Our favorite camera-wielding writer/Tweeter/media-maven Leigh Caraccioli shares a super-fab article about keeping your photography fresh and...well, Kung Fu-ed on the blog today.
 
Super-awesome photo recipe [shown above]:

Minor tweaks in ACR
Lux @ 22%
Select-O-Sharp @ 70%
Get faded (autumn) @ 21%
+ Contrast @ 38%
Boutwell's Magic Glasses 100%

Remember your first snipe hunt. The earnest but futile hunt. The dupe.

As hunters and gatherers our biological makeup has us seeking, yearning for personal evolution. As photographers, we see the world differently and want to depict it breathtakingly.  So the hunt, the quest for improvement is always on.

Sometimes I think I didn't choose photography; it chose me. Perhaps you share that deep yearning to share your vision of the world, the view in your mind's eye and the rare beauty you see through the lens. If so, you know being a photographer is a creative calling and consuming passion which keeps odd office hours.

Forgive me for sounding certifiably nuts, but whenever I go for deep thoughts, I hear Jack Black as Kung Fu Panda. Yeah.  It's bi product of my watching the movie a million times with my kids and there was a time when I alluded to canons of English Lit instead of DreamWorks but JB makes me belly laugh. So I am using him to help illustrate this point.

Po: [breathing heavily] I know you're trying to be all mystical and Kung Fu-ey, but could you tell me where we're going?

We're going on the search for the jar of secret ingredient, of course.  As an industry we're searching for that photography special sauce, that perfect camera or piece of glass, the workshop that will make you a Kung-Fu photography master, the perfect storm of a shot, the perfect action or preset, searching for THE THING that will make you the super shooter you dreamed of being?

Well, stop.  Hear me out. {Cue in the Panda & his noodle soup making father.}

Mr. Ping: The secret ingredient is... nothing!
Po: Huh?
Mr. Ping: You heard me. Nothing! There is no secret ingredient.
Po: Wait, wait... it's just plain old noodle soup? You don't add some kind of special sauce or something?
Mr. Ping: Don't have to. To make something special you just have to believe it's special.
[Po looks at it again, and sees his reflection in it]
Po: There is no secret ingredient...

Sure, we have photography tools that function as savory ingredients to our images.  Some tools are essential for me like all the Totally Rad Actions which I use on nearly every photo. I may go out on a limb and assert that they ARE special sauce with their unlimited TRA recipe possibilities, uniquely tailorable so that you can use them AND maintain your individual style.  The challenge lies in not letting them take over the soup.

Many photographers don't know yet that they already HAVE the secret ingredient.
 

The secret ingredient is...you. Specifically, your belief in you.

Nearly four years ago, while getting to know my way around my first digital camera I reached out to fellow writer/photographer, Joyce Smith, for sage advice. Believe me, I needed it. I was all over the place, trying on varied styles like a fashionista at risk of being a cheap carbon copy of those I admired.  She kindly told me, "trust your gut." Her cryptic advice gave birth to my photography in a way that a simple tool or training couldn't.  That was the reveal for me. I put trust in my instinct, believed in my own personal style, and my business immediately took off.

It's sometimes that simple, like Secret Ingredient Soup. While it's easy to want to produce photographic art like the masters in our industry for a moment.  Let that moment pass.  My advice to you is to believe in your individual style, trust your gut like a divining rod. It will lead you well. And in the words of the panda,

Po: They're five MASTERS, and I'm just ONE me!
Shifu: But you will have the one thing no one else has!

I believe in you. Go fulfill your destiny.

-Leigh

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Mostly I'm a storyteller, armed with a camera and a blog. I enjoy people. Shooting weddings, personalities and their personal brands for fleur de leigh photography makes me a lucky girl.

 

Cathy Empey is many things, lots of them wonderful, but mother of six and boudoir photographer are such a fun mix that we'll focus on those.  Enjoy her article about time management (which I suspect she knows a thing or two about...)

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In my life, there are two things that I can state with absolute certainty and strength of conviction.  One: when you have six children, the laundry will never really be finished.

Yes, you can do load after load of it every single day in two wash machines that sit side by side, groaning with the effort of the constant spin cycle. Yes, you can fold it up and put it all away, but within a day 6 kids will have blown through a combined total of a minimum of 12 outfits, and that means you start all over again the next day, right back where you started.

The second thing I am absolutely sure about? Time is fleeting. To me, time is more precious than money.

The passage of time is why I am a photographer, if only to capture, even for a second, the very essence of a moment.

Time management is often something that corporations talk about in staff meetings, drilling away at their employees to put their noses to the grind stone, stop surfing the internet, and get down to some real productivity. I think, as does any other working mother, that time management is something uniquely related to raising children. My ability to handle my own family, laundry and all, and my growing photography client list have given me a unique perspective on juggling all of the stuff related to growing a business and growing a family.

First?

Focus on your priorities.

It's all about priorities, good or bad. Finding out what can wait, even for an hour, can make or break an entire day. Can you put something off for a day or even until 10 pm when all of the kids are in bed? Prioritize your day, even to the smallest task, so nothing is left to sweep under the rug. I tend to keep lists, many, many lists, and I leave nothing to chance. It eliminates the middle of the night panic attacks when I realize that I have forgotten something, and helps me make choices that can benefit my children as well as my photography business.

Finding an area of specialization for your photography and honing in on that is key to organizing your business.

If you try to photograph all things, you'll never attract the right clients and you won't ever grow as a photographer. When searching for an area of specialization, find something you can be passionate about. Connect with other photographers in your area and work together to find referrals for each of your specialties. Not unlike finding the right friends to complement your lifestyle, finding the right photographers to represent your growing brand is key to growing your business and moving it forward. If they don't help you grow a referral list you can be proud of and you can't imagine shooting a session with them, don't choose them as part of your inner group.

Social networking has become a photographer's best friend, and it is intrinsic to growing and organizing my photography business. I'm a huge user of Twitter, and I tend to retweet and comment on ideas that I find interesting or that my followers will enjoy. I use Hootsuite to tweet from both of my Twitter accounts, which eliminates the need to flip back and forth between screens. I send love out to my followers and those I follow in blog land, because this has become the new format for a chat and coffee with a friend. I compliment other photographers often, because the kind words I send out are often reciprocated with kind words back, and in the middle of a difficult day, even a virtual hug or pat on the back means the world.

Learning is everything. Always keep learning. Photography is not static; it is a process that constantly evolves. I have taken workshops and I swear for every workshop I have attended I have learned something new and exciting that has propelled my photography to new heights. Learning something new opens up the floodgates of creativity. Apply that to your business and watch it grow. Yes, taking workshops and putting yourself out there can be scary, but change is good and so is occasionally being scared.

Any photographer knows that to take fantastic photos, you have to do more than just click the shutter on the camera. Good photos come from within the photographer. In that light, I try to smile a lot. Smile through the rough patches, you never know who may be watching you. Keep your sense of humor intact, despite trial and tribulation. Take breaks and laugh as much as you can.

Exercise as much as you can, even in 10-minute blocks.

The endorphins you release can also release creativity. You will feel better about yourself, your mind can clear away the cobwebs, and your heart will thank you. So will your family.

Time is fleeting, and it's hard to juggle everything that I need to juggle in one day while still maintaining a great photography business and spending quality time with my family. This is why it is so essential that photography, for me, is about sending out good feelings and having them come back to you.

If you exude good feelings about your family and your business, those good feelings will come back in one form or another.

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Although most would know her as the smiling face behind the camera, Cathy is proudest of her role of a Mom to her six growing children. Based in Chilliwack, BC, she is an excellent juggler of both home and her growing boudoir photography business, as well as a defiant decorator with a love of white despite 12 hands that constantly need cleaning.

While many of us can relate to working from home and leading a decidedly unbalanced life, what about the next step?  What about hiring employees?  That's another adventure entirely, and one Laura Novak shares tips for navigating today.

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Entrepreneurship is a roller-coaster ride of an adventure.  With the smallest of companies, or the largest or organizations I have come to believe the success (or failure) of a business has almost everything to do with the people who work there.  This is especially true of service companies such as photography where almost every customer interacts with the employees.  Over the years I have spent time reading, studying and researching all sorts of companies, fascinated with what works and what does not.  

When I think about the degree to which I feel I have matured as a business owner, I think that managing employees has been the biggest area of growth for me.  When I first started out, I was doing everything myself - like many photographers, and when I eventually felt as though I had enough money and work to justify having help I hired a few people to assist.  At the time I was living in a two bedroom apartment, running the business out of one bedroom and living in the other.  People would ask if I worked from home, and I joked that instead I lived where I worked since most of the apartment was dedicated to the business.  I rarely went out with friends; I just worked, spent time talking shop to a few other photographers, and interacted with employees.  

Because of the lack of balance in my life, as I grew I desperately wanted my employees to like me and be my friend. I think this is very natural for any new manager.  But particularly because I was missing a balanced social life outside of work, I tried to create it within my business - all without even really realizing it.

Now, almost six years later; two studio locations (both outside my home), 10 employees and a rich, balanced social life outside of work including a wonderful marriage, I have come to realize that the worst thing a manager can do is try to become friends with their employees.  Yet, so many of us insist on it because of what we are missing within ourselves.  Employees need a leader, they need someone to set boundaries and goals.  Someone to provide rewards for meeting goals and consequences for not meeting expectations.  They need someone to respect, and if friendship or a friendly relationship comes out of that - great!  But the primary relationship has to be a motivating one to the employee for them to enjoy their work, and while friendships are fun and cool, they are rarely motivating within an employee/employer relationship.

Through six years of managing people I have whittled down to just five tips to managing employees:

    * Communicate your values and what you expect of your employees as often as possible.  When people suffer from unclear expectations they either become bored or unhappy at work - or both!  
    * Stop caring if they like you.  Just like with being a parent, a child's unhappiness often comes from parents who are more interested in being their child's friend than being a parent.  Instead, be a good leader and they will like you by default, but if your first priority is to have them be your friend; chaos ensues, leadership takes a back seat, and employees often become unhappy.  
    * Create a vision for your staff that is exciting and take a personal interest in their goals and aspirations.  Help them get to where they want to be someday, even if it's outside of what your company can offer.
    * Hire people with shared values (such as integrity) so you are on the same page.  Ask your employees' opinion whenever possible and incorporate their feedback into what you do.  
    * Take the time to hire happy, positive people and quickly eliminate negativity with warnings or termination.  I believe, with great conviction, that negativity amongst employee(s) almost guarantees a company's failure and that a positive, enthusiastic work environment tied to a clear vision is exponentially powerful.


So just to be clear, I am not saying to create a bureaucratic, militant, environment where authority rules and there are no personal relationships.  But I am saying that your first priority as a manager is to be a leader, create a vision, communicate expectations, establish processes, set up rewards, listen carefully, eliminate obstacles, and fiercely protect your culture and values.  Your second priority is a personal relationship, and with strong leadership a friendship often naturally evolves as a result of the mutual respect between yourself and your employee.  And if it doesn't that's ok too.


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Laura Novak is a photographer, artist and entrepreneur with studios in Wilmington, Delaware and Glen Mills, PA.  Her businesses Laura Novak Photography and Little Nest Portraits have received lots of press and awards that you can read about on their sites if you would like to do so.  

Laura teaches a fantastic portrait workshop with Kimberly Wylie and Brianna Graham called Living the Dream and has a website dedicated to helping photographers' businesses called Strategy Avenue.

The 2nd in a 2 part series about business smarts from fab contributor Design Aglow -- enjoy!

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Malice (or Get the Message?)

I always call clients back __________:
a. within a day.
b. within 2-3 days.
c. depending on who it is.
d. when I get off of the forum.

Answer: a. For any studio with office hours, it's important to answer the phone. On a shoot?
Call back as soon as possible. Often surprised at the number of thankful people on the other
end of the receiver who tell her she is the only photographer who called them back, Lena
says, "As a higher-end studio, we're charging a premium for our customer service. When
someone is shopping around, if you don't answer your phone or respond to calls, potential
clients are going to go to the next person."

Impatience (or Flea Market Folly)

It's fine to discount your work ________________.

a. for really good clients.
b. once or twice a year.
c. if someone spends more than other clients do.
d. for my big VIP client who I want recommending me to all her friends at the country club.
e. never.

Answer: b or e. When photographers start out with zest and a spring in their step, not a few
probably tend towards granting free photo shoots in return for model releases, or allotting
friends a ridiculously low $25 session fee for all images. "If they're giving discounts right off
the bat, referrals won't be based on talent--it's because they're so cheap," Lena says. "You're
training people to expect discounts and to not respect your work; and, in addition to killing
your brand, you're attracting the bargain hunters who want more and more for less and less."
Sure, it's all right to have a promotion once or twice a year if you absolutely need to, but
studios should: offer something they usually don't, make it a special, and make it for a very
limited time (a week or less).

Naivete (or It's all Free!)

It's smart to give away slide shows and high resolution
files to clients__________.

a. because my clients love it and I love them!
b. because a client is a real pain and I want them to go away.
c. because a client spends more than my car costs.
d. because for $100...hey, the disk only cost me $1...I'm making big
bucks!
e. never.

Answer: e. "This is a new phenomenon, because you can buy a digital SLR for $1000 and become a photographer," Lena says. "Photographers are making $100 for a session and giving away all the files. The shoot only lasted an hour, and the photographer thinks they're doing awesome." The problem: "People are not figuring in their expenses," she explains. "If you give the files away for $500, your top sale will always be $500." In the long run, not only are those uber cheap sessions probably costing camera wielders, they're also devaluing the industry since many potential clients now expect the same, rock bottom prices, says Hyde.

Because Lena doesn't believe in telling a client 'no' (she tells them, "Yes, and it will
cost this much."), for those who want an archive, Hyde offers a digital file for sale for $5500, or $500 for each image. Still, she says, technology is not foolproof when compared to owning actual portraits or albums. Long-term management of slide shows can be harrowing, and knowing how even DVD technology has changed (as well as the damage that can be wrought to discs), means that studios are much better off selling a wall gallery or an album over a digital file.

