Photo Success

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“No one’s breaking their neck on my watch…”

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It would have been awful. A wedding day gone horribly wrong. The ultimate in wedding day disasters.

Here’s what happened. We were shooting the formals after the ceremony. The 88 year old grandma took one step backwards, then lost her balance.

She started an uncontrollable slow jog backwards. Towards the edge of the lawn in the front of the lodge where we were shooting the family portraits.

She would have gone over a ten foot drop. Seriously bad.

After she took three steps however, her 52 year old son, father of the groom, smoothly stepped in and caught her.

Close. Very, very close. Think about it. What could have happened.
Had he been a few feet too far?

Can you see it? The tears, the pain, the catastrophic wait for the ambulance to show, way out in the middle of nowhere.

Some people wonder why I stress over details when shooting weddings. I do. This scenario from a few days ago haunts me, and will for months.

I’ll rack it up to experience. Learn from it: “If I am photographing grandmas in dress shoes, on a slight sloping lawn and a dangerous drop nearby, I will pre-empt the situation.

No one’s breaking their neck on my watch.

I like weddings. I don’t like disasters at them however. Especially not this kind.

I teach, preach, nag and cajole on what it takes to be a true professional when shooting weddings.

A few years ago I gave a full day presentation on how I shoot weddings. It was very detailed. And I recorded the entire gig.

I also ran a four part series with Vanessa Joy on “The Business of Wedding Photography.”

Let’s not forget notables like Sam Sciarinno, Jaco Fourie, Genevive Trudel and one of the most popular presentations by yours truly, The Five Essential Poses.

All this and more in the forum.

I know, I know. Some things happen, and you’re wondering what this has to do with being a professional.

It has EVERYTHING to do with being a professional. It not only is about lighting, posing, capturing moments and all that.
It’s your attention to details, situations and the ability to avert disaster.

Be a pro.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

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

How FakeBook is ruining my small city…

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One of the coolest things about living in a small city is that we’re big enough to have an almost big city cosmo vibe, sorta, and things like StarBucks, a multi-screen movie mega-plex, big box stores and a few festivals.

With fireworks.

But we’re small enough to remain, well, small town intimate. Not too hickish. just enough. I like that. I like people.

But FlakeBook is ruining it for me. For instance, last week I bumped into a friend’s wife.
Someone I sorta kinda know, having met her briefly a few times, through her husband.

In the first minute of meeting her, here are the thoughts that invaded my brain:

“Her husband cheated on her ten years ago (who knew!??), she’s still pissed. She struggles with depression. Is mad at the doctors for not getting the pharmaceuticals right. Hates lasagna, vegans, doesn’t know how to ride a bike and thinks Trump is a piece of shit.”

What is it they say? Too much information? TMI

How? Well, FakeBook of course.

It baffles me why so many say so much on social media. Baffles me.
What baffles me even more is why I read the dam stuff.

Even more ‘baffling-my-marketing-brain’ conundrum is why so many business owners don’t use social media as a marketing tool for their businesses.

It’s like everyone, or most everyone, uses flakebook as their shrink.

Why not use it for better purposes? Like spreading goodwill, good messages,
and growing your business.

Shameless marketing. Why not?
“If you want to be a profitable and successful photographer, then study profitable and successful photographers.”

Robert N. Provencher – Your Master Coach Marketer

Founder, noBs photosuccess.com

How to create sales with your photography in the 4 figure+ range…

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Been perusing the information shared last Thursday in the webinar with Maria Sampaio.

This happens to me when I attend a great event or a really good movie with a great story or even when indulging in a great meal….yummmmm.

It percolates, resonates and stays with me. I get ideas, flashbacks, creative insights….all stemming from the original source.

I can taste it days later.

Maria was with us to discuss her selling strategies used in her studio. And she has a winning system. one of the BEST I’ve seen.

And system is the key word. When you hit upon a structure that works, it becomes the go to “system”.

Selling is not immune. Systems are valuable. I’ve been using them for decades.

She shared with us the key steps used and the dialogue spoken, step-by-step.
That, plus she showed us her price list book (part of her sales process), which I thought genius.

PLUS, a whole bunch more. Including one of the coolest, most effective SEO strategies for ranking high in google searches.

Nothing, was held back. I’ve posted the replay and included the script, samples of her menu and more in the forum.

HERE for members.

Robert N. Provencher – Your Master Coach Marketer

P.S. Not a member? JOIN US HERE

“Never play for your peers…”

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Was listening to Joe Rogan talk about becoming successful as a stand up comic.

He says it starts with an “ember”. A fire, passion, which drives us to work hard. You know, the “D” word….discipline.

But one thing he warned about and I found most interesting is the idea behind playing for your peers.

In other words, creating jokes that other comedians “get”.

The problem he states, besides this ruining any real chances at success, is most folks don’t get the jokes.

Are jazz musicians the same? Me thinks so.

You don’t see arenas packed with crowds to hear the best jazz bands.
Do you? Lady Gaga, yes. Jazz, no. (think small clubs filled with smoke and arrogance)

Gaga plays to her audience. A comedian who speaks to their audience and makes them laugh has a chance at success.

“It’s very problematic to play for the comedians. Because comedians like weird shit…”
Sez Joe….

I can say the same thing about photographers and photography. Call me a capitalist profiteering swine, but whenever I see ANY kind of photography with impact, I ask myself:
“Yes, but can it make money??”

Is there a game plan?

Or is it simply appealing to our peers. Depends, I guess, what you want to achieve.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

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

Is money evil?

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Is money Evil?

How do you feel about money?

Money isn’t everything, but all too often is viewed upon with scorn, negativity and skewed perceptions.

I personally struggled with this all my life, but am working on it everyday.
It’s an uphill battle.

We run businesses, and therefore we must have goals and plans, right? Of course.
NO plans, no directions. No ‘map’.

When you know what you want, you get what you want. This is the first step in marketing your photography business.

You also need to know how much you want to make.

I heard someone say: “I want enough to pay the bills an cover expenses.”
Uh? Can you be a little more vague please?

The fact is, you need to embrace money as an essential tool. Money isn’t evil.

Evil people do evil things with money. But not you, or I.

We expand our lives because of it and have a balanced, centered inner game.

I talk about what changed and what worked for me in a webinar from a few years ago.

How I got OK with making money.

If you don’t reconcile this struggle it won’t go away. Hate, resentment, anger or life’s unjust struggles won’t justify, fix or balance out the inequities of life.

Embrace the struggle. Be good with money. And make some. Lots of it. It’s ok.

Still relevant, timeless and valid.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

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

Operating system VS marketing system in your photography business…

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Having a good operations system in place is essential to continued success in your photography business,

But it’s NOT the only thing.

Some erroneously believe, or, are misguided into thinking that the operations system is where it’s at…..once achieved, success!

Don’t be fooled.

The marketing system is the lifeblood of your photography studio.

The operations system is simply how things flow, who does what, getting from point A to point B…it involves steps and procedures. Processes….

And more often it’s behind the scenes stuff.

The marketing is a completely different animal.

Operations can include items such as:
*workflow
*accounting
*employees
*camera brand used
*computer system used
on and on…..lots of logical, black and white thinking stuff.

There’s more to it. And, having a good operations system in place is essential.

It’s something that the smart studio owners improve on in time and make better.

It also helps to delegate the operations and create systems, so that you, as a marketer, a strategist, can spend more time in charge of running the….ahem….you guessed it….:

The marketing system.

Where the monee is.

Never delegate the marketing. Delegate as much of the operations as you can.

Although there are NO guarantees, it’s your best crack at success and growing out of the yard-sale mentality.

Grow up and treat your “business” like a business.

Photography is the NUMBER ONE HOBBY right now…and as a result, many, many hobbyists are getting into the “business”.

And many get confused on this topic.

The smart business owner knows the difference between having a marketing system and having an operations system.

Be smart. Know the difference.

So you’re asking, okay Mr. Smart guy….what is the marketing system then?

Marketing is everything you do to create, innovate products and finding people who will buy them.

Over and over. Rinse, repeat.

Once you have a marketing system in place, you delegate the “grunt” work aspect of it.

Never the strategy.

Marketing is not an easy solution. It does involve much innovation, testing, poking and prodding. And once you achieve success, always keeping an eye on it and finding ways to improve.

It’s a system, in a sense. But not the same as operations.

I’ve said this many times:

“Never try to find one way to get 100 clients…..”

That’s what hobbyists and amateurs think.

Instead:
“Find 100 ways to get ONE client.”

Those “ways” are the tools and techniques that make up the marketing system.

Hold it close. Never take it for granted.

And never rest on your laurels, lest they become wreaths…..

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

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

You’re never ‘broke’ when you have this…

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“I’m so broke…” my buddy lamented.

Not a dime to his name. His photography business tanking.

I tried to help him out by making him realize:

“Listen, you’re not broke. You’re not looking at it the right way. You have skills, talent, ambition and above all, you have courage, right?”

He thought for a moment.

I continued:
“Courage. Courage is one of the most valued and powerful assets known to mankind. And you got it in spades. You’re never broke when you have courage.”

He was listening. I had him. Because he knew it was truth. It all depends how you look at it.

I told him about how the most valuable asset you have is between your ears.

All your dreams, plans, hopes and ambitions start, grow and live right there.

Just create, add some courage, and a dash of persistence, and you’re rich.

How much value do you place on your dreams?

As long as you have courage, as long as you take action, as long as you refuse to quit, it is impossible for you to be broke.

IMPOSSIBLE

Priceless.

I used to be scared. So much so, my fears had me. They were defining me and controlled my every move.

And I was broke. No courage.

I couldn’t even photograph a group of students without having a near all out breakdown.

I could barely photograph a wedding without have a few drinks of liquid courage to calm me down. Yuch.

What a crappy place to be.

I was not working at my full potential. I was broke until I moved towards tapping into my power, my courage.

And when I did, that’s when the doors to wealth, prosperity, possibilities and growth skyrocketed for me.

Work at your full potential. No gimmicks. Just a simple truth.

This is where I believe we all have to start, inside.

I know this truth so well, it’s so personal for me.

Maybe ‘cuz I been there, done that.

I don’t know. I know however that it’s true:
Our potential and our destiny is created and controlled by each and every one of us.

We decide and we add the needed ingredients. It’s up to me baby.

And you too.

I can help you tap into your dreams, your destiny, your truth.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert Provencher

Seriously….you play favorites? What’s My Favorite Aperture?

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Bigger, faster, wider…that’s my rule of thumb.

In other words, what is the widest aperture I can get away with considering:

  • lens choices available
  • situation….in other words, what and who am I photographing
  • the lighting and certain challenges, limitations or options available
  • the subject matter

Some examples, from recent shoots….and some explanations as to why I used whatever aperture I used.

Family sessions outdoors….I shot this at 5.6. I would have easily gone wider, BUT, I had a beauty dish and was limited to how wide an aperture I could use due to the maximum shutter speeds available. In this case, no faster than 1/200th of a second. Yea, I know, high speed sync would solve this. Working on it….

Two year old…..shot at 200mm at 2.8. I kinda, sorta got lucky. As you may know, with a two year old, that’s the way it goes. You do your best, and get what you get. The stars were all aligned in this shot. The lighting, the subject and me. She gave me a nano second of her time. I love shooting at 2.8 for obvious reasons. The  selective focus, bokeh and compression.

Another outdoor shot at f2.5 at 1/200th of a second. This is the Zeiss Batis 85MM 1.8 lens. In this scene I am limited because of the ambient light. I would have opened up the lens even more, but couldn’t because I was syncing my beauty dish to the maximum shutter speed of 1/200th. Yes, I know…high speed sync. I am on it.


Studio sessions. I use f8 as my go to aperture.
Why? It’s functional, there’s no real need to push the lens wider. Meat and potatoes….Two examples below.

Commercial gigs……first shot, wide angle lens….aperture plays  a small role so I’d use f8 in a scene like this.

Commercial gig for restaurant….here I used a 200mm at 2.8

Family on location….200mm at 2.8 Family in studio….at f8Family on location….200mm at 2.8. This is risky! You need to be very confident everyone will be in focus and on the same plane. This becomes a judgement call. I called it, and it worked. Had I not been so confident I would have likely shot this at around f5.6:

This family in studio shot at f16…I needed to get every one in focus, so I cranked up the ISO and the lights so I could shoot at that aperture.Two more…scenic shots. Scenic photographers use this strategy a lot. Shoot at about one stop wider than the smallest available on the lens. In this case, using the 14-24 Nikon lens, at 14mm, at f16. This ensures front to back sharpness.