EPISODE #7: TOP 10 MISTAKES I MADE AS A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER PART 1

Today's quote:

If you only learn from your successes, you only learn half as much as you could.

Your success as a wedding photographer doesn’t only depend on you.

Having a usable, relevant website matters - a LOT!

Think through the kind of lifestyle you want before you build your wedding photography business!

Outline of this episode:

[00:24] My introduction of this “lessons learned” episode.

[06:32] Mistakes I’ve made when starting this podcast (as an example of where we’re headed today).

[13:45] Mistake #1: I didn’t network as much with wedding vendors.

[19:00] Mistake #2: Not researching my website design enough.

[21:47] Mistake #3: I didn’t learn SEO (Search Engine Optimization) early on.

[23:55] Mistake #4: I didn’t blog details on my website.

[30:00] Mistake #5: I didn’t think enough about the kind of lifestyle I wanted to live.

[37:09] Recap of these top 5 mistakes.

[37:39] Today’ s inspirational quote.

[43:28] How to connect with me.

Resources and links mentioned in this episode:

• Two Bright Lights - get your work featured and published

• “Top 10 Ways To Build Your Wedding Photography Portfolio When Starting Out” - My FREE ebook

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EPISODE #6: HOW MUCH MONEY DO I REALLY NEED TO MAKE IN WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY?

Today's quote:

Beginning to think like a business person, not just a photographer.

It’s OK to have a financial motivation.

How should you price your wedding photography services?

You can reverse engineer your pricing with simple math.

Outline of this episode:

[00:24] Welcome to this episode! Ready to learn about the money side of wedding photography?

[01:55] Updates on the website and an offer I have for you - my free ebook!

[04:00] The “passions” you have the need to figure into your income.

[07:06] Developing a financial mindset from the start.

[10:00] Do you have a business background? How do you move forward if you don’t?

[12:00] The honest truth: You need to make money. You need to have a financial motive.

[14:10] Looking at how you should price your services.

[28:11] Factors to consider regarding pricing and what you need to make each year.

[39:56] The concept of “opportunity income” and how I factor it in.

[47:49] Today’s inspirational quote.

Resources and links mentioned in this episode:

• “Top 10 Ways To Build Your Wedding Photography Portfolio When Starting Out” - My FREE ebook

• iBank app - what I use to manage all my finances every single day

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EPISODE #5 - HOW TO FIND YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY STYLE?

Today's quote:

Why it can be difficult to discover your photography style.

Your photography style will flow out of your entire life, not just how you approach photography.

There are a variety of official styles, and you’ll likely be a mix of them.

In order for your business to thrive, you may need a road map.

Outline of this episode:

[00:20] My introduction for this episode and what you can learn today.

[02:27] My back story and why I’m doing this podcast.

[07:49] A common question from couples, “What is your wedding photography style?”

[12:59] The question you have to answer in the end.

[14:11] The difficulty of discovering your own style.

[16:17] Why finding your style matters for your peace of mind and fulfillment.

[18:00] How I discovered my style over the course of 100 weddings and some other photography opportunities.

[28:50] What if you already have an idea about what your wedding photography style is?

[29:20] The variety of styles you could employ and why it matters to your clients.

[33:25] Why you should incorporate other aspects of your life into your style.

[38:14] One simple question I ask when asked about my style.

[43:00] Tips for working out and understanding your style.

[45:18] The role examples and mentors could play in discovering your style.

[54:00] How styles can be blended or mixed.

[57:30] Today’s quote and how mistakes and innovation will play into discovering your photography style.

[1:02:05] How you can get my free ebook.

[1:02:52] What’s coming up on the next episode of Learn From Henry?

Resources and links mentioned in this episode:

• Breaking Bad TV show

• http://www.nba.com

• http://www.espn.com

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EPISODE #4 - REVIEW OF WEDDINGWIRE'S DELIGHT, DON'T FIGHT! 10 DOS AND DON'TS FROM COUPLES WEBINAR

Today's quote:

Do you know your bride and groom’s point of view?

WeddingWire suggests that quality communication with clients is powerful.

Good wedding photographers know how to educate the couples they work with.

Great wedding photographers know that they have to stay humble.

Outline of this episode:

[00:24] Welcome to this episode!

[01:02] My podcast journey is on the way…thanks for being along for the ride!

[02:42] A recent webinar I attended, hosted by WeddingWire.

[07:01] Getting into the bride and groom’s point of view.

[10:22] Communicate with couples quickly and efficiently.

[13:58] Get the pricing right: 3 tips to be aware of.

[19:07] Email mistakes you might make when dealing with brides and grooms.

[21:40] Know your clients.

[26:32] Be sure that you educate the couple about your process and services.

[29:23] First impressions of the situation may not be the right impression.

[31:55] Care needs to be taken when it comes to the competition.

[37:20] Stay humble.

[43:60] Be aware of the couple’s opinions.

[46:20] Today’s inspirational quote.

Resources and links mentioned in this episode:

• http://www.weddingwire.com

• http://www.theknot.com

• http://www.brides.com

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EPISODE #3: Top 10 Habits Of A Successful Wedding Photographer Part 2

Today's quote:

Have you set goals for your wedding photography business? Do you know how you’re going to reach them?

Are you willing to take some calculated risks?

Is ongoing learning something you are committed to as a wedding photographer?

If you’re going to be a successful wedding photographer, you’ve got to know who you are.

Outline of this episode:

[00:26] My introduction to this “part two” episode of the podcast.

[01:29] A change I’m making on these episodes.

[02:50] Recap of the first 5 traits of successful wedding photographers.

[03:54] #6: Have a clear idea of your goals and how to attain them.

[06:57] #7: Be willing to take calculated risks.

[14:31] #8: Learn how to multitask for the sake of productivity.

[19:20] #9: Continue your education.

[23:10] #10: Stay true to yourself and don’t try to be someone else.

Resources and links mentioned in this episode:

• http://www.theknot.com/

• http://www.weddingwire.com/

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EPISODE #2 - TOP 10 HABITS OF A SUCCESSFUL WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER PART 1

Today's quote:

What IS a successful wedding photographer?

Where does passion fit into success as a wedding photographer?

You need to habitually learn and deal with your own strengths and weaknesses.

Your wedding photography business is just that, A BUSINESS.

Outline of this episode:

[00:24] My welcome to this episode and the podcast!

[05:03] Disclaimer: This “top 10” list is MY observations, nobody else’s.

[06:20] First, let’s talk about what we mean when we say “success.”

[14:28] #1 - Develop a passion for wedding photography, it shows in your work.

[17:39] #2 - Have a good sense of your own strengths and weaknesses.

[21:19] #3 - Have a sense of urgency.

[24:44] #4 - Treat your business like an actual business.

[29:57] #5 - A sincere desire to help others.

[34:57] My summary of these first 5.

[39:18] How you can connect with me.

Resources and links mentioned in this episode:

• http://www.learnfromhenry.com - my website

• [email protected] - shoot me an email!

• http://www.periscope.tv/learnfromhenry - connect with me on Periscope

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EPISODE #1: A PODCAST TO HELP ASPIRING AND NEW WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS GO FULL-TIME

Today's quote:

My experiences, lessons learned, and how you can avoid the pitfalls.

My story: engineer to wedding photographer.

If you’re going to get started with wedding photography, there’s no better time than now.

Top 5 reasons I wanted to do this podcast.

Outline of this episode:

[00:26] Welcome, from me, Henry Chen, host and professional wedding photographer.

[01:14] Why a wedding photography podcast?

[00:53] My bio - the experiences I have that I want to pass along to you.

[12:45] Why the sooner you get started, the sooner you’re going to have your dream.

[16:06] The top 5 reasons I wanted to do this podcast.

[25:40] What you can expect from future episodes.

[26:17] Today's inspirational quote.

Resources and links mentioned in this episode:

• http://www.learnfromhenry.com - my website

• [email protected] - shoot me an email!

Subscribe and leave a rating and review on iTunes!