Photo Success

A Place to Grow

“Reality is a b*tch!”…

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Friends in photography,

Imagine going to the bank to make a meager deposit from your photography sales.

And the teller looks at your total, looks up at you and sez:
“Reality is a bitch, ain’t it”.

That would be funny.

:)….I digress.

This reality points to a common behavior among photographers, specifically newbies.

I had it too, way, way back when.

Of what do I speaketh?

The misguided, disillusioned, fallacious, erroneous belief that
we’re right. We can do no harm. Create no crap with our cameras.

Everyone else is wrong.

More specifically, our photography, our photography skills
is righteous, excellent and  immune to criticism…since…after all, we’re so dam good.

And we “know” so much, until reality hits us square in the face.

Ever had this? Be honest…..

Let me explain some more. This behavior is common among not only newbs,
who for the most part can be excused since they know not what they speak of.

They’re merely protecting their thin and vulnerable egos.

But the crusty old pro who becomes a curmudgeon in his or her (way more often a him)
photographic ways since, well, as with the newbs, they know ssssooooo much.

As if knowledge, photographic knowledge is the bomb and end all be all.

I’ve said it a million times. And I’m saying it again.

The only vote that counts, is your clients.

And your clients vote with their wallets.

Newbs don’t have this, since, well, they ain’t got no clients.

Indeed they have comfort friends and family who will boost their egos.
And give them flakebook likes galore.

But the real ambitious, dedicated, serious and focused among them
know that the best opinion comes from those who are in the trenches.

When they don’t hear what they want to hear about their photography skills,
they rant, moan, complain and whine.

The real student (even old curmudgeons can and should be students) knows
how to take it and grow.

The real student not only delivers top notch photography but knows how to sell
and market.

Gasp!! Two words that make most gag. Selling and marketing.

But, you gotta do what you gotta do. Assuming you want to make money with your a camera
and run a legit bidness.

A great place to start, in my oh so humble yet laser sharp focused and accurate opinion, is with the advanced training series I created for my members.

It includes deep, deep learnings from such notables as Judy Cormier, Argentina Leyva, Vanessa Joy, Kirsten Lewis, Fuzzy Duenkel, Marilyn Sholin, Margeret Bryant, Maggie Habieda…..to mention but a few accomplished photogs.

And we’re scratching the surface here. There’s so much more.

If you’re already a member, you know where to find those presentations.
They’re in there, ready for you to devour.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

How to be the “go to” photographer in your area.

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Friends in photography,

Got no business? Then, you need a business plan.

Maybe you had one ten, or twenty years ago.

Or, you’re just starting out.

You need a business plan. And then you need to implement.

More on implementation in a second.

Setting up your business, getting a logo, legal permit with city hall, zoning, letterheads, website, flakebook page, rental space, equipment, fancy price lists, getting everything perfect….etc etc is not a business plan.

Don’t confuse it, and trivial activity with implementation.

A business plan is a vision of where you will be in five years. Or three, matters not.
Pick one.

And run with it.

Decide how much you want to make. Decide who your market is.

Decide how you will pursue said market. This “how” will be your marketing by the way.

Know that, master it and learn. Become a marketing ninja.

And push, push hard to become to “go to studio” in your area.

Make mistakes. The more, the better. But learn. Mistakes are tuition fees.

You can only pay those fees if you act and take risks.

Five years. Or three. Pick one.

If you tried, and 8 months later you failed, it’s your fault.

You may have been impatient. Or, perhaps they don’t really
like your product. Or, ghast, they don’t like you.

It happens. Suck it up and learn.

Nowadays, in my honest, not oh so humble yet accurate opinion, it is far, far more important to master publicity and your brand than ever before.

This means word of mouth, all the way up to big media publicity.

Call it branding if you like. But don’t delegate that job to your designer
or ad agency.

What do they know or care about your vision. Your passions. Your future.

An insurance company needs head shots. Who they gonna call?
Who’s top of mind?

Example….One of the key players, or the office manager, at that company has a nephew, a friend, bro-in-law who fancies themselves a “photographer”.

And they use that person for their “professional” shots.
……they end up with crap….

This is what we’re up against. They didn’t call you because you’re off the radar.
Don’t be a little whiney bitch and complain about it. Do something!

Never, ever, never, never, never rest on your laurels, hands under your legs,  sitting passively while this happens. Grow a pair.

It’s your duty. Success is your duty. You need to know how to push hard.
And as they say at the barn….”Put on your big girl panties and get back on the horse.”

Act like you have they’re business before they even NEED you.

So they call YOU.

Act. Know it. Be it. Own the brand.

Your brand.

So when they need you, blammmo.

RRRrrinnngg.

Still stuck? I can help.
Already a member? Cool. Very cool….then you know about the mastermind meeting.
Plus, one of my fave presentations on publicity, for photographers.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

Early to rise, late to bed….

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dsc04853Got home late last night….after 11:00PM…working in the studio, doing workflow.

My neighbor Chris, as usual, two doors down from our condo, outside having a smoke.

He’s always outside, always smoking.

He comments something about me working late, again. He disapproves. I don’t mention the obvious.

He’s used to seeing me coming home most nights,
often betwixt 10:00 and 11:00PM or later.

I tell him I’m over feeling any guilt about working long hours.

“Besides,” I say “It ain’t really work. I love what I do.”

Success is my duty.

I raz him some more… “Don’t forget, I’m saving to go to Costa Rica this winter….3 months while
you’re outside smoking in three feet of snow.”

The real reason I work extra late last night is because it’s November. We’re slammed.

That, and Costa Rica. And I love what I do. And success is my duty.

Sessions, orders, fairy days….

Not to mention the families, the executive sessions….slammed. It never rains, it pours.

I can’t stand falling behind. I strive to consistently be on time, efficient and not lose my mind.

And make maximum profits.

It’s why I created my own super fast fairy workflow.
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I can peel through orders faster than a politicians promise on election day.

Time is money.

So, in the spirit of sharing and caring, I created 2 update videos showing my latest supersonic
fairy workflow…..for members.

The first part shows the details step-by-step. The other showing 5 images being workflowed,
little to no explanation, in real time.

Less than 15 minutes each.

Go get it HERE

Not a members? Access it within minutes, plus a super vault of photography business building content.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

“People will tell you you’re the greatest photographer around. You’re not….”

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redpillFriends in photography,

People lie to you. They lie, because they love you.

Your mom is the worst. But she loves you the most. And that’s cool.

They also lie to you because they want to help you. They don’t want to lose your respect.

Maybe they tell you lies because some day if and when they need a photographer they know you owe them.

They want to be in your good graces so they can can get a good deal. Maybe free.
With your photography. By feeding your ego.

“You’re the best photographer around this area!” is the message.

You keep posting images on flakebook and the likes, and love keeps pouring in. Man it feels good! And the dopamine hits!

All lies. For the aforementioned reasons.

Of course they’re gonna tell you you’re great, your images don’t suck. You’re amazing!

They love you, right? Don’t want to hurt your feelz.

It’s what friends and family do. Protect you.

Problem is, it feels good. We love the attention.

When you can see through the hype and BS, and look at where you are, and look objectively at your photography AND your marketing, you will have one of the best advantages out there.

It’s called reality.

And reality doesn’t suck. Reality tells you where you need to go.

Like a map. Direction. I like direction. (maybe ‘cuz I was so lost for so much of my life.)

I pursue it, push for it, seek it. I hire coaches, take programs, attend group therapy, try new things, push the envelope. It hurts sometimes, but it’s a good hurt.

Let’s put it this way. You need, and want to grow. Both as an artist and in business.

Right?

So, in other words, you want to create and make moolah.

One works with the other. But you have to keep it real.

This industry is eyeballz deep in BS and ego. But you don’t have to play that game.

Most folks will.

They drink the koolaid and take the blue pill.

But you can take the red pill.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

Are you speeding up the process in which your bank account gets drained?

