How to Protect Your Images From Being Stolen

While there are definite downsides to all of these solutions, here are some things you can do to help protect your work from being stolen on the internet.   Keep in mind the only failsafe way to keep your images from being stolen is to keep your images completely offline but this doesn’t mean that your clients will also abstain from uploading them.

1.  Digimarc.  It’s definitely NOT a cheap solution but it’s the best way to digitally watermark your images to keep track of them online.  The watermark can’t be removed with editing.  Check out their website for the details and pricing information.

2.  Watermarking.  While it’s been proven that watermarking is definitely not fool proof it is a deterrent as it is an extra step to take to make your image their own.  If they are determined, they will persevere but they may move onto another image that is easier to make their own.  The harder your watermark is to remove, the harder it is for them to steal the image.  This also allows a potential client to easily find you if your image is found somewhere that isn’t your website (i.e. Pinterest or Facebook).  Keep in mind that if the watermark is small and in the corner it may be easily cropped out.

3.  Use Flash.  Of course, there are definite downsides to this method, but it is not as easy to steal images from flash websites because you cannot right click and flash based websites are not able to be crawled by Google meaning any images on your website will not make it into Google Images' databank.  Of course you can screen capture but again, it is a deterrent.

4. Don’t Allow Pinterest.  Pinterest is second only to Google Images as a place that thieves find work.  You can opt out of allowing Pinterest to source your webpage but of course, this doesn’t mean that someone won’t still pin an image there.

5.  Register Your Copyright.  For $35 per image or $65 per group (i.e. a wedding or portrait session) you can register your images with the US Government.  This won’t stop people from stealing your image online but if they are stolen you are entitled to higher damages should you chose to pursue it legally.   This comes into play when corporations resort to stealing images, which has begun to become a trend.

Corey Ann is a wedding & lifestyle photographer from North Canton, OH. She is a mix of everything - fashionista, travel nut, deal hound, photo theft evangelist (she runs Photo Stealers) and geek rolled into one. She's had a website online since 1997 and a blog since 1999. When not plotting world domination or her next trip, she can be found reading one of the 100+ books she reads a year. Follow her on Twitter.

Photo Lovecat Website Critique 2013

Due to the overwhelming interest last year, we ended up hosting two website critiques and the reception was great so we decided to do it again this year!

What:  Website Critique
When:  March 5th, 2013

I will be hosting the live critique along with Anne and Jennifer helping me in the chat while we view and chat about what submitted sites are doing right and what they could do better.

What we need is some submissions so this is where you take a deep breath and send your URL to us at photolovecat@gmail.com

We also need some comments here to let us know what time would be best for you?  1PM EST or 3PM EST?

PS:  We're thinking about doing a Google Hangout during WPPI for those of us who aren't going.  If you are interested, comment and let us know!  This will be more of a relaxed environment where we chat about whatever crosses our minds, be it pity parties because we can't go or celebratory parties because we're too busy to go... or gossiping about what that crazy person said on Twitter about WPPI.  We won't be there to host a real party so come to the virtual one instead we're calling IPPW.  I may even have some videos to share from past WPPI's...

Corey Ann is a wedding & lifestyle photographer from North Canton, OH. She is a mix of everything - fashionista, travel nut, deal hound, photo theft evangelist (she runs Photo Stealers) and geek rolled into one. She's had a website online since 1997 and a blog since 1999. When not plotting world domination or her next trip, she can be found reading one of the 100+ books she reads a year. Follow her on Twitter.

Guest Photographers

If you are with a group of wedding photographers and mention the term "Uncle Bob" you are almost certain to get at least a dozen stories about crazy guests with their cameras and what they did to get that great shot - and screw you out of it.  In the past 5 years I have seen everything and anything from these Uncle Bobs and I'm sure you have too.  What I hoped would be a dying fad much like spot coloring has actually gained more and more popularity as the years go by.  So what can you do to protect yourself from being Uncle Bob'd and from potential images they may ruin?

1.  The Contract.  Make sure that your contract not only states you are the only professional photographer hired for the day (personally I exclude photo booths from this clause as I do not offer them) but that you also cover yourself in case a guest ruins any photograph.

2.  The Wedding Day.  I've found the best way to nip Uncle Bobs in the bud is to approach them and be friendly.  Often they will approach you and assure you that they won't mess with you at all and promise to stay out of the way.  Once you are buds they tend to make sure to steer clear of you but it isn't always the case.  If they continue to be a problem, take the time - no matter what the excuse - to stop and educate them regarding your contract and about how they are compromising the couples photos.

3.  CYA.  During the wedding day if there are photographers that are being overly zealous with their cameras and nothing you do changes their behavior DOCUMENT IT!  Do not delete the images that they ruin but instead save them to a separate folder when editing.  Trust me.  I once had a bride get upset with coverage during her ceremony which I was limited with due to an abundance of guest photographers (10+).  Once I showed her the image my second shooter took of me surrounded and blocked in every direction by her guests, she apologized and understood why I was restricted during the ceremony.  Another time I had a particular moment a bride was looking for ruined by a guest photographer's flash, blowing the image completely out and was able to show her what happened and she understood why that moment was missing.  I can't stress this enough, don't delete images that they interfere with!

4.  Give a Little.   Sometimes there is just no way out of being Uncle Bob'd.  Last year I had a wedding where the brother of the groom was an up-and-coming photographer and I was informed by the Mother of the Groom to allow him to do whatever he wanted.  To maintain my creative freedom while trying to keep the MOG happy, I ultimately negotiated a deal to allow her son to photograph the couple/bridal party for 15 minutes the day of (he would put down the camera for the rest of the portrait session) and the reception at will so long as he didn't get between me and the couple.  I knew, from past experiences, that if he had his camera with him at the altar it would end badly so I fought for exclusive rights where it mattered most to me (the ceremony) and gave some leeway where I could work around him (portraits and reception).  In the end I think we were both content with the outcome and if I hadn't given them a little bit then I fear that he would have been everywhere and anywhere with his camera and I couldn't do much about it given his relationship and position in the wedding.

5.  Facebook.  Here's a new slant on the guest photographers.  They are so excited that they tag the couple in images and everyone's sharing these and changing their profile pictures over and when your images finally make their debut people aren't as excited and the reception is a bit lackluster.  Sadly there isn't a LOT you can do about this but make sure that you get your images out there first.  Even if you just edit one image from the wedding and pop it on Facebook the day after the wedding, it's a plus for you.  I don't typically address the problem if the guest photographer sticks to posting it to their personal page but I have sent kind emails to guests who post it on their business page.  Here's what that email looks like:

Dear Photographer:

It was really great to meet you at Bride & Groom's wedding!  It was such a fun day and I'm still smiling thinking of it.  Thank you for allowing me to do my job without getting in the way.

I noticed that you had tagged Bride & Groom in your photos and I'll admit I'm a bit nosy so I went to have a look.  The images are lovely and they are so lucky that you were there to capture extra moments for them, I'm sure they will be elated with them!  However, I would really appreciate it if you would put these images up on your personal page rather than your business page with your logo removed from them.  I know you are just getting your start in weddings and are super excited to have such a gorgeous wedding to show but it's actually a bit of a problem on my end.  So often brides will Google "such and such venue" or "such and such wedding colors" and will happen upon BOTH of our pages, resulting in confusion as to whom was the hired photographer.  This can - and in my case HAS - resulted in a Google-r inferring this means that one photographer stole from the other and makes her case known everywhere. Trust me when I say you never want to go through with this and I am not eager to repeat this.  I also request that these images remain off of your website.  This is to protect not only myself but you as well.   You are welcome to show them in a private setting to any potential client however. 

I hope that you understand my position on this!  

Thank you,
Photographer

 Have you been Uncle Bob'd?  What did you do that you think worked out to your advantage?  What do you think you could do better next time?  Have any advice?

Corey Ann is a wedding & lifestyle photographer from North Canton, OH. She is a mix of everything - fashionista, travel nut, deal hound, photo theft evangelist (she runs Photo Stealers) and geek rolled into one. She's had a website online since 1997 and a blog since 1999. When not plotting world domination or her next trip, she can be found reading one of the 100+ books she reads a year. Follow her on Twitter.

Review: CG Pro Prints Canvas

A few months ago I came across a review on a forum I frequent online raving about a new canvas company they'd discovered called CG Pro Prints. I was skeptical but for the price I figured that it was worth a shot to see if they would even come remotely close to the quality I've come to expect from my normal go-to printer for canvases.

Item: CG Pro Prints Canvas

Website: http://www.cgproprints.com/

Price: $12.99 - $64.99 (you read that right!)

What I bought it for/what I was expecting: For the price I was expecting something along the lines of the cheapo canvases that are always offered on Groupon or at Walgreens. I'm just being honest. Something most of the normal population would be wowed by but almost all professional photographers would sneer at.

Expectation met? Holy moses, boy was I wrong!!!!

Pros:

+ High quality canvases.
+ Sturdy as sturdy goes frames/backing. My CAT decided to lay on mine and they were totally fine.
+ Hardware already attached. + Closed back (I like this better than the open back due to dust issues).

Cons:
- Not quite as sharp as other companies, make sure to sharpen your images a tinge before printing.
- Some of my canvases had stray fibers that needed to be cleaned up.
- You have to digitally stretch the image yourself or choose a solid border for what wraps around the outside of the frame if the subject is too close to the border (most of the higher end companies do this for you).
- Is the low price a gimmick or is it going to stay low? I want to restructure my pricing for them but worry that they will rise as popularity surges.

Final Thoughts: As you can tell, I wasn't expecting much. Even though other photographers were raving about their product, I was somewhat ho-hum about it. How good CAN it be for that cost? I was floored when I got the canvases in and was so elated by them! I was crazy excited to hang them up in our home - I decided to be my own guinea pig because I didn't want to risk it on a client order. While side by side you can tell the other canvas from a different pro company is a bit more expensive, you'd be hard pressed to pick it out off of a wall and I can't justify spending 3 to 4 times the cost for the other canvas. Beyond that the CS from CG is brilliant and amazing. I couldn't be more pleased!!!

Want to see some pics?  I posted some over on my blog and detail shots of them here.

Corey Ann is a wedding & lifestyle photographer from North Canton, OH. She is a mix of everything - fashionista (runs Clothes for Pros, clothing suggestions for photographers), travel guru, deal hound and geek rolled into one. She's had a website online since 1997 and a blog since 1999. When not plotting world domination or her next trip, she can be found reading one of the 100+ books she reads a year. Follow her on Twitter.

Take Days Off!

It's that time of year again!!!  Wedding season!!  When weekends are a bust, free time is at a minimum and when you question why you ever got into this field in the first place.  The temps begin to soar and you look longingly at swimming pools where your friends are basking in the sun and you are running off to another shoot.  The summer holidays everyone enjoys with a cold beer in hand you spend with a cold lens in hand instead.  Most of the time though, it's worth it but sometimes you stop and think about all of the fun you are missing.  You look at the schedule that is bearing down on you for the upcoming season and feel a bit of dread about losing the weekends you've gotten used to having over the winter break.  We've all been there and if you claim you haven't, you are lying.

When I first started out a little over 5 years ago, I would take every booking and let them have any day I was free.  The first two "wedding seasons" for me were May - October solidly booked with no weekends off at all, many weekends were with multiple weddings.  It took me a few years to finally see that I needed breaks in the summer and started scheduling days off during my wedding season.  It took me another year or so to stop feeling guilty about doing so.

Look, I like money.  I just happen to like my sanity a bit more.  

*insert catty remark about my lack of sanity here* ;)

I'm not saying you need or should take every weekend off but when you start booking up with weddings or portraits, step back and look at your calendar.  After a year or two you should know where your sanity threshold is and when you start to hit the burnout stage from back-to-back weddings.  I found for me, 6-8 weeks is my max in a row that I can happily do.  More than that and I get a bit antsy.  Go through your schedule and schedule those weekends off on your calendar and make sure you stick to it unless it is something that you TRULY want to shoot.   Also, I know a lot of photographers refuse to schedule sessions on Sundays to take a day off from shooting during the week all together and to have one weekend day with their family.  I really like this idea and have been trying to transition to this myself.

I really hope that you take a moment after reading this and hit up your calendar and take sanity breaks for yourself.  Even if you've already booked up most weekends with weddings, take Sundays off and stick to not shooting or working that day.  I promise you, those little breaks will become a haven for you in the busy months ahead!

Corey Ann is a wedding & lifestyle photographer from North Canton, OH. She is a mix of everything - fashionista (runs Clothes for Pros, clothing suggestions for photographers), travel guru, deal hound and geek rolled into one. She's had a website online since 1997 and a blog since 1999. When not plotting world domination or her next trip, she can be found reading one of the 100+ books she reads a year. Follow her on Twitter.

It's OK to Say What You Think

I don’t know when or how the “Rockstar” stuff started in this community. I came into it in 2007 and I honestly didn’t know anyone from Adam. After spending some time online I saw some names were thrown around more than others but I didn’t really know one more than the other. I attended my first WPPI in 2008 and I was FLOORED to see girls squee-ing and giggling about taking a picture with Jesh de Rox. I had no clue who he was other than some guy who reminded me of a hippy from the 60s (mind you, nothing is wrong with that, my Dad was one). I mean sure, some of these people had amazing work and worked with some pretty awesome people but fangirling over a picture with them? Really? I met Jerry Ghionis and asked if he was a photographer. True story. I’ve somehow maintained that attitude throughout my career in the wedding world. I know who the “Rockstars” are now but I have never really held them above others in the field.

At that WPPI, I took a Plus Class with Mike Colon and to be quite honest, it just didn’t live up to my expectations. He seemed like he knew his stuff but the format was kind of crazy and I really felt more frustrated than anything at the end of the class. When I was on DWF a few weeks later people asked for reviews and I gave an honest review of my perspective of the class. There were a few people that shamed me but for the most part it was accepted well. I didn’t realize it at the time, but back then most people went by the old adage, “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” Oops. After that I somewhat took my “say it like it is” mentality and ran with it. I haven’t looked back since.

Others have been slower to say it like it is online. For the most part photographers online tended to bite their tongues and keep their true feelings about workshops or wares that Rockstars were selling to themselves (and a few close friends). No one was willing to stick their necks out and say what they truly felt about the products and workshops because they were afraid of what the Rockstar would do. When I asked a friend who had a terrible experience at a workshop why they wouldn't say so publicly, they replied, "what if they get mad!??!"

About a year ago Scarlett Lillian hosted a workshop. Once the reviews of Scarlett’s workshop hit the interwebs and they were NOT rave reviews it seemed to start a slow trickle, than a flow of people standing up and saying their honest thoughts about products, workshops and seminars by other photographers. However, they are often anonymous and sometimes you can tell they are still a bit watered down. I feel that we really are getting there with getting honesty in the wedding photography business. The past year has really given me hope that people are finally rising above the hero worshipping and not being afraid to say it like it is. This past week I feel that we as a community have came even further than before with not being afraid to voice our dissent when something is not right. I have been SO proud of my fellow photographers this week for taking a stand.

So what I want to do is encourage you to speak your mind and say what you think. I promise you that good or bad, you will be OK! I am living proof that pissing off a Rockstar (or ten) will not hurt you in the least. I still have a great career and am still booking weddings. Heck, while I was making waves yesterday, I managed to book a wedding with one email! My clients don’t know, nor care, that I made a new enemy today. However, my fellow photographers know my feelings and some have even told me that by my saying my peace about things, they’ve had their eyes open up and are so happy I was brave enough to take that step. I can’t even begin to tell you how many people have thanked me for my honest reviews I’ve done here and how they had a similar experience or that I’ve saved them money (even though they’ve said they are afraid to comment and say so).

Keep in mind, saying what you think ≠ slamming. I hate that so often people see a review that isn't oozing with compliments and immediately call that reviewer a hater or even funnier, jealous. Just because you disagree with a viewpoint does not mean that one is a hater or is jealous. Remember to not get personal and stick to the facts. Keep it classy when/if giving an honest review or critique.

Say what you think and trust me, you will be OK. You will still book clients and who knows? You may even make a friend or two.

Corey Ann is a wedding & lifestyle photographer from North Canton, OH. She is a mix of everything - fashionista (runs Clothes for Pros, clothing suggestions for photographers), travel guru, deal hound and geek rolled into one. She's had a website online since 1997 and a blog since 1999. When not plotting world domination or her next trip, she can be found reading one of the 100+ books she reads a year. Follow her on Twitter.

Website Critique Webinar

Due to popular demand, we are going to have another Website Critique Webinar this Thursday at 4PM EST! So many of you asked us to review your sites for free after our last post that we decided to go ahead and do another webinar. Are you so excited? We are! Join us just before Happy Hour to hear more tips about making your online presence the absolute BEST it can be!

This week's webinar is going to be run by Corey Ann. As a nod to one of her favorite photographers, Zack Arias, she may have a glass of bubbly in her hand as she reviews sites to take the edge off the nerves for her first ever webinar. Be kind! ;) The rest of the Lovecats will be joining in on the chat as well!

Do you want to submit your website for possible review? Send us an email and let us know!

See you Thursday!

Cheap Eats at WPPI

Since the last time I blogged a lot has changed at the MGM and areas surrounding it so I thought I'd update the cheap eats thread as quite a few of you said that you referred to it when going to WPPI in the past :)

My mind has still yet to grasp how expensive food is in Vegas. I always had this thing in my head where it was soooo cheap to eat at and you got massive steaks for $10 and it was a happy place for food lovers. It is a fantastic place for food lovers but I found out quickly that it'll cost you!

First I recommend that you read the first post and still listen to everything up to the places at MGM. I still find the best way to eat cheaply is to hit a grocery store and pick up some snacks or even hit a nearby convenience store (near M&M world) and pick up some snacks, water and soda to lighten the costs for when you just want a snack or something to drink. It's crazy how vastly the difference in cost is for a bag of chips at the MGM vs. a store! Make sure to take those snacks with you in a bag when over at the convention center so that you aren't tempted by their food carts. They may look good but they are NOT cheap. I think my husband is still recovering from the shock of those prices!

Cheap Eats at MGM Grand

Sadly, the card that was AMAZING that we got the first year at WPPI that got you buy one get one free at almost every place you went is now gone (restaurants AND bars). The card you get now is not nearly so awesome. Generally it makes you eligible for a few restaurants for a prixe fixe menu and a few bars for certain drinks. The only deal I found worth it last year was a cheaper rate for the buffet. Just thought I would make sure to let people know who knew about/read about the original discount card and were banking on that awesome deal. Diego also no longer does lunches and I'm VERY sad about this because that was my favorite place for lunch!

The food court within the MGM is the obvious place to start for a quick and relatively cheap bite to eat. The food court has changed a bit since 2009. Inside the food court you will find: Haagen-Dazs, Nathan's, McDonald's, Bonanno's Pizzeria, Starbucks and Asian Fresh. Everyone was swooning over Asian Fresh last year saying how amazing it was but keep in mind it is not crazy cheap and the food does take a bit of time to make. Avoid the "lunching hour" if you can (11:30-1:00) to avoid the lines and waits. There is also an Auntie Anne's

Also note, while not a deal if you want your morning Starbucks keep in mind EVERYONE does too. The one by the food court is generally the most busy with the one in The Signature picking up behind as staying there has became more popular. You MUST try a TopPot donut if they have them still, they are divine and featured on a ton of food shows. Yum. If you want the shortest line hit up the Starbucks at the "front" of the MGM near the Rainforest Cafe/West Wing. You may think it's a waste of time to walk that way but last year we saw that line, went to the other Starbucks and walked back and the people that would have been ahead of us were still waiting. Insane!

If you want a step above fast food but don't want to go as crazy as Craftsteak, hit up either the buffet (with the discount card it's not much more than McDonalds!), Studio Cafe, Stage Deli, Delights (located in The Signature - my personal favorite cheap-ish eat!), 'witchcraft, or Rainforest Cafe. Here's a tip - if you hit the buffet near the switch over time from one meal to the next (breakfast is best) you get in for a cheaper rate and can then enjoy both meals. Yes, I know this sounds horribly tacky but when you are pinching pennies every penny counts!

Cheap Eats Nearby

There are quite a few options within walking distance of the MGM that are also pretty tasty and on the cheaper side of things. My favorite is still the pizza over at NYNY but now it is called New York Pizzeria. I have tried it since they changed from Sirricos and it is still delicious and open late (1am on weeknights, 4am on weekends).

There is also nearby food courts. The one at Showcase Mall includes Wendy's, Subway, Del Taco, Noble Romans, Panda Express, Weinerschnitzel, Dreyer's Ice Cream and Duffy's Fish Fry. In the same building is a Hard Rock Cafe along with Denny's if you want something a tinge more formal but not expensive. Over at Excalibur you will find Auntie Anne's Pretzels, Krispy Kreme, Popcornopolis, Cold Stone Creamery, McDonald's, Quiznos, Pizza Hut Express and Manchu Wok. Also at Excalibur you will also find Baja Fresh outside of the food court.

Finally, there is the very well known Hooters across the street which I've heard is good but have yet to eat at. They are also open quite late - no end time is listed on their website so just buzz over and find out (directly across the street from the lobby of MGM). They also have a few cheap eats here as well including the Mad Onion which DOES have the mythical $10 steak (prime rib) as well as .25¢ wings after midnight. It's also open 24/7!

Do you have any tips on food for WPPI?

Corey Ann is a wedding & lifestyle photographer from North Canton, OH. She is a mix of everything - fashionista (runs Clothes for Pros, clothing suggestions for photographers), travel guru, deal hound and geek rolled into one. She's had a website online since 1997 and a blog since 1999. When not plotting world domination or her next trip, she can be found reading one of the 100+ books she reads a year. Follow her on Twitter.

WPPI 2012

It's another year and another WPPI, who is going??? Personally, I'm still on the fence but haven't been counted out of the game yet. If you have attended in the past make sure to check your spam folder for a special discount code from WPPI for registration.

I am planning on doing another hotel post (was going to do it now but MGM's site is down!) and an update to cheap eats as the one from a few years ago is out of date... are there any other tips that you guys would like??? Let me know in the comments!!

Below is a review of past articles on PLC regarding WPPI.

WPPI PLC Post Round Up

How to Plan for a Great Tradeshow and Convention Experience

Review: WPPI 2010

Review: WPPI 2009
Survival Tips for WPPI
Tips & Tricks for the Tradeshow

What to Pack/Bring to WPPI

What to Wear to WPPI

COREY ANN

Corey Ann is a wedding & lifestyle photographer from North Canton, OH. She is a mix of everything - fashionista (runs Clothes for Pros, clothing suggestions for photographers), travel guru, deal hound and geek rolled into one. She's had a website online since 1997 and a blog since 1999. When not plotting world domination or her next trip, she can be found reading one of the 100+ books she reads a year. Follow her on Twitter.

Review: Jerry Ghionis Workshop

Review: Jerry Ghionis Seminar

Posted by Corey B

This is another seminar I attended this week that is part of the Akron Photo Series.

Website: http://www.akronphotoseries.com/

Presenter: Jerry Ghionis

Date: June 14, 2011

Location: Akron, Ohio

Price: $375

Included: All day workshop with Jerry Ghionis

Bonuses: 10% of the proceeds went to Akron Childrens Hospital (I believe that Jerry donated all of the proceeds), lunch

What I Expected: To learn a bit more about posing and see how he would work with a "real" couple.

Expectations Met: Yes! Jerry packed a lot into the time we had with him and he far surpassed my expectations (yep, again!!)

Summary: After seeing Jerry present the night before, I was pretty excited to see him the next day and see what he is like in a smaller setting on a normal-ish type workshop. The class was supposed to be 25 but we were easily approaching 30-35 people but it wasn't too big of a deal. The workshop was hosted at a local photographer's studio.

We started out the morning with some questions and answers and a bit more in depth talking from Jerry. Once the couple arrived Jerry went straight into the posing portion of the day and so many of his tips immediately made sense. I, like I'm sure many photographers, tend to learn visually more than by just reading so to see him "walk the walk" so to speak made a world of a difference than just hearing him "talk the talk" the night before.

I should note here that Jerry expressed the night before that since we were so limited on time (Jerry rarely does one day shoots) instead of bringing our cameras and spending time trying to get a "money shot" he'd prefer that we watched and learned and only brought point and shoots to the workshop the next day. He expressed quite a few times during the workshop this as well, this was NOT to be a gangbang style workshop where everyone is vying for a shot, this was to learn from him and if we *had* to take a picture, use it for learning purposes.

Jerry spent a lot of time indoors and outdoors showing us a variety of poses and things he does in situations. It was really fascinating to see how he worked and how he evokes emotion in his couples to achieve the candid feel to his images. I also loved seeing how he handled poor light and many of his tips that he gave were pretty fantastic as far as finding good light and what angle to shoot at. One thing that was brilliant about watching him work was that he never got flustered and always shot with a purpose and didn't spray and pray. He also almost always nailed the exposure in one shot. That's pretty impressive in itself as I've been to workshops in the past where the instructor shot about 20 images off to get one good image.

The workshop included lunch and Jerry and Melissa both made it a point to go table to table and chat with everyone there and make everyone feel welcomed. They are both really sweet and kind people and it was nice they took the time to do that as often that doesn't happen.

After the shooting & lunch we went back to the studio where Jerry showed the images from the day and did a bit more talking about his work. He also showed some images for his own wedding which was really lovely to see (he shot a lot that day himself!). He ended up staying again past his "quitting time" and I felt again that it was kind of him to do so when others have not done so.

The only thing that was a slight bummer was that people DID bring their cameras and shot like crazy at the couples and it appeared it wasn't JUST for learning purposes. I did take a few shots with my P&S but for the most part I just wanted to watch and learn which wasn't always easy with all of the cameras and people vying for the best angle to photograph the models in. Photographers, when you go to a workshop and the instructor says to learn, get your moneys worth and LEARN! You can't use these images for promotional purposes so invest in yourself that day and really take in what you are paying for!

Jerry did NOT pimp any of his products other than one small mention of a discount that was available to our group. The only item he DID have that we all wanted was his nifty video light called the Ice Light which is pretty dang cool and they are hoping to have it for sale sometime soon. Keep your eyes out for it as it's going to sell to photographers like hotcakes (or should I say actions?).

Recommend? Abso-freaking-lutely again!

Review: Jerry Ghionis Seminar

This is another seminar I attended this week that is part of the Akron Photo Series.

Website: http://www.akronphotoseries.com/

Presenter: Jerry Ghionis

Date: June 13, 2011

Location: Akron, Ohio

Price: $60

Included: 3 hour presentation from Jerry Ghionis

Bonuses: 10% of the proceeds went to Akron Childrens Hospital (I believe that Jerry donated all of the proceeds)

What I Expected: To learn a bit more about posing.

Expectations Met: Yes! Jerry packed a lot into the time we had with him and he far surpassed my expectations.

Summary: I saw Jerry present a couple years ago at WPPI and his presentation was strictly on albums. While I learned a LOT during that seminar, I have always wanted to catch one of his posing seminars but I've always managed to sleep through his WPPI platforms since they are at 8AM (dear WPPI gods, please rectify this!). Beyond that the first time I met Jerry was at a party and I had a wee bit of alcohol in me. A friend introduced us and I asked him if he was a photographer. Whoops. The lovely thing is that he laughed it off and thought it was amusing instead of getting on a high horse like others may have done. Ever since then I've always thought of him kindly.

Jerry spent the time prior to the seminar starting wandering around the room introducing himself to everyone. I thought that was really kind. No cut directs this time ;) He and Melissa (his wife) made a solid attempt to make sure to talk to everyone.

Sadly the turnout for this presentation was not quite what it was for Jasmine. I'd guess there was about 100 people there? I know it is summer and scheduling things can be a bit of a nightmare with kids and vacations but it was sad to see. I hope that if this series continue that we give a better showing for people in the future :)

Jerry spoke for a little over 3 hours (going 45 minutes past the end time of 9:30 to make sure that all of what he wanted to speak about was covered and that all questions were answered which I appreciate!) about posing. He began with a slideshow of all of his greatest hits so to speak and then went into his presentation basically about how to adjust your attitude to see the beauty in every person and how as a photographer to make the beauty shine. He touched on posing, lighting and setting up locations to not look nearly as gnarly. What was really great was that he would show before and afters of really awful rooms and what he did to make it work. He then showed action/reaction shots where he had the client in a good pose but it needed some emotion and what he'd do to evoke the emotion. Since we're all visual people, I feel that was really helpful to see. Often there was also a video that accompanied the pictures so you could visualize everything together and what occurred.

Jerry spoke concisely, slowly and was very relaxed. He was very easy to follow when taking notes and it wasn't all in the accent ;) I loved that he wasn't too stuffy and would freely throw out a curse word here or there. In a past life I swear I was a pirate so I appreciate it when people swear (yes, I am weird).

I also wanted to note that while he mentioned the things he had for sale (picpockets, Ice Society) he did NOT overly push it nor mention it more than once or twice. At no point did I feel that we were in a commercial for his items. I know that in years past, this has been a bone of contention with his seminars but it appears that he's listened to the choir on this and backed off a bit. It was nice though that he did give a set of his picpockets out to the person attending that had been in business the longest.

Recommend? Abso-freaking-lutely. It was a shame if you missed this and you need to see him whenever possible!

I will be following this up with a review of the next day's workshop in a few days where we got to see him in action with a couple etc.

Corey Ann is a wedding & lifestyle photographer from North Canton, OH. She is a mix of everything - fashionista (runs Clothes for Pros, clothing suggestions for photographers), travel guru, deal hound and geek rolled into one. She's had a website online since 1997 and a blog since 1999. When not plotting world domination or her next trip, she can be found reading one of the 100+ books she reads a year. Follow her on Twitter.

Thank You Notes: Ace in the Hole

When I was a child there was one thing my parents were very diligent about and it was sending out thank you cards for every gift I received. Much of the winter months of my youth (due to Christmas and birthday gifts) was spent evading this chore that I hated with a passion. As I grew up though, I began to understand why you send thank you notes and above that how nice they are to receive. I don't know about you, but when I get one in the mail - or even email - from a client, friend or relative it makes me smile and quite literally makes my day. Who wouldn't want to share that kind of love with their clients or potential clients?

Let me make this simple: send thank you cards or notes!

Since I grew up doing this from a young age, this has always been something that I've incorporated into my business from day one but I know that many of you are not. When I meet with a potential client, I send out a card if I have their address or an email if I do not. I let them know that I appreciate them considering me for their wedding and touch on anything that we spoke about during the meeting. When a client books, I send out a handwritten thank you card expressing how thankful I am for their business and state I am looking forward to their day. Finally the day of the wedding I always drop a card in their card box wishing them well and thanking them for letting me be a part of their day. The feedback that I get from these little notes is amazing. Clients just LOVE it and always say that no one else's photographers do that.

Thank you notes are not very time consuming and you don't need to have custom ones made. I've been able to find ones that go along with my branding at Target and Marshalls. Pick up a pack or two and start sending... and let me know what your feedback from it is!

Corey Ann is a wedding & lifestyle photographer from North Canton, OH. She is a mix of everything - fashionista (runs Clothes for Pros, clothing suggestions for photographers), travel guru, deal hound and geek rolled into one. She's had a website online since 1997 and a blog since 1999. When not plotting world domination or her next trip, she can be found reading one of the 100+ books she reads a year. Follow her on Twitter.

Review: Jasmine Star Seminar

This seminar was held in Akron Ohio as part of the Akron Photo Series.

Website: http://www.akronphotoseries.com/schedule.html

Presenters: Jasmine Star

Date: March 29, 2011

Location: Akron, Ohio

Price: $45 with a discount (regular price $60)

Included: 3 hour presentation from Jasmine Star

Bonuses: 10% of proceeds went to Akron Childrens Hospital

What I Expected: To see what all of the fuss was about without waiting in a line at WPPI.

Expectation Met: Meh. I didn't become the latest Stargazer but she did have a few tips I plan on incorporating into my business.

Summary: I know I have got a lot of questions as to WHY I went to this from people on Twitter last night. It was funny that my followers knew me enough to know that ever since my last few workshops/seminars I've really cooled my heels and stopped drinking a lot of the kool-aid that has been passed around. However I wanted to give her a fair shot to see what all of the fuss was about. I met Jasmine a few years ago at WPPI and I thought she was quite lovely, humble and relatable. With her being so close to home (20 minutes!) I figured that I owed it to myself to give her a fair shot and I firmly believe that even if the experience is bad, you can take away something from it and learn from it.

When we walked into the room Jasmine was greeting everyone as they came through registration. She totally skipped me which was either an oversight (which is what I truly want to believe) or on purpose. I really hope it wasn't the latter but I also know that I have made my bed of being a bit of a rebel for speaking my mind within the photographer community so I'm okay with it if it was a cut direct.

There was a good crowd there last night for her - I'm glad to see there was a good turnout because I've heard some of the speakers brought in for the Akron Photo Series were not having large turnouts. I am really bad at guessing numbers but I'd guess around 200 people? Most of us arrived early to get seats and to chat with everyone. There is a group of us that meet up every month so we are all pretty friendly. I also think every single person (save for one) that has shot for me was there last night which is kind of fun.

Jasmine spoke for about 3 hours straight and gave mostly branding information on how to make your online presence stronger and more reflective of you. There was a small break but other than that it was 3 hours of solid speaking guided by a slideshow presentation projected onto a screen. She told her story and what worked for her and how she got from starting out with a dream to be a photographer after her wedding in 2006 to today where she is well known and booking $10K weddings. She gave a lot of solid information about how to personalize your brand and things you could do to make your branding reflect you more to ultimately attract clients that are your ideal clients. I took notes and I definitely feel that there is a few things that I can take back with me and implement into my business and use to further enhance my business and branding. I was disappointed that there was not a Q&A session at the end due to lack of time (it ended almost on the nose of 9:30).

I'm going to keep it real for you guys. There were three glaring problems last night that really took away from her presentation.

One, she talks way too fast. If you think that online she seems fast, in real life it is about 2 times as fast. When you are trying to not only take in what she is saying but take notes it becomes almost impossible to keep up. I brought my computer b/c I am a fast typer so I could keep up with her for the most part taking notes but I saw many people giving up about 30 minutes in and putting their paper and pens away. At one point she told us that she doesn't talk fast, we just listen slow. I know it was a joke but it was almost offensive.

The second problem was that while she had an outline for the presentation, it was still a bit jumbled and more often than not I would be completely lost as to what points went under what sections and so forth. There was a lot of "I'll expand on that later" without expanding on it and jumping around on topics. The anal outliner in me died a bit over this.

Finally there were quite a few glaring discrepancies in her presentation and it was a bit troubling to hear. i.e. she said in the beginning of the seminar that she booked her first wedding for $1K. Later when expanding on the subject she mentions that the bride came to her with a budget of $1K but Jasmine wouldn't include the disc of images for that price so the bride ended up paying $1500 to include the disc. So, her first wedding was NOT $1k. Little things like that I picked up on and they were bothering me.

Jasmine, I am doubtful that you know of our little place on the web but if you do, please listen.

I took two years in public speaking and a little of me was dying last night during the seminar. I'm not saying that everyone should be highly trained to public speak but I do feel strongly that if you are going to charge people to come and hear you speak on a large scale like this, you should invest in yourself and make sure you are presenting the best YOU to everyone that you can much like you have done with your website/blog. You had a lot of good information and with a bit of training, I think that you could reach people better and go much further. I say this to you because I really honestly liked you when I met you before.

Recommend? It was worth the $45 definitely.

Corey Ann is a wedding & lifestyle photographer from North Canton, OH. She is a mix of everything - fashionista (runs Clothes for Pros, clothing suggestions for photographers), travel guru, deal hound and geek rolled into one. She's had a website online since 1997 and a blog since 1999. When not plotting world domination or her next trip, she can be found reading one of the 100+ books she reads a year. Follow her on Twitter.

Review: Epiphanie Lola Bag

Action shot of me using the bag © Tommy Huynh

After the Kelly Moore Bag didn't quite pan out for me for what I was looking for in a camera bag, I continued the search and finally have found one that I really love! Yay!

Epiphanie Lola Bag Review

As with my past product reviews I have put the Epiphanie Lola through its paces for the past few months using it how I have intended to use it a few times over before I sat down to write this review. I have taken this bag to Mexico and again on a trip to Las Vegas with many trips around town and to parties in between. I chose the Lola style from their lineup because it had caught my eye early on. I think though that many of their bags look quite charming and I was very close to going with the Clover.

Use of the bag:

I think that it is important to know what I bought this bag FOR when reviewing the product. It helps you have an idea in mind of what I’m reviewing it on.

• Use for travel for non-professional trips when carrying a lighter kit. I don't always want to haul along my wheeled bags and would like the camera to be concealed when touring touristy areas unless I *choose* to bring it out.

• Use for family/friend events where I want to keep the camera closed up until I chose to use it.

• Use for portrait sessions when the gear I carry is lighter.


Pros:

+ Stylish!!! I get compliments on it all the time and people were constantly asking where I got my purse.

+ The options for the bag are great - it now comes in three colors.

+ Ability to hold camera bodies.

+ Dividers come out and can be repositioned to configure to your needs.

+ Inside zippered pocket and two outside pockets to fit keys or other small personal items. I love that the inside is zippered so you can keep important objects very safe.

+ Two options for carrying: one via the handles or a cross-body strap that is adjustable and padded.

+ Allows you to covertly carry gear without screaming I have thousands of dollars of equipment in here!


Cons:

- Due to the slanted style of the bag, the 70-200 sits a bit awkwardly.

- Lenses do fit but again, due to the curve often sit funny and make it a bit trickier to reach in and grab like the Shootsac.

- They are often out of stock and out of stock for months. Which is a great thing for them but makes buying frustrating.

Final Thoughts:

During my time with this bag I found that I really enjoyed it. When I carried it in Las Vegas I took it to a concert, shot a wedding with it and used it to transport my gear during flight. At the concert, I was constantly complimented on my purse and many were shocked to find out it was a camera bag. I do like stylish things and that pleased me a lot to find that people truly thought it was an expensive designer purse. I also used the bag to shoot a wedding that took place on the strip and discovered that while it wasn't as easy to work with as the Shootsac during a shoot, it still worked rather well and I was glad that I was able to put the camera away when I was done with the shoot. Finally when flying with the bag I was the most pleased. Carrying the bag was no issue at all and while the bag was heavy (I had a D700, 70-200, 85 1.4 and 24-70 plus video light, flash, batteries, chargers and my Canon G11 in the bag) it never became so heavy that I was itching to put it down. It also easily fit in the overhead bins and beneath the seat.

This bag was a win for me and I hope that my review helps anyone that is trying to decide :)

UPDATE:

I have found the biggest flaw with this bag and it made me very, very sad. When flying with it over the summer I discovered that the red tint stained my white shirt whenever I got sweaty. As I was shooting in New Orleans in the summer - sweat was definitely happening. It didn't show up so much on darker attire but my white shirts were affected. It rubs off when it gets moist it seems so I think it'd also do this when it rains? I'm not sure. It definitely made me sad and disappointed. Epiphanie DID offer to replace my bag with a new one if I sent the bag back to them but they didn't have any other Lola's in stock and what was in stock I wasn't in love with. I've kept it and continued to use it since then but I may revisit the bag idea in the summer and consider purchasing something else.

UPDATE #2:

In the comments I've had a few requests for pictures of the bag with a couple items so I am adding it to the blog rather than hiding it in the comments. One commenter wanted to see the bag with a 70-200 and another wanted to know if it could be adapted to fit an iPad. I apologize for the iPhone pics but I am not feeling 100% today and didn't feel like editing. I'm enjoying the off season!

This is how I have my bag configured: a divider in the middle with 4 compartments. On the one side are two split evenly, on the other side a skinny space and a large space.

As you can see, there is no way to make an iPad fit standing up.

However, if you lay the iPad lengthwise and detach the center divider, you can make it fit, albeit just barely. If you have a case, it may not work.

This is the Lola with a Nikon D700 with attached Rapid Strap and 60mm macro, Nikon 70-200 VRII and a Nikon 24-70 along with the iPad 2. It all fits, but I have to tell you, it's not light!

Here is the bag with the above configuration zipped up. It barely zips but it does close.

Corey Ann is a wedding & lifestyle photographer from North Canton, OH. She is a mix of everything - fashionista (runs Clothes for Pros, clothing suggestions for photographers), travel guru, deal hound and geek rolled into one. She's had a website online since 1997 and a blog since 1999. When not plotting world domination or her next trip, she can be found reading one of the 100+ books she reads a year. Follow her on Twitter.

WPPI 2011 Parties

You know as much as you want to say that you are there for LEARNING we all know that the parties are just as much of a draw as the classes. I always have all the parties saved to my calendar and my friends know who to ask when to comes to wanting to mingle after hours. I thought I'd share that list with you and if there is anything you'd like to add, please let me know in the comments so I can keep this list updated!

Sunday 2/20

2:00PM - 5:00PM WPPI Launch Pad

5:30PM - ? Photo Lovecat Happy Hour

7:00PM - 9:00PM Sony Fashion Show

9:00PM - ? DWF Get Together - comment on the forum to be on the list.

10:00PM - 11:00PM [b] School Party - find the registration info in the forum.

Monday 2/21

7:00PM - 10:00PM Madera Mad Men Party, $10

7:00PM - 4:00AM SmugMug/BayPhoto Slumber Party - Follow @smugmugpro and @bayphoto on Twitter for details

8:00PM - 10:00PM Canon Mardi Gras Party, Grand Garden Arena

10:00PM - 3:00AM Airplanes and Blazers Party, $30

Tuesday 2/22

8:30PM - 11:30PM Pictage/ShootQ Party - emailed registration, must be either a member or guest of a member

Wednesday 2/23

6:00PM - 9:30PM WPPI Awards Night

Tips & Tricks for WPPI Tradeshow

In the past couple of weeks I've seen a few posts on forums from newcomers to WPPI fretting about the tradeshow and curious about the best ways to go about tackling it. Anne has already posted a pretty great guide but I thought I would expand upon it just a smidge for you to hopefully demystify the tradeshow a bit and calm some nerves!

• Hit up the WPPI Tradeshow link on their website and print off the map. Trust me, this will come in handy!

• Confession: I'm a total geek so I also take the map and attack it with a highlighter. Everyone has their own priorities for their own tradeshow experience. If you are looking for albums, highlight all of the album companies in one color. If you are looking to buy some loot, highlight all of the booths that are selling loot in another color etc. I know it sounds silly but it helps me remember who was important to see and get my bearings once inside.

• Here's my usual plan of attack: visit one - see the sights and get the lay of the land, find good free loot (sorry, I'm a total sucker for anything that blinks) and get a price list from the sellers that are selling goods (Sammy's, Midwest Photo Exchange etc). Visit two - hit up the vendors that I really want to see (typically album companies and print suppliers). Visit three and more - wander aimlessly. Get what you WANT done first, then browse. If you browse first you may not make it everywhere you wanted to go :)

• Wear comfortable shoes and clothes.

• Water, water, water!!!!! If you aren't acclimated to the desert you are going to be dry anyways but the tradeshows are generally HOT so make sure to stay hydrated!

• I know I keep banging on about the hydration thing but trust me, desert climate (which most of us are not acclimated to) + the tradeshow heat makes you crazy parched. So make sure to also bring along chapstick and lotion, you will thank me for it later!

• If you are buying a bulkier item (camera bags, light stands etc), hold off on buying until the last day if it isn't a MUST HAVE. Often the booths that are selling will do deals the last day of the show so they don't have to ship the item back and the bulkier and harder to ship back the greater the chance of scoring a great deal (I did this last year!).

• Keep an eye out for cheap memory cards. There are generally great deals on them!

• Don't be afraid to compare prices between vendors there and vendors online! Sometimes it may SEEM like a deal but isn't.

• The cheapo batteries are cheap for a reason. Don't go bonkers ordering the cheap $10 batteries for your camera thinking you hit the mother load. I did that my first year, whoops. Turns out they are good for backups to the name brands and not much else as they last in my camera for maybe 30 minutes to an hour. Buy one or two for emergencies but don't order much more than that!

• If there is a neat freebie you want to make sure you get, hit that booth the first day - the really neat stuff tends to be gone quickly. My annual favorite is the tote from my beloved Shootsac booth. Also don't be afraid to ask someone where they got an item that catches your eye.

• Some of the retail sellers (Sammy's, Midwest Photo Exchange) have things in stock on site. Other of the retail sellers (B&H, Adorama) either have a limited supply or all of the stock is off site and will be mailed to you. If taking the gear home is important to you, make sure you know when you start shopping which ones have supplies on hand!

• If you ARE planning to bring things home, don't forget to make sure you have a way to GET it home :)

• If you are using an iPhone on the AT&T network, you may loose 3G signal inside the tradeshow area (last year this was a huge issue). Turn off your 3G to continue to get text messages and stay in touch with the real world.

• Many of the tradeshow booths will have speakers during the day. Sometimes the presentation is all about how awesome their product is but often they go beyond just the product and do more of a general presentation. The week or so before WPPI the vendors will start releasing timelines for their speakers during the week - it's a great chance to learn from someone up and coming or hear from a speaker you missed. Some of the areas fill up quickly so if someone is important to you make sure you nab a seat early on.

• One of the things that I actually reference to quite often that I pick up yearly at the tradeshow is paper samples from my photo lab. I know it's a weird thing but I really have found that it's crazy helpful when ordering products and press items because I don't always have something in every paper type. I highly highly highly recommend doing this.

• You will get a LOT of information and much of it is just too much to process but it is hard to sometimes slim down the options of what stays vs. what goes for sake of space and weight in luggage. Bring a self addressed pre stamped flat rate envelope or box and toss in all of your info from the tradeshow! No more worries about the weight! Ta-da!

• My biggest tip? DO NOT TRY TO DO IT ALL AT ONCE! You will miss something, get overwhelmed and regret it.

• Finally if you are feeling overwhelmed and crazy always feel free to say hi to me or any of the lovecats!! I can't speak for everyone but if you want to tag along with me at any time when I'm bopping around the tradeshow you are more than welcome, just say hi! I promise I don't bite :)

Corey Ann is a wedding & lifestyle photographer from North Canton, OH. She is a mix of everything - fashionista (runs Clothes for Pros, clothing suggestions for photographers), travel guru, deal hound and geek rolled into one. She's had a website online since 1997 and a blog since 1999. When not plotting world domination or her next trip, she can be found reading one of the 100+ books she reads a year. Follow her on Twitter.

Photo Lovecat WPPI 2011 Happy Hour!

Come meet the lovecats and make some new friends (and reacquaint yourself with old ones) over a tasty beverage on Sunday night after classes end.

Event registration for Photo Lovecat Happy Hour @ WPPI

How Do You ShootQ?

Like many photographers, I use an online studio management software to keep my books straight, my clients happy and my life simpler. There are quite a few options out there - Studio Cloud, Tave and ShootQ. I have used all three and eventually settled in for the long haul with ShootQ. One of the main reasons that I ended up with ShootQ is due to the way that how you use the software is highly customizable to your needs and how it makes most sense for you to use intuitively. I always am interested when I see discussions on online forums about how people use their ShootQ - it's neat how everyone has tweaked theirs to be a bit different. I thought perhaps some folks out there would like to hear how I've personally tweaked mine and hopefully some of the other Lovecats will join in with what they do as well. Below are some ways that I've tricked out my ShootQ that may not be the "norm."

I do not use ShootQ's contact form

This is probably the biggest difference between how I use ShootQ and most others use it. When I initially signed up with it, I used the contact form, despite how ugly I think it is (sorry! it just doesn't fit my web presence at all!). However I quickly became frustrated with how much clutter it was and it wasn't easy for me to sort the true leads from the "hey I'm a fan of your work" and the like quips that come in that are not related to booking a job at all. I also had some issues with emails going back and forth and getting lost in translation between ShootQ and emails. Finally, I do a LOT of my work via the iPhone (especially when I am out of the office) and I prefer to be able to see all the inquiry information in the email rather than click I link to load ShooQ to see it (this may have changed since then). Overall, it just didn't work for me.

The next phase of the incoming contacts was that I eliminated ShootQ's direct contact page but would input every "real" lead via their lead from email tool. While it was very helpful and a quick way to input contacts, I found that I was still having issues with the emails to/from clients via the ShootQ app and it was time consuming for a lead that often ended up dead. My time is valuable and I want to focus my time on the good leads and clients that have already invested in me.

Finally after trying the self importing of leads I decided to call the whole thing off. I don't use the leads in ShootQ at ALL. It makes my life much easier and for me, I like it this way. The only thing I miss is seeing where all of my referrals come from that do not result in bookings but to be frank, the referrals that matter the most are the ones that BOOK. When I do get a client that is ready to book, I will then import their lead via the lead from email tool and send their contract and proposal at that time.

I don't use the workflows

While I imagine that this tool is quite helpful to the photographers out there that like lists and organization, I am not one of those types of people. I also found that I would let these lapse for ages and then spend a good hour going through and checking off tasks that had already been done but hadn't been marked as such during the process. Again, for some these are very helpful but for me.... I think I know to format cards before a shoot and charge the batteries.

There was also a step down of this process as well. I initially overhauled the entire section and customized it to the the key elements and took out all of the "duh" boxes to be checked. I left things such as "schedule engagement shoot" in but took out "clean camera sensor" and the like. However, I still found that I NEVER referred to these tasks to stay on top of things and again, was spending time checking off the boxes to clear out my homepage. Wasted time for me.

I now only utilize it for products, which is a handy thing (and I believe you can't remove that from the tasks if products are involved in your package) but do not even select workflows for anything else. The only downfall to this is that I can't set up my questionnaires to go out after a certain step in the process like it is set up by default by ShootQ.

Questionnaires

This is where I rock out ShootQ like nobody's business. Besides being able to e-sign contracts, this is one of the key elements of ShootQ that has kept me with them. I have a set of 5 questionnaires that I send out. Since I have eliminated the workflow, I have a reminder on my calendar to send them out 2 weeks before the wedding (often I will send them out a month out but not any earlier unless they request them since things change). Here are the 5 questionnaires I send and some questions from each:

1. Questions about the Bride & Groom or Couple: I have two of these questionnaires that are identical, the "couple" one is specifically for same-sex couples. Examples of questions from this section are full names, email and mailing addresses of the couple, if the bride plans on changing her name and if so, what to (this plays a part in the proof book making as I had a client early in my career tell me that she did not change her last name so the Bride & Groom Groomslastname on the cover of the proof book wasn't her true name, whoops!) and mailing addresses for the couple after the wedding.
   
   
2. Wedding Vendors: Whenever I blog, I also list the vendors I work with so this information is key to me for that aspect of the process. I also like to know in advance if I'm working with particular vendors I love (or to be honest, don't love). I also like to know ahead of time if I'm working with a vendor that has been known to mess up the timeline of a day (make up artist, hairstylist) so I can plan ahead. Make sure to include the easy-to-remember vendors such as florist, baker, venues and entertainment but don't forget key players that can make your day fantastic or miserable like the videographer, transportation and salons. Note: I do NOT use the wedding vendor files that ShootQ has in relationships, I use plain text entry for these.
   
   
3. Ceremony and Reception: These are the key places you have to be the day of the wedding and I dedicate an entire questionnaire to them to get the most information I can so I'm not asking questions later. Examples of questions I ask are name, address, phone numbers and main contact info for both venues, start time for both events, approx length of ceremony, if there are any restrictions for photography at the ceremony (this is key as you need to make the couple aware BEFORE the ceremony that there may be restrictions), if there is a receiving line, what time the couple want to be at the reception by (since this often is different than the start time, some miss cocktail hour, some do not want to) and if I am being fed and if so if I'm seated with guests or in a vendor room (another key question so I know ahead of time where to look for a seat if I have one and to also put a bug in their ear that they need to think about where I'll be during dinner).
   
   
4. Photography Questions: This is an obvious one that gets its own section but one that definitely needs to be addressed! Examples of questions are time, location and address of where I am to arrive, if the couple is seeing each other before hand and if so, where and when, how much time is set aside for photographs, which family formals they want taken and I suggest having a "point person" to round everyone up (this is a HUGE help, since I started including the snippet about having a point person my formals have been MUCH easier as there is always an Aunt Betty that is DYING to help with the wedding somehow), if there are divorces or deaths I need to know about so not to embarrass someone and if there are divorces if they are willing to be in a photograph together or will want to be photographed separately (some divorced parents are cool with being photographed together with their son, some react like a cat being thrown into water), locations chosen for photographs and addresses and if there are any special details I need to make sure to photograph.
   
   
5. Misc Wedding Day Questions: The final questionnaire is one that is somewhat of a hodge podge of items but all things that I like to know ahead of time. Examples of questions I ask are for a timeline of the day, wedding colors, style of dress, if the online gallery needs to be password protected or not (some don't want to bother with guest requests for the code, some want the privacy) and an open question about anything else I need to know.

Whew! I know that is a lot to take in but I hope that maybe I helped you figure out how to make your ShootQ work better for you or figure out a new tweak or two you want to try yourself.

How do YOU ShootQ? Anything I should consider doing? Let me know in the comments! I'd love your feedback!

Corey Ann is a wedding & lifestyle photographer from North Canton, OH. She is a mix of everything - fashionista (runs Clothes for Pros, clothing suggestions for photographers), travel guru, deal hound and geek rolled into one. She's had a website online since 1997 and a blog since 1999. When not plotting world domination or her next trip, she can be found reading one of the 100+ books she reads a year. Follow her on Twitter.