Photo Success

A Place to Grow

“The money and the time will figure itself out.”

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I reminded myself of this story the other day when I was chatting with Judy.

Judy is the marketing manager of our local professional theatre where I have been their “official photographer” for over 16 years.

Judy was recounting her daughters life. Her daughter is now 35. Very successful in her chosen field, theatre arts.

She tells me about a time, not too long ago, when her daughter called her in distress:
“Mom, I’ve been accepted into the program. I’m getting married in two months and I don’t think I can afford this right now…”

Judy told her: “Do it. These opportunities only come once in a lifetime. The money and the time will figure itself out.”

And it did.

What her daughter was talking about was an application she had put in at a well known university where they have an elite creative director program and only let TWO students in.

Yes, two.

Getting accepted into the program was an honor. And she got in. But what rotten timing.

Rotten timing can be the time when the boogey man also appears. And brings all his friends with him.

Good thing she had her mom there. We all could use a Judy in our lives can’t we?

Someone who simply sounds the voice of calm and reason and sees the opportunity, not blinded by the doubts and anxieties.

We all need to have the ability and outside support to stay clear. It takes discipline and fortitude.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

“If you want to be a profitable and successful photographer, then study profitable and successful photographers.”

How to keep the creative AND monee making juices flowing…

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I remember like it was yesterday. It has such a profound impact on me.

I was young, green, naive, eager and curious. I wondered to myself, as I sat on a rock
at our local park, stressing out over the scheduled appointment I was waiting for…..
“what does creativity mean?”.

As in, what does it REALLY mean. I wanted to know. Because I did NOT feel
very creative.

The answer came a week later, when I met and befriended one of the most creative
individuals ever. I learned so much from this dude.

I believe to this day that the reason that person came into my life was because
I was asking profound questions.

Hocus pocus, voodoo, fairies and rainbows….or not. I don’t care. Something
works in YOUR favor when you ask specific, mind expanding questions.

It’s as if the universe moves and the answers start to come your way.

But you gotta ask, and wait for the answer. Boot the ego aside. Be open. Eager.

I’ve always been like that. To this day I still look, ask, poke and prod for answers.

Last week we poked and prodded in our mastermind meeting, where I reveal
many of the strategies on marketing and lighting. I love sharing the answers I discover.

Here’s the replay for members.

More poking, prodding and queries….On August 9th I am interviewing Charles Gregory, in a frontline webinar.

Charles is a photographer from the UK…. and he has long history of running a studio, plus he has some cool new innovative directions he’s taking his studio into.

The link will be posted.

Why do I do these? Because I am still curious. Curiosity is a bright glowing flame in my like, like it was over three decades ago when I asked the universe foranswers.

Stay real my friend, stay young, curious and keep asking questions….

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

P.S. I almost forgot, in August I am starting a “Success in Selling” series for professional photographers. With real, legit, in the trenches photographers.

Stay tuned

They only come out at night…

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Years ago I had a huge epiphany.

It was a Friday. I had been working hard all week. And I had a big wedding the next day.

Worse, I was nervous, scared, stressed and felt out of control.

“What the hell was going on!??” I stressed to myself.

The added stress of worrying about being stressed compounded itself.
If you follow my drift.

I went to sleep and slept like a baby. I woke up early, well rested to a beautiful sunny day.

And I felt great. I felt strong and confident.

I wondered…“what was that all about?”
As I pondered last nights near nervous break down.

And it dawned on me. I was tired. That’s all it was.

I had no idea that being physically tired and mentally wiped could wreak that much damage on my psyche.

I do now. It’s like turning into a grizzly bear when all it is is hunger.

I realized then and there that being tired and under stress had some serious potential to cause damage. And I added that knowledge to my arsenal of ninja weapons.

It’s good stuff to know.

It’s even better to know how to use it in one’s life.

Why?

Because when you’re tired and weak, the boogey man comes out.

He brings all his friends. They are called doubt, fear, anxieties.. you know what I am talking about.

Add to that any uncertainty going on in your life and it becomes a real challenge. It’s why having rituals and goals are so important.

And it’s one of the reasons why so many can’t handle the stress on being self-employed, let alone being self-employed in photography.

At the end of the day, stop. Breathe. Relax. Write in your journal. Focus on what you did great that day.

