wistler

Mike,

Perhaps you can answer a few questions for me...I just signed up for their reprint services and am trying to use their digital input software and I'm completely lost. Could you provide me with a no nonsense step by step method to just get my images uploaded to them?

M

in which you can see their faces and have the bride and bridemaids standing over them with the bows "showing off their trophies." But that's just me. It could be played with a lot.

M

It does happen. A friend of mine googled my name when I was first starting out in photography and came across a post here in which I was trashed and belittled. She was so upset after reading it that she called me in tears. I'm careful what I say here and what I post here for images as anyone's negative comment or my thought of a "funny" image could land me in some doodoo.

M

that you take images as time and cercumstances allow...you're covered of Uncle Tom doesn't arrive at the shoot until 10 minutes before the ceremony or if the outdoor shots are called off because a flood suddenly drops from the sky. I'm sure a lot of the shots that are on there are images you would take anyway, but there may be a few "candids" won't be gotten. Do you have that in your contract?

MR

Do not sit down. If possible, push your tables back against the wall and STAND infront of your booth. Greet each person that comes in to your area. Shake their hands, ask them how their planning is coming, ask if they have a photographer yet, have a calander available with the dates you've already booked so you can answer if you're available immediately. Have some info in your hands to give to them so and make eye contact. It lets them know that you're interested in them and that you take that extra step to help them rather than forcing them to always reach for their own stuff. Trust me, little things work.

SMILE SMILE SMILE!

MR

Have a meeting with and yes, have an official "cancelation" thingy that they have to sign..whether it be together or one at a time (depending on why they are not getting married) THEN... IF you have a non refundable retainer, offer a small portrait session during a dead time as a "freedom" package. This of course, goes to which ever one paid (or family paid for) the deposit.

This leaves it as they still get something, you still have the oportunity for a sale and get to work on developing your skills both professionally buisness wise as well as artistically AND you look great because you are giving them another option for their retainer.

I've done this twice in the past and it turned out awesome! I got several referrals off of both sessions.

Just a thought.

MR

the downsizing?

Here is #2.<div></div>

Okay, these are basically my first real attempts at studio

portraits. I've dinked around before with a sheet and bad lights,

but now, I'm tackling it.

I'm hear to learn.

Thanks.

MR<div></div>

The bride was ticked off because her mother in law hid her cowboy boots and wouldn't let her take pictures riding one of her horses prior to the ceremony. We're getting together this coming summer to do that! Yes, he is her Clark Gable or whoever even if he is a bit gruff in the rough. He's HUGE and she's TINY next to him and they just work well together. They had a team and wagon that pulled the wedding party that belonged to her father...said it was her dream since she was a little girl and all the groomsmen wore cowboy hats and wrangler jeans with tux jackets and it looked quite sharp and the backside view was great for me! I'm working on doing up an album for them now...nothing expensive, but I believe it will be a GREAT promo piece because of the lifestyle they live and all of the single young men and women friends they have...hehehehe.

We'll see.

MR<div></div>

inspection. The style is not for everyone, however, the bride loves

is and has called it mysterious.

MR<div></div>

It seems that because I'm following the bride around so much and normally am able to "become" a part of the wedding party, I have always been included in whatever meal plans they have...of course, I still am shooting!

MR

Our rates are average for our area and our services and ala carte offers are excellent. Although we do have an annual "cost of living" increase on each package, we don't change for holidays. We occasionally offer certain incentives...booking during bridal shows, an additional composite, etc, but nothing that changes our bottom line.

MR

my a$$ and figured it out...LOL Thanks to all who took pity on a techy challenged duffus!

MR

photoshop. What am I doing wrong?

MR

use their plugins with Photoshop? I've seen some work acheived with

them, but can't figure out how to load them into photoshop...yes, I

am techy challenged!

MR

Has anyone used the plugins listed there? I've seen some examples

of what others have done with these plug-ins and think that on some

level, they could be handy, and just something more for me to learn

as well.

I'm having problems getting them "loaded" into my photoshop. Anyone?

MR

Anyone have any advice concerning them?

MR

the wedding at the rehersal dinner....AND they still got married.

They got divorced soon there after~! Was in 2003, if I remember right.

Wistler

as you go. Study the photographs and your results. See what you have to tweak...what light conditons were like, what lights were on in the church, white balance, etc.

It works!

MR

that I was getting asked to go to a lot of local things...dddduuuhhh...I ALWAYS brought my cameras...Dumb me! I started leaving my camera at home so "I didn't have to worry about my equipment" when I was invited somewhere. The end result is...fewer invitations...but the one's I do get are from people and events that REALLY want ME there...not just someone they can grab pictures from later.

MR

I said "Got to shoot"! This is because I'm deeping in "Passion"

with my craft and prefer to shoot more than just about anything else

in the world!

Anyway, I shot a lovely wonderful country wedding in an amazing old

church with rounded pews (Rare locally). FUN wedding, fun people,

lovely bride, wellbehaved kids...gotta like that! AND I was home in

time to celebrate the midnight hour with my huband.

I'm working on the pics now and so far, I'm THRILLED!

Happy New Years to all of you.

MR

Locally, it seems like churches are going up faster than possible...whenever a new one is completed, I give 'em a ring and ask if I could come in and do some light testing. I always provide them with a cd and release (with credit provided to me of course!) that they can use for their church bullitions, etc. GREAT PR with the facilitiy and I get to shoot their building and experiment, etc.

MR

who would not book my services (for whatever reason..availabity, pricing, personal style choices, etc) when I have a price list on my site. I've done both, with and without, and have found that I get many more inquiries with a list and that these brides do NOT go for the lowball. Mostly they are upper midrange to high end brides. Yes, occassionally I do get a lowwer end bride, but honestly, I'd rather be shooting a lowend wedding on a Saturday afternoon then be sitting in my office going over my stuff wondering why I'm not shooting at all.

I know there will be those who won't agree with me on this, but even shooting a lower end wedding gets me out with potential clients, gets my name out there, leaves good impressions on the bride (who always sends someone my way!) that could lead to higher end weddings in the future.

I have found that a bride who is educated in my pricing (via my website and brochures) has a more educated outlook towards her portraits. This leaves me more time to suggest upgrading or more ala carte options to her package.

It may not work for everyone, but it works for me.

MC

approaching you to purchase "one time use" for a few of your images

to post on a website promoting your state? These images would not

be for sale...they would be alow resolution disk, and limited to one

pic on the chosen website. They are personal images I took for

myself. What kind of a release/contract would be needed?

This is a whole new area for me and has kind of taken me off guard.

I'd love your input and thoughts.

Wistler