Thrift (or I See Poor People)

Being the cheapest photographer means you can _______________:

a. rake in loads of cash because everyone will come to you.
b. be super busy and post more on your blog.
c. put other photographers to shame.
d. make your clients really happy.
e. kiss your brand goodbye.

Answer: e. "You know, I think a lot of people think the way to start out in any business is
to be the cheapest, because then they're going to get a lot of business," Lena says. "That
may be true, but you're also going to put yourself out of business because you're never
going to be able to keep up with your expenses."

In any market, photographers can either be the cheapest or the best--and that's how they
will be known, advises Hyde.  And while it's difficult to be the best in any market (and there'll always be somebody cheaper), says Lena. "You have to figure out what you're best at and what your talents are, and capitalize on those things."

First Rate

Hourly rates on which to base session fees should include: photographer's time (and time away from family), equipment, insurance, taxes, licenses, professional memberships, education, rent, utilities, transportation, CPA and legal fees, phone, internet, studio costs, website fees, and actual cost of goods and services. "The $100 session fee that includes all the files is probably not going to keep you in business very long," says Lena, who warns that with such low prices, turning a profit is nearly impossible.

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With its unique combination of written workshops, stunning images, innovative ideas and contributors who include the best of what the industry has to offer, the downloadable, quarterly magazine is a celebrated resource used by colleges and professional studios alike.

From information and products directed at professional wedding and portrait photographers, to Photoshop actions, templates, fresh marketing materials, album design and seminars for the boutique wedding and portrait studio, Design Aglow is the marriage of art with a collection of resources for the cutting edge contemporary photography studio.

With online resources such as robust blog content, and a shop brimming with tools and information, designaglow.com marries innovation with instant gratification. 

The first in a two-part series about business smarts, a guest contribution by Design Aglow.  We love these questions and the snappy, savvy answers given!

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You've got your camera and you run out the door-- at least you thought you had your camera. Now you're late for an appointment, and as you thrust a coffee stained contract into the hands of a potential client, you realize you could have planned your time better.  The question is, are your practices really hurting your business in the process? Take this quiz to find out if yours is a smart business, or a business that smarts.

Immaturity (or Funny Business)

1. You'll be less successful if you don't have ________________.:
a. a business plan.
b. contracts.
c. policies.
d. boundaries.
e. all of the above.

Answer: e. Says successful portrait studio owner Lena Hyde, renowned studio consultant to the biggest names in photography, "You need to have your business plan first (and assess this plan every year or two). While not the fun and sexy part of the business, it's really the foundation for everything else." In addition, a rocksolid legal contract is essential, since it's important for studios to protect their business (See Design Aglow's shop for examples of legal wedding and portrait contracts). Finally, firm policies and boundaries-- such as keeping real business hours and having a contingency plan for the unexpected-- are all signs of a mature
studio that takes its clients seriously and respects its own rules.

Stupidity (or Brokeback Lenses)
2. You should bring back up equipment to your shoots.
a. True. I have a back up body, lenses, CF cards, flash and lenses around here
somewhere.
b. Say what? Does my old film Rebel kit count as a backup?

Answer: a. If it can break, it will break, so it's a no-brainer to bring extra pieces of equipment to shoots. Just as important is keeping one of everything inside the studio, whether physical or digital. Lena backs everything up with two external hard drives, as well as on DVD (twice, and in two different locations). "Every photographer's computer equipment will fail at some point," says Hyde, "so it is important to back up after each shoot."

Thievery (or Copycat Faux-pas)
3. It's o.k. to emulate successful photographers.
a. True. Everyone does it.
b. It's o.k. if they don't find out.
c. It's fine if I only copy their website (and music and maybe their logo) when they
are more than 10 miles away from me.
d. It's all right if I change some of the words on their bio and FAQ to make it my
own.
e. It's never all right.

Answer: e. "Being original and doing your own thing is really important, especially since we're creative people," says Lena. As such, copying other studios is not only a tremendously bad way to start a business, she says, but clients are going to notice artists mimicking other artists. Garnering inspiration is one thing, but crossing the line is an entirely different matter.

Need help establishing your own style?  No problem, says Lena. To define your brand, start with this easy tip: Write down three words that describe your style and brand, and make everything you do relate to those three words. From your website, to your studio, to your products, make sure it's really you and who you are. "People can tell if you're a fake right away," Lena says.

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With its unique combination of written workshops, stunning images, innovative ideas and contributors who include the best of what the industry has to offer, the downloadable, quarterly magazine is a celebrated resource used by colleges and professional studios alike.

From information and products directed at professional wedding and portrait photographers, to Photoshop actions, templates, fresh marketing materials, album design and seminars for the boutique wedding and portrait studio, Design Aglow is the marriage of art with a collection of resources for the cutting edge contemporary photography studio.

With online resources such as robust blog content, and a shop brimming with tools and information, designaglow.com marries innovation with instant gratification.