Photo Success

A Place to Grow

Is this the biggest marketing mistake in photography? Me thinks it is….

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I knew these two photographers, a mom and pop studio. Very successful purveyors of traditional, classic portraits.

Problem is, many didn’t like what they were creating…

“Too much retouching”...I would hear all the time. Over and over. And indeed, their work was over the top retouched.

I didn’t like it either.

Never could figure out who did and why, so I assumed, wrongfully so, that
that was what traditional portraiture was all about.

“Every one has the same pose, background and lighting…..”…was another complaint I’d hear.

So, this begs the question. How were they so successful?

I think I figured it out. They were the proverbial big fish in a small pond.
Big mistake.

A pond big enough to prosper in, but not too big where competition
would nudge them out.

They operated in a bubble, so to speak. They lived in a vacuum.

Until everything changed. The bubble went away, fast.

And all the air rushed into their space completely removing the protective moat that surrounded them.

What happened, you ask? Digital of course. Film went away, digital took over and changed the landscape of photography forever.

Changed it for professionals and made everyone a photographer.

POOF! No more vacuum. No more business, literally. None.

Technology sucks sometimes, doesn’t it? Depends on your perspective I suppose.

Not braggin, but I saw it coming, and switched to digital very, very early. My studio was pumping out over 700 sessions a year, plus weddings.

I painted myself into a corner and figured it out.

I also quickly realized that marketing my photography business was going to be more important than ever before.

Why? Simple….no more vacuum. That, and, EVERYONE is a photographer.

The BIG question is: How do I stand out? What can I offer? Where is my market (who’s got my money???)??
What products and services will resonate with that market?

These are all questions that live in the magical realm of marketing. Notice? Nothing to do with technique, lighting, photoshop etc etc?

Marketing is everything.

Marketing is, was, and will forever be THE MOST IMPORTANT activity to your success, growth and profitability in your photography business.

By far, my most valued and favorite activity.

It’s also why I like following other successful photographers who get it. Photographers like Warne Noyce. A dude who defies the odds and kicks ass.

All because of marketing. Well, he is  a solid photographer too. His work is stratospheric good.

But without marketing, he’d be nowhere.

In conclusion, we ALL need to create our own bubble. Our own vacuum. Never rely on it coming from external sources.

‘cuz everything can change. The bubble can and will burst. Be  ready. Be smart. Be a marketer.

Join me tonight for a Marketing Mastermind meeting with Warne.

All are welcome.

REPLAY LINK FOR MEMBERS:

It’s live and it’s free.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

P.S. Check out Warne’s site.

Too much fluff in your photography education?

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ANNOUNCING: A special presentation with Warne Noyce…..keep reading.

Two years ago I purchased a one hour long photoshop tutorial.

I think I paid around eighty bucks or so.

After I watched it, I thought to myself:
“Self, this could have been distilled to 15 minutes easy.”

Fact is, I would have paid the same amount if it were only 15 minutes long.
To me, it’s a better value. I get to save 45 minutes.

It happens. I think many who sell educational stuff tend to “pad” their products with fluff and filler.

The fact is, just because something weighs more, doesn’t make it more valuable. In fact, oftentimes the opposite is true.

Especially if you’re like me, and you love learning, being inspired and picking up new strategies on workflow, marketing and all things to do with growing your photography business.

The biggest filler I see is when the presenter focuses on the settings, techniques and minutia.

For many this has a huge appeal. It sounds legit. It looks real. But it ain’t.

(you know the guy. He’s the one in the seminar or webinar who asks “which camera did you use???”…or lens….or file type…as if those are the reasons for success)

We somehow equate knowing everything with real world application.

Let me give you one for instance. Facebook ads. I bought a program that rambled on and on and on, on using facebook ads. It was a great tool for insomnia.

I watched the entire thing, and realized…..”just get out there and try something. Run an ad. Measure results, adjust, tweak, and test again.”

Rinse. Repeat.

And I did. And I use FB ads all the time.

