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Ep 50: How to Get Started with Underwater Photography with Elizabeth Blank Mar 09, 2021

Show notes

There are few photography settings on Earth that are as fascinating and rewarding to shoot as underwater. Today we speak with underwater photography expert Elizabeth Blank.

To start, Elizabeth tells us about her history in photography, sharing details about her burnout and what led her to fall in love with the medium all over again. Following this, Elizabeth shares her top tips for novice underwater photographers and touches on different entry levels and the sort of gear you’ll need to get going.

Finally, Elizabeth describes her own tech and gear setup that allows her to take the perfect shot. From dive masks to weighted belts to ideal camera settings, Elizabeth tells all. To hear about how you can master underwater photography, dive into this episode today!

Ep 49: Surviving Photographer Burnout - Tangible Tips for When Busy Season Hits, with Vanessa Hicks Mar 02, 2021

Show notes

Burnout. For many photographers, this often becomes their reality, particularly during and after the busy season. Our guest today is Vanessa Hicks, a destination and wedding photographer based in San Diego. We begin our conversation with Vanessa by finding out what photography means to her, as she tells us about her difficult childhood which was characterized by poverty and addict-parents. With just five photographs of her late father, Vanessa realized the power of photography when she was 19. Years later, after her corporate career came to an abrupt end, Vanessa pursued professional photography as her vocation. She has created a successful career as a photographer, educator, speaker, and blogger. With all these responsibilities, burnout became something to contend with. In this episode, Vanessa shares tangible tips to cope with burnout and gives listeners two main bits of advice: understanding your “why”, and setting yourself proper, timely goals. After elaborating on each, Vanessa tells us about her non-negotiables, why she jots down her schedule in pen specifically, and how to arrange off-days. Toward the end of the episode, Vanessa tells us about the most important aspects of her daily routine. Through this, we find out about the power of to-do lists, and how to create them in all their forms. To close the episode, Vanessa touches on the importance of taking time for yourself and why rest isn’t something you should “earn.” Join us today!

Ep 48: How One Photographer booked 33 Session in Her First 30 Days of Business with CC Seder Feb 23, 2021

Show notes

How you launch your business is what determines how quickly you book clients and earn a steady income. Today we speak with CC Seder, a full-time special needs teacher, and photographer who booked 33 mini-sessions in her first 30 days of business. As informative as it is inspiring, CC reveals her launch strategy, highlighting easy-to-follow steps that lead to a successful launch. As she unpacks her gameplan, she explains the importance of knowing what your resources are, who your clients will be, and how and where you can market yourself. A key lesson in this episode, we then discuss the value of setting lower price points for your first mini-sessions. We also dive into best practices like having a landing page to show your work, providing clear and kind communication, and being able to adapt to your and your client’s needs. CC’s strategy is tailored to getting in front of a huge amount of customers and then building a strong rapport with them. Tune in for insights on how you can book a flurry of sessions within an equally short space of time.

Ep 47: Mini Session Challenge Day 5: Preparing Your Mini Sessions Feb 19, 2021

Show notes

Welcome back to our five-day mini-session challenge! This is the fifth and last segment of the challenge and the topic for today is logistics! That’s right, we will be talking all about preparing for your mini sessions, and you will hear a bunch of tips for organizing yourself and the client so that they walk away with a smile and want to keep coming back. We get into the ins and outs of writing reminder emails, as well as how to give clients all the information they will need once their session is complete in the form of a gift bag. You’ll also hear about assembling a box of miscellaneous items that might come in handy during the shoot, checking the questionnaire you sent your client before the shoot, and a few extra touches you can add to the session to make it extra memorable. Tune in today!

Ep 46: Mini Session Challenge Day 4: Targeted Marketing and Getting Booked Feb 18, 2021

Show notes

Welcome to day four of our five-day mini-session challenge. Today we will be talking about marketing your mini-sessions to get the best possible returns from them. It’s one challenge creating a mini-session, but it’s another trying to book them. We kick off the show by talking about one of the most helpful ways to market your mini-sessions — teasers. We go into what makes a great teaser, how you can roll them out, and what information they should contain. Another great way to book out your mini-sessions is by introducing a waiting list. People frenzy over waiting lists because they always want to be the first in line. Toward the end of the episode, we mention VIP groups and elaborate on why they can be useful, as well as why you should consider partnering up with local businesses in your area. After hearing about trade exchanges, we close the show by talking about charity incentives and how to be responsible with your clients. The episode ends with our challenge expectations, so be sure to listen in!

Ep 45: Mini-Session Challenge Day 3: The Logistics of Planning Feb 17, 2021

Show notes

For Day 3 of our mini-session challenge, we talk about logistics and the tools that you can use to smoothly run your photography business. For starters, we talk about how you can get information about your mini-sessions to clients and then book them through email. After sharing how automated processes can cut down your workload, we look at why you should customize your client management systems to reflect your branding. We then discuss ways to fill your session spots before diving into the importance of having contracts that cover the nitty-gritty details of your mini-sessions. Near the end of the episode, we explore solutions to handling invoicing, retainers, and reschedules. Tune in for more insights on creating systems that help you book, shoot, and bill for your mini-sessions.

Ep 44: Mini Session Challenge Day 2: Design Your Unique Packages Feb 16, 2021

Show notes

Welcome back to the five-day mini-session challenge. This challenge is designed to help you plan your mini-sessions for the year. By the end of the week, you will have all of the logistics planned out for minis, you will know what you want to charge, and how you plan to up-sell your galleries – and the best part? Your host, Logan Fahey is going to walk you through every step. Today, we talk all about pricing, including how to figure out what to charge and how to up-sell your galleries. By the end of this episode, you will have an idea of how to plan for what to charge for your mini-sessions, along with what your up-sell price will be. Up-selling your gallery is super easy if you run your mini-sessions correctly, so tune in to hear all the tips and tricks to make it a breeze!

Ep 43: Mini-session Challenge Day 1: Choosing a Theme and Dates Feb 15, 2021

Show notes

Welcome to the five-day mini-session challenge! This challenge is designed to help you plan your mini-sessions for the year. By the end of the week, you will have gained a bunch of useful knowledge that’ll assist you in knowing what to charge, how to upsell your galleries, and much more. In today’s episode, we talk about the blueprint for your mini-session and discuss the details behind choosing a theme, who is allowed at the session, and the session length. Toward the end of the episode, listeners will hear about what time of day, and even time of year to plan shoots. Be sure to join the challenge and listen in today!

Ep 42: Let's Get Organized! Managing Content Calendars, Social Media Scheduling, and more! With Mandy Liz Feb 09, 2021

Show notes

Marketing ourselves on social media can feel overwhelming with many asking themselves — “where should I start, what should I post, and how can I drive engagement with my audience?” In today's episode, we chat to photographer and personal brand expert Mandy Liz about how you can get organized and start posting content that gets attention and boosts your revenue. After talking about her professional background, Mandy dives into how she builds her content calendar workflow. We touch on outsourcing parts of your content management before exploring how you can use content themes to fill out your calendar with posts that add value to your audience. Mandy then discusses which platforms you should focus on and how you can curate content pieces to fit on multiple platforms. Later, she shares the common mistakes that people make on Instagram along with her top tips on getting people to engage with your content. Tune in to hear about Mandy’s tried and tested branding techniques that will help you stand out in the most saturated markets.

Ep 41: DSLRs vs. Mirrorless Cameras — Is it Worth the Switch? With Shalonda Chaddock Feb 02, 2021

Show notes

Special Offer for Podcast Listeners: https://cc.colesclassroom.com/cc-pro-trial-with-bonuses
Many photographers are currently considering moving from their tried and trusty DSLR camera to a newer and shinier mirrorless model.
If you are one of them, this is definitely the episode for you!
Shalonda Chaddock joins us on the podcast again to talk about her experience of this switch and the lessons she had learned in the process.
She shares all of her wisdom and a few of the mistakes she made so that you do not have to!
We get the real inside scoop from Shalonda, as she gives it to us straight and honest.
As photographers, it is really important to know what is available out there so that we do not miss out on something that would really suit our needs, and this is exactly what you can expect to get from today's chat.
Shalonda talks about her motivations, experiences, and difficulties, and we also look at the issues of color, focus, and learning curves. So for all this and then some, listen in with us today!

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