Photography is a highly competitive industry. Marketing has changed drastically over the past few years. We’ve shifted from the traditional marketing model of sending out printed promotional pieces, buying ads in magazines and advertising on radio or television. The old promotional avenues are cost prohibitive and really no one is paying attention to them anymore.

Think about it. Today everyone has DVR, so they don’t have to view commercials. The advent of iPods has turned people away from the radio. No one has time to read the newspaper anymore so ads there are not going to bring you customers.  Traditional avenues of reaching potential clients have dried up.

What has replaced those avenues is a whole new series of marketing channels.

Every professional now has a website. That is your calling card; the place people turn to make sure you are legitimate. A website is the most vital piece of your marketing puzzle.  What else do you need?

BLOG IT
Create a blog. A blog is essentially your voice. You can educate your clients, post new photos and include links to great information. More importantly, a blog creates an instant feeling of friendship. It draws people to you and your business. Creating content for your blog is another way to be found on the web. People will pass your posts on to their friends creating a deeper and wider visibility for your company. A recent webinar on HubSpot, a web based company specializing in inbound marketing software, revealed that companies who blog have 55% more visitors to their websites. You don’t have to post every day. Post once a week, even once a month, but develop that presence. Have a look at WordPress or Blogspot and get started!

FACEBOOK IT
Facebook is a phenomenon. Never before has anything captured such universal, global attention. If you don’t have an account, get one. It’s important and it’s easy. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/2u5yd6 for the complete lowdown.

TWITTER IT
Social media is the new buzz term. It includes Facebook, Linked In, and a host of other outlets. One of the most influential of these is Twitter. Think about Twitter as the Readers Digest version of Facebook, without the quizzes! Short, sweet and to the point. Type in the keywords for your industry. Look at “wedding photographers in Dallas” (or your particular area) or “sports photographers in Houston”. If you are not showing up on the first page, then you need to Twitter! There is already a conversation about your industry going on. Join that conversation.

LINK IT IN!
Linked In is probably the most seriously regarded of the social media. This is definitely a business resource. There are 48 million users. Executives from all the Fortune 500 companies are on Linked In. You can find and be introduced to the professionals you need to work with to accomplish your goals. It’s a terrific avenue to drive business back to your website. Take a look at this link, which includes a step-by-step video: http://learn.linkedin.com/what-is-linkedin/

Don’t let any of these new tools overwhelm you. The best news is that they are free. Decide how much time you can devote to social network marketing each week. It shouldn’t take up more than 10% of your time. Pour yourself a cup of coffee and get started!

October 1 – October 31
The Pounds ChromaLuxe Sample Special will make it easy for you to make the samples you need for 2010. ChromaLuxe is truly a unique method for enlarging images - the vibrant colors of advanced dye sublimation, the high-gloss finish, and the durable, ready to hang mounting make this an outstanding product for all markets.  Set your studio apart from the competition by offering ChromaLuxe as a contemporary alternative to traditional Canvas and Gallery Wraps.

Also, don’t forget to get your Ink Jet Samples on Canvas and Watercolor.  You can order one sample of each size from 3×5 to 40×60.  If you don’t offer  this type of print to your customers, now is the time to do a studio market test.

CODE- CHIN (Use this code for either product)
CHROMALUXE Receive a 50% discount on all ChromaLuxe products. There is a limit of one sample of each product per account. There is a limit of one sample per account.
INK-JET PRINTS Receive a 15% discount on all sizes on Canvas and Watercolor from 3×5 to 40×60. There is a limit of one sample of each size per account.

Get a head-start on the holidays by launching your studio promotions before the big rush begins. From now until September 30, you can take advantage of our Holiday Products Special. Pounds is reducing our prices for Press Cards, Gallery Wraps, Calendars, Gift Tags, and Holiday Funpacks.  You can pass the savings on to your customers with an “early bird” special in your studio.  Just use Promo Code HOL2 when you place their orders.  Here are the discounts you will receive:

Press Cards
20% discount on quantities up to 299.
10% discount on our already reduced prices for quantities of 300 and more.

Spiral Bound Calendars
20% discount on 8.5×11, 11×8.5 and 11×17 calendars.

Gallery Wraps
20% discount on 11×14 and 16×20 Gallery Wraps.

Gift Tags
20% discount on Gift Tags – four photo gift tags on one sheet.

Holiday Funpacks
20% discount on Holiday Funpacks – six photo ornaments on one die-cut sheet.

Meet Brandi Nellis of Brandi Nellis Photography.  Pounds is pleased to feature Brandi in our Signature Portrait Series.  Her distinctive style is so candid and natural, there’s no chance of kids becoming camera shy during her sessions.  While some photographers try to pose children, Brandi might just hand them a Popsicle.  Then, she’ll capture the pure joy in their smiling faces.  When it came to her own portrait session, Brandi tells us it was LOL fun too.  Read all about it in her Behind the Scenes interview.  To find out why Brandi is such a loyal Pounds customer, see her testimonial in her Community Profile.

Pounds Community Profile:  Brandi Nellis, Brandi Nellis Photography

Who was your portrait taken by and why did you choose that person?
My photo was taken by Nicole Whelan.  Nicole and I met last fall when we both donated our photography services to the Austin Down Syndrome Association Gala.  We hit it off that night and have kept in touch since.  She actually called me about a month ago to see if I would photograph her and her husband and in return, she would photograph me with my hubby.  While we were shooting, I had her take a few of me by myself for this campaign.

How did you decide on that location?
I picked South Congress in Austin because I have always wanted to photograph there and I haven’t been able to yet.  I decided to have MY photos taken there because it’s a funky and colorful place (like me.)

What is distinctive about your style of photography and what makes this your Signature Portrait?
I love photographs of people laughing…really laughing.  I love to capture when dads are tickling their kids and the kids are laughing so hard they are almost crying.  It makes me smile.  This is definitely a wide-open mouth, laughing shot and I like to laugh…a lot.

Did anything funny or interesting happen during this shoot?
We had a blast the entire shoot but I think Nicole got especially tickled when my husband got in on the act.  We just celebrated our 10th anniversary and I’m actually quite proud to say that we are still in love and still have some chemistry after all these years. Sometimes it comes out in goofy ways and we didn’t notice how we looked, but Nicole thought it was so funny.

How did you feel in front of the camera and did you learn anything that will help you when you are photographing other people?
It feels a little awkward being in front of the camera especially since I’m usually behind the lens but with my goofball personality I’m usually hamming it up in no time.  A few times I wanted to grab the camera out of Nicole’s hand and do it my way but I didn’t.  Yes, I did learn to work on body positioning that day.  We were really working to make my hips look thinner.   All I have to say is thank the Lord for Photoshop!

How do you talk to teens these days?  If you are a Senior photographer, building rapport with your customers may be a challenge.  You know you have to get beyond the range of cheesy smiles and sulking stares kids use to disguise their true feelings.  But what does it take to break through these defenses?  How can you get teens to trust you so you can create authentic portraits of them?   Photographer John Ratchford writes about making connections and meeting his Seniors on common ground in the August issue of Rangefinder Magazine.  The Pounds Community team wanted to share this insightful and touching article with you.  Make sure you have plenty of tissues handy when you read the quotes from John’s young customers!

Empower Your Seniors! by John Ratchford – August Rangefinder Magazine

Pounds is pleased to present Cliff Ranson of Ranson Photography in our Signature Portrait Series.  We think you’ll agree that Cliff’s image is a great example of portrait design.  The lighting, colors, and  textures create a moody effect that really draws us in. We love how he chose clothing that would complement the background.  If Cliff was a rock star, this photo would be great on the cover of a CD! We can see why this is one of his favorite locations for Seniors.   Read his Behind the Scenes account of this very cool image.  But first, check out Cliff’s profile to find out why he is such a supportive member of the Pounds Community.

Pounds Community Profile: Cliff Ranson of Ranson Photography

Who was your portrait taken by and why did you choose that person?
This photo was taken by Hector Guerra. He has been a close friend since about 1995, and has photographed about 300 weddings with me.

How did you decide on that location?
This is a location I use quite often with Seniors.  It is an alley in downtown McAllen.  I have always liked the contrasting black with the blue.

What is distinctive about your style of photography and what makes this your Signature Portrait?
It is a portrait that would typically result after a consultation, knowing that the clothing would fit the environment.

Did anything funny or interesting happen during this shoot?
We had to use available light because the wind was blowing about 40 mph, so my portable softbox would not stand.  We did not have any others to assist in holding it up.

How did you feel in front of the camera and did you learn anything that will help you when you are photographing other people?
I don’t generally throw myself in front of the camera, but I will regularly show my subject what I am after by demonstrating myself.

The Pounds Community team wanted to do something fun for our members this summer, so we decided to add a special bonus to our newsletter.  Our e-book supplement, “Fame Fortune and Photography” makes the Summer Reading issue of PCN sizzle with hot ideas for cool studio promotions.   We’ve got some great tips for marketing your studio and increasing your sales with products from Pounds.  Check out our e-book, and if you’ve got suggestions you’d like to share, add your comments below.

The Pounds Community is pleased to feature Lewis and Carol Kincheloe in our Signature Portrait Series. When we asked the Kincheloes to participate, they headed off to one of their favorite locations with an unusual prop in tow.  Even though their session seemed vexed by the weather and the cancellation of their photographer, they produced an outstanding image by virtue of their can-do attitude and their creative vision.  We asked them to tell us what happened during the shoot and how their portrait illustrates their signature style.  See our profile of the Kincheloes.  Then, read on for the Behind the Scenes details of their amazing portrait.

Pounds Community Profile:  Lewis and Carol Kincheloe of Positive Image Photography

Who was your Signature portrait taken by?
We were rained out on our original session day. We finally had a nice evening and decided to make it a self-portrait and just set the camera on self-timer.

How did you decide on that location?
We have so many interesting locations in our area. This was the background we used for our son Travis’ graduation announcements last year.

What is distinctive about your style of photography and what makes this your Signature Portrait?
If I have a senior that comes in and doesn’t want to be here or seems nervous about being in front of the camera, I’ll have them sit in the barber chair.  I’ll spin them around and do a few shots and get them laughing. This usually loosens them up and lets them know we’re going to have fun during their session.

Did anything funny or interesting happen during this shoot?
We only had about 15 minutes of daylight remaining for the shoot. We were unloading and setting up in the street as fast as we could.  Once we started, I had to run back and forth to grab the tripod when a car was coming. We had three or four cars that just kept doing a loop around the block wondering what the heck we were up to. I think we ended up with 11 shots to choose from.

How did you feel in front of the camera and did you learn anything that will help you when you are photographing other people?
After I chimped the first shot, I saw I was just standing there with no pose, no expression, and no energy.  It reminded me of why we are the professionals and the importance in placing people in the right spot, in the right light - and our job of helping to set the tone or mood for the image.

Are you looking for ways to diversify your studio?  School Photography could be the solution.  If you’ve never considered it before, you might want to think about it now.  According to Schools and Events expert Chris Wunder, the market is expanding and studio photographers are capturing more of it.  Chris will present the basic training you need to sell, shoot, and manage high-volume workflow at the School Photography Boot Camp co-sponsored by Pounds. We asked Chris to tell the Pounds Community how Wedding, Portrait, Sports, and Event photographers can benefit from building their businesses with Underclass School Photography.

Is it best to specialize in Schools, or can Wedding and Portrait photographers diversify their studios to capture this market successfully?
Undergrad School Photography is the perfect addition to any studio’s marketing plan.  Most of the work is done on weekdays during the morning hours, so it doesn’t conflict with the busy time in regular studio schedules.  Plus, as many traditional studio market segments are seeing declines (in-studio portrait sessions, weddings, commercial work, etc) there’s a continuing and growing market for School Photography.  When times get tough, consumers look the best values they know, and a traditional favorite is School Photography.

Another good reason to enter the Underclass market is the revenue potential.  School photographers routinely take in $1500 per hour in revenues.  An average elementary school with 450 students can generate over $20,000 per year in sales for photographers who take advantage of all the opportunities there; Fall and Spring Portrait programs, Groups and Composites, Special Events and Yearbooks.

