Tips For Launching A Successful Photography Business

So you love taking photos, invested in a DSLR and want to take your hobby to the next level? A successful photography business is just a few steps away. If you take the time to work on these 6 steps you are destined to turn your hobby into a money maker.

1 - Build A Good Portfolio. You should build a great portfolio before even launching your business. How do you do this? You are going to have to bite the bullet and do some free sessions for friends and family. You can then utilize the best photos from these sessions to start with a great portfolio right off the bat.

2 - Practice, Practice, Practice. Good thing for you this can be done while you are working on #1. It is inevitable that you will run into some snags during some sessions, like uncooperative toddlers, unrelenting sun, and camera malfunctions. The more you practice before you officially launch your business the more you will be used to the unexpected and know how to handle it like a pro.

3 - Set Reasonable Rates. Yes, some photographers charge a fortune but you can't start out charging what experienced photographers charge. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying to undersell yourself but do some research. Find out the range of prices photographers in your area charge and set your rates accordingly. Once you get more experience and build an even bigger portfolio you can raise your rates accordingly.

4 - Create A Social Media Presence. Make a Facebook page, create an Instagram account to showcase your work. Pin your photographs. Start a photography blog. Have a website. Be everywhere. The moe you are out there the more business you will get. Most of my business comes from my photography Facebook page.

5 - Do What Others Do. No I do NOT mean copy others artistic work but more their business sense. Find some successful photographers in your area and see what they do. Do they ever run specials? Do they ever run contests? How frequently do they post their work? They are successful for a reason, they are doing things right on the business and marketing side. This research will help you learn what works as far as marketing and promotions.

6 - Network. Network end of story. Have business cards made and carry them with you. Give them out when appropriate. Talking to someone whose sister is having a baby, give them a card. Give your friends and family cards as well. So much of my business comes from my family and friends singing me praises.

So some of these may seem a bit obvious but you would be surprised how many people don't do these things. You need to pay your dues, do your research and put the time into marketing. If you do that you are on a sure path to success! xoxo

Must Have Tips For Taking Great Selfies

Hello everyone!  Seeing selfies flood social media and being guilty of snapping a few myself I sometimes wonder if everyone is as crazy as me with doing things a certain way to have them come out just right. So I decided to reach out to some fellow bloggers to see what their tips are for getting that perfect selfie.










 Marquis from Simply Clarke had this to say: " I make different faces and tilt my head in different ways to get the optimal results from all angles. By the end, I normally have about 10 different selfies to chose from. What can I say, I like practicing my modeling skills."

Michelle from The Nurse Mommy Blog had this important piece of advice, I hope everyone adheres to: " My biggest tip for selfies, if you're going to take one in the bathroom, clean the countertop and PLEASE close the TOILET! We don't want to see it!"

  Kassie from Going Green With the Grizls had a great tip:  "One tip I picked up on when I was younger is that if you aren't comfortable in a photo, it will show all over your face. Instead of trying to hold the perfect smile, or angle or whatever other people were doing to look "pretty", I just be myself and usually when I'm not concerned with how I look, I get some of the best photos. =)"

Dianna from Savings In Seconds had these two tips "My tip is to always go chin-up.  No one needs to see that double (triple) chin of mine, self-portrait or not!" and  "the crop feature is your friend." She even used her second tip and cropped her head out.

Alyca from A Table For Five said this: "My tip is to use the front camera on your cell phone so that you and your baby can see yourselves and then smile like a maniac in an effort to get the baby to smile too. See my daughter in the background? She's got it down."

Alyca also had advice for solo selfies: "As for taking a picture of myself solo, I only do that on the rare occasion that I have found the time to shower and fix my hair. I suggest making sure your huge pile of laundry is not in the background. I {unfortunately} have posted pictures to Facebook before realizing that my baby is photo bombing me wearing no diaper!"

My tip for taking selfies indoors is to be facing a window.  Make sure you pull up the blinds or pull back the curtains.  Looking into the light can make your eyes look really cool and vibrant.  I try to always do this to give myself, what I call,  "vampire eyes."









I hope you enjoyed reading through our pieces of advice.  I would love to hear your tips and rituals for taking selfies. Please share!