In my last post I shared Going Pro lesson #2 on Photography Marketing and how to create a funnel to attract, communicate and engage with prospects and clients. If you only do a small percentage of what I’m teaching in these lessons…you will still be further ahead than most business owners out there.

Photography Marketing Mind Map

In The Going Pro Lesson #3 I’ll show you the (2) pillars that can help you connect and spread the word about your business without it costing you hundreds of dollars in advertising. Yes…it will take some work to get things set up, but once they are created you just need to post content for people to consume. You just have to be a real person who shares their passion. We are Photographers and we take pictures…right? These 2 pillars will allow you to share your talent and have others do the same with hundreds if not thousands of people.

The TOOLS

I mention some tools in the video, some free and some paid…but you need to look at these as tools to help your business grow. It’s like being a photographer…but you don’t have a camera. You need a camera to take pictures and you need a website or blog to market your business. You need an Email Auto-Responder to communicate with your list of prospects and clients. It’s the same thing. They are tools to help with a certain part of your business.

The Marketing Flow

This video will lay everything out for you to follow, so you understand how to create a community that will help promote your business. It will show you how to create content and syndicate it out to various platforms (The 2 Pillars).

Watch the video below that shows the entire outline and concept that anyone can follow.

In this post I wanted to share a couple of portraits from a recent newborn session.

A couple of weeks ago my cousin gave birth to a precious baby girl.  Five days later she texted me  and asked if I had any time to stop by  that afternoon and take a few pictures for her.  We all know that babies are sleepy during their first two weeks of life and this is the best time to capture those sweet sleeping images so I couldn’t resist!  

Tip #1 – Turn Up The HEAT!

I told her to crank the heat up and I would be there in an hour.

Here’s a list of what I took with me for this session.

1. Small white vinyl backdrop (5′x7′) 
2. Large soft blanket
3. Heating pad
4. Few cute props
5. ….and of course my camera

No Excuses…Use What You Have!

I want you to know that all I had was the items I listed above. I didn’t have a big fancy studio or my professional lights. I used natural light and bounced my flash when I need to. So, because I didn’t bring a backdrop stand, I just draped the backdrop up on her bed.  The lighting was pretty good and the bed was high enough that she didn’t have to bend over much.  Anyone who has given birth and has had a c-section will tell you that bending over can be dangerous and not to mention extremely painful!  I like to make sure the Mom is comfortable and doesn’t have to do much bending during the sitting!

Before draping the backdrop over her headboard, we took a large piece of plywood and put it underneath, so when I set the props down they would have a hard surface to keep them stable.  Always remember that safety is your first priority with newborns!

I usually let Mom choose which props she would like to use first.  Since my cousin is a bird lover, she decided to use my  grapevine basket that looks like a little bird’s nest.  I scrunched up a neutral colored blanket that was warmed up in the dryer and put it inside the nest.  

Next…we placed Baby Gianna in her warm nest where she  looked so cozy and peaceful. She was even smiling at times.  I think she must have been dreaming of mamma bird bringing her lunch

Ok…so next we decided to try the distressed green wooden bucket I just purchased.  Once again we warmed the blanket and place her inside. Her cheek was a little scrunched up at first so I took a small washcloth, folded it a couple of times and placed it under the blanket to lift her head.  Mom was standing right next to baby and I told her never to look at me and only focus on Gianna.   

I’m posting 2 more shots below to show you that you are never  limited to what you have. You can use creative cropping to zoom in and get an entire different look and you can also use a Digital Background to give you even more options.

This was so much fun and  I plan on getting together with her again this week! 

I’ll keep you posted and share some more photos from her next session:)

This is an example of how you can create a close-up to give your clients more options. From my experience, the close-ups always sell.

This shot below was done on the white vinyl and wasn’t edited, but I wanted to take this on white so I could create the next shot.

Ok…here is the edited version using a Digital Background. It’s actually from 2 different Digital Creation’s inside the DC Club. I might see if Scott can make this available as a Free download

Now…get out there and take some newborn portraits. It’s so much fun and people will tell everyone about the job you did for them. New parents are always so excited and telling everyone they know. Why shouldn’t it be  you?

As always…leave a comment below and let us know your thoughts!

Hey Everyone, It’s Lisa,

I wanted to share some portrait ideas for Mother’s Day. Believe it or not, Mother’s day is right around the corner and choosing the perfect gift can be extremely difficult.  I always tell people to plan ahead and you should be planning this at least a few weeks before. If you can plan a couple of months ahead….that’s even better. I know where talking about Mother’s Day here, but this applies to any Holiday or special occasion.

Let’s be clear about something here.

Your job as a photographer and a marketer, is to help your clients find that special gift by offering them a unique portrait session and with Mother’s day near as I wrote this…we’ll use this as our example.  Always remind them that this is guaranteed to be the most favorite gift she’ll receive and it will  last longer than a bouquet of flowers!

They can choose from a generation portrait, a family portrait,  a Mommy and me session or simply just photograph the children by themselves. A beautiful portrait that captures a moment in time is a gift from the heart and  will be  treasured forever.  But…you already know that.

Here’s  a couple of unique portrait ideas for inspiration!

Take a photograph of the Mother and child’s shoes or capture a close-up of them holding hands.  Find a meaningful quote and personalize the portrait using Photoshop or create a unique personalized collage.

Photograph a little girl playing dress-up in her mother’s or her grandmother’s clothing or wedding gown.  The client can help you create  this family heirloom portrait by bringing along their mother or  grandmother’s wedding gown.  If they don’t have a gown, they can bring a  favorite dress or outfit and shoes. You can also ask them to bring any  vintage hats,  old family photographs  or other special mementos to personalize their portrait.

Children will  have a ball playing dress-up!   Using their mother’s or grandmother’s clothing, photos and mementos makes it extra special.  I recommend using a vintage trunk that the child can sit on or they may even want to climb inside.  In this portrait, our daughter is wearing her great-grandmother’s nightgown and is admiring  her old black and white wedding photos.  As you can imagine, her great- grandmother was absolutely thrilled when she received this on Mother’s Day.  This unique gift idea is sure to be a hit and will be cherished for generations to come.

So…I hope this gets you thinking of the possibilities that can be created by using some simple props and classic portraiture. Don’t over complicate things when creating these special portraits. Just keep in mind that the Mother/Grandmothers will be thrilled to have a keepsake from their child or children.

Here’s a few portrait ideas so you can see exactly what I am suggesting you create.

This portrait above was just simply a Mother and Child’s shoes with a nice poem. Simple, but yet very nice.

This portrait was created using the child’s Great Grandmother’s wedding photos on the floor and leaning up against the chest. She’s also looking at one of the pictures to add some connection to the portrait.

This shot was created using one of our Digital Backgrounds and props from our Digital Creation’s Club called “Attic Treasures”. This gives the feel of the past and just an overall happiness with the children smiling. How can you not smile and love that portrait. I know most Mothers would love this as a keepsake.

So…there you have it. There some real examples so you can get a better idea of what you can offer your clients. Like I said, this could be  easily used for any Holiday or Special occasion.

All you have to do now is let people know about your promo and snap the picture

In this video I’ll show you how I create more than one portrait from the same shot. It’s super simple to do and it only takes a few minutes to complete.

Watch the video below to see me in action perform these simple tricks.

Here’s the link to check out the Digital Creation’s CLUB!

I wanted to share a very simple way to create more than one look from the same image. I recently created these two shots for our Digital Creation’s club. and wanted to share these on the blog.

Here’s the original portrait (Golden Mountain View) in a horizontal shot.

Then I decided to create a close up of the two girls that would give the portrait  a completely different look. I wanted to go with a vertical layout and still keep some of the foreground elements in the final crop.

Here’s the simple steps I used to crop this image and keep the detail and quality to enlarge into an 8×10 and all the way up to a 20×24 inch portrait.

Step #1: Make sure you set you size and resolution before you crop the image.

Step# 2: Select your area by clicking and dragging with the crop tool

Step# 3: Use the “Thirds Grid” to give your crop the best site lines.

Here’s a few tips for cropping:

1. Never cut off hands or fingers
2. Never crop just below the knee
3. Cutting into the top of the head can be a nice touch

Few more examples….

Full Horizontal Original

Cropped Vertical Version

Extreme Close-Up From Same Portrait Session – Different Pose

I hope you can see that by cropping your images in a vertical or another site line…that you can create an entirely different look to offer your clients. It’s a simple technique that many photographers don’t use enough.

I hope this has inspired you and got your creative juices flowing

Club Members Login HERE!

Ok…let me explain how this picture you see right here has caused me a few problems and how I FOOLED the Pros!

Plus…I want you to see that these style portraits are very popular and you should be using these in your portrait business. Your clients will LOVE THEM!

First…I created our “Unique Trench Bowl” Digital Prop and Background set for our Digital Creation’s Club. Then I listed it on Ebay to be sold to professional photographers.

It was selling for $24.95 and people were loving it.

But…not all was good

We started to receive a few refund requests, because they thought it was  a real Wooden Trench Bowl. They said the picture looked real with the baby in the prop. They said they never used Digital Backgrounds or Props before. Some said they wanted to learn more…but some didn’t.

Every time I list something on Ebay or Amazon I’m very careful to be as detailed as possible, so people know what they are getting. You never want refunds on Ebay…especially because it hurts your feedback rating. We don’t want that!

2 Important Lessons HERE!

• 1. Wooden Trench Bowls are very popular right now and you should get one and add this to your prop collection.
• 2. Digital Props and Backgrounds can look real if done correctly and can be added much easier and far less expensive.

Here’s a few Wooden Trench Bowls I found on Ebay to show you that they are available. But…they can be expensive. With that being said…they will pay for themselves over and over again…as anything you invest in for your business. As long as you use it!

I wanted to share this with you, because it proves that people want this stuff and that Digital props can look REAL! Look I Fooled The PROS

I’m probably going to remove our listing on Ebay for a little while and try to create a better description. But…if you want access to our “Unique Wooden Trench bowl” Digital Creation set…I have a special offer for you.

You can download this set for just $19.95.

Click Here to download

or

You can join our Digital Creation’s club and receive this same set for 50% off regular price and over 100 others to choose from. Plus…all the other benefits of becoming a member.

Join the club HERE!

So…I hope I’ve opened your eyes to this huge opportunity…if you’re not already using Digital Props and Backgrounds.  There’s so many options once you learn the process and it will become very exciting for you and your photography.

Talk to ya soon!

Scott

I noticed this on our Digital Creation’s Private Facebook Group and I needed to share it with all our blog and NPB subscribers. It was submitted by Lori Register Burlew of Forget Me Not Photography and she was asked …Is This A Digital Background?

The answer is YES!

This set is from our Digital Creation’s Club and it is called “Comfy Basket Set”

You Can SWIPE This Idea!

Yes…you could recreate this very easily with a hard wood floor, baseboard molding, solid backdrop or wall, wicker style basket and colorful blanket. But…most people don’t want to spend the money on all these components and would rather we create it for them.

So…just keep in mind that if done properly, Digital Backgrounds and Props can be a HUGE asset to your business and help offer more options.

I also would like to say that not all Digital Backgrounds and Props are created equal and there is some bad stuff out there. I’m not bashing anyone here…just stating the facts.

It’s the old saying…Good Quality In…Good Quality OUT!

I hope this post has helped inspire you and also given you some ideas that you can use in your Photography.

Here’s the original post from our Digital Creation’s Facebook Group.

]]> http://newportraitbiz.com/blog/1215/was-this-a-digital-background-and-prop-or-not/feed/ 2 http://newportraitbiz.com/blog/1138/digital-backgrounds-props-bring-photographer-more-business/ http://newportraitbiz.com/blog/1138/digital-backgrounds-props-bring-photographer-more-business/#comments Tue, 27 Dec 2011 13:45:09 +0000 NewPortraitBiz http://newportraitbiz.com/blog/?p=1138

I wanted to share a post that one of our Digital Creation Club member’s just posted on Facebook. It proves that Digital Backgrounds and Props can be added to any photography business and bring in More Clients and More Business.

His name is Ty Bellitti of Ty Bellitti Photography and he did exactly what I have preached for years. Get an idea and TAKE ACTION!

That’s exactly what he did. He joined our Digital Creation Club on November 17th of 2011 and didn’t waste anytime. He has photographed over 40+ dogs using Digital Backgrounds and Props and his customers are loving these portraits.

Ty explains “I never thought to use digital background until I watched a Digital Creations youtube video by accident. I loved the idea and quickly became a member”.

He also gives a few tips on how he received his 40+ dogs to photograph and it something that I’ve taught in the past and is still a great technique.

1. Find businesses that your target market is already buying from.

2. Offer something to the business owner that will give value to their customers

It’s a WIN WIN!

So….I hope you can see that you always want to be open to try new ideas and expand what you offer your clients. Hey…you never know

Click the link below if you want to learn more about adding Digital Creations in your business.

I decided to create a list of some past blog posts that I created for Holiday Portraits. I wanted to put them all in one place to make it easier to locate…so you can spend less time searching and have more time Taking Pictures!

Enjoy!

Tip #1

Here is a Digital Background Portrait Idea For The Holidays.

This can be done with or without using a Digital Background or Digital Prop when creating this portrait. The Holidays are the busiest time for most Photography Studios and….Read More Here!

Tip #2

The Holiday’s are one of the busiest times for portrait photographers and their businesses. That’s why you need to take advantage for these busy times and be creative in your sessions.

I wanted to share 5 new portraits we just created for…Read More Here!

Tip #3

I received an email the other day asking about Holiday Portrait Ideas for families and small groups. So…I wanted to share some portrait ideas and posing tips to help you create Amazing Shots this Holiday Season.

Here’s a portrait we just created…..Read More Here!

Tip #4

In this post I wanted to show you how one of our  Digital Creations Club Members created (3) Studio Portraits with just (1) shot. This is why Digital Backgrounds and Props are so Amazing and so….Read More Here!

Tip #5

Here’s a few shots that Becky VanPeeren posted from our Digital Creation’s Club. She did a great job creating these portraits and took the time to plan before the actual shot. This made the final image look flawless and….Read More Here!

[VIDEO] Creating Holiday Portraits That SELL – How To Lesson

Tip #6

This video lesson was never posted on the blog…but I sent it out to our NPB Subscribers and students. I wanted to include it here inside this tips guide to help with your Digital Cut Outs and see me actually take you through every step in creating these portraits.

Click Here to Watch!

The Holiday’s are one of the busiest times for portrait photographers and their businesses. That’s why you need to take advantage for these busy times and be creative in your sessions.

I wanted to share 5 new portraits we just created for our NPB Digital Creation’s Club. You are free to use these as inspiration and put your own spin on them for your upcoming sessions.

Portraits #1 – Peaceful Holiday Night

Pro TIP: Always try to name your portraits or themes. This makes it unique to you and your style.

Portrait #2 – The Train StationPro TIP: Using Trains as a theme or a prop are usually a big hit with clients.

Portrait #3 – Elegant Evening

Pro TIP: Old Victorian furniture adds a classy look and can be used for the Holidays or anytime of the year.

Portrait #4 – Christmas Eve

Pro TIP: Capturing cute poses or expressions will help sell your portraits. Try this one!

Portrait #5 – Hat and Mittens

Pro TIP: Use fun props to be creative, but don’t over do it. Simple is sometimes better.

So…there’s 5 unique portrait ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Study these images and see how you can add a unique flare to your Holiday portraits.

It doesn’t matter if you use our Digital Backgrounds or not…you should have some fresh ideas for you to…BE Unique!

Now…if you want to take a short cut and add portraits like these almost instantly and you’re not currently a Digital Creation’s club member…you can get started HERE!

Good Luck and I look forward to seeing your unique portraits this holiday season.

Happy Shooting