Photo Success

A Place to Grow

Why I like to brush my teeth and take a leak at the same time…

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I always said that if I were a kid nowadays I’d be on some ADHD regiment.

Instead, back in the day, the teachers accused me relentlessly of being “on the moon”.

And that was that. Deal with it kiddo. Sometimes they’d make fun of me.
Whatever. What doesn’t kill me….

The other day I was heading out, and I admit this may be more information than you care to know, but yes, I was taking a leak and brushing my teeth at the same time.

Admit it, you’ve done it. We’ve all done it. All genders, all personality types. Stop judging.

It reminded me of how I like having many balls up in the air at once. Learning to deal with being on the moon has forced me to take my energy and funnel it into positive and creative productivity.

This is reflected in one of my all time favorite quotes by Napolean Hill. One that I read when I was 20 years old and to this day still resonates so much truth:

“Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.”

I love this. Times a million. Think of it this way.

I do:

NO matter what the situation, problem, task at hand…ask:
“What can I learn from this?”

“What lessons are there? What new ideas?”

And take notes. Swimming in the seas of regret or fear will lead you down a dark miserable path.

You get to choose.

For me, I feel like I am on a mission. I have goals, plans, creative projects to get on. So much to do.
So little time…

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

P.S. I like being mentored by successful photographers who are also on a mission.
Fuzzy Duenkel, Kirsten Lewis, Margaret Habieda, Argentina Leyva, Margaret Bryant, and so many more…
Members can access the complete list in my Advanced Training series HERE

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

The problem with photography today…

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I can tell you exactly what the problem with photography is in today’s day and age.

It’s simple really.

Everyone thinks it’s all about the equipment. Or awards. Or flakebook likes.

It’s the everyday mindset of the everyday person. Even cell phones are considered good cameras. And rightfully so. They are. Very, very good.

Have you seen the IPhone ads at the movies? Last week my wife and I were settling in to watch “Beauty and The Beast” and after the epic IPhone promo played I turned to her and said: “Welcome to the future of photography.”

Fact is, the future is already here.

Knowing this, your mission, should you choose it, is to creatively and with innovation find ways to market a product and service that completely contravenes and goes against this mindset.

Run it like a business.

One that when your client or prospect sees your offer, says:

“Oh, I get it! Those are amazing. I could never get that with my Iphone or the new Canon Rebel my nephew just bought at CostCo….”

To run a successful photography business takes:

  • up to five years, maybe more. It’s not a one day garage sale
  • the right person. Not everyone is cut out to brave the cold and fight the forces when it comes to being in business for yourself
  • know publicity…both on the organic one on one word-of-mouth level all the way up to big media
  • know how to sell with confidence. Who you are is vital. Your core essence transmits this truth like
    a radio beacon. Cherish it. Work it.
  • know how to create amazing photographs that when clients sees them they know it’s NOT THE SAME.
  • They know it’s more than just having a good camera. And they want them.
  • marketing savvy and innovation. Not industry wide copy cat marketing. I’ll say it for the tenth millionth time….“Marketing Is Everything”
  • create offers and pitches that get clients calling
  • build market position..or call it branding…or top-of-mind marketing…whatever you call it, it ain’t a new thing. Been around since forever. It’s basically what they, the masses, in general, think of YOU and your  photography business.

And I’m only scratching the surface. There’s more, much more.

And if you want to know how I created, built and continue to maintain a solid photography studio business in my small blue collar community, I have put together a ton of information for you…

There’s a LOT of information here. And I warn you, it’s not for the faint of heart.

But only for the truly dedicated.

Are you dedicated?

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

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

The glass wall…

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A bunch of scientists tried an experiment.

They took a large aquarium and divided it in half with a sheet of glass.
Then they filled both sides of the aquarium with fish.

The fish on both sides bumped into the sheet of glass.

They learned over time that the sheet was an impassable barrier and they stayed away.

Then the scientists removed the sheet of glass.
And the fish could swim anywhere they wanted to.

But swim anywhere they didn’t.

They had been programmed.

As it is with fish, it’s the same with us.

Too often we are one of three things….

1-Where we’re at now
2-Where we want to be
3-The glass wall

What pisses most of us off, and me too, is that the wall is translucent: we can see through to the other side, imagining how much better our lives could be, if only we were strong enough, smart enough, bold enough.

And so we live out our days swimming slow circles, resigned.

You swear the wall is a foot thick and bulletproof, but in truth it’s wafer thin.
All you need to do is turn your head and move forward, swimming slowly towards what you desire.

The wall dissolves as soon as you put your nose in.

Why?

Because the wall is an illusion. And we bought into it, ahem, hook, line and sinker.
It’s a mind thing.

Do you want to do great things?

Then you have to think, dream and act on great things. And decide, for yourself, today, not tomorrow, that the time is now.

Not tomorrow. Today. Tomorrow is an illusion. Today is where the magic happens.

Your body, health, your photography, your business, your studio..whatever…all of it can be opened up at any given minute. Just swim into the wall.

Everything is always hanging in the balance.

You are always just one choice away. But choose you must.
Or, swim in circles.

It’s up to you.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

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

Why you MUST advertise your photography business.

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If you don’t believe you’re advertising your photography business you’re pulling the wool over your own eyes.

Advertising goes on. It never sleeps. Think about that for a second. Let it sink in.

So you may as well grab the bull by the horns and direct it.

If you’re “not” advertising, you’re still advertising, and at the whims and impulses of the market place.

The act of not advertising in and of itself says many things about your business to the world.

Think about that for a second.

Hope to see you tonight at the Bull Pen print show. Where you’ll learn all about the craft of creating high impact images.

Images that sell. Images worth advertising.

You can register and watch, or, grab the bull and ride it out by entering an image or two.

We have a few spots available. HERE

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

“People who don’t kiss ass are never invited back.”

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I was chatting with Robin Spencer about professional photography
associations. (he tells me to mention his name…he’s shameless that way…)

I don’t belong to one anymore. Been about 6 years since I quit in protestation of their high fees vs value in return.
(I really had a hard time trying to justify the costs to new members)

I do love attending association events however, mainly to hang out with my droogs and people.

Love me some trade show too. My most favorite part of any photographic gathering.

I tell Robin…: “ya know, if someone asked me to join again, show some love, there’s a good chance I just might. You’d think, right? Hit up past members, especially ones like me who are still running legit operations. The association seems to be swollen with wannabees and part-timers. Nothing wrong with that. But they could all benefit with as many full time studio owners.”

He sez in his Robin Spencer in-your-face kinda way: “People who don’t kiss ass are never invited back.”

I thought about this comment. I agree in a sense. He could be right. The status quo doesn’t like being held accountable.

But maybe it’s more than that. Even though the ones who don’t kissass never get invited back, because like me they tend to point out the obvious shortcomings of a big bloated inefficient organization like a professional photography association.

Maybe it’s simpler. Who knows. It could be that they’re a big bloated inefficient organization.
Nothing more.

Either way, it’s an interesting thought. And the fact is, when it comes to hearing from them….crickets…chirp, chirp….

I know if I were in charge of one, I’d start by slashing and burning inefficiencies, cutting out excess fat and expenses, and ramping up the education for members.
( BTW I’m not throwing my hat in the ring and pitching politics….so don’t go nominating anyone!..:)…)

I’d increase value, lower fees, haul out the guillotine and lop off a few heads….and I’d start a campaign to get new members, and old members back.

It’s a funny thing. You rarely, if ever, see any membership drives.

Truth is, in one sense we don’t really need associations. Personally I think their days are numbered.

I hope I’m wrong. Because getting in person face time with others in my field is very important to me.

And we all know why associations are playing a smaller role year after year….
It’s the interweb thingie and the fact that the entire industry is in a continuous and shrinking state of ebb.

Which means marketing, brass balls, courage, selling and networking matter more than anything else in our studios.

Getting education, good quality education has been relegated to other sources, all promoted online, and webinars.

Speaking about webinars, tomorrow night I’m hosting one with Travis Gadsby on:
“Maximizing your online presence with software that does the heavy lifting – Facebook and Website optimizing”

I did a rough count and I think I’ve hosted over 700 webinars since 2008. Maybe more. Why?

I love learning.
We’re either progressing or regressing.

Pick one. For me, the proverbial info junkie, I’d rather more forward.

It’s why I do what I do. Join us tomorrow night.

Hope to see you there!

And this weekend at the PPOC in Ottawa…yes, I’ll be there with my main
droog and co-founder of noBs photosuccess James Hodgins.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

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

Are hot girls ruining the industry?

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There’s a ton of talent out there.

Musicians, comics, artists and photographers.

Most of it goes away. Much of it is inert. Never revealed, put into action and given a place. A purpose.

The way I see it, if you have a talent, you don’t really have it unless you use it.

Put it out there. Give it a voice. Use it to make a difference.

It’s useless otherwise, unless it merely hits you with a mild ego boosting dopamine hit when your mommy proudly points out how ‘talented’ you are. Or someone on Facebook likes your images.

Better yet, they make a vapious compliment.
(Never trust your mom- she loves you too much for your own good. Likewise, never really
trust flakebook comments either)

This is pervasive in the industry of photography….
mainly, weddings, babies, families…and, well, hot girls.

Hot girls are ruining the industry. You know the story. Many go out, get a new Canon Rebel,
grab a hot girl, photograph her, and voila!

Photographer! Instant portfolio of hot girliness.

It’s easy to get derailed from what really matters. From real talent. Talent that plays a legit
role in the world, and continues to serve.

And make money. Yes, turn a profit.

It ain’t a business unless it’s making money.

Unless, of course, you’re just starting out and still learning marketing, selling, and getting established in your community as the GO TO photographer. But that’s just a phase.

Meanwhile, your business cards, your fancy well made website….even your stunning images of hot girls….and all those stunning images of children in fields with mucho sun flare…..
all of it……a ruse.

A lie. It’s all meaningless and temporary.

I was chatting with a well known, well established photographer last week who tells me the average
turn around for photographers is 1.5 years. And he may be  a little optimistic.

What matters most? Clients. Clients who pay, and return year after year.

Take that idea, and scale it up. Multiply it. And you got a business.

A reason and a place for your talents. Awards are meaningless. Accolades and praise
from family, friends, fiends and peers too. All meaningless.

Your cameras, lenses, computers and facebook fans and likes….all…meaningless.

Unless you put it all into action and build a business.

Now go forth ye friends and foes….and build. Keep it real.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

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

What do you do when you lack self-confidence…

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Norman Vincent Peale said it best. Short, sweet, inspiring and to the point:

*Decide exactly what it is you want.
*Make it a primary goal.Make it big. Make it important.
*Establish a series of yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily objectives to achieve that goal.
*Fight the urge to give up along the way. This is easiest when you have clarity.

My own experience bears this out: you can achieve almost anything you want in life – even if you don’t have much faith in your own abilities.

Lack of self-confidence, Peale said, “is one of the great problems besetting people today.”

(And that was like way back in the days of old, when everything was still in black and white.
Nothing much has changed…besides color. Yes, they invented color.)

He makes reference to a survey of college students indicating that for 75 percent of them, confidence was the thing most lacking in their life.

No one know this more than I do. No one was more afraid, lost and burdened with the stress of life than I.

Just last night over supper with friends we were recounting our early 20’s.
(we’re all in our 50’s now, healthier, wealthier and wiser… so we think)

I told our friends about how petrified I was when I was 21. Working full time in a darkroom.

Loving it, good at it. But ready for change and ready to start a new job photographing school photos for a large national company.

That first year shooting was horrible. I was in a constant state of panic it seemed. I had anxiety attacks that were unrelenting.

When asked how long that went on for, I answered: “A whole year.”

It took me one whole year of photographing hundreds and thousands of students to finally, FINALLY get a handle on it.

In the second year I started to get a sense a confidence. I started a new skill set in those early years.
But I had a long way to go.

“Imagine if you would have been stuck in that prison the rest of your life?” was a comment.

“Yes, I know that! I always look back at those years and wonder what would have happened had I let the fears and anxieties rule me. Rule my destiny. What if I would have embraced it and made it my closest friend, my dearest ally? What problems would have and could have arose? What medications would I have chosen to eventually fight that battle?”

Crazy stuff when I think about it.

“The blows of life, the accumulation of difficulties, the multiplication of problems tend to sap energy
and leave you spent and discouraged,” Peale says.

In such situations, “it is easy to lose track of your abilities and powers” – but by re-appraising your personal assets, you can convince yourself that “you are less defeated than you think you are.”

Part of me is glad I went through all those times.

They made me who I am now.  I persisted. I did not let myself get defeated.

Easy? Not for a second. Worth it? What do you think?

I grew because I persisted. I faced the fears and moved ahead in spite of them. I created goals.

I studied and fed my mind a constant flow of books, seminars and new ideas. I pushed hard.

I fought the demons that tried so hard to rule me.

And you can too. Be true to yourself.

Be fearless my friend.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

P.S. Let me help fight the demons.