Hey Girl, Nice Shot

Featured Sponsor: Robin Long Newborn Workshops & Posing Guide

 
I think newborn sessions may be my favorite kind.  I love getting to snuggle those new babies (without having to have a new one myself), listening to those little newborn sounds, and capturing babies at their freshest time.  I've been very lucky to have had the opportunity to observe some of the countries best baby photographers over the years during my workshop craze (I think I went to three different workshops one year) and I know my comfort level with newborns is directly related to seeing the other photographers at work.

I do believe that seeing a newborn photographer work in person is a great way to improve your technique and learn how to create lasting images.  But I also know that not every photographer has the option to travel for a workshop, take the time or expense to go, or want to invest so much if it is not going to be their speciality (many photographers make a living specializing in newborn photography).

Featured Sponsor: Robin Long Newborn Posing Guide

Introducing Robin Long's Newborn Posing Guide. In addition to having recently been awarded for her maternity and child photography, Robin has also had image published on many covers of Tot Trends weekly magazine.

The pure baby Newborn Photography Guide to posing is a Soft cover PRINTED 7x7 square book with 80 pages of images, tips and tricks on posing newborns, lighting and camera techniques, soothing baby, post processing and so much more!  Robin's style portrays a pure, natural and organic feel to her newborn portraiture throughout the book.

While the main part of the book is about posing and how to get newborns into those curly, squishy poses.  The book also covers a wide variety of topics to help you with a complete newborn session.

Topics discussed in the book include:
* Natural light & how to see it
* exposure & metering
* white balance
* lenses
* prepping the parents
* best age to photograph a newborn & why
* transitioning
* baby tools every photographer needs
* the set up with pull back images
* using a bean bag
* pure posing
* soothing techniques
* props
* post processing
* tips and tricks
* before & after post processing images
* vendors list
* pure baby | newborn photography workshop

You can keep informed about new products and workshops by "liking" Robin's Facebook Fan Page (don't forget to say hello).  She also has workshops scheduled all over the country (and one in Canada) if you are looking for a more hands on experience. 

And when you purchase the new Photographer's Kick Start: Advanced Training or Training Bundle (to be released Thursday April 7th) you'll find something from Robin in your virtual swag bag.

How could you not love photographing these sweet babies?  The real trick is getting them to sleep.  Looking for more inspiration?  Check out Robin Long's Photography blog. 

Photographer's Kick Start - Updating Directory

I've been so busy between portrait sessions, my part time job, and my household, that I've hard hardly any time to think about anything else.  However, I'm transitioning to doing more work helping small businesses, including photographers, with their online marketing and I'm super excited about the direction I'm moving in.

One of the things I have at the top of my list as I work on my new projects is to update the directory of photographers offering photography classes currently hosted at my training site I Want to Shoot My Kids.  I have big plans on make the directy more robust and a better resource for moms looking to take a photography class! 

It is a great time of year to get your training program in place.  You can not only offer gift certicate for a class or private tutorial for those looking for gift ideas for the holidays....but you can be ready to go in January when lots of moms are looking for a photography class after getting a new camera for Christmas.  Last January, which is usually a quiet low revenue month, I saw a huge increase in activity in my training department so my revenue was much improved.

Interview and Contest on MCP Actions

This week Jodi Friedman over at MCP Actions (one of our fab sponsors) is featuring an interview with me AND a contest to win your very own copy of the Photographer's Kick Start: Training module (a $299 value).  So head over and read the interview, follow the directions to win, and good luck.  By the way, no reason to wait to buy - if you make your purchase this week after seeing this contest on the MCP Actions site, and you win I'll refund the purchase price to you!

Featured Sponsor: Paperie Boutique

[cross posted on Photographer's Kick Start]

{design: to plan and fashion artistically or skillfully}

I love love love looking at packaging and design.  I totally wish my brain worked that way!  Every year my husband and I devour the Communication Arts Design Annual pointing out the logo we like, or creative branding and packaging.  So it was a THRILL to me to discover the Paperie Boutique with post after post of packaging and design - even better, from other photographers.  I'm so impressed with the care and attention to detail put into the packaging...and I'm sure their clients are too.

Since July 2009 professional photographers have been submitting their packaging / branding and marketing photographs to Paperie Boutique, along with summaries to help other established and aspiring photographers find the same resources to pull their own 'look' together (or add to it).

We also have frequent vendor guest posts where vendors offer new product information, special offers and discounts, and very often prize merchandise, to the readers.

Purchase our Photographer's Kick Start: Training module when it is released April 30th and you'll get a goodie from paperie boutique in your virtual swag bag!  You can sign up for our email newsletter to get a reminder about our product release and to learn more about future products.  More sponsors will be announced over the next week as we count down to the release!

Introducing: Photographer's Kick Start

 
I've loved helping photographers learn though this blog, mentoring, and workshops, but I really wanted a way to provide a more robust service for helping photographers improve their business.  I have list a mile long of projects I'm working on and this is one that I've been thinking about and working on for a while. I'm thrilled to announce: Photographer's Kick Start. 

This will be a place where I offer products and services designed to help photographers who are starting their photography business, or are looking for ways to expand their business based on my experience and strengths.

The first module will be available for pre-release on April 30th.  It is a training module that has all the material you need to start offering a beginner's photography class to moms.  I've been offering these classes for years so I've been able to fine tune my materials based on the feedback from the participants and it has been a great way for me to increase my revenue - especially during the slow months for portraits. 

Don't worry, I will continue to write here but my new site will be where I offer products and services.

More SEO for Photographers | Update and Interview

Check out my interview on the Photographer's SEO blog as part of the Photographer's Interviews series.

Recently I wrote about my experience updating my website to optimize it for search engines.  I used the Photographer's SEO Book as a guideline for the updates.  So I wanted to follow up with the result now that I've been making changes for roughly a month.

First, there was a keyword set that I really wasn't even on the map for.  I didn't show up as deep as I was willing to look on Google for this keyword set...I didn't show up in the top 200 results.  Now I'm happy to say that for that keyword phrase I'm now showing up as #12 for my website, and #13 for my blog! What a turn around.

For another keyword phrase, I was ranked 109!  Now I'm ranking #12 for my website, and #18 for my blog for that keyword phrase. The optimization is really making a difference in my ranking.  And I've started to notice a difference in my site traffic from the search engines as far as the search keywords people are using to find my site and how long they are staying on my site.

In case you are wondering, I'm not spending hours and hours researching my rank every week for the different keyword phrases.  I found this great tool called Traffic Travis that lets me put in my domain address and all the keywords I want to rank for and it'll tell me where I rank.  It is awesome and so fast and easy.  Now every week I can just run a report and it'll tell me where I rank, and where I ranked last week and if I moved up or down. They have a free version and a pro version for their SEO reporting software.  

Zach from the Photographer's SEO Blog and Book site posted up an interview with me today on his blog as part of the Photographer's Interview series so head on over to his blog to learn more about his book and read my interview.

Couldn't have said it better myself...

My friend Brandy Anderson just posted this great post on her Two Photogs blog:

My 25 Biggest Mistakes

I've fallen into so many of the same traps...except that tax one.  I've had quickbooks and an accountant since day one..and a hubs that kept me on the straight and narrow!  :)

I'd say my number one mistake is giving too much away.  I've said no a lot more this year, and already feeling positive about it.

What are some of your biggest mistakes in your business?

Now On: The Savvy Photographer

 
 What a fun morning....I returned from my photo shoot at a Christmas tree farm and found my guest post for The Savvy Photographer had been posted.  The article "Blogging the Business of Photography" is a reflection on my reasons for starting this blog...and encouragement to find your passion and blog about it too!  Check it out!

A Gown Give-a-way

So, I came across a post to this Grosgrain website (thanks CL) and couldn't believe my eyes.

This woman made a Marie Antoinette style gown that is sized to fit 3T-5T and is giving it away.    Her inspiration was the daughter of Marie Antoinette from the movie.  Imagine the pictures!!!!

I cannot imagine making this dress then giving it away. 

You can see the dress and how to enter to win it at her website: Grosgrain: Marie-Therese Gown Giveaway

I know lots of other photographers would love to have that dress for their own little one or perhaps to use as a prop so I thought I would include it.  Not for you...feel free to ignore this post.  I have another one coming soon.  :)

Are You Blogging?

Are you a portrait photographer?  Are you blogging?

Yes and No?

Um, what are you waiting for!???

If you are a portrait photographer and you are not currently blogging and posting sneak peeks to your customers you are losing out on a major marketing opportunity.  This is probably doubly true if you are a children's portrait photographer.  Parents LOVE to share pictures of their kids and you get the credit - what could be better?!

I'll give you an example.  Earlier this week I had a great session with an adorable little 1 year old girl.  We had fun, she was cute, and the light was nice.  I posted her sneak peek on my blog and sent the link to mom.

Mom posted the link on an online community that she is a member of and here's the resulting traffic spike:

So while I normally have about 50 visitors a day to my photography blog I had almost 200 that day!  This is 100 extra people looking at my work and because it is a local community they are possible customers.  I also had a spike in new members signing up for my mailing list on that day so I'm sure it is not a coincidence.  And, this particular mom found me through another mom that posted on the same community board HER daughter's pictures.

There is nothing as valuable as word of mouth advertising.  Think about what it would cost you to market to 100 new people through traditional means.  And not just 100 new people, but 100 targeted people that are similar to others in your client base?  Blogging is so inexpensive and yes, there is the time factor but you are going to proof those pictures anyway so why not take a few of them while they are fresh in your mind and jot down a few thoughts about the session on a blog post.  ADVERTISING!  And, it will wet your clients appetite to see the rest of their pictures.

Not sure how to get started?  Here are some of my previous posts to lead you on:

• Blogger vs Typepad (for your blogging platform)
• Setting up Feedburner (for subscriber stats on your blog)
• Setting up Google Analytics (for traffic stats on your blog)
• Creating Your Blog: Step 1
• Creating Your Blog: Step 2

My business blog is actually due for a MAJOR overhaul.  I'd like to go to a blogsite where I just have one website instead of a website and a blog.  And, I'm looking for a fresh look and a blog designed for the wider pictures.  So that is something on my plate for the new year. 

There are some companies out there that are offering custom blog designs too if you are not a do-it-yourself kind of person (or don't have the time):

• Flosites (they created Lena Hyde's blog)
• Into the Darkroom (which, by the way, did the awesome blog design for Chenin Boutwell)
• Infinet Design (who did Audrey Woulard, Laura Novak, and Tamara Lackey's blogs)

And in case you are wondering how it compares....I get about 200-300 visitors a day to THIS blog and I also have 1200 subscribers that read it through an RSS feed.  So, I get WAY more traffic but that makes sense to me since I'm not a big name photographer, just a big name sharer. LOL