T H E M O N T H LY
#ISSUE 02
A NOTE FROM COLE: “HAVE PATIENCE” PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE, BUT JUST MAKE SURE TO NOT LET PATIENCE KICK YOU IN THE A$$ :) We live in a world of instant gratification (thanks Amazon Prime & Netflix) so it’s easy to understand why all of us “want it now”. And trust me, I am guilty of this too. But soetimes, that’s just not feasible… and for just about 99% of us who have the dream of earning steady income from photography we need to be a little more patient. Fact is, there really isn’t such a thing as an overnight success. Heck even when things go “viral” online for a YouTube star or a Facebook page, that doesn’t mean that “success” sticks around, it wears off and leaves. So I want to make sure you know that if you aren’t happy with how fast things are moving for you, you might just need a little more patience. But on the flip-side, if you’ve been patient and have been on auto-pilot for the last handful of years waiting for things to pick-up for you, then patience may have just kicked you in the a$$... Here’s the thing - education is great but without execution it’s kinda worthless.
Yes I know you’re in a saturated market (can we all please stop using that as an excuse?) and that is exactly why you can’t afford to think that you just need a little more patience. I realize that by now you might be thinking… “So…..Cole is saying patience is good, but then he is saying it’s bad... which is it?”
Let me clarify. If you want to turn your photography passion into a business you need to treat it like a business. Getting a business off the ground is no easy task and will inevitably push you out of your comfort zone from time to time, but that is exactly what you need to do. My point is, be realistic and understand that things aren’t just going to happen overnight for you but also be realistic and real with yourself and make sure you are actively doing the right things to get your photography business off the ground. If you aren’t actually implementing, improving and executing and only relying on “hope marketing” and thinking your business will magically improve with patience and time, you’ll most likely be disappointed. Trust me, that’s the last thing I’d ever want for you. So, I salute you for investing in yourself and commend you for chasing after your dreams - let’s make em happen.
AREN’T GOING “TOTHINGS HAPPEN OVERNIGHT FOR YOU BUT ... MAKE SURE YOU ARE ACTIVELY DOING THE RIGHT THINGS TO GET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS OFF THE GROUND.
”
The fact is, you are good enough and with the entire team of CC PRO behind you, as long as you are implementing what we teach, you’ll be on the right path to smashing through those goals and realizing your dream. Just make sure to be a little patient ;) Cole
DID YOU KNOW EXCLUSIVE FOR COLE’S CLASSROOM PRO MEMBERS: RECEIVE A FREE GIFT FROM THINK TANK PHOTO WHEN YOU PURCHASE ANYTHING THROUGH THIS LINK:
CLICK HERE 2
T H E M O N T H LY S N A P S H O T
WHAT’S WORKING: COMMUNITY BRAINSTORM RECAP B Y K AT E G U E R T I N
OUR LATEST COMMUNITY BRAINSTORM FOCUSED ON GEAR & EQUIPMENT! Check out our members top 10 Gear Essentials to never be without! What great pieces of equipment do you want to add to your camera bag? Do you already carry all 10 of these things with you?
TOP 10 GEAR ESSENTIALS TO NEVER BE WITHOUT | BRAINSTORMED BY YOU, OUR PHOTO PROS! 1. “Nifty Fifty” 50mm/1.8 prime lens (This one is also a
great budget lens for those starting out!)
2. Back-up battery (or two!) 3. Ergonomic Camera Strap-- we recommend the
Joby Ultrafit Sling!
4. Tripod (awesome for slowing your shutter if needed
and for night shots!)
5. Quality Camera Bag-- we recommend checking out
House of Flynn!
$250 COLE’S CASH WINNERS: ROSE RINEHART J E N N I F E R FA R A B E E
6. External Flash-- (Yongnuo brand speedlights, available for under $100 on Amazon are a great starter flash if you don’t own one!)
