Is the client always right?

The customer is always right.

This age old saying is one that businesses are taught to live by. While this should be good business advice, you can't always make it happen when you are a photographer.

As a photographer, I think that we are too eager to please the client that we end up being taken advantage of. We are artists and vulnerable of our work, so we can sometimes let our clients walk all over us.

One incident that always stand out in my mind is when I shot an 80th birthday party. The lady that hired me was throwing it for her mom. She (client) was so nice and we actually had a nice time and everyone treated us well. The bad part came during the proofing.

The lady actually had her brother and sister going in with her on the expenses of the party and photographer. I did not know this until later-not that it mattered. They wanted a book that show cased the party, so I put together a nice 8x10 and was happy with my work.

I put a proof of the pages online for the lady and waited for her approval for me to send it off to print. She quickly emailed me back and said she loved it and was excited to get it-awesome!

As I was replying with a thank-you email and in the process of ordering the book, I get another email from her asking if I could make a quick revision. Okay?? What happened? I was thinking to myself. I agreed to do the quick revision and sent the new proofed page to her. I got another email from her letting me know that she liked the revision BUT, could I please change one more thing?

What the heck is going on here? I was confused at this point. First, this lady loves my book and now she's slowly tearing it apart? I made the second change and quickly sent the third proof to her. This time, I did not look forward to her reply.

She replied back, stating once again that she loved the new page, BUT, could I add a photo that someone else took to the book?

Are you freakin' kidding me?!?

I had to put a stop to this before this woman had me designing a totally new book. I replied back and told her that I would add the photo, BUT, any more revisions would add additional fees. This time, when she replied back, she did not ask for anymore changes. I also found out that it was the older sister that was demanding all the changes.

Had I not said anything, I'm sure her sister would have dragged this on for weeks, costing me time away from other clients, and had I figured cost per hour, I'd be doing it for pennies.

This situation made me realized that, while I believe the client is always right, you do have to set your limits.

That's why we need sturdy contracts that limits the freedom of the client to a point. Yes, we need to make them happy with our work, but we don't need to lose control either.

After that chaos, I did one more revision-to my contract. I added one complimentary revision when the client orders a book, and if they want more, additional fees will incur.

What are your thoughts?

Shooting in Manual is Easier Than You Think

Today's guest blogger is Kimberly Gauthier, Through the Lens of Kimberly Gauthier . When I starting shooting with a Digital SLR camera, I toyed with the idea of shooting in manual (that’s what the pros did) and then I’d talk myself out of it. I was intimated by the settings; most of which I didn’t understand. I didn’t have the time. If I tried, I’d miss the shot. So I learned to shoot in aperture priority mode instead.

Guess what! All of these excuses were valid. Why? Because we’re learning at our own pace and it’s not always easy. Have you tried to understand some of the photography books out there? Shooting in manual, if you’re committed, can be as easy as breathing (sort of).

I started shooting in manual a year ago. My boyfriend shared what he learned in a forensics photography class. By the end of the day, I was finally creating photographs like a pro! This is what I knew I could do! I want to share with you the steps I took to make the transition to shooting in manual.

Dial over to the M and keep it there. I know it’s tempting to let the camera choose some of the settings, but that’s not what manual is about.

Take your camera everywhere (that’s appropriate). I took my camera to work, to restaurants, and to hang out with friends. I took every opportunity to photograph the most random things; in manual.

It’s okay to miss the shot. It is not the end of the world if you miss a shot. It’s not a wedding, it’s just you and your camera – so take your time, relax, adjust your settings, and shoot away.

Celebrate the crappy shots. With every bad shot I took, I was able to shout “duhhhh” and tell you exactly what I did wrong.

Choose your jumping off settings. These are the settings you set your camera to right before you shut it off for the night. My settings are: Aperture F/4, Shutter Speed 1/25 second, ISO 400, and White Balance is Luminescence. I chose these settings, because I can quickly grab my camera and capture one of my four legged kids doing something adorable without spending too much time making adjustments (while they walk out of the room).

Think about what you want to capture. My boyfriend repeated this all day long. Think about what you want to capture, compose your shots, adjust your settings, and then take the shot. Working with digital cameras means that we can find out if a shot works immediately. So take your time and have fun.

I was shooting solely in manual in less than 2 months and I haven’t looked back.

Check out Kimberly Gauthier's beautiful photography and advice at Through the Lens of Kimberly Gauthier - Thanks, Kimberly!

Birth Photography

Have you ever considered being a birth photographer? I have. But, then I considered all the responsibilities that are connected with being a birth photographer, and decided against it. The biggest for me is needing to be 'on call' for the birth. I just couldn't do that. So, kudos to all those wonderful birth photographers!

I had the pleasure meeting Scarlett Bowling, who includes birth photography in her services. I wanted to find out about her thoughts about why she does birth photography.

In Scarlett's words:

While I love photographing so many different things for different reasons, photographing a birth has to be at the top of the list for me. There is nothing quite like being there to watch this little miracle take their first breath, to see the look in a parent’s eyes when they meet their baby for the first time.

Here is an excerpt from a birth that was very special to me. I think it sums up...

What an emotional and rewarding experience it is to photograph a birth: There are moments in our life where time seems to stand still. Where seconds seem like hours and you can hear your own heart almost beating out of your chest. Moments that you know you will look back on ten, twenty, thirty years from now and be able to recall every detail as if it were just yesterday. Friday, April 23rd, 2010 was one of those moments.

As I raced down 95 south I prayed that I would make it there in time. We have been there for each other so many times over the past 29 years, I couldn't imagine not being there for her this night, the night she would meet her baby boy. When I rushed into the pitch dark room at 8:30 pm, I realized I had made it….. barely. I gave hugs and reassurance of how proud I was of her (and her amazing husband, he really blew me away with what a great support he was to her), and then started snapping. With every image I captured I knew I was witnessing and documenting something so amazing, a miracle really. Within a few minutes, as the lights from Fenway Park shined in the distance, baby Will was here.

I watched as he took his first breath, heard his first cry, and met his mom and dad for the first time. What a treasure, my heart was so full it felt like it might burst. Aimie and Matt, thank you so much for letting me be there for such an amazing moment in your lives.

Tips for shooting births...

I’ve also been asked to give a few tips when it comes to shooting births. First and foremost, I try to be as unobtrusive as possible, almost as if a fly on the wall. I don’t use any flash when shooting a birth, I just take advantage of all available light and adjust my settings accordingly. I personally shoot a lot pictures at a birth because I don’t want to miss a moment. This means having plenty of memory cards available and being able to switch them quick. Most importantly, I just try to capture every moment of this very important birthday for each family that I work with so that they have these amazing moments to look back on for a lifetime.

Will (one year later)...

So, if you are thinking about adding birth photography to your services, hopefully this photographer's view will help you decide!

Thanks, Scarlett!

Thrift Stores for props

I love thrift stores. Do you ever visit any? Thrift stores are a great place for photographers. These stores are filled with prop ideas. Vintage clothes, old chairs, wooden toys-they are like an indoor garage sale!

I finally had a chance to go this weekend and found some great items. I wanted to find some cute "prairie" style clothes for my daughter's photo shoot and some props. We found some awesome skirts, tops and a jean jacket.

I love jean jackets-they work with everything. Having some on hand in your studio or on a shoot may add to a photo.

Emily was starting to get a bit cold by these poses-I wish warm weather would come!

A promise of hot chocolate brought out one more smile.

I even found a cute little outfit for my grand baby-hence the jean jacket with this dress-how cute is that?

I found a new thrift store and found these "I DO" plaques. I was so happy! These make a cute prop for wedding photos-less than $2!

I also found an old white chair that I have to go back to get-I hope it's still there because it was only $4! I would have bought it that day, but I didn't think it would fit in my car (I miss my SUV!).

