professional photographer, may 2012

MAY 2012

©Kimberly Wylie

www.meridianpro.com | 800-544-1370

Great Prints. Great Prices. Easy Ordering. It’s that Simple.

No lengthy application process. Go to our website, sign-up, download our free ordering software and begin ordering today.

8 wallets 1.754 x 6 .295 x 7 .99

8 x 10 1.4910 x 10 2.4911 x 14 3.99

16 x 20 13.5020 x 24 19.9920 x 30 24.99

PRINTS ON KODAK ENDURA PROFESSIONAL PAPERThe Summit and Crystal Summit albums come in a leather bound presentation box with magnetic clasp, lifting ribbon, and fabric liner.

We offer albums in three styles, Superior, Summit, and Crystal Summit; in sizes from 4x6 up to 12x12; with page counts from 10 to 40 page sides.

Heavy weight, lay fl at pages, 5mm thick with beautiful gilded edges.

Superior Albums are an even more economical line of albums starting as low as $60.

Waw

ro P

hoto

grap

hy

“MeridianPro is one of my secret weapons to stay competitive in this economy.”

Assembled AlbumsEasy to design with over 75 page templates right in the ROES ordering software. Just drag your images in to create beautiful album pages. You can also use your own designs in our blank page templates.

10x10 Summit Album $145.00

Includes lab correction, printing, assembly and beautiful leather bound presentation box.

Professional Prints

This table is just a small sample. We offer over 80 print sizes, from wallet all the way up to 30"x120".

Your choice, Lab Corrected or No Correction. Same low price. Make sure your images look as good in print as they do on your screen. Our lab corrected workfl ow is the easiest route to great looking prints. Our technicians view each image individually, making precise adjustments to color, density, and contrast.

Lab Corrected

8x10 only $1.49

Lab Corrected

11x14 only $3.99

Lakeview Photography

Take the digital out of digital photography.

Enjoy all the creative tools of fi lm photography, like discontinued fi lms, darkroom tricks, and

lo-fi camera quirks. Exposure 4 accurately simulates classic fi lms, like Kodachrome, Polaroid,

and Panatomic-X. The result is a photo that looks like it was made by a human, not a computer.

There is careful research under the hood, but we keep the controls simple so you can focus on

your art. Exposure 4 has a completely redesigned user interface that helps you quickly develop

your own look. Every part of Exposure is faster and much easier to use.

Visit ALIENSKIN.COM to see gorgeous examples and try Exposure for free!

© 2012 Alien Skin Software, LLC. All rights reserved. Exposure and Alien Skin Software are registered trademarks of Alien Skin Software, LLC. Kodachrome, Polaroid, and Panatomic-X are used for identifi cation purposes only and no claim is made to their trademarks.

editorial officesProfessional Photographer

229 Peachtree Street NE, Suite 2200, Atlanta, GA 30303-1608 U.S.A.404-522-8600; FAX: 404-614-6406

Professional Photographer (ISSN 1528-5286) is published monthly subscriptions

Professional Photographer P.O. Box 3606, Northbrook, IL 60065-3606; 800-742-7468;

FAX 847-291-4816; email: [email protected]; Web site: www.ppmag.commember services

PPA - Professional Photographer 800-786-6277; FAX 404-641-6400; e-mail: [email protected]; www.ppa.com

Advertising materials contact: Debbie Todd at [email protected]

Subscription rates/information: U.S. Print: $27, one year; $45, two years; $66,three years. U.S. Print and Digital Combo: $37, one year; $65, two years; $96, three

years. Canadian Print: $43, one year; $73, two years; $108, three years. CanadianPrint and Digital Combo: $53, one year; $93, two years; $138, three years.

International: $19.95 one year digital subscription.Back issue/Single copies: $10 U.S.; $15 Canada; $20 International.

PPA membership includes: Domestic $17.50, Non-Domestic $42 annual subscription. Subscription orders/changes: Send to Professional Photographer, Attn: Circulation

Dept., P.O. Box 3606, Northbrook, IL 60065-3606; 800-742-7468; FAX 847-291-4816; email: [email protected]; Web site: www.ppmag.com.

Periodicals postage paid in Atlanta, Ga., and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Professional Photographer magazine,

P.O. Box 3606, Northbrook, IL 60065-3606Copyright 2012, PPA Publications & Events, Inc. Printed in U.S.A.

Article reprints: Contact Professional Photographer reprint coordinator at Wright’s Reprints; 1-877-652-5295.

Microfilm copies: University Microfilms International, 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106

Professional Photographer (ISSN 1528-5286) is published monthly for $27 per year by PPAPublica tions and Events, Inc., 229 Peachtree Street, NE, Suite 2200, International Tower, Atlanta,GA 30303-1608. Periodicals postage paid at Atlanta, Ga., and additional mailing offices.

Acceptance of advertising does not carry with it endorsement by the publisher. Opinions expressed byProfessional Photographer or any of its authors do not necessarily reflect positions of ProfessionalPhotog raphers of America, Inc. Professional Photographer, official journal of the ProfessionalPhotog raphers of America, Inc., is the oldest exclusively professional photographic publication in theWestern Hemisphere (founded 1907 by Charles Abel, Hon.M.Photog.), incorporating Abel’s Photo-graphic Weekly, St. Louis & Canadian Photographer, The Commercial Pho tog -rapher, The National Photographer, Professional Photographer, and Profes sionalPhotographer Storytellers. Circulation audited and verified by BPA Worldwide.

4 • www.ppmag.com

PROFESSIONAL

senior editorJOAN [email protected]

features editorLESLIE HUNT

[email protected]

editor-at-largeJEFF KENT

[email protected]

contributing editorsDON CHICK, LORNA GENTRY,

ROBYN L. POLLMAN, ELLIS VENER

art director/production managerDEBBIE TODD

[email protected]

creative services managerROBYN [email protected]

creative services coordinatorCHERYL [email protected]

circulation MOLLIE O’[email protected]

BART ENGELS847-854-8182; [email protected]

AMY WALLS404-522-8600, X279; [email protected]

publications sales staffdirector of sales & strategic alliances

BILL KELLY404-522-8600, x248; [email protected]

ad sales managers

EDITORIAL

publisherDAVID TRUST

[email protected] childhoodTHEY GROW UP IN A FLASH

What I know about children would fit in a thimble. The thing I do

know, though, is that children are both predictable and unpredict -

able. As for their parents, I know they find that those years of

childhood go by blindingly fast. The children’s photographer has

much in common with the wedding shooter—you do know what

in general to expect, but you never know what’s actually going to

happen. And every day in a child’s life is a special day.

Though each has her own way of drawing out her subject’s

personality, the children’s photographers featured in this issue of

PP have found successful ways to capture a spectrum of childhood

behavior, from displays of explosive energy to quiet introspection,

and how to allow the kid to be a kid, so that the parents can hold

onto the moment forever.

Our May cover photographer, Kimberly Wylie, photographs

children in their first year in her fine art black-and-white Classic

style, and as they grow older and their personality begins to emerge,

she deems it time to capture them in the full vibrant color of her

Exquisite style. Audrey Woulard always stays true to herself, but

she never stops exploring new avenues, like video, and finds ways

to connect with her clients that keep them coming back. Marianne

Drenthe aims to capture every angle of the child’s personality,

while Heather Lickliter has fun by introducing fantasy and

adventure to empower her multifaceted subjects.

The reward for these photographers’ efforts and artistry is the

steady success of a loyal clientele.

Individual style aside, every photographer should know the

precautions presented in this issue’s feature on child safety. And

what about protecting the photographer? Elizabeth Esser talks

about her experience with sudden, unforeseen disability at the

beginning of her career, and gives straightforward advice on

insuring against business catastrophe in case it happens to you.

There’s tons more good stuff inside, and we hope you’ll enjoy it.

Joan Sherwood

Senior Editor

[email protected]

Discover new products, share yourfarvorites and join the community.

PPMAG.COM/SHOP

We’ve got you covered.

Flushmount andMatching Slipcover

ChrysQ has partnered with Forbeyon to produce ourprivate collection of Slipcovers.

These elegant soft accessories are the stylish solution for your album presentation need.

Twenty-one of our materials can be used as amatching slipcover.

1-800-540-1480 www.forbeyon.comFlushmount / 12.5x5 / Pearl with Boa / Metallic Cameo 8x3 / Matching SlipcoverCameo Image by Celina Gomez Photography

14x1

1 / C

lass

ic B

lack

with

Boa

and

Arc

tic /

Met

al C

ameo

8x4

/ M

atch

ing

Slip

cove

r / C

ameo

Imag

e by

Sto

ut P

hoto

grap

y

A SPLASH OF COLOR Kimberly Wylie diversifies her child portrait products with two distinct lines of styleBy Jeff Kent

CHICAGO DREAMERAudrey Woulard moves to downtown Chicago to photograph children and families in her all-natural, contemporary styleBy Lorna Gentry

CHILDREN: HAPPILY EVER AFTER

Heather Lickliter’s Fairyographyputs a little magic in every portraitBy Stephanie Boozer

POSING: KEEP IT SIMPLE

Learn the ways of safely posing infantsBy Robin Long

CHILDREN: HOLISTIC VIEW

A positive influence guides Marianne DrentheBy Jeff Kent

IMAGE BY: AUDREY WOULARD

86

90

98

102

110

Features

PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER MAY 2012

CONTENTS

DepartmentsCONTACT SHEET22 Tim Mantoani:

Portraits behind photographs26 Case study: Delicious marketing28 Giveaway of the month28 PP asks: Spring images30 Look back: Julia Margaret Cameron30 E-mail scam warning

signs and remedies

PROFIT CENTER33 What I think: Heather Lickliter36 Ask the experts38 Starting over: Playing fair

by Kalen Henderson40 Disability: Necessary protection

by Elizabeth Esser42 Up-selling

by Kalen Henderson46 SEO: Passive link building

by TJ McDowell

THE GOODS49 What I like: Marianne Drenthe50 Roundup: Summer-themed products

by Robyn L. Pollman56 Pro review: Leica S2

by Stan Sholik62 Pro review: Shoot Baby! Ottoman

and Backdrop Standby Betsy Finn

66 Pro review: NewerTech Guardian MAXimus Miniby Stan Sholik

70 Roundup: Metal print productsby Mark Levesque

74 Lighting: Photo breakdownby Ellis Vener

76 Web design: What you should know

ON THE COVER: Kimberly Wylie captured this imageoutdoors in natural light. She shot with a CanonEOS 5D Mark II camera with an EF 70-200mm f/4LIS USM lens at f/4.5 for 1/200 second. Wylie appliedthe hand-painted texture in Design Aglow.

8 • www.ppmag.com

14 FOLIO

121 PPA TODAY

136 SCHOOL CALENDAR

138 GOOD WORKSPROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER | MAY 2012 | WWW.PPMAG.COM

Marianne Drenthe of Marmalade Photography in Chicago

wanted to encourage repeat business from her many

clients who travel with their kids from far away for her services. She made the ordering

process much more convenient by switching from in-person sales to a limited online

viewing window of the images and an ordering session on the phone.

CONTENTS

98©

Marianne D

renthe

White House Custom Colour, Your Professional Photographic and Press Printing Partner

Our Favorite Products for Children Photography

Images for products © Little Nest Portraits

White House Custom Colour is a full service, professional photographic lab and press printer. In addition to the showcased products

on these pages, we offer a full line of products and services to make a positive impact on your goals for continued success in building

your photographic business. For more information visit our website, www.whcc.com

Accordion Mini BooksAccordion Mini Books are the must-have item for all parents and grandparents. Not only does the Mini Book display many images, its small size and magnet closure allow for easy transport in a handbag. It’s the perfect brag book to show off children session images to family and friends. The magnet also allows the Mini Book to be proudly displayed on a refrigerator.

Bound Proofs

book of their favorite images, Bound Proofs are a great upsell addition to larger print orders. Bound Proof books also make great ordering tools,

Press Printed BooksWhat mom doesn’t want her own customized book of her children? She’ll proudly display it for all to see and treasure it for years to come! Enhance the excitement and experience by packaging and presenting the Press Printed Book in a fun and colorful Boutique Bag.

Framed PrintsDecorate a family room, kids’ room, or play room with a multi-image Framed Print. Choose one of our Blue, Green, Brown, Black, or Cream mats to enhance the images and complete a look to match any décor.

www.whcc.com

t t hh

d t it f td i f

e y does

item does

p g pg pp

whcc’sFAVORITE THINGS FOR

Children

Professional Photographers of America229 Peachtree St., NE, Suite 2200Atlanta, GA 30303-1608404-522-8600; 800-786-6277FAX: 404-614-6400www.ppa.com

2012-2013 PPA boardpresident*TIMOTHY WALDENM.Photog.Cr., [email protected]

vice president*RALPH ROMAGUERA SR.M.Photog.Cr., CPP, API, [email protected]

treasurer*SUSAN MICHALM.Photog.Cr., CPP, [email protected]

chairman of the board*DON DICKSONM.Photog.Cr.,Hon.M.Photog, [email protected]

directorsDON MACGREGORM.Photog.Cr., [email protected]

MICHAEL GAN M.Photog.Cr., CPP [email protected]

ROB [email protected]

LORI [email protected]

MICHAEL TIMMONSM.Photog.Cr., [email protected]

RICHARD [email protected]

STEPHEN THETFORDM.Photog.Cr., [email protected]

AUDREY L. WANCKETM.Photog.Cr., [email protected]

industry advisorKEVIN [email protected]

PPA staffDAVID TRUST, CAE Chief Executive Officer [email protected]

SCOTT KURKIAN, CPA, CAEChief Financial OfficerChief Operating [email protected]

THERESE ALEMANDirector of Marketing [email protected]

KRISTEN HARTMAN Director of MemberValue and [email protected]

BILL KELLY Director of Sales &Strategic [email protected]

SCOTT MORGAN Director of [email protected]

WILDA OKEN Director of [email protected]

DAWN ROBB Director of [email protected]

LENORE TAFFEL Director of [email protected]

CLAIRE WHITEDirector of Allied [email protected]

SANDRA LANGExecutive [email protected]

*Executive Committee

12 • www.ppmag.com

The Tuscany Album

Images courtesy of Alicia Alejo, thephotofriends.com

Ships in 4 days · Available in 9 different sizes and a variety of leather and man-made options

Images are flush to the edge of the album · Lay-flat binding make panoramas appear seamless

Discover more online at


folio| Comprising images selected from the files of the PPA Loan Collection, Folio is a monthly sample ofaward-winning photography selected from PPA’s annual International Photographic Competition (IPC),which is open to non-PPA members. The Loan Collection comprises more than 500 photographschosen for distinction by the IPC jurors. ppa.com/competitions/international.php

ANNE HUTTONAnne Hutton, M.Photog.,

of Anne HuttonPhotography in Camarillo,

Calif., found this young girlto be the perfect subject

for a photographiccompetition. With a NikonD700 camera and Nikkor

24-70mm f/2.8 G ED AF-S lens, Hutton

exposed “Gypsy Girl” for1/250 second at f/5.6, ISO

200. A Photogenic SolairPLR1000DRC and a 4x6-foot Larson soft box witha 4x6-foot Calumet softsilver reflector provided

the main lighting. Sheused a Photogenic Solair

PLR500DRC and whitetranslucent umbrella forfill. Hutton removed the

girl’s mother from theoriginal composition

in Adobe Photoshop. The image won a Kodak

Gallery Award.annehuttonphotography.com

©Anne Hutton

THE NIKON PRO LEGACY CONTINUES. INTRODUCING THE NIKON D4, A D-SLR FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS WHO DEMAND A CAMERA AS PROFESSIONAL AS THEY ARE.

11 Frames Per Second | 16.2 MP FX-Format CMOS Sensor | Full 1080P HD Video with FX, DX and 2.7 Crop Mode

ISO Range of 100–12,800 Expandable up to 204,800 | Advanced Scene Recognition System with 91,000 Pixel RGB Sensor

nikonusa.com/D4

FOR PERFECTIONISTS, AND THOSE WITH EVEN MORE EXACTING STANDARDS.

Nikon® and D4™ are registered trademarks of Nikon Corporation. ©2012 Nikon Inc.

DAN KASALLISDan Kasallis, CPP, of Lifetouch in Shakopee, Minn., created “I Do” as a promotional piece for the wedding program at Cilento Studios by Lifetouch.“I wanted to show that brides can still be photographed in the studio these days, and that it’s not a lost tradition,” he says. Kasallis captured theimage with a Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera and Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 USM EF lens. He placed a 100-watt-second Broncolor flash and a 45-inchWestcott Halo modifier in a butterfly pattern about 2 feet above the model, and a Larry Peters Eyelighter in the “bellypan” position about waisthigh and 2.5 feet away. Two 100-watt-second Photogenic Powerlights were used as accents, both with 12x16-inch Photoflex grids at the back, leftand right. He performed minor retouching with Adobe Photoshop, Imagenomic Portraiture and LucisArt 3 plug-ins. cilentophotography.com

©Dan Kasallis

ANDREA JOLIATTo celebrate a client’s grand mother’s birthday, Andrea Joliat, M.Photog., CPP, of The Family Album in Lexington, Mass.,created “Ten Cool Cousins,” featuring children ages 4 to 18. With a Canon EOS 5D camera and Canon 24-105mm f/4 L ISUSM EF lens, Joliat exposed the image for 1/125 second at f/18, ISO 400. A 400-watt-second DynaLite Uni 400monolight with a 4x6-foot Larson soft box and a white reflector provided the main lighting, and a 250-watt-secondDynaLite 2040 flash and a 9x24-inch Larson soft box with louvers provided hair light. A second Dynalite 2040 with 6-inchhoneycomb grid lit the background. Joliat combined three photographs for the final image. familyalbumphoto.com

©Andrea Joliat


SORRY, BUT YOU’RE GOING TO WANT TO RESHOOT EVERYTHING YOU’VE EVER SHOT.

INTRODUCING THE D800

36.3 MP FX-format CMOS Sensor with EXPEED 3 Image Processing

91,000 Pixel RGB Sensor with Advanced Scene Recognition System

Full HD video at 30/25/24 FPS with Full Manual Control

Wide ISO sensitivity range from 100 to 6,400; up to 25,600 in still and video

NIKKOR versatility includes: over 60 FX/DX lenses

For more, visit nikonusa.com/D800

Niko

n® and

D800™

are registered

tradem

arks of N

ikon C

orp

oratio

n. ©2012 N

ikon Inc.

KRYSTAL RADLINSKIWhen the Darr family wanted to document a day in their busy lives, KrystalRadlinski, M.Photog.Cr., of Verve Studio in Newberry, Fla., set to work creatingan album of journalistic portraits and candids. She captured most of the imageswith a Canon EOS-1D Mark III camera, and a variety of Canon EF lenses: 50mmf/1.4 USM; 85mm f/1.2 L II USM; 70-200mm f/2.8 L USM; 16-35mm f/2.8 L IIUSM. When needed, Radlinski used an 800-watt-second Lumedyne SignatureSeries flash with a PocketWizard and a 36-inch Photek silver umbrella, and aCanon 580EX Speedlite and PocketWizard with a Sto-Fen Omni-Bounce umbrella

and a 40-inch Westcott 5-in-1 reflector.She performed minor retouching in AdobePhotoshop and assembled the images in a10x10-inch, leather-bound GraphiStudioalbum. “Often with the pressure to createthe perfect portrait, it can be easy to missthe wonderful, silly mess that captures achild’s personality,” says Radlinski. “Thiswas a great reminder for me to embracethe importance of play for both oursubjects and for us.” vervestudio.com

WILLIAM BRANSONWilliam Branson, M.Photog.Cr., F-ASP, of Durham, N.C., was

commissioned by a grandmother of 10 to create “Grace,” the ninth in aseries for this client. With a Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera and Canon 70-

200mm f/2.8 L USM EF lens, Branson exposed the main image for 1/125second at f/7.1, ISO 100. A 1,200-watt-second White Lightning Ultra 1200and a 36-inch Balcar silver umbrella lit the scene, and a second Ultra 1200

and umbrella provided fill. He used a third Ultra 1200 and 20x20-inchLarson soft box for a hair light. Branson composited several images inAdobe Photoshop and finished in Corel Painter. “Grace” won a Kodak

Gallery Award. wbranson.com

©Krystal Radlinski

©William Branson


Make the most of your creativity with Michaels. With over 480 unique mat colors and 540 frames to choose from, we have everything you need to display your photography with style. Plus, we only use state-of-the-art preservation techniques, preservation quality products and your artwork never leaves your local Michaels store. See one of our Custom Framing Experts today for a consultation, or visit michaels.com/customframing for more information.

make memories last a lifetime

Limited Time OfferBring in an 11x14 portrait and we will custom frame it for $59.99, a $259 value! Total size of the piece 16 x 20 = size of portrait + mat

Includes: basic frame with grey or yellow band, 1 mat, and conservation clear glass, preservation mount and fit. Bring coupon into store to redeem offer. May not be combined with any other offers, sales or discounts in effect. Valid 4/30/12 to 5/30/12

©20

12 M

icha

els

Stor

es, I

nc. 1

3112

PP

GR

OW

YO

UR

STU

DIO

Accordion Books as envisioned by McClanahan StudioLearn more at www.millerslab.com/accordionbooks

M O R E I S M O R E

Feeling nostalgic for the tactile nature of film,

San Diego commercial photographer Tim

Mantoani had an idea. Over the 2006 Christ -

mas holiday, while visiting San Francisco, he

rented a Polaroid 20x24 camera and invited

a couple of photographers he knew—Jim

Marshall and Michael Zagaris—to sit for a

portrait, each holding one of his famous prints.

What started as a lark became a passion

to create an archive of portraits of the pho-

tographers behind iconic images.

Over the course of five years, Mantoani

traveled the country taking portraits. “I tried

to not put pressure on who was or wasn’t

involved,” he says. “I allowed the tide to take

me and didn’t let my own prejudice or naïveté

get in the way of opening myself to people I

wasn’t familiar with. Who was I to say who

should or shouldn’t be [included]? I just fol-

lowed the lead of people I respected and was

open to where this thing took me.”

In January Mantoani published “Behind

Photographs: Archiving Photographic

Legends” (Channel Photographics). In the gen -

erous bottom margin of each giant Polaroid

print, the subjects handwrote the story behind

their image. “It became another layer—

through their penmanship, smudges, mis-

spellings—to reveal a little more about their

personalities,” he says.

Mantoani says he learned from the pho-

tographers while taking their pictures. Both

Timothy Greenfield-Sanders and Steve

McCurry requested certain angles, but

demurred to Mantoani. “McCurry said, ‘This

is your picture, not mine,’ and I said, ‘No, it’s

our picture. If I can’t learn from you, who

[has] taken arguably one of the most

famous portraits of all time, who could I

possibly learn from?’”

To see more visit mantoani.com.

CONTACT SHEETWhat’s New, Cool Events, Interesting People, Great Ideas, Etc.

All im

ages ©T

im M

antoani Photography

Tim Mantoani archives photographic legends in a new book on the faces and stories behind iconic images

BY LORNA GENTRY

PORTRAITSB E H I N D P H O T O G R A P H S


The legacy continues. The FUJIFILM X-Pro1 Camera incorporates

the revolutionary X-Trans 16.3 MP APS-C CMOS sensor.

Increased sensor resolution was achieved by randomizing the

pixel arrangement, thus removing the need for the optical

low-pass fi lter. The new X-Pro1 Camera captures images that

rival full-frame sensors and continues to build on the Fujifi lm

legacy of unsurpassed photographic quality.

With revolutionary features such as the FUJINON XF Prime Lenses,

advanced X Mount design, new EXR Processor Pro with integrated

co-processor, and 2nd Generation Hybrid Multi Viewfi nder, Fujifi lm’s

technological innovation and design expertise delivers a new

standard in Premium Interchangeable Lens Cameras.

FUJINON 18MM (F2)(((( )))))

FUJINON 35MM (F1.4)

FUJINON 60MM (F2.4)

One Camera. Multiple Lenses. Infinite Possibilities.

THE NEW FUJIFILM X-PRO1 WAS CREATED WITH THE UNCOMPROMISING PHOTOGRAPHIC PROFESSIONAL IN MIND.

FUJIFILM and FUJINON are trademarks of FUJIFILM Corporation and its affi liates. © 2012 FUJIFILM North America Corporation and its affi liates. All rights reserved.

www.fujifilm-xpro1.com

“ The X-Pro1 was a pleasure to hold and shoot with. It has a really incredible color palette, just like Fujifilm’s Pro film lineup and the low light capabilities were amazing.”

-Jose Villa

Photos By Jose Villa, 2012

Inspiration. Innovation. Perfection.

When Sacramento photographer Stephanie

Salo made the transition from portraiture

to food photography last year, she needed

a strat egy to attract prospective editorial

and agency clients, so she cooked up a

promo package that would leave them

hungry for more.

For the cuisine, Salo chose homemade

goodness. To illustrate it, she wrote a recipe

for satisfied clients that included ingre dients

like “1 1/2 cup talent sifted with originality,”

and “1 cup packed with a photographer pas-

sionate about her work.”

“I wrote the recipe to illustrate my working

style as well as my creativity,” says Salo. For the

artwork, she selected six images from her port -

folio that captured a homey, rustic appeal.

For printing, she turned to MOO, the

online printing resource she’d used for busi-

ness cards. “I was so impressed with them.

They were fantastic for the price, and they

can do small-lot quantities,” says Salo. She

ordered postcards printed with the recipe

and images, and logo stickers. She designed

and printed bellybands and gift tags herself.

Completing the package were a mini spatula

imprinted with her Web address, and the

coup de grace: a cello bag full of her home-

made snickerdoodle cookies, bearing the

label, “I dare you to eat just one!”

Salo sent the goodies to about 60 people

from a list she calls “dream clients,” targeting

those who had responded to a previous e-mail

promo by clicking through to her website.

That promo attracted the attention of

other photographers, who wanted to know

more about it, and MOO even featured the

project on its website.

The burning question, though, did any

of the prospects take the bait? Indeed, says

Salo. In follow-up phone calls, she asked

each recipient if he or she accepted her dare

to eat just one cookie, and not only netted

several meetings, but also gained new

clients. By her estimate, the project cost less

than $1,000, including priority shipping.

“I made up [the cost of the promo] in just

one job,” Salo says.

—Jessica Goldbogen Harlan

Find more of Stephanie Salo’s work atsalophotography.com and her blog, lensandladle.com.


CONTACT SHEET

CASE STUDY:

A delicious marketing idea

All images ©Stephanie Salo

THE NEW STANDARD

© G

rego

r H

alen

da

PocketWizard.com · 914 347 3300Distributed by MAC Group

PlusIII.PocketWizard.com

PLUS® III TRANSCEIVER


CONTACT SHEET

PP’s Giveaway of the Month PP Asks …We love hearing from all ofyou on our Facebook page.We offer up the questions,you dish the brilliantresponses. These are just afew of the ones posted on our wall. Click theLike button to join the conversation at face-book.com/ppmagazine. This month’s post:

IT’S SPRING! WHEN YOU HEADOUTSIDE WITH YOUR CAMERA ATTHIS TIME OF YEAR, WHAT REALLYCATCHES YOUR EYE?

I love the collision of the blue, blue sky withbig, cottony clouds and grass so green itdoesn’t look real. Throw in some wildflowersand it’s to die for.

—Ashley Aguillard Davidson

Light! Pretty, golden, make-you-want-to-melt light. I would probably photographgarbage if it was in pretty light.

—Jen Creed

After the snow has melted here in SouthDakota, the beautiful, neutral-toned nativegrasses catch my attention. I love pairing out-fits with spring colors against the grass.Makes everything pop.

—Newley Kartak

The snowmelt waterfalls that form up here inMaine, especially along the carriage roads inAcadia National Park.

—Brittany Bugaj

Thunderstorms and any scene that has justbeen doused with rain. I love the rich colorsthat scream out after a rainfall.

—Brenda L Bekoski-Conway

Flowers. Now if I could figure out how to getthe smell to accompany the image!

—Monica Hellem Bryant

I just took a series of photos highlightingdead and dying plants at the feet of bright,vibrant new blooms. It’s such an amazingstudy of contrasts in nature.

—Debra Russ Jacobs

I love springtime for children. The light is sopretty on their skin and hair. I also loveblooming flowers and trees, and the newspring light—beautiful for portraits.

—Kristen Montgomery Caudill

WIN THIS!ENTER TO WIN ONE OF FOUR NEW WESTERN DIGITAL MY PASSPORT

1TB PORTABLE HARD DRIVESAT PPMAG.COM/WIN

Western Digital’s new My Passport portable hard drives are smaller,

sleeker and more colorful than ever. Available in a number of capacities,

including the first 2TB portable hard drive on the market, the My

Passport drives offer WD SmartWare automatic backup software and

WD Security for password protection and hardware encryption, which

means you can back up all of your valuable digital content automati-

cally. With so much storage space, you can take all of your photos,

videos and music with you wherever you go.

Learn more at wdc.com.

For pricing and information on Collages.net’s complete product line, visit www.collages.net/products ©2012 Collages.net Inc. All rights reserved. Photo © Le Petite Studio, Elegant Images & Photographs, and ABM Wedding Photography.

Non-Branded Catalog“Collages.net’s new non-branded catalog is just what my studio needed to sell more products. And the matching iPad-friendly website allows me to show clients my product options on the go. These selling tools have taken mystudio to the next level!”

Nicole LeBlanc, Le Petite Studio

Order copies and view the matching website at www.collages.net/catalog

StoryBlocks™

“StoryBlocks have been a huge hit with all of our clients. Since the image blocks are interchangeable, our clients keep ordering more to add to the larger baseboard. The quality and durability is incredible, plus they ship in only three business days!”

Ross and Kammi Bothwell, Elegant Images & Photographs and ROKA Studios

Order your fi rst StoryBlock today at www.collages.net/StoryBlocks

Free Sign-Up: www.collages.net/PPAsignup(877) 638-7468 | [email protected]

Albums | Books | Professional Printing | Cards | Sell Images Online | Gallery Wraps | StoryBlocksTM

Sell More. Make More.ll l


CONTACT SHEET

Read more about the legends of photography at the International Photography Hall of Fame, iphf.org.

Portrait of a stargazerJulia Margaret Cameron photographed Victorian England’s elite

British photographer Julia Margaret

Cameron (1815-1879) instructed the revered

astronomer and photographer Sir John

Herschel (1792-1871) to wash his hair for

this 1867 portrait so that “a brilliant halo

would encircle his head,” according to the

book, “The Waking Dream: Photography’s

First Century” (Yale Univ., 2000), pub-

lished in conjunction with the 1993 exhibi-

tion of the same name at the Metropolitan

Museum of Art. Of the three por traits

Cameron took that day of Herschel in his

home, this image was his favorite because

he looked like an ordinary grandfather.

Cameron and Herschel had been friends

for many years, but she had been a photog-

rapher for only four years when she made

the portrait. She took up the craft at age 48

and turned to

Herschel for tech-

nical and artistic

advice, as she

regarded him as her

“teacher and high

priest,” she said. Unlike

other Victorian photogra-

phers, Cameron preferred soft focus for

idealized, artistic renderings. About the

many famous men who posed for her,

Cameron said, “When I have such men

before my camera, my whole soul has

endeavored to do my duty towards them

in recording faithfully the greatness of

the inner, as well as the features of the

outer, man.”

—Lorna Gentry

Portrait of astronomer Sir John Herschel, byJulia Margaret Cameron, 1867. Both imagesprinted courtesy of the InternationalPhotography Hall of Fame.

Watch for these signs to alert you thatyour dream job might hook you into afinancial nightmare.

• The client asks to pay you prior to seeing your contract, or even discussing your fees

• The client asks you to be responsible for paying other vendors

• The client says he resides in another country, frequently travels internationally, or requires you to travel on fairly short notice

• The client’s “major event” just suddenly came up

• The event is to be held at a venue that does not exist

• The client wishes to deposit payment directly into your bank account

• A check or money order arrives that’s substantially higher than the negotiated fee—the client “accidentally” overpaid and requests a cash refund or wire transfer

• The client asks you to provide your services or products without a contract in place and without paying beforehand

• The client’s e-mail address is the only way to reach him, and he cannot pro vide a valid physical address or telephone number

When you get such e-mail, immediatelynotify the e-mail provider (such asYahoo!, AOL, Google) of the offendingsender and message. The provider mightthen freeze or delete the fraudulent account.

Bottom line, never jump into anassignment without meeting or speakingwith your client by phone, and neveraccept payment of incorrect amounts orin manners outside your norm.

For detailed remedies, recourse andappropriate government agencies, readthe whole story at ppmag.com/web-exclusives/2012/04/scam.html

—Maria Matthews, PPA Copyright andGovernment Affairs

E-MAIL SCAM WARNING SIGNS AND REMEDIES

Julia Margaret Cameron

For pricing and information on Collages.net’s complete product line, visit www.collages.net/products ©2012 Collages.net Inc. All rights reserved. Photo © MyLife Photography, Studio Eleven Photography, and Nick Corona Photography.

Sell Anything Online “Now I can sell all of my products—not just prints— using Collages.net’s online image-sharing interface. My busy clients can place orders at their convenience with just a few clicks. My life just got easier!”

Robin Haws, Studio Eleven Photography

Learn more! www.collages.net/SellAnything

lFree Sign-Up: www.collages.net/PPAsignup(877) 638-7468 | [email protected]

Albums | Books | Professional Printing | Cards | Sell Images Online | Gallery Wraps | StoryBlocksTM

Save More Time. Make More Money.

Free Design Software“collagesDesigner 2.0 is the best album and book design software in the industry. And it’s free! It’s better than software I’ve paid hundreds of dollars for. Another great way that Collages.net saves me money!”

Catherine Ritchie Park, MyLife Photography

Download a FREE copy today! www.collages.net/FreeDesignSoftware

ll l

l l

Visit ppmag.com starting

6.1.12:

THINK YOU HAVE THE WINNING PHOTO?

CoverContest

Start gathering your best images to submit for a chance to befeatured on the cover of Professional Photographer magazine.

May 2012 • Professional Photographer • 33

Professional Photographer P R E S E N T S Business, Marketing and Sales Strategies

What I thinkHeather Lickliter works around herintroverted nature, partners for success

What’s the greatest challenge your business has faced in recent

years? Honestly, it’s been me. I’m not the best marketer or busi-

ness woman, so the biggest thing I’ve had to overcome is my in-

troverted nature. It really helps that I have a math- and

marketing-minded business partner. She saves me!

What’s the biggest business risk you’ve ever taken? I opened dur-

ing a recession and I worried myself to bits about putting food on

the table. It’s gone pretty well so far.

What’s your deal breaker? An overbearing or abusive parent. I will

not participate in anything that causes a child to feel horrible. I’d stop

the session in a heartbeat. I make my sessions fun, not a punishment.

How do you think the business of professional photography will

evolve in the coming years? The client who shops for professional

photography will become savvier and less apt to take a “deal” over

quality photos. I think a lot of the market may turn back toward

more experienced photographers.

What’s your best advice about running a successful pho -

tography business? Do what you love, but keep your

head—or find a business partner who can help

you keep it. Just

because you

want something

doesn’t mean you

need to spend money

on it right that

moment.

IMAGE BY HEATHER LICKLITER

STYLIZEDPORTRAITURE.COM

Deidre & MpixPro Products: A Love StoryDeidre loves the ever-changing light and is inspired by the love stories and unique personalities of her clients. MpixPro’s

wide range of high-quality and unique products allow Deidre’s images to speak for themselves, loudly and clearly and make it easy to share the beauty she’s captured along the way.

Where discerning photographers belong.

Q: Another photographer and I want to mergeand change our studio name. We found another photography business in anotherstate with the name we want. What are thelaws on trademarking business names?A. It’s important to note that trademark lawsexist to protect consumers just as much asthe owner of the mark; consumers should beable to know what they’re buying. For exam-ple, when you see McDonald’s golden arches,you know you’ll be able to order a Big Mac,and exactly what it should taste like. Theseassociations are crucial in choosing your busi-ness name. You want it to be distinctive, andyou want it to be legally yours.

A trademark, like a copyright, is intellectualproperty. A trademark, or mark, could be yourbusiness name, logo or even a slogan. A trade -mark comes into existence once it is used incommerce. That means that your rights to amark can be established by being the first touse it or to register ownership of it.

Before choosing a name, we recommendyou thoroughly research its use. That includesdoing a general Internet search on the word orwords, as well as searching trademark reg-istries at state and federal levels. If you findthat someone is already using the name, findout the location of the business, the kind ofbusiness it is, how long the business has beenusing it, and whether or not it’s registered.

Trademark infringement is determined bywhether or not your use of the mark couldcause consumer confusion in the market-

place—that your business might easily beconfused with another one using the mark.So, for example, if yours is a wedding photog -raphy business and you choose a name that’ssimilar to that of a bridal boutique halfwayacross the country, the likelihood for con-sumer confusion is small. On the other hand,if you choose a name that sounds like thename of another studio located a few hours’drive away, think twice before printing upyour business cards.

Also remember that the first person to usethe mark will likely have precedence. So evenif you register your mark before another user,he or she may be allowed to continue to use iton the basis that he was already using it at thetime your registration was granted. There aresome circumstances in which the second useris the first to register the mark, and is entitledto the protections attached to such a filing.Note that only federally registered trademarkscan appear with the ® symbol alongside.

—Maria Matthews, PPA Copyright & Government Affairs manager

Q. Our contract for wedding photographystates that the second half of our packagefee is due when we deliver the retouchedimages of the wedding. We got burned in abad situation on that policy. Is it industrystandard to instead request final paymenton the day of the wedding? We’d prefer toget the payment before the couple blows alltheir money on the honeymoon.

A. We photographed our first wedding in 1989,and we’ve learned a lot since then. With eventslike weddings or bar/bat mitzvahs, like mostpros, we require a signed contract betweenthe parties. We require a $1,000 retainer tostart the contract, and then any remainingbalance must be paid one month before theevent. We used to require payment on thewedding day, but what a downer for us towalk in, see the bride looking fabulous, andthen ask her for a check. Then we started askingfor the balance two weeks before the event,but quickly found that no one remembers thattwo-week date. But every bride knows exactlywhen the wedding is one month away.

Since adopting this policy, not a singlebride has been late with payment, and every-one’s expectations have been met. Brides andeven fathers occasionally ask about the policy,but once we explain how we came to this de-cision, everyone understands. Plus, with thebalance paid, the couple doesn’t have toworry about it on the honeymoon. n

—Jeff Dachowski, M.Photog.Cr., CPP

Got a question? The SMS team wants to hearfrom you. E-mail our panel of experts c/o PPeditor Joan Sherwood at [email protected].


GURUS FROM PPA STUDIO MANAGEMENT SERVICES ANSWER YOUR BUSINESS,MARKETING AND SALES QUESTIONS. FOR INFO ON WORKSHOPS, GO TO PPA.COM.

Ask the expertsDue dates for final payment, trademarking business names

STUDIO MANAGEMENT SERVICESPROFIT CENTER

©Veer

We used to require payment on the wedding day, but what a downer

for us to walk in, see the bride looking fabulous, and then ask her for

a check. Then we started asking for the balance two weeks before the

event, but quickly found that no one remembers that two-week date.

But every bride knows exactly when the wedding is one month away.

Photoshop and Lightroom are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated.

It was 25 years ago almost to the day that I

realized I needed to open a photography stu-

dio. It wasn’t a business decision. It was

spurred by months of thought and insight,

and it was a mom thing.

I was the mother of a 2-year-old daugh-

ter and a 6-month old son. Pregnant with

my third child, I was attempting to balance

motherhood and career, and trying to ignore

the “I told you so” comments from relatives

who insisted I couldn’t do both well.

I worked weekdays, and I hadn’t been able

to book my son with our nearby photog rapher

for his 6-month portrait, so I packed up the

kids and drove 25 miles to the small strip

mall in the next community, where you could

get pictures made by a chain studio, just about

any time. The experience at the photo kiosk

there wasn’t the best, but my son smiled and

I thought the images would be wonderful. To

match my portrait of my daughter at 6 months

old, I requested a black background. The pho -

tographer assured me that was no problem.

I eagerly anticipated the call saying my

order was in. I felt pretty smug about getting

a real deal; the chain advertised packages of

one 11x14, five 8x10s, 16 5x7s, 22 4x6s, 88

wallets, 172 exchanges, a coffee cup, a charm,

a set of steak knives, and a partridge in a

pear tree, all for only $9.95. But wait, there’s

more! Every additional print ordered would

cost just 99 cents. How could you go wrong?

When the call came, I packed up my preg -

nant self and the kids in the minivan and

headed to the mall. As our troupe approached

the kiosk, I imagined how proud my husband

would be of my awesome market savvy. The

attendant opened the package and drew out

images of a baby that resembled my son,

against a hideous background that might have

been Robin Hood’s forest hideaway. My son

had one eye half closed and drool conspicu-

ously dripping from the corner of his mouth.

“You don’t understand,” I began. “I wanted

the image to be on the black background.”

“This is the image we chose for your

package,” he said. “If you want a different

image, it will cost extra.”

How much extra could it possibly be with

this store’s prices? I thought. I could bury

this set in a drawer and order enough good

ones to make all our relatives happy. “Okay

then. How much will it be?” I asked.

“Eighty-five dollars per unit,” said the

attendant.

“I must have misunderstood you,” I said,

distracted by my daughter, who was trying

to shove Cheerios in her brother’s ear. “That

wasn’t $85 for each print, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct,” he nodded.

“But what about this awesome deal that

you advertised?” I tried to sound commanding.

“That special is for the pose that we

choose to print, and in order to get any other

pose, you must first purchase that package.”

I did purchase one, just one, 8x10. I

framed it and hung it on the wall. For a

month I looked at that image, thinking I

should become a professional photographer,

if only to save other moms from the scam I’d

just expe rienced. Three months later, I bor-

rowed money to purchase a studio, and the

rest is history.

The lesson I learned was to always pic-

ture myself in my clients’ shoes. I’d been

there, and now I understood why clients

keep coming back to a business and why

they do not. When you bring a customer

into your studio and give her a tremendous

experience, you don’t then hold the images

hostage. It poisons the relationship, and

once the customer ransoms at least one little

print, she will never return. In fact, it could

sour that person on having any other profes-

sional photography experience.

With bears or lions, get between a cub

and its mother and you’re going to get mauled.

No different with humans. And, as an ethi-

cal professional photographer, it’s up to you

not to let portrait seekers get “malled” as I

did. So make sure you’re upfront and honest

with moms before they take the time—and

often a great deal of effort—to bring in their

children. The moms trust us with their most

valuable property, allow us interaction with

this little person, and rely on us to deliver

the finest rendition at the prices promised.

Do that every time and those clients will

happily return to your business.

Building a relationship with a family be-

gins with the mother. Trust me, I know.

Play fair. Be nice. Oh, and always wash your

hands before you come to the table. n


Starting over: Playing fair

BY KALEN HENDERSON, M.PHOTOG.MEI.CR., CPP, APIPROFIT CENTER

Be the alternative to getting “malled” by a chain scam

Focused by whcc is the premier resource for photo related product templates in our industry. We offer an ever-growing line of high quality templates created by some of the photographic industry’s most talented and creative designers and photographers. Impress your clients with professionally designed press printed cards, books, or studio marketing pieces without having to spend all your time behind the computer. All focused templates are fully customizable Photoshop PSD files and are easy to use. Simply drag and drop your photos directly into the template.

CD/DVD Cases & Printed DVDs Image Blocks

Graduation Announcements

Press Printed Books & Albums

Image Folios

Image Blocks

Three out of 10 people will become disabled

before retirement age, according to the

Social Security Administration. Are you and

your business covered for that possibility by

insurance? I wasn’t. I was 23 years old, out

of college for three years, had just signed a

lease on a commercial space, and was ready

to grow my business. Four months later I

was diagnosed with a chronic illness.

Disability is something you don’t give much

thought to until it happens to you or a fam-

ily member, and we’re often unprepared for

it. Many things can constitute a disability, and

most of them are out of your control. The

most common causes of disablement aren’t

accidents, but health-related problems such

as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and

back impairment. Even broken bones, preg-

nancy and short-term illnesses can have serious

consequences for a small business owner.

It’s often hard, expensive, even impossible to

get insurance after you’re deemed disabled.

Having health insurance can be key in

financial security, and mine has afforded me

life-saving treatment on multiple occasions

without the added stress of paying for $30,000

hospital stays or $20,000 treatments.

Disability insurance is different from

health insurance. It pays you a percentage of

your monthly income, often from 50 to 60

percent, if you cannot work due to an illness

or injury. Each type of disability plan has

different conditions, and getting the cheap-

est may be a mistake. You should be aware

of the fine points and ask questions until

you understand them fully. I wish I had

invested in disability insurance early, but

like so many others, I figured I would have

time to look into it and understand it better.

The most common type of policy is an

income replacement insurance policy that

pays out while you cannot work but stops

payments if you start earning income in any

field. Own-occupation insurance will cover

you if you can no longer work in your chosen

occupation, even if you find another occupa-

tion you can handle. Although often the

cheapest, gainful occupation coverage allows

the insurance company to decide if you qualify

for benefits based on their own assessment

of your potential to find a job based on your

former occupation, training or education.

You’ll also need to include a residual dis-

ability aspect in your coverage that protects

against temporary or partial disability. Loss

of income residual is based on the amount of

income lost, and will continue to pay the dif-

ference between your prior income and your

current part-time income until you resume

making the former amount. Time and duties

residual usually begins coverage when you have

been out of work for a set amount of time and

discontinues when you return to work. The

loss of income residual is more suitable for a

small business owner, as you may need time

to rebuild your business after an absence,

and it covers the difference (based on your

percentage of coverage) until you are making

100 percent of your pre-disability income.

Once you find the coverage that suits

your needs, you can add protection in the

form of riders. Without riders such as

future or automatic increase, disability

insurance will be based on your income at

the time the policy is written. These riders

protect your future earnings. A cost of liv-

ing adjustment can be important for those

under retirement age, as it increases your

benefits with the rise of inflation.

The average non-permanent disability

lasts 31.2 months, with benefits periods

ranging from two-year policies to lifetime

coverage, the average period lasting through

age 65. This is the length of time your bene-

fits will continue if a claim is made.

Your elimination period is the time

between the onset of a disability and when

your benefit checks start, ranging from 30


BY ELIZABETH ESSERPROFIT CENTER

©Veer

Necessary protectionBe prepared for disability

days to over a year. Having accessible sav-

ings for emergencies is vital in planning for

your future. Ideally, your savings account

should total enough to provide three to six

months of income, which would help you

cover expenses during this period. That may

sound impossible, but any amount of sav-

ings is better than none in an emergency.

Many people assume that they will be eligi-

ble for Social Security disability insurance but

are unaware of how the system works. Social

Security benefits are based on a credit system

and are only granted if you have been paying

into the system for long enough, recently

enough and have a disability that is consid-

ered severe.

You should also have solid business con-

tracts in place with clauses that cover you in

case of an emergency or the unexpected.

One of the best things I did for my business

was have a lawyer look over my wedding con -

tract and lease agreement to ensure they would

hold up in court and that I was protected in

the event I needed to execute any clause. This

small investment saved me a huge head ache

and thousands of dollars when I fell ill.

You don’t get a warning before you

become ill or end up being hospitalized, and

if you have a family-operated studio and

something traumatic happens to one of you,

your loved one may not be emotionally ready

to shoot a wedding the following day. Include

a clause in your contract that allows you to

find a replacement or offer a refund. Build a

network of photographers you can rely on to

call in an emergency. Having these connec-

tions in place provide peace of mind to you

and your client. Trust me, the last thing you

want on your mind is to be worried if some-

one is fulfilling your contracts completely.

If you lease a studio space, consider obtain -

ing a clause that would release you from your

lease in the event of death or disability from

your chosen career, as determined by a physi -

cian. Do not base this clause on the govern-

ment’s disability definition, as it can take years

to be approved, and you may or may not meet

the criteria based on the number of credits you

have earned and the severity of your disability.

This can save you thousands of dollars and the

hassle of finding someone to take over your

lease. Sadly, this is the clause I will now be using

after my physicians have recommended I no

longer work with the public after being unable

to work due to illness for the last 7 of 12 months.

Although it seems like a lot of work to

pre-plan, it will ease your financial burden

in an emergency, be beneficial to your men-

tal and physical health, and ease the strain

on your family. n


Would you like fries with that? There’s no

denying that this phrase, coined by one

smart sales psychologist*, gets results. Pro-

fessional photographers who do double-

duty as their own sales force can and

should learn the psychology of the up-sell.

(*Exactly who coined the phrase eluded our

Internet search.)

An up-sell takes various forms and can

occur at various strategic points throughout

one’s interactions with a customer. Some

photographers find the easiest up-sell takes

the form of a package. Believe it or not, cus-

tomers prefer the option of choosing pack-

ages over à la carte products, and they

generally choose a package that includes

items they would not have otherwise

chosen, such as framing or canvas wraps,

if they believe they’re getting greater value

for their money.

Some industries package products with

such success that it becomes their calling

card. Take, for example, Walt Disney World

in Orlando. In one recent “special” Disney

resort hotel package, in return for booking a

six-day, five-night stay, your family’s meals

would be included. Free food for a week at

Disney World—wow, that’s a valuable add-

on for consumers. As for Disney, it has filled

one of its many hotel rooms for one week,

and kept a client from spending their meal

money off-site. There’s more. Disney pro-

vides free transportation for their guests to

and from the airport. For the customer of

this all-in-one resort, that’s a huge conven-

ience and a substantial savings on taxi fare

or a rental car. For Disney, it means one

less customer with a rental car who’ll

be tempted away to other attractions. In

essence, the customer is a willing hostage

to Disney.

Yes, the hospitality industry’s business

model is different from the photographer’s,

but think about a frame as your substitute

for the dining plan. If your customer goes

with your portrait package A, a step above

package B, two steps above C, he not only

gets a beautiful 16x20-inch portrait, he gets

it matted and framed and ready to hang.

The customer gets extra value, plus a huge

convenience. Your actual costs for the addi-

tional elements in the package and for the

in-house framing are small indeed com-


Up-selling

BY KALEN HENDERSON, M.PHOTOG.MEI.CR., CPP, APIPROFIT CENTER

The buzz phrase of a generation

Regardless of the up-sell technique you use, always

consider your specific market and the economy in your

region before you develop a product line. A $100 8x10

might be a great deal in some markets, but in others it

would be looked at with the same disbelief as the $25 tuna

sandwich. Test the market, and if it works, run with it.

©Veer

pared to the money you collect and the gen-

erous profit margin. And that pleased cus-

tomer is priceless.

Compare Disney’s transport courtesy to

a complementary portrait session. A free

session can be an instant up-sell add-on.

That’s a real value for the client. For the

photographer, rarely would someone take

the time and make the effort to come to

your studio to be photographed, and then

not purchase something. That customer

wants you to offer suggestions on what to

buy. This is almost like driving that client

directly to your studio.

If you eschew the free session as a sales

leader, you could use it as a reward for

clients who pre-pay for the product or

pack age they want when they book a ses-

sion. You might feel like you’re losing your

session fee, but look at it as a way to take

advantage of the truism, money spent is

money forgotten. You get the opportunity to

guide the client to upgrade his original paid

order when he comes in for the session, and

again when he comes in to pick up the

order. The client has the opportunity to get

more of the things he wants without feeling

he’s overspending.

Similarly, you can give clients the option

of automatically paying in installments with

a credit card, making it easier to help them

get the big-ticket items they truly desire.

Now we come to up-selling face-to-face

at the actual sales session. The techniques

above are considered to be built-in up-sells.

Up-selling at the sales session is more

direct, and it requires product knowledge

and visual tools to illustrate the value of the

additional options—the upgrades. You

want the client to see the value of a mounted

print over a simple print, so you need to

show and tell him why he should spend a

little more for it. Show him a side-by-side

comparison of the two, while you discuss

the benefits of mount ing. When you talk to

clients about upgrading, always speak in

terms of what’s in it for them. For example,

the client has already made an investment

in a session and now wants to order a print.

Explain that mounting the print will protect

it from accidental bending and creasing

that could ruin it. Plus, having the print

mounted and framed at your studio or

the lab saves the effort of having that done

later by a framer, which would probably

cost more.

These up-selling techniques apply to

upgrading from paper prints to canvas,

from loose print collections to press-printed

coffee-table books, from one hanging 16x20

framed portrait to an artfully hung, multi-

image collection. When you explain added

value in terms of what’s in it for the customer,

they’re more receptive because it speaks to

their needs much more clearly than using

technical terms and the reasons that mostly

just photographers find important.

Regardless of the up-sell technique you

use, always consider your specific market

and the economy in your region before you

develop a product line. A $100 8x10 might

be a great deal in some markets, but in oth-

ers it would be looked at with the same dis-

belief as the $25 tuna sandwich. Test the

market, and if it works, run with it. n

Kalen Henderson and Kate Ridinger ownStudioK in Danville, Iowa (thestudiok.net).

INSPIRED BY LIGHTThe perfect combination for wedding and portrait photography

bronimaging.com/sunbouncedealers


In the world of search engine optimization

(SEO), links are like gold. The more high-

quality sites with links to your website, the

higher your ranking in Web search results.

Now, link building is a long and, for most

people, boring process. There are only so

many forum and blog post comments you

can make in hopes of getting someone to

check out your site, before it becomes a time

suck that leaves you burned out. But there

are less work-intensive ways to build links.

BOOST YOUR CLIENTS’ EGO.

Posting the best images from a session to

your blog will likely earn you a link or two. If

you want to increase your chances of link-

backs, include something out of the ordinary

with your ego-builder. This year we posted

highlight videos on our senior models pages,

which we use to promote our studio during

senior season. The more exciting the con-

tent, the more likely you’ll get extra links.

SOURCE OF HELP. Some photogra-

phers post tips on looking your best for

photo shoots. We plan to add to that with a

guide to finding the right wedding photog-

rapher. Posting studio-specific content, like

upcoming promotions, contests and bridal

shows, where potential clients can meet you

in person, can motivate a customer into

linking or sharing your post, too. Consider

posting a few tips on how to take better pic-

tures. This reinforces your image as an ex-

pert, and helps your SEO at the same time.

APPRECIATE VENDORS. Some of

our highest quality links come from other

vendors. If you promote them and show

how good they are with amazing photo-

graphs from actual events, they’re going to

make a link to your site so their customers

can view them. This technique is ideal for

wedding vendors, and we’ve also used it suc-

cessfully with vendors who provide birthday

cakes for our baby’s first birthday sessions,

as well as those who supply dresses for our

high school seniors. Local vendors are the

easiest link to earn, but you can get links

from national vendors too, especially the

smaller ones. The key is making your post

about them highly positive.

ANNOUNCE YOURSELF. Once

you’ve written a great blog post, it’s impor-

tant to inform the people who might link to

your article. It’s best to e-mail or send a

Facebook message to the vendor. Make it

easy to get to your article, then make it easy

for others to share it. You’ll know they

shared the link when it shows up as a link in

your Google Webmaster Tools links list.

TRACK REFERRED TRAFFIC.

Before you see the referred traffic link in

your links list, you’ll probably see it in

Google Analytics. While you’re looking at

your referred traffic in Analytics, see if the

visitors are viewing other pages on your site

or bouncing to another website. If the visi-

tors are all bouncing, it may be time to call

your Web master for a design makeover.

Getting other people to link to your web-

site can drastically improve the ranking of

all your pages in Google. Learning to create

link-worthy pages isn’t just good for SEO,

though. Discovering how best to connect

with your customers and fellow vendors is

the key to building an all-around great pho-

tography business. n

TJ and Larissa McDowell’s studio is in St.Louis. Visit their blog for photographers atlarissaphotography.com/blog .


Share the love

BY TJ MCDOWELLPROFIT CENTER

Passive link building brings traffic to your site

Google Analytics can show you how effective your keyword and e-mail campaigns are, where your vis-itors are coming from, and what content brings you the most viewers.

PPA Has Got You Covered.

$15,000of equipment insurance...

now included in yourPPA membership.

PPA helps you protect what matters and, as a pro photographer, that includes your photographic equipment. With PhotoCare, PPA covers your premium* for $15,000 of equipment insurance. It’s just one more way that membership in PPA pays.

*PhotoCare Equipment Insurance is available to U.S.-based PPA Professional Active and Life members only. Policy is provided by PPA as a part of membership and includes equipment coverage up to $15,000 per year. Restrictions apply. Additional coverage is available for purchase. Insurance provided by Lockton Affinity. PPA members must opt in and maintain active membership to receive coverage.

WWW.PPA.COM/INSURANCE

OPT IN TODAY!


Professional Photographer P R E S E N T S Products, Technology and Services

What I likeMarianne Drenthe says hands off my L series lenses

What makes your workflow flow? Microsoft Expres-

sion Media 2. It catalogs images like a card catalog,

referencing the images with thumbnails rather than

creating additional copies on my hard drive. It doesn’t

use up a lot of space and it’s fast.

What’s the best equipment investment you’ve ever

made? My Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II camera. I love the

dynamic range on this camera.

Little thing, big difference … For a standard family

session, I take along only a 4GB Compact Flash card

and I shoot raw format. This forces me to shoot inten-

tionally, not machine-gun it. Then I have a smaller

number of images to cull during post processing.

What hot new product are you going out of your way

to use? I’m all about my new Lensbaby Edge 80.

Has a piece of equipment ever changed the way you

approach photography? Going full frame with the

original Canon EOS 5D allowed me to use the L series

lenses the way they were intended.

What gear would they have to pry from your cold,

dead fingers? My 85mm f/1.2L and 50mm f/1.2L

lenses. I can’t give up those beautiful skin tones and

that amazing L quality in my images.

IMAGE BY MARIANNE DRENTHE

MARMALADEPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

OFFERED BY: BLACK RIVER IMAGINGMaking your own branded SUMMER EMERGENCY KIT is a great way to help your

clients beat the heat while providing some unique marketing for your studio. The kit includes

sunscreen, cosmetic blotting papers, a couple of bobby pins, hair elastics and customized

water or lemonade bottles. Black River’s SPECIALTY SHAPED STICKERS help dress

up the bottles. PRICE: $8 for 20 stickers. blackriverimaging.com

OFFERED BY: IKEAWith the sheer LILL CURTAINS BY IKEA, turn a traditional summer photo shoot

into a fairytale setting. The versatile netting backdrop can be used for everything from

tents to capes to tea parties. PRICE: $4.99 per pair. ikea.com

GOODS ROUNDUP BY ROBYN L. POLLMAN

Fun props and products to put sunshine in your sessions

Summer days

When temperatures get hot, you need tocrank up your AC and your business. Invite your clients to enjoy fun in the sunwith these summer-themedproducts.

©P

hotoumbra Studios

©Munchkins and Mohawks Photography

OFFERED BY: DENNY MANUFACTURING COMPANYThe reversible Denny SURF SHACK SET provides plenty of versatility with a

full surf shack on one side and a Grecian island set on the other. Surf boards,

sign posts, Tiki god statues and other props can be purchased separately.

PRICE: Double-sided Surf Shack / Grecian Set, $2,699.96; surf boards—small,

$129.99, large, $149.99; Surf Shack Sign Post, $199.99; double-sided Tiki God /

Greek Column, $149.99. dennymfg.com


GOODS

OFFERED BY: POPPY TREE FRAMESPoppy Tree Frames offers 18 CUSTOM HANDMADE FRAME STYLES in 42 col-

ors and 49 prints. The ready-to-hang frames are perfect for displaying memories of

sand, surf and saltwater taffy. The company will even help you coordinate frame

arrangements and colors. Average turnaround is three weeks. PRICE: From $11 to

$160, depending on size and style; $84 for 11x14-inch Nebula Strata frame as shown.

poppytreeframes.com

©Dani Antonucci Photography

OFFERED BY: PHOTOJOJOThe UNDERWATER DIGI CAM is waterproof to 100 feet, and shoots

both stills and video. This inexpensive underwater camera makes a fun toy

for wet situations. Features include a fixed f/3.1 plastic lens with a 6.5mm

focal length, 4X digital zoom, 16MB internal memory, Micro SD slot for up

to 2GB additional memory, 10-second timer, 1.3MP resolution, 1.4-inch

LCD viewfinder and a shock-resistant waterproof casing. PRICE: $35.

photojojo.com/store

Read more from Robyn L. Pollman at paperieboutique.com and buttonsandbowsphotography.com

OFFERED BY: BAD SASS BACKDROPSUSA! USA! USA! Get your clients into the Olympic spirit with this pa-

triotic stars ‘n’ stripes backdrop from the HEATHER GREEN

DESIGNS COLLECTION at Bad Sass Backdrops. All backdrops are

printed on 100-percent canvas or on the new wrinkle-resistant, light-

weight polyester blend, and then sprayed with a matte finish. Sizes

starting at 5x4 feet. PRICE: Starts at $166.

badsassbackdrops.com

Try PhotoShelter’s websites & tools for FREE!

TIME TOSHAKEUPYOUR WEBSITE?

Customizable website templates

Powerful sales & marketing tools

Private client access & easy online delivery

A true online archive for your photos

Plus live phone support! phone support!

Customizab

Powerful sa

Private clie

A true onlin

Plus live

C

P

P

A

Plu e

SPECIAL OFFERTry PhotoShelter by June 1, 2012

and get a free guide: “10 Secrets to Building Your

Photography Brand”

photoshelter.com/freeguide

See Carli Davidson’s Shakegallery at carlidavidson.com

It’s not that the images you capture with the

latest Leica S2 are much more extraordinary

than those you’d capture with another top-

tier medium-format digital back. It’ the style

and comfort with which you capture those

images that sets the Leica S2 above the rest.

During the one short week I had the S2

and two lenses on loan for review, I showed

the body to several other professional photog -

raphers. Without exception, they were sur-

prised that the S2 was so light and felt so com -

fortable and natural in their hands, and the

size of those hands varied greatly. At just

over 3 pounds, the S2 body is perfectly bal-

anced with its lenses, which average just

under 3 pounds each.

Leica put thought into every aspect of the

S2 design. The front has a deep groove for a

firm grip with two fingers, while the back

has a perfectly placed, angled indent for

your thumb. When you hold it this way,

your index finger naturally falls on the re-

lease. Comfortably close to the thumb in-

dent on the rear is a multi-function

click-wheel for adjusting camera settings

and selecting and adjusting menu items.

The back of the S2 is minimalist to the

extreme, clear of the array of buttons common

to smaller-format digital SLRs. The 3-inch

monitor is surrounded by four menu selection

buttons, similar to the digital backs from

Phase One, but on the Leica the buttons are

black, nearly blending into the body itself. I

love the simplicity of this design, which al-

lows me to concentrate on photography, not

sorting out embedded camera settings.

Also on the back near your thumb is a

but ton to lock autofocus and exposure. On

the upper left of the back is the on/off

switch, with additional settings to activate

the focal plane shutter in the body or the leaf

shutter in the lens.

The top plate of the camera has a single

large dial on the right for setting shutter

speed, a small LCD display next to it that

holds a brief summary of camera settings,

and a hot shoe over the pentaprism. The

eyepiece is positively huge, and it’s rimmed

with rubber, allowing eyeglass wearers like

myself to easily read the entire view screen.

A diopter adjustment rings the eyepiece, and

although it doesn’t have a lock, it remained

on the same setting throughout my tests.