7. SD cards-- We love the Sandisk Extreme Pro cards!
8. External Hard Drive-- Back up those files in a safe space! We are loving the 4TB Seagate Backup Plus Portable!
9. Flash Diffuser/Reflector-- Our members are loving the Rogue FlashBenders line!
10. Expodisc-- (Okay this one might not be a *necessity* but just ask Betsy, it’s pretty dang cool! Check it out and save time editing by nailing your exposure instantly in camera every time!) Join in our next Community Brainstorm Session to help come up with our next month’s tips and suggestions! Thanks, Pro Family, for all of your ideas!
ISAIAH CREECH
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SELF-PORTRAIT PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS 1ST PL ACE: CHARITY CARPENTER V I E W E R ’ S C H O I C E AWA R D : M A R I A M A I L L E T T FINALISTS:
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DEBBIE DEE
INGE SMULDERS
MADELEIN DEWIER
EMILY SHUFF
JEAN BLOWERS
MEGAN GARBARINO
JANA NELSON
KATHRYN WHITE
LORYN PAYNE
JULIEN BOUDET
LEANN MESSINA
NIKKI GELD
HEATHER TERRELL
LIZ ROBSON
REBEKAH SCHREADER
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MARIA MAILLETT : VIEWER’S CHOICE
JA N A N E L S O N
DEBBIE DEE
JULIEN BOUDET E M I LY S H U F F
T H E M O N T H LY S N A P S H O T
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INGE SMULDERS
H E AT H E R T E R R E L L
J E A N B LOW E R S
LEANN MESSINA K AT H R Y N W H I T E
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LIZ ROBSON
MADELEIN DEWIER
MEGAN GARBARINO
NIKKI GELD
REBEKAH SCHREADER
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PHOTO CONTEST WINNER HIGHLIGHT:
CHARITY CARPENTER BY E D E L C L A R K
HOW’D YA WIN IT? (IN A MINUTE!) Our photo contest winner for the month of September was CC PRO member Charity Carpenter! Charity has been with us for just over six months now, and lives in Virginia Beach. A 29 year old mom to three boys, and wife to a former marine turned law enforcement officer, Charity juggles being a dental nurse with managing her business, Charity Carpenter Photography, and is going from strength to strength because of her will to succeed!
OK CHARITY, LET’S START WITH WHERE YOUR PASSION LIES IN PHOTOGRAPHY. WHAT DO YOU LOVE TO SHOOT? Fresh 48’s and families! I LOVE children. So much so, that when I was little I wanted to grow up to be a mom! So it’s natural for me that I want to capture images of children. When my mom first bought me a level entry dslr, it was because I wanted to learn how to take pictures of my kids! I mean, what mom doesn’t? So now, I want to give that to all the families out there – I want to be able to give them images of their kids too, and capture memories that I know I’d want to see.
GOOD ANSWER! AND IF IT ISN’T ALREADY, THAT IS WELCOME GUIDE MATERIAL RIGHT THERE! HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SHOOTING? I’ve been shooting two years, and charging for one. After my mom bought me that camera, and I realised it’s not as simple as click a button, I started searching for help! I saw a sponsored ad one day advertising Cole’s Classroom, and I’d heard about all these online tutorials and classes that you could take without having to even leave home, so I wanted to try it out! And then I upgraded because I just fell in love with it! I love everything about CC PROs: the tutorials, the courses in the catalog, the breakouts – it’s so hard to choose a favorite! I’ve really expanded my business and changed my pricing, all because of Cole’s Classroom. Before signing up, I couldn’t even bring in free sessions. I didn’t know how to reach people; I knew I had the talent, but I just couldn’t figure out how to get people to come and see what I could do…that’s really changed for me now and it’s all because of Cole’s Classroom!
