February 2005

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Newsie bits
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Costa Rica- Just went on a 2 week holiday with Tina, my wife, and Danielle, my 9 year old daughter. Beautiful country. They have several sayings there, two of which are "Pura Vida", the pure life, and "Education is our best defence". This is a country where people seem very balanced and centered, unlike some other countries where life is much harsher and a day to day struggle. This country just "feels" right. Good vibes. That's the main reason we went there two years in a row, something Tina has in the past said she had no interest in doing (going to the same country, especially two years in a row, she likes variety in her travels...)

Here's a few photos, from the hundreds I took whilst there:

All taken with a small Canon A75 point & shoot:

I love photography. If I had to travel and not bring a camera, or two, you might as well put me in a straightjacket. Even using a point & shoot is great. I always have one with me, attached to my belt. It helps keep the creative juice flowing and constantly on the lookout for moments.

Lighting and digital tutorials added to the marketing program: either the photography marketing express pak or photography marketing delivered delivered in-a-box to your door. These awesome tutorials are also included in the wedding system, and the baby photography system. 10-15 minutes each, or less, who know, who cares, their great, and in my opinion priceless. I wish I had 'em when I started out. Took me decades to fine tune where I now have and use this lighting about 90% of the time.

A TOTAL OF 5 LIGHTING TUTORIALS INCLUDING:

*Basic studio lighting
*Lighting the low-key portrait
*Working with one light PART ONE
*Working with one light PART TWO
*Lighting the high-key portrait
INCLUDES 4 DIGITAL WORKFLOW TUTORIALS

Low key and regular portrait lighting:

High key portrait lighting:


And, how to create awesome portrait lighting like this with only one light.
FREE TUTORIAL DOWNLOAD Windows Media Player
Link expired

If you want to get your hands some awesome lighting tutorials there are 45 minutes FREE with any photography success product or
check out the No Bs Photo Success Ultimate Lighting Tutorial.

In case your wondering who that pretty model is, she's my 9 year daughter Danielle.

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C'mere...come closer, no, a little closer........I have an important question for you. Your life, future and destiny depend on this. Are you listening? Lean in a little closer. Here it is: "Did you do your goals last month like I asked you to?". What!! You didn't. "smackk!...", a little love tap on the side of the head for you. Listen, likely the reason you didn't do your goals is this: You cannot depend on yourself to get things done. I know, I deal with me all the time....AND...you also cannot depend on your circle of influence...you know, your friends, spouse, neigbhours, parents and relatives. Not only will these well intentioned folks give you bad advice 99.9999% of the time, they are way too close to you to be effective..and all of a sudden everyone you know becomes an expert ad person, sales letter writer, busines person etc etctec........That's why I'm here to drag you into your dreams, hope and ambitions, kicking and screaming. A success coach can give you reality checks, objective and solid advice, marketing strategies that make sense and it will "sink" into that rock hard wilful head of yours.

More thoughts on who we "fly" with.....They say if you took your ten closest associates and friends, total up their net worth, divide that by ten, and you will have your net worth. You become who you associate with and whom you listen to. That's why having a success coach is so vital in life and in business.

Monte Zucker-- Coming to Phoenix April 25 - 29, 2005, for a 5 day intensive seminar. Only 3 spots available..."Hey everybody, I'm excited to announce that I will be hosting a 5 day class with Monte Zucker from April 25 - 29, 2005 in Phoenix Arizona. We will use my 2000 sq ft studio as our base of operations, but shoots will include some locations as well. This is a 5 day intensive with very limited enrollment. Monte insists on a small class size to enable each attendee to get the maximum benefit. Be sure to bring your camera. We have partnered with a local lab to get fast turn around on processing so you can see your images the next day. I’ve been a fan on Monte’s for over 20 years and I can’t wait for this to happen. If your interested, drop me an email at kerrya@qwest.net or call me at 480-314-2348.......Kerry Allan"

Listen folks, this is a good deal. I believe the cost is about $1,100.00 per person. Class size is limited to a mere 8 people, so you get the advantage of almost one-on-one instruction with one of the greats. Oh, and a great wannabee, my friend James Hodgins from the No Bs Photosuccess site is registered as well. Geeeeesss, maybe I shouldn't a said that. Now you really won't wanna go. Actually, in my opinion, meeting James would greatly enhance the learning experience. The guy is a fireball.

Image Explorations- Five Day Intensive James Hodgins (the othe NO Bs digital photography guy) and I are part of the week long courses being taught next August 21-25, 2005 at Brock University, St Catherines Ontario. We anticipate a sell out as class room size is limited and demand is big. If you are serious about learning and taking your digital photography for portraits and weddings up a notch or two you should really consider this program. It is your best bang for your buck..... Tuition $615.00 Cdn. plus 7%GST ($CDN 43.05) (US residents are entitled to claim the GST back at the border).