So, don't think you have to spend a fortune in props. Get creative and hit thrift stores and garage sales for supplies. But, don't forget about Etsy-a great place with awesome artists!

Be different

With the photography industry flooded with photographers these days (a LOT of women are jumping into the photography business) you really need to think out of the box when it comes to standing out.

I do my share of web surfing on the topic "photographers". There are so many wonderful photographers out there right now. I started my photography business when it wasn't so saturated and it was easier to get clients. I am mainly a wedding photographer and in my area, there's a fair share of wedding photographers, but I still get lots of business. Why? Because I like to try to be different from the other photographers. One key point that makes me stand out is my price and what I offer.

My prices are very reasonable compared to my fellow photographers. Clients are drawn by my work and are thrilled to see what I charge. I also make things easy for me and the client by offering one package. Other photographers offer different packages at different prices, which is fine, but I hate to make a bride feel bad because she can't afford the bigger, more elaborate package. This is kind of my attitude towards the whole wedding event. I charge what I want to make, so I'm happy and the client is happy too.

So, am I saying that you should charge less to stand out? Not necessarily. What works in my part of the country may not work for where you live. Call around in your area and see what the most successful photographers are doing and try to do a bit different, or add something more. For example, if Joe's Photography is offering 12 free wallets with his senior session, offer the same, but ADD a free wallet tin.

People like to get their money's worth and they love free stuff. Think of something that other photographers in your area aren't offering and offer it to your potential clients. Just make sure you don't end up in the hole in the process. Look for products sold in bulk, like personalized flash drives, photo boxes, and wallet tins.

Personality can be what makes you stand out as well. You need to make them feel comfortable with you and they'll remember you for all future business. If they are wondering about family photos, talk to their kids too. If they are looking to hire you for a wedding, ask them where they met. Get them talking about themselves. They'll feel a connection with you and not know why!

Of course, you need to display your best work and style on your blog or site-you DO have at least one of those, right?? A potential client will be drawn to your style of photos over another photographer. So, that would be something that may set you apart from others.

Play around with ideas and try different things out. Hold a contest on Facebook. Visit daycare centers and offer a deal to take preschool spring photos at an affordable rate. The sky's the limit!

Come back tomorrow for an awesome vendor interview!

Designing your own home studio

Not everyone has the luxury of renting a fancy studio, though we may dream of it. Then again, some photographers love their home studio and wouldn't change it for anything.

I am one of those photographers that has a home studio. I may be switching to a regular studio, but for right now, I do photos in my home. If you want to take the next step and invest in a studio space for your home, then don't fret.

Designing a studio in your home doesn't have to be hard, nor does it have to be expensive.

This is from my grand opening last year. My daughter is enjoying the snacks we had.

Below, is the other end of the "studio" and where the backdrops are.

The only thing that gets in the way sometimes is pole-but we kind of need it to keep the floor up. lol.

I didn't spend a lot on materials, and they work fine for what I need. I found the lights as a package deal on ebay for around $250. I did a lot of research before buying to make sure company was reputable and the equipment wasn't faulty. The paper rolls I love and are a great deal from B & H Photo (love these guys!)

I put together my own back drop holder, which saved a ton of money.

I bought two backdrop stand poles off of Amazon for $20 each. Then, I bought a couple of pairs of curtain holders from Walmart to hold up the poles. Simple! Oh, and make sure you put some long screws to keep the poles from sliding off.

You can decorate by framing some of your work and hanging it on the walls. I suggest using photos of your own children at first so you can enjoy your own family photos and advertise as well!

If you offer framing or canvas prints, invest in them as well.

With a few investments in equipment and decorations, you will be on your way to a beautiful home studio that holds up to those fancy studios in no time!

Your first meeting

I was pleased to find out that I do my meetings with my wedding clients the proper way without even knowing it!