What kind of skills do you need to manage the post-production in a high-volume market like School Photography?
School Photography has the most developed and efficient workflow systems in photography.  You don’t have to be a computer whiz to manage it. These specialized workflows make it easy to match images of hundreds of students with corresponding student data provided by the school.  This is done using your laptop computer tethered to your camera, CamLynx capture software (provided thru Pounds Labs) and a barcode reader installed on your laptop.  Then, using special cards preprinted beforehand with student data and barcodes, you can easily link the images and purchase at the camera.  It’s easier than it sounds. After some practice, you can prepare 500 student orders for the lab in only 1- 2 hours.  That’s much less than the time required to process a wedding for the lab.

Can the techniques presented in the Boot Camp be used to build business in other high-volume markets?
The techniques learned at the Boot Camp in becoming a School Photographer are essential building blocks in understanding high-speed, volume workflow for many types of Event Photography including Youth Sports Team and Individual (T&I) photography, photography in Daycares and Pre-Schools, Dances and Proms and almost any “volume” photographic opportunity.  Anytime you need to do a lot of photos at an event, and be able to quickly track who you photographed and what they bought; you’ll need and use these basic techniques.

How can sole proprietors and small studio owners compete against school photography mega-companies that operate on a national level?
Competing against the “national” companies is easier than you think. Many schools are looking for a change.  They just don’t have many choices.  Many would consider a local studio that has learned the specialized photography needs of schools, has done specialized training, and has developed the workflows needed to handle 400 students in less than three hours.  The School Photo Boot Camp can provide the skills necessary to start your School Photography business and help you build long-term relationships with local schools.  It also helps to know the “secrets” of the competition and how you can out-service them.  You’ll learn all this at the Boot Camp as well.

What do school photographers need to look for when choosing a professional imaging lab to fulfill their orders?
School Photographers require a number of specialized lab products and services to be competitive with the “national” companies. Most pro labs do not provide these specialized services.  You need to find a lab that specializes in “volume” work for School and Sports Photographers and who has the unique products and processes to help you be successful.  Our company uses Pounds Photographic Labs because of their high quality and commitment to service. They offer all the specialized products we need to grow our School Photography business.

The Pounds Community team thanks Chris for sharing his expertise in School Photography with us.
For Boot Camp details and registration see Orlando: June 23-27 or Dallas: July 27-31.  Attend either Boot Camp and receive a Pounds savings certificate for studio samples of school products.  Sign up for the Dallas Boot Camp, and you’ll be invited to a special tour of Pounds Labs. We look forward to seeing you here!

Have you ever wished that you could improve the weather on the day of a portrait session?  Or, make a bleak background match the beauty of a bride?  How would you like to know the secrets to changing  the look of locations?  Pounds Community member Carrell Grigsby will reveal her techniques for turning mediocre images into masterpieces at the TPPA Kerrville Summer Seminar.  Carrell gave us a sneak preview of her topic “Build that Background Library and Make it Work” so we could share it with you.  We thank Carrell for taking the time to answer our questions and send us her images.  To attend her  presentation, register for the Kerrville Summer Seminar.

What is a “background library?”
Images that can be used to enhance a scene or print. That might be as simple as blue sky with clouds to use when you have no pretty sky on the day of a portrait  to an Italian cathedral doorway to go behind a gorgeous bride.

What are the benefits of having a background library?
Time and profit.  A beautiful scene that matches what the clients wanted to see can up the ante every time with very little work after the session.

How did you build your background library?
Years ago I started keeping all the test frames I took before the clients showed up for sessions.  A process evolved whereby I found that I often went back to those images to save time when combining images for the desired combination of subjects.

What skills do you need to create a background library, and to use it during post-production?
Any good photographer can capture a beautiful or dramatic scene.  Follow up with good cataloging has to happen or the image will not be available for use.  Photoshop skills are absolutely necessary.  This program would not be useful for a film photographer.  My goal is to minimize the amount of work in Photoshop, but some skill will be required.

What kinds of images can you create with a background library?
There is no limit except the maker’s creativity and imagination.  The concept of background
enhancement  can go from making a family portrait just a little more dramatic to creating a PPA Loan Print.

How are you planning to expand and use your library in the future?
I’ve already done the “next step” by using Virtual Backgrounds, a wonderful system, and a green screen. I have had the best success with any of these by careful blending of images creating a “reality” that is believable to clients and judges.