"Often people attempt to live their lives backwards; they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want, so they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want."
Margaret Young

I get emails........

"Wow, business management is a huge topic I guess. Before I started my own business, no one mentioned this part of being in business...and all businesses have to do it. I'm a one person show for right now, I hope to change that next year (2006), so i'm everything. The photographer, the marketing manager, the sales person, the bookkeeper and the secretary...a lot is falling through the cracks...a lot of book keeping and filing mostly. And laundry, but that's another issue!..I would love to hear some tips on everyday business running."
Heathe

My answer: Yea, yea, we've all been there. Chief cook, floor scrubber and bottle washer. Nothing will burn you out quicker and turn you off working for yourself faster than doing everything yourself. The hwole worlds on your shoulder...fact is some of us enjoy all the grunt work, makes 'em feel like their accomplishing something and import.ant. This is a serious mistake.

Michale Gerber, who wrote The E-Myth, talk about biz owners, and that's all you photographers out there, as technicians suffering from an entrepreneurial seizure.......technician, he's the guys who's "doing it, doing it, doing it....." day in day out.

The ultimate place to be is where you get to play photographer and marketer over 90% of the time. These are the two most important and highest paying jobs. At my studio we have myself, the photographer and marketer, my wife, who manages everything, she's the big kahuna, and also does all the books (she was a pro accountant in her previous life). We have afull time girl, Carrie, doing nothing but digital workflow. We have Dana, who helps out part time with the regular office stuff. And we have Meaghan, who also is part time, working on album layouts and other digital workflow.

Okay, but life wasn't always so sweet. Me, king of the castle (in my dreams..), surrounded by a bevy of beauties, all at my beck and call, eager to please..(ya, right!). There was a time when I too did absolutely everything. ButI knew things had to change. Here's what I know about the whole world of business managemnt as it applies to a photography studio:

• BOOKKEEPING: It's okay to do your own bookkeeping. At least at first. It's a good thing to understand. Okay, if you really hate it and would rather poke needles in your eyes than push a pencil (or keyboard), do what I did. A bottle of Sherri, my books, and two hours. Voila. All done...*hic! In time I hired a part-time lady to come in and do them all for me. I would urge you to get someone reliable and delegate all bookkeeping. Your time is much better spent elsewhere. By the way, it's a good practise to know how to read the statements and balance sheets. You should at least acquire a fundamental understanding. However, never ever ever delegate total and unsupervised access to accounts to only one person. I don't care who they are. Keep an eye on the checkbook..all the time.
• FILES: As in archived client files. I had boxes going back to 1984. I finally had had enough of these guys lying around taking up precious space so I threw a bunch out, up to the mid '90s. I have nicely arranged shelves and everything is organized by year and alphabetically. You could if you wish hang onto old negs/files if you wish. It's a personal thing. Me, I am not a ratpack. Hate stuff sitting around getting old. Throw it out! I say.....but that's just me. You could call everyone, or put an adc in the paper and offer to sell 'em the old negs, before you throw 'em out.
• FILES CURRENT: As in the stuff in progress. Here's how it works for me. One section (box, counter, file folders in a cabinet...whatever) where all the shoots (I use enveleoppes for all my sesisons) that are scheduled live. All shoots that are proofs out, waiting for the client to bring 'em back, in another section. Yet another section where all stuff out at the lab lives. And another section totally dedicated to orders ready to be picked up and called. This section is very organized with bin numbers assigned and these numbers are used on the clients invoice so we know exactly where it is when they show up. We have another drawer where all our files for that year live before we archive 'em in a file box and shelf 'em.
• OTHER STUFF...like tracking lab orders, orders to be done, appointements etcetcetc. Everything should be systematized and reliable. So you don't have to think. You can prosper. Did you ever meet a really properous person? Did you ever go in their car or home. Most of the time these people are impeccable. Everything in place. Organization is the key here. If you can't do it, hire someone to come in and help you get organized. There are people who do that for a living. And they got that chromozone that us'em mere mortals all miss- the auto-organo one. You will benefit big time by being organized. It allows you to breath and prosper.
• MORE THOUGHTS ON MANAGEMENT.....wouldn't be right if I didn't talk about time management. Your time, and how you spend it, will ultimately determine how far you get, and how much fun you will have along the way. Here's my advice: VALUE YOUR TIME. and manage it. I would'a thought at one time that organizing and structuring my agenda was way too retentive, but now I believe that it has given me more freedom and creativity. I attribute creating a time regimen and sticking to it one of the biggest and best ways to get ahead.
• READ AND LEARN....take courses and get good at business. I did. Everything helps. Just don't do it all yourself when it comes to managing and running your business. A must read is The E-Myth by Michael Gerber, or, if you prefer like I do, get the audio tapes form the live seminar (I think it was taped in Australia..)...awesome, life changing stuff.
  