THAT IS SO INSPIRATIONAL TO HEAR, AND REALLY SUMS UP WHAT COLE’S CLASSROOM IS ALL ABOUT! TOUGH ONE NOW, WHAT’S THE HARDEST OBSTACLE YOU’VE HAD TO OVERCOME SINCE BEGINNING PHOTOGRAPHY? Oh my social anxiety for sure! I did not know how to speak to people, or how to even approach them! But this job has taught me to come out of my shell – it’s better than therapy! I sometimes feel so awkward in front of people, but I’ve been forced to get out there and talk to people. Now, I can pretty much converse with anyone – it’s pretty awesome! 8
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THAT REALLY IS AWESOME! AND WHAT’S YOUR MAIN PHOTOGRAPHY GOAL? I’d love to not have to worry financially. To not have to clock in and clock out of a job, and be my own boss through my photography. If I could do photography all the time and not have to worry about a paycheck, that would be wonderful!
IT REALLY WOULD BE…AND YOU KNOW WHAT, IT IS POSSIBLE! TERRIFYING TO BEGIN WITH, BUT TOTALLY POSSIBLE! WHAT IS THE NEXT BIG THING YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE? Well, I’m really excited about something in the pipeline! It’s a Real Estate agency deal, where I provide photo sessions as a gift from the realtor to her clients, as well as images for the agency’s wall. We got chatting when the realtor was my client, and she said she’d had this idea for a while. I guess because we worked so well together and our session was great, she liked me enough to suggest it! I’m excited about it and I’m even getting featured in their newsletter next month! I will be sure to post in the group what happens next.
THAT’S SUPER EXCITING! I CAN’T WAIT FOR AN UPDATE! AND FINALLY, IF YOU COULD GIVE JUST ONE PIECE OF ADVICE TO A NEWBIE WITH COLE’S CLASSROOM, WHO MAY BE BRAND NEW TO PHOTOGRAPHY, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? Just try to use your camera EVERY SINGLE DAY. Don’t put it down because you’re frustrated or the money is not coming in or you feel like you’re not good enough. Just shoot every day and keep practicing until you get it right! You will be amazed at how much you improve!
WELL THIS CHAT IS HOPEFULLY INSPIRING YOU TO GET OUT THERE AND #BFB (IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, SEARCH THE GROUP -COLE’S POST-IT MOTIVATION!). CHARITY IS PUSHING THROUGH ALL OF THE DAY TO DAY STUFF THAT CAN EASILY GRIND YOU DOWN… WORK, MOMMA DUTIES, SOCIAL ANXIETY AND FINDING TIME TO LEARN AND SHOOT AND MARKET… AND SHE’S TOTALLY ROCKING IT! MAKE SURE TO ENTER THIS MONTH’S COMPETITION TO BE IN WITH A CHANCE OF WINNING, AND YOU COULD BE FEATURED IN NEXT MONTHS SNAPSHOT!
FIND CHARITY ONLINE:
WEBSITE FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM
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Give him an overview of what your time together will look like, how long it will last, and where the end is. That last part is important: let him know that there is an end, and that you know where that is.
2. STICK TO IT
MY 3 TIPS FOR WORKING WITH GRUMPY DADS B Y B E T S Y D AV I S
Here’s how it usually goes down: You arrive at your photo session, all pumped up and ready to rock. You’ve reviewed all your poses, you’ve got everyone’s names memorized, the light is gorgeous and up walk your clients. You greet them enthusiastically, and out of nowhere, it’s like a dark cloud has moved in. You can feel the tension. Mom smiles meekly, and the kids hesitate. And then you meet eyes with dad and you just know: he does NOT want to be there. And just like that, your energy is drained. And you haven’t even started! Grumpy dads can ruin a photo session, and that’s why it’s important to learn how to diffuse their negative emotions and win them over. These tips will help you do just that!
1. GIVE THEM THE PLAN Let’s face it. There are a thousand other things a dad would rather be doing than taking photos: watching the game, washing the car, heading to the gym, relaxing in the recliner, you name it. It’s doubtful that getting dressed up and prancing through tall grass in the golden light gets him quite as excited as it does you. So start off by letting dad know you have a plan.
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STICK TO IT: One of the most important things to remember is that, once you have established a plan and a timeline, stick to it. When you say you’re going to be done, be done. This isn’t the time to get inspired by the light and carry on shooting for 20 more minutes. Nothing will upset a grumpy dad more than feeling like you haven’t respected his time or your word.. Remind them that they don’t always have to be looking at you, and that you will guide them. This will help take the edge off and gives them the freedom to just enjoy being together without worrying that you need them to be doing something different.at you, and that you will guide them. This will help take the edge off and gives them the freedom to just enjoy being together without worrying that you need them to be doing something different.
3 . L E T T H E M E N G A G E T H E I R WAY Dads will engage in their session best if you make sure that they can just be themselves. Be mindful of the ways that they love to interact, and make sure to incorporate that into your sessions! Let them play, let them have fun, give them something to DO! Sure, we all love a good snuggle fest for family photos, but be sure to let dad cut loose and have fun with his kids, too! Snuggles and softness may be a great representation of mom’s relationship with the family, but chances are, dad will enjoy the process and the photos more if he can get involved, play and rough house a little!
Dad’s really aren’t as big of a challenge once you know some ways to get (and keep!) them on board during your family sessions. A little understanding, communication and FUN can go a long way towards turning those grumpy dads into fun dads!
PRO MEMBER SPOTLIGHT:
JESSICA KAPLAN WHERE I CALL HOME: EVANSTON, IL YEARS I’VE BEEN IN BUSINESS: 1.5 YEARS MY NICHE / WHAT I SPECIALIZE IN: FAMILY PORTRAITS, HEADSHOTS, EVENTS, STREET/LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY
WHY I LOVE PHOTOGRAPHY: I have a passion for storytelling and love using my camera to freeze
moments in time. I treasure our family photographs - and I am so glad I can give people the gift of those memories as well. But I am also inspired by authentic street scenes featuring people and urban architecture.
ONE CHALLENGE IN MY BUSINESS THAT I’VE OVERCOME: Knowing how to problem
solve on the spot! I still have plenty of shoots during which I worry about making mistakes. But I used to panic about not knowing which settings to use, for example. I’m getting much better at taking a breath mid-session, stopping to assess my settings, think about what I am trying to accomplish and then make the necessary adjustments.
ONE THING I LOVE ABOUT COLE’S CLASSROOM IS: the incredible kindness of the community as well as ability to get nearly immediate feedback from mentors and members alike, whether that feedback pertains to a recent shoot or I have an urgent question about a shoot an hour from now.
3 RANDOM FACTS ABOUT ME
I’ve been married 20 years and have a daughter (14) and a son (10) who keep me on my toes and keep my carpool skills ins check.
If you spied on me working at home, I’d be at my computer, surrounded by several coffee cups and my pooch Smokey, listening to the ‘70s station. In my past life I was a PBS TV producer and am a bit of a grammar and spelling snob.
FIND JESSICA ONLINE:
WEBSITE FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM
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PHOTO TIP OF THE MONTH BY C O L E
IF YOU HAVE EVER STRUGGLED WITH GETTING EVERYONE IN FOCUS ON A GROUP SHOT YOU ARE IN LUCK BECAUSE I AM GOING TO TEACH YOU HOW TO ALWAYS NAIL YOUR FOCUS AND HAVE EVERYONE BE NICE AND SHARP! If you have ever struggled with getting EVERYONE in focus on a group shot you are in luck because I am going to teach you how to always nail your focus and have everyone be nice and sharp! First up, make sure to fully understand depth of field (click here for tutorial) and to know how to control it for your photos. OK so you have your great group shot with 8 people, what do you do?
Step 1: Raise your f-stop number which uses a narrower aperture and gives you greater depth of field. Set your f-stop number based on how many ROWS of people there are. Click here for a handy chart to print out or save to help you pick the right aperture!
Step 2: Focus on the people/person in the center of frame and in the FRONT row.
That’s it! Those are the two things you need to do so let’s not overcomplicate it. It all comes down to picking the right aperture & focus on the front row.
