We're excited to share another Three Minute Tips episode with you guys! This week, Julie shares her three favorite ways to improve productivity in the office. Tune in to see what small changes you can make in your daily routine to help you be more productive!

1. Follow the Two Minute Rule: The first thing you should do when you start your day is make a list of all the tasks you can get done in two minutes or less. This could be something like cleaning up your desktop on your computer, filing away paperwork, or writing a thank you note. By doing these tasks first thing every day, your to-do list will get MUCH shorter before you start your big tasks, and make it easier to accomplish everything else!
2. Avoid meetings when possible: Meeting people face to face can be a great thing, but it can also take up a LOT of unnecessary time & effort. You have to plan the meeting around multiple peoples' schedules, drive to the meeting, find parking, meet the client, and then drive home. Julie suggests if there's ANYTHING that can be done over the phone, Skype, or email instead of having to schedule a consultation, try to push clients towards that.
3. Stop multitasking: We tend to think that by multitasking we are getting more things done, but the truth is we actually work slower when multitasking! Concentrate on just one task at a time & complete it before moving to the next thing. It's better to do one thing at a time really well than to split your focus between multiple tasks & cut corners.

Thank you all for listening to Julie's Three Ways to Improve Productivity in the Office! We look forward to coming at you again soon with another full length episode of Photospark! Related Links:

1. Julie Ferneau Photography

This is a pretty fun episode to listen to because of all of the mutual "fan-girling" going on in the studio!! Ashley is away this week (she'll chat about where she is and what she's doing in a future episode!) so Julie & Kate held down the fort! They're both HUGE fans of San Diego officiant Bethel Nathan, and she's a huge fan and listener of Photospark, so it ended up being an AWESOMELY fun time!! Bethel is a wedding officiant here in San Diego (Ceremonies By Bethel), as well as a business coach (Elevate by Bethel), and just overall awesome presence here in the San Diego wedding industry! She dropped by the studio to chat with us about weddings & the modern couple. She's super inclusive and loves ALL types of weddings! Photospark definitely supports marriage equality, so we wanted to have Bethel in the studio because she's basically an expert in this area, and she gave us some awesome tips we can use when working with modern weddings! Key Takeaways:

1. Make Your Support Clear: If you support marriage equality (and we REALLY hope you do!), make it clear on your website. Include photos of same-sex couples & testimonials from their weddings. If you haven't had the opportunity to photograph a same-sex wedding, put out a free offer on your Facebook page or Instagram & try to build your portfolio. Bethel mentions that over HALF of same-sex couples express having fear about contacting potential vendors because they aren't always sure they'll be accepted. So the more clear you can be about your support of LGBT couples, the better!! If you lose clients over this expression of support, they weren't your ideal client anyway!
2. Don't Make Assumptions: We make assumptions ALL the time. Couples planning modern weddings are looking for a ceremony and rituals that fit THEIR unique situations. This isn't just an LGBT issue either; there are plenty of straight couples who have unique family dynamics that might make them rethink traditional wedding ceremonies. Don't assume that the bride's father will walk her down the aisle. Don't assume that there will automatically be a mother/son dance at the reception. Modern weddings are awesome in that couples don't feel the need to carry on traditions JUST for traditions' sake. They're looking for vendors who support a wide range of ideas & uniqueness. The more support & validation you can give to these couples, the better!
3. Watch your Verbiage: This is a HUGE thing that changed when marriage equality became present. Pre-marriage equality, most of our contracts had a spot for a bride and a spot for a groom to fill out their information. Now, it's a great idea to keep the verbiage neutral so everyone feels included when filling out an inquiry form or a contract for their wedding. Small changes like this are actually HUGE in making couples planning modern weddings feel comfortable!
4. Check your Preferred Vendors: When dealing with a modern wedding (especially for LGBT couples), it's important to know that anyone you could potentially refer to your couple will also support them and their marriage. If it's not clear on their website & marketing materials, it's important to ask them. Don't assume your favorite vendors support marriage equality & modern weddings because you might be shocked to find out they don't. Only refer your couples to vendors who have the same mindset as you and will be happy and supportive toward your couple!
5. Modern Couples are NOT just same-sex Couples: It's important to remember that this topic isn't JUST about marriage equality for LGBT couples. Interracial couples also deal with discrimination when planning their wedding. Make sure you have imagery to show support of their union as well! And again, if you haven't shot an interracial wedding, make it a point to find a couple to photograph! Couples want to see themselves in your marketing materials. It makes them feel included & lets them know you are 100% supportive of their union.

There are SOOO many more tips from Bethel in this episode, but you'll have to listen to find out what they are! We were so flattered that she was excited to join us in studio for this chat, and we hope you love everything she has to say as much as we did! Stay tuned because we KNOW Bethel will be back on Photospark to share even more knowledge about another topic soon! Relavent Links:

• The Gay Wedding Institute
• Elevate by Bethel
• Ceremonies by Bethel
• Asked to Officiate
• Bethel on Twitter
• Bethel on Instagram

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When starting this podcast, we knew we'd have to split up our tasks (there are quite a few of them!) and delegate certain tasks to certain hosts, based off our strengths & what we like to do most! Julie is definitely the networking guru out of the three of us Photospark ladies! She loves going to events, meeting new people, and spreading the news about our awesome podcast! In this Three Minute Tips episode, Julie discusses some ways to get the most out of networking! Key Takeaways:

1. Find Relevant Events: Look at the invites you receive and do some research! Check out their social media, guest list, and event hosts & make sure the event is a good fit! It's never a bad idea to add the hosts as friends on Facebook or follow them on Instagram.. if they know your name when you arrive, you're already a step ahead towards forming that networking bond & connection with them!
2. Chat with Multiple People: It's so tempting to find your friends at these types of events & stick within your comfort zone, but it's really important to chat with as many people as you can once you get there. The point of networking is meeting NEW people and forming NEW connections. So definitely make sure you say hi to your friends & keep those connections strong, but don't be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone! Everyone at the event SHOULD be there to meet new people too, so they should be super excited to meet you!
3. Nurture the Connections You Made: If you do make a genuine connection with someone (or someones!) at the event, don't let that event be the last time you see them! Do your best to form a REAL connection with them... go out for coffee or cocktails & chat about your businesses and your personal lives. Make the effort to stay in touch with these people for the long run! Don't be creepy... but be present on their social media & make sure they know that you're interested in their business & in maintaining a relationship with them in the future!

We hope you liked these networking tips! Drop us a line on social media & let us know if you have anything to add!! Relavent Links:

• Julie Ferneau Photography

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Living in San Diego, we are lucky to have ALL sorts of creatives, entrepreneurs, and business-minded peers close at hand. Our goal at PhotoSpark is to deliver as much advice as possible from these awesome people to you guys!! At no charge! How rad is that?! Anyway, Julie & Kate were joined this week by Becky & Jesse Morquecho, the creators and owners of Idealust- a community for creative entrepreneurs. These two are an awesome team of wedding photographers turned business coaches, so they know all the ins and outs of the photography industry! They chatted with us about their must-know strategies to make more money with your creative business. Check out their episode to hear all of them, but here are some of our favorites! Download from iTunes Here Download from iTunes Here Key Takeaways:

1. Everyone starts somewhere: Becky & Jesse emphasize the importance of following your dreams and making that jump into the creative industry. A lot of people wait for the PERFECT time to start, making excuses about their website not being ready, or needing a better logo, etc. The sooner you start, the sooner you make money! The more clients you have in the beginning, the better your mindset will be to continue your business because you'll have the confidence to take more clients & start to believe you can actually do this as a career!
2. Videos are SUPER important: We have all heard it a million times, but it takes a lot of time to put together, so a lot of people don't do it. VIDEO IS SUPER IMPORTANT. Potential clients want to see your personality, connect with you, and hear you speak to them. You can totally start small, with little behind the scenes clips here & there, but we suggest also doing a promo video of you working and video testimonials from your clients. They're great for SEO and will put you a step ahead of anyone who doesn't have a video, in turn helping you make more money!
3. Provide value-based newsletters & communication: As creatives, we have a TON of ideas in our head, we just don't always know how to implement them! Decide who your ideal client is, and write newsletters TO those clients. Don't worry about people who might not get value from what you're writing; they aren't your ideal clients! Newsletters shouldn't just be sales pitches, they should be vital information for your potential clients. Subject lines like "Hire Me!" don't work as well as subjects like "10 great locations in San Diego for afternoon hikes!" or similar topics. Everyone gets TONS of emails every day, so the subject line HAS to be catchy & make our clients want to read. We want to inform them & entertain them, not just sell to them. By doing this, we'll stay in their heads when they are looking to hire a photographer & they're more likely to choose you!

Those are just three of the MANY topics Becky & Jesse chatted about on the show! Be sure to tune in to hear more!! Related Links:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/idealustlife (@idealustlife)
• Snapchat: http://snapchat.com/add/idealustlife (idealustlife)
• Website: http://idealustlife.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/idealustlife
• Mailchimp

 

Hello everyone!!! If you're anything like us, you're smack dab in the middle of the summer busy season. Here in San Diego, we notice a HUGE influx in photo shoots during the summer... locals & tourists alike all want those bright, sunny beach photos right? Well as fun as it can be to be super busy (we all love making money!), we've noticed that sometimes busy season really hurts our creativity. We get so used to driving to the same locations, doing the same types of shoots over and over again, that it can put a damper on our spirit! This week, our Three Minute Tips episode is all about how to reignite creativity! Key Takeaways:

1. Setup a Styled Shoot: Styled shoots are GREAT! They're a breath of fresh air because you get to build the shoot from scratch. You don't have to worry about things like client expectations, location issues, lighting issues, etc because everything is laid out ideally how YOU want it. Plus, you get to play around a little more & experiment because it's all for you!! If setting up your own styled shoot is overwhelming, search around for workshops either in your area or abroad... they can have the same effect without all the work!
2. Try a New Lens: It's amazing how much a different lens can inspire you & reignite creativity! I always notice when I shoot with a new lens I'm suddenly using different angles, shooting through bushes, getting more detail shots, closer or further shots, etc. Most areas have local lens rental places (or you can always go online) so it's a great way to mix up your shoot a bit without having to spend a TON of money on actually buying the lens (just don't fall in love... that's dangerous!)
3. Participate in a Photo Challenge: Fun challenges like the 365 challenge allow you to do personal photography documentation every single day & allows you to play around with your shots because again, they're all for you! These challenges help you be a little more creative in your paid shoots too because you're slowly training your brain to think a little differently!

Hope these tips help you get through the madness of the summer and reignite creativity in your photography both for your professional shoots and your personal projects! Good luck with the rest of the season! Related Links:

• Chasing Daylight Photography (Kate Mills)
• 365 Project
• Lens Pro To Go Lens Rentals

As our show grows, we are lucky to have more & more guest hosts who are interested in coming on the show & sharing about their companies and how they can help photographers with their business! This week we are joined by Meghan Brown of Two Bright Lights! In case you're unaware, Two Bright Lights is an online publishing platform that helps photographers get published both in online blogs & in print! It's a GREAT resource and super easy to use! Meghan chatted with us about some benefits of getting published, as well as some publication tips to help your work get published through a site like Two Bright Lights! Tune in for all of her awesome tips, but here are a few highlights!!   Key Takeaways:

1. Two Bright Lights breakdown: Meghan chats a bit about how TBL works... once you have an account, you create an album (up to 150 images) from your event or photoshoot (they accept pretty much any type of shoot!), and then you can select which blogs, websites, magazine, etc you'd like to submit to. You have all the power over this part! Once your shoot is accepted, you'll be notified through the system about which blog/magazine picked it up, and you'll be notified again when it's published. It really couldn't be easier & they also have tons of publication tips on their website to help you out!
2. Styled Shoots: Styled shoots are SUPER popular for publication right now! Potential brides (and families, for family shoots) want to see awesome details that they can add to their own wedding or shoot. Plus, it's an easy way for the photographer to make sure he/she grabs TONS of detail shots (because you don't have to work around someone else's hectic schedule!).
3. What are some Benefits of Getting Published? 
   1. Establishes Credibility: Not only does getting published LOOK really cool, it helps establish credibility both among other photographers & among potential clients. Clients see your work, know you're reliable, and can also look forward to potentially being part of a published wedding or shoot themselves if they hire you!
   2. SEO: The more your name (and your work) is floating around the internet, the better your SEO results will be! This is especially true if you submit to very popular, high-traffic websites and blogs... the better their SEO is, the better yours will be!
   3. Social Media: When TBL promotes something, they tag the photographer (and the rest of the vendors!). So your name will pop up multiple times on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. They also do all the work for you hashtag-wise, so you'll be easy to find in a search!  The blog/magazine itself will likely tag you too... so your name will be all over the place & easy for potential clients to find!
4. Do Your Research: Take a day or two to browse around blogs & websites (and their Instagram feeds!) to see which sites match your style of photography & what potential clients you're looking for! Remember, this is another great way to weed potential clients down into the PERFECT ones for your style & personality! Don't submit weddings or shoots to blogs when you have no interest in repeating that style.
5. Shoot with the Story in Mind: This is one of our favorite publication tips! It particularly applies to weddings... as you're shooting, keep a potential publication story in mind. Make sure you grab TONS of detail shots (that's what publishers LOVE), and make sure you seek out images that tell the story of the day. It doesn't hurt to also try to color coordinate your photos with the wedding colors. For example, if the colors are blue & purple, try to get an awesome shot of the wedding rings on top of some pretty purple flowers at the venue in front of the bright blue sky. This is a great way to tie additional photos into a blog post or publication post!

Thanks for tuning in to another episode! We hope you enjoyed Meghan's publication tips! Check out the link below to Two Bright Lights & see how easy it is to get started publishing your work! Related Links:

• Two Bright Lights

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Hi guys! We are coming at you today with another Three Minute Tips episode. This week, Ashley shares her tips for extended family sessions! Ashley totally rocks these sessions and does quite a few of them during the summer. Being in San Diego, we get a lot of family reunions, family vacations, etc, so we all get bombarded with a lot of requests for shoots with a lot of people! If this is something that sounds a bit overwhelming to you, you're not alone! It can totally be overwhelming and a lot to handle! However, Ashley's tips will help make these extended family sessions seem a little easier to deal with. Check them out! Key Takeaways:

1. Charge More: Don't be afraid to charge more! You're going to put a lot more work into this shoot than you would a smaller family. There's a lot more time spent organizing everyone's desires pre-shoot (location, date, time of day, etc), as well as during the shoot. More faces mean more chances to get shots where people are blinking, looking away, etc. So that's extra retouching work too potentially if you do face swaps! Also, oftentimes siblings are going in on the shoot together, so it's a little easier to charge more when you know multiple families will be splitting the bill!
2. Organize & Prepare: 
   1. Schedule a phone consultation: This is super important for this shoot! It's important to find out who all is coming (and their relationships to each other) as well as figuring out their priority shots.
   2. Bring an assistant: Ashley will typically bring an assistant along for any groups larger than 10, especially when there are a lot of kids involved! The assistant can help pose the group, keep the kids smiling/laughing, and can also serve as a second set of eyes to help spot hair out of place, wardrobe malfunctions, etc.
   3. Plan out the timing of the shoot: Ashley suggests starting with the full group shot for a few reasons. This is usually the priority shot for the group as it's often tough to get the whole family together at the same time. Also, kids tend to start melting down as the shoot goes on, so doing this photo at the very start of the shoot gives the best chance for a great shot! After the group shot, Ashley does all the kid photos (for the same reason above), and then finishes up with adult shots.
3. Post Session delivery: Ashley advises the family to narrow down decision makers to just one or two people so she's not dealing with a dozen different family members placing orders, asking questions etc. This definitely helps take some of the pressure off her!

Thanks for listening to another quick three minute tips episode! We hope you enjoyed Ashley's tips for extended family sessions and can apply some of these in your own businesses! Related Links:

• Ashley DuChene Photography

WOW! We can't believe PhotoSpark is 6 months old! It's been a bit of a whirlwind from the first spark of our podcast idea until now, but we are so happy with where we are right now! We have some awesome Facebook followers (shout out to all you guys!) and have made some awesome connections with other photographers & business owners both locally in San Diego and abroad via Skype! This week's episode is a little PhotoSpark half birthday check in from each of us; we're updating you guys on what's changed in our lives, businesses, and more in the last 6 months! First off; did you see the photo above?! We just hit TEN THOUSAND DOWNLOADS! That's soooo rad! We are so excited about how quickly we are growing and how many people have heard our podcast!! This is fantastic & we can't wait to see where we go next!! Julie starts us off by chatting about her rebranding! She hired a legit brand specialist (from England!) and is working really hard on honing in on exactly what she wants her specific brand to be! She's spent the last few months thinking about who her ideal clients are, what colors she's favoring, and exactly WHO she is, which will reflect in her brand! Julie has also just been shooting a TON of weddings, both with Julie Ferneau Photography & as a second shooter. She loves second shooting because it gives her a little wiggle room to play around with style & trying a few new things! In her personal life, Julie ALSO has a new puppy, Isabella, who is simply the cutest thing that EVER existed.  Kate's life is changing like NUTS. She's in her third trimester with her first child (a little boy named Grayson!) and is already struggling just a little bit with balancing work, life, and getting ready for the little guy. She's getting her own maternity photos taken around 33 weeks, and is excited to experience that shoot from the other side of the lens! She has shoots booked for another month or so, and is starting to worry just a little bit about that... but she's hoping that the adrenaline rush she gets during shoots will help her survive. The hardest part for her is figuring out exactly when she's going to start her "maternity leave" and when she's going to return. Luckily, she's made a TON of San Diego photographers very happy with the million bajillion referrals she's been passing on. It's a little painful but necessary! The good news is it's looking like she's getting some hookups for future family shoots of her own because she's sending so many friends of hers some great business! Ashley definitely has a busy summer ahead of her! She has two high school reunions and some traveling to do during the summer, and she ended up booking a TON of shoots and filling up her schedule! Summer tends to be a busy time with tourist photos and family shoots, and she's definitely taking advantage of that! She's also excited to work again with a past commercial client of hers for a shoot that should be super fun (and we'll have to share the photos with you if that all pans out!!). Thanks again to all of you guys for listening for a HALF A YEAR! We hope you enjoyed our PhotoSpark half birthday check in & we also hope we've been able to impart some wisdom, and that you guys have enjoyed learning stuff along with us! The next 6 months should be EVEN better... we have some amazing guest hosts lined up as well as some fun episode ideas. Feel free to drop us a line if there's anything you want to hear from us in the coming months! Related Links:

• Lightbox Photography Cards
• Julie Ferneau Photography
• Chasing Daylight Photography (Kate)
• Ashley DuChene Photography

We were joined in-studio this week by the lovely & talented Krystel Tien, the owner of Couture Event & Elle Bridal Boutique here in San Diego, CA! Krystel started Couture Events about 8 years ago, and she started Elle Bridal Boutique about a year ago after seeing a gap in her target market for the types of dresses & bridal gown services she was looking for. She's preparing to launch an online academy to help entrepreneurs, wedding planners, and brides plan their own weddings! We are in love with Krystel's style, taste, and companies, but we really wanted her to come on the show to talk with us about finding passion and purpose in your business! Join in & listen to our super fun conversation with Krystel! Key Takeaways:

1. Find the "YOU" in your business: Krystel's style is very french, couture, and beautiful... this style is cohesive & found between all three of her businesses! She suggests finding the traits & styles that make you unique & stand out from the rest of the businesses like yours in your area. When branding your business, be sure you don't just focus on the aesthetics like color, logo, etc... it's also very important to consider what you enjoy, what you don't enjoy, and why. This will help you narrow your focus & build your business around the things you love to do!
2. Find your purpose: When you've found your purpose (it's different for each person), you'll feel fulfilled in what you're doing. For Krystel, she strives to inspire & create. So no matter what her passion is in the moment, she always brings inspiration and creativity to the forefront. This definitely also helps prevent burnout... your purpose will keep you moving forward in your business & you'll feel like a part of something bigger than just yourself.
3. Build a good team: It's super important to find people who can help you and your business succeed! When building a team, you want to find people who bring their own purpose & passion to the table, because that's how your business will grow! Krystel loves working with interns because she can often find people with different talents than herself. For example, if you're great with "big picture" type things, consider finding someone who is detail oriented for your team. Don't be afraid to let others show you how you could be improving or doing something better! In the long run, as long as you're all working for a common goal, different personalities are a BIG help for your company!
4. Give yourself a break: Krystel suggests giving yourself non-work hours. She tries to turn her phone off from 11 PM-11 AM every day. This allows her to spend time with friends, family, and her husband, and also helps her unwind after a busy day! It's super important to have the support of your family & friends in your business, and by allowing yourself some time off to spend with them, you're making it easier for them to support your ventures 100%!

As photographers chatting with a wedding coordinator, we also had to ask Krystel for some tips on how photographers & coordinators can seamlessly work together. She gave us some awesome tips on that too; you'll just have to listen to find out! Thanks for listening to this awesome episode & hopefully you'll take some steps to begin finding passion and purpose in your business as well!!! Relevant Links:

• Couture Events
• Elle Bridal Boutique

We all agree that one of the nicest parts about being an established photographer with a (fairly) steady income, is that we can turn away shoots if we feel the need to. Of course we want to make as much money as possible, but sometimes it's better to trust your gut and just say no! We were inspired to record this episode after reading an article posted on Honeybook by Chrissie Arpie titled "4 Reasons to Say No to a Client." In this episode,  we'll chat about this article and explore a few other reasons to turn clients away! Key Takeaways:

1. They disrespect your time: Ashley dives into this a bit.. she's recently had two clients who haven't replied to her in a timely manner and who let their contracts expire. This put a bad taste in her mouth & she ended up telling the client she doesn't think they'll be a great fit. Our time is valuable and we can't waste it on clients who aren't going to appreciate it!
2. Budget issues: Nobody likes getting those emails where clients are asking for a discount. Sometimes it's a special situation where we offer a military, teacher, or other type of discount in which case we're totally okay with it. But sometimes a client approaches us and can't afford us. Don't be afraid to turn a client down for this reason! It can be tough to do, but we charge what we charge for a reason & it's important to stick to your guns!
3. Lack of expertise in an area: Sometimes it's okay to push your boundaries and step out of your comfort zone, but other times we can tell that a shoot is just not what we specialize in. Don't be afraid to refer a client out to another photographer you think will do a better job. This just causes unnecessary stress & pressure!
4. Overwhelming workload: There are definitely times of year where photographers are overwhelmed by the amount of shoots, editing, etc that they're dealing with! Instead of stressing yourself out (and risking taking on more than you can handle!), don't be afraid to turn clients away, or push them toward another time of year. If you can hire an associate photographer, that's AWESOME! But otherwise, don't overwhelm yourself... every other aspect of your business (and personal life!) will suffer.
5. You don't want to do it: Every now and then you'll get a shoot inquiry that you JUST don't want to do. Maybe it's a day you had something else planned, maybe it's a gigantic family shoot that seems overwhelming, or maybe you just get a weird feeling from their email or phone call. At the end of the day, you can run your business however you want to. Do you want to fill your summer with shoots that churn your stomach with anxiety beforehand or do you want to fill your schedule with shoots that make you excited and happy to be a photographer? It's completely up to you & don't be afraid to turn clients away if you have a bad feeling about the shoot!

  Related Links:

• 4 Reasons to Say No to a Client
• Chrissie Arpi's Blog
• Honeybook