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_dsc0220Friends in photography,

When you have a great marketing plan, and you implement, but you have a crappy photographic product, you’re simply speeding up the process, the time in which the market place discovers how crappy you are.

That simple.

Likewise, if you have a great product, superior, best of the best top shelf, and you have no marketing, you’re speeding up the process in which your bank account gets drained.

No money honey.

The goal, obviously, is to deliver a product, a service, that folks will want.

And, then ramp up the marketing game.
And take their money.

Some photogs are very, very good with their cameras. And yet they have the erroneous belief that because they are good the market will find them, and delivery buckets of cash to show how much they appreciate them.

D-uh. Maybe on another planet.

Here on earth, where we need to shake the money tree to make dollars fall to the ground,
marketing is everything.

Everything. Unless it’s a just a hobby, then that’s different. I’m ok with that.
But we’re talking about business here. Stay with me.

Back to creating a great product, one that folks want.

I do see a ton of crap out there. A ton! I’m sure you know what I’m talking about.

Maybe you’re guilty of delivering crap too. Sometimes? Knowing this is valuable.

Let’s be honest. It’s the only way to get ahead.

If you’re not happy with your work, hold off on the marketing. For now.

Focus on getting better. Get goalz. Get serious and get focused.

And getting better requires honesty. Of course, the best place for honesty is the marketplace where they get to vote with their wallets.

Another great place to find honesty is feedback from real, legit professional photographers who are in the  war zone everyday slugging it out, toe-to-toe, belly-to-belly with real paying clients.

It’s one of the reasons why we run a monthly bull pen contest. And why I run a photography forum.

Not a forum where everyone gets together and gloats, bloats and braggz about how good they are.

A place where you get to post images for feedback. Or, share your success stories with others.
No bull. Little ego.

Those things get in the way.

But it’s hard working on yourself. It hurtz. I got so butt hurt the first time I entered my prints into competition I thought I was doomed.

Of course, I thought my images were the bomb. Hence the problem. Me.

Once I got over that, and kept working on me, and my big ‘ol ego, things got better.

Much better. As in ninja grade better.

Be a ninja…..Print competition dates and replays

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

Ninja training HERE

“For some, things come easy in life…”

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“For some, things come easy in life…”

So sez my buddy Mike to me last week as we chatted about
the challenges of running a photo studio. Mike runs his own studio, busy guy. Crushing it.

His comment stuck with me. Haunted me actually.

I emailed him a few days later, I had to share my thoughts. I thought he was being
a little whiney.

“Mike, I don’t agree with your observations.” I told him.

“Life is hard, period. For everyone. We all have to deal with challenges. Especially
when you decide to start your own business. This is above average living, with the potential for above average results.”

You see, what I think he’s doing is making observations from others around him
and false assumptions based on those observations.

We all do it. We assume. Every one else is happier, richer, more together, successfuller, awesomer, healthier, sexier, richer bla bla bla.

It’s a human thing.

And at it’s core the truth behind the dark side of social media….where comparison, false assumptions, virtue signaling, blaming, accusing, gloating and all things evil about being human truly manifest at epic levels.

It’s a bullshit story we tell ourselves about others. Total crap. Hey, we’re human. It’s a human weakness.

The key? Go inwards. Work on yourself more than your business.

Recognize that when you go beast mode, that when you live dangerous, you get challenges that others don’t even come close to experiencing in their insulated worlds.

Not even close.

The more risks you take in life, the greater the rewards. But, the greater the challenges,

You win more. Get scared more. Live more.

They, on the other hand, can’t even begin to understand what you’re going through. Yea, yea, they start to throw darts, and try to take you down. That happens when people don’t understand.

They get scared. Scared of you. Stay the course. It’s a personal game. Keep it personal and
don’t take it personal.

It’s all an illusion. Success is an inside job. And it never gets easier. When you embrace that truth you become more resilient, adaptable, creative and challenged.

These are qualities I cherish.

Besides, what if some things were easier for others.

So?

Who cares? Does it matter? Matter to you? You have two choices, whine about it like a 3yr old or go full beast more on yourself and on your business.

One of the reasons I started helping photographers is because I recognize this.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

Keys to networking…..or, if you can’t advertise, socialize……

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I love getting out and about in our community. Nothing like rubbing elbows with all the big wigs and muckeemucks.

Plus, I know it’s good for business. Very good. BUT…and this is a BIG but….

Don’t go to events, meetings and local affiliations with your agenda.

Forget your agenda. If you start jamming your agenda you’ll lose more than you will gain.

Try to help others. Listen to them. Connect. Play nice. Listen.

Getting out in your community is by far one of the best ways to crack open
a few doors.

And open they will, I promise. Unless of course you’re a fumbling moron or excessively shy like I was. In that case, a little self honesty and a step back is in order.

Hey, at least you’ll know where you stand. And knowing it good. Sure helped me.

But for now, let’s assume you have a pleasant disposition and are somewhat likable.
And you have an established studio in town.

Meeting one on one, in the right places, right events, will start the ball rolling big time.

And it isn’t that expensive.

I used to be paralyzingly shy in my youth and twenties. Shy, insecure, shame filled,
bumbling and awkward.

Now I’m just awkward. Often in a foot in my mouth kinda way.

I know it sounds corny as hell, but it’s true.
(and photographers are not immune)…:
“My net worth is my network.”

Where should you go? My thoughts….:
* fundraising events….especially ones where your target audience chillz. For me, the symphony, theatre, cancer society, rotary, chamber of commerce…
* local trade shows, events where you can display….often these are low cost…and you will meet a lot of people….A lot!

Especially any event in your area where you target audience and/or past clients hang out.

You want to be seen. You want to connect. It’s very hard to quantify, I know.

But, you just gotta do it. Get out there. Connect. It’s more, much more than advertising.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

If you want more, much more info on every aspect of marketing and growing a
wonderful profitable community based portrait and wedding photography business.

“Thank you to you my friend for PUSHING ME harder -…”

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Friends in photography,

We had a great Bull Pen last night…some amazing feedback and entries….
the judges, ahem, were on their game…:)

Total 25 submissions.

First, second and third place were all dog portraits.
Go figure.

First place was by Maria Sampaio…it scored a near perfect…”Excellent”.
not a score you see all the time.

Title: Barrel of Fun
barrel-of-fun

Numerically that’s about a 96. Or, an A+.

Susan Gertz won second and third place….amazing. Here’s her images:

First image title: Face off
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Susan’s second winning image titled: Mini me:

thumbnail_mini_me-1400Here’s an email I received from Maria this morning:

“So…. I shot those puppies WEEKS ago and could never “find the time” to put it together. I came home, ignored all my family and put 15 puppies together in less than 2 hours bc of this (Bull Pen) tonight. Had no time to work on shadowing and hated the title but submitted anyways just to test the waters….

Thank you to you my friend for PUSHING ME harder – this competition motivated me to work tonight on something I could never find the time for…. I am now going to perfect it and enter it in state….and then imaging USA.
Watching the comp was interesting…. OMG If I could just come through the screen …. LOL – no one would have had a chance to talk!! haha – it’s amazing how much I have learned in 10 years….

I want to bring this industry up so bad!!! 🙂

I am so proud of everyone who entered bc that means they are trying to improve and are willing to take critique and that is AWESOME – even if that meant a “not accepted” – for now….

Anyhow Rob, thank you for your dedication to our industry too 🙂
xoxo, Maria”

Now that’s what were talking about…..

Her image was of about 15 or 20 puppies and a few barrels. It’s a fun, well done shot.
You could barely tell it was all the same dog….at least I couldn’t.

James and I even grabbed a few screen shots of some of the entries and did a quick workflow to enhance and show some creative ideas re: cropping, burning, dodging etc etc.

We showed those ideas after the Bull Pen was officially over.

I thought this was a cool and helpful approach, the screen capture/work em up strategy.
And, we plan on doing this on the upcoming Bull Pens as a general practice.

If you want to watch the replay and see what Maria, and everyone was so excited about, go here (login first):

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

Million dollar eyes…

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eyesmoneyUgh, ugh, double ugh….

I need to start wearing prescription glasses. Ugh.

Not only that, but they’re gonna cost $800.00

I started getting headaches last spring. Bad ones.

I thought I had a festering brain tumor.

Serious. I did. I didn’t know what the hell was going on.

Turns out= eye strain. Causes pain in the brain. Ouch.

I was very relieved when I found out the cause of this pain in my head.

Very relieved. Sure beats going head to head with a festering tumor.
Happy days.

It’s amazing how one’s perspective changes from what I thought (wearing glasses) to be a royal pain in the butt to a life enhancing change.

And I thought about my eyes. And how much money they’ve made me over the years.

Me thinks they deserve an $800.00 pair of glasses. And a toast to their greatness!

Millions. Literally, my eyes, and my right index finger, and my brain, all combined, have produced massive amounts of images and therefor, cash.

Of course let’s not forget about marketing, and the business building side of things.

We all know without the economic realities driving the engine, I wouldn’t have worked my eyes so hard creating so many images.

I love my eyes. My million dollar eyes. I’ll keep em around for awhile. And keep shooting.

Yea, they’re older now. Well worn. But they still work. Like a finely tuned engine with many miles.
Humming along.

I’ll keep investing in their well being and proper maintenance. They are the gateway to my talents, my abilities.

Got to invest in the right tools, yes no? If you also want to invest in the right tools for a successful, profitable, vibrant, long term photography business, I can help you.

And it won’t cost you $800.00 either. Way less. Way. Like, less then .66cts a day.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

“Don’t let the door hit your butt on the way out….”

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My wife, she who manages our studio and totally rocks at it, tells me
about a certain call the other day.

You see, we were booking fairy sessions…the calls were pouring in.
(we have two such fairy day promos coming up in our studio…filling up nicely I might add)

When someone calls to book, we always, always, always get payment.

Always. Everything is prepaid. The core offer, session dealio.
Which is a mere $97.00.

Ain’t that much really, few complain, and those that do…who needs em.

So, one lady calls, and Tina starts explaining to her the basic deal and payment…

Here’s that lady’s reply….“Oh, never mind….”

And hangs up.

Alrightee then….don’t let the door hit your butt on the way out.

Getting paid mostly removes this component from promotions and the daily running
of the studio.

Selina, a friend, asks me the other day in regards to
an upcoming event: “We need a filter in place…”

She was referring to a way to not have certain unwelcome persons
attend.

“Simple” I told her. “Here’s the filter. Everyone pays to attend.”

Opening up your wallet opens up your heart. You, your clients, everyone, when making a financial commitment, transcends to a new level.

It’s one of the best ways to manage your clients expectations.

Now, some struggle with this. They have an aversion to asking for money.

Tina would call this bad management. I might call it fear.

Others would rightfully argue: “No choice, you gotta get over it!”

Whatever it is (it’s fear, let’s call it what it is), learning to confidently ask for the sale is a skill.

And skills can be learned, practiced, honed and mastered.

I sorta kind touch on this in one of my favorite presentations called: “Wealth attraction strategies for photographers” which is in the members area.

I value this content so much and argue for it relentlessly. It’s too important.

Changed my life it did. Here’s the direct link (login first).

You have to have confidence, focus and certainty to make money. Otherwise,
you won’t have a filter in place and all kinds of corruption, bad decisions and crap clients
will infest your bid’ness.

It’s also the core reason why we run so many presentations from so many high end
photographers who successfully run their own studios. Learn from the best.

And of course, there’s the monthly mastermind meetings. All this, designed to help you.
Coach you. No matter where you’re at.

But you gotta watch, read, listen, attend and commit. 95% of success is showing up.

If you want to learn how to remain stoic, focused, warrior like fortitude, then join us.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher