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“Your brand will evolve organically”

July 15, 2019 By Robert Provencher Leave a Comment

My daughter, Danielle (that’s her above), a 23 year old third year graphic design student, and an ambitious one at that (she just published a book- LAUNCH DATE AUGUST...), on her days off, sometimes obsesses over her ‘brand’ and the future of her graphic design career and business.
She gets inspired. And writes down thoughts, ideas and, of course, goals. I taught her well.
Yesterday, Sunday, was such a day. She rattled on about the many ideas, inspirations and feedback she was getting from other accomplished designers. She actually contacts these people and asks for advice. Smart. Brave.
I reminded her that she need not really worry about her brand so much. Not now anyways. The ‘brand’, so to speak, will evolve organically as her skills, experiences and more importantly,  her market makes itself known.
This, like in any business, isn’t obvious at first. You start with a great idea. You build. You launch. And then see if people bite. No market, no business.
I used the Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak example. They had some great ideas (ya think?) on what and how a computer should be built.
They didn’t get together and obsess of the logo nor the name…..yet. That came shortly after they had some traction. Sales. Activity in the marketplace.

They could have called it Banana for all I care. Me thinks the market would have still showed up.

The substance of what makes a business run and what makes it great isn’t on the surface – you know, design, image, logo.
The true substance is much deeper. In the grueling, disciplined sweat, pain, blood and turmoil. The going to battle to get your product launched.

That’s where you find meaning and brand. But first, you need to go to war. And find your place in the market.
Yours in success and in photography,
Rob
“If you want to be a profitable and successful photographer, then study profitable and successful photographers.”

Join us…Content, Coaching & Community

Filed Under: WrapUp Tagged With: photo lighting tips, photography business, photography marketing, photography top tips, photography webinar

Coffee tastes better at 5:00AM

May 15, 2019 By Robert Provencher Leave a Comment

So, I did it. I actually did it and I kinda sorta love it now. It’s actually a thing.

And I waited at least 30 days to make sure it’s a thing, before I jump the gun and y’all start thinking I’m full of it.
Of what do I speak? Simple….getting up at 5:00AM.


Now before you quit on me, hear me out.


The first thing you need to know is this: I am the consummate night owl. Always have been, and I thought I always would be forever and ever.
I am NOT going to try and convince you that YOU need to do the same.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: WrapUp Tagged With: affirmations, goal setting, photography coaching, photography marketing, photography top tips, phototips

4STAR Friday May 4th, 2019

May 3, 2019 By Robert Provencher Leave a Comment

Happy spring….sort of. It actually snowed here yesterday. Not kidding. I’m looking forward to all sorts of activities and good times this spring, our bi-annual Fairy Day being one of them. Fairies, families, head shots and weddings….
The view from my kitchen window below!
​​​​​​​

[Read more…]

Filed Under: WrapUp Tagged With: photo lighting tips, photo tips, photography business, photography forum, photography marketing, photography top tips

Thomas Dodd is back….Thursday, May 3rd 3:00PM EST

May 1, 2018 By Robert Provencher Leave a Comment

***JOIN US***

Thu, May 3, 2018 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM EDT REGISTER HERE

 

 

Thomas Dodd is BACK to discuss:

  • Marketing – what to do and NOT to do on social media to build a fan/collector base.
  • How to approach galleries ,how to get shows – how to approach the media –
  • How to get your images seen in Google image search
  • How to market in every day life, etc. etc….
  • Creativity – How intentions and influences shape our artistic style, how to be “original” as opposed to a copy – ways to “jump-start” creativity, how to overcome creative blocks
  • How to coax creativity out of models.. different forms of creativity, etc etc..

Thomas Dodd is a visual artist and photographer based out of Atlanta, Georgia who has developed a style that he calls “painterly photo montage” – a method he employs in editing software in which he crafts elaborately textured pieces that have a very organic and decidedly non-digital look to them.

His work often has mythic and quasi-religious themes that pay homage to Old Master art traditions while at the same time drawing from psychological archetypes that evoke a strong emotional response from the viewer.

Although his artwork resembles paintings, his pieces are entirely photographic in nature, fusing many images into a cohesive whole. His larger works are often presented in a mixed media form that adds a depth and texture that complements the photography beautifully. http://www.thomasdodd.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ThomasDodd

Filed Under: WrapUp Tagged With: how to sell photography, photo lighting tips, photography business, photography marketing, photography top tips, photography webinar, thomas dodd

WizardOfLight Podcast July 2017

July 12, 2017 By Robert Provencher Leave a Comment

We meet up every month to ramble on about all things photography.
(If you like, google an online youtube downloader and you can convert this youtube video into your favorite media to take with you on the road.)

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James Hodgins is a full time mining/industrial photographer.

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Judy Cormier is a full time boudoir and wedding photographer

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Yours truly, Robert Provencher, runs a full time studio with my wife Tina shooting fairies, families, weddings.

Watch…..

