Welcome fellow or aspiring photographers!

It’s about time for WHAT you ask? Well, I figure it’s high time that a wickedly awesome blog was offered for those photographers who specialize in children’s portraiture who are looking to seriously take their business to the next level – and who also want to have a great time in the process!

This blog was created by me – Jennifer Pearson – of Jennifer Pearson Photography because, in my humble opinion, I wanted to SHARE, INSPIRE AND PROVIDE VALUABLE INFORMATION for those who love photographing kids as much as I do. Not only do I feel that I have something terrific to offer you – I also know that every one of you has something to offer me as well. As well, I’ll be welcoming leading photographers in the industry to guest post and offer their own advice and expertise. Hence the ‘SHARE’ part of the equation .

Thanks for landing here – and please – tell me what you’re interested in learning more about! You can do so by emailing me at jennifer@thededicatedphotographer.com.

Oh – and please don’t forget to subscribe (via Email or RSS in the right sidebar). I promise you will be rewarded in a myriad of wonderful ways – as something fun and free will definitely be coming down the pipe in the near future .

You can hear a quick word from Jennifer here by clicking on the ‘play’ button:

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Technorati Tags: Blog for Photographers, Resources

[Sorry for my absence as of late. Too many projects and not enough hours in the day!]

I just finished reading ‘Uncertainty – Turning Fear and Doubt into Fuel for Brilliance’, by Jonathan Fields. I LOVED IT, and highly recommend you pick it up if you’re looking for a great read.

The basic premise of the book is that many of us (maybe even most of us) don’t reach our potential because we turn and walk the other way in the face of uncertainty or don’t take the next crucial step because of fear. This is especially true for entrepreneurs and it can seriously affect our creativity and our ability to take our businesses from good to GREAT. Jonathan addresses a number of great strategies to help you take on that uncertainty.

There were two areas of the book that really hit their mark for me. The first was with regards to ritual and routine and the second was with regards attentional training (also known as meditation, mindfulness, etc.).

Ritual and Routine

As entrepreneurs, many of us are responsible for running every aspect of our business – even the parts that we don’t particularly like. As Jonathan states:

“This is where ritual and routine, done right, add immense power to the process. Ritual helps train you to sit down when you most want to stand, when you’re forced to work on the part of the process that leaves you anywhere from bored to riddled with anxiety.”

And, I love this part…

“Over time, ritual has a funny side effect. It creates momentum. It becomes habit that builds its own head of steam, one capable of overriding the call of Twitter, Facebook, Green & Black’s Dark 85% chocolate, and trying to learn whether the rumors about Apple’s next product are true.”

I love the idea that [until we hire someone to do those dastardly mundane tasks that we deplore] developing ritual and routine on a consistent basis creates momentum and becomes a habit. A habit. It sounds so simple but I think it’s brilliant.

Attentional Training

Jonathan’s chapter on attentional training speaks to the multiple and profound benefits of various types of meditation. He covers the various techniques and provides some excellent resources for those hoping to adopt meditative processes into their own lives on a daily basis. As well, he talks about research and anecdotal evidence about the positive effects of daily mediation.

On the benefits of attentional training, he states:

“Through daily repetition, [meditation, mindfulness, etc.], they create both physiological and psychological changes that can profoundly alter the way we experience and handle nearly any challenge or endeavor.”

“…it also opens up channels to insight and innovation.”

Essentially, it clears out the chatter and helps to center us, which is particularly important for those of us who work for ourselves, in the creative realm.

I highly recommend you check out Uncertainty. I read a lot of business books and I found this one to be an easy and quick read. In addition, I thought Jonathan Fields was a terrific writer – succinct and to the point but never boring. I found that when I finished the book I wanted to know more about Jonathan himself, as well as wanting more information on some of the various strategies he addressed in the book.

How about you? Have you integrated either ritual and routine or mediation into your daily schedule? If so, don’t be shy – please tell us about your own experience with either practice in the comment section below.

And remember… SHARING is caring. Wow, that sounds so corny – but you get the point .

Technorati Tags: Book review, Jonathan Fields

It looks like it’s a great day for an awesome and complimentary free resource.

After my post last week, Making it Happen in 2012, the lovely Lori Nordstrom contacted me. Many of you may know Lori through PhotoTalkForum,an awesome resource and meeting place for photographers. Lori is generously offering her comprehensive Business Plan Workbook as a free download.

The download consists of two awesome PDF’s. The first is short and sweet and will help you map out some goals for 2012. The second PDF is essentially a comprehensive business plan guide that I highly recommend completing and giving ample thought to if you are serious about taking your business to the next level.

Simply follow this link and you’ll receive instructions to your download pronto…

BUSINESS PLAN WORKBOOK

Enjoy! And hey, you know that SHARING with others is ALWAYS appreciated!

Technorati Tags: Business Plan Workbook for Photographers, Lori Nordstrom

It’s here.

January.

That time of year when most people take a look at the year that lies ahead and [hopefully] make some sort of plan that helps to bring their hopes, dreams, and goals into a reality .

Before talking about what you can do to make 2012 a great year for yourself, I want to really encourage the sharing component of this blog. Please comment/share with others (here on the blog) if you have strategies/ideas/exercises/etc. that work for you. Spread the love – and start doing it today .

Okay, onwards and upwards.

Karen Carey (Karen Carey Photography), who is the master of visualization and goal-setting, generously shared her advice…

1. Make sure your credibility is at stake. This is your biggest motivator.
2. Make sure your goal is your own.
3. Make sure your goal involves a BIG outcome.
4. Make sure you are committed to the long range outcome. Go as far as you can see and the rest will be revealed.
5. Make sure your goals are specific and measurable. Break them down into daily and weekly units. [This one is critical, in my opinion]
6. Make sure you get started. You can’t achieve anything in your head.
7. Write it down and then get started walking it out.

Karen’s THRIVE workshop last fall was incredible (you can read the review HERE). [I think she may have a couple of spots left for her workshop at the end of January (2012), if you really want to get your motor running . You can find the details HERE.]

For me, #5 and #6 on Karen’s list are really important. I would add…

1. Stay true to yourself. Do what feels right – not necessarily what others are doing or others are telling you to do.
2. Take your customer service up a notch – or better yet – up 10 notches!
3. Find/create at least ONE thing that you feel differentiates you from others in your field.
4. Take a look at your process from start to finish and ask yourself how you could streamline it a bit more.
5. Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback – from friends or other photographers.

I would love to hear what works well for you in planning your year ahead.

GOOD LUCK! And, as always, SHARING always appreciated. Remember – it’s good kharma .

Technorati Tags: goal-setting, THRIVE workshop

What a year! A year full of new beginnings (The Dedicated Photographer), great workshops, and fresh ideas for Jennifer Pearson Photography.

This post, however, is not about me.

This post is really a not-so-formal-but-very-heartfelt THANK YOU to all of the dedicated photographers out there who have been a part of this blog in some way shape or form. Thank you for showing up, reading up, chiming in, and/or emailing me with your stories, hopes, dreams, and concerns.

You have motivated me to stay on my game and to be creative and thoughtful in ways that might be helpful or educational to others in the field. As well, you have kindly shared your own knowledge with me and others as well.

I hope 2012 is your best year and I look forward to hearing about your trials and tribulations, and spending some quality time with you here!

Sincerely,
Jennifer

Technorati Tags: 2012

I know this is a long time coming, but I am finally getting around to reviewing Karen Carey’s THRIVE Workshop (hosted, for this particular workshop, by Lena Hyde), that I attended in West Palm Beach in September of this year (Karen’s next workshop is in Philadelphia at the end of January 2012).

In a nutshell, it was both educational and inspirational.

Karen’s workshop sells itself as a sales workshop – for those photographers truly wanting to become profitable. Don’t be fooled, however, into thinking that it is all about ‘selling’ per se. That is only one part of it. Karen also delves into analyzing what you, as a photographer, are in fact selling – and puts you to the test to see if a) you know what that is, and b) if it sets you apart from other photographers in your field.

For those who know Karen, she is a no bullsh*t kind of gal. Please excuse the coarse language, but if you have ever had an extended chat with Karen, it is somewhat fitting . Karen tells it like it is. She can come across a little hardcore in some of her policies and strategies at times, but she runs a very profitable studio in Philadelphia, so clearly it works for her. It’s important to remember, however, in any workshop – to take all of the information with a grain of salt. You need to be comfortable enough (enough being the operative word), with the changes you will make down the road.

In the workshop I attended, we were fortunate to have Lena take the reins on one of the two mornings (the workshop was held at her gorgeous studio in West Palm Beach). She ran through her workflow and a typical Proselect presentation. As well, she talked about what works for her. It was short and sweet but full of solid information.

So… here is what I loved about the workshop:

• Karen Carey herself – a brilliant and lovely person all around – a true comedian as well (which never hurts in workshop learning environments )
• Role play scenarios
• Taking a deep and personal look at what is limiting you in your photography business
• Defining what separates you from others in your field
• Sales tactics and information that are tried and true
• Came away totally inspired to improve my business
• Met some great photographers and have stayed connected with many of them since

I asked a couple of other Thrivers to offer some feedback and this is what they said:

“Karen has a true gift for teaching and I will be forever changed because of her.”

“I came home with a whole new outlook on my business and my life. My sales tripled and I reached a personal goal that I NEVER thought I would ever see. Thrive/Karen taught me the confidence I need to move forward with my business. It was truly life changing for me!”

“What I found most effective at Thrive was being able to identify my own unique sales perspective and have the confidence to sell to my clients more effectively. It was especially helpful to see two completely different photographers/personalities/businesses [Karen & Lena] and know that attracting the right customer is not a formula. Each photographer was encouraged to see their own special qualities that would effectively raise their sales numbers by sheer confidence in that.”

Overall, a great workshop with great feedback. This is the second workshop I have attended of Karen’s and I highly recommend that you experience all that is Karen Carey at some point in your future. You will not be disappointed and it will be worth every penny .

Lastly, I had told Karen that I was going to do a post about Thrive and she generously offered the following:

Win a private mentoring session from Karen Carey! All you have to do is ”like” Karen Carey Photography and share this THRIVE Workshop post on your wall. A winner will be randomly selected by December 22, 2011. [Trust me - it will be well worth the effort if you win!]

Technorati Tags: Karen Carey, Lena Hyde, sales workshop, Thrive Workshop review

The title says it all.

If you aren’t doing in-person ordering, it’s time to make the change.

The other day I received the following text from a subscriber (thanks Jen!)…

“Once upon a time ago, you told me that in-person ordering would be liberating. I’m texting you tonight to say thank you for liberating me! ”

And there it is.

The proof is in the pudding .

There are many excuses we can come up with in order not to move forward with certain business practices. The most common ones I have heard with regards to switching to in-person ordering are the following:

• I don’t have the time
• It’s easier to do it online
• I don’t know how to sell
• And the list goes on…

I’m here to encourage you, as the folks at Nike would say, to ‘Just Do It’ – or ‘Just Try It’ at least.

First off, I don’t buy the time issue. Unless you are breastfeeding your newborn (in which case you are hopefully  not thinking too much about work), then you can find the time with a babysitter for your kids if necessary – which will more than pay for itself through increased sales.

Second… is it easier to simply put it online? Probably yes. But online ordering, as many of you well know, comes with a multitude of other problems – less-than-ideal image quality, clients who don’t order on time, and plenty of time for a client to change their mind.

Third, if you love what you do, and your clients love their images – the rest will fall into place and over time you will also learn some tricks of the trade to make the buying process as seamless as possible for your clients.

Personally, I use Proselect to present my images to the client, as it is easy to operate and allows for easy sorting and comparing. I do use a projector and screen but you could simply use your computer or laptop with the client beside you. As well, I almost always show some wall display options (mocked up on a photograph of a wall in their home if possible) – or storyboard options – one or both of which the client typically purchases.

Trust me, I am not great at sales particularly. However, I really believe in my photography and know in my soul that my clients will never regret spending that money once those pictures are in their possession.

So… what’s The Bottom Line?

• Take a deep breath and start to consider in-person ordering if you are currently having your clients order online only
• When you meet with your clients in person, be ready to guide them and provide them with help. You are the expert here.
• Resist the temptation to put your images online ahead of time (I have never looked back since doing it and my ordering sessions take the same amount of time)
• Don’t forget the W.A.I.T. rule (the ‘why am I talking?’ rule – you can see a post about it HERE)

That should do it! Please think about it. If you’ve switched over recently or are thinking about it – please comment below! And… don’t forget to get busy SHARING if you are in the mood. You know it is ALWAYS greatly appreciated.

Technorati Tags: in-person ordering, selling tips for photographers

Okay. It’s official. I’m in the thick of the busy season and therefore wanted to let you know that I may be a little light on posting for the next month and half .

I did, however, want to leave you with a smile. I’m sure some of you can appreciate the images below, as an excellent example of when your subjects are losing interest…

Fun, fun, fun...

Or when things have gone seriously South …

Photographer, what photographer?

Hope you enjoyed those images from a recent session and that you are enjoying this lovely fall season!

And, of course, feel free to SHARE if you like.

Technorati Tags: photographing siblings together

…using your subject’s parents .

I’ve said it before and I will say it again… maximize the outcome of your session by utilizing the child’s parents whenever it can enhance your end result. This works well for pretty much any age – from 3 months to teenagers.

And, of course, we all know it can be just as important to shoot without the parents present for parts of the session, but that’s not what this post is about .

This post is meant to remind you that some of your clients’ favorite images will be the ones you took of their kids looking at them doing something silly, telling a story, or just simply talking to them…

I couldn't see Dad here but I can see he was doing a great job...

Sharing her book with Mom...

The booty shake...

More booty shaking

Loving her Daddy-O...

Just shooting the breeze with Dad...

It’s simple.

But SO important – and can really take your session to the next level.

This post is really just a reminder to actively use the parents in your sessions.

The Bottom Line in using parents (some ideas to offer up)…

• Shake their booty, etc.
• Tell an interesting (albeit not too long) story
• Tell some jokes, engage in potty talk, etc.

I hope you head out to your next session with this in mind .

In the mean time, feel free to SHARE this post with friends – here, there or anywhere . Thanks for coming by!

Technorati Tags: tips and tricks for shooting kids

This session ended up being a great session even though I walked in having no idea where I would end up shooting (which is typically the case). My subjects were two young sisters – 3 months old and 1 1/2 years old (yikes, busy!).

I think the Mom and I had both assumed we would shoot mostly inside. However, that thinking shifted somewhat after having a walk-about and being less than enthused about the available light. At this point, it was time to check out the backyard.

Although it was crowded with various furniture, and quite narrow…

Wasn't sure at first...

…it did look like it had some potential after I took a quick look around. I noticed the back gate and one fenced wall as possibilities – which involved moving some furniture.

You can see both the back gate and the wall I was interested in here. We tucked the fabric from the canopy up and off to the side to expose the fence wall for shooting…

Moved, shifted, tucked... away we go!

Here are the details for outdoor images:

• Weather – cloudy and maybe 10 degrees Celcius
• Used my 50mm 1.4
• ISO 200, 1/400-1/640, 2.5-2.8

These pictures were shot at the back gate. It was cloudy which I find quite challenging at times as I have to be careful that the eyes are not too dark. In this case, I needed her to at least be looking straight at me or looking up at me – toward the light.

Sweet and innocent...

Love this one...

Next up we moved over to the other wall in the backyard, with more fence and some vines to work with.

More impish fun...

At this point, her 3 month old sister woke up. We only took a few of the baby outdoors. Here is one…

This was taken on the gray outdoor bed...

