It's unusual for me to be up at the crack of dawn on a Saturday. But there I was stirring my cup of hot tea before anyone else was up at home. I knew that by 6.30 in the morning my kids and wife would be down for their breakfast, but I made a quick left turn out of my driveway and onto New Haven at 5.30 that morning. It wasn't a particularly cold morning, but I still clung onto my NorthFace jacket as I boarded the Metro North train to New York City.

The reason for the hustle and bustle? I was heading to the Big Apple to learn a fresh new approach to creating business portraits.

Making It To New York City

Dylan Patrick, was in town to walk a small group of us through his Cinematic Headshots approach. A few months ago, when I saw the crew at FStoppers promote their then new tutorial, I knew I wanted in. The headshots looked and felt different. I mean, go ahead and take a quick look for yourself.

Unlike the stodgy portraits against a maroon backdrop that we have all seen and perhaps avoided doing, Dylan Patrick's Cinematic Headshots offer something truly fresh and new. So, I had to make the three-hour one way trip into the city to explore and learn from him.

When I walked in to the studio Dylan and his wife, Sass, had secured for the day I was greeted warmly and we got down to business right away. Dylan set the tone of the workshop by making it clear that successful headshots were about three important things – your subject's expression, the quality of the light and body language. He walked us through with examples, talked about the gear and quickly jumped into showing the subtle differences between good headshots and great ones.

Dylan Patrick's The Cinematic Headshot Workshop

Dylan patiently worked with each of us, photographing us by turn so that we could each watch and listen to the way he photographed his subjects. I enjoyed how he prompted a change in posture or an expression by simply engaging with his subjects in a positive and jovial manner. Keeping it light and almost funny is his way of relaxing his subjects. Your approach may be different.

After a quick lunch, which was included in the price of the workshop, we jumped back into the two shooting bays to photograph each other. I have got to say that I really appreciated this opportunity to not only photograph my peers but also be photographed by them because it gave me a good idea of how my potential clients often feel on the other side of the camera. As soon as we were done photographing each other, we were introduced to Michelle and Ian, our models for the day.

Borrowing Dylan's Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII lens I photographed them both. Below are my favorites from this short session:

The Required Gear

The shoot requires essentially two strobes filtered through modifiers. Dylan used both Lastolite and Elinchrom octaboxes. A reflector below the subject was used as a fill light. The lights we used were Nikon SB900‘s and Nikon SB700‘s. Because I use a Nikon system, I wasn't totally paying attention to what my colleagues with Canon gear were using but they were also set up to create incredible portraits that day thanks to the Canon strobes loaned from B&H Photo Video.

Also a critical part of the set up were Dylan's PocketWizard MiniTT1 and Pocketwizard FlexTT5‘s. Allowing us to control both the flashes from the camera was a PocketWizard AC3 Zone Controller. A few test shots to get within range for your exposure and you are off to making some truly great portraits for your subjects!

The Interview

I was so thrilled with my experience at the workshop that I had to get Dylan Patrick on TiffinboxTV. Here is our conversation about The Cinematic Headshot:

The Cinematic Headshot Tutorial on FStoppers

Now, Dylan isn't on the workshop circuit and so catching him in New York City was a bit of a blessing. While he will be back in May, you can buy the tutorial download now.

The Cinematic Headshot by Dylan Patrick and FStoppers is sold for $199. But use this code: TIFFINBOXFS to receive a $40 discount through October 31st, 2015. Yes, I like to hook you all up! How does that sound to you?

Want to know more about The Cinematic Headshot? Just watch this video by FStoppers video :

Other Photographers Who Rock The Cinematic Headshot

Still not convinced? Other than Dylan Patrick, here are some other photographers who are rocking the cinematic headshot:

Christian Webb (New York, USA)
Linus Petterson (Sweden)
Bruno Kongawoin (Australia)
Michael Schacht (Chicago, USA)
Michael Moon (Houston, USA)
Josh Rottman (Baltimore, USA)

If you can, look these two guys up on Facebook:

Dean Webb (United Kingdom)
Rafa Móyer (Spain)

If you can't make it to one of Dylan's workshops, the alternative is to learn from him through the tutorial. Get the digital download for just $159 now through the FStoppers store. Remember, you have to use TIFFINBOXFS when you check out to get the discount for a limited time!