One of my favorite ways to grow is by watching, learning from other photographers with REAL, legit, in the trenches experience.

You know, real. NOT fake. Not academia. Not OLD, outdated news. Not big name marquee name speakers.

Current, small town folks, where they actually made moolah recently, and continue to, today.

Like Warne and Paula Noyce. Two of my favorites. I’ve had Warne on several coaching calls and this guy never stops amazing me.

He beat cancer, was forced to move to a new town and start new 6 years ago. All new. As in, from scartch, don’t know a soul new.  To a town where they said he would never sell senior sessions. They said a whole bunch of stuff he couldn’t/shouldn’t do.

Do it anyways he did.

And now, he completely and totally dominates.

I ask myself: “How’d he do that? I want what he’s got. Give me some of that mojo.”

And that my friend is how I like to learn. From those who have the passion, the push, the streets smarts to do what guys like Warne did.

Everything else seems to pale in comparison. Fluff and filler.

Some photographers complain about how bad things are. Meanwhile, others are too busy getting out their and making their mojo work for them.
Some photographers complain about their location.

Not Warne and Paula.

In a town of less than 20,000 they proved to me and the rest of the world, that with drive, passion, the right products and an eternal optimism, you can make it work.

They are so busy shooting seniors they’re schedule allows for no more. Plus families, weddings, boudoir, babies and a slew of publicity promotions.

They all work like a finely tuned machine.

Warne will be chatting with us, this Thursday, January 26th at 8:00PM EST…..
REPLAYS HERE for members

Replay downloads, as well as all past marketing and lighting downloads are in the forum for members.
Not a member? Join us HERE

Lighting , infinitely complex, and crazy simple, all at once…

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Lighting is everything, or so it seems.

In photography it certainly plays a huge role. After all, photography means: painting with light.

We are artists who paint with light.

One of my all time favorite “painters of light” has been Fuzzy Duenkel.

I know of no one who can create such fluid, balanced and flattering portraits.

All done on location. All done with his unique lighting style.

Seniors, families, couples….he has a knack for using the right light,
whether it’s the lighting available, or complimented with his own modifiers,
he seems to consistently create unbelievable high quality images over and over.

One of his tools is what has come to be called the “fuzzy flektor”. A homemade
sandwich board style light reflector that works gangbusters.

And Fuzzy showed up how he uses it, and all his other lighting “secrets” in the four part
series we ran last winter.

This was one of my all time favorite Advanced Training Series ever. I mean, they were all good.
But this one was even gooderer. One the bestest. Ever.

And I recorded the whole thing, installed it in the noBsphotoSuccess™ inner circle forum.

Have you ever looked at a beautiful portrait of a high school senior, or a family, or children
and babies,  and it just screams quality?

And you wondered how did they do that?

I have the answers. His name is Fuzzy Duenkel.

Read about it here and transcend the ordinary

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

The turbo charged pixel myth…

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Well, I never thought this would happen.

I met a photographer who started out in digital before the dawn of all things digital like I did.

I met Kirk Saint a few months ago at a 2 day convention. I couldn’t believe he started out with one of these cameras like I did.

We’re talking way back. As in the year 2000 back. When Canon introduced what I consider to be their most groundbreaking camera ever.

The Canon D30.

And few, very few have heard about it. Maybe because it was primitive, at a mere 3.4 Megapixels.

But most thought it simply couldn’t do the job. Many, in fact, thought digital was crap and a passing fad. Even the dude who owned our local camera store thought this.

The best thing about this camera was the price. A very reachable $3,500.00 for the body. Not bad considering the next best thing was about twenty grand or so.

By today’s standards I consider this camera, if I were to compare today, on par with a Model T Ford. With a hand crank no less.

But whatever. Back in the day, it was revolutionary. And I bought one, with a Canon 50MM lens.

I was Hasselblad and Nikon. I sold everything I owned. All of it.

Except for my Nikon 105MM lens.

Hey, I needed a portrait lens. So I found a dude in New York who sold Nikon to Canon lens adapters. I was in, in a manual focus way, for $85.00 plus shipping.