Okay… so now we are off to take some shots indoors.

First stop… the bathroom. Not because I needed to use it , but because it had solid light near the window. Here  is the view from the door…

From the door...

I layered blankets on the floor for extra padding. The reflector here is key if there is no soft covering on the window (one of these days I will buy myself some silk fabric for that exact purpose!)…

Layered blankets for softness...

Here are the details for these shots:

• 50mm 1.4 lens
• ISO 500, f3.2, 1/320s

And some of the images on the floor – notice the nice catchlights from the window…

The only really decent shot of the two of them

Pretty in pink...

Same location but different blanket...

But hey… we’re not done in the bathroom yet!! Mom wanted a ‘tutu at the window’ shot and this window was perfect. The second shot was just an impromptu one that I couldn’t resist.

Love the pink tutu here...

Turning on the taps because... well, why not?!

Okay… almost done. Still thought I’d have one last go in the master bedroom, which was darker, to see if I could get any other shots of the two of them. Here is the bedroom…

From the doorway...

Another angle...

Here are the details for this setting:

• 50mm 1.4
• ISO 2500, f3.5, 1/200s – In retrospect I could have done a lower ISO and larger aperture (i.e. a smaller aperture number), as I did feel the quality was somewhat compromised

Here is an image from the bedroom…

Another of the two which the client actually quite liked...

And lastly, I made sure to ask the client where she thought she might like to hang any displays. Here is the shot I took on the day of the session…

Client wanted to replace these photos with a display...

And here are the mock-ups I did after the session for her. Please note that she decided on the canvas display (which was not her original plan) and bought multiple Storyboards. This really emphasizes the importance of the client seeing the possibilities on their own walls.

Canvas display...

Storyboards purchased for elsewhere in the house...

Okay… that’s it!

We have some solid Bottom Line advice today….

• Leave no stone unturned when checking out your potential location – you may overlook an ideal setting to shoot in
• Don’t be afraid to shoot in the bathroom – I have done it many times
• Don’t be shy about moving furniture
• Don’t forget to photograph potential spots where wall displays might go so that you can show the client some possible mock-ups using your images

That’s it. I will ask you to please SHARE – here, there or anywhere (sort of like Dr. Seuss ), as these posts require a lot of time and thought. Thanks for coming by!!

Technorati Tags: 1 1/2 year old, 3 month old, Photo Session Tips, sisters

I’ve said it before – and I will say it again…

Prepare ahead of time and do your homework before your session.

Let’s face it. There are a lot of things that are out of your control for a session – but you can control how much thought you put into the session ahead of time.

I have had a number of readers say that their mind goes blank during a session and suddenly they can’t think of what to do next, or what to do with a particular child they are working with. This is one reason why bringing some notes along to your session can be helpful.

What do I do?

Well, my preparation is threefold really…

First, I assess the ages of the kids I will be photographing and make either a mental or written note about what I may want to do with each of them, and with them all together (including what we might talk about and poses I may want to do).

Second, I make sure to pack any age-appropriate props (i.e. toys, noisemakers, books, small chair, small bench, large bench, fart machine, or whatever I think will work with the various ages).

Third, I make sure I have asked the parent ahead of time for a lowdown on their kids’ interests. Typically, I put this on a 4″x3″ post-it note. I use a couple of different colors to differentiate between areas of interest. Below you can see a couple from a recent session with 7 year old twin boys…

Main details plus a couple of jokes...

More details for second child...

Overall, this has worked quite well for me. Of course, sometimes things go awry and I need to think fast on the spot and change tactics. Most of the time, however, it does the job.

So what’s the Bottom Line?

• Think about your session ahead of time and how you would like to spend your time
• Bring age-appropriate props if necessary
• Make sure you know a good deal about the interests of your subjects ahead of time

And that’s it!

I hope you are having a lovely fall and that business is building and/or booming for you!

And, of course, if you found this helpful – please SHARE with those you think might be interested.

Technorati Tags: tips and tricks for photographing children