I am reading an advance copy of Chris Guillebeau‘s new book, The Happiness of Pursuit. In the first few pages of the book, Chris describes a quest as thus:

– Has a clear goal and a specific end point.
– Presents a clear challenge.
– Requires sacrifice of some kind.
– Often driven by a calling or a sense of mission.
– Often requires a series of small steps and incremental progress toward the goal.

My friend and fellow documentary photographer Sephi Bergerson began his quest six years ago to document a wide variety of Indian weddings. When you look at his work, you'll agree that his images are heartfelt and stunning. After years of pursuing these Indian weddings in India, Sephi is now ready to publish a book. But he is clear that he wants to publish and distribute it in a non-traditional way. Today, he launched “Behind The Indian Veil: Weddings In India“, a crowd-funding campaign to raise $42,000. At this writing, he has already raised $615!

A few days back Sephi and I sat down to talk about his journey and why he decided it was the right time to launch this campaign for “Behind The Indian Veil: Weddings In India“:

(I am again sorry that the poor connection didn't allow us to record this as a true video.)

Here, however is a video that Sephi just uploaded to his campaign page:

Behind The Indian Veil Book from Sephi Bergerson on Vimeo.

Having seen Sephi's previous book – Street Food Of India – I can tell you that “Behind The Indian Veil: Weddings In India” will also be a book that you will easily explore and lose yourself.

Here are a few of the many images you can expect to see in the custom-designed book:

So, what does Sephi's six year quest look like? To find out, step up and support the “Behind The Indian Veil: Weddings In India” campaign today!

In this world there are dreamers, planners and doers. For most of my life, I belonged to the first group. You can still find me spacing out. My kids sometimes have to come right up to me and shake me back into the present. Funny as that may be, I know I've lost a good amount of time producing work and growing a business.

While I have become better at planning and making to-do-lists, what stifled me in the past was not having a road map to run a photography business. What are steps one, two and three to get to step 10? I wasn't and am not now looking for any short cuts. I expect there to be a good amount of work involved but when things are fuzzy, most people tend to simply stop doing. This is perhaps the worst thing one can do for oneself, but starting and stopping and starting up again aren't anything new for me. It's how I've done things. Perhaps you are in the same situation?

What if there was the option to start and keep going? That's where the Business Planning Cookbook comes in. Angela Pointon of Steel Toe Images and Zach Prez of Photography Spark, two people I hold in high regard for their long history in helping photographers and business acumen, have teamed up to bring us a new and necessary resource for photographers who are serious about staying the course.

They begin with an exercise in defining your vision. Get the free PDF that walks you through your business vision statement. This resource also gives you an idea of what to expect in the Business Planning Cookbook; worksheets and videos to guide you every step of the way.

Here's what you receive when you buy Business Planning Cookbook:

Goal-setting guidance and direction for building targets for your business you’ll be motivated to hit

A crash course in writing a vision statement — one that challenges you to think bigger, reach higher, and achieve greater success

Serious focus to the business objectives and tasks that matter, reducing the distracting, ineffective stuff most photographers waste time on

A killer, proven formula for determining which marketing channels will work and inspiration for rocking your marketing and sales

A simple guide to financial goals and predictions that anyone can use to plan out their revenue and income, even if numbers aren’t your thing

Confused about how to run your business, stressed out about money or anxious about when the next client will come walking through the door? Consider buying the Business Planning Cookbook today.

Special bonuses when you decide to invest in your business:

12 videos to expand on key business topics

10 worksheets to help you brainstorm, plan, and practice the lessons

Exclusive business planning community membership, led by Angela & Zach

It's on sale through May 20th for only $79. Isn't peace of mind worth that small price? Price bumps up to $99 after that date.

Zack Arias is a name that is now synonymous with learning to use your off-camera studio strobe or speedlight, starting with just one light and one modifier, in manual mode.

Whether you attended one of his workshops (or like me, two of his workshops) in the past or sat and watched and rewatched his first video tutorial called, OneLight Workshop, I am going to bet that you have experienced one or two personal eureka moments about using your flash.

For some of us, his teaching liberated us from the confines of “natural light.” For others it was a financial boon, allowing us to seek out new clients who not just expected beautifully lit images, but demanded them every single time. A lucky few, got to do both really well. In any event, Zack's OneLight video and workshops were likely my number one recommendation for anyone who is shit scared about using artificial light because Zack has an incredible knack for easing you into your comfort zone with the technical stuff and jargon.

You see, I was one of you. I cringed at the idea of messing around with buttons and dials on the back of my speedlight. Even though I felt compelled to buy a flash, I resisted using it for a very long time. Can you relate to that? I lived in a constant state of fear of being called out or embarrassed. Heck, I was a photographer and not knowing how to use an essential tool of my trade meant only one thing – my training was far from complete and that I had to learn the fundamentals. Zack's video workshop was just the ticket for me back then.

Zack's videos in this second version of his workshop is just as thorough as the first version. I am here to tell you that you will learn how to use your flash after watching this video. You will experience a sense of ease and comfort using your speedlight. Seriously, if I could learn it, I know you can.

Zack's delivery is as if he is talking to a new friend of his – cordial, patient and sometimes funny. He is very methodical and deliberate. The video and audio production is as good or even better than the first version and the editing is spot on. The first few videos are in black & white; a conscious decision, I am sure, on Zack's part to get us to watch and listen to him and not be distracted by anything else that you may see on his set.

OneLight 2.0 is over seven hours of video, across six distinct chapters. It's not something I watched in one-go. I had to pace myself and I suspect you will do the same.

He begins by discussing gear; the minimum you will need to use your flash off-camera. One thing Zack is consistent on from the older dvd to the newer videos is to remain committed to learning about light using one light & one modifier. It's sage advice especially when it is all too tempting to buy soft boxes, umbrellas, beauty dishes and grids. Zack also goes over what type of modifier he recommends and why. Pay close attention to this as it will likely save you from wasting oodles of money on lighting products you don't really need.

I'm halfway through it! It should come with every light sold, the world would be filled with greater photographs! It's brilliant! – Bill Gekas

Zack takes on exposure and what affects your image. Those are of course, shutter speed, aperture, iso, flash power and flash to subject distance. He goes over each factor, showing us examples using Carl, a stuffed squirrel. I urge you to watch this section multiple times so that it all soaks in.

Zack's new workshop is only available as a download for $75. I recall paying double that for the first version of this video tutorial. That said, Zack has kindly offered Tiffinbox newsletter subscribers a special and significant discount through May 31st. Yes, you have to subscribe to the newsletter (top right blue box is where you need to punch in your email address) to receive and use this code. If you miss the first newsletter with the special code, don't fret. Subsequent email blasts will carry this special code. This is the first of many exclusive offers that I will be bringing my subscribers. So, that's yet another reason to stay subscribed.

The next chapters, if you can call it that, are Zack actually showing you and walking you through three of his shoots. Were you ever curious to know why or how a photographer made one decision over another? This is your chance to eavesdrop. Seriously, this is pure gold!

Zack ends the videos with a review of some of the images he has captured. He talks about what he feels were successes and which images he would throw away. Ever hear another photographer acknowledge his or her shortcomings after a shoot? I found it refreshing to listen in on what worked for Zack and what did not.

All this for $75? Wow! (subscribe to my newsletter in the top right blue box to receive a special time-limited 25% discount code only for my subscribers).

He has done an outstanding job and he is selling it cheap, too cheap if you ask me, it’s a steal. – Armin Sarow

If there is one thing I would have liked to have seen but did not was a short slideshow with music at the very beginning of the video. I told him privately that I had wished these images were teased to us so that we could anticipate seeing them created throughout the video. I am not sure he will take me up on my request/suggestion. Also absent from this new version is a handy “field guide” which came with version 1.0. Looking at Zack's online store, I noticed that he is working on a new version of the field guide and it will be released for $10. Again, that's incredible value.

Some early testimonials about OneLight 2.0 from the Twitterverse:

“It's even better than the original. Definitely not the ‘difficult second album'.” – Sean McCormack

RJ Bradbury writes:

I purchased the One Light V1 and the book/mag. I get the technical but I still pre ordered One Light V2.0 … Why?

Well a few reasons really:

Zack & Meghan and those who's names I don't know have been a huge influence in my work. They all work hard either at camera, or behind the scenes to help others. Thank You.

You can always.. ALWAYS learn something. Know the basics? Ok good then read between the lines and listen & watch subject interaction, listen to the thought process.

Hell I thought I had done everything with my 60″ Umbrella (cover on, cover half on, cover off, Shoot through, Reflective, Poor mans Soft box, choked down the shaft, close / far, In Front, Behind, To the Side) Yet I have never thought about pointing the dam thing up in to the sky to keep light off the ground! That stuff will save you time in post and that's golden.

The money helps Zack and his family out & goes towards a source of much needed signal (#DEDPXL) in an ocean of bullshit and noise. Is this a family show?

It's a bargain even at full price. Good solid content that's well produced, but I can watch tutorials on YouTube for free … Yeah ok that's true with bikini models, bad exposures and all about the gear. Do yourself and your photography a favor buy it, watch it … then go shoot!

Wait it can't all be good? – Mostly. The Final Thought video is a different format but its an easy fix with a converter if needed.

Fred Glasser writes:

Zack’s done a tremendous job with OneLight 2.0. While I pre-ordered it & have only had for a few days, I’m already halfway through it. It’s that good. He’s super-articulate & incredibly thorough, and everything follows a very logical progression. It’s ideal for folks looking to get comfortable with off-camera flash & studio strobes. Even seasoned pros looking to hone their skills & take their game to the next level will benefit. As a full-time shooter who uses off camera lighting constantly, I can’t recommend enough. For the price, it’s an utter no-brainer.

I bought this new lighting workshop by Zack when he first launched DEDPXL, his new education website for photographers. When I first saw the price ($50), I thought he had made a mistake. Most follow-up resources that photographers usually pitch are higher in price, not lower!

Lots of people have asked me whether it makes any sense to buy this second version when they got so much out of the first one. It's a fair question, but an incomplete one in my opinion. If you are in this business for the long haul, you should be constantly learning. Yes, exposures, shutter speeds and ISO's haven't changed much between the two videos (no they haven't changed at all). You probably may skip that (I did not). But the three different shoots and the self-critique Zack offers is significantly different than the DVD version. As I mentioned above, how much would you be willing to pay to learn that from a working pro? I know I didn't think for more than a fraction of a second when I decided to invest in Zack's new video.

Zack also told me privately: “I'm building an “extras pack” of slides, sample images, and gear list based on requests since the release of OneLight V2.” Booyah! So, if you buy it now, you get ALL of the downloads, plus some goodies that he is working on for all of you.

Do you want to elevate your craft? Are you scared of f-stops and shutter-speeds and can't figure out what affects what? Are you confused and are you looking for some clarity? Well, let me tell you that you and your business will be better off by buying OneLight 2.0 from Zack today. (last pitch of the post: sign up now to receive my newsletter for a special discount code)

Lastly … shutter-speed controls ambient light, aperture controls the amount of light falling on your subject from the flash … there, Zack, I have got it … finally!

The internet has done great things to help us market ourselves as photographers, and social media in specific has made it possible for us to reach a large audience even easier. It is a double-edged sword though. While it's true that you can reach more people now, the same is true for everyone else. The social media space has become very crowded and the perceived barriers to entry in becoming a “photographer” have gone down significantly because of this.

Standing Out

How do you stand out marketing yourself as a photographer online, then? Well, that is a whole other discussion, but I would suggest that a good place to start is to go “back to the basics” and adapt an offline component to your marketing strategy. Let's quickly recall a few of the online marketing strategies that we use today, along with a few buzzwords that have become commonplace:

• Social media
• Social networking
• Engagement on Facebook
• Content marketing on our blogs
• RT's and @ mentions of other businesses on Twitter

What would it look like if we stripped away the “online” component to these terms and strategies?

• Social media
• Social networking
• Engagement on Facebook
• Content marketing on our blogs
• RT's and @ mentions of other businesses on Twitter

We're left with media, networking, engagement, content marketing and relationship building. It's no surprise that these are the foundations of “traditional” business marketing, and we've just adapted them to social media and the internet. A lot of the time, though, we've forgotten about the roots of where they came from. Let's explore.

• Media is defined as the main means of mass communication (television, radio, newspapers).
• Networking means to interact with other people to exchange information and develop contacts, especially to further one's career.
• Engagement is a marketing strategy that directly engages consumers and invites and encourages them to participate in the evolution of a brand.
• Content marketing is defined as providing consistent, high-quality content that solves people's problems.
• Relationship building is a marketing strategy that recognizes the long-term value of relationships and extends communication beyond intrusive advertising and sales promotional messages.

The Foundations of Marketing

Using these marketing foundations as a starting point, I would suggest the following 5 ways that you can use the basics of business marketing to increase your local awareness offline and ultimately get more business: speaking, networking, press, co-marketing and direct-mail.

I am a big believer in the idea of being specific, giving examples and taking action on what we learn. All articles that I write for my educational website Sprouting Photographer ends with an “action item” that gives a specific point of follow-up. For this article, I'd like to give 18 examples of how you can put into play each of these 5 marketing basics right away.

Speaking

• Give a presentation to a local business clubs re: business portraits.
• Give a presentation to the local Rotary Club about what you do as a photographer.
• Present to a Mom group re: family and child portraits.
• Put on a workshop to teach the basics of photography at the library.

Networking

• Seek out local business associations such as the Chamber of Commerce or a local BIA and become a regular attendee to the networking meetings. Focus on building relationships and not just handing out business cards.
• Personally reach out to local business owners and connect one-on-one. See how you can help each other.
• Attend local niche trade shows and network with the organizers, sponsors and businesses. If you specialize in family portraits for example, a “home show” would likely have many businesses that serve a similar market as you do. This would be a great networking opportunity.

Press

• Donate to a cause and attach your name to a newsworthy event/charity.
• Volunteer your time locally.
• Offer help to the local media – maybe they need photographs, or perhaps they'd like your opinion on a photograph-related topic.
• Send press releases once you've built an established relationship with the local paper.
• Offer to write a column in the paper.

Co-Marketing

• Offer to decorate local businesses with wall portraits and wall art. Display your business card with it.
• Run a promotion with a local business that has a similar audience as yours. You can share each in each other's customer base.
• Exchange a stack of business cards with local like-minded business owners and offer to help market each other.
• Offer a local business a few gift certificates to give their top-tier clients as a gift from them.

Direct-Mail Postcard Mailings

• Come up with a specific, time-sensitive offer and mail it to 10,000 homes in the area via a post-card drop.
• Repetition is key – plan to do one per month for at least 6 months.

Creating a well-rounded marketing plan is crucial for long-term success as a photographer. We need to include online and offline marketing strategies to ensure that we are in front of as many prospective clients as possible. The ultimate testimony to a consistent offline local marketing initiative is when your clients start telling you that they “see you everywhere” – that is a well-executed branding and awareness campaign!