Kirk’s story was similar to mine in that he got great results from this camera, in spite of the small file size.

I was pulling off wall portraits the first year I switched.
(see link below for examples)

I had to be able to otherwise I wouldn’t have taken the plunge.

Consistently I was getting great results. While everyone told me I couldn’t. My reply to the nay-sayers, was “bullsh*t, look what I had printed from my dinky little 3.4 MB file.”

Proof’s in the pudding, as they say. It ain’t bragging if you can do it.

My next camera was the Nikon D1x or something like that. A whopping 5.5 MB. Again, I pulled off hundreds, nay, thousands of wall portraits over and over.

If it does the job, it does the job. I prefer to obsess over marketing, than file size.

See samples below….

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

P.S. Last month I interviewed Kirk. He runs a successful studio in a small town shooting amazing Santa images, cool sports photos and more….Members, login, go here.

Not  a member? no problem.

Below…a few samples from my Canon D30, images that were enlarged, with ease, to over 30 inches….:

Insane moves create insane success

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Maggie moved to Canada from Poland when she was only 16.

She attended OCAD, one of our finest art universities and in spite of her lack of English and being in a foreign country, she acquired a degree in art.

When I met her, about 7 years ago, she had been in her own photography business for about 5 years, and most recently took some seriously insane steps.

Even she admits what she had done made no sense, was at the worst time one could imagine, under less than ideal circumstances.

She had two young children at home. A husband. Mortgage, the whole nine yards. What did she do that made everyone around think she completely lost it?

It was 2009, one year after the big economic meltdown, when more people were leaving photography than joining.

Here’s the story of a true renegade.

She mortgaged her home, and paid half  a million dollars into the purchase of a new mall storefront condo.

AND, she drops about an additional 100K in renos.

See, she had a vision. And the passion needed to rise about the nay-sayers and doubters.

One thing she has is passion. More than anyone I ever met. And balls. Great big audacious balls.

When she was guest speaker at my 3 day inferno, two years in a row, everyone in attendance would tell me the same comments:
“I love this lady! By far my favorite speaker.”

Her story is amazing. Her studio is rocking. She’s top of the mountain. And she helps other photographers like as if they are her own children.

This lady is my hero.

And tonight, along with her studio manager Ian Cuthbert, who also has an amazing legacy in the photography industry, they will be judging the noBs Bull Pen Print Show.

Your welcome to join in, watch and learn.

If you want to submit an image or two, it’s PHREE! And you might win #hard-cold-cash

I don’t know if there’s room to submit your images at the late time, but worth  a go.
Don’t delay, it’s only hours away.

DETAILS on registration and submissions.

Hope to see you there.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

P.S. Here’s even more about Maggie’s story.

I had a dream….

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Call me Jungian or call me crazy.
Last night I had a dream. A strange dream. All my dreams are strange.

There I was, checking into a hotel in a strange city. I was attending a photography convention.

And I couldn’t find the front desk. I kept walking around the hotel, looking.

There was none to be found. Where’s the front desk!??

I did bump into the occasional photographer I knew from years ago.
They were indifferent to me. Not very chatty. Nothing personal.

Keep walking, keep searching. No luck.

When I woke up I wondered if this was prophetic.

Or at least indicative of what I already noticed about the photography industry.

Photography, as in, professional photography.

Professional, as in, a getting paid professional….as in, for me anywho, running my own photography studio.

You see, in the last few years, the conventions I attended, was like being in the Wizard Of Oz movie.

You know, the wizard was an illusion. An allegory for truth.
The truth being, things aren’t what they appear to be.

Sounds cynical, but it isn’t.

There aren’t as many profitable photographers anymore. But, there’s a ton of folks looking to enhance their skills. (and eager instructors…nothing wrong with that! Gotta fill the demand….)

You can still make it in photography, but it’s gonna take hard work, business savvy, focus, daily effort and marketing. If you want to make money.

The photographers I know fit this description. Others lack in one, more, or all those areas.

Business is hard. Period. Therefor, photography is hard. Period.