Filed Under: WizardOfLight Podcast Tagged With: lighting tutorials, make money with baby photography, photography business, photography competition, photography top tips

An open letter….

April 6, 2017 By Robert Provencher Leave a Comment

“The most important part of a race car is the tires.
Good tires will always beat bad ones.
The most important part of a cup of coffee is the beans.
The grinder, the machine, the barista pale in comparison to the quality of what you start with.

And the most important parts of an organization are the people you begin with.
Not the systems or the policies or even the real estate. Great people make everything easier.
And yet…
And yet we spend money on 4 wheel drive instead of snow tires.
And yet we upgrade our coffee maker instead of buying from a local roaster (or roasting our own).

And mostly, we run classified ads to find the cheapest common denominator employee and spend all our time building
systems to protect our customers from people who don’t care…”
~Seth Godin~

Friends,

I started noBs photosuccess back in January 2001 with James Hodgins. Back then, my busy studio was converted 100% to digital using a 3.2MB Canon D30.

I was shooting about 700-800 sessions a year, including families, babies, kids, commercial and over 30+ weddings.

All digital. No one was shooting or printing digital in those days. Except one older dude I met at a workshop.

He showed us how the pixel count mattered not so much. He inspired me in a big way.
Him, and Craig Minielly. Pioneers.

I was an early adopter. They helped point the way.

The industry told me:
“You can’t get anything bigger than an 8″x 10″ with those files.”

Meanwhile, my studio reception walls were covered with 20 inch, 30 inch and 40 inch samples.

All digital. I still have those images. One photographer walked in and said one of my images of a two day old baby looked like it was shot on a 4″x 5″ medium format film camera.

So needless to say, we called ‘bullshit’ on their claims.

There’s no point to this historical meandering, except to point out the underlying story that I believed in, and still believe in to this day…..:

That a business is an exciting adventure and a personal vision  that expresses itself to the world like a drive-in theatre at night.

It is an expression of who we are.

And like any business, there are layers of struggles, challenges, skills (both innate and learned) that on average takes 3-5 years before you start to make some serious ground, lay a solid foundation and start reaping profits.

Sadly, in today’s day and age, many newbies don’t get beyond 1.5 years in photography. That’s the latest statistic I heard from reliable sources.

The truth is, and this is something I believe with all my heart and soul, is that business is a creation, a work of art, built on a matrix of marketing, selling, and personal vision.

For me, learning marketing and selling is everything. These qualities, like lighting, posing, composing images that sell, are all skillsets. We get better with time.

And, a constant on-going self-improvement regiment is key.

I believe in freedom. Freedom to basically choose what and where we want to go in life.

And I believe it is my obligation to improve myself constantly, everyday, every year, forever until I die.

Like I said, it’s an adventure. Sometimes crappy things happen and it seems like the entire universe is conspiring against me. Other times, everything flows, and events, opportunities fall into my path.

Assuming I am open, willing to spot these, and pick them up, then, and only then will progress be made. I said it a million times. It’s an inside job. We have choices.

When I look back at my life (I’m 58 now….busy, busy shooting still…running my studio) and I see the shit storm of events (much of which was self-imposed) I try to focus on the good stuff.
I came  a long way and it wasn’t easy:

  • I sobered up 25 years ago. That period was HUGE for me. It’s when I really, really started to make change. Facing my demons head on and taking positive steps was by far the best thing I could have ever done….yea, sometimes I wished I didn’t have to go through that. Or, that I could have done it sooner.  But alas, one cannot live in ‘should haves’. Regret is poison.
  • I started Toastmasters 25 years ago and honed my public speaking skills
  • I started an obsession with marketing and became, and still am, the proverbial info-junkie
  • I cleaned my messes, including my friends, finances and health
  • I got married to an amazing woman and we had a child Danielle
  • I believe that in order to stay healthy, both physically and mentally, I need to constantly be learning.Learning never stops. Learning how to get better, as  a person (I still have a long ways to go in that area!), how to stay active, how to be the best human I can be. The best marketer I can be (marketing IS everything), have the best friends I can have, and be prosperous and creative

    We seem to be living in crazy times. Everyone, it seems, is full of anxieties and more stress than ever before.

    I believe social media, the interweb and a general inner drive to finally reach that elusive state of “I made it” (which is a big lie) is the root cause for many of us.

    I still have  a lot to do and  a lot to give. The way I see it, as we get older, and hopefully wiser, it’s our, my responsibility to try and help others as best I can.

    For me, there is no better path in life than self-improvement. This is the key, both personally and in business.

    And, working with a group of great people (this point is really brought home if the quote by Seth Godin above…if you skipped it, go read it now…..)

    Yours in photography and success,
    Robert Provencher

    P.S. On that note join us tonight with Chad Pennington’s presentation:
    “How to interact with clients and get killer expressions in your portrait photography.”

    HERE

Filed Under: WrapUp Tagged With: how to shoot a wedding photography, photography business, photography forum, photography marketing, photography top tips, tips for shooting weddings

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