My first year “on my own” I had 1. The second year, 3. The third 7. And now on my fourth….Im approaching 30.

Before ever shooting on my own I participated in countless second shooting opportunities. I invested in a multitude of Creative Live classes and  workshops. I was like a moth to the light in terms of watching Youtube tutorials; literally glued to the screen.  Truth be told I Youtube’d “How to make blurry backgrounds…how to use the timer on my camera….what the HECK is ‘white balance’ ….an so so much more. (Yes, totally just admitted all that!)

But for me, being a closet nerd, I learn so much better hands on in addition to all my reading/research. In fact, I learn better in One-on-One situations. I took a “Coaching class” with Katelyn James which served to be the perfect KICK IN THE HINNY I needed to take the next step in my business. As I invested more in myself and my business, it gave me not only the confidence to move forward…but the PERMISSION. A lot of friends, family and even past clients have said how much they have seen me grow in such a short time….and other photographers BEG to know what it was that got me here or there so quickly. Well lucky for you…today I am spilling all those secrets I have learned and done to get where I am RIGHT now: Full-Time Professional Photographer.

 Here is the first and most important rule/advice I love to give if you want to have  a successful and growing business:

 NO FEAR + ALL IN OR ALL OUT.

I am always asked if I was scared to make that leap. Leave my other job(s) in pursuit of my dream to be a professional photographer…even with only 1 to maybe 3 weddings on the books…with bills to be paid, two kids…etc etc. My answer was and always will be HELL YES! I was very scared! Who wouldn’t be!?!?! I walked away from 2 of my three jobs a nervous wreck. I remember the day, as embarrassing as it is to admit this, that I had $4.32 in my account. Not a penny more. Not even in the floorboards of my car. Believe me. I checked! My family and I were a spaghetti every night, ramen and PB+J eating family for a bit as well. I cleaned beach houses on the side just to make a little extra money. I worked at B, B and B night shift folding towels and doing inventory. I never saw my newborn. Then…I worked as a baby sitter, substitute teacher…3-5 jobs at any one point! Insane!

It was one of those “barely living” days that I decided….I am either going all in….going to make this work…or Im headed back to a 9-5–no matter how sad that made me. My family needed me. My husband needed the help. I NEED HELP. I put fear aside that morning…called up 3 friends…BASICALLY OFFERED TO CLEAN THIER houses for free for a year if they would let me shoot them. I grabbed my camera. My one kit lens. The one lens my hubby so generously rented for me…bc there was no way I could afford the real one, and I shot the CRAP out of them. I posted their images over and over. I was going to make it work…at that point I had to. I was ALL IN. NO room for fear of failure…because with a family, 2 little boys to help support…my dreams at stake…THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR FEAR OR FAILURE!

 

**Disclaimer- A lot of photographers out there have full time jobs that they SIMPLY CAN NOT LEAVE just yet. OR…they make it work perfectly with having full time jobs and doing photography on the side. GOD BLESS all of you that can make it work. This post is more directed towards those that want only one job…and that is to be a Full-time photographer. But I do have so much respect for all of you out there that still need to maintain a full time job to support your families, but are still being true to themselves and their dreams by incorporated their passion for photography in their lives.

Ok so lets get into the heart of what you REALLY need to do if you are going to go FULL-TIME. ALL IN. NO FEAR!

1. NETWORK!

If you have already done everything I have done above and more….its time to get out there! Its time to be a cold caller if you will. You should create a group on Facebook and invite local photographers/vendors, etc. Start a photography group meeting at the library once a month and see if you can get professional photographers from different fields to speak and give some advice. Invite local photographers you admire out to lunch, coffee, a photo walk. DO whatever you need to to let people know “I AM HERE…I AM SINCERE….I AM NOT JUST ANOTHER PERSON WITH A NICE CAMERA….I WANT THIS.” Make friends with these people. ASK THEM how YOU can serve THEM! Be SELFLESS. Listen to them…don’t just hear them. Be engaged in their business if you expect them to be engaged in yours or YOU for that matter.

 

2. SUPER-SIZE YOUR PROFESSIONAL APPEARANCE!

When you are all in it to win it folks….EVERY part of you needs to be in it. You have to dress, walk, talk and act the part of success. If the #1 lawyer in the world took on a high profile case…no matter how dang talented or smart he/she is…and walked into the courtroom in sweats and a hoodie…do you think ANYONE in that room would have FAITH in their abilities…any confidence? NO! You NEED to supersize your professional appearance in real life as much as in the virtual one.

 – Professional voicemail

     – Professional email address ( no yahoo, gmail, hotmail, aol….nothing! It needs to be…. info@studioname.com)

      – Professional Website, Blog, Online Portfolio. I know this is an expensive area….believe me…I spent a small fortune on my new brand….but please know…thats over 4 years of WORKING towards that. For beginners….LOOK INTO PROPHOTO BLOGSITES. It really will help you! They have everything in one and looks professional and is NOT as expensive as a custom website like mine.  

(Think of well rounded branding…everything matches…you are setting a tone and feel for your potential clients…don’t confuse them with different marketing platforms….keep everything UNIFIED)

      – Professional speech, presence, attitude! No more posting any “overly personal” statuses or pictures on your Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. Everything should be professionally written, true to the personality you want to be associated with your business. No cussing, political, religious, or conflict arising posts. Keep it classy, kind, and INVITING. Dress correctly to shoots. If you are having a bad day…KEEP IT OFF THE INTERNET. Do not AIR dirty laundry. When haters arise…and trust me ….THEY WILL….SAY NOTHING! Do nothing in response. People NOTICE and people….well…the people you WANT to attract…DONT HAVE TIME for that kind of drama. 

3. TARGETED ATTRACTION!!

Figuring out what you want to shoot, how you want to shoot it, your style, etc….its all comes with LOTS of practice and time. But I am hoping to save you a year that I spent trying to figure this out by telling you NOW that you need to REALLY get a grip on your GOAL and TARGET audience. I shoot weddings and families….but primarily weddings. So most of my posts, marketing, etc is TARGETED at Brides! I loooove my family clients and they know that. The best is when my family clients follow my “wedding” based work and still appreciate it and support it. THATS WHAT I WANT FOR YOU! The way I do that is by making sure I put out status that appeal to FORMER brides….most mommies I shoot out there are married!! What a great audience to pull knowledge from. Ask them about their big days…things they would change, things they loved, etc. Its all great research!

Most of my statuses ENGAGE brides to be out there as well. This shows them that THEY are my focus. My goal. My target. Brides more than ever want to feel like they are # 1. That they are the only thing on YOUR mind because their wedding is the ONLY thing on THEIR minds! Right?!! So think like a bride if thats your audience. Dont post about a bunch of kiddo based things if thats not your target. Dont offer up a lotttt of family specials when you could be offering ONE great wedding special. Does that make sense?

Don’t divide your attention to too many locations….you will get lost in the process and will be BROKE AND TIRED from the extended effort!

 

4. DO SOMETHING 100% YOU-NIQUE!

Make sure you do something NO ONE ELSE is doing. At least NEAR you! And if its similar…DO IT BETTER! Especially for me…living in a beach town FULL of photographers…new and upcoming everyday…we all stumble upon each other…all shoot at the same places, etc. GO LOCATION hunting for a new spot. If props are your thing…GO TO A THRIFT store and start your hunt for YOU-NIQUE items that show your clients you went the extra mile to make their otherwise very ordinary beach session…SPECIAL! GIFT your clients with not just gifts they will like…BUT GIFTS that will get them to TALK about you to others. BRAG about your clients to others. NEVER BAD MOUTH THEM…TO ANYONE!

Being a photographer is a blessing…sure parts of it are hard and tiring…but damn if it isn’t one of the best “jobs” out there, right!??

 

 

5. FOCUS ON THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE…INITIAL EMAIL TO IMAGE DELIVERY!

This is your ONE shot to blow the socks off your clients and GAIN MORE VIA THE BEST AND CHEAPEST ROUTE OF MARKETING…..WOOOORDDD OFFFF MOUTTH! If you just take pretty pictures and hand over the DVD and thats it…that makes you a pretty picture taker…NOT a photographer.

YOUR CLIENTS ARE CHOSING TO INVEST IN CUSTOM PORTRAITURE BECAUSE THEY LOVE YOUR WORK AND WANT A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. If you dont give them that “experience” do you think they will be 100% happy enough to 1) come back to you OR 2) TALK about you to others? NO!

Follow up with them. Become friends online. If you see Jimmy or Sally is graduating…say “hey there….just wanted to stop by to say congrats on their graduation…I hope to see you guys again soon…I had the best time at our session together….etc, etc” Be involved with STAYING involved with them EVEN past the point of image delivery. This is how you will be able to have repeat clients and ones that brag about you to others. For me..I genuinely LOVE to stay in touch with my family clients and brides…I fall in love with their stories on my shoots with them. Think about it this way…YOUR CLIENTS are trusting YOU to capture memories that not only they will love and appreciate for generations to come…but the future generations of their family will. I still look at old professional photographs of my ancestors and WONDER about the photographer….I wonder about the family they got to know. I look at the emotion and feel as if I knew and met my great great grandparents. I WANT TO create that for my clients so future generations will say….”my ancestors” looked like they were so kind, fun, and so so beautiful!

 

Success takes time. HARD work. More time. And then even harder work. But eventually there comes a point where all the hard work in the beginning starts to pay off, you can coast a little because you have laid a solid foundation and ground work for people to KNOW the kind of photographer you are. Word of mouth will do a lot of the hard work for you. I literally WELL UP with tears when someone says to me. “So and so recommended you and said you were the ‘BEST’!” I literally still dont know how to take that!! How did that happen!?!?!? Im HARDLY the best…but if they think I am the BEST for them and their needs and wants…that is allll that will ever matter to me and for that alone I am forever grateful!

No more fear, all in or all out. Always!

xoxo,

Kaitlin Noel