Weddings - Page 5 - Tiffinbox

What’s Fundy Designer & What’s New With Album Builder V.6

January 30, 2014 by Seshu | Editor & Publisher

If you have been at it as a wedding photographer, you've at one point or another wanted to create a wedding album for your clients. The process can be tedious, long and overly stressful.

Andrew Funderburg, or at least his company, Fundy Software, is a household name now. I interviewed “Fundy” several years back when I was attending the Mystic Seminars. His programs evolve … constantly. His applications Fundy Album Builder and Fundy Album Proofer are, by a very wide margin, the industry leaders in their respective niches.

I heard from Fundy that he was working on something revolutionary. In most other cases if someone came up to me and dropped that kind of language, I would be very skeptical. Not in Fundy's case because he has time and time again delivered on that promise and made the lives of thousands of photographers more efficient, and perhaps even more meaningful.

When you have an opportunity to interview the guy who defines and directs how wedding photographers run a major part of their business, you jump at the opportunity to see what he is cooking up next. Fundy and I sat down and chatted and he shared his screen with me, showing me the various features of Fundy Designer & Album Builder version 6.0.

The video is long, but well worth your time, if you are considering either buying or upgrading from your current version of Album Builder. We talk about his beginnings, where his ideas come from, what the new version of the software looks like and what we can expect in the future.

Do note that tomorrow (January 31, 2014) is the last day to upgrade at an insanely low price of $30! It would be absurd if you didn't upgrade.

February 1, early-bird pricing will end. Album Builder v6 will be $329, Upgrades from v5 will be $79, upgrades from v4 will be $179, and upgrades from v3 will be $279.

I believed in Fundy's ideas before he even launched his company and that belief is even stronger after seeing what he is bringing to the table now and what features are planned in the coming months. Frankly, it's time again to be excited about photographing weddings and designing wedding albums with ease, efficiency and elegance.

How To Capture A Couple’s Authenticity

January 27, 2014 by Ashley Poisella

It’s funny how some of the moments that have impacted us the most as photographers come from the most unexpected places or at the most unpredictable times. Sometimes we don’t even realize their influence until much much later. For me, that mother of the groom at that wedding all those years ago was one of those moments.

My husband Chris and I were shooting her son’s wedding and at one point during the day she pulled us aside. At this point my mind was racing thinking about what was so important she felt like she had to tell us then and there. She proceeded to say that she wanted to personally tell us how much she loved her son and new daughter in law’s engagement photos from their engagement session a few months prior. She thought they were just beautiful. And then, it came. What she said next changed everything. She said, “I loved the photos because they were just SO THEM.” She didn’t mention the beautiful light or gorgeous scenery. She didn’t compliment us on the flattering poses, the exposure or anything like that.

The “So Them” Factor

Weeks went by and what she said still stuck with me. It was one of the most amazing compliments I felt like I could receive as a photographer. I wanted all of my couples and their families to look at their own photos and feel the same way she did about her son’s. I wanted to truly capture what I have come to call the “So Them Factor.”

The “So Them Factor” is the story, details, and personality that makes an individual and couple unique and therefore special. I wanted to capture the way Ava scrunched her nose when she was genuinely laughing so hard at her fiancé Steve’s jokes – something she has always done since she was a little girl. Her grandma does the same thing. I wanted to capture how Haley would randomly kiss Gavin’s hand as they walked together hand in hand – something she started doing when he was really sick a few years ago. For them it was a way of saying “I love you” with no words. I wanted to capture how big Emily and Brad’s smiles were as they squeezed one another hands back and forth as they sat next to one another – something they had done on their first date and continued to do throughout the years. I couldn’t have thought up direction or poses to elicit these authentic responses. But by knowing a couple and not giving too much direction, I gave them the space to be authentically themselves.

Authenticity versus Over Posing

What has helped me in capturing my couple’s uniqueness and chemistry – their “So Them Factor” – has been truly getting to know my couples. And not just getting to know how they met and hearing about the proposal. But by spending quality time with them and really observing and listening to their story; who they are and what makes them special as individuals and together as a couple. What they have been through, what they have overcome, their victories and imperfections and at the end of the day what makes them THEM. I then use this insight as I am photographing. So instead of telling a couple, for example, to face one another with hands on one another’s waists, his hands lower than her's and for her to turn her head 90 degrees and then both of them laugh really hard, I could tell them to hold one another tight and think about the time when he called her phone and was gushing about how much he loved her only to realize her grandma had answered her phone. Instant genuine laughs as they recall this memory. Conversation between the two. Authentic smiles.

As another example, maybe I see a golden retriever during their shoot and we all start recalling the story they told me during their consultation about how she tripped over a stranger’s dog leash in NYC and the person that helped her up was him. That’s how they met and their story began. These are all things that make them unique and special. They are all part of their story that is theirs and theirs alone.

I have found that for me, giving my couples too much technical or impersonal direction during a shoot and over posing them drains the uniqueness of a couple. It no longer matters who the couple is but becomes all about the pose. But when I really know the couple and they feel comfortable, I can give them permission to be themselves … permission to relax, have fun, and celebrate their story. I can capture them with no walls up. They have genuine laughs, hold hands the way they naturally would and occasionally position themselves with one another with minimal direction from me. They aren’t over thinking how they should stand or look or breathe. They are being authentically themselves in the moment, and THIS is what I want to capture. Because as the end of the day, when they look at their photos, I want them to say “these photos are beautiful and so US.”

How Clients Can Crowd Fund Their Wedding Photography & You Can Market Your Business

September 12, 2013 by Jimmy Moncrief

“Do you think it would be tacky if I registered ONLY with you?”

We had been sitting down over coffee at a local Panera. Going over the logistics of my getting to her destination wedding on a fairly remote island in South Florida. Her wedding was on a Friday and I had another wedding on Sunday back in Tennessee. Before we were even going to discuss photographing her wedding, we had to figure out if it was even possible.

I had rushed out the door with my wedding book samples but without my computer. So figuring travel costs and logistics were left up to my trusty iPhone. Once we got everything squared away, she sat back in her chair and looked at me over her raised cup of flavored coffee. “Tell me about this new business you started. You know… Ciderr?”

As she took a sip of coffee, I was a bit stunned to have heard this question. This bride had definitely done her homework before our meeting, since I don’t advertise my ownership in Ciderr from my photography website or blog.

“How did it start? Where did the idea come from?” Her eyes definitely told me that she was genuinely interested. I normally just tell brides the benefits of Ciderr as it relates to their wedding. This was the first time a bride was asking deeper questions, and without any prompting from me.

So I took a deep breath and started talking.

“I was originally trying to figure out how to do gift cards for my business. I was having too many potential brides meet with me who wanted to hire me but they couldn’t afford me. There had to be an answer for this problem. Gift cards was a logical solution but as I was looking into it, it became a logistical nightmare. Way too complicated, and unappealing to everyone involved.”

“That’s when the idea of a registry came to me. I looked and looked but no one had built anything like it. Weird. So I approached one of my friends who knew way more about business than I did. Once I finished telling him my idea … creating a system for vendors in which brides could register for their products and services (and then their friends and family would help pay for everything), he was really excited about this new project!”

“In the days ahead, my new business partner did an incredible amount of research. Analyzing it from every angle. What he found out put a fire under our butts.”

I looked over at her to make sure I still had her attention or if I needed to go ahead and wrap up my story. She was now leaning forward and I never lost eye contact. I was about to share the statistical data we had found and I was already wondering if I had actually shared too much. Showing all of my cards, giving her too much information, could backfire on me. Her attention seemed to be all in, so I continued.

“The current registry industry was created for an era that only exists in part anymore. It was created for kids just moving out of their parents homes and getting married with literally nothing. That’s just not the case any more. Couples are getting married when they’re older and already established their careers, homes and everything that goes in them. The average age for a bride now is 29 and the groom is 31.”

At this point, she smiled and stopped me. “I’m 28 years old now but when we get married, I’ll be 29. And Jack is 31! Not only do we have everything but we have TWO of everything. I have pots and pans and he has pots and pans.” There was actually energy in her eyes as she continued, “To tell you the truth, we don’t know what to do with everything we do have. We have been having problems figuring out if we should even register anywhere. I think Ciderr is brilliant and I wish I had thought of it!”

Then she dropped the bomb, “Do you think it would be tacky if we ONLY registered with you?”

I looked down at my wedding samples. They were still sitting by my side … unopened. It was suddenly occurring to me that I was about to book a destination wedding using my new registry system alone. She obviously had seen my work online. She’d also seen a lot of other photographers amazing work online as well. The thing that stood out to her the most wasn’t my work (as much as I’d want it to). It was the fact that she could register with me and have her friends and family help pay for my services.

The thing that got me really excited was the statistical data that I didn’t tell her about. $19 billion dollars are spent on wedding registries every year. The AVERAGE wedding, 200 people buy gifts from the bride and groom’s registry. The average gift is between $70 to $100. It didn't take much time to figure out how much the wedding could be worth for me since she was ONLY registering with me. I was not competing with Williams Sonoma, Target, or Bed, Bath and Beyond.

Beyond that, she was now becoming my marketing agent for my business. For free. Free advertising. She had a vested interest in telling all of her friends and family about her registry that is fully branded for my photography business. And we set up Ciderr so that once her friends contributed, they’re asked to spread the word about her registry on behalf of the bride and groom! So not only had I turned my bride into a marketing agent for my business but also her friends and family as well!

We built Ciderr for this bride I was sitting down with at Panera. And she’s not alone. Statistically, she’s not even an exception. She’s the new average. She’s the girl who’s more mature than her 20 year old counterpart. A girl who would rather have a beautiful wedding album that will last her a lifetime than a toaster that will last her 5 years. We exist to make sure our Ciderr members are ready for this new generation of brides!

Learn more through this explainer video about Ciderr:

Are you ready?

A Candid Interview With Wedding Photographer, Laura Novak

June 11, 2013 by Seshu | Editor & Publisher

I watched a video recently by Laura Novak, a wedding photographer, about the one secret ingredient she uses in attracting the right wedding clients for her business.

So, watch that video first:

The video inspired a few questions in my mind and so I hopped on over to Twitter where I asked Laura for some clarification:

TB: In your recent video, you recommend e-sessions with wedding collections and offer it as a complimentary service. Do you then present those images from that session as part of your collection as well when it is time to send the files to the client (assuming you give files to clients)? Or, do you create products from the e-session that the client has to buy first to receive those files?

LN: I highly recommend creating products from the engagement session that you can sell to the client afterwards. Many of my clients purchase loose prints, save the dates, framed images for display at the wedding reception and albums. For example, how cute are these overlays from Design Aglow? All you need to do is take their favorite photo, place an overlay on top and add the wedding date. Done and done!

I always provide wedding and engagement files with the client's finished wedding album, so considering that is usually a year or more from the time of the engagement session they are pretty far away from receiving the files. Typically my clients are looking for products to purchase immediately after the engagement session to be part of their wedding.

Another great idea would be to show and sell a sign-in board. Brides and grooms love these! I really like the designs over at Design Aglow as well.

TB: So what you are saying is, you would structure the collections to include a complimentary e-session, but the only way they can get the files is if they invest in $xxxx. I am worried some may see that as a bait and switch. Thoughts?

LN: Most of my wedding packages (the ones 10k or more) include all the engagement and wedding files with the finished wedding album. Because I state that up front, all of my clients know this and it is no surprise. Most people ask about files during the initial interview, so it gives us a chance to have a good conversation about it. In addition, that information is very clear right in the first page of my marketing materials.

TB: Not sure I am clear on what you mean by “they are years away.” Your e-sessions are years before their actual wedding date? I can see why people want their e-session images.

LN: Let's say that the e-session is six months before the wedding day. Then their wedding day comes and goes, and afterwards the client receives their proofs a few weeks later. Then it takes them a month or two to choose selections (best case scenario) and they have their album and finished files about 6-8 weeks after that. Therefore, clients would typically get their files about a year or more after the engagement session.

TB: So, you let your clients make their final selections? If they did (and I have) they pick images that just don't flow well. Thoughts?

LN: I do! It's their album, so the selections are completely up to them. I just do my best with what they chose and if they give me more creative freedom all the better! And if a year goes by and they don't choose their selections I create the album myself and ship it off (that part is in my contract).

Laura Novak has over 10 years of wedding photography experience, and her work has been featured on numerous national and international publications. Visit Laura's site, www.lauranovak.com, to download a sample album that Laura used to generate over $1.2 million dollars in wedding business. She lives in Wilmington, Delaware with her husband, John, and new baby, Andrew.

A Photographer’s Dream Client

July 28, 2012 by Salonee Pareek

Salonee Pareek is the better half of Ramit Batra Photography. She assists Ramit at his shoots and chronicles their experiences on their blog. When not travelling, or writing, she loves to spend her time with her books and can be found on Twitter.

A few days ago, I had the chance to interact with a prospective client and a fellow wedding photographer. The interaction was around two terms – one listed above, mentioned by the photographer – the dream client; and another what the dream client said “… if someone can put their heart and soul into doing a great job of the photography”. This got me thinking about our expectations as photographers and our clients' expectations for us and how it is like walking a tightrope to manage both of these expectations.

For a photographer, perhaps, there is no greater feeling than working for a client that wants the photographer to put her heart and soul in her photography. What would my dream client be like?

Realistically, what does a client really want? This may not be a million dollar question, but is definitely worth a few thousand dollars to us photographers. Some of us went to school or college and studied the craft of photography and some of us learned it in a more hands-on manner. But most of us have developed a manner of photography, we call our own, even as it changes and develops over time. There are certain things one is willing to do, and quite a few things one is not prepare to commit. And at the end of a hard day, we all want a client that appreciates our work and sees in it, a good value for her money.

While I am in no position to generalise, I have worked for clients who have appreciated the hard work I put in, gone a few steps further and asked for suggestions as to what would help me do my job better. And some, who have at the very outset, communicated the desire to always be in control of me and directed me to work accordingly. It is the latter variety that I am wary of. Here's why: because that does not come across to me as being honest. It appears as though this person only requires a camera operator with good equipment, not someone who uses their mind to control their equipment and create photographs the way only they can.

And thus began my dream of my ideal client. And here’s what I dreamed of:

My dream client would have some awareness about photography, if not especially about wedding photography. She would see me as a professional doing her work and not merely a camera controller. She would not vanish at the mere mention of payments (quite frankly, I know a lot of fellow photographers who have had brides vanish as soon as they receive an estimate). She will want to hire me as she likes my work, and not because she thinks I would do well to ape another’s style. Most of all, she will inspire me to create not merely capture.

Wow! Now that is quite a wish-list.

About being the client’s dream photographer? That would be another day, another story.

Want to win Sarah Petty and Erin Verbeck's book, “Worth Every Penny“? Comment below. Their book walks you through the steps you need to take to set up a boutique business. It's a great read, with lots of information that you can put to use right away in your photography business.

Respond to these questions below: Can you describe your dream client? What would she or he be like? What are your expectations? What, typically, are theirs? (I'll pick the best responses on August 1st. Winners will be notified by email so please use an email address you check regularly when you post your answers.)