But still possible. Just don’t have any illusions about it. Stay focused, adapt, everyday do something to market, have goals and everyday do something to achieve those goals.

And be ready to pounce when any and all opportunities show up. Instead of sitting back, wondering.

It’s why I interview real working professionals. People like Maggie Habieda, Maria Sampaio, Fuzzy Duenkel, Kirk Saint, Danny Rabalais and many, many more.

And yours truly, of course. Running my monthly mastermind meetings for members. No fluff, no hype. (all in the noBs photosuccess forum BTW…)

If you want to wake up from the dream, you need to focus on business.
Making money. There is no shame. It’s called reality.

I ain’t dreaming this up.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

P.S. If you want, we still have  a few spots left for this Thursday’s NoBs Bull Pen Print Show.

Why I don’t golf…and why I would if I did….

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The last time I went golfing I almost killed a dude.

That’s how bad I am.

Besides, I don’t really like the game. I find it odd, like yoga.
(I started yoga last month…what a weird activity that is…more on that later)

Strange, strange stuff…..but it could be me. Who knows.

One thing about golf that is super cool, is the tight feedback loop.

You know instantly if you’re doing ok. Music is the same way.

You hit the ball, it responds with scientific accuracy.

You play a note, it’s either in tune, or not.

You take a photograph….well, maybe it’s ok, maybe it’s not.
Who knows?

So you post it on flakebook. A hundred peeps tell you it’s amazing. You feel good.

Wow….I am a photographer. Look at what I created. Look at the love and admiration.

I’ve said this a million times.

Love it or hate it, it’s about as scientific as you can get in this field: the only feedback
loop that matters in the business of photography is the money.

Show me the money.

Unless, of course, you’re in it for the hobby and therapy, which if perfectly OK.

But if you’re in the biz side of things, the ONLY feedback loop that matters is sales.

Profits. Cash. Sheckles. Don’t fight me on this one. You will lose.

There is no alternative. We live on an economic planet. It’s always been that way.

Don’t like it? Find another planet. Or, take up photography for other reasons.

For me, it’s my passion, and my “job”.

My feedback loop is the profit loss statement. Everyone wins when I win. My wife, my family,
and especially my clients.

They must. They keep coming back.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

P.S.Want more information on shooting photographs that sell and marketing your photography business?

HERE

Is photographic talent a gift from the gods?

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Many believe, because of the magical qualities inherent in photography, and the intrinsic ‘glamorousness’ in being called a photographer, that photography is a sublime, mysterious, noble, rare and sacred gift from the gods.

Bullsh*t.

And some photographers have the erroneous belief that talent, photographic  talent, is an innate, programmed in their DNA, born-with skill set.

A ‘gift’, so to speak.

B.S. I say…..greatness, talent, creative works, and just about all success’s are learned behaviors and skills so to speak.

It doesn’t come from DNA but from practice and perseverance honed over decades.

Whether you believe in what I’m saying or not matters not. The good news is, you can grow your skills (talents) through perseverance, hard work and practice.

The key?
Simple….follow the opportunities and bring your passion with you.

If anyone tries to discourage you and lead you into believing you must be born with ‘the gift’, don’t for  a second listen to any of that utter nonsense.

Photography is a learned skill set. Just like playing music. You get better with time and practice.

This creates a load of confusion. To know better gives you an advantage.
Let me explain.

I see many photogs and aspiring photogs showing up at events and workshops to listen to their fave photog speak.

This is all fine and dandy, but if you have the wrong mindset, you won’t be maximizing the return on time and money invested when attending  photographic workshops and seminars.

Instead, you’ll be mesmerized and in awe. The bigger the name, the bigger the awe level.

The big name marquis celeb speaker will leave you with a sense of amazement, maybe a tad more.

Instead of grabbing and cultivating as many legit strategies and principles that you can borrow and roll into your own photography and photography business, you’ll swim into the egotistically driven experience.

We tend to do this as humans and photographers, in my opinion, are extra vulnerable.