Do you know who Gary Fong is? He is a retired photographer turned millionaire inventor. I love this guy's products-and his advice on weddings. I had gotten away from reading his blog for awhile because I was just too busy, but one day I had some free time, so I hopped on it.

He just happened to post a video about where to seat a couple and what kind of table, etc. Things that you may not think about but has a big influence on their opinion of you as a photographer.

(For some reason, blogger isn't letting me embed the video, so Click here)

And this one too.

I always have two or three books on hand for the couple to look through. Shouldn't this be a given? I would hate to have to share a book with my husband-he's sooo slow at looking at things. lol.

I also use our kitchen table for meetings. I make sure they are as comfortable as possible. I have a whole other post on marketing your clients in your home soon to come.

These techniques can be used for any type of session meeting, not just for weddings. Isn't it funny that the littlest things can make such a big difference? What do you do during your first meetings?

Do you need to take 100's of photos during a shoot?

Should a photographer shoot a zillion photos at a photo shoot?

Yes, and no. My session lists 'unlimited photo taking' as part of the package. To me, it means that I don't just take 10 shots and then I'm done. It also, allows me the chance to have lots of poses to choose from with backups. I am one of those photographers that likes to take lots of photos no matter what I'm shooting.

Now, does this mean that I shoot on a whim without taking my time to frame the subject to get the perfect shot? Not at all. In fact, I plan every session to the tee. I go to the location shoot an hour early, or even the day before and plan in my head every shot I want to do. I bring a pose book so I don't forget a shot, and if I am at a location that I've done lots of sessions at already, I do the same session that I've done on other clients.

So, why do I need to take so many? While I a have a system to how I do my sessions, something may catch my eye that I didn't plan, or maybe I'm not so sure which angle that I want from a pose. Besides, you have a digital camera, so why not?

While some photographers may be cringing at the fact that I said it's ok to go overboard with photos, I think that it's safe to say so. I do understand that there are drawbacks to doing this, the biggest being the client.

When I first started, I probably took twice as many photos as I do now (I have toned down quite alot). I used to let the artist in me come out and treated the client as my canvas-not to get too dorky-and clicked away.

I didn't have too many problems until one day, when a client was looking at their gallery and asked about a shot that I took that wasn't there. I thought back and realized that it was an experimental pose and it ended up not turning out like I had wanted, so I chucked it.

I quickly explained to her that while I take unlimited photos, I have to limit the amount to put in the gallery so it doesn't get overwhelming for the client to choose from. I also assured them that I choose the best ones so they aren't missing out on anything.

You can come up with your own reason if you think of something more clever( and please let me know too! :))

So, just keep in mind that you are the artist and if you feel better having "backups" or experimenting while shooting, then do it. What works for one photographer may not be best for another.

Do you have a home studio?

Upon reading other photography bloggies, it seems like most run a studio out of their home. I am one of those photographers, though I hate using it-at least where I have it. We live in a ranch that we've outgrown years ago, but haven't found the perfect home to move into. I can't decide if I want to take a big step and move out to the country to have nature's backdrop in my backyard, or just use parks and live in the "city" still.

Anyway, my studio is set up in our recroom and I hate the lack of natural light and the "basement feel" of it.

My other option is to invest in a studio outside of my home. We have a great art building that rents out studio space for cheap and the old walls and windows would make great backgrounds for indoor photos.

Where I live (Iowa) we have more cold seasons then warm ones, so it's hard to not have any studio space to stay in business. I know there are photographers that go to client's homes, but I really don't feel comfortable with that- I like to be prepared and really not fond of lugging equipment around.

So, for right now I'm stuck using what I have now for a studio, but at least the weather will start getting nicer out to start doing outdoor photos.

What kind of studio (if any) do you have? Do you wish you had one outside of your home and vice versa?

Dealing with clients who don't want to be there

Have you ever had a client who made it clear that he would rather eat dirt than be at the photo session? I have had my share of these types of dads, small children, high school seniors and even old people that have made a session less than desirable.

How do I handle these situations? I treat them all like they are children. Really. It works, trust me. No, I don't put them in time out. But, I do "punish" them at times.

I did a huge family get together once where one older gentleman would not smile in most photos. Finally, after posing this group of 50 people and noticing that once again, he wasn't smiling, I blurted out very loudly, "Well, this would be a perfect group photo if Grandpa Joe would give us a great smile!" The group laughed loudly, (probably because they knew how he was) suddenly, his grumpy expression changed to a smiling one-turns out that he did have a great smile! After that, he made sure that he smiled for photos. It might have been because he didn't want to be put on the spot, but at any rate, it worked.

Many times, dads may not want to be there because they are missing out on something else, like a game or something like that. Try not to let it affect your mood and just ask them. Sometimes, they just need to be heard-like a child does. Let them know how you can relate to what they are missing and the sooner they let you get the session done, the sooner they can get home.

High school kids can be the worse when dealing with getting them to want to be there. I really haven't had too many problems with girl seniors, but boys can be bad-maybe this is where it starts? ha ha. I tend to take advantage of their "seriousness" with some shots because they really look cool and parents like them, but I can't do ALL of their pictures that way. So, when I've gotten enough of them, I try to bribe them, or reason with them. I had one boy that was not going to smile no matter what I tried. Our session was going into overtime and I was ready to call it quits.


Finally, I took him aside and explained to him that I knew he was ready to go home and so was I, but that I wasn't leaving until I got some smiling shots. I guess he decided that it was silly to keep the session going, so he started smiling for every shot after that.

His mom was so happy with the end result, she sent me this wonderful email: Thanks for your wonderful help! I would highly recommend you. My son is the hardest to get photogenic and you did an outstanding job. You can put that quote on your website. Job well done!
What if the client IS a child? Try not to address the situation too much. Kids can feel like they are put on the spot and their reaction is to simply react. Instead of addressing their "acting up", ignore them. Don't include them in the group, but praise the rest of the family that are getting their photos taken. Hopefully, they will feel left out and start wanting to be in the photo.


You can also try the opposite and make them the star of the session. Let them decide a pose, take a photo, then tell them it's your turn.

As a photographer, clients expect you to know how to handle an uncooperative person of the group. It can be hard, and you might start thinking that you are running a daycare instead of doing a photo session. Just relax and stay in control- let your mommy skills come out to handle the situation-no matter how old the client is!

The new "look"

It seems like the new trend for portraits is the non-smiling or, "serious look". I really am liking this style, especially when a child is standing in a field with their hair slightly blowing across their face. I think it gives the portrait an artist feel to it. My youngest daughter is really good at this, so it's very easy to get her to do it.

The norm is to catch children being happy and having fun, but adding some poses that are more of a deep expression might surprise parents-in a good way. But, how do you get them to look natural and not looking like they are frowning?

Get them to loosen up

Play a game with them to let them feel comfortable with you. When I first started, I was always nervous, so I would automatically throw out the poses and start snapping photos right away. BIG MISTAKE. I might get some serious looks, but not the ones that I want. Now, I let them feel safe with me first, then we start.

Do the smiling poses first

Once they feel comfortable with me, I do any fun and easy photos first. Yes, it's easier for me to get them to smile then the non-smiling photos. I can also find out at this time whether they can change their expressions easily or not.

Catch them off guard

Sometimes, the best expressions are in between shots. Usually, a child will wait til asked to give you a smile, so catching them waiting can give you the best shot.

Get rid of the parents

Not really. You can ask parents to let you have some alone time with their child (within in reasonable distance from them) if they are being overwhelming. Parents can have the tendency to get anxious and worried that they won't get the perfect end result of their investment.

Start all over

Wouldn't it be a perfect photography world if every client did what you planned in your head? If you aren't getting the results you want, start from step one and eventually, you will be able read your client enough to catch that pose that the parent will simply melt over and shout, "THAT is so my child!"