Create Client Experiences

Brian Callaway, a destination wedding photographer based in Southern California, believes it is very important to create client experiences that are memorable. It's this mantra that has helped the business he shares with his wife, Allison, a worldwide success; naming them the top wedding photographers in the world!

Together with their fine artist’s eye, technical mastery and photojournalist’s gift for anticipation and timing, they are unmatched when it comes to creating the images and experience that is the story of your love and celebration.

Want to learn more about how to create client experiences that will ultimately also make you memorable? Brian and his wife routinely conduct workshops for photographers. If you live in or near India, you are in for a real treat. Brian is speaking at Silk Inspire 2017, in Goa, India, from October 6 through October 10, 2017. Now is the time to register for this event!

Interview With Brian Callaway

Just as I have interviewed Arjun Kartha and Jen Huang, I was thrilled to speak with Brian about his journey from comedic television actor to wedding photography. Check out this interview now:

The Same Portfolio

Register Now For Silk Inspire 2017

My friend Sephi Bergerson, who is producing this awesome wedding photography festival, tells me that he is pulling all the stops to make Silk Inspire an incredible learning and social experience for all of you. But to be a part of it, you have to register now for Silk Inspire and then get there.

If you are already in India and you are a wedding photographer, you must be a part of this event. In addition to the amazing speakers, you will get to meet other photographers like you who are also discovering their place in this industry. Look, even I'll be there, and I am looking forward to hanging out with you.

Let me know in the comments, if you are coming to Goa, in October.

Tiffinbox Award Winner

Every year on this day, for the past six years, I've announced The Annual Tiffinbox Award winner. The headline makes no secret of who I have chosen to recognize this year; my dear friend and mentor, David Anthony Williams.

Congratulations, David!

I first encountered David through a wedding photography forum called DWF. His posts were informative, inspiring and often hilarious. His warm personality shone through those posts and when he announced he was offering a workshop in New England, I jumped at the chance to sign up.

I still remember that workshop in Rhode Island vividly. It was perfectly structured and thoroughly engaging. Everyone left the “Almost Alone” three-day workshop feeling like they had learned something truly useful and special. I know I had.

Speaking At Conferences

David then came back to the area and spoke at a Mystic Seminars event, in Groton, Connecticut. One of the things he expressed during that presentation left a lasting impression on me. He essentially distilled a successful photograph to two major elements: light and life. With example after example, and story after story, David deftly guided the audience through an emotional and memorable journey.

Most recently, I invited David to speak at the Connecticut Professional Photographer's Association annual convention. Not one to simply fly in and deliver a presentation he had done before, David chose to present something totally new and untested. Just as soon as he landed, we spirited off to Michael's and Joann's to buy props and fabrics for his presentation. Of course, none of it made sense to me at that time, but when it all came together, it was a huge hit for all those who were in attendance.

David is also generous with his time outside the confines of a stage or dais. Just as the CTPPA convention was wrapping up, I approached David and indicated I needed 10-15 minutes of his time to discuss my family portrait photography business. He gave me an hour without once looking at his watch.

David's Portfolio

David is an artist in the truest sense. He isn't afraid to try new things and pivot. He is a student of history – ask him about Richard Avedon or David Bailey, or even the masters from the Renaissance – he knows them all and refers to them like one would speak of good friends. I trust you will see their influences in this small sample of David's august portfolio.

Learning From David

There is nothing like learning from David Williams directly. Remember that workshop in Rhode Island I talked about above? Well, several years later, I attended his workshop again in Niantic, Connecticut. Then followed that up by listening to him speak at a few different conferences.

David is Australian, but lives in Toronto, Canada now and travels to different parts of the world to conduct those memorable workshops. I urge you to make the time, find the resources and drop all excuses to go and learn from David. You'll definitely be a much better photographer because of it. Once you learn to pay attention to light and expression, your photographs will make a far greater impact for your clients and ultimately for your photography business.

Past Tiffinbox Award Winners

Here are the links to the past winners of The Annual Tiffinbox Award:

David DuChemin

Spencer Lum

Jamie Swanson

Jenika McDavitt

Neil van Neikerk

Megan DiPiero

Who will it be next year?

Fine Art Wedding & Portrait Photography

California-based fine art wedding and portrait photographer, Jen Huang, is set to speak at Silk Inspire 2017.

Jen's work has been published in numerous bridal publications, including Harper’s Bazaar, Town & Country Weddings, Brides Magazine, Style Me Pretty, Martha Stewart, The Boston Globe and New York Magazine. 

Jen's fine art wedding and portrait photography is often described as being painterly. Her evocative images are created using medium format film cameras. The simple but elegant compositions you see below are her signature style that makes her one of the top wedding photographers in the world.

