Aspiring Photographer: Photography Advice and Inspiration

Selecting Colors for a Marketing Piece | Create a Color Palette from a Photograph

While surfing around the other day I came across this cool little online tool that lets you enter the url for an image, and it quickly creates a color palette from colors in the image. I know that I can always just pull an image into Photoshop and use the eyedropper to get the specific information on any individual color, but it's cool to be able to see the predominant colors together in little blocks of color. I think it would be a great tool to use to help create a marketing piece when you know the image you plan to use. I also have always liked the idea of designing the color palette for a room based on a defining photograph, and this can quickly help you visualize what that might be. If nothing else, I think it's a fun little way to waste a few minutes!

Here are a couple samples from images I entered. My photos don't really look all squished like this! It mushes any image into a square. It was sort of interesting to me how my predominant color in an image didn't always show up. In the first sample the palette doesn't show any blue, and the second one it doesn't show any green. But in a way it may make you look at color combinations from the image that you might not have considered, and possibly go with more subtle colors to complement the image.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you have other ideas for how you might use this tool with your photography, I'd love to hear them in the comments below.

-- Mary Lynne

Starting A Photography Business: Online Photography Forums

I think that one of the most important things one can do when starting out in this industry to to hook up with other photographers as soon as possible. I know that a lot of new photographers are afraid to do that, especially when it comes to meeting other local photographers. And it's true that while many local photographers will be more than happy to connect, there are some who feel threatened by other local photographers and insist on keeping their distance.

Luckily there are lots of online forums where you can connect with photographers from all around the country. They are great for meeting others with your same interests, and for getting the answers to just about any photography question or concern you could ever have. They are one of the best financial investments you can make in your new business. You do have to be careful, though, about jumping on every bandwagon you come across in the forum, not to listen to every piece of advice as ultimate truth, and not to fall victim to every "group buy" (once-in-a lifetime special offers from photography-related vendors for just about anything you could ever possibly buy.) While there are plenty more forums than the ones I've listed below, these are some of which I have some knowledge, know are reputable, and would recommend:

ilovephotography.com I've been a member of this forum for many years now. It is an extremely active forum, and is broken down into several sections based on your experience and skill level. There are free areas where you can start, and paid memberships and different levels of access as you progress. It is a very supportive community and is a fantastic way to hookup with other photographers. This forum has many, many members, so just be sure not to take every word as the ultimate truth. Also, the photo critiques can be a little soft, with everyone giving loving praise to photos that aren't always very deserving. But this forum has launched many careers, and many close friendships. It is an especially great place to go to arrange face-to-face get-togethers with other photographers.

photobizcommunity.com This is a brand new forum for which I just signed up today, which is what inspired me to write this post. Photobiz is the company through which I have my studio's website, and from what I can tell they started this community for those with their websites, but I think you might be able to join even if you don't have one of their sites (it would make sense to me, anyway, because then they would have the opportunity to sell you on their services). Since it's brand new I'm not quite sure how active it'll be, but it is FREE, so perhaps a good place to start if you don't feel ready to make a financial investment yet in a forum. Photobiz is also a great company through which to do your website if you don't already have one. Their customer service is great, unlike the other photography website company I was using before them.

phototalkforum.com One problem with online forums is that you frequently get advice from people who might have no real success in their business. You go off and running based on the advice of people who don't really have any experience, and you find yourself going down the wrong path.This site is Lori Nordstrom's baby. She's all about making sure you connect with real photographers who are honestly successful. She is the most amazing business woman, so I know it has to be good. One of the really awesome things about this forum is that you get lots of free template downloads with your subscription. The price to join the Photo Talk Forum for one year is $129. I've been saying for a long time that I was going to join this one, so I just finally signed up for it today, too.

The Pro4uM.com This forum has more men that the other forums. It also tends to have more experienced photographers, and they aren't as likely to sugar-coat their critiques of your photos as they are at ilovephotography.com. I was a member for several years, but let my membership lapse to participate in less expensive forums. The price to join The Pro4uM for one year is $249.

The Hidden Costs of Producing a Print

 Sometimes I marvel at the number (and cost!) of different products I use in the course of running my business, from marketing the business, to completing a portrait job from start to finish. I've put together a list of my workflow, along with all the different products I use, and their price.

Save Time Creating Holiday Cards

If you are getting requests for holiday cards this time of year, you know that it can be extremely time consuming to design just one card! Not to mention that it's sometimes hard to come up with something that looks as professional as you might want. I used to try to design every card individually for every client, and that became painfully time consuming. I have started buying holiday card templates that I like, and using them instead. There are all sorts of gorgeous card templates available these days. I find the best designs and offers through the online forums that I've belonged to, like www.ilovephotography.com and www.pro4um.com. If you don't already belong to one of these, try googling for some sources. In addition, most labs now offer designs that you can purchase that have been specifically sized for the products that they offer. Beware that it's easy to go overboard as there are so many great designers out there!