T H E M O N T H LY
#ISSUE 11
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J U LY 2 0 1 9
A NOTE FROM BETSY: THE TROUGH OF SORROW There isn’t anything quite like the excitement and glamour of a new adventure - You know the feelings: thrill, optimism, ambition, hope, sorrow... WAIT - Sorrow??? Let’s just get honest. Starting new things isn’t all roses. If you’ve ever done something new, chances are you’ve also experienced the “Trough of Sorrow.” This term was coined by Paul Graham, Co-founder of Y Combinator,
an organization that provides seed funding for startups. Clearly, he’d seen this cycle of optimism and struggle often enough in new business ventures to decide it needed its own name. Starting something new is hard. We all start with high hopes and the best intentions, but then the struggle sets in. And that’s where the quitters quit and the winners are made. My daughter recently joined the swim team after seeing her brother’s excitement and success on the team. She was over the moon to get going, and even called her first day on the team the “best day ever.” (This is a big deal, because, you guys, she has a lot of great days). But then it was time for the first meet. Enter: the Trough of Sorrow. There was pressure. There were swimmers better than her. People were watching. She might fail. Suddenly it was the “worst day ever” and she was literally sick with anxiety. She told me she quit. And then she did her first race, and won. You’ve probably been there, too. Leaping into photography (and maybe even a business) with the highest of hopes, only to discover that it’s not as simple as you thought. The challenges flow in, and with them discouragement and doubt. Maybe it’s a lack of confidence, no bookings, a struggle to find the time, or even that “funk” that holds us back at times. So if you’re in that valley, remember that the struggle is normal (so normal it has its own name). The Trough of Sorrow is very real, but it doesn’t last. It’s part of the process, but it doesn’t have to be the end. You got this! Betsy
TOP 5 TIPS FOR DEALING WITH BEING GHOSTED B Y K AT E G U E R T I N
What’s worse than a potential client turning you down for another photographer? A potential client telling you that you’re too expensive? A potential client saying they’ll book “possibly in the future”? A ghost. A ghost by definition is a person (in this case a potential or existing client) who inquires and initiates a conversation with you and then suddenly ceases all communication via any form. They don’t decline your offer. They don’t give any type of explanation. They just STOP RESPONDING. We’ve allllllll been there, I’m fairly certain of it. And honestly, it is a terrible, hide your head under the pillow, nervously eat a tub of ice cream and scroll back through every message you’ve ever sent them moment. It is awful to feel rejected, disrespected and abandoned. It makes us question ourselves as business owners, salespeople and communicators. We suddenly become VERY insecure.
or about hurt feelings. Do not beg or plead for their attention and response or offer sudden discounts and incentives to respond to you. Keep things professional and courteous. Follow up with them in a nice polite manner and avoid burning any bridges.
2. LET IT BREATHE. You’ve put up the follow up message and now you’re questioning that too. Clearly they have to respond now right?! Should you just check every 5 minutes or so? Seems healthy (NOT!) Now is the time to let it breathe. Give things some space and some time. You do not know why the client isn’t responding and it may be a very legitimate reason. Things come up in people’s lives. Don’t smother the situation. After your professional and proactive follow up, give it a few days to be seen, pondered, responded to.
What did I do wrong? Was I too pushy? What did I say that turned them off? Should I follow up again? Should I just leave them be? IT’S A CONFUSING TIME, Y’ALL. So I bring you my 5 best tips on dealing with being ghosted. Keep them in your back pocket, and the next time you encounter an evaporating client, don’t let insecurity bite you in the butt. Follow the steps and know, it’s probably not you ;)
1. STAY PROFESSIONAL.
Sometimes after this step you’ll get a very reassuring...
I know how you’re feeling right at this moment. You’re shaking in your boots or you’re mad as hell. Our natural instincts when we are rejected or abandoned are typically one of two responses (or a nice salty combo!) to become instantly apologetic and beg and grovel or to become instantly infuriated and call the person out. What did we do to cause this? Why are they treating us so poorly? WHAT THE HECK MAN?
“Oh my goodness I am SO sorry! Our ( toddler got sick// family dog died// bathroom flooded) and I totally spaced on responding to your last message! I feel terrible. Let’s go ahead and book that family portrait session for the 1st of the month. Send me the contract and deposit invoice and I’ll take care of both today. I appreciate your patience!”
Remember, don’t make things worse. Going off on a client is NEVER okay. Do not make accusations or tell them they’re “wasting your time.” Do not make things personal
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Annnnnddddd... Sometimes you won’t. But don’t let that stop you from giving it a chance. Set your timer for 48-72 hours and relax.
5. MOVE ON.
3. TAKE IT OFFLINE. This one is simple: switch up your approach. Give the client a call to follow up. Changing up your method of communication and making it a more personal, live one can sometimes make all the difference. Maybe your client found you on Facebook but doesn’t generally frequent social media. Maybe they prefer the personal touch of a phone call. Maybe they thought you’d call all along! Give ‘em a ring, it could be just the thing! BONUS POINTS: If you do get a hold of them on the phone but they are still wishy washy about whether or not they’ll be booking, offer to set up an in person free consultation. Again, some people are truly nervous about committing to someone they’ve only spoken to online (catfish anyone?) even when it comes to a business relationship. Sometimes they need that cup of coffee down the road at Starbucks and to see that you’re not a serial killer to follow through with thee booking and that’s okay!
4. DON’T TAKE THINGS SO PERSONALLY. Okay easier said than done I know. But remember, most of the time, ghosting has very little to do with you. Chances are the person: 1. Forgot about it completely.
The maximum amount of follow up I’d advise would be one initial short follow up message, a phone call a couple days later and a final send off, “I’d love to work with you in the future” closure message. Don’t stalk your client and send 57 Facebook messages. Don’t let your frustration and hurt come through. Don’t burn bridges you may want in the future; the ghost could end up reaching out months later and becoming a very solid repeat client you just don’t know. Don’t hold grudges. Don’t belittle. Don’t call names. Don’t talk about your personal hurt. Don’t shame the client. Don’t assume you know their situation. Grudges don’t help build professional networks. Put the flame thrower away and keep your bridges intact. It’s a new day, and there’s new clients to swoon. Let it go.
LOVED THIS ARTICLE AND WANT MORE OF THE BEST FIRST HAND MENTOR ADVICE, PERSONAL ANECDOTES, AND EMAIL RESPONSE TEMPLATES ON HANDLING VARIOUS STICKY SITUATIONS WITH CLIENTS? Stay tuned for our newest breakout launching 7/18, Tackling Tough Clients with Kate!
2. Got too busy to commit to what they had originally been interested in and/or... 3. Have decided to go another way and are avoiding an awkward conversation due to their own guilt, fears or insecurities. It comes down to ease and comfort most of the time. The client may just be ignoring you until you go away. Which is not nice or mature or thoughtful but is still not a reflection on you.
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HOW I DRAMATICALLY REDUCED MY EDITING TIME (BEFORE I EVER GOT TO THE COMPUTER) B Y B E T S Y D AV I S
Time is valuable. So much so that we often hear people say that time is money. This couldn’t be more true. Think about the choices we have with our time: We can spend it with the people we love… We can spend it doing things we enjoy… We can spend our time learning and growing our skillset… Or we can spend our time working. I don’t know about you, but editing client work is not my favorite part of this job. Even if you’re doing photography as a hobbyist, think about this: Would you rather sit in front of your computer editing photos, or have more time out there shooting? I’m pretty sure I know your answer. That’s why I want to talk to you about the one simple way I drastically reduced my editing time, without even touching my computer. It’s really so simple that, when this first occurred to me, I couldn’t believe I hadn’t realized it sooner. But bad habits are like that. They sneak up on us and make their way into our lives, often before we even realize they are there. Here is my confession: I was a chronic overshooter. From session to session, I was taking way too many photos. When I was on a photo shoot, I would take SO MANY pictures that I was completely destroying my culling time. I would end up with hundreds and hundreds of images to sort through, and here’s the kicker: so many of them looked like the Exact. Same. Shot. Not only was this a waste during the session, but it caused me to spend an enormous amount of valuable time sorting through them, agonizing over which of the identical shots was “the best.” Sound familiar? Overshooting was a bad habit of mine until I finally said NO MORE. Here are some things I’ve learned!
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WHY WE OVERSHOOT To be honest, I always click that shutter a little more when I’m photographing young children. They’re unpredictable and move quick! To some degree, this is reasonable. But as I evaluated my chronic overshooting habit, I realized these were not isolated incidents for me. I tried to blame my bad habit on young, moving subjects, but in the end, my desperate theory held no water. This habit extended well beyond the reach of my work with children. There had to be more. Most of the time when we overshoot, it’s an attempt to compensate for something. Are you insecure in your ability to capture a good moment? Are you feeling rushed or nervous? Maybe you are overshooting out of desperation to get a good shot. Whatever the reason may be, stop and evaluate what is happening when you overshoot. Time for another confession. At one point, I was taking nearly 500 photos on average for an hour long photo session. I only deliver approximately 35 final images to my clients. This overshooting had to stop. Talk about wasted time culling, let alone editing.
BREAKING THE HABIT I have been amazed at the change since I decided to leave this bad habit behind. I now take about half as many shots as I did before, sometimes less. This has done wonders for my editing time. And with our amazing Lightroom Courses available in the course catalog, you
have access to the same tips and tricks for speeding up your Lightroom workflow- BUT - Even the best workflow can’t solve the problem of having hundreds of duplicate images! Having the best training and tools available can’t compensate entirely for the way overshooting destroys your productivity. When I realized how much time I was wasting during my editing time, I knew something had to change. But something else happened that I didn’t expect… My photos improved. When I take the time to slow down, I can be intentional to capture genuine moments. I have learned to wait on the shot instead of aimlessly hoping
for one. By being intentional when I click the shutter, I have learned to observe my subjects and notice things I may have missed before. I also had to come face to face with my own insecurities as a photographer. It’s easy to get lost in the fear that we aren’t good enough and try to compensate for that in some way. But no more. I have learned to trust myself more. I never expected the quality of my photos to increase when I stopped overshooting, but they did! If you’re spending loads of time culling through tons of images that look the same, it may be time to reevaluate. Overshooting will only hold you back. Take control of your images and get out from behind that computer and doing more of what you love!
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PRO MEMBER SPOTLIGHT:
HUNTER ELIZABETH WALLACE WHERE I CALL HOME: Raleigh, North Carolina YEARS I’VE BEEN IN BUSINESS: Less than a year! I opened my business January 1, 2019! (Yay!) MY NICHE / WHAT I SPECIALIZE IN: Lifestyle Family & Wedding Photography WHY I LOVE PHOTOGRAPHY: When I am behind a camera, I get into my zone and I rock it! You know that feeling you get when you dated your first love? Those butterflies, nervous balls in your stomach, yet nothing else matters in the entire world but them. That’s me and my camera just two teenagers daydreaming in a field together. Seeing my work come to life literally makes me stop and cry. If I could get through ONE collection without having to stop, cry for 5 minutes, drink some coffee, and pick myself backup, then editing for me would be A LOT faster! I just get so overwhelmed with the moment, connection, and emotion in the photographs that I break down. I am THAT invested. It is the most beautiful thing to see regardless of what type of session I am shooting. I knew from the first moment that I had my very first portfolio building session that nothing else in the world could never make me feel this way. I have a gift and talent to provide memories that would otherwise be lost in time forever. I lost my mom at a very young age and barely have ANY photos of her. I have the power, talent, and gift to make sure no one else has to experience
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that. That’s when I came up with my new life slogan, “If it makes you cry happy tears, you do it. No questions asked.” I even apply this to my photos! If a photo is not exactly “correct”, I don’t bother with stressing about it. If it made me cry, I am giving it to my clients. End of discussion.
