Better Photos
From beginners to pros, I'm taking you from photography basics to creative challenges to find your unique passion for photography.
Better Photos
007 Turning Your Photography Passion into Profit
*Find me on INSTAGRAM @BPoshPhoto
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24 PHOTO PROMPT CARDS WITH what to shoot- GAME CHANGER!
THE CREATIVE'S SHOT LIST- 15+ things to shoot at your next session for variety and stop-the-scroll power
GROW YOUR BUSINESS- use these chatGPT prompts (copy and paste style) to find your brand identity, target market, and get a 30 day content plan for your social media
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This Series kicks off with discovering how to transition your photography hobby into a profitable side hustle while overcoming imposter syndrome and establishing your unique style. Learn about essential strategies for building your portfolio and effectively communicating with potential clients.
• Moving from hobbyist to business owner
• Overcoming fears of inadequacy
• Identifying when you’re ready to charge
• The importance of building a solid portfolio
• Defining your unique photography style
• Establishing payment processes with clients
• Creating a dedicated photography Instagram page
• Utilizing resources like shot lists for successful sessions
• Upcoming exploration of pricing strategies
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Hey, mama, whether or not you're trying out your camera for the very first time or you've been doing this a while and just looking for some creative inspiration, I've got all that and more. I'm here to help you see your world differently, challenge you creatively and find your passion for photography. Hey everybody, welcome back to Better Photos Podcast. So we have wrapped up our series on beginner photography and taking your photos to another level, from starting with our camera settings and getting to know our manual modes and camera all the way to editing. So, naturally, I feel like the next series is going to deal with turning your photography into a side hustle or part-time business or full-time if you want to go straight for that. So what I did is I back in the day of Craigslist? Yeah, when that was a thing, I started putting my services on Craigslist, which I feel like would be modern day Facebook marketplace. Oh my gosh, like just thinking of the types of people you would get offering super low prices just to see if you could get clients. Yeah, I marketed myself first as, like fashion photography, I took some pictures of some friends and that would be willing to basically just help me out doing what I said in front of the camera and helping me learn poses and angles, and while that was fun, that's not really what I wanted to do. And I did actually book some clients from Craigslist, some aspiring models that needed comp card photos, and so obviously it's way more comfortable when you are a girl working with girls. So that was, that was fine. So then you know my story of going to the dog park or going to Freedom Park and asking people photos with their dogs and then I would give them some for free, but then I would charge, I think or maybe I charged, like once they looked at the photos. I don't even remember. I feel like that was only like one time, and then I was like, no, this is kind of sketch. So I nixed that Also with Craigslist.
Speaker 1:I that, also with Craigslist, I offered headshots, and so we had just moved into our first house and it was a three bedroom home and it was just me and my husband there, and so we had an extra. No, it wasn't three bedrooms, it was only two bedrooms, no, it was three. Okay, so one of them housed my husband's furniture, his bachelor's style stuff and as our guest room, and then we had an open one. We decided to and when I say we, I mean I decided to use that room and the light that was good in there for doing headshot photos. So I offered headshot photos and then I could not figure out how somebody would be willing to like pay me like beforehand, or how did I know that they were going to actually show up.
Speaker 1:This was like so new to me, like do you pay first, do you get your, do I do the work first and then they pay? Like what if somebody gets screwed over here? And so I think the first headshots I did may have been like connect connections from another friend, but I did not know headshot styles. So normally for typical headshots you need a studio with like um lighting that you can control, like fake lighting, what is it called, I don't know just studio lighting, and you don't really need natural light windows because you're using flash um that's to get like you know, like how we've talked about like under eyes and um texture of skin with lighting. If you are using studio light, you can manipulate that a lot more by adding more light into those areas. So I had none of that Um, and so then I would offer that and I did get paid. I think somebody like they would write you a check or whatever, and that was maybe like two people. Think somebody like they would write you a check or whatever, and that was maybe like two people.
Speaker 1:Then I offered to do, um newborn sessions, maybe at like a very steep discount, but again, I don't know what I'm doing and when you've never had a newborn, that is a whole new world. Like there are people that either love newborn shoots or they hate them, and trying to figure out how to do one and not having, like all the proper safety training, which luckily it was fine, it was. You know lots of like the parents holding the baby and you know, but I didn't know, like how old the baby should be. I didn't know about babies um peeing in the air, and that was quite a surprise when I had the dad holding the baby completely nude and all of a sudden there is pee shooting up into his face. Yeah, that really did happen, and she may even be listening to this Um.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, trying to start a side hustle is is quite um hard or just not hard. Just where do you start confusing Um using Okay, so how to know when you are ready If you have had friends asking you to take their family photos, or if you have had friends asking you to do their wedding photos or their newborn photos. If you have people asking to take their photo and you've been doing it for free, maybe now is the time to start charging, all right. So if you are wondering if you are ready to start charging for your photos, then this episode is for you, all right. So first thing, you have to go from thinking hobbyist to business owner, and this is what scares a lot of photographers off. Normally you are very in creative mode, but now you have to be in business mode and a lot of things like taxes, a lot of things as starting your business legit can come into play, and even imposter syndrome like somebody is doing it this way, I need to do it this way.
Speaker 1:Or now there's so many like business coach people marketing their services and like everything looks good, all the guides look good, all the help looks great, but then there's cost and it's like what investment do I make and will I be good enough? Do I shoot like this person? Do I have all the right things? And you kind of just have to get that out of your mind and know that the perfect time to start is when you feel like you could actually do this and just jump in. And if you can, can't, then so what? Like it doesn't matter. I'm at the point in my life where I'm just starting new things all the time just because I want to see what it's like. I just want to jump in and do it, see if I can, and if I don't, then whatever, I don't care. Mainly I'm just wasting time and money. So there's that. So there's that, okay. So get rid of the imposter syndrome mindset.
Speaker 1:Then think that there is always going to be a demand for photographers. Again with directing, if you've ever taken your own photos with a tripod, you still would love for someone to tell you what to do, or your family what to do, or make sure that they are doing what you have said to do. So that is what I feel like. There will always be a need for photographers. People want to be in the photos and not just taking them all the time.
Speaker 1:So you can think about families. You can think about newborns. You can think about brands. You can think about weddings Whatever exc. Think about newborns. You can think about brands. You can think about weddings Whatever excites you, there can be a photography specific niche for you, or you can just start anywhere and everywhere, like I did. It was dog photos, it was headshots, it was weddings, it was um I can't even remember all the things oh, like uh, bands, um like concert nights at my church, or it was like everything, and I just had to find out, like, what excited me, what brought in money, and then, after you've been doing it a while, you can say like no to more things. But at first I said yes to everything. Yes to everything until I really nailed down what I wanted to do and could make enough money to support that. Okay.
Speaker 1:So what you need to start is basically everything that we've already talked about. You need a basic camera, which I suggest one that has manual mode, but these days you can offer a specific style. You just have to get very confident in shooting and being able to deliver the same quality to every single person that books you, that is represented on your Instagram and your website, and if they like that, then obviously they're booking you for that. Dslrs and mirrorless cameras will have a bigger megapixel range, but I mean, our phones are getting great. You can even offer like an iPhone photography session. So as long as you're being honest, like with how you do what you do, why you do what you do, and this is what you will get, then you are golden.
Speaker 1:Okay, so you've got your basic camera gear. We've talked about editing software, um, and a lot of these things are subscription based. So you need to make sure that you have enough money that is going to support those things monthly and that you have enough business that would come in to cover that and, basically, that you have the skills enough to repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat what you give other people that you should be giving new clients. Your style should be consistent so that you can say what you see is what you get. All right is that you get repeat inquiries that people are constantly still asking you, maybe for another session, or maybe you're getting new people asking you for photos that you have great stuff to post on your Instagram or your website that draws people in, that people are liking your things and the confidence in your work. So, again, just confidence and knowing that you could deliver the same thing over and over again. All right, so before you start charging, here are some things that you could work on. Okay, so, portfolio building If you don't have someone booking you for a specific style that you want, then offer it to a friend or someone that you trust and that trusts you to do it for free.
Speaker 1:Maybe it's a family session and so maybe you reach out to a friend and you say, hey, would your family be willing to do a free 30 minute session with me? I would love to suggest outfit ideas. Maybe you're linking things for them to buy. Maybe you have your own client closet. Maybe you just want to give them colors. Maybe you have a Pinterest board that you want to send to them so that it can be a cohesive look with your brand and it's in a location that you love, that you would love to shoot more of. Is that indoor? Is that outdoor? You pick the things, you buy the things and then start photographing that so you can have stuff to put on your Instagram feed. That so you can have stuff to put on your Instagram feed.
Speaker 1:One thing I learned not too long ago but you want to put on your Instagram things that you want more of, so I'm very selective with what I put on my Instagram. I will photograph families in all sorts of colors. They will wear whatever they like and I tell them to. I say this is the style that goes best with my editing and with my overall look that I'm trying to achieve, but these photos are ultimately yours and so you wear what you feel best in. So I have families that love my style advice and they adhere to it 100%. I have other families that wear exactly what they want.
Speaker 1:It is bold colors, is colors that maybe don't even go together warm tones, cool tones, and you know what. That's their choice, and I've already stated that these, these are my best colors that go with my editing the warm tones, the neutrals, the browns, the organic colors, the jewel tones and if you want to wear something else like that is up to them, and so I think that, um, or so, what I post on Instagram is going to be more of the brown tones, the creams, the, the style that I like, love to edit because it brings my vision from like start to finish. When I have people that are not wearing the colors that I love and that go best with my editing, I feel like it's like halfway done, you know, like it's just missing, and it doesn't make me as excited to um, to edit those or to work on that. I mean I'm excited for them to like have their family like documented, and I know that they'll love it, but it's not something that I'm going to want to shoot more of, and so I just am very selective with what I post on my Instagram. So you want to shoot things that you love so that you can build a good portfolio on Instagram or TikTok or Facebook or your website. Wherever you post your work, it should be work that you love and that you want more of.
Speaker 1:And then also like finding your style. Make sure that you have a designated style. Do you like and like? Your style can be like a bunch of things Like do you like to shoot outside? Do you like, um and like? Your style can be like a bunch of things like do you like to shoot outside? Do you like to shoot indoor? Do you like to uh shoot in full sun? Do you like to shoot in full shade? Do you like to shoot only at golden hour or do you like to shoot um when it's super sunny, like in the morning? Do you like to shoot um twilight, when the sun is going down a little bit? Um, then, also with your style, it could be do you like to have very posed and proper photos. Are people coming for just like a sit down, maybe a couple standing and a couple sitting? Or do you like to have longer sessions that engage families and use more prompts and cueing instead of particular poses? Maybe you have a combination of both.
Speaker 1:Finding your style can also be how you interact with your clients. What is it like to talk with you? What is it like to be at your session? What are you telling them? How are you engaging with them? Or are you more documentary? Are you like a fly on the wall and they just naturally do things and you capture things? Fly on the wall and they just naturally do things and you capture things in the background without them even noticing you. So developing your style and even like online communication, like what are you going to offer them? Being very specific and practicing. You want to practice over and over with real subjects. So maybe you think like I want to go into possibly charging for my sessions, but I need some work, and so maybe you look over the next you know couple months and you book three sessions of a family shoot a newborn shoot or a maternity and maybe just like another family shoot like inside.
Speaker 1:So maybe have three sessions that you are giving location advice, you are giving styling advice and you are going to capture exactly what you want for your Instagram and your website. You are going to note your style, maybe even ask for feedback of, like, what did you notice about my style, did you like what could I improve on? And maybe, like setting it up beforehand, like, hey, I would love to do this free session. I'm trying to get some portfolio photos for my website and Instagram. What I would love from you guys is if you could follow my style advice with my colors and maybe these outfits that I'm sending you Maybe they're from Amazon, maybe just a style guide and if you could just give me feedback at the end. I would love to ask you some questions about how your experience was with me, so that I can refine things and take notes of things that I want to continue with. That would be a great start, and then we will talk later about pricing, booking, all those things and how to establish like an actual business, if that is the route that you want to go to.
Speaker 1:So for me, I was working a nine to five job and I started doing photography on the side and then, um, eventually I started making enough to where I could quit my nine to five job. And then, um, and then it's just all panned out like since then, raising your prices and offering new things, refining your skills, um, just being confident and delivering. Um, and building clients that love and trust you and want to tell other people about you. So that is where we are going. We are going to continue talking about becoming a photographer as a side hustle or part-time business.
Speaker 1:Okay, so your challenge is you can start a photography Instagram page, which I love to keep things separate, so that if people are here for my photography, they know exactly where to go, and if people want to go for my personal, they can where to go, and if people want to go for my personal, they can get to know me on my personal page. I integrate some a little bit so that people definitely get to know me on my business page, but I I don't want to feel so much pressure to take like the best photos on my personal page, so I like to keep my client work like anything that's done, um, you know, for my clients, or even if it's like about me to tell my clients, that is all my business page. I don't want people to have to come through my personal and like thumb through like a million photos of like my kids or my baking, or my food or my travel, just to get to what are they going to get when they book me? So that would be. The first thing is make a specific page that you want to host your work, whether it's a Facebook page, instagram, maybe you're starting a website on Canva or a blog or whatever like that. Then you are going to set up those three sessions free sessions that you are going to set up those three sessions free sessions that you are going to have more control over, and so go ahead and set those up. Tell your clients, potential clients, friends, whatever what you are wanting, what you are expecting, and get those dates on the calendar. Maybe even, you know, offer an incentive that you will give them five free photos and maybe they have to pay for the rest. Um, that could be also a start. Or you can just say, like I've included tens to take the pressure off of getting so much variety.
Speaker 1:Speaking of variety, I have just created the best shot list. It is a creative. It's called the best shot list. It is a creative. It's called the creative shot list and what it is is a checklist from all the episodes that we have talked previously on creative shots, like using leading lines or framing. It is there in a iPhone size screenshot image where you can keep it on your phone during your session and make sure that you hit all of these, or as many as you can of these shots, and you will have a plethora of different style shots to add variety to your Instagram, variety to your clients, clients galleries into their delivered photos, and so, yeah, that is in my show notes and you will 100% want to grab that. I am going to start using it at every session.
Speaker 1:I basically created this because I need it. Every time I have a shoot, I create like some sort of shot list on my notes, just so I can. Just so I can refer to that and if you are struggling with what to tell your clients to do in front of the camera, I also have 24 prompt cards. That this is what it makes them different is that it doesn't just tell you what to say. It tells you what to shoot.
Speaker 1:So, while the family is doing this, you are shooting this, this, this. So while the family is doing this, you are shooting this, this, this so golden things that you will want to have in your pocket to use at sessions as a backup or a refresher before you go into a shoot, to take off some of the pressure of like, what do I do, what do I say, you know, especially if this is new to you, but also if this is old to you. Maybe you need some new content, and so that is for you in the show notes and I hope that you get something out of this, and I can't wait to talk next week about pricing and booking your first paid session. So I hope you guys have a great week and just go out there and make some better photos. All right, see you later. Bye.