Hey Girl, Nice Shot

Jingle All the Way...

I'm knee deep in Christmas session proofing but wanted to let you know that I've been flagging all kinds of things to come back and blog about when I have a few minutes extra (ha!).  I'll definitely need to come back and deconstruct my Christmas season to think really hard about what I'll do differently next year!

Yesterday I got two giant boxes from WHCC with 5 sets of Christmas cards and three orders of prints.  It was like Christmas for me.  I love getting the prints...it just makes me happy to see the finished product.

I also got two of my sample bags from Gina Alexander and I can tell you they are stunning!!!!!  I couldn't wait to go out and carry one around.  I created new business cards for the season that have my regular business card information on one side, and the picture of one of my sample bags and text reading "Now Featuring...Gina Alexander Photo Bags" on the other so I can keep them in my bag to hand out when someone notices!  [edited to add: here's the link to the Gina Alexander Wholesale program information page.]

Here are some pics because I know you must be dying to see them (ha ha ha)...

I love google maps

Okay, I just mapped out directions to a client's home using goggle maps where I'm going this evening for pictures and I went to google maps which I use all the time.  Well, they have a new feature that lets you alter the direction by grabbing a spot on the map and dragging the course to a new road.  For example, I really wanted my map to match the written directions from the client so I grabbed the path and dragged it down on the exit they told me to take (which was one before the one google automatically selected).  It remapped the rest of the course and now I have directions.  If you do a lot of on-location work, check out google maps!

I also have Garmin which I also LOVE but unfortunately with all the road work and new development here it doesn't always take me the best way to my route (and in some of the newer neighborhoods it can't find the addresses) so I like to have printed directions as a backup.  I do map it on my Garmin as well though when I leave because it also gives me the arrival time estimate!

Santa is on his way...

You know you are in the holiday season when you arrive home from a photo shoot to find that the UPS man left a stack of boxes at your house!  I had lots of orders from White House Custom Color for clients include LOTS of Christmas cards.  I've been very happy with WHCC.  I changed my post processing so that I'm using sRGB and I've had much better color matching.  I've heard that some people have trouble getting bright colors from them but that has not been a problem for me! And today I placed 9 customer orders!!!

The best part of my package delivery - the Gina Alexander purse I ordered from the retail site for a client.  At the time I had not yet been accepted into their pro-photographer program so I offered to order it retail for a client (which means I didn't make anything off of it).  I did get accepted a couple of weeks later (and two of my samples should arrive this week!!!!).  I LOVED this client bag that arrived and I know that once I have my samples these are going to sell like crazy.  The quality is exceptional.  I'll definitely post more pictures when I get my samples later this week.

Membership Benefits

It has come time for me to renew my PPA membership and I will do so without hesitation.  If you are an aspiring photographer, or going pro, you should DEFINITELY spend the money to join!  I use my benefits all the time. 

One of the best benefits is the Professional Photographer magazine!  I read it cover to cover and usually on the day it arrives.  The most recent edition featured an article on Audrey Woulard...one of my all time favorite children's photographers and certainly one of the most well known in the US.  Most people refer to her simply as Audrey in conversation and EVERYONE will know who you are talking about.  Check out some of her recent work on her blog too!  Oh, and it looks like she has decided to offer workshops in 2008 after all so you can find out about that on her blog too (look on the left side of the navigation bar for the workshops section).

Another benefit that I just feel better having is the insurance.  Malpractice insurance is included with your membership so if something should go very wrong on a shoot you are at least covered.  Add to that a discounted equipment insurance and going on location with my equipment is much less scary.  I have heard of a lot of people just adding a rider to their homeowners policy for equipment insurance but the insurance through PPA is total replacement cost and you don't have to worry about messing up your home policy if you file a claim.  I've seen many examples in the forums of people too worried about filing a claim to replace their equipment because they don't want their policy to increase.  Not a good way to feel secure about your belongings is it?

If you are looking for yet another way to gain some experience, check out the Photovision DVD magazine.  It is mailed every other month and is significantly reduced for PPA members.  I just got my first one this week and it was very interesting to watch and a DVD is something I can play while doing dishes or playing with my baby so it is a great format for me (actually better than a computer tutorial).

There are lots of other benefits and you can check out the PPA site to see what they are but I do recommend it (again).  And if you are doing lots of post processing, or want to, definitely check out NAPP too.  I just upgraded my photoshop and bought lightroom for a significant discount thanks to that membership (and you can get free shipping with B&H, they also produce a cool magazine, and have a big conference).

Totally Rad Sale!

I LOVE really really vibrant colors in my pictures and I used to color pop by hand but then I discovered Boutwell Studio Totally Rad Actions.  I've not been shy about talking about my use of them.  I use "Oh Snap!" and "Prettizer" on almost every picture as part of my normal workflow now because it creates the look I'm going for.  I use almost all of them now and then!  And now you can too....

Next Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) Boutwell Studio is offering $35 off their Totally Rad Actions.  So if you haven't bought them already, now is the time!  Here's the info from the Boutwell Studio Blog:

-In honor of Black Friday, we are offering $35 off of The Totally Rad Actions all day on Friday, November 23, 2007. That’s right! We want to make that oh-so-miserable day just a little more delightful! Spread the word to your friends and enemies - Enter “blackfriday” in the coupon field and receive $35 off!

Holiday Cards - Update

A while back I posted about holiday card templates.  Last year I struggled to create my own templates and found it extremely time consuming even though I really only had to do two since I wasn't a pro yet.  This year though with the large number of holiday shoots I've had I knew it wasn't really going to be an  option to design them myself.  It made much more sense to buy from a graphic designer.  This year I bought my holiday cards from Jaime Schultz.  She was on the ball and had her templates available VERY early in the season which worked well for me since I could use mocked up versions for promoting my holiday sessions.  I've now had enough orders (I think) to cover the cost of the cards and I still have a bunch of folks outstanding so it was totally worth my while.

This year what I did was charge a setup fee of $30 for the "design" of the card, and then they could order their cards in batches of 25.  The problem was that folks see that design fee as pretty steep...especially if they only need to order 25 cards.  But on my side it is still pretty time intensive to choose the templates I think work best with their pictures, mock them up, and put them in their gallery for ordering.  And I really think they need to see THEIR pictures in the cards to make a decision so mocking them up is critical.

This comes back to educating the customer on the value of your time, experience, and skill. No, they are not the $.29 slimline 4x8 cards that all your neighbors will have.  That is a good thing.  And not only will friends and family be impressed by the beautiful cards, they'll want to feature them on their card holder.  Don't you want your family to be the star of the card holder for all to admire?  LOL

Anyway, as I noted previously, I expect next year to do things differently and to offer sessions specifically designed for holiday card pictures and roll the mock up price into that fee.  That way folks do not see it as another thing to pay for and I get paid in advance.

I am using White House to print my cards.  So far I've gotten three batches of press printed cards (two on watercolor paper and one sampler kit) and I am very impressed.  The color saturation is beautiful, and the paper quality is good.  So far the customers that have seen and felt the cards in their hands feel like the extra expense is worth it.   I'm definitely learning as I go.  I think next year I'll also send out an early holiday card printed by white house so they actually get one in the mail which I really think will help to understand why they cost more than photo paper cards.

In case you are wondering, I do offer a deal on bulk ordering 4x6 prints for folks that want to use slip in cards and they can order their 5x7 on photo paper for less than the cost of the watercolor paper.

Are you offering holiday cards to your customers?  If so, are you using templates or buying cards from a provider like Stylart. Do you charge a setup fee?  And do you feel like it is even  worth it to do holiday cards or is it just the entry point for the bigger holiday orders? 

In the Thick of Things

Well, I'm deep in holiday spirit mode!  I started advertising my holiday deadlines in August with the hope of getting people motivated to plan early.  And I pushed and pushed and pushed some more.  I gave out tons of promotional materials, spoke at mom's groups, sent out a newsletter, and even had a booth at a neighborhood art show.  And all of a sudden, it all worked and now I feel like EVERYONE wants to get holiday pictures done.

I work part time.  I work from home.  I have two small children.  My ideal work week is probably about 20 hours.  I'd do 2-3 shoots a week.  I'd focus on individual pictures of children.  People would spend lots of money and order big prints so I'd start making a profit and actually collecting a paycheck.

Now the reality.  I'm working WAY more than 20 hours right now. However, that is to be expected with the holiday rush in full swing.  I'm doing a lot of family portraits - not exactly my specialty but seemingly essential to some holiday shopping.  My holiday portrait deadline was officially November 15th but I have plenty of sessions after that date that still hope for holiday prints (through the end of the month).  I have a December 1st order deadline for holiday prints but I know realistically people will order after that want to have stuff in time for Christmas. 

Knowing people are going to want to stretch the deadlines I sorta planned for it.  Realistically I feel like I can do holiday pictures through the end of the month as long as they don't need press printed holiday cards.  I feel like I can accept orders really through December 7th but don't tell my customers because then they will want to order on December 8th.  I hope to be done with holiday madness by December 17th when I think my sister in law will be coming to visit with her family.  Am I being completely crazy?

I just reviewed my calendar and if I don't accept any additional appts I'd have 16 sessions in a 5 week period starting the last week of October and running through the end of November.  Up until now I had used 7 hours as the total time per session (including consultation, travel time, session, post-processing, review session, ordering, packaging, and various communications throughout).  I now realize that I'm spending way more than that...especially when you add in mocking up holiday cards.

Obviously, it is too late to change things for this season. I'll trudge through and work a bunch.  I'm not unhappy about the work.  It is fulfilling to get through the whole process. And exciting when people place their order.  One mom picked up her holiday cards yesterday and LOVED them and she was sure she would be getting phone calls from friend congratualating her on the beautiful cards.  My business name and URL is on the back of every card in small print.  How's that for marketing?

But, as I plan for next year what things can I do differently to be able to keep some sort of home/work balance.  Be firm about my schedule?  Maybe.  Charge more?  Definitely a possibility.   Don't except family shoots - just kids?  Not sure .

One thing I think I will definitely do is some sort of holiday package that includes the session fee, card setup fee, the first 25 cards, and maybe a print or two.  That way the actual cost of the setup of the cards is hidden in the overall session and the add on cards seem more reasonable.  Plus then I'd be paid in advance for setting up the cards.

How do you manage to keep yourself from imploding during the holiday rush?  Please share!