"People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on it the world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them."
George Bernard Shaw

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Photography Marketing Strategies
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Kevin Doble from The Self Portrait Center started sending out monthly newsletters recently ( well, by recent I mean since he opened last November) and is doing something very smart- he is growing a list of current and past clients and asking their permission to keep in touch with them on a regular basis. He is also doing something double smart. He is using old fashioned snail mail for the monthly newsletter which highlights events and on going promotions, but he is also using email.

Clients will become apathetic and you will risk losing them incremenatlly as time goes on. Not so if and when you stay in constant touch with every client and prospect. He also uses his website to get a whole ton of excitement and participation by using online forums for specials, voting, special promotions, fed back etc.

Kevin has decided to try these off beat marketing strategies and put 'em to the test.

Here's Kevin yellow page ad and my quickie version makeover below

Let's analyze. First off he's doing a lot of stuff right. Using text to sell (instead of boring, institutional and sterile blown up business cards). However the text he is using could be better. Also he has a headline, sub head and bullets. oooppps, he forgot the website address. What's that?? A logo? Of a camera. Oh yea, last time I saw one of those logos I got right on the phone and called the company. I coudln't resist. The power of the logo lured me in.........okay, okay, enough joking around. But c'mon. You really think a logo's gonna help sell? Don't get me started on the uselessness and wasted thousands spent by photographers creating what can only be an ego massage at best. The logo. In this case the logo looks like a clip art thingie....say bye to the nice logo. What else is wrong with Kevin's ad?? The first word in the subhead starts with "Our.....". Listen, every ad, no matter what medium, is about "you". Every prospect out there, either consciously or sub, is thinking " I don't care about you, what's in it for ME! ME ! ME!..."..onwards...

My very fast, did it in like 10 minutes quickie makeover version:

Let's analyze:

• Headline with the biggest USP I could think of. Generally more time and research is needed, but I think this one is close.
• Sub head "What do you get..." which suggests more benefits..prices, fast, trained....delivered in the sub head with a curiosity approach.
• NOW!! One of those power words...but in afew years it'll need to be changed
• Bullets..each benefit laden. In other words, how wll the client actually benefit
• Call today..urgent call to action AND a reason why!
• Website

I used the stencil font to give it that offbeat look, sorta guerilla like. It may be changed, but I'd run this as is. Listen, yellow page ads work, if you teach 'em how to SELL!. It's job is to sell. And then get PROSPECTS likely to use you (targeted) to call you..contact you. The rest is up to you. That's what a yellow page ad is supposed to be......uh uh.

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Success Corner
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"Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the
same number of hours per day that were given to Helen
Keller, Pasteur, Michaelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da
Vinci, Thomas Jefferson and Albert Einstein."
--H. Jackson Brown

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Testimonials
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From the O Bs Photo Success photography forum tonypaul from texas wrote these kind words about the Big Kahuna digital success system he ordered.....
"...i just got mine this week. its well worth the money. i have been in the retail portrait business for a long time and i can say it has something for all levels of interest. personaly and honestly, the ultimate posing guide, didnt do alot for me, but like i said i been in portrait business for a long time and depends on your level, but fantastic none the less. i dont do weddings anymore, so the posing quide for freestyle weddings is not much use to me. but dont think for a minute that it didnt influence and impress me on the details and samples. now the digital success part- rocks!!! but this is my weakness and i really feel if i can ever sit down and really study it, it will be turning point with me going completely digital. and the actions......... killer!!!! i cant wait untill i am knowledgeable enough to use these actions effectively. i printed out everything, put each page into those clear page fillers and put it all in a huge three ring binder. took sometime but its nice and should last me a long time.

my only downside that i had is i have been so busy at the studio that i never had the time to download at the studio with dsl. instead i downloaded it at home with dial-up, it took awhile...... then the printing.......... there is alot of info!!!!!!!

i would highly recommend getting atleast the express pack, if your looking to enhance your skills/talent, but if your just starting out, dont even think about it - get the big khuna!!!!!!!!!"

SO! You want to totally rock your digital photography. See what Tony's talking about.

Here's one more testimonial from Andrea who also ordered the Big Kahuna:

"Hi Robert! I love this program! I learned so much in the first 20 minutes that I am actually amazed! Thank You Thank You Thank You!!!!!.......I poured over
Photoshop training books that I brought with me on VACATION!!!!! I tossed the books and I am really on a roll!(sing) Bada ba da da! I'm lovin it!
Regards, Andrea Seward!
ps. I love the Nobs site, it's an offical part of my daily work program! Yes- I'm a happy girl! Totally worth the cost!"

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