So where are the camera settings? The

four menu selection buttons surrounding

the monitor provide access to them. Press-

ing the top left button brings up the camera

control options, and the button below gives

access to image control options, such as ISO

and white balance. The top button on the

right selects playback options, and the but-

ton below gives access to the setup menus.

THE GOODS: PRO REVIEW

A camera is just a tool, right? A body and lens that allowsus to create images. Well, there are tools and then thereare tools, and there are cameras and then there are Leicas.

BY STAN SHOLIK

Craftsmanshipand designLEICA S2 The Leica S2 hand grip features a deep indent for

two fingers, making it easy to hold securely.

The back of the S2 is a clean design with onlyfour function buttons surrounding the LCD screenthat call up Camera, Image, Play and Setup menus. Amulti-function click wheel is present at the upperright next to an indent for your thumb. Also withineasy reach of your thumb is an autofocus andauto exposure lock button. To the left is theon/off switch, which you also use to select thefocal plane or leaf shutter.

Photo courtesy Leica Camera

Photo courtesy Leica Camera


Maximize Profi tswith GraduationPackaging

800-662-1000AlbumsInc.com

For More Information Call the Packaging Experts at Tap

Research shows that presenting your images in well thought out packaging increases their

for your studio. Show your customers that your images are worthy of exceptional packaging!

The Graduate Package includes:DPS Self Adhesive Folio, DPS Easel Frame, Tassel Frame, Superior Mount Accordian Album, Senior Frame, Black Bag with Tissue

Once you’ve selected one of the four top

options, you rotate the click wheel with your

thumb to select an option, then press and

release the click wheel to visit the submenus.

Once in the submenus, you rotate the click

wheel again to select an option, press and

release it to select it, and press the exit but-

ton to return to the top menu. All very quick

and natural. There’s no lack of controls to be

sure, extending even to auto-bracketing, mak -

ing HDR captures easy to do with the S2.

Choosing exposure modes is equally logi-

cal. The top shutter speed dial has an A set-

ting for aperture priority. You adjust the aper -

ture by turning the click wheel. Pressing the

click wheel for a second and releasing it moves

you from aperture priority mode to program

mode, with the S2 in complete con trol of ex-

posure. Autoexposure is perfect in program

mode. How does Leica manage perfect auto-

exposure in every camera it’s ever made?

Moving the dial to a shutter speed—from

1/4,000 to 8 seconds—places you in shutter

priority mode. Depressing and releasing the

click wheel with your thumb for a second

switches to full manual mode. Rotate the shut -

ter speed dial to select a shutter speed and

rotate the click wheel to select an aperture.

In all modes the shutter speed and aper-

ture are displayed in the viewfinder, along

with the exposure and metering modes and

other information appropriate to the func-

tions selected. This, too, is fairly minimalist,

allowing you to concentrate on the image in

the viewfinder, undistracted by the informa-

tion displayed around it.

The image sensor is a 37.5-megapixel

Kodak chip in 3:2 format that produces

7,500x5,000-pixel images with a 12-bit

dynamic range. There’s no low pass filter

over the sensor to soften the image and

guard against moiré. Moiré is detected and

suppressed in the camera by the digital sig-

nal processing.

ISO ranges from the native 160 to 1250

in full EVs, plus ISO Pull 80 with limited

dynamic range, and an automatic ISO set-

ting as well. In my testing, ISO 1250 is fully

usable with the excellent noise reduction the

camera performs. However, shooting at ISO

1250 brought my attention to the one weak-

ness in the S2 body, the rear LCD screen.

Images on the screen simply don’t look as

good as they will when viewed on your com-

puter monitor. I noticed it first in dark areas

when shooting at ISO 1250, and the areas

looked almost solarized. Then I started see-

ing problems at other ISO settings. The mon-

itor needs work in lots of areas.

No problems with the final images, how-

ever. Image quality is simply superb. Some

credit must go to the lenses. I photographed

with the Leica Elmarit-S 30mm f/2.8 ASPH

(aspherical) and the APO Macro Summarit-

S 120mm f/2.5, both without leaf shutters.

Also available for the S2 are a Summarit-S

35mm f/2.8 ASPH, a Summarit-S 70mm

f/2.5 ASPH and an APO Elmar-S 180mm

f/3.5. Each lens is available with or without

a leaf shutter, although the availability for

purchase in the United States is still far from

universal. Other lenses are in development

and will likely be announced at Photokina.

In the studio, I used the Macro 120mm

lens for a food shoot and to copy paintings

for an artist. There’s simply nothing I can

find fault with in the lens quality or the im-

ages it delivered. Distortion, optical aberra-

tions and vignetting don’t seem to exist at

any aperture with this lens.

However, I was disappointed that it

could reach magnification of only 1:2, not

1:1, as other medium-format 120mm macro

lenses can. And I don’t like macro lenses

that extend as the magnification rises, even

though the Leica did not extend past its

quite deep lens hood. At the other end of the

distance scale, when focused on infinity, the

lens would require 72mm screw-in filters, as

the moving portion retreats back into the

outer lens barrel. You would even have trou-

ble adjusting a 72mm screw-in polarizing



The ISO range of the S2 is 80 to 1250. This image shot with the 30mm lens at ISO 1250 on fully auto-matic mode shows excellent sharpness and low noise, even in the faces that I lightened in post production.

©S

tan Sholik

filter near the infinity position of the lens.

Away from the studio, I ended up shoot-

ing most images with the S2 and the 30mm

lens, equivalent to a 24mm on a full-frame

35mm camera. There’s a slight lowering of

contrast and about 1.5 EV of vignetting at

the edges of the image at f/2.8, as you’d ex-

pect with such a wide-angle lens. But I found

no evidence of optical aberrations or color

fringing at any aperture, and barrel distortion

is barely visible even at closest focus. It is so

well balanced on the S2 body that I was con-

sistently able to capture sharp images for 1/30

second. This is definitely one of the must-have

lenses if you can afford the Leica S2 system.

And therein lies the problem with the S2,

although it’s a common one with all medium-

format digital cameras and backs. The S2

body lists for $22,995, and I’ve yet to see a

street price less than that. The 120mm

macro lists for $6,995, the 30mm for $7,495.

The other lenses are in the same range.

With battery life running 100 to 125 expo-

sures, a spare battery costs $229.95. Other

accessories are similarly priced.

While most of us can only dream of what

we could do if we owned a camera system

like the Leica S2, I’m thankful for the oppor -

tunity to create a few images with it, and to

experience the pleasure of working with such

a well-designed piece of camera equipment.

For more information on the S2 system,

visit us.leica-camera.com/photography. n

Stan Sholik is a commercial and advertisingphotographer in Santa Ana, Calif., specializingin still life and macro photography. His fifthbook, “Nik HDR Efex Pro,” is available now.



For studio still life photography up to 1:2 magni-fication, the APO Macro Summarit-S 120mmf/2.5 lens is the perfect mate to the S2 body. Ishot the S2 tethered to Lightroom 3.6 on a Win-dows 7 64-bit computer and the raw DNG filescame across quickly without a problem.

Specs Leica S2

CAMERA TYPE: Digital single-lens reflex camera for use with Leica S lenses.IMAGE SENSOR: Low-noise CCD sensor, 37.5-megapixel resolution, 45 x 30mm,12-stop dynamic rangeSENSITIVITY RANGE: Native ISO 160 to 1250, ISO Pull 80DATA STORAGE FORMAT: DNG (approx. 75MB per image); lossless compressed DNG(about 35-45MB per picture), JPEG (basic or fine); memory cards: CompactFlash (up to64GB), SD (HC). FRAME RATE: 1.5 images per second, buffer memory 1 GB (DNG: around 10 consecutiveexposures; lossless compressed DNG: around 14 consecutive exposures)CONTROL MONITOR: 3-inch TFT with 460,000 pixelsCONNECTIONS: High-speed USB 2.0 (robust connection with strain-relief, cable in-cluded), HDMI, remote release, X sync, SCA3002.EXPOSURE METERING: Multi-field metering (5 fields), center-weighted integral meter-ing, spot metering (3.5%).SHUTTER: Metal focal-plane shutter integrated in body. 1/4,000 to 125 seconds, 1/125-second flash synch; optional leaf shutter in selected lenses: 1/500 to 8 seconds, 1/500-second flash synchFLASH: TTL Metering, TTL-HSS high-speed synchronization up to 1/4,000 second with shutterVIEWFINDER: High eye-point pentaprism viewfinder, 0.86X magnification, 96-percentviewfinder fieldPRICE: $22,995, body only

©Stan Sholik

Want a Successful Photography Website?

Website Marketing Client Galleries Selling

Scan to get your e-bookwww.zenfolio.com/ebook

Zenfolio gives you all the tools you need under one roof.

How to create a consistent brand

How to market your business

How to improve your SEO

Download a free e-book on making the most of your photography website.

OOO

dddd

sss

If you’ve ever photographed a baby, you know

they tend to be a little floppy. When posing

one, it’s important to keep his trunk, limbs

and head completely supported. Before review -

ing these ingenious products by Shoot Baby!,

I relied on a run-of-the-mill beanbag that

babies tended to sink into like quicksand,

and rigged blankets across other props I

had on hand. The Shoot Baby! Ottoman

posing bean bag is wonderfully designed to

elevate the little subject and provide an al-

most firm, flat surface to pose him on.

When you use it with the Shoot Baby!

backdrop stand, you can drape a blanket or

backdrop over the stand and the ottoman

to create a seam less unity.

The ottoman is delivered flat and nicely

folded, ready to be filled with polystyrene

beads. That’s a cost-effective shipping method,

and moreover, it allows the photographer to

fill the ottoman to his or her desired degree

of firmness. I’ve filled a number of beanbags

in my time, and expected this to be messy and

painstaking, but the Shoot Baby! Otto man

was a breeze to fill. Inside the ottoman, there

are two cylindrical mesh bags to hold the

polystyrene beads, and together they are

larger than the ottoman itself—I made the

mistake of filling both to capacity, and they

wouldn’t fit into the outer cover. The inner

bags are oversized to make it easier to pour

in the beads without spilling.

The recommended fill capacity is 8.75

cubic feet in one bag and 3.5 cubic feet in

the other; thus filled, inserting both bags

into the cover was easy. That two-removable-

bag system will be useful on location, as the

fully filled ottoman is somewhat unwieldy.

The ottoman is 17 to 18 inches tall, and the

generous top surface measures 40 inches in

diameter, a comfortable fit for older babies

as well as newborns. The firmness of the ot-

toman is perfect for babies, as they won’t

sink way down as they do in a traditional

beanbag, but there’s still enough give to

form natural mounds and valleys for posing

and supporting the baby’s body.


This smart setup simplifies posing wee ones, from newborns to older babies, safely and comfortably.

BY BETSY FINN, M.PHOTOG.CR., CPP

Soft yet sturdySHOOT BABY! OTTOMAN AND BACKDROP STAND

The Shoot Baby! Ottoman is particularly useful forthe stage where babies can push up on their tum -mies but not sit up. Keep mom or dad just out ofthe frame and ask them to jump in if the babystarts to roll or get squirmy. A big plus with ba-bies—the faux leather upholstery cleans easily.


All im

ages ©B

etsy Finn

The surface area of the Shoot Baby! Ottoman pos -ing bean bag is a generous 40 inches in diameter.

We’ve all heard tales about how great those really, really expensive European lights are supposed to be – super accurate, fast, consistent color, digital controls and all that. Fact is, most mono flash units now on the market are outgrowths of Paul Buff’s game-changing 1986 White Lightning™ Ultra design. Digital controls and packaging changes were added, but the core technology is fundamentally the same.

Recently, Paul set about to create all new, next generation technology that will surely be the standard against which future mono flash units will be judged.

The core of Einstein™ lies in its IGBT flashtube control (in place of more primitive analog methods), true digital control, and tightly integrated radio remote control with full color LCD display system.

Einstein™ features plug-and-play global powering, absolutely constant color over an ex-traordinarily wide nine f-stop power variability range, ultra-fast t.1 flash durations for razor sharp action stopping, fan cooling, and a bright, voltage-regulated 250W quartz modeling lamp precisely located in a frosted Pyrex dome for smooth-as-silk lighting patterns. Adjustable in exact digital 1/10f stops, its accuracy is unsurpassed by any other light on earth.

But that’s just the start...the brilliant color LCD display is fully integrated with our 2.4GHz Cyber Commander™ to display and control virtually every aspect of the system - flash durations, color temperatures, Wattseconds, EU Numbers, model-to-flash ratios and more, either from the rear panel or from your camera. With the Cyber Commander™ (CyberSync™ system components sold separately), you can control and meter up to 16 lights, bracket in camera f-stops, create infinite groups and more. No more calculating WS and light ratios – you can do it all in actual camera f-stops and even store complete setups on the supplied Micro SD Card.

Of course, you can turn the recycle beeper and slave eye on or off, and meter, control and examine every parameter of each light (up to 16 lights) from the palm of your hand. Fast 0.08 to 1.7 second recycle and crash proof power supplies allow up to 12 fps shooting and reliable operation from our brand new 3.5lb Vagabond MiniTM Lithium battery supplies.

In short, no mono flash on earth even begins to come close to the All American Einstein™ 640. You’ll truly be singing:

“What The World Needs Now is Einstein™, Sweet Einstein™”

EINSTEIN™ E640Self-Contained Studio Flash(reflector not included) $499.95***

• 9f Variability (2.5 to 640WS)• Global Voltage• 0.08 to 1.7 Sec. Recycle• 1/1700 to 1/27000 Second

t.5 Flash Duration (1/580 to 1/13500 Sec. t.1)

• Constant 5600° Color at any power setting

• Color LCD Display• 12 fps Capability• 250W Modeling Lamp• Pyrex Diffusing Dome• Fan-Cooled• Audible Recycle Beeper• Optional CyberSync™

Plug-in Radio Remote• Ultra Compact - 4.25lbs• Rugged Lexan Housing*** Factory-Direct Price

from Paul C. Buff, Inc.

The backdrop stand is designed to be

placed behind the ottoman, providing sturdy

support for blankets or backdrops. It is ad-

justable from 37 to 79 inches high, and 44 to

80 inches wide. The crossbar can be secured

either perpendicular to the stand itself or

any other angle that works for you.

The ottoman is particularly useful when

the baby is old enough to push herself up on

her tummy, but not able to sit up on her own.

Keep in mind, though, that even with the

size and firmness of the ottoman, you should

still exercise extreme caution in posing ba-

bies. They can roll over at any time. I have

mom stand just out of the frame, and I al-

ways tell her to jump in and grab the baby

any time she feels the need to do so.

I love how the faux leather ottoman can

be used without a cover at all, and it’s easy to

wipe clean.

I went the safe route for this review, using

this setup pictured (right) to get sleep ing baby

pictures, but these products are also suitable

to help with more complex newborn poses

that require a spotter to support the baby.

Shoot Baby’s website has a section on newborn

safety that shows how to get stylistic images

without endangering the child.

Both the ottoman and backdrop stand

helped simplify my newborn and baby pos-

ing. With the baby elevated securely, I didn’t

have to lie prone to get my shots or drop my

soft box all the way to the floor. The beanbag

material has a nice insulation factor, so it’s

no trouble to warm the surface and keep it

warm. Draping blankets across chairs never

looks the way you hope it will, and the back-

drop stand allowed me to get both a seam-

less effect and lovely, defined folds.

The Shoot Baby! Ottoman retails for $95.

Polystyrene beans are available at fabric or

craft stores; I spent about $40 on filler. A

Shoot Baby! three-pack of washable water-

proof pads for the ottoman sells for $36.

The backdrop stand retails for $195, and

comes with a carrying case. Visit shoot-

baby.com. n

Betsy Finn, M.Photog.Cr.,CPP, owns a portrait studio in Michigan (bphotoart.com)and blogs about business and life at learnwithbetsy.com.



The backdrop stand and ottoman combination make it easy to get beautiful seamless drapes of fabricand a comfortable, well-supported little subject.

I draped an off-white blanket over the ottoman, and secured it to the backdrop stand with clamps.

NEW RELEASESIGMA LENS for DIGITAL

70-200mm

F2.8EX DG OS HSM

APO

Case, Petal type hood, Hood Adapter Tripod Socket supplied

Versatility, extended range and the OS function all in one small package with an F2.8 aperture throughout the entire zoom range.

The latest optical technology such as FLD and SLD glass elements has been introduced. Superb optical performance is ensured throughout the entire zoom range. This new high-performance lens incorporates Sigma’s unique Optical Stabilizer and HSM yet is still retains a compact construction and is the smallest lens in this range.

CA

ME

RA

: SIG

MA

SD

14 : IS

O5

0, F

4, 1/3

20

sec | L

EN

S: S

IGM

A A

PO

70

-20

0m

m F

2.8

EX

DG

OS

HS

M : 2

00

mm

(70

-20

0)

SIGMA CORPORATION OF AMERICA 15 Fleetwood Court, Ronkonkoma, NY 11779, U.S.A. | Tel: (631) 585-1144 | Fax: (631) 585-1895 | www.sigmaphoto.comFollow us on Twitter.com/Sigma_Photo and Facebook.com/sigmacorporationofamerica

USA 4 Year Service Protection

Safely storing image files is seldom given

much thought by location photographers,

and that goes for wedding, sports and event

photographers—that is, until a disastrous

data loss occurs. At that point, it’s too late.

Studio photographers have lots of solu-

tions for minimizing the risk of data loss, the

best of which is saving images to a RAID 1 or

RAID 5 enclosure. Unfortunately for loca-

tion shooters, these devices tend to be bulky

and heavy, and they have greater capacity

than needed for a typical shoot.

Location photographers need to travel

light, but they need the same protection against

data loss. Transferring photos from the camera

to a laptop, even backing up the images to

an external drive, isn’t as secure as storing them

in a RAID 1 array of two identical drives. Then

if one of those drives should fail, the data

can be totally rebuilt from the other drive.

NewerTech has a solution for location pho-

tographers that provides RAID 1 protection

in an enclosure not much larger than two

bare 2.5-inch hard drives stacked, weigh ing

in at just 1.5 pounds. The solution is the

Guardian MAXimus Mini, and it ships with

drives for mat ted for Mac OSX computers;

the drives can be reformatted for Windows

or older Mac systems.

The MAXimus Mini holds two 2.5-inch

hard drives of the type commonly found in

lap tops. The unit I reviewed arrived with two

320GB Hitachi 7200rpm SATA drives, which

are solid drives that are a reasonable choice

of price and performance level for this prod-

uct test. Personally, I prefer the more expen-

sive but faster Seagate Momentus or Western

Digital Scorpio drives that are pretty much

state of the art among 2.5-inch spinning hard

drives. NewerTech sells the enclosure for

$114.99, sans hard drives. For Windows users,

I recommend purchasing the bare enclosure

and installing your own drives, since the

drives would have to be formatted anyway.

The MAXimus Mini is also available

with 2.5-inch solid state drives, which

would be preferable, as these drives are

even more shock and vibration resistant

than spinning drives. The price, however,

is significantly greater.

Unscrew the cover plate and the drives

mount into trays that slide into the back of

the metal enclosure. The trays fit snugly with -

out screws, and the drives are held by screws

in the trays. This all seems quite secure and

vibration resistant. The read/write heads of

the hard drives I’ve mentioned all lock down

when switched off, and turned on, they even

sense when the drive is falling. If your

MAXimus Mini drops toward the floor, the

heads instantly swing out of the way and lock

down in an attempt to prevent drive damage.

The data connectors and power connec-

tor are on the back of the unit, along with

the access door. Data ports include two

FireWire 800, one eSATA and one USB 2.0,

and the appropriate cables are supplied.

If you use the FireWire 800 port, you can

even leave the power adapter at home. If you

use the eSATA port, you can also power the unit

with a FireWire 800 cable, without the power

adapter. The eSATA provided the faster trans-

fer by far when I tested it on my Windows


Now location shooters can have RAID security that’s small enough to carry along.

BY STAN SHOLIK

Location safetyNEWERTECH GUARDIAN MAXIMUS MINI

The NewerTech Guardian MAXimus Mini is a com-pact RAID enclosure not much larger than a Mac-intosh mouse designed for location photographersand videographers.


©NewerTech

computer using the same file set I tested on

my FireWire 800 Mac.

The front of the MAXimus Mini features

a backlit LCD that displays the RAID config -

uration. You also use it to view the menu

options, which you navigate by pressing the

menu button and a second button on the other

side of the LCD. There are enough menu

choices to satisfy any need, but I looked at them

out of curiosity only. The MAXimus Mini

really is plug-and-play for the Mac, and needs

formatting only for Windows systems. LEDs

below the LCD glow green during read and

write, and red if a drive is damaged or missing.

Configured as I received it with two

320GB drives, the MSRP is about $219.99.

A CD with backup software and data cables

are also included. Additional information on

the MAXimus Mini enclosure and the hard

drive options is available at NewerTech.com.

The NewerTech MAXimus Mini is an

excellent choice for location photographers who

like a good night’s sleep without worrying if

their data will be there in the morning. n


The rear of the MAXimus Mini incorporates two FireWire 800 ports, an eSATA port and a USB 2.0 portalong with the power connection if needed. The hard drives reside behind the panel above these.

Perfect Portrait is the completely new product for simple yet powerful portrait

retouching that works directly with Lightroom, Aperture and Photoshop – or even on

its own. Automatic face detection helps you quickly get to the critical work of retouching

images so no time is wasted on complicated steps to locate your subject’s eyes, nose

or mouth. The smart retouching tools in Perfect Portrait provide just the right controls

to reduce blemishes, smooth skin and enhance eyes.

Try Perfect Portrait today to experience how easily you can create stunning portraits.

DOWNLOAD PERFECT PORTRAIT TODAY AT onOneSoftware.com

© 2011 onOne Software, Inc. All rights reserved. onOne Software is a registered trademark of onOne Software, Inc. The onOne Software logo and Perfect Portrait are trademarks of onOne Software. Adobe, Photoshop and Lightroom are either registered trademarks or trademarks for Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. Aperture is a trademark of Apple. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Perfect Portrait 1New from onOne Software

Aluminum print products are widely available

in two finishes—a white base that preserves

original colors, and a lightly brushed finish

that makes the image look iridescent. A broad

selection of mounting options are available.

H&H COLOR LAB

Beyond the rectangle is the concept behind

the H&H Color Lab Designer Metals series.

They come in four shapes, as well as two-

level float frames. Chain link hanging kits

and marketing display kits are also available.

PRICE: Available to registered customers.

hhcolorlab.com

ACIAmerican Color Imaging has a variety of

metal products, from giant murals to tiny

wallet tins. Rectangular metal prints come

with three mounting options: mounting posts,

floating mount and a floating frame. Other

shapes are available in the Artistry Metals

series. PRICE: 2x2-foot murals start at $105;

sizes up to 5x5 feet. Rectangular 16x20–inch

metal prints are $60, float mount included.

Artistry Metals start at $31 for an 8x8-inch

print in the style shown.

acilab.com

SIMPLY COLORThe new Simply Metal Print line from Simply

Color Lab ranges from tiny 4x6 prints up to

30x40-inch panels. Circle prints are avail-

able in sizes from 8 to 20 inches. Metal posts

are the only supported mounting method;

you can also order the prints without posts

or holes. PRICE: 16x20 inches, $65.

simplycolorlab.com

FULL COLOR

Unique to Full Color are tabletop products

such as standUP Flex, angled metal with

a 2-inch base; standUP Curve, curved

horizontal prints designed to be free-

standing; and the two-sided standUP Base

with an acrylic base. Regular and Artistic

Edge metal prints are available, as are the

standOUT metals, a small metal print

mounted on a larger metal print. PRICE:

8x10-inch standUP Flex and standUP

Curve, $20; 8x10 standUP Base, $26;

16x20 panels, $58.

fullcolor.com

IMAGE WIZARDSThe AluminArte metal prints produced by

Image Wizards are distinguished by both

their size and finished sides, not to mention

stunning image quality. Since the company

uses no pre-cut stock, prints can be any size,

from 12x18 inches up to 48x96 on a single

piece, and multi-piece murals can be much

larger than that. With a choice of four sur-

THE GOODS: ROUNDUP

Metal prints are hot attention getters that come in all shapes and sizes, and in glossy or matte.

BY MARK LEVESQUE, M.PHOTOG.CR., CPP

Ooh! Shiny!METAL PRINTS


©P

icsee Studio

©C

hris Drew

Photography

©A

MR

Photography

©M

ac Brow

n Photographers

©C. P

helps

©Full Color

faces, you’re bound to find one that suits

your image. PRICE: 16x20-inch panels with

float mount, $130; 16x20 inches with flush-

framed sides, $199.

http://imagewizards.net

METAL MURAL

Metal Mural pioneered the modular metal

design genre in which your image is printed

on a set of square or rectangular metal plates

to form the mural. PRICE: $25 per 12-inch

square. The 4-inch square mini-murals are

$5 per square. Rectangular prints can be cut

in any size up to 23x34 inches for $137.

metalmural.com

WHITE HOUSE CUSTOM COLOURWHCC now offers rectangular metal prints

with float mounts or metal posts. The differ-

entiator for White House is the availability

of an acrylic overlay (1/4- or 1/2-inch thick)

for an even more upscale look. PRICE:

16x20-inch prints, $60; 16x20 with 1/4-

inch acrylic and posts, $118.

whcc.com

BLACK RIVER IMAGINGBlack River Imaging metal prints include

rectangular, specialty cut metals, orna-

ments and split-image metal prints. The

metal ornaments are a 2012 Hot One

winner. PRICE: 16x20-inch prints,

$53; split-image prints start at $180

(30 inches wide). n

blackriverimaging.com


THE GOODS: ROUNDUP

©Dawn Shields

©S

arah Petty P

hotography

I scouted this location a week before the

shoot: small room, blank walls, acoustic tile

drop ceiling. In other words, not very exciting;

on the other hand, it was a blank canvas.

To get the shot, the camera needed to be

as far back and high up as I could get it. The

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II lens on my

EOS-1Ds Mark III camera allowed me to

frame the image precisely, and get a high-

definition, high-resolution photo. I needed

good depth of field, and that mandated a

moderately small aperture, which in turn

drove the length of exposure to 4 seconds so

that the crosshair pattern of the imaging

unit’s laser would burn in well.

To support the camera, I removed one of

the ceiling tiles and placed a tripod in the space

above, spreading its legs to the flat position,

using the frame around the opening to sup port

it. With the tripod’s center column inverted,

I used an Arca-Swiss Z1 Monoball tripod

head and hung the camera upside down. To

avoid any chance of blur, I kept the camera in

live view mode to lock up the mirror. To

keep from bumping the camera with every poke

at the shutter release, I used a PocketWizard

MultiMAX system to remotely trigger the cam-

era, even though I was standing right beside it.

The cramped room mandated my using

small battery-powered lights. I hung the main

lights, a Canon Speedlite 580EX II and a

430EX II, from the ceiling and placed a second

430EX II behind the Hologic Discovery table.

I varied the beam angle and the direction of

the lights to restrict the area each would

mainly illuminate. I fitted the light behind

the table with a large Rogue FlashBender

reflector bent into a shell-like shape, the

more open side near est the nurse’s work-

station. Cinematographers call this sub-

tractive lighting—shaping the light to go

only where you want it to go. The floor light

also had a Rosco Plus Green gel on it. Green

would create contrast with the soothing

bluish tones I wanted for the room, and

would also imply the presence of radiation.

Even though the camera was in manual

mode, I set the Canon Speedlites to e-TTL con -

THE GOODS: LIGHTING

How to overcome clinical blandness

BY ELLIS VENER

Radiology PHOTO BREAKDOWN


©Ellis Vener

trol mode. Each Speedlite was on a Pocket -

Wizard ControlTL FlexTT5 transceiver set to a

separate channel. With a PocketWizard AC3

Zone Controller piggybacked on the MiniTT1

Control TL transmitter on the camera, I could

quickly fine-tune the balance of light between

the key, fill and accent lights, while the overall

brightness of the flashes was controlled with

the camera’s flash exposure compensation

(FEC) +/- biasing.

After testing with various blue gels on

the key and fill lights, I decided to forgo the

gels. I wanted an overall blue feel, but the

gels weren’t doing it for me. I decided to

risk waiting to set the color with Adobe

Lightroom’s white balance controls when I

processed the raw files.

That proved to be a wise choice. I didn’t

see it at the time, but the blue light was sap-

ping Collin’s skin tone, making him look like

a drowned corpse in a bad horror movie.

The blue also changed his bright red T-shirt

to an ugly, muddy magenta (blue + red). By

not gelling the lights, I avoided this problem

at the capture stage.

When I processed the photos and

experimented with making the shot blue,

I started to see some of these problems.

The solution turned out to be fairly simple.

I processed the file two ways in Lightroom

4. The first version was with white bal-

ance set to flash (5,500K and 0 tint) and

vibrance kicked up a few points. I made a

virtual copy and changed its color balance

to 2,500K, +3 tint and used a different

camera calibration profile to get the bluish

tones I wanted. I exported both versions as

TIFFs for post-processing.

In Photoshop CS5, I selected and copied

the entire color-shifted TIFF and used it as a

layer on top of the first version. Using the

entire image made a perfect pixel-to-pixel-

registered match. To get Collin and his shirt

back to a natural color rendering, I painted a

black mask on that layer, only over Collin’s

torso, arms and head, using varying brush

sizes and hardness settings, to let the back-

ground layer colors come through. I used the

new Wacom Intuos5 touch tablet and pen

throughout the Lightroom process and in

Photoshop, and its flexibility and sensitivity

really shone when I was painting the mask.

In the end, staging, lighting and shooting

took a little over two hours, and processing

about the same amount of time. Along the

way there were lots of false starts as I con-

sidered and rejected different approaches.

The time-sucking demon is always in the de-

tails, but if you don’t get those little details

right, you’ll always regret it. n


Promoting photography requires a website

design that not only enhances the aesthetic

appeal of the images, but also provides func-

tionality, and is striking, easy to use, secure

and professional. Whether you have a blog

or traditional portfolio site or both, the

design and development of your Web pres-

ence is critical to your business success.

With this in mind, Professional Photog-

rapher surveyed some of our favorite photo

industry Web experts on what it takes to

develop an effective and aesthetically pleas-

ing professional presence in the virtual world.

We didn’t have room to print all the great

advice we heard, but you can read more of it

in the Web Exclusives at ppmag.com.

What are some common design mistakes

photographers make when trying to do their

own design? What should they do instead?

Photographers either go too minimalistic

and design a site that could belong to any-

one, or they go overboard with custom ele-

ments and create something that’s very hard

for visitors to navigate. A good photography

website complements the photos displayed

rather than distracting from them. Allow the

work to speak for itself. Pick a palette of

three or four distinct colors and use them

consistently throughout the site to create a

professional, well-branded look.

—Nataly Livshits, Zenfolio

One of the most common mistakes I see

photographers make is the use of a font in

their menu or page text that is not legible

enough to function well for either. Fonts

used in the navigation or page text ought to

be simple and legible above anything

else. Script fonts and other elaborate fonts

are best suited for elements of logos or page

titles, where they can be large, and where a

bit more creativity is justified.

—Michael N. Caston, BIG Folio, Inc.

Getting too fancy. Focus instead on usabil-

ity. Does your site load quickly and without

plug-ins like Adobe Flash Player? Do you have

a separate site optimized for a smart phone?

Keep it simple, and focus on getting a poten-

tial client to love your images and contact you.

—Mike Smith, MorePhotos | WeddingDetails

Not speaking to an expert about an online

strategy beforehand. Just as you would meet

with an attorney and a CPA when setting up

your business, it’s a good idea to speak to a

Web developer when you plan your site. Most

will be more than happy to give you some

free advice, even if you’re not ready to spend

big money. You stand a better chance of not

THE GOODS: WEB DESIGN

Web design experts answer questions about creating a successful, optimized online presence.

KnowledgedownloadWHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

ABOUT YOUR WEB DESIGN

Photographers Naomi Frost and Xanthe Roxburgh hired Flaunt Your Site to design their page. It uses boldcolors to reflect their quirky image, and the keyword-rich and brand-building content on the home page helpedit rise to the number-three result for "Newcastle wedding photographers" in the first month it was live.


©Froxy P

hotography

making mistakes that have to be resolved

later by getting expert advice upfront.

—William Bay, Flaunt Your Site

What’s the best way to protect your online

images from theft?

The best way is still watermarking the image

using a built-in tool from the website admin or

in Photoshop. Right-click protection provides

some defense, but anyone who truly wants to

steal the image will be able to do so by using

a screen capture. One of the biggest reasons

clients take images from a website is to post

them to social media sites. Consider providing

low-resolution (about 500 pixels on the longest

side), watermarked images for use on social

media sites, and request that the poster link

them back to your site. That helps your clients

show off your images at the best quality

while building a potential referral source.

—Jenifer Martino, Portfoliositez.com

What resources can photographers use to

choose a color scheme for their website if the

business hasn’t got one yet?

The best resource is a skilled designer, who

can help with a color palette creation and deter -

mine where colors can be used the most effec -

tively on your site. They also know what color

families go well with certain design styles, like

retro, art deco and classical. For the DIYers,

there are color palette generators online.

You can start with a favorite color and it will

define complementary colors to go with it.


Colourlovers.com is good a site for inspiration.

—Michael N. Caston, BIG Folio, Inc.

Using color swatches that are already paired

together will ensure your site looks coherent

and professional. Adobe’s Kuler tool is a

great resource (kuler.adobe.com).

—Jenifer Martino, Portfoliositez.com

What information should be on my home

page? What can be one or two layers in?

A slideshow of the photographer’s signature

images on the home page is the easiest way to

capture the visitor’s interest and represent the

style of photography. The logo should be

clearly visible, so that the viewer can easily

identify who owns the website. A tagline

(whether part of the logo or part of the wel-

come message) will tell the visitors more about

the kind of work you do. A concise, keyword-

rich welcome message will speak to the visitors


Paula Luna of lunaphoto has her site optimized to look great on a large screen, and to be easy to use andfunctional on a mobile device.

©lunaphoto

and improve SEO. Contact informa tion and a

call to action are final must-haves for the

home page. Whether there’s a contact form

directly on the home page or a link to book a

session, the visitor should never struggle to

find a way to reach the photographer.

Additional information such as “about me,”

“contact,” “client area” and “testimonials” can

be listed on separate pages, but needs to be

easily found. A consistent site menu with links

to specific galleries and other details keeps

the page clean and the information accessible.


If I create a video slideshow without music,

what’s the best pace for photo changes?

Rhythm for your slideshow is everything. Go

too fast, and the prospective client won’t have

time to savor your shots; go too slow, and your

prospect will move on to the next photogra-

pher. I’ve found that .7 seconds per slide is a

nicely moving but relaxed pace.

—Caroline Tien-Spalding, SmugMug

For a standard website portfolio slideshow, 2 to

3 seconds per slide is perfectly fine, but what

works for some target markets or parts of the

country might not work for others. Use Google

Analytics to help you figure that out. If people

leave your site before the slideshow is over,

the slideshow may be too slow or too long.


What do I need to know about Flash,

HTML5 and how they affect my SEO?

Search engines don’t see photographs the

way humans do. If there aren’t any alterna-

tive titles or text for the photographs, search

engines have a hard time seeing them, index-

ing them, and ranking them. So HTML5 is

better recognized by search engines than Flash

websites. Also, iPhone, iPads and other

Apple devices do not read Flash, so you’re

excluding a portion of possible viewers if you



Amanda Gros uses a discreet logo watermark on her gallery photographs that deters theft or uncreditedposting of her photographs.

A good home page delivers a message to the reader and search engines. Laura Tillinghast Photography showsthe photography in large format, with information supporting the images, but not competing with them visually.

©A

manda G

ros Photography

©Laura Tillinghast P

hotography

photobiz.com

866-463-7620

Websites • Blog Sites • Store Sites • SEO

E-commerce • Passionate Support

Show OffWITH A LITTLE HELP FROM PHOTOBIZ.COM

Photo credits courtesy ofAdrien Maroney & Kerry Brett

STORE SITES WINNER

PhotoBiz is the most innovative, auto SEO, customizable, searchable, multiple

template and mobile e-commerce web solutions in the industry. Count on us to

keep things running smoothly as you SELL LIKE A PRO.

choose to go with Flash, which means your

ranking could be negatively affected.


HTML5 is a bit overhyped right now. It’s not

as important as marketers are leading photog -

raphers to believe. It’s not a replacement for

Flash, just a designation with some new ways

of formatting. But there are some very excit-

ing technologies that came out with HTML5,

such as micro formats, which allow you to see

rich snippets like video thumbnails and your

Google + profile picture in search results.


Does a splash page hurt my SEO?

Generally speaking, yes. Your home page is

typically the strongest page on your site, and

if you just have a page with “Enter” as the

only text, you’re creating an extra step for

search engines (and people) to go through

before they get to any content. You also miss

the opportunity of allowing that strong

home page’s authority to work in your favor

for the keywords you’re competing over.

I would also think about what it does to

the visitor, especially the splash pages that

have two or three selections, like when you

see certain sites that say “Blog or Website.”

Right from the start, you’re forcing viewers

to make a decision that they might not under -

stand. What would be the payoff to go to your

blog over Weddings? Often they also launch

a new window, which is a turnoff to viewers.


What sort of products work well if I want to

have an online shopping cart?

The trick to online shopping is to not over-

complicate things for your clients and to keep

everything on-brand. If you offer hundreds

of choices, clients feel overwhelmed. Limit

your lineup to products your clients are already

familiar with. To make the process easier,

we recommend offering print sizes that do

not require cropping so the photo your clients

buy is the photo you intended them to see.


Enabling framing and mounting options to

go along with prints provides excellent add-on

purchase options. If the shopping cart allows

a preview of the image inside the matte and

frame, that view of the final presentation is a

fantastic closing tool. Adding bundled pack-

ages to the online shopping cart is one of the

most effective sales tools. Bundling prints,

products and digital downloads together for

a discount makes the visitors see the value of

bulk purchasing.


What can I do to make my purchase options

as easy as possible?

Keep your product lineup simple and guide

your clients toward the products you feel will

be best for them. Most clients aren’t familiar

with entire product lines, and they rely on

your expertise to preserve their memories in

an elegant and long-lasting way. Pick prod-

ucts that you can show examples of, so they

can easily envision the products in their homes.




Caroline Tien-Spalding of Sphynge Photography keeps her cart selections simple by limiting choices tothree print options and a card. She also offers Print Memories and Ultimate Parents’ Choice packages.

©S

phynge Photography

What can I do to make my website look good

on a mobile device?

First, focus on usability above looking good.

Make sure your site loads fast and visitors

can find the information and images they

need quickly. Avoid animations and tricky

navigations (especially mouse hover effects)

on mobile devices. Because mobile devices

and screen sizes vary significantly, the best

approach is to aim for a single, “responsive”

design. A responsive site uses CSS3 to adjust

the layout of a site depending on the visitor’s

screen size.

—Michael N. Caston, BIG Folio

You compose an image differently for a wal-

let-sized print versus a 20x30-inch print.

The same thing is true with your website.

The links should be larger and it should load

super-fast in case someone is using a device

with a limited data plan. Also, it is impor-

tant to use a service that offers mobile-opti-

mized (not just friendly) sites.

—Mike Smith, MorePhotos | WeddingDetails

How often should I put up fresh content?

Search engines love new, keyword-rich con-

tent. Therefore, consistent updates (such as

blog posts) will do wonders to help a site

stay high on the search page results. But

there’s also the non-technical, personal rea-

son to put up fresh content. Research shows

that the majority of brides on the market for

a photographer will start their search long

before they are ready to make a decision.

Having a site that is constantly refreshed

will make a photographer look more in-

demand, as well as help with building a rela-

tionship with repeat visitors.


It really depends on how much your audi-

ence is actually consuming the new content.

If you blog weddings every week and your

readership actively reads the posts, then you

should keep it up. If you post every day, and

no one reads it, then you might try blogging

weekly or monthly and see what happens to

your readership. This is where tools like

Google Analytics and Feedburner, which

tracks how many people subscribe to your

blog feed, help. When you have information

available to you, you can make powerful

decisions about your online presence. Focus

on publishing information that’s valuable.

Google’s goal is to provide the best content

when people search for something, so the

emphasis should be on quality over quantity.


Any other advice?

You might not realize this, but having dif-

ferent aspects of a photography website

(e.g., portfolio, client galleries, blog) hosted

with different providers can actually hurt

the site’s SEO. Search engines can tell that

all these come from different hosts, even if

each aspect resides on a specific sub-domain

(photos.yourstudio.com and blog.yourstu-

dio.com). In this case, keywords and content

entered into a blog post don’t improve the

portfolio home page search engine ranking

and, conversely, browsing visitors on the

portfolio home page don’t improve the blog’s

ranking. Having it all in one place, from one

service, allows all the different aspects of the

site to work together in synergy and help

improve search result placement. This is

why the current trend in the industry is

toward consolidation. n




The D. Host Photography home page includes information about the studio, and the slideshow illus-trates four styles: classic, creative, contemporary and cool.

bigfolio.comflauntyoursite.commorephotos.com

portfoliositez.comsmugmug.com/prozenfolio.com

OUR EXPERTS’ PROFESSIONAL SERVICES:

©D. Host Photography

nce upon a time, there was a young girl in

Ohio who preferred climbing trees over

just about anything, and was nearly insep-

arable from her 35mm Vivitar camera. She

photographed the sky, the trees, her sister,

anything that struck her fancy. She didn’t

show it on the outside then, but deep in her

heart was a penchant for Disney princesses.

As in most good fairytales, our heroine,

Heather Lickliter, quested and found a way

to combine her love of nature, photography

and fairy magic into a satisfying career.

Lickliter still feels a strong dislike of Barbie

and her fashion doll ilk, but she admits hav-

ing a soft spot for Disney movies. “They take

you away to a different world,” she says. “I was

getting so bored with regular clothes in my

portrait sessions, and I decided to try to recre-

ate the magic of those movies.”

Thus, Fairyography was born. Lickliter

insists that girls can be into fairy dust and

princesses without being vapid stereotypes.

Instead, she says, fostering the love of this

decidedly girly genre promotes the idea that

girls can be pretty and smart and strong.

“My favorite characters are Mulan and

Pocahontas,” says Lickliter. “In my sessions,

Heather Lickliter’s fairy and princess portraits are more than frilly dress-upsessions. She encourages her subjects to embrace all aspects of their person -ality, girly or gritty, and seeks to tell the story of what it’s like to be that girl.

CHILDREN By Stephanie Boozer

Happily ever afterFairyography puts a little magic in every portrait

All images ©Heather Lickliter

O

invariably it comes up how pretty the girl looks,

and I always chime in, ‘and smart too.’ We

all know that smart is the better of the two.”

Fairyography is an offshoot of Lickliter’s

portrait studio, Stylized Portraiture, which

she co-owns with Frankie Wylie in the col-

lege town of Athens, Ga.

For Lickliter, Fairyography is a rewarding

creative outlet in ways other than photography.

She often works with clients to customize the

session. For a series of winter fairies, Lickliter

fashioned a set of wings from foam board, and

accented them with an icicle crown. She was

shooting the session in the bare brown wood -

lands on a warm day in November, so she con -

jured up snow digitally, and frosted the scene

with cool tones of color. “We put crystals on

her face, and she was just ecstatic,” she says.

For most clients, though, a princess dress

or fairy wings will please, and a stroll through

the botanical gardens offers beautiful settings.

Running creeks, mossy rocks and woodsy land -

scaping give her otherworldly portraits a

natural, authentic feel. Spring and fall are her

busiest Fairyography times, and when the

nearby peach orchard is in full bloom, Lick-

liter runs a mini-session special there. Most

of her fairies and princesses range in age

from 2 to 6 years old, and lately she’s seen

an uptick in older girls, even up to 10 and 11.

“I love seeing the transformation in those

girls,” she says. “You’ll have a girl who might

be into kickboxing or karate, and she might

even come in with a black eye. But when she

puts on the dress, she completely transforms.

I get to follow her around for an hour and a

half and look at the world through her eyes.”

More than pictures of girls in frilly tutus

and wings, Lickliter sees her fairy portraits

as empowering in their ability to boost

confidence, and to make it okay for girls to

explore their girliness without compromis-

ing their strengths.

With empowerment in mind, Lickliter

also holds a charitable promotion she calls

Memorial Princess sessions, in honor of two

of her subjects who succumbed to terminal

illness. People in the community nominate

families who have an extra-deserving daughter

to receive a fairytale package, a $1,200 value.

“It gets harder and harder every year to

pick the winner,” says Lickliter. “But I always

do sessions for the runners up. One of the

girls last year was deaf and had a cochlear

implant. Her mother wanted a picture with

the crown and the implant in the same shot,

and it was the perfect story of what it’s like

to be this little girl.”

Knowing that most of her clients don’t

want a massive wall collage of fairy princess

portraits, and aware that male siblings share

wall space, her sales goal is to sell a large wall

canvas and a storybook.

Like any good storyteller, Lickliter pays

attention to the details. “I want to tell the

story of what it’s like to be this little girl,” she

says. “So I’ll have her in the woods, holding a

butterfly. I’ll photograph her toes covered in

moss, the curls in her hair, or her finger-

nails. All of those little things that define

that girl in that moment.”

And like all good fairies and princesses,

Lickliter has big dreams for the future.

“I’d love to have a horse and turn it into a

unicorn,” she says. “I want a big studio garden

and more elaborate costumes, maybe even

go to Hawaii and shoot mermaid portraits.

Just seeing the magic through the girls’ eyes

is why I love it so much.” n

See more of Lickliter’s fairy portraits atfairyography.com, and find out more abouther studio at stylizedportraiture.com.


CHILDREN

PhotoshopUser.com/Special-Offer 800.738.8513

The World’s Best

Photoshop® Training!

Ad

ob

e an

d P

ho

tosh

op

are

reg

iste

red

tra

dem

arks

of

Ad

ob

e S

yste

ms

Inco

rpo

rate

d.

Imag

es c

ou

rtes

y o

f iS

tock

ph

oto

.co

m.

There’s no faster, easier or more affordable

way to get really good at Photoshop® than

NAPP. Our members receive 10 issues of

Photoshop User magazine, 24/7 access

to thousands of exclusive video tutorials,

three online Help Desks, plus money saving

discounts with their annual memberships.

ewborn photography has seen a

massive growth in popularity. In

place of plain dark backdrops, now

we’re seeing a variety of lifestyle

settings with parents and props, and every

kind of curled-up and tucked-in pose.

Along with the innovative sets and posing,

comes a reminder about ensuring the infant’s

safety in the studio or on location. New photog -

raphers may not realize that many of the new

and adorable images they’re seeing are actually

digital composites of two or more photographs

merged together. Spotters often hold the baby

safely, and their hands are deleted in post

processing. When you display images of this

kind, it’s a good idea to show a behind-the-

scenes shot that illustrates how the image was

staged and captured safely. People love see-

ing how the magic’s made. Some photogra-

phers label the image with a special composite

logo (facing page) to clearly indicate post-

work that went into it. This transparency is

important to new and aspiring photographers,

(Continued on p 94)

Robin Long reminds us that newborns are people, not props. Experienced baby photographers are reaching out to educate new professionals and parents about safe practices in infant photography.

POSING By Robin Long

Keep it simpleLearn the ways of safely posing infants

All images ©Robin Long

N

Babies have reflexes and can lunge unexpectedly. Be prepared with a spotter’s hand nearby. If the baby’s head is unstable, have the spotter place their hand or a finger on the side of the head for support. The hand andfingers are easily removed in Photoshopusing the clone tool.

When using a hammock, make sure thebaby is only inches from the beanbagunderneath. This pose requires two orthree spotters. Two people hold the ends of the hammock, while one handsupports the baby’s head underneath.Hands are removed in Photoshop.

The Pro Photographers for Baby Safetylogo for composite images was designed byNetra Chetty (netrachetty.com.au). Down-load for your own use at facebook.com/professionalphotographersforbabysafety.

POSING

Place a 10-pound weight in the bottom of all bas-kets, boxes, and bowls for stability. A spotter is re-

quired to sit close by to support the baby’s head.The spotter is easily removed in Photoshop.


The froggie pose is a composite of two images andshould only be done with a baby who is sound asleep.Even then, if the baby fights the pose, move on to

something else. Don’t force it. For one image, thespotter holds the baby’s arms, and for the other, the

spotter holds the baby's head. In Photoshop, wemerge the images to eliminate the hands. Babies

should never be left to balance on their own.

(Continued from p 90)

and to parents who are not aware of the

process and the precautions being taken.

Not all props are safe for babies. Be sure

to test them out beforehand to see that they

can safely hold the baby’s weight, are comfort -

able in shape and texture, and are free of harm -

ful substances. Avoid props made of glass or

that have a sharp edge or protrusion. Keep it

simple and support the baby at all times.

Trendy is fun, but the simple, natural poses

are the ones that will be timeless.

Posing newborns can be challenging at

times. Poses like the froggie head-up, buckets

and baskets, potato sack, and hanging stork

are abundant in the newborn photography

genre. If you’re a new photographer, start

with simple poses and work your way up to

the more challenging poses.

Proper training is key to learning how to

safely pose newborns. I urge anyone getting

into newborn photography to attend a new-

born posing class taught by a qualified in-

structor before attempting any difficult poses.

Remember, babies are people, not props.

Safety should always be your first concern. n

Robin Long lives in Salem, Ore. Long is theauthor of the “purebaby: Newborn Photography Guide to Posing and Busi-ness.” Find info on her baby safety work-shops at robinlongphotography.com and robinslittlenest.bigcartel.com.


POSING

• Remove all jewelry• Use a camera strap• Keep the baby warm, and place heaters a safe distance from the baby• Put a 10-pound weight in the bottom of all posing props,

such as baskets and bowls• Use an assistant to spot the baby when needed• Never leave the baby unattended, and keep your eyes on him

at all times

• Watch for baby cues; not all babies will tolerate every pose • Don’t force a pose; if the baby cries, move on to a different pose• Watch for signs of poor circulation and readjust if necessary• Check props for safety and security• Use hand sanitizer throughout the session• Obtain insurance to cover you and your clients

SAFE PRACTICES

Fast Standard Zoom Lens with VC Image Stabilization

See website for $50 mail-in rebate details.

Tamron SP 17-50mm F/2.8 Di VC (Model B005)

With a fast F/2.8 aperture over its entire 17-50mm zoom range, this lens is perfect forshooting in low light or creating esthetic images. To take it to a higher level, we’ve added ourexclusive VC (Vibration Compensation) system to control blur and ensure crisp handheldshots. The result: A new standard in real-world optical performance.

With flower-shaped lens hood. Compatible mounts for Canon and Nikon. This lens is not designed for use with 35mm film cameras and digital SLR cameras with image sensors larger then 24 X 16mm

www.tamron-usa.com

Prices, specifi cations, and images are subject to change without notice. Manufacturer rebates are subject to the terms and conditions (including expiration dates) printed on the manufacturers’ rebate forms. Not responsible for typographical or illustrative errors. © 2000-2012 B & H Foto & Electronics Corp.

When in New York,Visit our SuperStore

420 Ninth Ave.Corner of 34th Street

New York, N.Y. 10001

Over 70,000 square feet

of the latest gear

The most knowledgeable

Sales Professionals

Hands-on demos

Convenient free parking

available

The Professional’s Source™

Subbscribbe to ourfreee CataalogBandH.com/catalog

212-444-6633

Page 1

EOS-60D DSLR

Body Only...................................................#CAE60D 18MegaPixels

EOS-5D Mark II

Body Only..................................................#CAE5D2Kit with 24-105mm IS ......................#CAE5D224105 21Mega

Pixels

EOS-7D

Body Only............................................... #CAE7DKit with 28-135mm IS ................... #CAE7D28135 18Mega

Pixels

EOS-1Ds Mark III

Body Only........................................... #CAE1DS3 21MegaPixels

Digital Rebel T3i DSLR

Body Only............................................... #CAEDRT3IKit with 18-55mm IS.............................#CAEDRT3IK 18Mega

Pixels

Lumix DMC-GX1

Kit with 14-42mm G Vario Lens .. #PADMCGX1XK* 16MegaPixels

AF Flashes

326.95 546.95

DX ED-IF Lenses for Digital Only

196.95276.95

196.95396.95846.95

246.95396.95

D-Type AF Lenses

D-Type AF Lenses

216.95

499.95

1,996.95

1,886.95

1,296.95

2,396.95586.95

EOS Flash System (USA)

EF-S Lenses for Digital Only (USA)

EF Lenses (USA)

TS-E MF Lenses (USA)

EF “L” Lenses (USA)

18-200/3.5-5.6 DX G AF-S ED-IF VR II

SB-910 Speedlight i-TTL

10-22/3.5-4.5 EF-S USM

580 EX II

Lumix DMC-GH2

Kit with 14-42mm G Vario Lens ... #PADMCGH2K1 16MegaPixels

C llCallCallCallCallCall fforforforforfor AAvaAvaAvaAvaAvail bilabilabilabilabilabl Rle Rle Rle Rle Rle R bebatebatebatebatebat &es &es &es &es &es & PProProProProPro imotimotimotimotimotionsonsonsonsonsSon S lelec Bt Bodidies L, Lenses dand FlFla hshes!!

C llCallCallCallCallCall fforforforforfor AAvaAvaAvaAvaAvail bilabilabilabilabilabl Rle Rle Rle Rle Rle R bebatebatebatebatebat &es &es &es &es &es & PProProProProPro imotimotimotimotimotionsonsonsonsons Son S lelec Bt Bodidies L, Lenses dand FlFla hshes!!

EOS-5D Mark III

Body Only..............................................#CAE5D3*Kit with 24-105mm L IS ................ #CAE5D324105 22Mega

Pixels

052012

Page 2

The Professional’s Source™

800-947-9964212-444-6664

Fax:

212-239-7770

Store & Mail Order Hours:

Sunday 10-5 Mon.-Thurs. 9-7Friday 9-1 EST/9-2 DST

Saturday Closed

Over 300,000 products,at your leisure

www.BandH.com

We Buy, Sell, and TradeUsUseded EEququq ipippmementnt

NYC DCA Electronics Store Lic. #0906712; NYC DCA Electronics & Home Appliance Service Dealer Lic. #0907905; NYC DCA Secondhand Dealer – General Lic. #0907906

Flash SystemFL-300R Flash .........169.95 FL-36R Flash ........... 229.95

FL-50R Flash ...........499.95 RF-11 Ring Flash ..... 249.95

Zuiko 4/3 System Digital Lenses35/3.5 Macro ED (52ø) ............................................ 229.95

50/2.0 Macro ED (77ø) ............................................ 499.95

7-14/4.0 ED (72ø) ................................................ 1,799.95

11-22/2.8-3.5 ED (72ø) ........................................... 799.95

12-60/2.8-4 ED SWD (72ø) ...................................... 999.95

14-42/3.5-5.6 ED (58ø) ........................................... 249.95

18-180/3.5-6.3 ED (62ø) ......................................... 499.95

EC-14 1.4x Teleconverter ......................................... 439.95

AF Flash SystemAF-360FGZ ........................ AF-540FGZ ........................

SMCP-DA Digital AF Lenses21/3.2 AL Limited “Pancake” (49ø) ......................................40/2.8 Limited “Pancake” (49ø) ...........................................70/2.4 Limited “Pancake” (49ø) ...........................................10-17/3.5-4.5 ED IF (77ø) ..................................................16-50/2.8 ED AL IF SDM (77ø) ............................................18-55/3.5-5.6 AL II (52ø) ....................................................50-135/2.8 ED IF SDM (67ø) ...............................................50-200/4-5.6 ED WR (52ø) .................................................

Flash SystemHVL-F20AM .............149.99 HVL-F20S ................ 149.99

HVL-F43AM .............349.99 HVL-F58AM ............. 499.99

Digital Lenses 24/2 Carl Zeiss (72ø) ............................................ 1,299.99

50/1.4 (55ø) ............................................................ 399.99

100/2.8 Macro (55ø)................................................ 749.99

16-80/3.5-4.5 DT Carl Zeiss (62ø) ........................... 849.99

11-18/4.5-5.6 DT (77ø) ........................................... 699.99

18-200/3.5-6.3 DT (62ø) ......................................... 549.99

70-200/2.8 G APO (77ø) ....................................... 1,999.99

75-300/4.5-5.6 (55ø) .............................................. 249.99

58 AF-2 TTL Shoe Mount Flash

#ME58AF2* .............................. 400.00

285HV Professional Auto Shoe Mount Flash

#VI285HV .....................................89.95

Qfl ash TRIO

....................................875.00

622 Super Pro TTLHandle Mount Flash

..................................196.95

D3100 DSLR

Kit with 18-55mm VR #NID31001855 ...$646.95 14MegaPixels

D7000 DSLR

Body Only #NID7000 ........................... 1,199.95 16MegaPixels

Octacool Light Kit

Aluminum

Octacool-6 ........................................ 199.95

Octacool-9 ........................................ 259.00

Tota Light 2-Light Kit

Multi-Voltage

.................................367.95

...............349.95

Background System

Background Stands ..............................79.95

Port-A-Stand ....................109.95*

Multi 3 Polevault ..............239.95

Paper BackgroundsAvailable in 48 Colors

.........................25.00

...........45.95

Octacool-6 Front

Octacool-9

Alpha SLT-A77 DSLR

Body Only......................................... #SOSLTA77V* 24MegaPixels

D5100 DSLR

Body Only #NID5100 ........................... $746.95

Kit with 18-55mm VR #NID51001855 ..$846.95 16MegaPixels

1 J1 Mirrorless Digital Camera

#NI1J1* .....................$646.95

#NI1J110* .......$896.95

#NI1J11030* .$896.95 10MegaPixels

in 10-30mm kit

D4 DSLR

Body Only...................... #NID4 ................$5,999.95 16MegaPixels

* FREE! Roll of

White Paper w/ Purchase

PEN E-P3 Mirrorless Digital Camera

Kit with 17mm Zuiko Lens .................. #OLEP317*Kit with 14-42mm Zuiko Lens ......... #OLEP31442* 12Mega

Pixels

D800 D-SLR

Body Only............................ #NID800 ........................ $2,999.95 36MegaPixels

arianne Drenthe always focuses

on the positive. From the begin-

nings of her suburban Chicago

studio, Marmalade Photography,

she aspired to provide a joyous

experience for her clientele. The trick was in

developing her business in a way that bene-

fits her clients, yet remains true to her vision.

Inspired by contemporary wedding pho-

tography and progressive location senior por -

traiture, Drenthe works in a style both moody

and endearing. She pulls in elements from

her childhood—forests, fairytales and juve-

nile curiosities—and creates storylines for

each portrait session, then engages the sub-

ject in creative play to bring out elements of

the child’s personality. “I love all the aspects

of children, not just the laughing and smil-

ing aspects,” says Drenthe. “So, in addition

to those images, I capture the quiet side, the

introspective, curious aspects of the child. I

approach my photography holistically to

capture everything about my subjects.”

That philosophy struck a chord in the

Chicago market, and Drenthe gained a fast

following. Clients would travel 45 minutes

or more each way to have her photograph

their children. Within a year of her business

launch, she was ready to take the next step.

Like many new pros, Drenthe thought

she needed a storefront for her studio, and

she leased a large retail space, which came

with more amenities than she could use. As

she began to refine her focus on her core mar -

ket, she carefully considered her business iden -

tity. Her initial thoughts of being a big, high-

volume studio with 15 employees dissolved

as she realized how much she cherished her

personal connection with her clients. Many

Marianne Drenthe of Marmalade Photography seeks to uncover andcapture all elements of a child, from the bursts of laughter and creative,playful romping to the quiet, introspective and curious pauses.

CHILDREN

MBy Jeff Kent

Holistic viewA positive influence guides Marianne Drenthe


All images ©Marianne Drenthe

of her sessions were conducted on location.

At the studio, where she had displays of her

work, she met clients and photographed

subjects at various outdoor locations. She

did packaging at the studio, but she took

care of day-to-day business tasks and post-

processing at her home. She found she was

paying rent on a space she wasn’t fully using.

“Repeat customers are a critical part of

my business model,” says Drenthe. “Most of

my clients travel from far away, so I felt like

it was too much to ask them to keep coming

back for meetings, ordering sessions and to

pick up products. That’s why I came up with

my online ordering system.” Her system is

an innovative combination of online viewing

and simultaneous over-the-phone ordering.

After a session, Drenthe creates an online

gallery of enhanced images. When the gallery is

almost ready, usually within a couple of weeks,

she e-mails the clients a slideshow of products

for display possibilities that includes various

sizes of portraits hanging on a wall in a fam-

ily room setting. She also sends a form that

triggers them to set up a phone ordering ses-

sion, and several times she’s available for the

session—her times. Once the client schedules

the ordering session, she opens the image

gallery to the client for a four-day period. Over

the phone, Drenthe reviews and discusses the

images with the client, answers any questions,

and guides the finished product decisions.

“The key is to offer a finite viewing period

and schedule an ordering session,” says

Drenthe. “You can’t leave it open-ended and

hope the orders will flow in. People are pro-

crastinators by nature. With that four-day

window, I get them while they’re excited by

the images, and it’s still an emotional decision.”

Drenthe’s sales averages did not dip after

switching from in-person sales sessions to

an online-phone system, and the conven-

ience factor for her clients (and her) rose


dramatically. Spurred by these results, she

shuttered her storefront studio in 2011 and

relocated the business to a smaller, less ex-

pensive space. The move has given her peace

of mind, and made a positive impact on her

busy, distant clientele.

That’s important to Drenthe. “One of my

inspirations to become a photographer came

one night when I was a nurse, sitting in a

patient’s room during the midnight shift,”

she recalls. “He was surrounded by all these

beautiful pictures of his family. Seeing all

that joy surrounding him, I decided right

then I wanted to be part of the happiest

moments in people’s lives. So when I created

the business, my goal was to be part of some -

thing positive for people, and that goal has

guided every decision I’ve made. It’s helped

me focus my business on something that is

truly inspiring to me.” n

To see more from Marianne Drenthe, visitmarmaladephotography.com.

CHILDREN

A S P L A S H O F

COLORKimberly Wylie diversifies her child portraitproducts with two distinct lines of style

BY JEFF KENT

All images ©Kimberly Wylie

“You need to ask yourselfwho your bread-and-butterclient is ... What works artistically for me? Whatis my core style? Find away to describe what yourtried-and-true imagery isall about, and then youcan start identifying what the departure is from that core style.”

—KIMBERLY WYLIE

Kimberly Wylie, M.Photog., started her business inDallas in 2001. Kimberly Wylie Fine Art Portraiture quickly carved a market niche in children’s portraits. A film shooter, she worked

mainly in black and white, and cultivated a brand based on her classic fine-art style.

Wylie finally switched to the pixel-based

platform in 2006 after she discovered some

fine art papers designed for black-and-

white digital printing. Going digital opened

up a new world creatively, especially when

it came to applying color and texture.

“There were so many new possibilities,” she

says. “I started to think differently about

certain types of sessions, and to expand my

artistic options.”

Over the next three years, Wylie experi-

mented with color and many different styles

in shooting, styling and post production.

She didn’t abandon her trademark classic

look, just worked on diversifying. Many of

her clients loved the images she was mak-

ing; the problem was positioning the look

within her business.

