Stay ConnectedWelcome to The Bokeh Podcast, where we help photographers build sustainable businesses!
Host Nathan Holritz and his guests will help you build your brand, focus your marketing efforts, refine your workflows, and dial in your photographic technique – all with efficiency in mind.
In the end, we not only want you to succeed as a photography business owner, but to still have a life through it all.
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Copyright: © Copyright Photographer's Edit
Is your desktop or laptop cluttered with files from past and recent photo shoots, with no easy to way to find the files when you need them? Are those same images taking up space on your hard drive, slowing your computer down, and leaving you wondering where to put the images next?
Listen in to this weeks' Workflow Wednesday episode with Nathan Holritz and Rich and Heather Smith, as they break down how you can simply and efficiently organize and archive your images from past and recent portrait sessions or events for easy access when needed, and safe backup for peace of mind.
The audio from Workflow Wednesday episodes is from our weekly Facebook Live videos. Tune in live on Wednesdays at 1PM EST, at facebook.com/photogsedit.
The Bokeh podcast is brought to you by Photographer’s Edit: Custom Editing for the Wedding and Portrait Photographer. You can also subscribe to the Bokeh podcast on the Apple podcast app, follow on Spotify, add to your playlist on Stitcher, or listen on Overcast.
Links
Nathan Holritz
Heather Smith
Rich Smith
Haylee Gaffin
Photographer's Edit
WD hard drives
Samsung solid state hard drive
Backblaze
ChronoSync
WhatSize
Arq
ShootProof
The Smith's folder naming scheme
Year, Month, Day, Date, Job Name, Job Type
The Smith's folder contents
LR catalog, Originals folder, Edited folder, Temporary folder
Nathan's folder structure
Year, Client Name, Date/Type of Shoot, Originals, Edited, LR Catalog
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Are you hesitant to make an appearance on your Instagram in order to maintain a beautiful feed? Could this be leading to missed opportunities from clients who want to know the person behind the camera?
In episode 126 of the Bokeh Podcast, Anastasia Giaouris of Olive Photography shares how she uses Instagram Stories to represent her brand, herself, and her values. Listen in as she provides you with tips to get started creating content for Instagram Stories that will connect you and your followers.
The Bokeh Podcast is brought to you by Photographer’s Edit: Custom Editing for the Wedding and Portrait Photographer. You can also subscribe to the Bokeh podcast on the Apple podcast app, follow on Spotify, add to your playlist on Stitcher, or listen on Overcast.
For me, the purpose of the stories primarily is to connect with your viewers, help them get to know you.
Lesson Learned: Two months after going full time, she experienced an anxiety attack where she ended up calling an ambulance. After that experience, she realized she needed to take time for herself, live her life with intention and not let her business take over her life.
Steps to Taking More Time for Herself:
1. Going out for more walks.
2. Learn how to ground yourself and just take time to breathe.
Brand Position: A photographer of love and happiness, capturing genuine warm moments of life and love.
Content Ideas for Instagram Stories:
1. Great projects you’re working on.
2. Upcoming shoots that you’re preparing for.
3. Your pets, because everyone loves animals.
4. Food that you enjoy.
5. Behind the scenes of your life.
3 Creative Ways to Use Instagram Stories:
1. Make your followers an insider on a dilemma.
2. Poll your audience.
3. Take them with you on an adventure.
4 Steps to Get Started:
1. Identify what your brand is and the type of people you want to attract.
2. Asses things that you already do that naturally represent your brand to share on your stories.
3. Utilize the tools that Instagram has to make stories look fun.
4. Don’t be afraid to show your face.
Instagram Accounts to Follow for Inspiration:
@kironcmukherjee @phil_torres @brides
Mentioned in this Episode:
Links
Website: olivephotography.ca
Instagram: @olivephototo
Facebook: Olive Photography
Are you efficiently managing your communication with potential clients and colleagues? With all of the tools and functionality out there, where do you begin implementing systems?
In episode 125 of the Bokeh Podcast, Nathan Holritz, Haylee Gaffin, Heather Smith, and Rich Smith continue the series on managing communication in their photography business. They share their top three tools and tips to efficiently organize and structure your primary forms of contact.
The audio from Workflow Wednesday episodes is from our weekly Facebook Live videos. Tune in live on Wednesdays at 1PM EST, at facebook.com/photogsedit.
The Bokeh podcast is brought to you by Photographer’s Edit: Custom Editing for the Wedding and Portrait Photographer. You can also subscribe to the Bokeh podcast on the Apple podcast app, follow on Spotify, add to your playlist on Stitcher, or listen on Overcast.
Links
Nathan Holritz
Heather Smith
Rich Smith
Haylee Gaffin
Photographer's Edit
Shootq
Boomerang for Gmail
Text Expander
Slack
Gmail
Todoist
Unroll.me
Getting Things Done
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Are you losing potential customers on your website? Do you see plenty of traffic in your analytics, yet visitors continue to fall off without converting?
In episode 124 of the Bokeh Podcast, Paige Vaughn and Amanda Csakan share how building funnels on your website can impact client experience and conversion. Listen as they provide tips on how to create better funnels and what to avoid when building them.
The Bokeh Podcast is brought to you by Photographer’s Edit: Custom Editing for the Wedding and Portrait Photographer. You can also subscribe to the Bokeh podcast on the Apple podcast app, follow on Spotify, add to your playlist on Stitcher, or listen on Overcast.
Paige’s Aha Moment: Stay in your swim lane and don’t compare yourself to other entrepreneurs.
Amanda’s Aha Moment: It’s important to figure out who you want to serve and what will meet their needs. This allows you to define your messaging.
Amanda’s Technique for Time: Pomodoro Technique - Breaking tasks down into 20-25 minutes of focused time separated by 3-5minute breaks.
Paige’s Technique for Time: When you approach your business, really prioritize the 2-3 talents that you are the best at and outsource the rest.
Amanda’s Brand Position: Helping photographers and wedding creatives build brands that reflect who they are and what that stand for while attracting the clients they love working with.
Paige’s Brand Position: Wedding photographer for fun, easygoing, joyful couples in love.
The Gear Bag: Canon 5D Mark III, 50mm 1.2L
Tips for Creating Funnels for Your Website:
1. Keep your CTAs to a minimum and as clear as possible.
2. Using your website as a content resource will keep users interested in your website and sign up for your eNewsletter. Capturing their emails allows you to keep in contact with them even if social platforms disappear.
How You’re Hurting Your Website Funnels
1. There are too many Call-to-Actions on a Homepage or there are none. You should have no more than 3-5 CTAs.
2. Photographers jump straight into talking about themselves without talking about their service or the opposite and they’re not talking about themselves at all.
3. The “About” page isn’t speaking to your dream client.
Photographers Mentioned in this Episode: Abbey Grace
Links:
Are you overwhelmed with the constant onslaught of phone calls, emails, text messages, and social media messages to your business? Is all the incoming communication distracting you from the rest of your business?
In episode 123 of the Bokeh Podcast, Nathan Holritz, Heather Smith, and Rich Smith begin a series about how to more efficiently manage all of the communication associated with running a photography business. To start the conversation, the trio discuss the significance of scheduling times for communication, and share the schedules that have worked best for their businesses.
The audio from Workflow Wednesday episodes is from our weekly Facebook Live videos. Tune in live on Wednesdays at 1PM EST, at facebook.com/photogsedit.
The Bokeh podcast is brought to you by Photographer’s Edit: Custom Editing for the Wedding and Portrait Photographer. You can also subscribe to the Bokeh podcast on the Apple podcast app, follow on Spotify, add to your playlist on Stitcher, or listen on Overcast.
Links
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Do you struggle with turning website traffic into paying clients?
In episode 122 of the Bokeh Podcast, Davey Jones explains the importance in the design of your website and how you could be converting more clients. Listen as he shares the biggest mistakes you may be making that are causing you to lose conversions.
The Bokeh Podcast is brought to you by Photographer’s Edit: Custom Editing for the Wedding and Portrait Photographer. You can also subscribe to the Bokeh podcast on the Apple podcast app, follow on Spotify, add to your playlist on Stitcher, or listen on Overcast.
Davey’s Lesson Learned: Successes of past businesses don’t always follow you on new adventures and you have to remember the work that goes into building a new brand. You have to learn how to pivot and make small changes based on the results that you’re seeing.
“An interesting story is life minus all of the boring parts.” - Alfred Hitchcock
Brand Position: Helping creative service-based business owners build their brands, launch their websites, and expand their reach
Mistakes You’re Making On Your Website:
1. They design the website based on an outline you’ve planned out with pages for every item when they should be focusing on the flow and user experience of the website.
2. They’re blending galleries of different types of photography and events where they should be sharing galleries of individual events that allow clients to see not only a beautiful aesthetic, but an experience.
3. Oversharing is a common mistake; your site doesn’t need to give a potential client enough to not need to contact your or convert.
4. Creating contact forms on your website is great, but if you’re not offering an alternative way for someone to contact you (like an email address) or have asked too many questions, you’re losing potential inquiries.
“Make your about page about your ideal client instead of about you."
Photographers Mentioned in this Episode: Jenna Kutcher
Links:
Website: daveyandkrista.com
Instagram: @daveytjonsey @kristaajones @daveyandkrista
Facebook: Davey & Krista
Are you exuding integrity in your business as a way to build a better client experience and set yourself apart from others?
In episode 121 of the Bokeh Podcast, Megan Newton shares how maintaining integrity in her business has allowed her to gain the trust and loyalty of her clients. Listen as she shares six ways you can proactively treat your clients with a higher level of integrity.
The Bokeh Podcast is brought to you by Photographer’s Edit: Custom Editing for the Wedding and Portrait Photographer. You can also subscribe to the Bokeh podcast on the Apple podcast app, follow on Spotify, add to your playlist on Stitcher, or listen on Overcast.
Megan’s Aha Moment: Megan would sing praises of her business when it was doing well and talk negatively about it when it wasn’t meeting her needs until someone pointed out that she was in an unhealthy relationship with her business.
Time Technique: Set aside time to be together at the beginning of your day.
Brand Position: Sophisticated, moment inspired imagery for authentic and intentional couples.
The Gear Bag: Canon 5D Mark III, Sigma 50mm
Integrity: The quality of honesty.
"Collaboration allows for you to be in power with your client as opposed to power over your client."
Six Steps to Integrity:
1. Invest in time with your client.
2. Be transparent in how you intend to use the images.
3. Share your client’s images with them for approval and experience before you share on social media.
4. Ask permission again before sharing.
5. Delivering images on time to the clients.
6. Arriving on time to set events and meetings.
Links
Website: megannewtonphotography.com
Facebook: Megan Newton Photography
Instagram: @megnewton
Episode 101: Ryan Dugger - How to Become a Full-Time Photographer
The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz
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Do you have systems implemented in your business that allow you to efficiently get work done?
In episode 120 of the Bokeh Podcast, Nathan Holritz, Heather Smith, and Haylee Gaffin discuss dive further into conversation about task and project management. Listen in as they share their weekly and daily routines that allow them to manage their workload. The audio from Workflow Wednesday episodes is from our weekly Facebook Live videos. Tune in live on Wednesdays at 1PM EST, at facebook.com/photogsedit.
The Bokeh podcast is brought to you by Photographer’s Edit: Custom Editing for the Wedding and Portrait Photographer. You can also subscribe to the Bokeh podcast on the Apple podcast app, follow on Spotify, add to your playlist on Stitcher, or listen on Overcast.
Links
Katelyn James' Screencast of Trello
Getting Things Done - David Allen
4 Hour Workweek - Time Ferriss
Project Management for Dummies
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Are you putting your artistic agenda above your client experience?
In episode 119 of the Bokeh Podcast, Rachael Schirano shares how you can put your client first while still maintaining your creativity. Listen as she provides tips for creating a smooth wedding day for both you and your client.
The Bokeh Podcast is brought to you by Photographer’s Edit: Custom Editing for the Wedding and Portrait Photographer. You can also subscribe to the Bokeh podcast on the Apple podcast app, follow on Spotify, add to your playlist on Stitcher, or listen on Overcast.
The Gear Bag: Canon Body, Canon 24-70mm 35mm, Canon 135 mm
Tip for Choosing Gear:
You don’t always need what everyone else has. Learn what works best for your style of shooting and stick with it.
Tip for a Smooth Wedding Day:
1. Create a very secure timeline in collaboration with the wedding couple.
2. Have them create a family portrait shot list so you can run through it much smoother.
Links:
Website: Rachaelschirano.com
Instagram: @rachaelschirano<
Facebook: Rachael Schirano Photography
Episode 81: Helping Boudoir Clients Feel Beautiful - Rachael Schirano
Mating in Captivity - Esther Perel
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Are you intrigued by mirrorless cameras, but hesitant to make the switch in your business?
In episode 118 of the Bokeh Podcast, Ashlee Hamon explains why she made the switch to mirrorless and the impact it made on her photos and business. Listen as she shares her favorite accessories and gear since going mirrorless.
The Bokeh Podcast is brought to you by Photographer’s Edit: Custom Editing for the Wedding and Portrait Photographer. You can also subscribe to the Bokeh podcast on the Apple podcast app, follow on Spotify, add to your playlist on Stitcher, or listen on Overcast.
Ashlee’s Aha Moment: I am the one that define’s my success.
Time Technique: Setting boundaries and sticking to them.
Brand Position: A boutique wedding and portrait photographer based in Tampa telling vibrant stories about who and what you love.
The Gear Bag: Fujinon 56 mm lens
Ashlee’s Decision to Go Mirrorless:
When she was on a 12 hour hike in Chile for a wedding, she was lugging one body and two lenses around and was miserable.
Ashlee’s Equipment:
Fuji X-T2 Mirrorless Camera Body
Mentioned in this Episode:
Links
Website: ashleehamon.com
Instagram: @ashlee_hamon_photography
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