Clued Up with Maria B: The Behind-The-Scenes Photography Podcast

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In this week's episode we talk about collaboration among creatives: Photographers and other artists. I share with you the positives and the challenges of photographing a large event. In my case the painting and installation of a 9000 sq ft. Black Lives Matter Mural over the course of a week. I provide inside observations of what is needed among professionals to ensure photography and other visual media are used effectively in order to provide cohesive images. This is not an easy process, and as you will hear, it's very easy for gaps to open into huge crevices and leave parts of an event uncovered, or as was the case with this project, scant coverage for some parts and over coverage from others. Learn from my experience. 

Three essential factors are vital to success among collaborator:

• Communication
• Planning
• Organization

Questions or Comments? Reach out at [email protected] and I'll be in touch* directly or address your comment on the podcast.









*By submitting a question or statement, you agree that your submission can be discussed publicly on the podcast, website, or other platforms owned by or affiliated with CluedUpBTS and its parent company, HeadshotNJ, and affiliate company Maria B Photography Studio. while retaining your anonymity. 

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In this episode I share with you what I considered to be an epic fail and my most challenging photoshoot. Oddly enough it had nothing to do with the client. I share with you what happens when you lose control of your shoot and when you loose control of your space, your physical and your professional space. I'll also share the important lessons I've learned and the steps I've taken to ensure that I maintain control of future shoots.

{4:36} This day was about the client and it ended up that this person just took all of the attention or most of the attention away from the client and that is what bothered me the most.

{5:17} This person was someone who, for two, maybe three years, we've had a business relationship, and I have been in her place of business.

{15:17} ... to know that I have to write this into a contract now because of someone's behavior, is just extremely unfortunate, but I don't want this to happen again and the reason I'm discussing this with you ...I want you to see what happens when you lose control of your space.

{20:46} Sometimes there's a negative outcome no matter which way you choose to go. In this case, I chose to sever a relationship with someone I had been doing business with for a number of years. But I have to tell you, I feel great about my decision.

Please feel free to comment on this or any other episode. You can contact me at:
[email protected]


Podcast Link: CluedUp with Maria B: The Behind the Scenes Photography Podcast

Follow CluedUp on Instagram: @CluedUpBTS
Follow CluedUp on Twitter: @CluedUpBTS


Follow Me on Instagram: @PhotographerMariaB
Follow Me on Twitter: @PhotogMariaB
Like Me of FB: @PhtographerMariaB

Questions or Comments? Reach out at [email protected] and I'll be in touch* directly or address your comment on the podcast.









*By submitting a question or statement, you agree that your submission can be discussed publicly on the podcast, website, or other platforms owned by or affiliated with CluedUpBTS and its parent company, HeadshotNJ, and affiliate company Maria B Photography Studio. while retaining your anonymity. 

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Once you have a rudimentary understanding of your camera, and someone wants you to photograph their event, their party, their kid, or they want you to take their headshot, don’t do it for free. Send your potential client a copy of your price list, a documented affirmation that demonstrates the value of your photography work. Your price list a sign that you're a professional. It shows potential clients you've considered the costs of working as a professional photographer and that you're serious about your business. It also prevents you from making mistakes like overcharging or more importantly, undercharging clients and finding that after you've accounted for your time, services, cost of goods, and cost of doing business, you're actually in the negative.

Below are  links to additional articles and sites about appropriate pricing for your photography work. Keep in mind that pricing and rates vary by regions but in lower priced regions that's still not an excuse to undersell yourself. These articles are worth the read for learning about pricing.


Black Lives Matter Mural East Orange, NJ

Fash
Pixelcents
Expert Photography with attention to the sections "Factors to Consider Before Setting Your Rates" and "Photography Rates at a Glance."
Guide to Pricing Photography Print by Shot Kit.  See the considerations that lead a photographer to charge more than $50 for an 8 x 10 photo that cost about $13 to print. 

Sue Bryce (Membership Required)
Tanya Smith: Episode 14, “A Simple Price List for Higher Sales”
Episode 2, “Why You Should Never Offer Free Shoots.”


Podcast Link: CluedUp with Maria B: The Behind the Scenes Photography Podcast

Follow CluedUp on Instagram: @CluedUpBTS
Follow CluedUp on Twitter: @CluedUpBTS


Follow Me on Instagram: @PhotographerMariaB
Follow Me on Twitter: @PhotogMariaB
Like Me of FB: @PhtographerMariaB

Questions or Comments? Reach out at [email protected] and I'll be in touch* directly or address your comment on the podcast.









*By submitting a question or statement, you agree that your submission can be discussed publicly on the podcast, website, or other platforms owned by or affiliated with CluedUpBTS and its parent company, HeadshotNJ, and affiliate company Maria B Photography Studio. while retaining your anonymity. 

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Episode 12. How to Have Successful Photo Shoots Without Your Own Studio. In this week's episode we talk about an issue that many photographers face: How to produce successful professional-style photo shoots if you simply do not have a space.

Necessity isn't called the mother of invention without good reason. When you want to do something badly enough, you will find a way. This is true of finding photography shooting spaces. There are several alternatives to renting or owning a dedicated photography space. In this week's episode we talk about the positives and the challenges of these alternatives and also some important tips to keep in mind when you are ready to start looking for your own space if you choose to to so (There are many successful photographers who work without their own studios).

I hope you find this episode helpful and I hope some of you see your way to creating successful businesses working on location or working outdoors. This can really set you apart from the plethora of in-studio photographers.

Please visit the podcast website to see a selection of photos taken at different location from hotel rooms to NYC streets, from my in-home studio to clients homes and backyards. 

Here are the links for sites mentioned in this week's episode:

IG: truemouaphotography
        narratography

Shopping for Studio Items/Furniture
Wayfair
Overstock

Photography Business Education
Steve Saporito Education

Studio Rental
AlChemical Studios
Baza Studio
Peer Space

Changing Tent

Questions or Comments? Reach out at [email protected] and I'll be in touch* directly or address your comment on the podcast.









*By submitting a question or statement, you agree that your submission can be discussed publicly on the podcast, website, or other platforms owned by or affiliated with CluedUpBTS and its parent company, HeadshotNJ, and affiliate company Maria B Photography Studio. while retaining your anonymity. 

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Episode 11. In this week's episode we go behind the scenes of a recent photo shoot that just sort of happened. In one of my most successful photo shoots, we look at the elements that came together to create the perfect storm: Preparedness, Professionalism, Killer Attitude, and Confidence on the part of the client, the makeup artist, and the photographer-that would be me. This is what happens when people know their craft, when they're comfortable in their  capabilities, and when there's trust between everyone involved. This is the way photo shoots are suppose to go: Everyone shows up with the best of intention and with the singular purpose to give it their all. With every BTS there are lessons to be learned including giving yourself time to correct mistakes especially in areas beyond your direct control and double and triple checking that you have all the right gear and equipment.

We also talk about being the director of the set, not being a task mater, caring for the people who work to make your work outstanding, and praising your team and their phenomenal work.

I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I enjoyed this photo shoot with @ka_ra8493 and @srcfaces

Questions or Comments? Reach out at [email protected] and I'll be in touch* directly or address your comment on the podcast.









*By submitting a question or statement, you agree that your submission can be discussed publicly on the podcast, website, or other platforms owned by or affiliated with CluedUpBTS and its parent company, HeadshotNJ, and affiliate company Maria B Photography Studio. while retaining your anonymity. 

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Episode 10: Have you ever thought about how much money you spend on photography education...and why?

In this week's episode we discuss how to get the most out of your photography education, who to follow and why, putting a limit on how much you spend on monthly subscriptions, and the criteria you should use in deciding which educators you should pay to follow.
Also in this week's episode and central to your photography education is learning about your personal learning style: How best do you learn and what does the mean in terms of your choices in who to follow as a photography educator and how you spend your money on photography education.

Links to some of the photography educators and their platforms are listed below and in the show notes for this week's episode found on the episode's webpage. In addition, the website also has links to special pricing currently available until December 31, 2020.


Matthew Jordan Smith

Photography Lighting Course by Matthew Jordan Smith

Jerry Ghionis Photography

Jerry Ghionis Photography Training 

Joel Grimes 

Aaron Nace PHLEARN 

Sue Bryce Portrait 

Sue Bryce Education 

Tomayia Colvin Education

Little Pieces Photography by Kelly Brown

Kelly Brown New Born Posing

Steve Saporito Education (Photography Business)

Dixie Dixon 

Felix Kunze

Pratik Naik (Retoucher)

Earth Oliver (Retoucher)

Lola Melani Photography

Lola Melani Academy

Questions or Comments? Reach out at [email protected] and I'll be in touch* directly or address your comment on the podcast.









*By submitting a question or statement, you agree that your submission can be discussed publicly on the podcast, website, or other platforms owned by or affiliated with CluedUpBTS and its parent company, HeadshotNJ, and affiliate company Maria B Photography Studio. while retaining your anonymity. 

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Episode 9. In the "Know Your Camera" series that will be intertwined between regular episodes, we take a deep dive into understanding the basics of our cameras. Why? Even if you are familiar with the basic functions, sometimes there are little nuggets that change our understanding or we just need to hear something or talk about a topic we haven't addressed in a while that can change how we work with our cameras. Knowing your camera is of course the most basic element related to what goes on behind the scenes of any photoshoot.  You may also had the experience of something seemingly going wrong with your camera or you can't make a basic adjustment only to then realize it's because you accidentally touched or changed a setting. It happens to all of us. The better we know our cameras, the less likely to panic when this happens.

In this episode we talk about one of the fundamentals of photography, Aperture. Aperture is the key to giving your photos your desired look and giving your photos your signature style whether you're a hobbyist, semi-pro, or pro. But in order to do that, you have to have a strong foundation and understanding of Aperture and how it works.  Aperture is one of the elements of the Exposure Triangle but today, when we talk about Aperture we're only going to talk about Aperture. In future episodes, we will combine the elements of the exposure triangle-aperture, shutter speed, and ISO-plus other elements such as white balance and flash. But for now, we will discuss each element independent of all others.

I've found that this is the point where most people get lost: when someone decides that these elements are so basic they can be understood just in a few minutes. While that may be true for many, it's not true for all, including me. It took me a long time get "it". My hope is that learning it this way will save you time and having you shooting like a pro in the fraction of the time it took me.

Lastly, you may notice that my speech is slow (slower than usual) and deliberate. I wanted to make sure not to rush and to give you the best opportunity to learn about Aperture and to learn about it properly. So if it sounds deliberately slow it is! Please click here for the show notes that include visualization to help you further understand about Aperture.

Webpage 

Questions or Comments? Reach out at [email protected] and I'll be in touch* directly or address your comment on the podcast.









*By submitting a question or statement, you agree that your submission can be discussed publicly on the podcast, website, or other platforms owned by or affiliated with CluedUpBTS and its parent company, HeadshotNJ, and affiliate company Maria B Photography Studio. while retaining your anonymity. 

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Episode 8. Organization of every part of your photography life is key to success as well as minimizing your stress. It also makes a heck of an impression on your team and your clients because nothing says amateur like disorganization or frequently searching for gear or for something you know you wrote down somewhere.

Organization is an essential part of your time management. Consider the minutes wasted when we have to search for gear or telephone numbers or even searching for photos on our computers. In addition to the time lost, there's also the time that could be devoted to something far more productive.  Another reason to become and remain organized, it shows you're a professional.

This week, it’s time to talk about the Big “O”: Organization!

For additional details and information related to this episode please visit the CluedUpBTS website.

Questions or Comments? Reach out at [email protected] and I'll be in touch* directly or address your comment on the podcast.









*By submitting a question or statement, you agree that your submission can be discussed publicly on the podcast, website, or other platforms owned by or affiliated with CluedUpBTS and its parent company, HeadshotNJ, and affiliate company Maria B Photography Studio. while retaining your anonymity. 

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Episode 7. In this week's episode we take a look at how to map your portrait photoshoot in order to create a seamless workflow for the client, the team, and for the photographer. Those annoying minute details that we dread taking care of before a shoot can make all the difference between a quality experience for everyone involved and a series of challenges during a photoshoot. Key to a quality experience is building consistency for general mapping: Doing the same things over and over so they become good habits and become a routine for every shoot. Next, we look at shoot specific mapping: the customized details specific to the individual client including things like backdrops, lighting, aperture, posing and other facets to help convey the desired mood of the photos for that client. Click the link to the Show Notes to view some photos that demonstrate details, challenges, and information on products and gear used during this shoot.

Show Notes 

Questions or Comments? Reach out at [email protected] and I'll be in touch* directly or address your comment on the podcast.









*By submitting a question or statement, you agree that your submission can be discussed publicly on the podcast, website, or other platforms owned by or affiliated with CluedUpBTS and its parent company, HeadshotNJ, and affiliate company Maria B Photography Studio. while retaining your anonymity.