Going Pro Learn the Business of Photography: Recent Episodes
Mike Goldsmith
This podcast is for photographers of all levels who want to take their work to the next level. Explore what it takes to become a professional photographer. Develop the knowledge and skills to change and or advance your career.
Episode 15
Show Notes
Fine Art Photography
In this we talk about Fine Art Photography,
You Will Learn
- The definition of Fine Art Photography
- The difference between fine art and commercial photography
- How to organize your fine art
- Where to resource fine art printing
- The pros and coons of doing it yourself
Links and Resources .
Fine art printing paper sources
www.redriverpaper.com
epson.com
moab.com
Professional printing resources
www.whitewall.com/eu
www.pritique.com
www.millerslab.com
Episode 14
Street Photography
In this episode we will explore the different aspects of street photography as well as the legal and ethical aspects of shooting in public.
You will learn about.
- Things to be aware of when doing street photography
- Best practices for including people in your work
- Opportunities beyond shoot ing people in public
- How to approach people you want to photograph
- The things you can and cannot do with street photography
- When you need a model release
- When you need a property release.
- Resources available to the street photographer
Tips and Tricks
Travel light, don’t carry a lot of bulky equipment. Work with normal and wider lenses, create a story that captures the essence of the moment.
Be engaging, introduce yourself when appropriate, share your story and learn as much as you can about others, share your informatio. Being out and around often leads to good networking opportunities.
Resources
Replace your standard old business cards with the latest technology. The PoPi card.
With a tap of your phone or a scan of your QR code you can share your information with anyone directly on their contacts.
When you use the link below you will be helping to support this podcast. And when you enter the discount code GOPRO you will receive 20% off your first order.
https://popl.co/?ref=goprophotog
Going Pro ~
Show Notes
Episode 13 Building Your Brand
In this episode I have been very clear about the fact that you should not only want to establish yourself as a credible photographer in your field or specialty but you should want to establish yourself as a brand.
I outlined the key elements when building a brand. I talked about starting with a concept that will stand out and put you apart of the competition. You want to create something that will make people see you coming and make them focus on the fact that you are their go-to photographer for what ever you have to offer.
There first and perhaps the most overlooked element in building a brand is a logo.
I often have people who ask he if a logo is really necessary, strictly speaking the answer is no. You can still be a photographer without a logo. The same way you can drive a car without headlights, or a horn. The car will still shift into gear and go when you push the gas, but what happens when you want to be seen or get someones attention?
Key components of good design are color along with font styles. For this I recommend turning ti adobe.com . Adobe fonts is an invaluable resource that comes with every Adobe cloud subscription and are, in my opinion one of the best sources around.
Once you have chosen colors, font styles and have a logo you will need to go to work carrying over those design elements into everything you will produce that is going to represent your business.
I am talking about things like business cards, letterheads, contracts, digital media for you social Medina Chanels and for your website.
Its a good idea to carry over your branding into things like handouts, price lists, post cards if you do mailing and they are great to put in your portfolio when you do drop-offs.
As you get going you can carry your design over into swag, or promotional giveaways such as teeshirts, caps and other wearables.
I know photographers who deliver client work on vanity thumb drives with their log and contact information. The idea is that you are putting your brand out in front of clients and prospective clients constantly. It’s that kind of consistency and persistence that will set you apart from the others.
BELOW ARE LINKS TO USEFUL RESOURCES.
www.adobe.com I addition to the cornerstone tools adobe offers to photographers they also have many products available to the design community including adobe fotnts which I can not recommend enough.
If you have a full cloud subscription then you already have access to illustrator and indesign two products that are widely used by designers.
www.moo.com Moo is a premium printing company who offers a wide range of printing products from really nice business cards, post cards and a lot more. They are worth checking out.
www.vistaprint.com. Another printing company that offers a large selection of printing products, from business cards, post cards letterhead and more. They offer outstanding products at affordable prices.
www.DOT.com If you want to go heigh-tech and at a reasonable cost DOT offers a credit card size card that is blank except for a distinctive QR code. When you buy the card you get access to a website where you can load all your information, picture contact info website and social media. When someone scans the code all your information is on their phone, no more lost business cards and best of all its a one time fee that’s very
In this episode I will talk about your most important sales tool.. Your portfolio.
You will learn how to build a portfolio that showcases your range and creativity and how to use your portfolio to to target specific clients .
You will learn the advantages of having both a digital and print portfolio.
I will reveal goals you should set when planning your portfolio as well as best practices that will help you develop your sales skills and keep you at the top of your game.
You will also learn about how your portfolio is the cornerstone of you brand identity,
Important information
Thank you for tuning in today. I hope you will download the podcast and the show notes, and that you will subscribe where ever you get you rpodcast.
All all are welcome here and I invite you to join the ever growing number of shutterbugs over on the website
SIGN UP HERE for the Going Pro blog and joining the Facebook group where you can become a part of the conversation.
If you have a question
Use the as a question link here or on the website to ask a relevant question . I will answer all questions submitted In the blog . I will select the best questions to answer on the podcast. So if you have a question you would like me to answer. ASK QUESTION HERE.
In the next Episode You Will Learn:
- The importance of creating a personal brand
- The elements of a brand.
- How to build your brand
We will also begin to explore the different platforms available to build your portfolio
- The range of options you have to choose from
- The advantages of each
- Which options are designed for which specalties.
You will receive links to free resources to helpp you get started.
There is are hidden assets on every photographers computer. The images you didn't print, publish or otherwise deliver to a client. The is where stock photography comes in.
In this episode I will explain how stock photography works and how you can use it to add value to your photography business.
What You will Learn
- Where does stock Photography come from
- What are the uses of stock phootgraphy
- About the different kinds of agencies
- The defense between rights managed and royalty free sites
- How to choose a stock photo agency
- How to prepare you work for submission
List and Links to Top Stock Photo SitesAdobe Stock
An outstanding, high quality stock site available to all Adobe subscribers.
Best Place to Sell Photos Online, Footage Clips, Illustrations, & Vectors - Adobe Stock
Almy
A London based agency with global reach…
Contributor Registration : Sign up to Sell Images | Alamy
Getty Images
Work With Us
Shutterstock
Sell photos, footage clips, illustrations & vectors | Shutterstock
123RFOther Links
Stock Photos, Vectors and Royalty Free Images from 123RF
In this episode, I will explain the alphabet soup of business formation
DBA, LLC and INC, and get you started on deciding which business form is right for you,
YOU WILL LEARN
- The difference between DBA, LLC and INC.
- The pros and cons of each business type.
- A explanation on self employment taxes.
- How to hire an assistant
- How to prepare your business for tax time.
When you work for another photographer.
You should have a signed independent contractor agreement with the photographer and reach run understanding about the copyright ownership gf the images that you will be creating on his shoot. This is an important part of any employment t agreement you reach and should be memorialized in writing before you start the assignment
When you hire an assistant or second shooter.
You should enter into a independent contractor agreement and receive a W4 Tax for along with verification of the freelancers social security number, This will allow you to accurately report wages and provide the freelance with a 1099 for their tax filing.
Important DownloadsIndependent Contractor AgreementIRS Self Employment InfoW4 Employee witholding form1099 Witholding FormJoin Our Facebook Group Here
In this episode we go over the all important details about work for hire.
You will LearnWhat is a work for hire and how to protect your rights as
a, The Principle Photographer.
b, An employee,
c. A freelancer, or independent contractor.
**You will learn how to protect your brand and your copyright, and what legal documents you will need to have to do so.
Download: INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR AGREEMENT**
This is an introduction to Going Pro, a podcast for photographers who want to develop their business skills.
In this Episode you will learn
- What we are all about
- What we will cover in this podcast
- What benefits you will gain by signing up for Going Pro
- An opportunity to sign up for the going Pro blog
- An opportunity to join the Going Pro Facebook group.
IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN,
- The importance of licensing agreements
- How and when to use licensing agreements
- How to use a licensing agreement to control the use of your work
- How licensing agreements add value to your work
This information is important and will prove evermore valuable after you listen to the next episode on copyright,
INCLUDED WITH THIS PODASTA free sample licensing agreement download
Copyright is often the most misunderstood part of the photography business.
In this episode you will learn
- The fundamentals of copyright.
- How to control your copyrighted materials
- How copyright protects your creative works
- You will get a preview of how work for hire effects your copyright.
You can visit the US Copyright website to get learn more, and register you work online by going to
US COPYRIGHT OFFICE
In this episode we take an in-depth look at the contracts used by professional photographers and learn why they are so important.
In this Episode You will Learn
- How simple contracts protect you, your business and your clients
- How to use different contracts for different kinds photography
- How to avoid misunderstandings
- How to inspire confidence by having good business practices
FREE DOWNLOADSCommercial Photography ContractCorporate Event ContractPortrait ContractPhoto Booth ContractWedding ContractFaceBook Group
Intros episode we put together all the principles we have learned up to now . You will have a clear understanding of how to build your price structure and how create an image of professionalism as you build your client list.
Next we will get into detail about
Copyright , Contracts, and Releases,,
**In This Episode we get into the details of making the transition from enthusiast to professional.
We define professional as someone who is a knowledgable photographer and is technically capable of producing professional level work AND someone who has a clear understanding of how the business of photography works. They have established policies that are in keeping with industry standards and have both a competitive and profitable price structure.
This episode fanswers many of the questions emerging professionals have and puts you on a track where you can proceed with confidence.
You are invited to check out our website to sign up for the Going Pro Blog, and to receive additional content and support,**http://www.goprophotog.vom
A lot of the time the emerging creative is so busy being creative they don't have much time to think about the business side of the business.
In this episode we will start the all important ant conversation about the business side of professional photography and its importance.
- We will look at often overlooked expenses
- Balancing a day job and your photography
- What is a Freelancer
- Being a professional means rising above the crowd
- The importance of starting with good policies
If you are just joining us please be sure to subscribe and check out our earlier shows.
Come join our Facebook group and become a part of the conversation.
https://www.facebook.com/photographersgoingpro
In this episode of Going Pro we talk about some basic considerations and how to avoid things that hold you back from pursuing your dream.
We cover methods for picking your best work and how to prepare and organize you photography before you get started.
I talk about how many photographers don't appreciate how good they are and how often people think they are not ready to take the next step toward a photography career for the wrong reasons.
I lay the foundation for the work ahead and how we will do it together.
This episode will introduce the listener to Going Pro for Photographers and give you a broad outline of what we are about. This Podcast is for emerging photographers who would like a clear understanding of the business side of the industry.