Before They Were Famous

As I've been getting nostalgic about my time in the photography industry, I've been digging into my own blog archives and keep finding moments of GOLD (as well as blog posts I probably should have deleted) that help the next generation of photographers understand where and how digital photography careers exploded 13+ years ago!  Before Facebook, before Instagram- when our social outlets to connect online were through public blogs, RSS feeds, and member message boards that no longer exist.  Luckily some blogs are still on archived servers for your time-traveling pleasure.

Thanks to letting all of my own cringe-worthy-archives stay out in the open... I can go back in time through links to other photographers and see where they started out as well!  I think it's important to share archives so people don't think it all happened overnight.  I also think what you'll see in these various archives and journeys is that Photography can be a gateway drug to other forms of entrepreneurship...

Christine Tremoulet - 2000-2018
http://bigpinkcookie.com/2001/
Our very own PhotoLovecat author/editor was blogging before anyone else knew what the heck to do with a blog.  Blogger and perpetual web geek, turned photographer, and now business consultant.  I give Christine mad props for keeping all of her archives online this long.  I mean, her blog history is basically as old as a blogs themselves.  I think the only thing that came before her blogging was AOL and Netscape!

Jules Bianchi - 2005-2019
http://blog.julesbianchi.com/2005/06/
Jules has often flown under the radar in a lot of ways as far as the photography fame stuff goes, but I've always had a soft spot for her ability to be authentically quirky and offbeat.  She's moved her business a few times and shifted focus like many photographers do, but has maintained her blog archives all along to show how she has grown and changed over all these years, and that really helps others understand the journey doesn't happen overnight.

David Jay - 2005-2010
http://opensourcephoto.blogspot.com/2005/
David Jay has been an entrepreneur and tech geek from an early age.  He started out as a wedding photographer who developed community on OpenSourcePhoto as a place to have open conversations in the photography industry (a competitor to Digital Wedding Forum, which was a private paid forum, where OSP was free and open).  This also allowed him to engage in photography industry problems he could solve with tech solutions.  His presence has been controversial among the industry, but it's never stopped him from creating new businesses.  He developed ShowIT, PASS, Shoot & Share, and now Agree.

Corey Ann - 2007-2019
http://coreyann.com/blog/wedding/justin-jenny-122107
Another PhotoLovecat author and editor that has been in the industry and seen it all over the last decade!  Corey Ann has probably maintained one of the most consistent photography industry profiles I know of in the last decade.  Sustaining her presence as an Ohio wedding photographer and really only expanding to hold the line of justice and call people out against doing stupid things in the photography industry through the PhotoStealers blog.  She has dealt with some of the worst sociopaths the industry has seen and somehow continues to maintain a sense of humor about it all!

Christopher Becker aka [b]ecker - 2007-2018
http://blog.thebecker.com/index.cfm/index.cfm/catID/2/StartRow/500
Wedding photographer, photography teacher, and now Keto-Coach, Becker has had a journey that launched in SoCal and now resides in Missouri.  I think Becker himself would be wise enough to say that he didn't mind ruffling a few feathers along the way in the photo industry, and people either loved it or hated it.  What you can't disagree with is that he's hustled with a lot of heart, and often shared what he's learned with others along the way.

Jessica Claire - 2008(?)-2019(?)
http://www.jessicaclaire.net/blog/7165/jessicaclaireartcom-launches
Jessica has hidden the actual dates on her blog and done a very good job of curating her archival content that remains on her current blog, however, based on the context of some early blog posts, I'm guessing the content in this blog started circa 2007/2008, but she also eludes to having another blog prior to this that is no longer available online.  Jessica went from wedding photographer to ShootSac lens bag creator, and now she has the bug for wedding photography again.  Welcome back, Jessica!

Jasmine Star - 2006-2007
http://jasminestarphotography.blogspot.com/2006/02/
Jasmine Star got her first round of fame in the photography industry after David Jay photographed her wedding and Mike Colon started using her as a workshop model for his workshops (perhaps someone else can figure out the order of events on this based on the archives in her blog and David Jay's blog).  She then caught the photography bug herself, attended a lot of workshops, started teaching workshops, made some public social media mistakes, but has continued pushing forward and sharing everything along the way.  She now teaches online courses focused on boosting social media presence.

BluDomain - 2006-2007
https://bludomain.typepad.com/blus_daily_blog/2006/10/index.html
BluDomain was one of the early photography portfolio website providers to crank out a lot of affordable website templates full of good design and solid navigation tools.  They blogged about a lot of "popular" people in the photography industry at the time in order to raise their own profile.  It worked and they secured a lot of photography industry clients in a few short years.  What they've left behind on this archival blog is the treasure chest of where people were and what they were doing in 2006-2007!  Check out their archives to see a lot of familiar names, faces, and photos from 13 years ago!

Are there some archival blogs out there that you think should be added to this list?  Add them to the comments and let's have a nice walk down memory lane together...

Anne Ruthmann helps creatives find smarter solutions to common business problems as a Creative Business Strategist and author of the Pricing Workbook for Creatives.  Her wisdom is steeped in the experience of managing her own creative businesses since 2004.  Stay in touch on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.

Evaluating Education Opportunities

As the photo education industry continues to rapidly expand, and many people plan for WPPI, it's important to evaluate what makes a quality education experience.  Even when you aren't paying to attend a free online webinar or tradeshow presentation, your time has value and it's important that you're able to walk away from an educational experience feeling like you made the best use of your time.  Just as you might search for reviews before purchasing equipment, I think it's equally valuable to do a little homework and make sure that the educational experiences you sign up for are aligned with who you are and what you need.  Use these steps to focus your time and energy productively:

Step 1: Evaluate Your Needs
Make sure the education you pursue is aligned with where you are RIGHT NOW in your life or business.  What's the FIRST thing you need to take action on?  If you don't have a portfolio of work or clients, than your priority should be focused on portfolio development and technical learning, not pricing or business info.  If you know you have a great portfolio but are struggling with bringing clients in the door, focus on marketing and sales.  Be realistic about what you're most likely to take action on immediately so that your time spent learning can be applied as soon as possible.  While this sounds obvious, there are people who like to consume any and every education opportunity possible, and you need to acknowledge if you fall into that category and start getting more focused about what you really need right now.

Step 2: Know Your Learning Style
If you haven't read a non-fiction ebook from start to finish in the last year, than giving your email address to someone for a free e-book probably is going to benefit the writer more than it benefits you.  Do you prefer podcasts you can listen to while traveling or videos that visually demonstrate techniques?  Is it hard for you to focus unless you're in a physical workshop setting with other attendees?  Do you need a printed book or full video that you can review multiple times rather than a webinar that will disappear?  Know what helps you succeed as a learner and avoid tempting offers that will simply fill your inbox without helping you move forward.

Step 3: Understand Your Desired Interaction Level
If you just have a couple quick questions around a topic area that don't need extensive explanation, than perhaps a webinar format can work if it offers Q&A.  If you have an extended set of questions about your specific situation that you don't want don't want to share publicly, than you may want to seek a mentor, coach, or consultant to work with one-on-one.  Is the topic something that could benefit from group discussion?  Than perhaps a group workshop where you can interact with other attendees will be beneficial.  Know how much guidance and feedback you need to help you take action before choosing an educational opportunity.