Notice I threw in the word “business” in there. That’s a hint in case you missed the big picture.

Sitting at the foot of the guru seems to be enough.

The alternative is, go for knowledge. Take notes. Grab ideas and make them your own.

Action, action, action wins out every time.

Grab inspirations that evolve in your mind, and when you get back to your studio, practice.

Yes, practice. Too many just think about this, or worse yet, wait until their next paid gig to practice whatever ideas and inspirations visit upon them.

And then they flop. Why?

Lack of practice.

It’s that simple and boils down to discipline.
Give me discipline over talent any day.

We’re no different, not better than any other creative discipline.

When a symphony musician has to learn a piece, they don’t show up at rehearsal never having practiced anything. They must study and practice until their fingers bleed.
Or pay hell with maestro.

With musicians, it’s obvious. You don’t know the piece, it sounds like crap.

In photography, many people/clients/photogs lack judgement or discernment and believe what they see is a great photograph.

Until they see something better, and get educated. Therein lies the opportunity to show your clients something better and educate them on quality.

Many photographers, unfortunately, are prey to their own weakness’s and egos.
And the BS shoveled by others.

They think they have enough because the got some gear, and a great logo. Herein lies the opportunity for you to know this, and rise above the cacophony and noise of traveling with the ego circus.

The more you lean on your laurels the more they will tend to become wreaths.

This field, in order to be successful is far more about self-discipline, passion and business.

Yes, you must suffer for your craft. This is not a new idea.

Musicians know it.
Anyone who has honed their “talents” to the point of creative mastery knows it.
There are no shortcuts.

Output looks easy to the outsider who looks in says naive statements like: “Oh, he/she is so creative. A natural!…”

Nonsense. There is no such thing as natural.

What you don’t see is the endless hours of hard work and dedication. That is the true source of talent.

Yes, yes, we can have a predisposition for certain skills. But unless we put ourselves into the right circumstances these remain latent.

The DNA in us never wakes up.

The key of course, is to put ourselves in those circumstances through discipline and focus.

Now get to it. And get good. Start with you.

Your passions, your vision, your drive….It’s why I push marketing, personal  goals, ongoing mastermind meetings and an eye to self-development.

When you get courage, steadfastness in the face of adversity and hone in on YOUR marketing…..then, and only then will opportunities show up.

They don’t come looking for you unless and until you feed the beast.

Join me in 2017 and let’s feed the beast.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

The best profit making lighting strategies from the trenches….

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Not sure about you, although I do enjoy some down time during the holidays,
I do start chomping at the bit.

I’m eager to get back in the game. I can only take so much holiday cheer,
family, food and Xmas carols.

This week is a crazy one for us. Betwixt Xmas and New Years often is.

Not to mention the insanity that went down prior to Xmas. What I used to call
the “hair pulling season”.

Truth is, I love it. Creating images and getting paid…sweet deal!

And I love teaching, inspiring, helping other ambitious, eager, hungry and open minded
photographers.

There’s so much crap out there. Hype, nonsense, BS and hyperbole.

I feel like it’s my job, along with a few friends, to help light the way, pull away the
mask and reveal the truth in running a photography business.

No matter the economic climate.

Next Lighting Mastermind meeting is  December 29th 8:00PM EST

I’ll be sharing real lighting scenarios from the trenches. From PAID GIGS….
Not academic purist crap.

REAL, money making stuff.

I’ll be taking your questions and revealing the strategies behind my recent
sessions…..including:
*family sessions outside in the snowey, snowey cold
*executive posing
*event photography
*boring, boring board of director stuff…(pays the bills, keeps me shooting!)
*basic overview of studio lighting…soft box VS halo light VS beauty dish….

And more….including some strategies used for planning an upcoming commercial session for
a front page lifestyle magazine.

As usual, if you can’t make it, and you’re a member, the replay will be in the forum,
same place as the past replays.

Lighting Mastermind replay HERE

Come and learn, share, ask questions….REGISTER MEMBERS HERE

Not a member? Join us HERE

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher