Photo Success

A Place to Grow

One of my favorite all time best seminars…

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One of my favorite all time best seminars I personally experienced, first hand, like watching a master of masters in action, was way back when I organized a speaking gig with Al Gilbert.

Al did a live demo on how he shoots, poses, lights and controls a session.

He somehow he had contacted our city mayor to come out on a Sunday so he could demo his portrait strategies, on location, at our city hall.

It was amazing. All I can say. Amazing.

Al knew his stuff. His confidence, assuredness and the way he communicated to us and the subject at hand, was and is to this day one of the most important lessons I have ever learned.

One lighting strategy that Al used is called “subtractive lighting”, where he strategically placed light blockers to prevent certain ambient lighting from polluting the subject.

His exposure was such that the flash and the ambient all played a key role in the final image, which was stunning. But the light needed to be controlled. And control it he did.

This reminded me of Fuzzy Duenkel’s lighting strategies. Fuzzy is primarily a senior portrait artist and in my oh so humble yet accurate opinion the very best there is today.

Why? Well, first off, the results speak for themselves. And lighting control plays a huge part in all of this. Al, and Fuzzy are both masters of controlling light for a certain look and outcome.

You can see it in their work. I can spot it when it’s missing. I can see lack of lighting control a mile away.

Sadly, it’s pervasive in todays day and age of “everyone is a photographer.”

I never met Fuzzy, not in person anywho. But I did rope him in a few years ago to run a four part series online.

Even though I had the fortune of hosting and working with Al Gilbert 18 years ago, and he remains to this day my all time favorite event, I can honestly say my favorite ONLINE event, bar none, was the “Transcend the ordinary” with Fuzzy Duenkel.

Check it out:

A four part, six hour online presentation by Fuzzy Duenkel, one of the best portrait photographers around today.

Lighting is everything. Learn to see, control and master it.
Robert N. Provencher – Your Master Coach Marketer

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

Join us…Content, Coaching & Community

September 2018 Podcast with Rob and James

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It’s been a while, but we’re back on the rails, railing about any and all things photography..including smart lifestyle choices, fitness, making money, boosting confidence and raw vs JPEG (not that again!)

The superman images James ranted on about:

[Read more…]

Dirty Secret

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When I was a kid I was obsessed with cars, chemistry sets and climbing things.
You name it, I’d climb it.

When I was a teenager I was obsessed with music, beer, weed and girls…and regular run-ins with the law.

Then I entered my twenties and it was personal development, business and marketing.

And I was always shy to boot. A lot of people are surprised when they hear this about me.

I tell them it’s my dirty secret. I also tell them that the experiences I had in life, good and bad, are what made me. For better or worse.

That we need to get over the shame, blame and game playing and move on, build a life today. Not live in the past.

When I look back at my life I can see where creativity was working for me. Even if I were getting in trouble.

Creativity was never stifled or programmed out of me. Good thing.

Creativity, a dash of passion and dose of courage pushed me forward into running my own business.

I was always grateful I never turned too far down the wrong road in life. It could have happened.

I was horribly insecure and shy. But I had enough ambition and balls to stay the course.

Being in business is holistic. I look at the whole picture now. The mind, soul and spirit.

Balance is key. I understand that hard work is very important. But, doing the wrong type of work could throw me off course.

Doing too much, too much of the wrong work would really push me down a rabbit hole.

Truth is, I have an addictive personality. Who doesn’t?

And I need to keep an eye on myself, stay the course and push for balance.

But I do love business and marketing. And photography.

What a deadly combination. It’s one of the key reasons why I love hearing stories from other photographers. Whether they are stories of success , struggle or failure….they all teach us.

But we need to be open. And honest. And brave. Facing the shame, the inner dragon, is the biggest challenge of all. With the highest returns.

Robert N. Provencher – Your Master Coach Marketer

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

Join us…Content, Coaching & Community

No goat cheese in my smoothie

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I hate waste. I think it’s why I can’t stand buffets. They seem so uncivilized and over-the-top indulgent.

I also can’t stand goat cheese in my smoothie.
Ugh….gross.

Let me explain.
I picked up one of those ready to assemble spinach salads for my wife Tina. It had goat cheese because I know she loves some goat cheese in her salad.

She ate about half of it and left me the rest…..for my smoothie the next morning.

I don’t like waste. Whatever she doesn’t eat, I eat. We signed a contract when we got married that guaranteed I got to eat whatever she doesn’t.

It’s our deal and we signed off on it.

I checked her leftover salad for goat cheese, and alas, she had planned well.

Anticipating she’d be sharing part of it she avoided the cheese in my portion. Smart.

Waste can come in many forms. Especially in business.

One of the biggest wastes in business is in marketing. Mainly, because we think there’s an easy solution. We can “buy” our way to success.

Throw money at it.

This is waste. Throwing money at new equipment, big ads, new logos, courses….
and such.

Yes, sometimes we need courses, lenses and ads.

But without the goat cheese.

NOTE:

*The July lighting mastermind is locked and loaded HERE

*July presentation on selling (this is good!) with Maria M is also locked and loaded HERE

Robert N. Provencher – Your Master Coach Marketer

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

Join us…Content, Coaching & Community

Using the Goddox AD600BM and AD200 on location

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I like these lights. They feel well made and rugged. Like me.

And I don’t need to get a mortgage or sell my soul. Hopefully they’ll last too. Like me. (not my hair)

I bought the Goddox AB600BM, which is 100% manual, and softbox, to use on families, weddings and shoots like the one I’m showing you in this post.

It’s an amazing system. All radio signal controlled from the camera. Even though the 600 is not the TTL version, I prefer dialing in my output and figuring out exposure from the camera. It’s a fast, easy and versatile system.

One thing I do wish it had was the ability to switch to optical slave when needed. Why? If the radio thingie quits, I could manually fire these using an old school on camera flash or similar. I acquired a second “back up” transmitter…just in case.

The 200 I purchased back in May. Sorta my foray into this flash system.

 

 

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Back in April during the Lighting Mastermind we talked about the Goddox system, specifically the 200. For members HERE

Last week I dug deeper into using the newly acquired 600BM and showed you many examples from real paying gigs using real paying clients….families, executive…mostly families. That replay is HERE

Here’s a summary of the executive shoot. The set up…

The results:

Before shooting I had my assistant, Brent, aka the grunt, check on the reflection while firing the main.

These were shot outside, sorta in open shade. High speed synch with a very wide aperture around 2.8. Using the 85mm 1.8 Batis lens created a smooth and much desired background. Shutter speed? Who knows. It was plenty fast to let me hand hold and I simply “dialed in” the best speed for ambient light exposure. All possible with the high speed synch feature.

I love this system, plain and simple.

A few more from this shoot and a few other family shoots that I dug into during the July Lighting Mastermind presentation.
More to come…stay tuned.

Robert N. Provencher – Your Master Coach Marketer

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

Join us…Content, Coaching & Community

 

Let there be light… and let there be profits

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Join us and learn, prosper…Lighting Mastermind presentaion

Monday, July 16th at 8:00PM EST… REPLAY HERE

One thing that separates  me from other photography coaches and mentors is the fact that I am in the struggle everyday. Like many of you. I feel your pain, your joy and I like it when we all succeed.

With that success must be profits. Or we’re just playing at a hobby.

When I run a presentation on lighting, I like to show real legitimate money making scenarios from real paying clients. Whenever possible.

Sometimes I find a new or interesting lighting strategie can be evolved into my day to day studio. If not, I ain’t that interested except for rare exceptions like the few times I went out and tried my hand at astro photography for the fun of it. Something cool about being out in the forest at 2:00AM….but it stops there. I have bills to pay.

In that spirit tonight’s lighting mastermind includes a variety of lighting, and posing examples that I will dig into.

Including:

Classic executive headshots on location….

Family portraits on location using the Godox AD 200 and AD600….or, all natural light…

Three brothers…..

Using the Godox high speed sync for executive portraits on location….
and more..

Join us and learn, prosper…

Monday, July 16th at 8:00PM EST… REPLAY HERE

Robert N. Provencher – Your Master Coach Marketer

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

Join us…Content, Coaching & Community

 

“Listening to you was calming and realistic. I can do this. I will do this….”

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Julie writes….:

“It worked!!!! 😉 I was ready to hang up everything the morning of your webinar. I felt like maybe this was not something I should be doing?? But… Ruth Densley, a good friend of mine told me about your webinar. I thought, what the heck. I have nothing to lose. You lit a fire under my ass. Listening to you was calming and realistic. I can do this. I will do this.

Could you do me a favor? Could you go to my website, look at my stuff. Give your honest CC. Let me hear everything!!!!! I truly value your opinion. Julie”

Thanks Julie. As emailed to you, I created a video where I analyzed your website.

And after asking for permission, I posted the same video in the downloads/replay section from the Secrets to building, creating, selling and promoting Enchanted Fairy, Ice Fairy & Medieval Themed Sessions presentation I ran a few days ago.

In all honesty, I had no idea how it was going to go over. I simply gave it my all. And the response has been very positive.

Your reply from my video (summarized):
“I have never been more excited about my fairies until now. I can’t thank you enough. Julie…”

I’ve always said these are some of the best sessions to create and offer in your photography studio.

REPLAY HERE FOR THOSE WHO SIGNED UP (bottom of the page)

I also added the same video critique for members of nobs photosuccess HERE
Robert N. Provencher – Your Master Coach Marketer

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

Join us…Content, Coaching & Community

Han Solo and the feisty transgender interracial feminist robot…

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Saw Han Solo the other night. It was decent, “refreshing” as I explained to my wife whilst walking to the car leaving the cinemas.

I told her how I can’t stand movies that insert social justice causes into the story and political correctness. It drives me nuts. They must think they’re hiding it. Not!

It’s so obvious it actually ruins the story line. Give me a break.

And they’re only doing themselves more harm. See, we ALL love a good story.
Not one that preaches to us. The last few Star Wars did just that.

Han Solo, although it won’t win any awards, was fun, light, entertaining….like a good old fashioned western. Me likey….

When Lando entered the scene, and his robot side kick, L3-37, I thought, oh oh….here we go. She’s a feisty transgender interracial feminist robot with a chip on her “shoulder”.

But they only skirted the edges of social justice mania and avoided the entire rabbit hole.

She was a funny, feisty robot. You actually started to relate to her, like as if she’s human. Weird.

Another thing I can’t stand about Hollywood, and this is one small criticism I had about this movie (my wife hears to complain about this ALL the time), is that the main role of Han was played by an actor, who, in my oh so humble yet accurate opinion, was “way too handsome.”

Hollywood does this all the time. They pick actors and actresses because they are super hot, dam near perfect.

Not good. I like flaws. A good actor we can all relate to, not some Instagram picture perfect face and squared jaw.

Actors like Seymour Philipp Hoffman, Al Pacino, Cate Blanchett, Jake Gyllenhaal, Joaquin Phoenix or Frances McDormand ( Fargo)….

You know, somewhat flawed, and quirky. Like me.

Like my marketing. Keep the marketing story simple.

Don’t muddy the waters with your crazy social justice agenda. It ain’t working.

It’s how we market, promote and sell our fairy sessions. Old school, simple, straight up marketing.

Create a product, make an offer, find your target market, and pitch them.

Rope em in.

Once you get them in the loop, then upsell them. Softly. No need to go hard here.

Soft sell is ALL you need when selling these amazing sessions.

It’s called ascension marketing. And I reveal much more in my webinar:

Secrets to building, creating, selling and promoting Enchanted Fairy, Ice Fairy & Medieval Themed Sessions

No bull. Just profit making strategies.

Robert N. Provencher – Your Master Coach Marketer

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