Aspiring Photographer: Photography Advice and Inspiration

Colorado Professional Photography Workshops Summer 2010 - The Details

I am offering a series of three workshops here in Colorado Springs this summer from July 30th to August 2nd, 2010. Sign up for one, two or all three! Each class will be jam-packed with loads of information, providing you with an amazing jump-start into this field. I’ve taught numerous courses over the years to rave reviews, and do not hold back in sharing TONS and TONS and TONS of valuable information and tips!  So that we can keep focused and not lose time due to traveling back and forth to lunch, I will provide lunch, drinks and snacks each day. If you sign up for the weekend course on starting a photography business, you are also welcome to stay for an evening cookout for no additional charge.

Listen to an overview of the workshops

Here are the dates, prices and topics. To register, or for more information, contact me at 719-205-7236 or MaryLynne@aol.com.

Learn to Use Your Digital SLR to Photograph People with Natural Light

Date: Friday, July 30th, 2010 9am - 4pm

Cost: $125 (lunch is provided, along with morning and afternoon snacks and drinks)

Max Class Size: 8

Location: 1355 Lindenwood Grove, Colorado Springs, 80907 (Casa Verde Club House)

Course Overview: You have invested in an expensive digital SLR, but you’re not quite sure how to use it to get great portraits. Once you understand your camera better, you will be much better able to get the shot you visualize and gain creative control over your camera. Whether you are just wanting to take better photos of your kids, or you are thinking about taking photos professionally, a strong foundation in the basics will help immensely!

We will focus on natural-light photography in this one-day workshop. I will talk about the relationship between aperture, shutter speed and ISO, and we will spend plenty of time doing hands-on exercises to help you gain a grasp of this important trio, and how each of the three affects exposure. We will look into how to get sharp focus, and how to selectively focus so that you can get that wonderful out-of-focus background that eludes many new photographers. We’ll talk about setting your white balance so you don’t end up with photos of funky blue people. We’ll cover lens selection as well.

Just as important as the technical aspects of photography are the artistic aspects, and we’ll explore those as well. Nailing the technical settings won’t get your anywhere if your lighting is bad, so we’ll look at that, as well as simple rules for image composition.

We’ll have subjects available to model for us so you can try out the various techniques you’re learning.
I would love to start out the class with an image critique, so if you have images you’ve taken that you’re willing to share with the group, we can look at them and discuss what can be improved. If people are nervous about being critiqued in front of everyone else, I’m happy to bring samples I’ve taken that I can critique and point out mistakes.

What the class is not: I will NOT be talking about how to photograph landscapes or how to use on-camera flash. This is NOT a portfolio building class so don’t expect exotic models and exotic settings. We are focusing on giving you the skills you can build upon to go out and create your own great photographs.

What to bring:

• Digital SLR camera
• Your camera manual
• Any lenses you use with this camera
• Notebook or laptop for taking notes
• Image samples for critique (optional)

Starting and Growing a Business Photographing Babies & Children (Two-day intensive seminar)

 Dates: Saturday, July 31 and Sunday, August 1, 2010, 10am-6pm both days. ***You also welcome to stay for a cookout afterwards on Saturday evening for no additional charge, and can invite your family and children if you would like. There is a big grassy area and nice playground outside the club house. I will be inviting other professional photographers from town to join us for dinner, so it will be a great networking opportunity.***

Cost: $249 (lunch is provided both days, along with morning and afternoon snacks and drinks. See note above regarding Saturday evening cookout.)

Max Class Size: 10

Location Day 1: 1355 Lindenwood Grove, Colorado Springs, 80907 (Casa Verde Club House)

Location Day 2: 1355 S. 8th Street, Colorado Springs, 80905 (My studio)

(NOTE: The class will be held in a meeting facility the first day, and at my studio the second day. It is pure coincidence that the street numbers are the same! They are in different parts of town.)

Course Overview: Starting and running a photography business is so much more than just picking up a camera at Costco, printing up some business cards and setting up a $100 website. That’s why hundreds ... no, I’d say thousands ... of people are doing right now, creating a real disservice to consumers who think they are hiring a professional photographer, only to find mediocre service and less-than-stellar photography. There is SO MUCH to learn to start up this business the right way, and I have spent 10 years studying and working in the industry. I have years worth of valuable information to share, and will pack your brain with as much as it can hold in this two-day intensive seminar.  My specialty is babies, children, families and maternity, with the occasional business headshot thrown in, so this is where my focus will be.

Perhaps the most important information you will receive from me is the vast set of lessons I have learned along the way. I will talk about the things that have worked great for me, and perhaps even more importantly, the many things that didn’t, especially money wasted along the way. I hope to help you avoid many of the mistakes that I made.

We’ll cover a wide array of topics, including:

• Marketing (my favorite topic -- not kidding!)
• • Product presentation and packaging
  • Launching and growing your business
  • Keeping in touch with clients
  • Favorite marketing books and resources
  • Pricing
• Where to get photography training and what you need to know
• Equipment selection
• Sales techniques
• • In-person sales
  • Online sales
• Software overview
• • Photoshop
  • Lightroom
  • Add-on tools
  • Sales presentation software
  • Other software I use
• Business details such as bookkeeping, licensing, etc.
• Managing overhead
• Outsourcing options
• Professionalism
• Avoiding and overcoming burnout
• Industry vendors & other resources

What the class is not:
I will NOT be discussing photography techniques in this particular class. All discussions will be geared towards the business side of the business. I am not a wedding or event photographer and I rarely photograph high school seniors, so I will present little if any information on these subjects.

What to bring:
You do NOT need to bring a camera to this class, as we will not be covering photography techniques. You are welcome to bring a laptop for taking notes. At a minimum, be sure to bring a notebook and pen, as you will want to take plenty of notes!

Photographing Babies & Children in the Studio

 Date: Monday, August 2, 2010, 10am-6pm

Cost: $125 (lunch is provided, along with morning and afternoon snacks and drinks)

Max Class Size: 8

Location: My studio at 1355 S. 8th Street, Colorado Springs, 80905

Course Overview: We will spend the whole day in my studio learning how to create great portraits of children in the controlled studio environment. Much of the content for the course will be pulled from the book I am writing with plans to self-publish one day, Don’t Say ‘Cheese!’ -- How to get Genuine Expressions and Non-Posey Poses When Photographing Kids in the Studio.

We will cover background selection, working with kids and parents, using props, image design, clothing recommendations, lighting and equipment. I’ll talk about how to light different types of backgrounds, including a high-key background (white background), black background and other backgrounds. We’ll talk about my favorite background providers, and the pros and cons of different types of backgrounds.

I will bring in children to model for us so you can see how I work with them.

What the class is not: This is NOT a portfolio building class so don’t expect exotic models and exotic settings. We are focusing on giving you the skills you can build upon to go out and create your own great photographs.

What to bring:

• You may bring your camera if you would like to practice photographing in this environment, but you do not need to bring it.
• Laptop or paper for taking notes

About the Instructor

Mary Lynne has been professionally photographing babies, children, and the families that come along with them since 2001. She has volunteered as an instructor for the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) several times for their Super Monday Program. Her work has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Kodak Gallery Award. Her work has been published in the Photoshop Wow Book, and will also be published in the upcoming International Loan Collection, published by the Professional Photographers of America. For more information about the studio and to see samples of her work, visit her website www.ashleyphotography.com. Be sure to visit her Facebook fan page to see some of her most recent work.

Mary Lynne Ashley
MaryLynne@aol.com
719-329-0396 Studio Voicemail
719-205-7236 Cell

Sarah Petty's The Small Business Marketing Joysummit

My favorite photography business topic is marketing. I am not making that up. I love it. I could sit around and listen to people talk about marketing their businesses all day. And that's exactly what you can do on June 28th, 2010 through The Small Business Marketing Joysummit. Even better, you can do it for FREE. Sarah Petty (who I happen to think is totally awesome) has brought together speakers from different small businesses to talk about ways they have built their businesses through smart marketing. These speakers are not just photographers, but they are owners of other types of small businesses as well.

The topics you'll find in this program include:

• 5 Ways to Boost Your Sales Results and Revenues NOW!
• Your Marketing Plan as Map, BGPS and Steering Wheel Combined
• Millionaire Moms
• Leaky Boat Websites and How to Prevent Them
• Creating Your Path to Productivity
• Building Your Small Business via Search Engine Marketing
• Seven Steps to Increasing Sales & Referrals Among Women
• How to Build a Strong Business that Competes Without Discounting
• The Top 7 Secrets to Spending More Time Doing What You Love
• The Top 5 (+1) List of Technology You Need to Start/Continue/Maintain a Thriving Business

I've purchased and listened to the last two telesummits that Sarah has put together, and they were both an absolutely excellent value. The way it works is that the whole program is free on one specific day. The problem is that most of us don't have an entirely open schedule on that day. So they offer the entire audio program for purchase so that you can listen and re-listen to it at a time that works for you. If you purchase the program by June 27th, it's only $49. After that it will go up to $89, which is still a good value considering what you get. You can follow this link to learn more.

Colorado Professional Photography Workshops Summer 2010

Just announced! I am offering a series of workshops here in Colorado Springs this summer from July 30th to August 2nd, 2010. Sign up for one, two or all. Each class will be jam-packed with TONS of information, providing you with an amazing jump-start into this field. Here are the dates and topics. Pricing and more details are coming very soon....

Friday, July 30, 2010 Learn to Use Your Digital SLR to Photograph People

Saturday, July 31 and Sunday, August 1, 2010 Starting and Growing a Business Photographing Babies & Children (Two-day workshop)

Monday, August 2, 2010 Photographing Babies & Children in the Studio

Starting a Business Photographing Babies & Children | Job Satisfaction

There are so many rewards available to professional photographers. The opportunity to be creative, to interact socially, and to create a legacy all come immediately to mind. Of course, if you price yourself right, get enough people in the door, and manage your expenses, there's also the opportunity for financial rewards. But the real satisfaction I get from running a photography business comes to me from many different sources.

I believe we all have an inherent need to create, and photography presents us with unlimited opportunities to be creative. My time in front of the camera is just one small aspect of the creativity I get to express as part of my business. After I take the images, I spend even more time behind the computer cropping and enhancing the images in Photoshop to express my true creative interpretation of the image. Every time I create an awesome image I feel such a great sense of satisfaction. I often get sucked up into in and think "I should be working," and then I realize that I am working. We also get to express our creativity in the many aspects of marketing our business: creating a blog, a website and any printed marketing materials that we give out. Even creating a gorgeous marketing piece is satisfying, especially when you start getting positive feedback on it.

Some of my favorite things about my business are all the opportunities I've had to build relationships. I love watching children grow over time through my photos, and have such satisfaction when a client chooses to come back to me for additional sessions. It's really great when a little kid you've photographed over the years runs in and gives you a big hug. I also have made so many wonderful friendships with the moms of the children I photograph. There are many days when I marvel over the fact that I just got paid to spend a couple hours hanging out and chatting with some cool woman while we worked together on capturing images of her children. It may be a crazy, stressful session, but even that can help us bond and become closer. We worked on a project together and were ultimately successful. I feel like I have so many girlfriends, and sometimes my week seems just like a string of endless coffee dates with my buddies. I don't think most jobs offer that! Other relationships I've developed are those with other business people -- the coffee shop where I hang my photos, the parenting website where I sponsor a contest, the real estate office where I occasionally setup a studio and photograph their clients, and many others -- these are relationships I have truly enjoyed. Finally, my many photographer friends are some of my very favorite relationships. I've known many of them for years now, and we hook up every so often through photography seminars, print competitions, etc. If you haven't worked to form friendships with other photographers, that's one of the first things I'd recommend doing!

It's also very satisfying to know that you are creating a product that will be around for years to come. When people are decluttering their homes, there's not much chance that they're going to throw out your photographs! (And I do consider them MY photographs, even when they are a photo of someone else's children hanging in their home.) Knowing that you are creating something that will be handed down to the next generation is pretty cool. It's very validating to walk into someone's home and see photos you've created hanging all over their walls. 

So if you are just starting your photography business and have felt discouraged for various reasons, just remember that there are so many positive reasons to stick with it. I really do believe that photography is not just a business, it's a way of life. Enjoy!