Do NOT let them win.

It’s no time to listen to the reasoning that these fears bring on and to make any major decisions.

It’s all about being self aware and in self- control.

It’s what being a radiant warrior is all about.

It’s why having a sense of entitlement never really works.

Be a warrior. A grown up. Not a child. Know when the boogey man is attacking and take responsibility.

You’ll feel better in the morning.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

Here’s a ritual I believe in….Every month I run TWO mastermind meeting for members. These are information rich, strategy loaded brainstorming sessions from real, legit, in the trenches photography operations.

Operating system VS marketing system in your photography business…

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Having a good operations system in place is essential to continued success in your photography business,

But it’s NOT the only thing.

Some erroneously believe, or, are misguided into thinking that the operations system is where it’s at…..once achieved, success!

Don’t be fooled.

The marketing system is the lifeblood of your photography studio.

The operations system is simply how things flow, who does what, getting from point A to point B…it involves steps and procedures. Processes….

And more often it’s behind the scenes stuff.

The marketing is a completely different animal.

Operations can include items such as:
*workflow
*accounting
*employees
*camera brand used
*computer system used
on and on…..lots of logical, black and white thinking stuff.

There’s more to it. And, having a good operations system in place is essential.

It’s something that the smart studio owners improve on in time and make better.

It also helps to delegate the operations and create systems, so that you, as a marketer, a strategist, can spend more time in charge of running the….ahem….you guessed it….:

The marketing system.

Where the monee is.

Never delegate the marketing. Delegate as much of the operations as you can.

Although there are NO guarantees, it’s your best crack at success and growing out of the yard-sale mentality.

Grow up and treat your “business” like a business.

Photography is the NUMBER ONE HOBBY right now…and as a result, many, many hobbyists are getting into the “business”.

And many get confused on this topic.

The smart business owner knows the difference between having a marketing system and having an operations system.

Be smart. Know the difference.

So you’re asking, okay Mr. Smart guy….what is the marketing system then?

Marketing is everything you do to create, innovate products and finding people who will buy them.

Over and over. Rinse, repeat.

Once you have a marketing system in place, you delegate the “grunt” work aspect of it.

Never the strategy.

Marketing is not an easy solution. It does involve much innovation, testing, poking and prodding. And once you achieve success, always keeping an eye on it and finding ways to improve.

It’s a system, in a sense. But not the same as operations.

I’ve said this many times:

“Never try to find one way to get 100 clients…..”

That’s what hobbyists and amateurs think.

Instead:
“Find 100 ways to get ONE client.”

Those “ways” are the tools and techniques that make up the marketing system.

Hold it close. Never take it for granted.

And never rest on your laurels, lest they become wreaths…..

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

“If you want to be a profitable and successful photographer, then study profitable and successful photographers.”

You’re never ‘broke’ when you have this…

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“I’m so broke…” my buddy lamented.

Not a dime to his name. His photography business tanking.

I tried to help him out by making him realize:

“Listen, you’re not broke. You’re not looking at it the right way. You have skills, talent, ambition and above all, you have courage, right?”

He thought for a moment.

I continued:
“Courage. Courage is one of the most valued and powerful assets known to mankind. And you got it in spades. You’re never broke when you have courage.”

He was listening. I had him. Because he knew it was truth. It all depends how you look at it.

I told him about how the most valuable asset you have is between your ears.

All your dreams, plans, hopes and ambitions start, grow and live right there.

Just create, add some courage, and a dash of persistence, and you’re rich.

How much value do you place on your dreams?

As long as you have courage, as long as you take action, as long as you refuse to quit, it is impossible for you to be broke.

IMPOSSIBLE

Priceless.

I used to be scared. So much so, my fears had me. They were defining me and controlled my every move.

And I was broke. No courage.

I couldn’t even photograph a group of students without having a near all out breakdown.

I could barely photograph a wedding without have a few drinks of liquid courage to calm me down. Yuch.

What a crappy place to be.

I was not working at my full potential. I was broke until I moved towards tapping into my power, my courage.

And when I did, that’s when the doors to wealth, prosperity, possibilities and growth skyrocketed for me.

Work at your full potential. No gimmicks. Just a simple truth.

This is where I believe we all have to start, inside.

I know this truth so well, it’s so personal for me.

Maybe ‘cuz I been there, done that.

I don’t know. I know however that it’s true:
Our potential and our destiny is created and controlled by each and every one of us.

We decide and we add the needed ingredients. It’s up to me baby.

And you too.

I can help you tap into your dreams, your destiny, your truth.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

Seriously….you play favorites? What’s My Favorite Aperture?

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Bigger, faster, wider…that’s my rule of thumb.

In other words, what is the widest aperture I can get away with considering:

  • lens choices available
  • situation….in other words, what and who am I photographing
  • the lighting and certain challenges, limitations or options available
  • the subject matter

Some examples, from recent shoots….and some explanations as to why I used whatever aperture I used.

Family sessions outdoors….I shot this at 5.6. I would have easily gone wider, BUT, I had a beauty dish and was limited to how wide an aperture I could use due to the maximum shutter speeds available. In this case, no faster than 1/200th of a second. Yea, I know, high speed sync would solve this. Working on it….

Two year old…..shot at 200mm at 2.8. I kinda, sorta got lucky. As you may know, with a two year old, that’s the way it goes. You do your best, and get what you get. The stars were all aligned in this shot. The lighting, the subject and me. She gave me a nano second of her time. I love shooting at 2.8 for obvious reasons. The  selective focus, bokeh and compression.

Another outdoor shot at f2.5 at 1/200th of a second. This is the Zeiss Batis 85MM 1.8 lens. In this scene I am limited because of the ambient light. I would have opened up the lens even more, but couldn’t because I was syncing my beauty dish to the maximum shutter speed of 1/200th. Yes, I know…high speed sync. I am on it.


Studio sessions. I use f8 as my go to aperture.
Why? It’s functional, there’s no real need to push the lens wider. Meat and potatoes….Two examples below.

Commercial gigs……first shot, wide angle lens….aperture plays  a small role so I’d use f8 in a scene like this.

Commercial gig for restaurant….here I used a 200mm at 2.8

Family on location….200mm at 2.8 Family in studio….at f8Family on location….200mm at 2.8. This is risky! You need to be very confident everyone will be in focus and on the same plane. This becomes a judgement call. I called it, and it worked. Had I not been so confident I would have likely shot this at around f5.6:

This family in studio shot at f16…I needed to get every one in focus, so I cranked up the ISO and the lights so I could shoot at that aperture.Two more…scenic shots. Scenic photographers use this strategy a lot. Shoot at about one stop wider than the smallest available on the lens. In this case, using the 14-24 Nikon lens, at 14mm, at f16. This ensures front to back sharpness.

If photography were as challenging to master photography like it once was, 99% wouldn’t even pick up a camera…

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Yes, there was a time, pre-digital, when photography was much, much harder to master.

And this created a vacuum.

And a market. An ‘easy’ one for the willing.

If you were willing to learn and master, somewhat, the complexities of photography, and you have half a head for business, you could do alright.

And make some money with images that, in todays standards, may get tossed.
Sounds weird, but true

And we felt special, yessssir. We were magicians, wizards, who knew the secrets to this amazing craft that so few knew.

It was like a secret society.

Truth is. It’s gone. Poof! The genie is out of the bottle long ago….
but you knew that.

I for one am over it. Long ago….

Me thinks in many ways I am a realist. And to me, it was, is and always has been a business moreso than a craft.

Let me repeat that….it’s a business. Photography is, sez Yoda.

As the ease of entry rises, the need for marketing rises too.
(Unless it’s a hobby)

It’s a hard cold reality behind the industry. But, for those who get it, and understand that when you become a marketer of photographic services first and photographer second, you have a much, much better chance at making some dough.

Because of the mindset. Big difference.

The mindset of the photographer who rises above this, rises above their ego and childish ways, and thinks, acts like a strategist, creating innovative moves to build a business…well, think of a sprawling metropolis.

Not a vacant lot.

Big difference…..

What about you? Did you get into photography because it was easy?

If you did, there is a good chance you have the same mindset. One that’s always looking for the easy way to make moneeeee.

Or, are you serious about turning it into a business?

Think about it….and chose a direction.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

“If you want to be a profitable and successful photographer, then study profitable and successful photographers.”

WizardOfLight Podcast July 2017

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We meet up every month to ramble on about all things photography.
(If you like, google an online youtube downloader and you can convert this youtube video into your favorite media to take with you on the road.)

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James Hodgins is a full time mining/industrial photographer.

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Judy Cormier is a full time boudoir and wedding photographer

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Yours truly, Robert Provencher, runs a full time studio with my wife Tina shooting fairies, families, weddings.

Watch…..

After 22 years of marriage I finally taught my wife to curse…

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I’ll never forget it.

My mom was hanging a picture or something.
I do remember her holding a hammer.

I think I was all of 14 yrs old, me and my four younger sisters, running around, making life chaotic, loud as only a family of five kids can be loud.

My mom stopped, turned at us and yelled: “If you kids don’t F*CKING keep quiet…”…

Stunned silence.

Crickets.

The sound of a hammer rustling and grip tightening in her hands.
Our jaws hanging in shocked awe, eyes bursting wide with fear.

Never, we never, ever heard our mom swear. Ever.

It sure makes a room go quiet.

On that note, I noticed my wife started ‘cussin in the last year or so.

Finally. But I do feel bad, somewhat. She is not one to descend into vulgarities and bad taste. That’s my department.

See, I like swear words. It’s a habit of mine. I find it refreshing.
Cleansing. Offensive.

Sorry, is what it is. I know, I know, I’m a bad influence on her.

It’s one of the eventual side effects of being married over time.
You become to some degree the other person.

It’s the same with branding your photography business. (Not that being a potty mouth is a smart move around your clients. No no…)

But, good branding will eventually sink in. It takes time. Just like teaching your innocent sweet wife to go biker mouth.

Branding means in large part becoming a part of their hearts, minds and souls.

They think warm, positive, fuzzy feelings about you and your studio. They believe
in you. The feel committed. They love you and your product.

This is achieved over time, through years of sessions, offers, affiliation marketing, promos, events, displays (offline and online), sales room experience, reception rooms, publicity, networking, ads….you get the picture.

It takes time. A lot of time. And keeping your mouth clean of course.
Save the curse words for home when you’re with the kids and you absolutely must have silence.:)

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

“If you want to be a profitable and successful photographer, then study profitable and successful photographers.”
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How to stop procrastinating and take control…

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There are as many ways procrastination rears its ugly head as there are excuses for why we are not moving forward with our hopes, dreams and goals.

Personally, I feel the biggest influence is lack of imagination and fear.

Imagination takes discipline. And it’s a lonely journey.

There are specific things you can do to avoid getting off track….here’s a few that I personally use:

*cards. Small recipe cards. I have my goals and affirmations written out in point form. I read them every night before bed

*smart questions. Never quit on a situation and give in. Instead, ask compelling questions. For instance, you may be trying to come up with some marketing solutions and you maybe hitting a dead end. External forces may be creating some serious roadblocks, Don’t quit. Ask. ….”What can I do to create a solution?”

Sometimes I take on a role model, someone I admire and ask: What would so and so do
in this situation? And wait for answers. THEY WILL COME. All YOU need to do is learn to
ask compelling questions. This is one of the most powerful imagination tools at your avail.

*positive imagery. On cue. Whenever a negative feeling enters you, instantly
and on cue create a positive image
*love list. Ask yourself what things do you love. Get creative. Have fun.
Write fast. Stir the soul.

*deadlines and discipline. I don’t know how many times I found myself in a situation and looked back thinking: “Good thing I committed to this. Because it all worked out.”

There would be a project I am working on and it just sits there. The solution, each and every time, is committing a block of time and forcing myself to sit and work at it.

Each and every time I end up tapping into an immense amount of ideas, innovations, clarity….it all requires commitment. Do not wait for the muse.
Kick him in the b*lls and wake him up! Taking control of your life is a big job.

Being scared or a whiney cry baby is reserved for those who refuse to accept they have a passionate, confident and creative life running right beside them.

All you gotta do is get off the trail you’re on and step over.

Notice I never said the word easy. Lose that word. Kick it out of your life.
Easy is for children who rely on mommy to wipe their nose and butts.

Being able to grab the proverbial bull by the horns and ride it takes a certain mindset and willingness to move on our desires.

Now get to it…..no excuses. It’s YOUR life. Take control….

Yours in photography and success,

Robert Provencher

“If you want to be a profitable and successful photographer, then study profitable and successful photographers.”