on the line, and without the passion to back it up, it won't happen.

I must of sat in at least 7 different 2 hr sessions which revolved around marketing, selling, and pricing. However, some of the reoccurring themes I gathered was that as photographers we have a life outside of photography that needs to always be in sight. I really appreciated that because just getting started in this business I'm seeing just how easy it is to get too get so busy with photography. The time spent away from my family is so precious considering that I am already working full time during the week aside from photography. The bottom line was that we need to look for effective and innovative ways to create/take our businesses to the next level of sales and profitability so you can have the freedom to attain your own personal goals in life. Basically, effective marketing allows you to have a life outside of photography.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:
-Good marketing is not an expense; its an investment
-Know yourself and your priorities
-Know your clients, and understand them
-Be objective
-Broaden your reach and services
-What sets you apart from other photographers? or separate yourself visually
-Embrace Technology
-Building relations is key to building business
-Be the key connector for people
-What are you selling?
-Earning referrrals
-Stop trying to be perfect, start trying to be remarkable
-Place yourself in the path of your clients
-Let your photography speak for itself
-Positioning
-Viral marketing
-Personalization
-Communication
-Creating partnerships & networking

For the sake of not writing a novel, those were a few key points made when marketing. Stay tuned for tomorrow!

WPPI Wrap-UP

How come I still feel like I just came home from WPPI! This convention had me so engulfed with photography. It was beyond amazing and so worth my time and money. I have a journal that is at least 300 pages and I was able to take enough notes to fill the entire thing....so 300 pages I am going to attempt to summarize here for those who can benefit or take some knowledge from it. I'm the kind of learner who will write everything down...even if the powerpoint is going to be sent, I still have to write things down just so it can register in my head. So for this next week, I will be posting summaries each day about what I learned at WPPI and hope that it can help others out, but at the same time keep me on pace with my photog plans and goals for this year!

j*

j* is amazing! (Okay don't ever blog when you are completely drained and can't even keep your eyes open!) I promise more to come about my meeting with J* and my WPPI wrap up!

STARSTRUCK!

Can I just say I had an amazing day today.....got to spend time with those who made themselves available to me when I was first introduced to photography! Yeah, I remember when first getting into this industry, Jasmine Star, JD, and David Jay were considered like the "untouchables".... I almost made myself believe that I couldn't talk to them until I was at their level. One day I challenged that assumption, and J* proved me wrong time and time again as she was so quick to respond to my inquiries about beginning my photog journey. And her responses were not canned in anyway, which typically with busy people you can tend to expect...each response I received her was heartfelt and she was so sincere. And although, J* is able to share bits and pieces of JD, he is just as great! Then there's David Jay, who must of been having a good day as he was able to reach out to me as I have been preparing for my own personal website. He couldn't have reached out at a more perfect time! Sorry bout the pix! The last thing I wanted to do was take pictures while we hung out, so as I was leaving their room, I just got my lil' blackberry and shot away which does no justice whatsoever. Think about it, if you were in my shoes hanging out with these great people, the last thing you want to do is ruin it by taking pictures while conversating right!....so here is some pix from this afternoon.....my experience with J* is another blog in itself! So I will share that most amazing experience tomorrow for sure!

Managing a blog when working a very tight schedule is so hard to do, but for those awaiting my next post - I can't help but feel compelled to share because I know there are many who wanted to be out here at WPPI, and for various reasons could not make it. Well if I haven't said it enough, WPPI has been the most amazing experience thus far! I can't stress enough just how important it is for us to realize the potential we have to reach out to others. Theres a saying that David J shared with me today and that was a quote by Tim Sanders - "Your network is your networth"....Its the people around us, the people we know, that we can share a part of ourselves with, thru our work. When we choose to understand anothers perspective, it allows our minds to expand. In this industry, we have to maximize our greatest asset which is ourselves! Think about it.....maximize who you are, be real, and others will appreciate it. David J, further reminded me that the most valuable thing we can take away from WPPI is getting to know others. I think sometimes we get so caught up in the daily grind of life that we forget to stop and really take time to "see" the beauties and freedoms we enjoy on a daily basis. Most of the workshops I've attended has focused on the this concept of networking and I've seen the return it has by making time to really get to know others beyond just photography. I've made wonderful friends out here and am saddened that it is almost over. I've learned that when real connections are made, real experiences are created and that memory is what lives on. This very same concept is what we need to do with our photography. Photography is more than just taking a picture! Its about capturing timeless emotions that will provide a treasured memory that you can't put a price tag on. WPPI has been nothing but days full of innovative ideas, and to end this blog tonight, as I spent time with David Jay catching up in his suite earlier today, he said something that I'll never forget. This was a quote his Dad shared with him, " Truly make your business about helping people, and you'll be successful". David Jay thank you for such a wonderful time today up in your schwanky suite! Also thanks JD for being there! J*, I'm taking your advice to heart! So I spent about two hours chatting with these great people about the future of this industry. As you can imagine I was pretty starstruck just being in their presence. They were so down to earth, eager to help, and just such wonderful people to be with. You wonder why they are so successful? They are modeling what this industry is and where its heading. The time I spent with them was seriously the icing on the cake!

Then as if my day couldn't get any better, my sis L came down from the high desserts and will be spending the rest of the week here with me! Its not often L and I get to really hang out like this due to our busy schedules as moms...so this is a treat which we are taking advantage of!

WPPI Family!

Charlie and Jennifer Maring - this couple has their A game on all the time. They rock!

These guys and gals are the best! They are from all over the world and are some of the fabulous friends I've gained out here:)

This is Yervant from Aussie! You have to check out his work!

Okay, so the first few days as I attended my classes, people were always referring to our conference group as a family, and I kind a laughed to myself because the word "family" has so much more significance and deeper meaning right.....I thought to myself, these people are not family! Well, now that I am 5 days into the WPPI conference, I now see a family forming through the many friendships I've established here. I really do consider these people as family only because I have created so many bonds with people who are eager to share and help a rookie out. I'm so glad I came out early to attend the Plus Classes, Business Institute, and All About Schools Institute because they were much more intimate, and worthwhile. These meetings really allowed me to be in an environment where I felt like my instructors were aware of my presence and took time to help me build upon my photography learning blocks.

Above are some pictures of people I've met while being here....at the top is Charlie and Jennifer Maring. They are incredible! I honestly can say that the two days I spent with them has changed my life dramatically. They gave me so many tools to implement into my goals this year. These two are amazing and really took the time to help not only me but each of my classmates.

Picture #2 is some of the wonderful photographers I've met here. Many of us attended the Marings Plus course, and friendships were developed instantly from those two days. Coming as a newbie to WPPI, and by myself, really helped me to reach out and not be ashamed to ask questions, and connect with people all over the world. At first, I had my reservations because I was coming to this conference all by myself, and am so new to the world of photography. So thank you all: (L to R) Ginger, Beli, Robin, Dave, and Chung for hanging out at the Mock Wedding presentation. The 2 days spent with the same group of people in the Marings presentation really helped me to gain a sense of belonging. Each day, no matter where I went, its been so refreshing to see my buddies from the Plus course and have an instant connection. I don't know how else to explain it, but pretty much anyone that I've come in contact with is either willing to share, answer my questions, and tell me about their experience as a photographer which is a gold mine! I really do feel so blessed to be here, surrounded by the best of the best:) I have made some lifetime friends which I'm grateful for.

The third photo is Yervant. He is a prestige and well known wedding photographer from Australia. His work is da bomb! I love his style and although I towered over him, he was such a cute man to be around. He delivered a presentation in the businees institute which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Then last but not least, I have to share my "DJ" experience. So since I began following the blog of J* last year, I've grown very fond of David Jay's (DJ) work. I have yet to meet him in person but have viewed his many sites, adored his work and am obviously a huge fan. So last night after my husband and I came back from our Valentine's night out, I checked my blog and lo n behold I saw a comment from thee "DJ"! I had to take a double look, and then I even checked the links again to make sure my mind wasn't messin with me.....Dude, I was so star struck just seeing his name that I began screaming and my husband thought something was wrong. I then began to tell him that DJ was on my site and was giving it props on his website. What an honor DJ, that is all I have to say. So anyways, come to find out that we are staying in the same hotel, and I get to meet him and his team in person tomorrow! I am so psyched and can't even sleep because of having this opportunity. I would of never have thought that lil' ole me, wannabe photog, rookie of WPPI would meet DJ! All I can say is that we've been in contact since yesterday, and I'm stoked for tomorrow! I'm planning to meet J* there - Hollah!

So thanks to my WPPI family for everything! This conference seriously has gotten me so pumped about my goals, and projection of where I want my work to be within this next year. Learning from the best in the business is what it is all about! Listening to powerful and real experiences puts my dreams in reaching distance! I already know that my business plans wil make leaps this year if I apply the many things I've learned. Good Night!

Knowledge is POWER!

So here are some sample pictures from my first workshop with the Marings, and today was only day 1...we still have another full day with them tomorrow to learn even more! I know if I had the right lenses, and some software on my laptop I could really add the wow factor to these photos, but again these are raw and the only editing you see if cropping, and change of color. All these pictures are straight from my camera using existing lighting and no flash whatsoever....so let me tell you about my day!

Where do I begin! From the moment I walked into my first intense workshop, Jennifer Maring greeted me with such a warm smile and welcome. Then her husband Charles walked in and was just as pleasant. I could already tell why they were so successful...and that was because they were so genuine, so personal, and they allow those qualities to spill over into their work. I thought to myself, are all photographers so nice??? and after spending 9 hours with 25 other photographers from all over the world, the answer is YES! I must of been the only one in the session, who was brand spankin new to all of this with my lil' D50 when many were rockin their Nikon D700s, Cannon 5D Mark II, and their googoogaga lenses! I absolutely loved every minute of it. I learned so much within this first session that I'm still trying to get my head wrapped around all of it. Although I was like the rookie in the most truest form of that word....these professional photographers were so willing to share and take time to help me understand my camera more intuitively. Then of course the Marings had an incredible presentation which was nothing but pure inspiration. They shared so many things from the start of their business, marketing strategies, photo techniques, etc... so here is a list of some of the things I learned today:

-Learned what the photography industry has done, and how it has evolved and continues to change.

-Using diversity to help your business flourish

-Motion picture quality with blends of video and stills

-Stimulation of clients and the impact stimulation can have on presentation

-Pricing: customizing price quotes for each client...not having an a la carte, or price list

-Making shoots a living experience

-Listening to clients and making an educated pitch

-Personalization

-How to make your work distinctive and of a higher standard

-Designing a website, showit sites

-Creating an experience for clients

-Capturing our clients life in its truest form

-Methods of capturing customized and personal images

-How to engage with clients when taking photos and not hide behind the camera

-Identifying what will make an image hit home for clients

-Learned how to use Lightroom, Aperture, Iview, Photoshop, Flash, NIK effects 2.0, InDesign, ICal, Final Cut Studio, Premier, etc....tons of software

-Learning how to set up a studio

-After consulation, identifying timeless emotions for shoot

-How to market your photos

-Learned about senior shoots

-Efficiency with workflow; workflow simplified

-Wedding workflow managment

-How to create albums: proof albums using Aperture, albums of kind using LuxArt

-Must have gear and lenses and why

-Lighting indoor and outdoor

-Marketing for todays generation: many like to carry their lives with them all the time

-Utilizing technology to gain an edge in market

-Looking for uninterrupted history when taking pictures

-Studio vs. Location shoots

-How to deliver final products and ways to reel clients in to see value of purchasing more

-Know when to turn down money if there is no chemistry between photographer and clients

-Giving incentives to clients and when to use with packages

-How to generate buzz and advertisement

-Importance of networking and building relationships with others in the industry

-How to seperate yourself from competitors

-Posing; how to pose fashionably, traditional, vintage, raw

-How to take good photos despite location, lighting +/-, and focusing on image

-Being aware of Action sets and avoiding novelty photos

-How to reduce workflow by working camera to your fullest

-Cannon 5D MII, learning how this camera and others like it are marking a revolution for the photography industry......

Okay as if that wasn't enough, but you can imagine I was taking notes like a madd woman....however, instead of being bothered by my writing cramp once the 8th hour rolled in, I could of cared less how much fingers/hand hurt because I wasn't going to miss one word of expertise being offered tonight. So I know alot of my pictures have noise but I tried! So the saying Knowledge is power comes to mind because even though I'm still new to much of this, the knowledge piece is really connecting the dots for me. I can't wait for my first wedding! The secrets and tricks of the trade I've picked up just within today has helped to identify what I can do to really set myself apart from my competitors. For anyone questioning WPPI, there is no way you can walk away from this convention without learning something new. I seriously feel and know this is going to be life changing for me as I apply the principles and skills I obtain here. Can you imagine photographing Donald Trumps wedding....which by the way their pictures were to die for! Jennifer and Charles Maring are a powerhouse couple who has the photography industry down to a tee! I am so loving this conference and can't wait to spend another full day with the Marings!

MGM Signature Babee!

MGM Signature is 1st class all the way! When I scored this penthouse suite I didn't realize just how nice it really was. Anyways, check out the views from my room.....its amazing isn't it! If anything I'm getting inspired just being up here in my penthouse suite due to the views:) I'm missing my family terribly and have tried to convince Dan to join me here tomorrow. Although I may be busy with workshops for 12 hours, at least he can relax and pamper himself by relaxing in this way nice suite! I will post more pix's tomorrow because this room is amazing considering that it outbeats any hotel room. So a few days before flying out here to Vegas, I was initially planning on staying at the Marriott, but thought just how much nicer it would be to stay at the same hotel that WPPI is being held. So I searched the internet for timeshares that people rent out and whalaa, found this beautiful room which the owner rented out to me for $200 for 6 days...yeah it can't get any better than that! A penthouse suite for a little over $30 a day. It was alot of work though, because I must of emailed like 100 owners telling them how much I have, how long I wanted to stay, and that if I could render my services as a wannabe photographer to make up the difference in price I would. So after sending out at least 100 different emails to owners of these penthouse suites at the MGM, a day later I did get one response from a owner who agreed to take my $200 but also requested that I take a family portrait of his family. I agreed and now am in awe with this room! The bathroom is majestic and there are definitely more pictures to come. I'm way excited though for tomorrow's intense workshop and can't wait to soak up everything these professional photographers share. I seriously feel like a little kid in a candy store and can't wait for tomorrow!:) Good night!

MAC illiterate

Okay so I imported all my photos from my recent shoots onto an iMac I just purchased specifically for my photography....but how come I can't seem to figure out how to edit properly let alone post my pictures onto my blog! Its driving me crazy! I suppose there are commands that I'm suppose to use because on my Mac I don't have the options to publish my post like on my PC..or maybe there is and I just don't see it. So if you a mac user and can help a sistah out plz let me know. Also my gmail account no longer loads onto my Mac which is strange because it did in the beginning but no longer. So I'm learning to adjust with the Mac, and am finding just how accustomed I was to my PC...but nevertheless this is yet just another hurdle to get over in order for my work flow to improve. I must say though, I love the huge screen and viewing my pictures on there. What was I thinking settling for a 17in screen when there is a 24 in out there. The huge screen makes working on the computer so much fun! So as of right now until I can figure out how to post my pictures from my Mac, they will have to wait until I get back from WPPI! I seriously can't wait to get out there...but on the same note I'm already missing my family even more. What am I going to do with myself for 7 days without my kids.....all I can say is that I'm up for a photography overload and hope that WPPI will keep me so busy that it won't even feel like I was gone for a week. I can't even sleep due to all the buzz, and can't wait to meet so many out there. I will work on learning more about my imac so that by next week I can post the pictures for Sione's 30th Bday bash, more studio shots, and then the reggae concert featuring the Mana Poly Allstars! MGM here I come.....I also scored a penthouse suite at the MGM which I can't wait to enjoy....you will die when you hear how much I am paying for it and how I got it. I will be sure to share how living frugal can be so fabulous! I will try to share what I learn each day from WPPI and all the people I meet. Til' tomorrow, I shall post again from the suite! Mind you I think this is the first time I've ever stayed in a penthouse. Viva Vegas!