Photo Success

A Place to Grow

Light Painting with John Hartman

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I’ve done hundreds of interviews and webinars over the last 15 or so years. The vast majority were top notch, relevant information on lighting, posing, marketing and over all general success when running a professional photography business.

Last night’s webinar with John Hartman was no exception.

I’d even go so far as to say it was exceptional. It had all the right ingredients…a relevant and timely topic that revealed a photographic strategy creating excellent results, a well rounded and informed speaker and questions from the attendees that seemed to flow. So much so I was tempted to ask John if he “planted” some of them.:)

Regardless, the Light Painting presentation with John Hartman was just what the doctor ordered. This is not an “easy” technique.  But the results speak for themselves.

It’s refreshing to see the craft lifted into the realm of art, quality and technique.

Miles above from the “plug and play” mentality that has been so pervasive in the industry these days of “HDR”, “fix it in RAW”, photoshop actions, lightroom presets, frequency separation blending bla bla bla….and other art psychosis inducing plugins.

John’s workshop page and list or resources for photographers

The replay is in the forum Login and wacth HERE

Not a member? Check it out.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

The creation of images with a serious competitive edge…

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I teach a photography 101 class in our local library.

No pay, loads of fun and keeps me humble. Sorta.

I push the idea that we’re “painting with light”.

And really do my best to get my students to understand light, exposure
and composition before anything else.

Before getting into lenses, camera settings, file types and all things “academia”.

We’re painting with light.

On the topic of painting with light, John Hartman has taken the whole concept to a whole new level.

What John creates is mind blowing. Some LED lights, a steady tripod and many exposures,
combined with photoshop wizardry make for some stunning, high impact images.

Is this the future of photography?

Who knows. But it definitely has a place with photographers who appreciate high level
craftsmanship and the creation of images with a serious competitive edge.

Tomorrow night, Feb 7/2017 at 9:00PM EST I am hosting an online presentation with John and all are welcome.

This webinar is over. See previous post for replay info.

Check out the images John creates HERE.

I’m sure you’ll agree this is stunning. Join us.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

P.S. The Bull Pen is on, Feb 23rd, 2017 Enter your images for feedback and the chance to win cash.

P.P.S. Last week I had Chad Pennington in a special presentation….mindblown…..the replay is in the forum.

P.P.P.S. We also had Bill Guy the photoshop guy do a special presentation on Adobe Lightroom…the replay HERE.

“What makes you tick?”

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Years ago, way back when I was a young laddie buck of only 27 yrs old, I attended my first ever photography seminar.

It blew me away.

Completely floored me.

I had no idea such a thing existed. Where someone, an accomplished photographer, would get up and only talk about photography.

And what makes them successful.

How they do what they do?

And what makes them tick? I wanted to know so bad.

Curiosity is a powerful ally.

Since that life altering day I have not lost the drive, the passion and the searching out of other successful photographers…

And I ask the proverbial question: “What makes you tick?”

It’s like I’m 27 all over again. But I’m 58. Nothing much changes.

Good thing.

Being curious and searching, non stop, for answers, is one of the MAIN reasons I still have my mojo working for me.

Join us, as Chad Pennington, a wedding photographer from New York chats with us about what makes him tick.

REPLAY HERE

Get inspired….

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

“Such a video would be worth gold bullion…”

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“Such a video would be worth gold bullion…”

So sez my droog and member of noBs photosuccess Ron Hare.

Me thinks he exaggerates, a tad, using medieval sounding words like “bullion”.

Of what does he speak? I posted an image of my daughter that I called the Ice Queen….

And Ron was itching to know how I did what I did.

When commenting on being a member, Ron added:…“a video about how you created this of your daughter would be worth many membership years alone.”

Doth my kind sir exaggerate? Maybe not. Depends.

The content is there. A virtual vault from top notch experts in their respective fields of photography…..

All you gotta do is go get it. It’s there.

In that spirit I created a three part series just for Ron, and all other members of noBs Photosuccess.

Member? Login, go here and watch….(Each section is short, to the point…none of that non-stop filler and babble you often hear in photoshop tutorials.)

Not  a member?

C’mon…it’s like cheaper than dirt, but worth more than gold….SEE FOR YOURSELF

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

The rainbow neon colored cannabis leaf wife beater shirt marketing strategy….

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I’m in Costa Rica, sunny hot days, monkeys and birds everywhere.

In a small beach town called Tamarindo, which attracts swarms of tourists, surfers, hippies and retired folk looking to get away from the cold, cold north.

Life is good, indeed.

The other day while walking home I noticed in the window in one of the funky little clothing stores, one of the ugliest pieces of men’s clothing…ever.

It was a black, ‘muscle shirt’, with multicolored neon bright cannabis leafs all over it.

My first thought was: “Who’d buy a wife beater shirt?”

Then I realized I was wearing one. But not like that one of course.

I swore I’d never wear a “muscle” shirt, but gave in two years ago.

Too warm down here, too dam comfortable.

But black, with bright fluorescent neon weed leafs all over it? Ugh!

And fishnet see through mesh fabric no less. Double ugh!!

But if you’re gonna wear them, at least have some class. Some style.

And this one! U*G*L*Y…..nothing less.

Which made me think….“I bet this is a marketing strategy. Designed to grab your attention.”

This store is known for funky cool stylized, offbeat, retro selection of young hip clothing.

Why not highlight this abomination?!

For effect, no less. No doubt. It grabs your attention.

Grabbing your attention is one of the foundations of good marketing.
Done right, of course.

One of the very best marketing strategies for photographers is the display. You know, in a mall, a store, restaurant, instagram, facebook….all are displays in a sense.

We put our work out there, for all to see. To “grab” attention. Over and over.

And it seems this strategy favors the bold. Certainly worked for me.

Here’s my short list of display ideas:

*In our studio we have an 8’x12′ billboard on the side of our building, facing one of the busiest streets in our city.
*Business cards
*ALL social media….daily posts
*website blogging
*store front…(my two large windows are covered each with display images-the kind you can’t see in, but can see out- perforated is the term used I believe)
*sales room…high impact large display images and well appointed decor…impact!
*mall/tradeshows/art shows…any and all displays at events in your city….old school, very, very effective

Some free,  some paid, all effective attention grabbing publicity. One of my favorite marketing strategies and a must for any photography studio.

Be shameless, brave, bold….like a multicolored neon cannabis leaf encrusted muscle shirt on display.

I talk about this at length in my marketing manuals I’ve created (3 so far), in the monthly marketing mastermind  meetings I run.

By far, as a photographer, you need to grab their attention. They ain’t gonna come looking for you.

Last night during our marketing mastermind with special guest Warne Noyce, he showed us an image he created right in his front yard, in the water. (he lives in the boonies on a beautiful lake.)

The image was of a high school senior in her prom dress, in the water, with a huge giant moon on the horizon, reflected in the water. (0bviously added, but very effective)

Would anyone want that style of shot? Maybe some, maybe not.

An image with impact that draws them in. Pushing his brand of uniqueness and style.

Like a black see through mesh neon cannabis leaf encrusted wife beater shirt.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

P.S. Members can watch the repaly of last nights presentation with Warne here.

P.P.S. My entire collection of marketing manuals, replays and meetings are ALL part
of your membership.

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