To The New Photographer

One of the hardest things I found when I started out on this journey was the over-abundance of choices. There are SO. MANY. OPTIONS!!! What do you do?

There is a reason for the options. Different people like different things. So the things I'm going to share in this post and in the future are the things that worked for me and I would recommend. It's here for those who want and need it.

Tip #1 - Use Free Options
Almost everything out there online has a free version. Use it! There are some things, like Lightroom, that you need to be paying for as soon as you can. It's a business essential. Having your website not have a ".wordpress.com" is not an essential. Think through the things that are essential and which things can wait until you have more cash.
Examples of essentials: Lightroom, presets, Agree.com
Examples of extras: Vivi, email, website

Tip #2 - Have A Website And Email
I blogged on Blogger for several years before starting my photography business. I toyed with Wordpress, tried Wix, and settled on Weebly. In my experience and opinion, Weebly is the most user friendly. Use what works for you but keep it free until you have the extra cash or it's necessary for some reason. Same thing with an email. It's fine to use an @gmail or @yahoo.com address. If you want to use a signature, I like WiseStamp. Again, use the free version. Yes, you're giving them advertising, but I think it's a win-win.

Tip #3 - Newletter And Blog
The professionals say blog and blog often. Start off with an attainable goal. I was already a blogger, so three times a week seemed like a good pace for me. Maybe once a week is more your speed. Just be consistent.

A newsletter can be a great way to grow your tribe. I've been very happy with MailChimp. They have a free platform, whereas ConvertKit only has a free trial. Like with the blog, pick a schedule that is achievable for you and you can be consistent with. I started with a quarterly newsletter.

Tip #4 - Invest In What Makes You Better
I've been talking about all the ways to keep things free and save money. Now we get to what we do with the cash we've saved. I don't even want to think about where I'd be without the instruction from professionals. It's an investment, but so worth it. Even if your style is not light and airy, Amy & Jordan Demos' Business Course is so helpful for starting out, especially if you have no clue what you're doing. Katelyn James might be starting her own business course soon.

If light and airy is your goal, then Katelyn's Lighting and Locations Course is fantastic. I saw immediate changes after watching the segment on indirect backlighting and learning about secondary light. I was so excited!!!!

(Both Amy & Jordan and Katelyn have some free webinars that are phenomenal. It's a great way to see if you like their teaching style and want to invest! Did I mention they are free? :)

I bought Lovely Light presets and they are the best $80 ever spent! Saves me hours and hours on editing! I love editing but I don't love sitting in front of a computer for any longer than I have to.

Now I am investing in a style guide template. I'll let you know how it improves my client experience :)

To sum that up: you don't have to reinvent the wheel. When you can afford it, cut down on your office time by utilizing resources others have perfected. Our goal is to make more time to be out shooting and spend less time at the computer

Tip #5 - Community!!!!
Photography can be a lonely job. When we aren't shooting a session, the rest of our job is pretty solitary. Finding some others who are in the same boat is so important. I have made some wonderful friends on Instagram that I am so thankful for. If you don't have a local community, the the Internet can be wonderful to find that. I am in the process of creating an uplifting online community where we can share and get feedback and support on our work. Let me know if you'd like more information about it.

I totally understand how overwhelming the process of starting a new business can be. Honestly, I'm still learning and having to sort through options even at this point in my career. If you have more questions about any of these points or about other things, leave a comment or send me an email. I want to help you!