For Photographers…

We’ve been getting more emails than normal recently from photographers all over the country asking us about business, workflow, marketing, and the like, so we thought we’d hop on the bandwagon and host our own frequently asked questions post. (I know, I know, it’s soooo last blog season but bear with us.) Grab some tea, sit back, get ready for some major photography geek speak, and hopefully have some of your questions answered. Then go and celebrate your weekend! Be inspired, have fun, and hug someone you love…

Q: “What lenses do you guys use/love?”
A: We are still building up our collection of fabulous glass but right now, our lineup includes the Canon 70-200 f/4L, Canon 24-105 f/4L, Canon 50mm 1.2L, Canon 35mm 1.4L, Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro, and our favorite wide: the Tokina 11-16 f/2.8. We shoot a little bit wider than most people so we love our superwide lens. We also rent from The Lens Depot when we need a specialty lens for a specific event or when we want to try a lens out before buying it.

Q: “What computers are you using?”
A: We are complete macs. We use a 15 inch Macbook Pro and a 24 inch iMac. We have 7 external hard drives of varying brands and storage sizes to keep everything organized. We also utilize an Apple Mobile Me account to keep everything between our computers synced.

Q: “How do you guys get your detail shots? Do you plan them out in advance?”
A: We LOVE detail shots! They are some of our favorite shots of the day to get. No, we don’t usually plan them in advance, unless our clients specifically want to incorporate something. Usually we just walk around and try to find something interesting to use. We like to incorporate architecture or art into them and try to find objects that are completely random to juxtapose the details against. For rings shots we usually set up our camera on a tripod with the 100mm 2.8 macro lens and a trigger so that we can keep the images as sharp as possible.

Q: “How are you marketing?”
A: Virally baby! We utilize our website, blog, Facebook, Twitter, email and word of mouth as our primary marketing channels. We also love to be as present as we can on wedding planning blogs and websites because they are such a wonderful resource for brides and grooms today. Social media is the new black.

Q: “How did you figure out your pricing?”
A: Pricing can be a daunting task (especially for people like me who HATE crunching numbers) but it’s just something that you’ve got to suck up, sit down, and dedicate time to. You need to know the cost of running your business, the cost of your lifestyle, and crunch all the numbers so that you don’t inadvertently lose money running your business. Pricing can vary based on your geographic location and the market you are targeting so write out your goals and needs and then get cracking, baby cakes. You’ve gotta do the math. Here is a really fantastic guide to help you get started: The Greatest Pricing Guide Ever.

Q: “How do you get your subjects to look so comfortable in front of the camera?”
A: I actually really love when one of clients nervously says “I really have no idea what I’m doing, and I don’t take good pictures.” because we always end up getting the absolute best shots from people who claim to not know how to work it out. Nate and I try to work with clients who we click with so that their sessions and wedding day are relaxed and fun. We joke around, Nate usually says inappropriate things, they boys bond over sports, video games, or whatever and me and the bride talk about how ridiculous our guys are for being so obsessed with sports, video games, or whatever. And then we discuss how an obsession with shoes, or Anthropologie candles makes so much more sense. ;) But honestly, we approach each session and wedding as a time to make new friends more than a time to get great pictures. Great pictures come from genuine emotions and a real connection between the artist and the subject so we try to to establish that connection early on and then everything else just falls into place.

*Big exhale* Wow, that was a lot. If you’re still with us, here are some shots of Nate and I doing our thing…

And an elusive shot of both Nate and I shooting at the same time. Notice how my shooting stance is far superior to his…

If you have any questions you’d like answered in a future FAQ post,
ask them in our comments section below or shoot us an email to info {at} studio222photography {dot} com

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