There’s one more bonus tip that I want to share with you that is probably the most important and that is something called the focal plane. Here’s what you need to know, make sure to have your rows of people be in a straight line so everyone is the same distance to your camera. If the rows are “bowing” or “curving” at all, that will completely mess up your focus and everyone will be on a different focal plane and some will inevitably be out of focus!
“DON’T BE AFRAID TO GIVE UP THE GOOD TO GO FOR THE GREAT.” JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER
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T H E M O N T H LY S N A P S H O T
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE EXPODISC ONLINE
GEAR HIGHLIGHT B Y K E L LY A C S
EXPODISC
An ExpoDisc is a tool that photographers can use to set a custom white balance in their camera. The ExpoDisc reads the light that is hitting your subject to get a super-accurate reading of what the white balance should be. You may have also heard of using a gray card for white balance. The ExpoDisc is different from a gray
card in that it reads the all of the light coming from around your multi-dimensional subject, instead of taking a reading only from the light in one specific area of your image. The ExpoDisc comes in two sizes. You will want to choose the size that is large enough to cover your largest lens. It’s ok if the ExpoDisc is larger than your lens, as long as it will fully cover the end of it. Overall, it’s a GREAT tool for photographers, who want to experiment with getting their images and get consistent white balance every time IN CAMERA.
Overall, this lens is on my camera about 75% of the time! So far I have zero complaints and was glad I took the leap! It’s worth researching if you are looking to add a new lens to your camera bag.
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AVA I L A B L E N O W ! NEWLY ADDED FREE COURSES & PRODUCTS! IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY NOTICED, WE’VE BEEN HARD AT WORK MAKING SURE TO CONSTANTLY BE RAISING THE BAR AND ADDING MORE COURSES & PRODUCTS TO OUR MEMBERSHIP SITE FOR YOU! Here’s a list of recently added courses and perks that are now available to all members for FREE!
Perfect Newborn Posing Course with Gabriella Soutine
Let’s Get Social Breakout with Pro Mentor Kate Guertin
PERFECT NEWBORN POSING WITH GABRIELLA SOUTINE
CLICK HERE TO WATCH NOW!
October Monthly Perk: The Ultimate Guide to Pricing for Photographers!
MONTHLY PRO PERK: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO PRICING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD! 14
T H E M O N T H LY S N A P S H O T
LET’S GET SOCIAL BREAKOUT WITH KATE GUERTIN
CLICK HERE TO WATCH NOW!
COMING SOON! WHAT’S COMING UP NEXT FOR PRO MEMBERS WE ARE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE A FEW BIG CHANGES TO YOUR MEMBERSHIP! WE JUST DOUBLED THE VALUE OF THE MEMBERSHIP...HERE’S A SUMMARY FOR YOU:
MOBILE APP
WANT THE FULL DETAILS? TUNE IN HERE WITH COLE:
CLICK HERE TO WATCH NOW!
FOCUS GROUPS FREE BREAKOUTS PRICE CHANGE
PS - The price change is... the current elite plan you are all on gives you UNLIMITED access to everything...that plan is no longer going to be $49/mo and will be doubling in price to $99/mo for anyone who joins CC PRO direct from our website and gets the unlimited plan with HEY NED, Backstage Pass, Free Breakouts etc...
YOU are locked in at the discounted $49 rate as long as your account stays active.
BACKSTAGE PASS WE ARE SO EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE VERY FIRST BACKSTAGE PASS EPISODE WILL BE RELEASED THIS MONTH, ON OCTOBER 15TH!
STAY TUNED! T H E M O N T H LY S N A P S H O T
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7 REASONS TO JOIN THE INSIDERS CLUB HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO CUT YOUR MEMBERSHIP PAYMENT WHILE UNLOCKING DRAMATICALLY MORE MEMBER BENEFITS? FOR THE BEST VALUE, YOU’LL WANT TO UPGRADE TO OUR INSIDERS CLUB.
HERE’S WHY: 1. Save $100 cash on Membership
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