Once you've taken time to outline your needs as a learner, you can better filter opportunities and be more productive in how you allocate your time for education.

Anne Ruthmann is a professional photographer in New York City. With over 10 years of success as a full-time photographer in weddings, portraits, editorial, and now architecture and interiors, she spends any extra time she has helping others find smart solutions to business problems.  Stay in touch on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.

Photo Business Wisdom After 10 Years - Interview w/ Anne Ruthmann

When Dave Conrey asked to interview me for his Fresh Rag podcast, he initially wanted to chat more about my recent transitions in the photography world, after seeing my post on My Evolution As A Professional Photographer.

Of course, once he had me on the record button, he dug in deep about the photography industry and we ended up talking about moving from low-end to high-end markets in those early stages of business, gaining a national reputation, how to find other revenue streams in photography, as well as making that transition from one subject matter to another.  He really ran the gamut with me on getting an insider look at the photography industry, even beyond the scope of the event and portrait business.

If you find yourself wanting a thought-provoking interview to listen to on a long car ride, or maybe just over your lunch in your office, click play on the google hangout below and load up the podcast for an hour of juicy photo industry wisdom.  I'd love to hear your thoughts as well on what you think about some of the questions he asked!

Anne Ruthmann is a professional photographer in New York City. With over 10 years of success as a full-time photographer in weddings, portraits, editorial, and now architecture and interiors, she spends any extra time she has helping others find smart solutions to business problems. Stay in touch on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.

Need A Little One-On-One Help?

The annual Thirst Relief Mentor Auction is one of the few ways you make a charitable contribution that saves lives by providing clean water, while also getting some one-on-one photo business help for yourself.  Most of the time, when you sign up for a regular workshop with any of the mentors listed, you aren't getting much one-on-one time; you're generally just getting a lecture-style workshop where you can ask a few questions, but the answers need to be applicable to a larger audience.  One-on-one mentoring is even more valuable because you get to really dig into your specific situation in a private conversation and discover what might help move you forward in a way that is unique from everyone else in the room.

The Thirst Relief Mentor Auction starts tonight 2/6/14 and ends on Sunday evening 2/9/14.  There are many great photographers available to mentor you, including yours truly, but take a look at the list and see who might be a best fit for you and what you're looking for.  I've been a mentor for the auction for about 4 or 5 years now and I when I look back at the people I worked with, I can see how just a little push or problem solving in the right direction can make a huge difference, but also how their winning bids made an even bigger difference in the world!

Here are a few tips to make sure you get the most out of the Thirst Relief Mentor Auction:

• Identify 3-5 people you'd like one-on-one mentoring with.
• Note the different mentor ending times listed on Ebay, so that you can move your bid quickly if you're outbid.
• Remember that your bid is going to charity, not to the person you're bidding on, and that the value of your bid is ultimately going to benefit a family or an entire community with clean water, and not just giving you some one-on-one help.
• If you run out of people you're familiar with to bid on, bid on someone you've never heard of!  Mentors are generally in the auction because they have something valuable to offer and they really want to help others.  Not only might you find yourself pleasantly surprised with the help and knowledge you receive from someone you've never heard of, but your winning bid will still be a charitable donation for Thirst Relief.

Good luck and generous bidding!

Anne Ruthmann is a lifestyle & wedding photographer in New York, NY. She spent 10 years practicing marketing & management in corporate and non-profit businesses before pursuing her passion for photography as an independent small business in 2004.  She loves helping others find creative and smart solutions to business problems.  Follow her on Twitter to see her daily adventures and thoughts.

Online Photography Courses You Should Know

This is a guest post submitted by Bridger Rodriguez:

Are you interested in taking your interest in photography to the next level? Taking a course in photography is a great way to improve your skill set and knowledge in this form of art. But for some people, the daily commute and classroom-based learning experience are too much to bear. Fortunately nowadays, you can find nearly any course you want to take through the Internet. Online photography courses are accessible for different photographers, from amateurs to professionals. These courses, however, differ in price, curriculum, and requirements, so investigating some courses prior to actually applying is important to ensure that the course fits your personal schedule and needs.

Better Photo
This online photography course provides more than 80 programs assembled in a diversity of classes including basics, digital, composition, and photo editing. Programs last from as short as four weeks to as long as eight weeks. Instruction is given through email or live chat, so there is sizable versatility in participation. You can simply email or talk to them in real-time whenever you have questions or issues in need of addressing. Note that these programs are not rendered for free (betterphoto.com).

NY Institute of Photography
The web-based program is subdivided into three parts - full course in professional photography, Adobe Photoshop, and basics of digital photography. While the program is a costly one, NY Institute of Photography provides an optional classroom-based curriculum plus a web-based program at the same time. These extra materials involve video tutorials, illustrated content, student advising, and audio analysis. The school provides a 21-day money-back guarantee and gives you up to three years to finish the course (nyip.com).

School of Photography
The school imparts 7 web-based programs including Basic, Digital Imaging, Glamour, and Landscape. The first two programs are recommended for amateurs while the other five are good for advanced photographers. Special offers are accessible when taking more than one course at the same time. The school provides a complementary night session through its website (schoolofphotography.com).

The Perfect Picture
The Perfect Picture fragments its programs into 4 groups - beginner/intermediate, intermediate/advanced, making money in photography, and digital darkroom. Students enlisted in the program are given the week's worth of lessons that can be downloaded from a provided link. The student then has 10 days to accomplish the assignment. Completed projects are then uploaded, and a teacher evaluates the work and sends his opinions. Participants enlisted in the coursework also obtain tutorial videos regarding the fundamentals of Photoshop so as not to waste time offering basic pointers to guarantee all students are at equal levels (ppsop.net).

Creative Tech
Creative Tech provides 10-week photography programs a few times annually. The course is, however, restricted to 1,000 students and fills up quite fast. This first-come-first-serve basis allows the teachers to focus on a smaller group of students hence making the learning experience more efficient and effective (creativetechs.com).

Online photography courses are a great alternative to classroom-based ones. They save you time, effort, and money and yield a substantial amount of flexibility.

Bridger Rodriguez writes about the arts, education and more. His most recent work focuses on The Top Online Masters in Education.

Review: The Easy Client and Money Manager

If you've been out there on the web trying to find information on how to better your photography business, you've probably come across The Modern Tog, created by Jamie Swanson.

Like the team here on PhotoLoveCat, Jamie has a passion for helping photographers do what we do best by helping us get our other 'stuff' squared away, letting us focus on photography.

She's just launched an awesomely easy way to track your clients AND your money called-get ready for it- The Easy Client and Money Manager. Click here to learn more 

Over the last week I've had the privilege to check out The Modern Tog's newest offering before it went on sale. With my advance copy, I dug in-looking under the hood and putting it through its paces!

Who is the Easy Client and Money Manager for?

• Photographers who have NO form of client or money tracking in place

• Photographers who keep track of things on scraps of paper or random documents

• Any photographer that is only tracking 1/2 of this-whether it's money OR clients

• The photographer who wants everything in ONE place

The Easy Client and Money Manager is ideal for photographers in their first or second year of business but can be used by anyone who needs to get on top of their client workflow and financial information. 

What's nice about the Easy Client and Money Manager is that it's built as an excel document so you don't need any fancy software. There's really not much to learn and what you do need to know, they cover in the workbook which takes you step-by-step through everything.

Seriously-if you have excel and know how to click and type, you can use this!  It's really that easy. 

There's a place to put your entire workflow so you know exactly where you are with every client. Even more awesome is that it's not some 'standard' workflow-you put in what YOUR workflow is so it matches perfectly!

I was pleasantly surprised to see they'd worked a way to include an invoice that you can customize with your logo so you can present clients with a professional image while you're asking for their money (which you'll then track in the manager!).

Built right in is the ability to keep track of your bank accounts as well as client payments so you know EXACTLY where your money is going and know how much you owe in sales taxes or use tax. 

Now, who is the Easy Client and Money manager NOT for?

• Photographers who use professional accounting software in conjunction with professional client tracking (Think QuickBooks and DayLite or ShootQ, etc)

• Photographers who have a bookkeeper-the power is in the numbers side of this product so if you have someone professionally managing your money, you have plenty of other workflow tracking options

• Established photographers with a 500+ clients per year. While the excel would handle it, it is my personal opinion that it would be tedious to manage that many via this system. YMMV. 

• This is not for photographers who like to run various financial reports unless they also happen to be excel experts and know how to work with the data

Overall, I found the Easy Client and Money Manager to be just that: Easy! 

While I personally like a more robust solution (hey, I'm one of those people that loves running business numbers and ratios), I think that this is a great solution for a ton of photographers.   The Easy Client and Money Manager is simple with simple instructions, giving you what you need to get out from under overwhelm and into the freedom that comes with knowing what's going on in your business.

One thing to note: if you're a Mac user and you rely on numbers to read excel spreadsheets OR happen to be a google docs user: This will NOT work for you. The functions used in the spreadsheet are too complex for numbers or google docs and will load up broken and unusable.  You MUST have excel to use it. I know because I tried. Don't worry though-I also loaded it in Excel and it works exactly as promised. :-) 

On a scale of 1 to I GOTTA HAVE IT, this is a 7.5 for me. 

There's room for improvement but the bottom line is it does what it claims to do with a minimum amount of learning. Nearly everyone has excel so it works on all platforms which is a bonus.  

What I'd like to see: a prettier look. Yes, it's an excel spreadsheet but is there any reason for it to not look stylish?  Things that are lovely to look at get used more.  Seriously, there are books written about it. Like Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things. 

I'd also like to see a few more charts for seeing what the health of the business is (snapshots if you will) as well as a more integrated client tracking so that you aren't having to try to remember to be consistant. (I.E. Did I log John Smith as J. Smith or John S. or ???)

The bottom line is if you have NO clue what the health of your business is, if you have no idea whether you're making or losing money, if you're always worried about what you owe in taxes, if you always seem to be short on cash and have no idea where it all went, this is a great affordable option for you.

Normally $129, now through April 18th you can get the Easy Client and Money Manager for $89.  So if you're in need of way to keep track of your clients and money, now is the time! Click here to learn more Don't wait for next year when tax season rolls around-get on top of that now! 


Click to learn more about The Easy Client and Money Manager

But wait! We're giving one lucky reader a copy, compliments of The Modern Tog. Pretty sweet, right? We don't want anyone to miss out on the launch price though so the drawing ends April 14th.  To enter, simply leave a comment! Woohoo! That was easy, right? We'd love to hear how getting The Easy Client and Money Manager would make your life easier so leave a comment (please make sure your email is included in the space provided as we will be notifying the winner via email.)

You have until April 14th to leave a comment for your chance to win!

// Official Rules // NO PURCHASE NECESSARY // Open to US Residents 18 and up // Entries will be accepted April 9-April 14th, 2013 // Enter by leaving a comment (make sure your email address is entered on the comment form where it says "email address". This is how we will notify the winner  //  Winner will receive a copy of The Easy Client and Money Manager valued at $89  //  The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning  //  Winner will be selected by random drawing on April 15th and have 48 hours to claim their prize via email  //  If potential Grand Prize winner forfeits or does not claim the prize, prize will be re-awarded  //  VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW

//Disclaimer//
I was provided an advance copy for review, however, my review is about my own experience with the product.  Thanks for helping support this blog and its content creators by using the affiliate link contained in this post. 

Jennifer Grant is a editorial and lifestyle photographer from Metro Detroit, MI. She started her creative journey with web design and a passion for music when she fell in love with photography during her pursuit of learning business.  Her passion for business is fueled by her desire to see people in the business of being creative succeed and thrive and she loves helping other businesses find a solid foundation. 

Follow her on Twitter to get doses of inspiration and peeks at her daily adventures.

How to Move Your Business to a New Market

I've received a lot of questions about this topic, probably because I've started my small business in three different locations over the last 6 years. As most people know, it takes two years to really build a business, so what do you do if you have bills to pay and need to relocate?  You need to find work as soon as you can, so you can keep paying the bills after your savings has helped you make the transition.  From my experience, there are lots of ways to do this, but many require you to stretch yourself in new ways and change a few habits that come from getting comfortable in one place.  In this interview with Dane Sanders, I share some of the ways that I've made it possible to move my business three times and now live in Australia and travel the world for 8 months.  If you know someone who needs some advice on moving their business, please share this with them!  Also, make sure you check out the Fast Track Coaching archives, which are chocked full of interviews like this one!!

Click play on the video below to watch (the video is about 45 minutes long- feel free to leave any questions in the blog comments and I'll be sure to respond)...

Was there a key piece of advice that was meaningful to you?  

Do you have any other suggestions for people re-establishing their business in a new place?  

Do you have questions we didn't answer?  

Please leave a comment and let me know!

 






Anne Ruthmann is a lifestyle & wedding photographer from Boston, MA. She spent 10 successful years in marketing & management for corporate and non-profit businesses before pursuing her passion for photography as an independent small business.  She loves helping others find creative and low-cost solutions to business problems.  Follow her on Twitter to see her daily adventures and thoughts.

Where to Find Great Free Photo Business Education

Learning about photography is often the work of amateur photographers, while learning how to run a business is often the work of professionals photographers. Unfortunately, no matter how creative you are, if you want to make a living from your photography, you must understand the business side as well as you understand the photography. For that reason, I'm pretty jazzed about some great and FREE opportunities to learn more about the business of professional photography. If being a professional photographer or working for yourself is one of your new year resolutions, than check out these great opportunities to learn for free:

1. CHASE JARVIS LIVE
This is one of my favorite new additions to the world of professional photography education. Chase Jarvis Live is sponsored by Polaroid, which means he doesn't have to charge you for the content he's creating. He's recorded live interviews and ARCHIVED them for your FREE viewing pleasure to revisit whenever you have time. I've seen three so far and I have to say it's well worth your time to sit down with some morning coffee once a week to check it out. What's great about Chase is that he pulls in people from outside of the photography world- people who approach business and entrepreneurship from many different perspectives. I'm confident you won't be disappointed and you'll learn at least one new thing from each episode, even if you've been in the business for a while. If I could give Chase an official Photo Lovecat stamp- I would, because he's nailed the lovecat way. Visit the link below to check out the series:
http://blog.chasejarvis.com/live/

2. THE JOY OF MARKETING
I went back and forth about including this as a resource because the free content is a marketing pull to bring you into paid content options, however, I figure you're a smart cookie and if you should be applying money to your credit cards instead of accumulating more debt, than you'll resist the temptation to get the paid content until your finances are in order. That being said, the FREE offerings are so good that I HAD to mention it. Solid, direct, concise material for building your business, your brand, and your marketing strategies. Way to go Sarah Petty! Most of the stuff that you might want to pay for is actually available for free during the "live events." So, watch out for those and put time aside in your calendar to keep the livecast on in the background while you edit. Sarah's program has been around for more than a year now, so there are some real gems that you can access right now on the website before the next live event. Check it out on:
http://www.thejoyofmarketing.com/free

3. PUG, SMUG, ASMP, AND MEET-UP
After moving my business three times, I can definitely say that meeting other photographers in your local area and developing a local support network of colleagues is a key to running a successful business. In the Boston area, we have a lot of photography and meet-up groups, each one with their own particular flavor. All of the ones I've mentioned are free to join and are worth investigating to find out what's available in your local area. Here's a way to figure out which one is best for you:

PUG Meetings- sponsored by Pictage but open to everyone, these are great for meeting your local wedding & portrait photography community, sharing business ideas, and connecting with other professional photographers for assisting or second shooting trades. Each local PUG has a different feeling and community, which you'll learn more about after visiting a couple times. If you're a wedding or portrait photographer, this is a great free resource and way to connect with other professionals in your area:
http://www.pictage.com/thephotolife/pugs

SMUG Meetings- sponsored by SmugMug and open to everyone, the SmugMug community is generally made of amateur, part-time, sports, and fine art photographers. Since I still have yet to attend one, I can only imagine that it's very similar to the PUG meetings in that it's a great place to connect with other like-minded photographers and to learn a little something new at each meeting. Here's a link to find Smugs in your area:
http://www.smugmug.com/smugs/info/

ASMP Meetings- the American Society of Media Photographers is generally geared toward established professional commercial photographers and photojournalists. Unlike PUGs and SMUGs, there is a fee to be a regular member of a local ASMP chapter (much like PPA), however it's minimal compared to other memberships and it generally includes perks and discounts that you wouldn't get otherwise. I included it on this list as a FREE resource because there are generally plenty of informal get-together events happening on a weekly or monthly basis where you can meet the group and find out if it's the right fit for you. Since many of these people are established professionals with strong opinions, tread lightly and figure out the personalities and politics before asking too many questions, but don't let that stop you from checking out whatever they have to offer for free. Find your closest chapter here:
http://asmp.org/chapters/your-local-chapter


Now that you're armed with some great options for improving your business in the next year- I hope you'll let us know what you've found useful and if there are any resources we should add to our list! Check out the ones we've already listed in the past as well:
MORE Great Photographer Resources

Anne Ruthmann is a documentary lifestyle & wedding photographer from Boston, MA. She spent 10 years practicing marketing & management in corporate and non-profit businesses before pursuing her passion for photography as an independent small business. She loves helping others find creative and low-cost solutions to business problems. Follow her on Twitter to see her daily adventures and thoughts.

You Already Have The Answers

While consulting for other small businesses, I've found that most people already have the answers to help them overcome the problems they're currently facing, but for whatever reason they ignore those answers or they convince themselves that someone else has a better answer.  There are so many different ways to solve problems or move forward, but the best solution is the one that will work for YOU.  Fortunately, you probably already know what that is.  Unfortunately, you may be spending so much of your time thinking about, and maybe even trying out, the ways that other people do things that you've confused what works best for you with what works best for other people.

For example, I used to look at a lot of blogs and participate in a lot of forums.  If I did enough of it, eventually one of these things would happen:

• I'd compare myself and my work to that of others and either feel inferior or superior.
• I'd feel like I had to try what everyone else was trying because it was different and seemed "cool".
• I'd have an idea I thought was original and want to try it, but as soon as I found that someone else had tried it, I wouldn't even attempt it because it no longer felt original.
• I'd spend more time focusing on others and what they were doing rather than focusing on what I needed to do.

I've tried to re-enter the world of reading lots of other blogs and message boards, but each time I've spent more than an hour on these things, I start to notice one of the feelings above creeping back in.  In each case, they take me further away from who I am as an artist and as a business person.  I'm not saying there isn't value or inspiration to be found by checking in once in a while to see what's new, or to learn what "everyone" is obsessing about right now; what I'm saying is not to get so consumed by it that you start questioning yourself and your individual style, or that you start judging others rather than just being at peace with the fact that everyone is different and on their own unique journey.

So, how do we solve this problem?

The only way for you to get better at what you do is to listen to yourself.  Listen to what feels right and good for you.  Listen to what you're saying to yourself.  Notice when you say, "I can't" or "I don't know how."  Either find someone who "can" or spend time investing in yourself so that you can "know" for yourself.  Push yourself to try new and different things, but always analyze whether you feel good about what you did, how you did it, and why you did it.  If a task you're doing feels painful or too difficult, it's a clear sign you need to find someone else who enjoys it and thinks it's easy (yes, there are people who love doing the things we hate- like accountants!)  Just because someone else "seems" to be doing it all on their own, doesn't mean that you have to.  You have a unique set of strengths and those are what you need to spend your time focusing on in order to be successful.  

You already have the answers, you just need to take yourself seriously.  If you aren't sure how to listen to yourself, get a mentor, a coach, or a friend to listen to you and be your mirror by sharing what they hear you saying.  Sometimes we dismiss our own thoughts, but they have power and control over us in ways that we often don't realize.  When we hear someone repeat these thoughts back to us- we gain a greater awareness of our own truth and a window into our own best solutions.

Anne Ruthmann is a lifestyle & wedding photographer from Boston, MA. She spent 10 years practicing marketing & management in corporate and non-profit businesses before pursuing her passion for photography as an independent small business.  She loves helping others find creative and low-cost solutions to business problems.  Check out her next workshop or free talk at SmarterBusinessWorkshop.com.

Dirty Little Secret of the Photography Industry, Pt. 2

There are a lot of photographers "faking it" until they "make it."

Since some people misinterpreted my last post on percentage of full time photographers in our industry, let's be clear about what I mean by "faking it":

• suggesting that a portfolio full of images created at a workshop came from hired jobs
• telling clients that you've been photographing weddings for 5 years when 4 of those years you were just attending as a guest and bringing your camera along
• creating styled bridal shoots and wedding set-ups and passing them off as real weddings
• using images created by other photographers to represent your own professional portfolio
• using models that you've done trade work for and claiming they hired you
• claiming you're an award-winning photographer without actually receiving an award
• selling with images from photographers that are no longer part of your company, or are not a regular part of your photography team
• passing off your images as a second shooter as if you were the primary shooter

Deception of any kind is just wrong. What makes me sad is that there's a lot of it floating around in our industry and because clients and newer photographers can't tell the difference between what's real and what's not, they can get sucked into it like a moth to a flame.  I've even heard of workshops that advocate people "fake it until you make it," but I really don't see a lasting business strategy in that.  Having confidence in your abilities wherever you are- yes, but saying you have experience that you don't- no.  The minute your colleagues find out what you've been doing- you've lost their respect for you and your business because they won't know what else you may be lying about.  Also, you're only putting yourself in a really awkward situation when you claim to have more experience and then find yourself in a situation in which other people are taking a financial risk on you bringing that to the table, but you can't.

I have so much respect for people who are humble about their situation and can sit down with a couple and say, "look, you're my second wedding and I'm giving you an awesome rate because you're putting a lot of trust in me." I really don't see the need for people to lie about where they came from or how long they've been in this- if people like your work, they really aren't going to care how long you've been in the game- so why lie about it?  There's actually more power in being real and honest- which helps clients be more understanding and knowledgable of when and if something goes wrong, and establishes a level of trust and respect built on honesty.  That honesty helps you create a better connection with your local photography community- which becomes your first line of help if something goes wrong and you need a backup.

An honest business will always outlast a business built on a foundation of lies.

The Dirty Little Secret of the Photography Industry, Pt. 1

80% of people who call themselves a professional photographer are not making their full time living as a professional photographer.

Unfortunately we don't have a way to get the hard facts on this number because it might actually be something more like 90%. How would we measure it? Photography websites compared to tax returns? If you restrict the answer to a survey stemming from a professional organization, than it's going to look very different because you're surveying a set of people who have already fully invested in joining a professional organization. So, this number is based on my personal experience of living and working as a full-time professional photographer, talking with other photographers, and engaging in community groups with other photographers.

Photography is a great part-time hobby turned extra source of income for a lot of people, but very few photographers are making a full time living doing this. Many photographers won't reveal to their clients- or even to other photographers- that they have another job because they are afraid it will make them seem less serious as a photographer. I kind of understand why they would do this when it comes to working with clients, though I think it would help clients have a better understanding of a lot of things, as well as appropriate expectations about service for someone who isn't a full time photographer.

Where this lack of full-disclosure becomes most dangerous is with young photographers or aspiring artists who don't know the full story. They have no idea what percentage of the websites and blogs they see are actually doing photography for a living. They end up thinking photography is an easy way to make a living doing what they love and then start out basing their own business off of people who may not even be running a business profitable enough to pay the bills.

In Boston, there are five major photography schools that pump out at least 150 photography graduates each year who expect to make a full time living in photography because they now have a degree in it. They get starry eyed reading photography blogs and they assume that people who post a lot on their blogs are making a full time living in photography. They have no idea what's really happening behind the scenes, or how what seems like a "career" on someone's blog is really just a part-time job that helps cover expenses like iPads, nice lenses, and the latest camera gear for 80% of the photographers out there.

I work out of a studio where I'm surrounded by over 150 other artist studios. When I look at the people who are making a full time living doing what they love, I see people who are spending at least 50% of their time on running, managing, and marketing their business. They are both business savvy and artistically creative and they work hard at furthering themselves in both areas on a regular basis. Without the two, it's pretty difficult to make a full-time, self-employed living doing what you love. Now, you could actually be a horrible artist and still make a living from art if you're very business savvy, which tends to piss off a lot of artists, but..

If you're an amazing artist without much in the way of business smarts (or someone managing your business for you) than you're going to spend a lot of time living the "starving artist" lifestyle.

There, I said it, someone needed to.

(Update: This post has stirred quite a discussion... view the comments to see what other people have to say about the topic...)

Anne Ruthmann is a lifestyle & wedding photographer from Boston, MA. She spent 10 years practicing marketing & management in corporate and non-profit businesses before pursuing her passion for photography as an independent small business. She loves helping others find creative and low-cost solutions to business problems. Check out her next workshop at SmarterBusinessWorkshop.com.

Let's Get Together

I want to meet you and connect you with other photographers in your area. One of the things that has helped me so much over the last six years of moving & starting my business over in three different states, has been the ability to connect with my peers and colleagues at local PUG meetings. No, we're not talking dogs, we're talking photographers. PUG meetings are sponsored by Pictage, but they are open to you no matter what lab you use (Pictage helps pay for snacks and drinks, as well as providing support for national photography speakers who offer free talks at meetings.) Local PUG meetings are open to all professional and aspiring professional photographers and are designed to help local photographers support each other. I host the PUG in Boston and every time I get an email from a photographer who just moved to the area, or a student who recently graduated and is now looking for people to work with, I always invite them to the monthly PUG.

Of all the professional groups in the city, it's the most welcoming group of photographers that are easy to connect with and are interested in learning from one another and helping each other out.

Our PUG has hosted free talks from people like Joe Buissink, Dane Sanders, Jared Platt, Mike Larson, Jim Collins, Wade Holloway, and so many more. After each meeting, guests have had a chance to connect individually with the speakers and get one on one feedback. Usually before a presentation, we spend time connecting with each other and sharing stories about what happened in the last month or what projects we're working on. We've also hosted many local people like Wedding Planners, Tax Accountants, Financial Planners, Commercial Photographers, Consultants, and even an engaged couple who met with many different local photographers just to get their perspective on the whole photography meeting experience. We have learned so much from each other, and we are all better off for it. As much as we can connect online and learn from webinars, what's still missing is that solid local support network that you can really only get by meeting your local colleagues face to face.

If your equipment fails and you can't rent in time... if you break a leg the day before a wedding... if your second shooter backs out on you... your local photography community is where you can find the help you need to uphold your professional commitment when time and resources are tight. There's just no replacement for that.

So, let's get together. I'm going to be visiting several PUG groups around the country to help people get their email, time, and brand under control with some quick & easy tips. This is a FREE event. If you're anywhere near the area, I hope you'll come out so I can meet you and so you can connect with your local photography community. Please RSVP if you plan to come out for the evening so we can have plenty of snacks and drinks waiting for you:

California - San Francisco April 20th:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=195098363855843

Florida - Orlando April 26th:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=151710554888959

Texas - Houston May 5th: (Christine will be there too!)
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=120351248039352

Michigan - Detroit May 10th:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=134529556615135

Anne Ruthmann is a lifestyle & wedding photographer from Boston, MA. She spent 10 years practicing marketing & management in corporate and non-profit businesses before pursuing her passion for photography as an independent small business. She loves helping others find creative and low-cost solutions to business problems. Check out her next workshop at SmarterBusinessWorkshop.com.

Joystart Your Year

Here at PhotoLovecat.com, we love anything we can help you get for FREE - especially education. I'm pretty excited about this event, which was launched a couple weeks ago to help small photography businesses get that little spark of inspiration or set of ideas that will propel them forward. I didn't want to share it on PhotoLovecat.com until I had personally gone through the experience of participating and listening to make sure it was good content and to see where "the catch" was in providing so much quality content.

Now, of course they have options that you can pay for and they smartly make it super easy to pay for them without hardly thinking. That's where your willpower and smarts needs to come in so that you don't drop your entire education budget for the year on one day of internet surfing. (What do you mean you don't have an education budget?! Hmmm.. maybe you should think about that.) There are a few Wednesdays over the course of several weeks that you can sign in and listen to all of the content for FREE- and that's what's awesome about the program. These are successful photographers and great motivational speakers to really help you achieve your best in your photography business. I'm not one to just jump on any bandwagon out there. I believe in these speakers and what they stand for, so you know it's good, quality stuff. Check it out today, to catch some of the quality content for free! If you miss it, read the full description of content before purchasing anything so that you're only getting info you NEED, and not just because you missed it. If you're attending WPPI - many of the people listed in Joystart Your Year will be speaking there as well, which is included in your conference registration- so there will be other opportunities to hear them for "free".

Anne Ruthmann is a lifestyle & wedding photographer from Boston, MA. She spent 10 years practicing marketing & management in corporate and non-profit businesses before pursuing her passion for photography as an independent small business. She loves helping others find creative and low-cost solutions to business problems. Follow her on Twitter to see her daily adventures and thoughts.

Making the Most of Your Mentoring Experience

While everyday mentoring happens quite randomly with just a few questions here and there until a regular relationship forms with someone over time, a consultation or set-aside time for mentoring requires more preparation and focus in order to get the most information possible in the shortest amount of time.  Since 90 people will win great mentors in the Thirst Relief Mentor Auction ending THIS evening, I wanted to share some tips to help you get the most out of your mentoring experience!

Know Your Goals

Start by writing out what you need to need to know, or do, in order to move forward in your business. This list is just for you, so write everything that comes to mind. After you've listed everything you can think of, start prioritizing items by what is most important right now, versus things you'd like to do eventually. Once you've identified your top priorities, pick 3 that you'd like to explore with your mentor. By sticking to 3 prioritized goals, you'll be able to focus on what you can start implementing right away, which will help you feel a greater sense of accomplishment.

Communicate Difficulties

It's one thing to have goals, but you also need to be able to communicate why you've had a hard time moving forward with your goals. Understanding the difficulties you're facing will help your mentor provide solutions or alternative approaches to the problems. Everyone faces similar difficulties at some point in their attempt to build a business, so be honest about the challenges you're facing, even if you think they might seem personal, insignificant, or silly.  This is not the time to hide your insecurities, because sometimes the smallest things can make the biggest difference.

Create Action Steps

Once you've worked with a mentor to create solutions for difficulties in achieving your goals, turn those solutions into action steps. Action steps should be small and concrete. For example, your goal might be to create a new website, but that involves many small action steps like: selecting favorite images, writing a new bio, getting an updated headshot, updating pricing information, etc. Your mentor should be able to help you identify exactly what those small steps are and possibly even help you accomplish them by providing feedback on what works best. When solutions are broken down into small steps, suddenly the goal doesn't seem so overwhelming or impossible to achieve, and progress can be made.

Set Due Dates

Deadlines are the ultimate motivator for actually accomplishing goals. Your mentor can help you determine reasonable due dates for each of your action steps and if they're really cool, they'll even check in with you to make sure you accomplished everything. To help yourself, put your due dates in your calendar with reminders along the way to set time aside for getting everything done, because sometimes things only get done when you've set time aside for them.

Get Feedback

Once you've accomplished the goals you worked with your mentor on, share your success with them and invite their feedback on your accomplishments. Mentors love seeing the results!  Be open to what they have to say and welcome any suggestions for further improvement. Often times the biggest mistake we make is in thinking that we're "done" when there's always more that we can improve upon. Great mentors will care about your results, so don't be afraid to reach out to them after the time they've committed to giving you. Just make sure that you're respectful of their time by only asking for responses that can't be found elsewhere online.

Good luck with the final hours of bidding!  I hope you win a great mentor!

Anne Ruthmann is a lifestyle & wedding photographer from Boston, MA. She spent 10 years practicing marketing & management in corporate and non-profit businesses before pursuing her passion for photography as an independent small business. She loves helping others find creative and low-cost solutions to business problems. Follow her on Twitter to see her daily adventures and thoughts.

Thirst Relief EBay Auction Tips

This is the 3rd year that I've participated as a mentor in the Thirst Relief Mentor Auction sponsored by Thirst Relief International and ShootQ.  With the help of an EBay savvy family member, I've put together a few tips to help you win a mentor and put your donation to good use.  Check back tomorrow for tips on getting the most out of the mentor that you've won!

Tips for bidding & winning mentor auctions on EBay:

Identify your mentors.  Select your ideal mentor, and then identify two or three more people that you would be interested in learning from.  It's important to identify several possible mentors in advance in case you get outbid on the mentor you initially wanted.

Know what's included.  Some auctions only include a particular product, some are giving you a couple hours of their time and dinner at WPPI only, and some are willing to give everything they have.  Make sure you're bidding on a mentor that is going to give you something that you really need and value.  Personality alone may not be enough to help you out in the ways you need it, and some people you've never heard of may actually end up being the most helpful.

Watch your favorites.  Once you've identified the mentors you'd like to work with, click "Watch This Item" under the bid button to help keep track of the mentors you're interested in so that you have a quick link and summary for just the auctions you're interested in.

Place maximum bid.  I believe in having a budget and sticking to it, which is why I advocate placing your maximum bid right up front.  This doesn't mean that you are actually bidding your total budget right off the bat, it just means that you're telling EBay the maximum you are willing to donate and then letting the system incrementally bid for you against any potential competition until you've reached your maximum bid.  It's also useful to place your maximum bid an odd amount above the whole dollar amount you've budgeted.  So, instead of $500, bid something like $507.89, so that you're just above the other people who weren't savvy enough to think outside of the zeros.  With this method you may actually win for less than your maximum bid, or you will be notified as soon as someone has busted your bidding budget, so that you can move onto another option that might be within your budget.  It's the most efficient bidding method, so that you aren't spending your precious time watching an auction instead of doing things that will help your business.

Get notification.  You can set up EBay to notify you in a variety of ways, so set up a notification that works best for you- whether it's email, text to your phone, skype, or some other method.  That way you can be on the ball when you need to and not worry about it until then.

Note ending times.  Each auction ends at a different time in order to allow losers from one auction to find another auction they can win.  Note the order in which your favorite auctions end so that you can be proactive about the plan you'll take to find a great mentor so that you can put your donation budget to good use. (Note: It appears that this year's auctions end in alphabetical order by last name.)  If you find that all of the auctions you're interested in are bidding higher than your budget, than it might be a good time to start considering other mentors out there. Remember that your budget was established as what you are willing to donate to the Thirst Relief cause, not just what one person's time is worth.  Everyone in the auction has been invited because they have something valuable to offer, and they've all agreed to participate because they want to help others.  Taking a chance on someone you've never heard of means your bidding budget still goes to a good cause, and you may be pleasantly surprised by what you can learn from someone who spends most of their time working "out of the spotlight".

How to Quickly Improve Client Meetings

When I was a teacher, the best feedback I received was often the feedback I gave myself after watching a video of me teaching in my own classroom.  There are so many things that happen in the moment, but when we're focused on what we need to do, it becomes easy to overlook all of those little things that may be making a bigger difference than we think!

Now, I have to admit that watching a video of ourselves is a bit painful at first.  The camera adds 20 lbs, we get to see all of our little physical oddities and habits that are usually easy to ignore, and for some people, hearing their own voice on a recording is like scratching fingernails on a chalkboard.  It's not easy to watch, but you really should do this as often as you can and no less than once a year.  I suggest setting up a camera in a part of the room where you can see both your own body language and the body language of the client.  Notice their reactions, their hesitations, how they look through your images, what they seem to gravitate toward and what they push away from.  Listen to how quickly you talk, how much you listen, how you come across - does it match what you thought you were doing?

There's soooo much insight to be gained from watching just that ONE video because you'll see things you've NEVER seen before even though they were right in front of you!!  As long as you don't share your video with anyone else, there's no need to disclose that you're recording, it's just a personal evaluation for yourself.  If you have a red recording light on your camera, just cover it up with some tape.  I would be really interested to hear back and see what you learned from this one simple step!!  I GUARANTEE it will help you improve your meetings with clients!!

ANNE

Anne Ruthmann is a lifestyle & wedding photographer from Boston, MA. She spent 10 years practicing marketing & management in corporate and non-profit businesses before pursuing her passion for photography as an independent small business. She loves helping others find creative and low-cost solutions to business problems. Follow her on Twitter to see her daily adventures and thoughts.

Great Photographer Resources

We have a running list on the right side of this blog with great photography resources when we find them, but if you see this blog in a feed reader or via email, than you probably haven't checked them out lately! We add new links from time to time when we find valuable resources. Because we volunteer our time and information on this blog (we aren't paid for our contributions) it also means that no one pays to be a part of our links, which allows us to share the things we love and not just things which pay to appear on our page. So, if you're looking for some good information, feel free to check out these links:

• PPA: Professional Photographers of America


• WPPI: Wedding & Portrait Photographers International


• WPJA: Wedding Photojournalist Association


• NAPP: National Association of Photoshop Professionals


• DWF: Digital Wedding Forum


• Photo.net Forum


• Photography Mentor Forum


• Pro Photo Resource Forum


• Open Source Photo Forum


• Foundation Workshop Forum


• Starting a Wedding Biz Flickr Forum


• The [b] School Blog


• Design Aglow Blog


• Pay It Forward Blog


• Ask Dane Blog


• Photo Business News Blog


• Strobist Blog


• Strategy Avenue Blog


• Make Light Real Blog


• Hey Girl, Nice Shot Blog


• Photo Attorney Blog


• F-Stop Beyond Blog


• Shutter Blog


• Photojojo Blog


• The Biggest Photographer Blogroll Ever

We also previously published a list of entirely free online resources, which you can find here:
http://photolovecat.blogspot.com/2007/02/free-online-resources.html

Are there any resources you think we've missed?

Anne Ruthmann is a lifestyle & wedding photographer from Boston, MA. She spent 10 years in the corporate & non-profit world before pursuing her passion for photography. When not behind the computer or camera, she can be found exploring the world with her husband. Follow her on Twitter.

Opportunity of a Lifetime - Image X '08

If you haven't heard of Image X, you've probably been hiding under a rock or buried in work. Some of the top photographers in the wedding and portrait biz are hosting three days of all out intense learning capped off with a whole lot of New Orleans fun!! Fortunately for ONE photolovecat blog reader, there's a spot open for you and it's HALF OFF!! Instead of the $1699 price tag, I'll be paying your deposit so that you'll be able to attend for $849- which INCLUDES your hotel stay at the fabulous Omni hotel- WOO HOO! All you'll have to do is get there! I believe that workshops are a great way to expand your knowledge and to find out how other photographers (and not just presenters) are making it all work!

Since it's only a month away, I don't want to waste any time! So, I'm just going to give it to the first person who leaves a comment with their website address! If you already see a comment, go ahead and leave your info just in case someone backs out! Good luck!! - Anne

Thoughts on Judging Print Competitions

I was thrilled to finally meet David Beckstead, "one of the top 10 wedding photographers in the world" according to American Photo Magazine, and even more excited to hear that he was willing to share his thoughts on print competitions and judging after his recent experience of sitting on the panel for WPPI's print competition. He is a gracious and generous person, as well as an incredibly talented artist, and I'm so grateful that he was willing to share his thoughts here on photolovecat. Please take the time to learn from his wisdom before entering your next print competition! And now, for David's thoughts in his own words....

"Musings Of A WPPI Print Judge.
By David Beckstead

Now that my judging in the Photojournalism category is over, I wanted to tell you about concepts I have learned about entering prints into the WPPI competition in 2008.

There was some amazing imagery entered at this convention. Some of the prints, in my opinion, could have scored higher and I will explore this further in my article. The judging was fair, balanced, and most of the judges had more experience at judging than I. Some of the judges have been in the business for over 20 years and this did not affect their ability to judge the more contemporary style compositional concepts. Most judges were over 40 (myself included). The judges’ photography experience level was very high.

I learned a great deal here at WPPI this year. At my weddings I shoot 85% PJ. On forums I show 80% or more fashion-wedding-style imagery. I shot PJ for newspapers and I have photographed fires for the Forest Service. This is my second time at judging this style of competition. I knew I could judge impartially and with an experienced compositional eye.

That being said, most images just did not have the kind of dynamic PJ impact to win awards, much less score over 79. An amazing amount of money went into WPPI's hands. (Of course it takes a ton of money to run this competition, yet with all the 79's and lower, I believe they made a profit) This is not a game! You will surmise from this article that I believe it is better to win than to lose if you spend your hard earned money to enter print competitions. It is best to formulate a winning plan of action before entering these competitions. I hope some of these points will help.

Here is what seemed to take points off prints that were entered (not in order of importance):

1. Complex matting: especially mats with imagery around them.
2. No traditional cutout matting. No matter what, most prints that were not matted seemed to score lower. Digital matting is not as strong a frame for your prints. With the many categories I judged within the PJ section, digital framing rarely won any of the first 3 places. Digital mats collected dust and scratches. Colored digital mats seemed to bring imagery down in points. Some digital keylines did not work with the imagery. Glossy digital mats scratched easily. Colored mats did not do well. Simple cream or white did best with traditional cutout matting. Dark sloppy boarders did not do well.
3. Poor printing lowered scores. Textured printing did poorly and did not look good under the lights. Glossy images reflected the lights and caused problems with some judging angles.
4. Tone work: It seemed that toning an image often would block-up the darks and lights, especially the darks. Often you would lose depth, lose detail, lose subject clothing, especially in the grooms dark suits. I saw plenty of this and most were scored down for it.
5. Digital artifacts: This was a big one! If it was glaringly digital, it did badly even if the content was good. There were plenty of digital problems in prints, mostly color shifts.
6. Overlays were a big problem!! A newer problem. Often overlays would cause a distraction from a nicely composed print. Overlays were just not appreciated by PJ judges. 90% of the time, the use of overlays scored down a print. I felt like I had a little more of an open mind for overlays than some of the other judges. Yet many times overlays would just distract from a great shot.
7. Over processed work: Many prints would have done better without the heavy processing imposed upon them by well-meaning photographers. PJ judges do not appreciate too much processing in the prints they judge!
8. Many of the judges came from the news media. Horizontal format did better as a whole. Most judges would not admit to that, I think. Take this as you will. The vertical format is a harder landscape to tell complex storylines. Not to say that it could not be done.
9. For some reason, very simple compositional concepts scored less. Many shots were incredibly simple with amazing compositional concepts such as Shape, Lines, Light, and it seemed judges needed more complexity. This is hard to describe because I am drawn to simple, uncluttered compositions. One subject interplaying with no other person but architectural or natural elements seemed to not draw out more points.
10. Poor titles: If the title did not match the concept, it seemed to add a negative effect and score down. Prints called 'Reflections" got judges laughing in a bad way. It was over used. At least 10 images were called this and I think last year, many more.
11. Untitled prints with story concepts that needed titles.
12. Prints in the wrong category are a ‘BIG’ one! A person entering prints needs a second opinion. One print (no lie) would have scored extremely high except for the fact that it was an illustrative concept, beautifully processed and in the right category, a winner.
Everyone 'had' to score it low to make a point. They could not shift prints into the right categories because you don’t always know why a photographer chose to place it there. This was sad, but life!
13. When black and white was used for no apparent reason, (losing color depth that was important) many judges picked up on this instinctively and lowered scores.
14. The interaction between only the bride and groom was a touchy entry into PJ. It must appear to be PJ to get a good score. Most often the b&g image would appear to be 'setup', thus not being PJ and scoring lower. Just because you know it is PJ does not mean it is glaringly obvious to the judges.
15. A story that was incomplete and hard to decipher gathered fewer points, especially if it was obvious that the photographer was trying to tell one.
16. Just because there was a tear in the eye of the subject in print did not automatically score higher.
17. Imagery that seemed shot in the 80's, star filter use, imagery that has been seen over and over for decades, scored low. Spot coloring did badly.
18. Abstract concepts in print (I am very drawn to these) did not as a whole do well. Even if the abstract was PJ, they seemed to need a category on their own.


Here are the points that seemed to bring the score up:

1. Great printing: Great matte-style prints scored higher then glossy. They looked better under lights.
2. Great toning seemed to do better especially when printed in matte. Toning done right and for the right reasons seemed to score higher than the same image-content-style in color.
3. Simple clean mats around the print.
4. Complex PJ moments with secondary (and more) storylines did very well, if they were not cluttered with overlays or heavy processing.
5. Unique titles: If the title matched the print concept and the print was great, the title would add points.
6. When b&w was used as a vehicle to draw your eye to emotional concepts, dull down visually chaotic backgrounds, decrease unwanted depth, and done with purpose in mind, points seemed to be higher.
7. Classy indented mats seemed to turn heads in good way.
8. Emotional connections between the judges and the image content always did well. This is not as subjective as you think. If the full complete story was being told to the viewer and many of the above points were also there, the print scored very high.

(The reason I have less points that bring scores up is that it was harder to quantify and more subjective than the points that brought scores down)

Psychology of size: It felt like those who entered small-to medium-sized prints have the confidence in their impact and compositions to take that risk. Printing too small was good and bad. If you make the judges get up and look at the image up close, then it would make them talk badly about this later, but did not seem to affect the outcome. Often a small printed image did better because of the risk factor. On the flip side, those who enter full -bleed prints as large as WPPI allows, believe that this will influence the judging. Suffice it to say that rarely did the large-bleed prints score in the top 3 spots. My conclusion is that most of the prints scoring high were in the middle-range size and the confidence was just not as strong with photographers entering full-bleed prints, thus most of these prints were not high scoring.

I have been hearing, seeing and feeling a buzz against over-processed imagery for competitions. I saw this at the PJ judging. I believe the next few years will see a downturn on over-processed imagery with an embrace of simple PS darkroom-style tools to get back to that clean out-of-camera-capture look. This is where I am going!

Other points:

1. Large prints do not sway the judges.
2. Untitled prints: Judges liked titles, but they were not always necessary. A title that made you laugh did not influence points.
3. Degree of difficulty: something to do with higher scoring shots. If it feels like it was a very difficult shot to capture, and a once in a few years opportunity to make, then they saw that right off and scored it higher.
4. Many, many images seemed to be straddling the category fence. Sadly, there seemed to be no category that worked perfectly for these prints. Some were very good, but did not fit anywhere. This was sad to me! But I leave this to you: if you are going to spend your hard-earned money to enter, you should get second opinions and squarely land your prints in the right category. If your image does not seem to land directly into any category, don't enter it. That is life. Yet occasionally a print on the fence would score well anyway. That is luck. Don't enter hoping for luck!
5. Do not forget that print competitions are not "JUST" about the image creativity. If you entered last minute, sub-par printing and matting, it glaringly showed and lost you money. Better not to enter than to not take the time to do the best you can.
6. The only reason I can see to enter the WPPI print competition is to win. Many photographers did not make this a top priority. No lie!
7. I saw no bias for b&w over color. There are very important reasons to make the choice between color or converting to b&w. These concepts need to be seriously studied by photographers who enter. Many prints would have scored better if photographers had a better grasp of these concepts.
8. Many prints could have been cropped better to add conceptual impact. Many images could have been cropped to improve mood, drama, tension, and to improve compositions. I noticed this as a very important part of why many images did not score higher. The image was there. It just needed better crop concepts. I wanted to get up and help improve crops and improve points right on the spot, but this was not allowed.


In the PJ category, the ‘degree of difficulty’ won the Grand award over a very wonderful, simple composition. Between the two, it was very difficult to decide the winner, but the final winner won because we all knew that this image-capture was something that does not come around often, if at all, for most wedding photographers. And that photographer captured it with an eye for creativity, art, composition and cropping. They went out of their way to display the print with the positive concepts I wrote above.


I also judged the "Wedding Details" section.
The more the degree of difficulty, the more the unique content not seen much before, the better the points. Simple dress and shoe shots did not do well. Same with ring shots. Details with secondary storylines did better.

I judged the “Humor” section and fun-contrived humor won 2 of the 3 top spots. Really it came down to what made you laugh along with the photographer’s art in framing the concept. It did not have to be just purely PJ.



My final point:
I think photographers owe it to themselves to become more informed on how to win competitions. I hate to say this, but it seems some photographers see competitions like slot machines: put your money in and hope for the best. Vegas was built this way! In print competition, it is up to you to increase the odds of winning by educating yourself and eliminating the guesswork.

Never be afraid to lose, just develop a healthy dislike for it!


Here are some links I found while searching for “how to win photo competitions” on the web. I did not fully read these but they looked good. I did not want to be influenced by these because the article above was about what I experienced and what I felt about my time judging at the WPPI print competition this year.

http://www.photocritic.org/2007/how-to-win-a-photography-contest/

http://www.schoolofphotography.com/if/infocus17.html

http://www.betterphoto.com/contest/guidelines.asp

http://photographycontests.blogspot.com/

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1306/is_2_71/ai_n11830432

http://photoinf.com/ (great place to study composition)
You have got to spend time here!! I have had this bookmarked for many years. "


To learn more about David Beckstead, visit these links...
http://www.davidbeckstead.com
http://www.admiredbybeckstead.com/
http://www.wedshooter.com/
http://www.shootwithbeckstead.com/