Allie Siarto, Author at Photo Field Notes Podcast: Career Advice for Photographers

Episode 9: Angie Garbot on Learning Your Photography Style

April 22, 2015

Photo above by Melisssa Diep Photography

Angie Garbot started her career with the same mentality that many of us start with—go to school, get a job and work 40+ hours a week. After burning out from her 80-90 hour a week IT consulting business, Angie met with a life coach and decided to turn her passion for photography into a full time business. She started out taking classes at the Chicago Photography Center to gain more confidence in her technical skills (this is where I eventually met her) and second shooting for another photographer. She’s been a full time photographer for seven years now.

A few topics from today’s show:

How to fill in the gaps when you’re not quite confident technically
Second shooting
Networking
Finding a mentor
Referral marketing
Defining your style and process
How much to spend on equipment

Recommended Resources:

Fast Track Photographer by Dane Sanders
Networking Monkey (Chicago Networking search)
Lights, Camera Capture: Creative Lighting Techniques for Digital Photographers by Bob Davis

See some of Angie’s beautiful work below, and be sure to check out her site for more.

Episode 8: Kristen Tourtillotte on Treating Clients Like Gold

April 22, 2015

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS

Kristen Tourtillotte’s great aunt was a photographer in Alaska, and her influence was around her from a young age. While studying to be a nurse in college, Kristen took a few photography classes, and eventually she leapt full on into wedding photography (with a transition that included simultaneously going to school for nursing, nannying and fostering the photography business).

A few notes from today’s show:

Treat your clients like gold—go the extra mile with your service, and it will pay off through positive reviews and referrals
Prioritize what is important to you, including time for your own well being
Give yourself business hours
Allow yourself to say no
Reward yourself for accomplishing big tasks
And the fun bit—hear what Kristen wears to shoot weddings (sorry guys, this one leans a little more toward women’s fashion)

Recommended Reading:

Making a Good Brain Great by Daniel G. Amen

Enjoy some of Kristen’s inspiring work (and find more on her blog).

Episode 7: Arden Prucha on the Importance of Mentorship

April 22, 2015

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS

I first stumbled across Arden Prucha on a photography forum—I was particularly struck by her collaborative involvement with other photographers online and her amazing personal underwater maternity session with Amy Karp.

In this interview, Arden tells the story of how she became a portrait and wedding photographer. She also discusses how second shooting with an experienced photographer and becoming involved with online forums gave her the technical chops she needed before pursuing wedding photography on her own.

Recommended resources and tips:

I Heart Faces
Pinterest
If you’re not an expert in a particular area, outsource
Read catalogs and magazines for new inspiration

Check out Arden’s beautiful work on her blog.

Episode 6: Shari + Mike on Getting Past the Fear of Unknown

April 22, 2015

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS

Photograph by Sarah Rhoads

Shari and Mike from ShariLee Photography (now Shari + Mike) caught my eye a while back. This couple out of Vancouver consistently shows off deliciously beautiful photographs on their blog, and I liked them even more after sitting down to chat over Skype.

In this interview, hear Shari and Mike talk about:

Fear and risk taking (getting uncomfortable and “going for it”)
The “aha” moment
Business vs. art
Starting over as a “newbie” in a new city
Building a support system
Staying true to yourself as an artist

Recommended Reading:

Fine Art Wedding Photography: How to Capture Images with Style for the Modern Brideby Jose Villa
Read biographies about interesting people for inspiration

See Shari and Mike’s recent work on their blog.

Episode 5: Emma + Josh Photography on Starting Over & Fresh Marketing

April 22, 2015

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS

Emma and Josh Smith from Emma Jane Photography (now Emma + Josh) gave one of the most honest and open interviews to date—from their new adventures in starting over in a new city (they recently moved from Seattle to Los Angeles) to the challenges of staying true to themselves and not budging on the value that they place on their services.

A few thoughts to take away from this interview:

Don’t expect to go from zero to sixty overnight. It takes time to grow a successful and sustainable business.
Don’t get down on yourself when it takes time to hit the market that you want.
Learn to value your work and charge what you’re worth. Remember, this is a business, and you will have expenses to run it legally.
Become friends with your clients.
It’s all about the network. Become friends with fellow photographers too.
There will be challenges, and you’ll want to give up at times, but if you’re doing what you love, you’ll get through the hard times.

Recommended Resources

Pinterest (Emma said that she encourages her brides to use this site to share inspiration with her as well—find Emma’s boards here)
Look through magazines and create a real world inspiration board for shoots
Tofurious.com has great guidance on pricing
Love is the Killer App by Tim Sanders (you may remember that the lovely Jill Devriesrecommended this one too)

Check out some awesome work from Emma Jane Photography below, and be sure to visit their blog to see more.

Episode 4: Vue Photography on Creating a Business with Personality

April 22, 2015

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS

There’s something about Genya and Wesleyann’s blog that just draws you in—from their fun bio photos to the warning that their blog contains “large doses of caffeine” (and don’t we all?), you can’t help but want to hang out with these two.

Genya went to college for photography, but she never imagined that she’d become a wedding photographer. After spending some time doing commercial photography, she found her way into weddings and realized that was where she fit.

Genya met Wesleyann at a vendor meeting in Florida that Wesleyann was coordinating. The two hit it off (in part because Wesleyann already felt like she knew Genya through her blog), and this duo went on to grow a bright, shiny and happy photography business together.

A few bits of advice you’ll hear from the ladies of Vue in this interview:

Be 100% honest with each other.
Stay true to yourself and let that come through in the work. Don’t deny who you are.
When choosing images for your blog, only show the images that make you take in a breath or otherwise react.
You’ll learn the most from your mistakes.
You should always be learning, growing and moving forward.
Take time for yourself.
Value your work.
Learn to say no.
Stay positive and focus on what can be.
Trust your gut.
Don’t be afraid to be open and reach out to other photographers. There are plenty of weddings to go around. Be friends and learn from each other (you’ll hear a story in this interview about a time when those relationships came in quite handy when another photographer came to the rescue in an otherwise disastrous situation).

Recommended:

creativeLive Webinars
Explore different styles (e.g. look at editorial photography)

Episode 3: Amanda Wilcher on Getting Your Work Published and Shooting Abroad

April 22, 2015

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS

Amanda Wilcher always had a creative spirit, so photography was a natural outlet for her creative expression. She started with personal projects to learn how to use the camera as an extension of creativity—she photographed friends first, which eventually led to her first wedding (and a first wedding story that rivals Dale Benfield’s).

A few topics from today’s show:

Being more than just the photographer (being a friend)
Thinking on your feet during weddings
Knowing who your “target bride” is, and showing the work you want to shoot
Specializing to stand out
Transitioning to a new city (or in Amanda’s case, a new country! Hear how she has handled her business as she followed her hear to Dublin, Ireland)
The power networking (with a great story about how networking saved Amanda when she lost all of her gear the night before a wedding)
Getting published

Recommended Resources:

See some of Amanda’s stunning work below, and be sure to check out her blog for more.

Episode 2: Dale Benfield: Staying True to Yourself and Avoiding Debt While Starting Your Business

April 22, 2015

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS

As a teen, Dale Benfield worked as a printer in his Dad’s photo lab, so it was a natural next step for him to become a photographer himself. Dale started his photography business right out of high school as a way to pay for college (his first wedding involved a ceremony in Klingon—you’ll hear more about the ensuing hilarity in the interview).

Dale continued the photography business on the side as he pursued a career as a high school teacher. Five years ago, he gave up teaching and moved to Arkansas to be closer to Meredith, who he recently married in Italy. When the business blew up, Meredith joined him full time.

Learn how Dale and Meredith have grown a booming business by staying true to themselves and constantly striving to better themselves in business. Also hear Dale’s philosophies about being smart with money—including his approach to buying new equipment, investing in himself and avoiding debt while starting a photography business.

Recommended reading:

Inc Magazine
Built to Last by Jim Collins
Good to Great by Jim Collins
Raving Fans by Ken Blanchard
Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh

A few gorgeous photos from Benfield Photography:

See more of Dale and Meredith’s awesome work at the following:

Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/Fayettevilleweddingphotography
Personal Page: http://www.facebook.com/arkansasweddingphotography
Twitter: @dalebenfield
Website: benfieldphotography.net
Blog: benfieldphotography.blogspot.com

Episode 1: Benjamin Derkin on Authentic Marketing

April 22, 2015

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS

Benjamin Derkin of Derk’s Works Photography has been making money from photography for seven years and working as a full time photographer for three. He also teaches workshops for beginning photographers with the folks at Prize Winning Photography.

A few topics from today’s show: