New things are coming.... Thu. September 27, 2007 gossip
I've been in business awhile now and although I do try to keep things consistent as far as my brand and logo, in the next couple of months, there are going to be some updates around here! I've got some ideas about where I'm going next, and I thought it would be fun using the wayback machine to take a look at the past couple of site revisions (including one before I even had my logo). There's actually another site I had in between the first two that wasn't archived so I can't show you that, but check this out:
2003:
Blog Stalker Q & A: Part 2 Mon. September 24, 2007 photographers
Welcome to part 2 of my continuing series "Blog Stalker Q&A"
First, a note to the stalkers--if you want to ask me a question, please add it into the comment section of the original post. You can find the post RIGHT HERE--CLICK THIS LINK TO LEAVE YOUR QUESTION. It is too hard at this point for me to keep track of emails and questions in random posts, so they all go here. Also, read through the questions already on there to try to avoid asking duplicate questions :)
In today's digest, I have twof questions to answer. First up is Eleni.
Eleni asked: Hi Jessica! I love your work and feel that I have learned a lot from the many photography-related tidbits you write about in your blog. My question is: What can new photographers do to spread word of mouth in order to attract high clientele? So many times I read that advertising and mass mailings are ineffective. What would you recommend? Thanks, Eleni
Think about it this way: when you are getting ready to make a very large purchase, who or what do you turn to to help you make a decision? The coupon that came in the mail? Maybe. The friend who already bought that car, used that realtor to buy that house, the swimming pool guy who has a track record of doing amazing creations? Definitely!
People trust people that they already know who have had experiences good or bad. When I receive a piece of marketing material in the mail I may look it over and remember the name if it comes up in conversation again, but that piece of mail is obviously biased, whereas my friend will tell me her experience honestly. With higher end bookings (or really any bookings at all), people get most of their information from either friends that they trust or coordinators that they have hired because they trust their opinions.
My goal for my business is to treat every client like they are my ONLY client. Most of my past clients will tell you that I return emails usually within the hour, am never too busy and it is never too late to take their calls, and genuinely feel that we are friends. Establishing this relationship is SO important to me not only because it makes the wedding day so much fun, but also because of the way I will continue to be involved in their lives through their friends' and family weddings. The best way to spread word of mouth is to get other people to do that for you, and when you think about it, isn't it more fun to refer a friend than just a business? The name of the game is relationships, and not only is it business-savvy to start thinking that way but also much more fun!
Geanette asked: 2 questions-1st..If you had to pick 1 workshop to attend, which would it be? 2...What are typical ps actions that you apply to you photos besides magic sharp? Thanks, you rock!
I have only attended one workshop in the past couple of years which was the Anti-Workshop by the Boutwells and the Coopers and it was absolutely awesome. However they don't have another one schedule just yet, so my picks for the next couple of months are:
Joe Photo and John Mireles: RIMROCK WORKSHOPS. This one is incredibly appealing to me because I think one of the main things people are scared of is off-camera lighting and these guys rock at it. Plus, they're awesome people and fun to be around. The workshop is coming up fairly soon, but if you want to invest in something that is WAY different than what a lot of people are doing and will really separate you from the crowd, this is the one to attend. It is November 6-8 of this year, so get on it quick!
Oh, and if you want great contracts and forms, you should check out John's Photographers Toolkit--I've been using it to tweak my contracts and papers and they are so ironclad.
Becker's Party of 5. He's got them coming up in November and December right here in So. Cal. For all I know they are already full because they book up almost as soon as he posts about them, but his party of 5 workshops are not to be missed, whether you are a beginner or a seasoned pro. If you want to see how someone who knows how to do things does them from beginning to end in a small group environment, you need to get your ass out to California and attend one of these workshops ASAP. Plus, I might be able to join you for dinner and/or poker!
Actions: I used to be really big on Kubota actions and I still use them for basic things, but when I want to give m images a new look or kick, I use the Boutwells TOTALLY RAD actions. They are so seriously awesome, I use them all the time.
Okay, just two questions for today, but I'll try to get into taking Friday's to post more!
Kristin & Justin in Big Bear, California Sun. September 23, 2007 i do
Yesterday, Braedon and I made the long, windy, rainy at times treck from Orange County to Big Bear. It would normally only be about 1.5 hours away, but it took about twice that because half of the mountain is (was) on fire this past week so we had to take an alternate route up!
Fortunately, the fires stayed away from where Kristin and Justin had planned their wedding. Also fortunately, as we headed up the mountain, the weather cleared, leaving us with this beautiful crisp day, exactly the kind of day you think of when you picture a little wedding up in the mountains!
I decided to do a slideshow of this wedding because I just loved the song that everyone walked down to. I swear, there was not a dry eye at the place! Kristin and Justin are such a sweet couple that stayed true to who they are with everything they did for this wedding. It was so fresh and real and simple, and I hope that I was able to convey that with this show. So here we go!
--By the way for those of you that don't like the slideshows--click the "gallery view" button in the lower right then click on the first photo. Then you can just click the right hand side of each photo to view them individually without scrolling down. Isn't that cool??!!
The flowers were awesome! Justin's mom is a florist and she decked out everything in autumn hues of yellow and brown:
The site--Justin actually built the arch they stood under himself:
Kristin was a gorgeous bride:
Justin is just so cute and great about being photographed:
He rocked the Ed Hardy shoes:
Walking down the aisle:
I love this one of Kristin & her dad:
ceremony:
married!
It was such a gorgeous day. Although it looked cloudy earlier, we had the light when we needed it:
Kallissa & Paul were married this past weekend up in beautiful Marina Del Rey. It was a very appropriate place for the wedding to be because they own a boat in the Marina that has been a central spot in their relationship, and they are both really in tune with the atmosphere in the area.
Kallissa and Paul from the start were not your average couple. Both of them in a creative field themselves, they had their own ideas about what a wedding should be, and traditional did not fit the bill! They enlisted their crew and set off to create something that only existed in their minds, and the result was nothing less than truly "them"
Everything had to be Kallissa pink. Check out these shoes!
The absolutely stunnign bride:
Handsome groom:
first sight--from the second these two saw each other, I don't think the smiles left their faces once all day!
The bouquet:
Yes, Kallissa did wear pink! I love that she decided that on her wedding day she wanted to wear something that made her feel beautiful and that did not include a white dress.
Paul used to model--can you tell?
Such a great looking coup0le:
We actually (for once) had a bit of extra time so I shot some photos of the bridesmaids. There was one more gorgeous bridesmaid that I didn't make squat down because she's about ready to have her baby!
The couple:
The ceremony area:
I loved these little kids!
I shot a whole series of Kallissa's dad while we were waiting for the ceremony to begin--these were some of my faves all day:
Married!!
Paul hopped the fence to unlock it so we could go down to his boat in the marina:
Sweet cake! This was also the best tasting cake ever. Maybe Paul will leave a comment with the name of the bakery--he told me he's been having cakes from there since he was a kid. It was DELICIOUS!
The scene was set for the party! Tons of little disco balls:
First dance:
Father daughter
Gina & Heath, my clients from last year--I LOVE these guys! Gina's tongue didn't quite make it out, but since eyes were closed in the rest of the photos, this is what you get. :)
Kallissa & Paul, thanks so much for letting me be a part of your big day!
So I guess there was this thing going around the blog ring that if you were tagged by another blogger, you had to post 8 things about yourself then tag 8 more people. I thought i wasn't ever tagged by anyone and was feeling left out, but it turns out I actually WAS tagged by Kristy ages ago, so here we go!
8 things about me that you might not (and probably don't) know:
1. I have never smoked a cigarette or taken a shot of alcohol. Oh yes, I've had many many drinks and gotten in my fair share of little troubles but those are two things I've managed to avoid for this long and imagine I always will. And don't be thinking you will be able to get me to do either one--trust me, I've gotten plenty of pressure on both and am unwavering!
2. I actually went to three different colleges and it took me six years to get my four year degree. This isn't something I'm very proud of, but I am proud that I eventually DID manage to secure my college diploma from NC State University in May of 2003. I skipped graduation to shoot a wedding.
3. My parents got divorced this past year after 30 years of marriage. This is something I went through this past year that I wasn't comfortable sharing on my blog until now, because now everything has really worked out for the best! It's so strange to grow up one way and then have everything change. I know it shouldn't affect me that much since I don't live at home anymore and am just a couple years away from being 30 myself, but it's strange how that happens. In any case, both of my parents are doing so well and are so happy, so there was a happy ending after all.
4. I won a pageant one time, when I was 5 years old. It was the first and last one I ever entered, and I still have an enormous trophy that my mother brought out last time she visited. My official title is "Little Miss Twin Rivers, 1985"
5. I have never had any official photography training. I took one photography class in high school and came away with nothing but two of my best friends and a C-. In college I wasn't interested really until I got to NCSU, but since I was an English major, I was ineligible to take the photography classes offered by the design school. So I am 100% self taught.
6. I buy new clothes more often than do laundry. Another one I'm not proud of, but oh well! I like to shop and I hate to do laundry, so it was a natural foregone conclusion that this would happen. While we're at it, I haven't grocery shopped in six weeks. So there!
7. I have naturally curly red hair and have hated it my entire life. I have been blow drying it straight since I was about 12 years old. I'm at the point now where I do like the color, but having curls has literally been the bane of my existence thus far. There are places I would actually REFUSE to go based on the percentage of humidity in my hair. Fortunately, I now live in a climate more conducive to my hair dryer.
8. Although #7 is 100% true, I actually won a hair contest when I was 14, the Salon Selectives Super Hair Search. I won second place, which was a lifetime supply of hair products. I bet I still have some somewhere. You can find my photo in the July 1994 issue of Teen Magazine.
Okay that's it!
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