Naughty but Nice Seminar

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Jennifer Nagy - www.exclusiveimages.com.au

Haley Richardson - www.haleyrichardson.com.au

This weeks seminar was held at Haley Richardson's Hume Studio. We had 2 models, Bec who was 5 months pregnant and Clare for the Boudoir style session.

We started with a slideshow of both Haley & Jennifer's work followed by a brief run through of the process from enquiry through to shooting.

Client Interaction -

Meet with client beforehand & show products.

Ask lots of questions about why they want the portrait, what are they going to do with it?

What they do & don't like about themselves

Decor of house, where will the photo hang?

Be enthusiastic honest & open.

Treat every job as a collaboration

Talk about the outcomes & make sure they bring a robe, variety of lingerie, shoes & accessories, ask about what they have to wear

Get them to sign a contract

Being able to sell your work & the experience is just as important as the quality

Have the products you are selling on display

Sell the shoot or put together a few packages that you think the clients would like in a variety of price ranges.

Don't sell high res dvd's until the client has spent a minimum amount

Most of the sale time is spent helping the buyer justify intellectually the emotional decision that has already been made, which is to buy.

Assume that your client always wants the best

Cost & size main things to overcome-wall portrait can be enjoyed by everyone where as a desk portrait can only be seen close up

Relaxing the Client -

Know what you are going to do, theme/look

Think about lights, props & background

Have model wear robe between shooting

Take your time

Communicate, keep talking to them, explain what you are doing, show them some shots to build confidence, give feedback

Confidence is sexy

Posing -

With each pose take a variety of shots with different facial expressions: serious, smiling, looking away

Lying on tummy with head near the camera

Lying on back with head near the camera

Kneeling with feet tucked under bottom

Lying on side

Head & Cleavage

Suggestive detail

Full length against wall/in doorway with heels to lift bottom & elongate legs

Different Body Shapes -

Focus on assets

Larger women- light from side & shoot bust up if front on use drpaes, arms or hands to cover tummy or slim legs

Flat Chest - arms above head, lying on tummy or back, use arms to boost cleavage & create shadows. Folding arms increase bust.

Saggy Breast - shoot front on, bra's & corsets for lift

Fat Arms - hold away from body, create a gap

WOMEN - recline the body, put on 45 degree angle, focus on assets, create a waistline, push arms back & create a gap.

MEN - use shadow, open the posing up, create big angles, hang the body.

Fusion Photography - Part 2

The Sales Process

Client Questions-

* Do I want to do business with this company?

* Can I afford them?

* Do I want to do business with this person?

* Are my needs going to be met?

* Is there someone else better

* What is the advantage of booking now?

* I need to make a decision

* Did I make the right decision?

The most important things to remember during client interviews is to connect on an emotional level, sell yourself & sell your expertise, reliability & confidence.

Qualify the Client -

* Can they afford us?

* Are they looking for what we do?

* Can we meet their needs?

Ask the right questions -

* Get commitment early & often

* Overcome their fear

* Inspire confidence

* Demonstrate expertise

The Enquiry -

* If first question is price say you are happy to give all the pricing info but you would like to get some details first.

* Ask about their location & comment on your experience with the venues.

* Ask about date/guests/bridal party

* Ask if they have set a budget, may be reluctant to answer as they either have no idea or unwilling to reveal just yet.

* Mention your starting price

* Ask them how that fits in with their expectations

* Ask for meeting, if object, need to check with fiance etc, try to make a time anyway and say you are happy to re-schedule if need be.

* Text reminder of appointment on the day.

The Consultation

* Meet at high end venue if you do not have your own studio.

* Keep everything clean & uncluttered.

* Create an environment client will feel comfortable in.

* Details are important, the client will look beyond the facade to try & work out the real you.

* What to wear, dress at a level your clients aspire to NO JEANS! Dress with style & to match your style.

* Refreshments - client is not likely to accept anything too fancy, water is fine.

* Set expectations, explain the purpose of the meeting.

* Get to know each other first before you talk about prices

* Number 1 selling tool - Passion. Show them you love what you do, passion & enthusiasm is infectious.

* First half of meeting should be to establish rapport - no photos or prices.

* Ask questions about the wedding, relationship, work, hobbies but be genuine not nosy.

* Don't talk continuously, portrays a lack of confidence.

* Ask what their perfect wedding album would look like, and show an album that reflects this.

* Observe them & their body language-are they a detailed person, romantic, relaxed, fussy?

* Be a resource - the more you can apply your expertise to their needs the more respect they'll have for you.

* The more value you provide the less price matters - give give give!

* Don't give slideshows-breaks flow, focus on album sales.

* Don't show albums while talking, they need to be focused for this.

Closing the Sale -

* Ask how that album fits in with the ideal album they discussed earlier.

* Explain prices clearly don't make excuses.

* Explain delivery process

* Ask how the prices fit their expectations

* Leave them alone to discuss

* Ask would you like to go ahead with the booking?

Selling - Clients love to buy

Sell additional products

Transition them to portrait clients

Fusion Phptpgrahy

Fusion Photography

www.fusionphotography.biz

This week our Seminar was by Ben Kopilow of Fusion Photography. Fusion is one of Canberra's leading wedding photography studio's.

Some statistics on the canberra wedding photography business -

130 wedding photographers

Less than 10% are full time

20K is the average income

Ben started photography in 2003, he is self taught. He won a floriade competition and then started selling stock images and prints and cards at markets. In 2004 he was asked to photograph a friends wedding. In 2005 he shot 50 weddings & 2006 he did 60 but made no profit.

He re-assessed his costs -

Marketing - $200

Camera Gear - $100

Consultation - $400

Miscellaneous Management time - $400

Electricity/storage/backup - $100

Insurance/tax/travel - $200

BOTTOM LINE - $1500 COST PER WEDDING

Once you work out this figure you need to decide what you are willing to sacrifice your weekend for?

2007 - 55 weddings @ $3600 - $198,000

2011 - 32 weddings @ $8000 - $256,000

Ben has a minimum charge of $5700, this is an 'artistic fee' and covers his time only.

Complete Packages -

Creates a mindset in client of no more to spend

Limits post wedding sales

Differentiate yourself -

What do you offer?

How are you different?

Branding is not enough - everything is a commodity

Own an attribute -

Price? There's always someone cheaper

Service

Quality

Product

Creativity

Leader

Woman

Tech Head

Romantic

Team

Artist

Expert

Outgoing or Shy

Fun or Uptight

Optimist or Pessimist

Emotional or Logical

Your best Attribute is You -

Your personality is what books the client, not your work. Show your personality in everything you do-website, emails, phone calls, studio, be consistent and keep it real.

Simplify -

People are easily confused, more buying decisions make more confusion. Minimise your product line.

How can you charge THIS much?

Go the extra mile

Let the client see the value, show them post-production etc

Look like you're worth it from start to finish

Educate them on priorities

Price is perception

Value is not in physical products, eg-Alex Perry or other high end designers sell because of the name not the product.

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Peter Coulson

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So wednesday 11 May in the pre dawn hours we set off for Sun Studios to spend the day with Peter Coulson.

It's been so fascinating to get to know the "celebrities" of Australian Photography. Both Peter & Alexia were so generous with their information & time.

I was encouraged to hear that Peter's technique is mostly to "keep it simple" - more lights = more problems. Use what you have, you do not need the most expensive latest greatest lights to create good lighting.

It was interesting to know that Peter's favourite light is full sun in the middle of the day. You can break the rules as long as you do it well.

Some tips from the day -

* Get it right in camera

* Skin - light it straight on slightly higher than the subject & slightly over expose it for the least imperfections

* To bring out texture in fabric light from the side.

* To bring out the colour in the eyes light from the side of the face.

* For Portraits-shoot landscape & For Landscape-shoot portrait = more options later on

* Shoot for yourself aswell as the client - most times client will love what you have done & forget what they initially wanted.

* Train models with ugly clothes-if they can make them look good they know what they are doing.

* Don't forget about subtractive lighting, can be useful in certain circumstances.

* Play & be creative, forget about what is supposed to be the "right" way & experiment.

Possible Background Ideas for the Pearls

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Pearls