ONE CHALLENGE IN MY BUSINESS THAT I’VE OVERCOME: I have faced many challenges in my business including pricing, style, dealing with people, marketing, and so much more. The one challenge that stands out the most to me is overcoming EXCUSES. “I do not have the right lens/ camera”, “I am only part time”, “I am too young and I cannot do this”, “My skills are too limited”, “I do not have a studio”. I struggled with excuses and limitations for a very long time. It is only recently that I’ve actually thrown them out the window. If I want to do something, I make it happen. If I don’t want to do something, I use the word
very few of us have in our vocabulary “NO”. (I say it nicer than that though) ONE THING I LOVE ABOUT COLE’S CLASSROOM IS: ONE THING?!? I LOVE so much! If I had to pick ONLY one thing I love about CCPRO is how the mentors and other members continue to challenge each other to BFB each day without being harsh. I never feel as if I will “cap” my education or stop learning from CCPRO because of the growing content, supportive community, and continuous challenging environment that exist. It is the gift that keeps on giving.
3 RANDOM FACTS ABOUT ME:
1. I secretly just want to walk out of my job and take my photography business full time, like right now, today. 2. My fiancé and I have 6 amazing fur-babies. 3. Cotton Candy is my weakness!!
FIND HUNTER ELIZABETH ONLINE:
WEBSITE FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM
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PHOTO TIP OF THE MONTH A RT I C L E BY E D E L C L A R K I M A G E S B Y E D E L C L A R K & C AT H E R I N E T E R RY P H OTO G R A P H Y
POSITION & PERSPECTIVE - WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT? As photographers, we can spend HOURS searching and researching the perfect locations for our sessions. We can scour through countless resources too - looking for tips on the perfect poses and prompts, the best times to shoot in natural light, and what are the ideal settings to use with your camera in different scenarios.
Not only that, but by thinking more carefully about the angle that you shoot, you can create much more flattering portraits for your clients! For women, shooting them at a slight angle to the camera or from slightly above will be much more flattering, whereas for men, they’ll look broader by shooting face on to the camera. For children, getting right down onto their level will provide a much more impactful photograph, and for newborns, shooting down the nose rather than up will create a much more flattering, professional finish.
But how often do we think about the other major factor that contributes heavily in the outcome of an image? Ourselves! Whether it’s landscapes or families, newborns or real estate - where we physically position ourselves and the angles we choose to shoot from can completely transform an image! By thinking about your own position, and how that affects what you see through your viewfinder, you can purposefully eliminate distracting elements in your shot, so that the focus is exactly on the parts of the image that you WANT to showcase!
Thinking about where you stand can also reduce your editing time afterwards too. How many times have you pulled an image into lightroom or photoshop because you have to clone out an unwanted object or person in the photograph, when simply taking a sidestep or crouching a little to alter the angle at the time of shooting would have solved the issue? Changing up your perspective can also quickly and easily provide variety in a gallery, without having to alter your scene or repose your clients in any way. You can instantly turn an ordinary everyday item into something extraordinary with creative angles and a unique perspective. So the next time you are ticking off your checklist of things that make a great photo, make sure to add your OWN position within that scene to the list! Shoot high, shoot low, shoot from the side and through other elements. Shoot with the light and against the light. Shoot with a wide aperture and then a narrow one. Shoot while lying down, while perched over a fence, while looking like a crazy ninja in a yoga class…. But shoot with perspective!
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GEAR HIGHLIGHT B Y K E L LY A C S
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been using a regular strap. What’s a little unnerving is the way the strap attaches to the camera. It attaches via a screw, so you have to be sure that it’s secure before you start swinging it around! I will say, once it’s properly secured, it’s not going anywhere! I would highly recommend checking it out and reading the reviews online if you are looking to relieve some of the achy shoulder pain!
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