She came up with a solution. In 2009,

Wylie launched a new line of photography

with its own distinct branding. She dubbed

it the Exquisite line, and her original fine-art

style became the Classic line. With a choice

of two kinds of sessions, customer loyalty

has grown stronger. Meanwhile, Wylie

hasn’t diluted her trademark style.

Wylie does almost all of her newborn

and baby sessions in the Classic line, feeling

those subjects are best represented by the

more simple, timeless style. The Classic line

does include color images, but the settings

are simple and there’s a mindful tonal coor-

dination in the clothing and background.

After the child’s first birthday, Wylie turns

to the Exquisite line, which allows opportu-

nities to play with color, texture, layers and

styling. Outfits play a prominent role, as do

backgrounds and other elements in the frame.

“The goal is to make these images timeless

as well, but they’re more playful and we have

more creative options,” explains Wylie.

Wylie will not mix styles in a single ses-

sion. The kind of session directs the styling,

the subject’s clothing, the location of the

shoot, and where the images will ultimately

be displayed in the client’s home. And Wylie

prefers to wear one creative hat or the other,

rather than switching back and forth and

complicating her artistic process.

In addition to being a draw for new

clients, the Exquisite line has increased

Wylie’s sales to existing clients, who now

have more reasons to return to the studio.

“It makes them happier, too, because it


opens up new possibilities to document their

family history,” says Wylie.

To those contemplating a second stylis-

tic line, Wylie recommends knowing your

artistic identity before taking any steps.

Offering a classic and a progressive approach

may not work for every studio. They are

successful for Wylie because of the market

she’s in and the brand that she’s developed

over 11 years.

“You need to ask yourself who your

bread-and-butter client is,” says Wylie.

“What works artistically for me? What is

my core style? Find a way to describe what

your tried-and-true imagery is all about,

and then you can start identifying what the

departure is from that core style. Consider

what that alternative means to your clients.

What is the benefit to them, and what is

the sales opportunity for you? Don’t think

about it just as a new shooting opportunity,

something different that you’d do for fun; it

needs to offer your business something

substantial in terms of a new product line.

And you must make it clear for your clients

so they understand the product lines and

how those lines apply to them. If you go

through this process, if you make it specific

to your business and your photography,

then this approach may yield some great

opportunities.” n

To see more from Kimberly Wylie, visit kimberlywylie.com.

©Im

age

cour

tesy

of T

erre

ll Ll

oyd

WWW.MILLERSLAB.COM/SPORTSANDEVENTS/OVERVIEW | 800.835.0603

IMAGES SO CRISP YOU CAN ALMOST SEE SWEAT DRIP OFF THE PAGE. TURNAROUND SO FAST IT’S LIKE YOU’RE WATCHING INSTANT REPLAY. PLUS SUPERIOR SERVICE AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE THAT LEAVES THE REST IN THE DUST.

WE DIDN’T JUST COME TO PLAY, WE CAME TO WIN.UNRIVALED

S P O R T S & E V E N T S

CHICAGOAudrey Woulard moves to downtownChicago to photograph children and familiesin her all-natural, contemporary style.

BY LORNA GENTRY

All images ©Audrey Woulard

DREAMER

n April, children’s photographer Audrey Woulard openeda new 2,200-square-foot studio in downtown Chicago. She cites global warming among her reasons for building it. “Last year we had a horrible

heat wave,” she says. Her former studio was on the third floor, had 26 windows, and no

central air conditioning. “It was like a sauna,” she groans. Some of her most loyal—and honest—clients told her, “You need to get it

together and get central air!”

Instead of renovating, she found a new

location and the opportunity to design a

space from scratch to suit her style and

needs. She’s in a trendy area of Chicago,

amid the perfect demographic for her busi-

ness: married couples, ages 28-40, with one

or two young children. “I have a large re-

turn-client base, and those kids are older—7,

8 and 9 years old—because they’ve been

with me since I started in 2004 and 2005,”

Woulard says.

Most urban Chicagoans move to the sub-

urbs once their kids reach a certain age, says

Woulard, and when they do, parents spread

the word in their new neighborhood about

her photography. Word-of-mouth advertis-

ing has always been her only advertising.

She understands that being true to her au-

thentic self keeps clients comfortable and

loyal. “Pictures go only so far. I maintain my

client base by being myself, and that cannot

be conveyed in pictures or words.”

Being open and available is the reason

STROBE Flashpoint II Monolights Adorama’s house-brand strobes fea-

head, power source, and controls are incorporated into a single, metal- sheathed unit. You can plug

them into a wall socket for studio

work or run them off the Flashpoint DC battery pack in locations without electricity. The Flashpoint II 320M Monolight costs just $99.95.

TUNGSTEN Flashpoint Bright Beam The adjustable Flashpoint Bright Beam 1000 Tungsten Quartz Hot Light ($99.85) can be used by itself in

Flashpoint umbrellas, softboxes, and other attachments. Or it can serve as a color-matched complement to existing interior light.

FLUORESCENT Flashpoint Cool Lights Adorama’s daylight balanced

free, generate virtually no heat, and yield four times more light per watt than tungsten. The Flashpoint

Cool Light 4 ($73.95) houses four 55-watt lamps that produce the equivalent of nearly 900 watts of tungsten, plenty for creative

shutter speed.

LED Flashpoint LED

technology of all, the Flashpoint 312 LED Light ($139.95) runs for hours on two batteries, yet is the equivalent of carrying around a 100-watt bulb. It’s dimmable—and twin tungsten/daylight LED arrays mean you can dial in any color temperature to match the ambient light!

Flashpoint lighting products are available exclusively from Adorama. Orders can be placed online at Adorama.com, by calling (800) 223-2500, or by visiting the Adorama superstore at 42 West 18th Street in New York City’s Chelsea district.

Scan and you can win $100!

Adorama offers a complete range of

light-modify- ing attachments

for all its Flashpoint units. These include umbrellas, beauty dishes, and Flashpoint PZ softboxes, which come in square, rectangular, and octagonal shapes and set up in seconds thanks to an exclusive zippered design.

Hot, cold, flash, fluorescent, and now

LED—photographic light sources are as varied as they are confusing. If you’re in the market but not sure what to get, Adorama offers an unexpected resource. You’ll find primers on studio and location lighting at Adorama.com/learn, and Adorama’s own Flashpoint line features every kind of light source in the business at prices far lower than competing brands.

LIGHT BRIGADEAdorama’s Flashpoint lighting line now offers a source for every photographic purpose

Flashpoint 312 LED Light

Flashpoint Cool Light 4

Flashpoint Bright Beam 1000

Flashpoint II 320M Monolight

Right, a Flashpoint II

620M Monolight with

DC battery pack; left, the unit’s

control panel

Adorama recently won the Photo

District News 2011 “Lighting Gear

of the Year” award for its

Flashpoint II 620M Portrait Wedding

Monolight Kit.

behind not having a reception area in the

studio. “I want to maintain my approach-

ableness so that I’m the first point of con-

tact,” she asserts. Woulard had a special

sloped wall built in the studio “that looks

like infinite light,” she says. The studio is all

white, including the furniture, “which makes

the bright colors kids wear pop.”

In addition to studio sessions, Woulard

shoots on location, part of her original busi-

ness plan that she plans to keep. “Going on

location gives me life, because you never know

what you’re walking into.” Woulard believes

having a studio gives her a leg up on the com -

petition. “Because there are so many photog-

raphers now, the perception of a photog-

rapher who has a studio is higher. Not that I

would ever tell a photographer they must get

a studio, but it’s an entirely different ball-

game. I stand out because lots of photogra-

phers who had studios gave them up when

the downturn happened. There are no com-

peting studios in my area.”

Woulard takes full advantage of social

media and blogs. Recently she started a sec-

ond, lower-profile blog, a place where she

feels free to experiment. She admits to hav-

ing a creative restlessness, and an addiction

to her iPhone camera. At alwinspire.com,

the new blog has a casual, spontaneous feel.

She shares her iPhone pictures and quotes

that resonate with her.

Woulard has also been experimenting

with video on her Nikon D800 camera and

makes movies of clients in casual moments.

“I like video because it uses a different part

of my brain. I chat a lot with my clients

because it breaks the ice in the beginning.

Often I take pictures without them knowing

it. I’m thinking of doing video during that

time. It’s a time when the kids don’t know they

are being photographed so they aren’t ‘on.’ I

want to pair the videos with music and offer

them to clients as a bonus. I wouldn’t ever only

do video, but I like playing around with it.”

In addition to her D800, Woulard shoots

Nikon D700, D300 and D200 digital SLR

cameras and uses only prime lenses. Her other

commissions include commercial work for

Pottery Barn Kids and IAMs pet food. No

matter what she’s photographing, Woulard

uses 100-percent natural light. In fact, she

teaches workshops all over the world on

photographing children and families in nat-

ural light and has published a book on the

topic, “Natural Enlightenment Photography.”

She also teaches best business practices

in her workshops. “I mostly focus on those

who are starting their business or those who

have started their businesses haphazardly

42 West 18th StreetNew York, NY 10011888-270-6151www.adorama.com

If it’s not in the store, we’ll

GUARANTEEDIN STOCK!!

SHIP FORFREE!

Visit our new Pro Imaging Shop in New York City’s stylish Chelsea!

Take advantage of one-stop shopping

with our pro lab and rental department

Get hands-on experience with the most

exciting new photo and video gear

Get expert, one-on-one advice

from our staff of professionals

and now need to fix things. You have to get

the business part right first. Do a business

plan and plan for future, not the present.

I’m not the most organized person in the

world, but the best thing I did was begin my

business slowly. In the beginning I was

shooting just one day a week. It’s easier to

build things than [to] take them away.

“I’m a big dreamer and I’m not afraid of

taking chances,” she continues, so when

photographers in her workshops admit to

feeling insecure about their abilities, it puz-

zles her. “Maybe it’s the Internet. It makes

the world smaller, so you compare yourself

with others. I tell people to compare yourself

with yourself and you will always see you are

getting better. It’s humbling rather than dis-

couraging. It’s hard to grow when you’re dis-

couraged. I suggest they go through

magazines and tear out pictures they admire.

It will help them figure out their own style,

and because the pictures don’t have names,

they won’t compare themselves to others.”

In her own business plan, Woulard

intends in the next year or two to photograph

families out of state. She is also interested in

opening a second studio, perhaps in another

city, like Dallas. “But that’s in five years or so,”

she says. For now she’s looking forward to a

cool summer in her new digs. This year the

weather is working in her favor. She has dis-

covered an upside to global warming. “It’s been

so warm in Chicago this year that my slow sea -

son hasn’t been slow at all. I’m staying busy.” n

To see more of Audrey Woulard’s work visitalwphotography.com.


Easy-Shoot Solutions

16” x 16”Deshadow BoxPortable still life studio-in-a-bag with 16” x 16” soft light box, halogen lamps, blue background sweep, a custom carrier and camera stand. An easy on-the-go lighting solution

“Q” Series Light Modifi er KitFor shoe-mount strobes, great for on-location pho-tography or work in a small studio. Includes a Beauty Dish Refl ector, Snoot, Diffuser Dome, and accessory pack. Each also available for pur-chase seperately,

Background Support System

Portable Stand

10’ Stand 13’ Stand

The background stand comes with interlocking 4 section crossbar. and a handy carrying bag with compartments.

The top of the stand meets the crossbar there is a screw and wing nut to keep the crossbars secured to the stands.

5-in-1 Collapsible Disc Refl ectorTranslucent, white, black silver and gold surfaces. Perfect for reducing contrast, warming skin tones, eliminating shad-ows or just softening light. Can be held by hand or light stand. Available in three sizes

Allows you to use your fl ash with Bowens light modifi ers, Beauty dish & softboxes,Sold Separately

Speedlight To Bowens Adapter

$29.95

$129.95

STARTING AT

$16.95

$24.95

FPBS13B

$64.95FPBS10

$99.95FPBS13

$129.95

for a full line of Muslin backgrounds

PZ SOFTBOXESThere’s a simple reason our PZ Softboxes and Octaboxes are better than any others you can buy: a zipper. When you slip their support rods into the aptly-named speed ring, you needn’t wrench your wrists bending them to pop the softbox into shape. That’s because one side of the Flashpoint softbox has a zipper running down the middle—and all you have to do is zip it up to fl ex the rods.

Patented zipper design allows faster, hassle-free setup Recessed front panel attached with Velcro for easy removal;

inner diff usion panel held in place with tethered clips for quick attachment

Accessory PZ Speed Rings allow use with most strobe brands Available in eight standard sizes plus two Octaboxes

You might think you’d pay extra for that ingenious design. You’d be wrong. Made of rugged, pro-quality materials, our PZ line sells for between one-third and one-half the price of comparably-sized, name-brand softboxes. Let there be light—soft, fl attering light!

SOFT LIGHT WITHOUT THE STRUGGLE

FROM

$64.95!

P P A . C O M / E D U C A T I O N

GET YOUR BIG IDEAS

HERE.

BUSINESS BASICS WORKSHOPSNuts-and-bolts foundation for building asuccessful studio from the ground up.

June 9 - 10 Atlanta, GA

June 25 - 26 Ann Arbor, MI(Great Lakes Institute of Photography)

November 3 - 4 Atlanta, GA

ONLINE LEARNING PASSSix months of unlimited anytime-access to hundreds of online courses, plus new courses added every month. Just $99.

SUPER MONDAYPeer-led education (brought to you by fellow professional photographers) in locations near you. May 14.

BUSINESS BREAKTHROUGHS WORKSHOPSIntensive, hands-on class for taking your studio to the next level. Includes one-on-one consultations.

July 16 - 18 Memphis, TN

July 15 - 19 Shawnigan Lake, B.C.(Image Explorations)

November 5 - 7 Atlanta, GA

Passion...it’s some-thing my wife Bev and I treasure each

day as we go through life, especially in this industry. Photography has always been a part of my life, even from the young age of 12 when I helped my dad in his darkroom. A paraple-gic—paralyzed from under his arms down—he was an amazing photographer, mentor and father. As we processed and printed

images, I felt the magic of it all and was hooked. But what I remember most was that he never pushed me to become a photographer. It was his passion for it that drove me into it

I would like to explore that little word, “PASSION,” that has maximized our lives, our love, our careers and our

driving feeling or a devotion to an activity or concept. I would describe it as a deep-rooted energy and commitment to whom we love and what we do. Passion is the driving force that leads Bev and I to excellence in everything we

us through. Following my father’s footsteps, my career path was set at an early age. By the time I met Bev in high school, I was hooked on photography. I introduced her to this wonderful world, and we went to competitions and semi-nars as often as we could. As soon as we married, we started going to Imaging USA when we could afford to (it was hard in those early days) and, of course, we always went to our state and regional meetings. That is where we found others

just like us—crazy and passionate about photography!

for photography in order to excel. The way we feed our passion is to do the type of photography that we enjoy doing every day in our business. However, we also enjoy taking our camera on trips and capturing the magic of new

miniature masterpieces. It is in the playing that we regener-ate our passion. Our partnership in business and in life feeds our

other, and we are each other’s number one fan! So, I

supports what you are doing, and give into each other’s

decades together, and it has not diminished. If anything, the digital revolution has caused it to grow as we learn many new, creative processes we can do to our imagery

learning new concepts daily, thinking of exciting ways to improve our business and enjoying our family, friends and the life God gave us! My challenge to you this month is to rekindle your own passion by attending photography meetings to expand your horizons, talking with others who love this industry and making a promise to yourself that you will live your life with much passion!

PPATODAYMAY 2012

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGETim Walden, M.Photog.Cr., F-ASP - 2012-2013 PPA President

PPA

MEM

BER

NEW

SLET

TER

© M

onic

a C

ubbe

rly-E

arly

“My plan isn’t to simply survive this time, but to take my

remaining years and make them the best yet. The things I have

learned about myself, as well as the things I wish I had never

learned, all point to one simple, but powerful truth for me: No

matter what has happened, or what will happen, my life is more

~Alex Blackwell

www.ppa.com

www.ppa.com

PPA

MEM

BER

NEW

SLETTER

EVENTS:A DIFFERENT TYPE OF MARKETING

When people discuss marketing, they often think about promoting a sale or something short term,” says Jen Basford, a PPA Studio

Management Services consultant and owner of 3 girls photography in Edmond, Okla. But she’s found that a different approach—event marketing—can yield powerful results down the road. In fact, most of her marketing is now based on events!

The Event That Started ItBasford’s most popular event is her yearly April fashion show (called Lights, Camera, Fashion), which features the upcoming fashion trends for high school seniors, modeled by her senior model clients. “If you want your event to be different, you have to make it GREAT,” explains Basford about why her show works. “Don’t treat it like a promo for your studio.”

her photography of the models on the screens beside the walkway. “Seniors stress over what to wear for their senior portraits, so we show them the trends that are coming and how they can incorporate them into their wardrobe…and hopefully a session with us!” Her studio researches those upcoming trends, purchases clothing, and borrows some fashions from local

(She has a vision and reason for what she uses in the

makeup is then donated. Senior model clients are photo-graphed, videotaped and given the star treatment. The result? Basford’s studio isn’t seen as “just” a photography studio; they are the experts when it comes to seniors and senior fashion in their area. Distinguishing themselves in that niche was her goal from the beginning.

Tying the Show to Her StudioIt’s important to remember that events like this are for marketing and building awareness, not sales. Basford says it’s a nightmare to try and sell at the show itself because

no one comes with that in mind. Instead, she promotes her only sale of the year on senior sessions—a three-day sale that starts the day after the show. Clients can book a senior session for 50 percent off during those days (the session can occur anytime). But that doesn’t mean you can’t use the event to your advantage in other ways. For example, Basford ties her senior model program to the fashion show. “The traditional senior ambassador program doesn’t work for me—my clients don’t care about passing out cards,” explains Basford. “They just want to be famous.” So, Basford’s senior models are treated as star clients with special perks. They invest in different levels of the program for different

national Seniors Ignite (seniorsignite.com) model contest. The kids who choose the highest levels of the program are invited to model in the fashion show and help market it.

In addition, Basford posts clips from the fashion show (and from fashion trend video shoots) on her website and uses them to show her clients what they should wear for their own senior portrait sessions.

Finding PartnersBasford has also found that an event done right increases credibility in the eyes of prospective partners. Her fashion show has led her to partner with local boutiques, who supply some of the clothing for the show and for additional creative studio shoots. They partner with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) each year, which nets them publicity on local TV stations. And when she had her tween clients—not little kids, not seniors—open the fashion show last year, she caught the interest of the GAP. Now, 3 girls photography is working with the GAP on marketing their clothing lines in her region!

see the caliber of our work and how serious we are about our business, they sometimes approach us with bigger part-nership ideas (like the GAP did),” adds Basford. The key to partner marketing is that each side has something to give the other. In exchange for helping offset the costs of putting on the event, Basford’s studio can offer partners photographic services and connections to that wildly popular fashion show (and its audience). Basford also donates 100 percent of the ticket sales to MADD, giving back to her community.

“

So, think about businesses that target the same market you do and see if they would be interested in working with you. Where do your clients eat, hang out or shop? Could you put a display in their store, or run a promotion with them where you could photograph clients using their merchandise?

Creating Buzz for the Event & YouAlong with partner marketing, Basford also promotes her show and studio through buzz marketing. It’s easy to start online conversations with reminders of the upcom-ing event or by posting clips or previews. The models (and their parents) will chat about the event with their friends, community news sources will mention it since it draws a crowd and includes locals, and any companies involved will spread the word. To make the buzz marketing connect more strongly to your studio, Basford says you can’t forget to make it personal. Social media is vital for reaching the teen market, but don’t just share promotions there: “They want to get to know you—and YOU are your studio.” That’s why Basford shares Instagram photos of what they are doing throughout the day, including behind-the-scenes images of her fashion show and most other sessions. During a pre-teen fashion show with the GAP, she found that all her models (ages 10+) had Instagram accounts…and they immediately followed her on it. “I have a connec-tion with them as BFFs already,” Basford adds, which only increases the likelihood that they will fall in love with her studio and go to her for senior portraits, too.

It All Leads to GrowthConnections that build over time like that are much stronger than anything a one-time promotion could bring. And it is what makes events like Basford’s fashion show truly worth-while. Through it all, she builds relationships, awareness of her studio and excitement for the 3 girls photography brand—all of which help her studio grow.

www.ppa.com

With PPA’s Studio Management Services (SMS), Jen Basford received help to better manage her business and finances to enjoy true growth. Now, she’s an SMS consultant who lends her marketing and business expertise to others. Learn how SMS could help you:www.ppa.com/studio-management-services

Another type of event marketing has helped PPA member Nicole Bartolozzi of Ohio—she hosts her own networking event in the small-town Nordonia School District area. Called Networking in a Flash, her event is now bi-monthly, open to all professionals and is free to attend. “Most of my business comes from referrals, and now 80 percent of those referrals stem from someone I met at one of my events,” she exclaims. “Even though my goal was to help the others in my community connect, these events helped establish me as a reputable photographer and a resource. And at just $50 per year to run, it’s a budget-friendly piece of marketing.”

Want to create your own networking event?Here are a few tips from Bartolozzi:

committing to a date.

club lets Bartolozzi use a room in exchange for getting photography work at a better rate (like a frequent flyer).

the next event.

Chamber of Commerce chapters.

people giving short “commercials” to the room about what they do.

MARKETING STARTS WITH FINDING YOURSELF

Photographers are often concerned with marketing, but one of PPA’s newest board members, Audrey

M.Photog.Cr., CPPgood long look at yourself. If you want to market effec-

to ask: Am I doing the type of photography that I really -

Business Shift

the camera as a way to get her vision out of her head. Her -

nois with a custom darkroom and studio in the back. People

around the room, which led to high-volume odd jobs like brochure images, wedding portraits…even passport photos.

she became impressed with the quality of work in their

-

portraits). “As soon as I realized the path I wanted to go, I knew I couldn’t combine quick photos with the style and quality

lab and opened a new studio with large canvas portraits on the walls, started competing, went to conventions, became

she saw the successful photographers doing. “My guiding thought was: ‘How do I get my work to that level?’” she notes. “I’m very impatient when it comes to something I want to know, so I’m constantly searching.”

Marketing Shift

connecting with the right clients. Referrals and word-of-mouth marketing were still the most effective marketing

methods—that hadn’t changed and still hasn’t in her mind.

“I did a good job with weddings, but I don’t think I did

“People have to SEE what you want to do because that passion can be felt and inspires the retelling.” However, she cautions that you can’t just sit and wait for referrals now. You have to do a lot more to be seen in

-ent places and being at events from auctions to participating in different groups—“where people can not only see your work, but put your face to that work.” Follow-through is also needed, and it’s more impor-tant than ever (especially with all the technology available

this, from making sure her social media and websites are updated to attending events and following up with clients.

Attitude Shift

important lesson of all. “I think a lot of photographers are on a short-term

a successful business. So, instead of spending my time

working to grow! The day I stop is the day I retire.”

PPA

MEM

BER

NEW

SLETTER

www.ppa.com

© G

race

Wan

cket

ADV E RT I S EM EN T

THEIT creates camera bags for photographers who value both substanceand style. The brand represents more than the most coveted piece for theseason—a new wave of design enabling style, function and versatility for the fashion-minded photographer. lovetheit.com

Our USB drives can share crucial information about your company in abrief, creative and professional way. Upload high-resolution photos, portfolios, contact information, pricing and proofs. Create wedding favorspersonalized with any logo. The possibilities are endless.usbmemorydirect.com

At COUTURE BOOK, we combine old-world binding techniques coupled withthe latest technology in printing to create stunning, one-of-a-kind, handmadebooks. We apply the highest standards of integrity, creativity, quality, materials and innovation to create the most beautiful books in the world. couturebook.com

PROFESSIONAL

See what’s new at ShopPP. Shop with a simple click at PPmag.com/shop.

Bold, vibrant, innovative ... Metal prints at Full Color, Inc. In addition tometal prints, choose from our exclusive standUP® Metals: Base, Flex andCurve—each designed to stand alone for easy display. fullcolor.com

FIND new products. SHARE your favorites. JOIN the community.

PROFESSIONAL

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

This beautiful box is a perfect display option for your cherished albums orphotographs. It is available in 10x10 and 12x12. Each box includes a remote control and 8” video display with sound. midwestphotographic.com

Acrylic mounts are the preferred display formats for high-end photographyused by museums, galleries and photographers. Prints are made using pigmentinks for best contrast and saturation. The acrylic layer provides additionalprotection. Every piece is stabilized with an aluminum Dibond backpanel.The result is a stunning, float-on-the-wall display.printedart.com/photolab

The Music Bed licenses relevant music for your media projects. You canuse our music in slideshows, promo videos, educational videos, corporateproductions, trade show media and more! themusicbed.com

PPmag.com/shop

Personalize your maternity sessions with our Chalkboard ExpressionsOverlays. Posh Prints & Design has a full catalog of ideas for your chalkboard and much more! Use code: PPA15 for 15% off your order.poshprintsanddesign.com


WHERE THE PROS GO FOR THE BEST IN REPRODUCTION SERVICESLabTab


It’s NEW. It’s what’s NEXT. It’s happening NOW.It’s the new and improved ShopPP.

Shop with a simple click at ppmag.com/shop

LabTab 2012 ad rates:• AD SIZE: 31⁄2 X 21⁄2

• 12X RATE: $490.00 • 6X RATE: $600.00 PER MONTHSign a 12x contract and receive a double size feature ad twice duringyour contract year at no extra charge.

For more information, contact your advertising representative:

BART ENGELS, Central Region , 847-854-8182; [email protected]

BILL KELLY, ,Eastern Region404-522-8600, x248; bkellyppa.com

AMY WALLS, Western Region , 404-522-8600, x279; [email protected]



Buyer’sGallery

THIS SECTION ISTHE MONTHLYRESOURCEPHOTOGRAPHERSUSE TO FIND THE PRODUCTSTHEY NEED. PUTYOUR MESSAGEPROMINENTLY IN FRONT OFINDUSTRY PROSAND STARTTURNINGBROWSERS INTO BUYERS.


Buyer’sGallery

2012 ad rates:AD SIZE: 2 1/4” X 4 3/4”

12X RATE: $640.00

6X RATE: $690.00

(Gross rate per month)

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT YOUR ADVERTISING

REPRESENTATIVE:

BART ENGELS, Central Region 847.854.8182, [email protected]

BILL KELLY, Eastern Region404.522.8600, x248,

[email protected]

AMY WALLS, Western Region404.522.8600, x279,

[email protected]


CLASSIFIED ADS

CAN WORK FOR YOU!Place a classified ad in the next issue of

Professional Photographerto reach over 55,000

qualified buyers.

For information contact:Professional Photog rapher /

Classified Ads229 Peach tree NE, Ste. 2200

Atlanta, GA 30303 800-339-5451, ext. 221


2012 Affiliate Schools Schedule PPA members receive both merits and the best published prices.

May 6-11Mid-Atlantic Regional School of Professional Photography (M.A.R.S.), The GrandHotel, Cape May, N.J., John Capone, 888.267.6277, [email protected], marsschool.com

May 27-30California Photographic Workshops, Lake Tahoe,Sandra Harris, 916.395.6363,[email protected], cpwschool.com

June 3-7Florida School of Photogrpahy, Daytona Beach,Marybeth Hamberger, 954.426.2562,[email protected], fpponline.org

June 3-7Mid-America Institute of Professional Photog raphy(MAIPP), University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls,Iowa, Barb Grabill, 641.799.8957,[email protected], maipp.com

June 4-8Oklahoma School of Photography, Stillwater, Okla.,Randy Taylor, 405.341.5088,[email protected], pposchool.com

June 10-14Illinois Workshops, Pere Marquette Lodge, Grafton,Ill., Mike Voegele, 217.245.5418,[email protected], ilworkshops.com

June 17-20Winona School of Photography, Abe Martin Lodge,Brown County St. Park, Nashville, Ind., Judy Roberts, 574.849.7520,[email protected], winonaschool.org

June 17-22West Coast School of Professional Photography,University of San Diego, Kathy Metz, 626.915.4449,[email protected], prophotoca.com

June 24-29Great Lakes Institute of Photography (GLIP),Washtenaw Community College, Ann Arbor, Mich.,Gregory Ockerman, 248.946.1193,[email protected], glip.org

July 15-19The Lamarr School, University of South Carolina,Columbia, S.C., John Wrightenberry, 803.238.2836, [email protected], thelamarrschool.com

July 15-19Image Explorations, Shawnigan Lake, BritishColumbia, Don MacGregor, 604.731.7225,[email protected], imageexplorations.ca

July 15-20PPSNYS Photo Workshop, Hobart/William SmithColleges, Geneva, N.Y., Linda Hutchings,607.733.6563, [email protected],ppsnysworkshop.com

July 29 - August 2East Coast School Photographic Workshops,Sheraton Downtown, Raleigh, N.C., Loretta Byrd,919.796.4747, [email protected],eastcoastschool.com

August 6-9Long Island Photo Workshop, Sheraton Long IslandHotel, Smithtown, N.Y., Jerry Small, 516.221.4058,[email protected], liphotoworkshop.com

August 26-31Georgia School of Professional Photography, NorthGeorgia Technical College, Clarkesville, Ga., KevinJiminez, 706.854.8885, [email protected],gppaschool.com

Send all additions and corrections to [email protected]

BACKGROUNDS

THE DENNY MFG. CO., INC. is the World’s LargestManu facture of Hand Painted Backgrounds, ComputerPainted Back grounds, Muslin Backgrounds, Studio Sets,Props, Lift Systems, and related Studio Accessories.Contact us today to receive our FREE 180 page colorcatalog filled with exquisite products and ideas to help yousuc ceed in Photography. Write P.O. Box 7200 Mobile, AL36670; Call 1-800-844-5616 or visit our Web site atwww.dennymfg.com.

STUDIO DYNAMICS’ muslin and canvas backdrops offerquality and value at outlet prices! Call 1-800-595-4273for a catalog or visit www.studiodynamics.com

CHICAGO CANVAS & SUPPLY—Wide Seamless Canvasand Muslin, Duvetyn, Commando Cloth, Theatrical Gauze,Velour, Sharks tooth Scrim, Leno Scrim, Gaffers Tape,Primed Canvas, Gesso, and Deka Fabric Dyes—FabricationAvailable. Curtain Track & Hardware for Moveable Cur-tains and Backdrops—Easily installed. Quick turn aroundtime. Our prices can’t be beat. Visit our website or callfor a free catalog and samples. 773-478-5700;www.chicagocanvas.com; [email protected]

BACKDROP OUTLET, We are the Largest supplier of Back -grounds, Props and Studio Accessories. We have it all…. Canvasfrom $99.00 Muslin Backgrounds from $69.00 Scenics, Flexouts. Your options are endless. We also offer roller systemsand Light Rail systems. Lights, Soft boxes, Stands andequipment. We have a huge selection of props and set systems.REQUEST OUR FREE 164 PAGE CATALOG 1-800-466-1755or you can order online at WWW.BACKDROPOUTLET.COM3540 Seagate Way, Oceanside, CA 92056.

CANVAS MOUNTING

CANVAS MOUNTING, STRETCHING, FINISH LAC -QUERING. Original McDonald Method. Considered bestAVAILABLE. Real istic canvas texture. Large sizes aspecialty. WHITMIRE ASSO CIATES, YAKIMA, WA. 509-248-6700. WWW.CANVASMOUNT.COM

INKJET PRINTS bonded to canvas McDonald method andfinish sprayed. Large sizes available. We also canvas bondany photographic paper. Gallery canvas wraps. Pleasecontact 818-726-9679.

COMPUTER/SOFTWARE

SUCCESSWARE®—Studio Management Softwareavailable for both Windows® and Macintosh®.Recommended by Ann Monteith, the nation’s foremoststudio manage ment con sultant. Call today for a FREESuccessWare® Tour 800-593-3767 or visit our Web sitewww.SuccessWare.net.

EDUCATION

WALL PORTRAIT CANFERENCE. May 6th-11th. Six daysintense study on concepts, sales, Production of WallPortraits. This workshop known worldwide. Yakima, WA.Information: 509-248-6700. www.wallportrait.com

GREEN SCREEN SOFTWARE

New Photo Genie, GREEN SCREEN SOFTWARE, OneScreen Operation, Camera tethered, Auto MultiBackgrounds & Auto Layers, Batch Processing. Freetechnical support. PPA special starting at $87. To learnmore visit www.thegreengenie.com or call 562-381-2091.

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED: Assistant photographer for con tem porarypho tojournalistic wedding coverages in Orange County, CAarea. Must have digital equipment. Email John [email protected].

PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY. Do you have the skills of aMaster of Photography and like to travel? Do best whenyou sell your own work? Or do you have a sales personwho will travel with you? Club Services of America canoffer you an outstanding opportunity if you canphotograph and sell spectacular family portraits to high-income country club members. Email us some examples ofyour group photography and, if you qualify, we can build aplan for your future income. Email [email protected] our website – www.clubservicesofamerica.com

INCORPORATION SERVICES

INCORPORATE OR FORM an LLC today! Your art is a business. Treat it like one. The Company Corpora-tion can help you incorporate or form a limited liabil-ity company in as little as ten minutes. We are fast, accurate and affordable. Provide additional credi-bility to your photography studio or business at thefraction of the cost of using an attorney. Call 1-800-206-7276 or visit www.incorporate.com today!

LOOKING TO SELL SOMETHING? Look no farther thenthe classified section of Professional Photographermagazine. For just a few cents per word you can reach55,000+ potential customers. Contact Monique Martin [email protected] or 404-522-8600, ext 221, forinformation or to schedule your classified ad in the nextavailable issue of the magazine.

INSURANCE

Instant Online Photography Insurance. Quotes. Tom C.Pickard Insurance. www.tcpinsurance.com 800-726-3701, ext. 117. Lic. 0555411

PACKAGE CHOICE INSURANCE Program for Photographersby Hill & Usher. Complete online form, receive custom insur -ance proposal. www.packagechoice.com • 866-977-4725• Call the specialists.

LAB SERVICES

FREE 20X30 with $50.00 order Digitalcolor Beverly HillsDarkroom-FTP-Lifepics-Mail up to 4’x8’ Kodak Metalic-Matte-Glossy-Backlit film. www.digitalcolorbh.com; 310-274-3445.

ACADEMY PRODUCTIONS INC.INNOVATIVE PRINTING SOLUTION

Complete Imaging Service for today’s professional photographer

Processing—Proofing—Film—Digital Files

—SOS—

Self Ordering System powered by ROES• High Volume Packages—Kodak Products

• Schools—Daycares—Sports—Proms—Seniors• Studios—Store Promotions—Fundraisers—Weddings

• Composites—Collages—Other Unique Products• High Tech Printing Equipment—Scanning Services

• Free Marketing Seminars—Expert Product Designers• Superior Customer Service—Detailed Technical Support

• Competitive Pricing—Quick Turn Around

CALL US TODAY: 800-421-3523

6100 ORR ROADCHARLOTTE, NC 28213www.PicAcademy.com

PHOTO RESTORATION

1st PHOTO RESTORATION FREE! Try us, you’ll like us!Point & click easy. No sign up cost. 100% guaran tee.Online leader since 1993. Wholesale only to pro fes sionals.www.hollywoodfotofix.com. Call 888-700-3686 or [email protected]

PRESENTATION BOXES

BOXES—FREE SAMPLE PRESENTATION BOX—FROMTHE ORIGINAL BLACK BOX MANUFACTURE—Fastdelivery, Finest quality 4"x5", 5"x5", 4"x6", 8"x10",11"x14", 16"x20", 20"x24". AUFENGER BOX, 4807COLLEY AVE., NOR FOLK, VIRGINIA 23508; 757-440-1147 (phone); 757-440-1149 (fax); 888-440-1146 (tollfree). www.aufengerbox.com

PRESENTATION BOXES available for immediateshipment; 19 sizes—4 stock colors. For FREE catalog & samples call 800-969-2697 or fax request 800-861-4528. BUY DIRECT AND SAVE. NPD Box Com-pany, 11760 Berea Rd., Cleveland, OH 44111.www.NPDBox.com

SALES AIDS

BOXES—FROM THE ORIGINAL BLACK BOX MANU -FAC TURE—FREE SAMPLE—Fast delivery, Finest quality4”x5”, 5”x5”, 4”x6”, 8”x10”, 11”x14”, 16”x20”, 20”x24”. AUFENGER BOX, 4807 COLLEY AVENUE,NORFOLK, VIRGINIA 23508; 757-440-1147 (phone);757-440-1149 (fax); 888-440-1146 (toll free).www.aufengerbox.com

STUDIOS FOR SALE

SO. CALIFORNIA. Full service studio. Located in VenturaCounty. Portraits, seniors, weddings, schools, events,commercial, etc. Gross sales $200k + per year. Asking$125k, includes very active website and telephone number;client database; $40k in equipment; etc. Owner will assistwith transition. Serious inquires, see website at:http://studio4sale.xanga.com/

HISTORIC WINTER PARK, FLORIDA. Family portraitstudio, downtown retail studio space, large windows andnatural light, gallery setting, projection room, faux paintedwalls, wood floors, outside shooting area, turn-key.Tracey: 407-433-4778.

PORTRAIT STUDIO, Sarasota County, Florida. Turnkey,assets 23K. Cheap rent or buy the building. 941-928-1118.

OLD TYME PHOTO 75 miles north of Yellow StoneNational Park. Ennis, MT. Quaint new facility. OwnerRetiring. Asking $32,500. 406-209-3370.

STUDIOS WANTED

COLUMBUS CAMERA GROUP, INC. buys whole stu diosor any part including cameras, film, darkroom, long roll,lighting, and misc. No quantities too small. Call 800-325-7664. Ask for Eric.

ClassifiedAdvertising

Classified rates: • $1.50 per word; • $2.00 per word/words with all caps or boldface. • $10.00 per issue—Con fiden tial Reply Box Ads (Optional)—$30minimum per ad. Contact: Pro fessional Photog rapher Class ified Ads, 229 Peach -tree NE, Ste. 2200, Atlanta, GA 30303; 800-339-5451.


idia (she goes by one name professionally),

proprietor of Oh So Posh Photography in

Dallas, was inspired to make a difference in

the lives of others after her own struggle

with breast cancer. A native of Romania,

LidiahadcometoAmerica seeking a better

life. When she was diag-

nosed with an aggressive

form of cancer, she was

alone, with no family or friends to help her.

But to her amazement, several strangers

who learned of her situation extended

thoughtful gestures, and helped her

through months of grueling surgery,

chemotherapy and radiation.

Shortly after her recovery in 2009, Lidia

decided the best way she could give something

back was through her passion for photography.

She came across a 5-year-old girl struggling

against brain cancer. At her own expense,

Lidia flew to the girl’s town in Arizona to

create a series of portraits, which she donated

to the family. After posting some of the images

on her blog, Lidia got overwhelming responses

from other photographers and from parents

who had been profoundly affected by the

portraits. The outpouring of support in-

spired Lidia to launch a charitable vehicle

for providing hope along with complimen-

tary portraits to families of children with

life-threatening illnesses.

Her mission established, Lidia enlisted

others to help build a foundation, and to-

gether they chose to name it the Tiny Spar-

row Foundation. In many cultures world-

wide, the sparrow represents rebirth. Tiny

Sparrow’s gift to the families is called Picture

of Hope; it includes a photo session, a

slideshow of the images set to music, a large

album and a disc of all the images. Every-

thing is done without cost to the family. The

foundation’s staff and contributing photog-

raphers donate their time.

“Our goal is simple,” says Susan Posterro,

creative director and family liaison for Tiny

Sparrow. “We want to provide hope for fam-

ilies who are on a journey of uncertainty,

navigating through incomprehensibly dark

moments. As our Tiny Sparrow parents have

shared with the foundation, Picture of Hope

not only offers them everlasting memories,

but also delicately captures beautiful moments,

despite the very ugly battle taking place.”

Tiny Sparrow has grown steadily since its

founding, so far serving 49 families, and

gaining more than 9,000 Facebook fans en

route. The foundation is currently working

with 26 more families across the United

States. To help achieve its goals, Tiny Sparrow

is seeking additional volunteer photographers,

as well as cash donations to help fund the

Picture of Hope sessions.

“Each and every tiny sparrow, and his or

her family, inspires us,” says Posterro. “Their

courage keeps us going. We are honored and

humbled they allow Tiny Sparrow into their

lives, and that they trust our involvement in

the midst of such an uncertain journey. [To

others interested in contributing] our advice

is to be honest, authentic, and give 100 per-

cent of yourself without expectation of any-

thing in return, except knowing that you left a

footprint on this planet by doing good work.” n

Learn more about the Tiny Sparrow Foun-dation at tinysparrowfoundation.org.


good works | Images wield the power to effect change. In this monthly feature,Professional Photographer spotlights professional photographers using their talents to make a difference through charitable work.

Tiny SparrowCAPTURING HOPE DURING DARK TIMES

Share your good works experience with us by e-mailing Joan Sherwood at [email protected]

©Lidia of Oh So Posh Photography

L

SUCCESSWARE.NET | 800.593.3767

What do top studio owners use to manage?These owners have all chosen SuccessWare to help them manage their businesses. Other software may track your business but they all fall short when it comes to managing your business. SuccessWare is the only studio management software that will assist you with; creating a business plan, pricing your products, preparing financial reports and tracking client information. SuccessWare manages all your day-to-day operations giving you the knowledge to make solid management decisions necessary to achieve your goals and take your studio to the next level. You can’t get that with just tracking software.

TRACK. PRICE. PLAN. PROFIT. MANAGE.

Don’t just take our word for it, see what Jed, Vickie and other successful photographers have to say at: www.successware.net/success_stories

“Having a financial management program that lays everything out in front of you so that you can get the information you need, when you need it to make good business decisions is vital...the bottom line for us is that SuccessWare puts us in control.”

Jed & Vickie Taufer | VGallery | Morton, Illinois

Bambi Cantrell and Profoto D1. Overpowering the Sun

© Bambi Cantrell

Profoto.com/US · 914 347 3300 Distributed by MAC Group

Educational video showsBambi's lighting techniques:Profoto.com/US/Cantrell

professional photographer, may 2012

Documents

crystal summit albums

free ordering software

lab correction

superior albums

lab corrected11x14

lab corrected8x10

great prints

10x10 summit album