Be sure to follow Jen through her blog or her Facebook page.

Interview With Jen Huang

In advance of Jen's presentation at Silk Inspire 2017, in Goa, India, from October 6th through October 10th, I sat down with her to talk about her unique approach to wedding and portrait photography. Give this a listen now:

Be sure to check out Jen's interview on the Silk Inspire blog as well!

A Mini Portfolio

Register For Silk Inspire 2017

If you haven't watched the first interview in this series, with Delhi-based photographer Arjun Kartha, please do so.

Secondly, you should consider registering for SILK INSPIRE 2017, India's first wedding photography festival.

Weddings In India

Arjun Kartha views his success as a photographer pursuing weddings in India to more than being at the right place and at the right time. While his journey began as an engineer, he then pivoted into advertising and marketing. It was there that he saw first hand how photographers worked; how they dealt with clients and presented their work.

Arjun and his wife Praerna are wedding photographers based in Delhi, India.

Arjun will be speaking at SILK INSPIRE, India's premier wedding photography festival, from October 6th through October 10th, in Goa, India. While he hasn't nailed down his topic, he promises to share his experiences as a wedding photographer from the Indian context.

What's important, for Arjun, is that Indian wedding photographers adapt the information they glean from speakers or teachers, either at the wedding festival or through online courses, to their own situation in India.

The Interview

Register To Attend SILK INSPIRE

Want to find out more about their approach to weddings in India? Register and come to SILK INSPIRE, in October of this year.

Finally, who else is speaking at SILK INSPIRE 2017? Here's who: Andrea Corsi, Jen Huang, Jeff Newsom, Sergey Ivanov, Juya Gentil, Zack Arias, Brian Callaway, Sephi Bergerson and me!

Success Comes With Work

Listen folks, Arjun Kartha Photography on Facebook has nearly 200,000 likes! How did Arjun and Praerna do it? Seems like their solid work ethic, being the founder of the Wedding Photographers Association of India, knowledge of SEO and an engaging and inquisitive personality all played a part in their success.

For more about Arjun, be sure to visit the SILK INSPIRE blog as well.

“I'm the king of U-turns,” photographer Andy Anderson told our class at the 2014 Texas Photo Roundup. Over the course of the next few days, we'd come to learn that he meant that quite literally: Andy was in constant pursuit of his next personal project. For him that could have meant a dune buggy in a desert, or oilmen at work.

The bigger picture though, to me at least, wasn't about the art of it. Yes Andy spoke at length about how it was important to craft your own vision and continually be honing a unique point of view, and both of those things are incredibly important, that wasn't the golden nugget. The most valuable take-away from the workshop, and from my experiences since then was that photographers who shoot the most personal work get the most commissioned work of the type they want to do.

Other Tiffinbox blog posts that address the idea of personal work are here and here.

This concept has been reinforced by Andy's rep, Heather Elder, who writes the incredibly insightful, Notes from a Rep's Journal blog. Heather has often written that among the photographers she represents, it's always those who shoot the most personal work who find themselves the busiest commercially.

Years ago – I think it was from Nick Onken's blog, but am not 100% sure – I read the best advice regarding the photography business I've ever heard.

“Everything you do needs to be in service of two ideas – take better photos, and show them to more people.”

As I've built my business, that idea has been at the center of everything I do, and if a particular task isn't in service of one of those ideas, maybe that's something I should consider outsourcing (like bookkeeping).

The most valuable take-away from the workshop, and from my experiences since then was that photographers who shoot the most personal work get the most commissioned work of the type they want to do.

It all ties together though. In 2015 I committed to sending monthly e-mails to 2,000+ creatives and current clients via Yodelist as part of my overall broader marketing plan. Yodelist, while far less expensive then their chief competitor Agency Access, isn't a small financial commitment. To see a return on that investment, I realized quickly I couldn't send e-mails saying, “Hey! Come look at the same work I showed you last month!”

The catch-22 though is that much of the work I shoot in a given month won't be available to be shown publicly for a few months following, because it's either part of a broader yet-unfinished campaign, or because a magazine hasn't yet been published. As a result, having new personal work, like my recent “Fuego Faces” series is a key component to my marketing plan as I can shoot something today and have it live on my blog or website tomorrow.

While the “Fuego Faces” project was all shot in a day, my series of photos of New England Craftsmen has been ongoing for 3+ years with no end in sight. I don't exaggerate to say that literally every new client I've worked with during the past few years has referenced the craftsmen series – it's led to thousands (tens of perhaps?) of dollars of new work. I've received creative briefs with individual images pulled from the craftsmen gallery, and lost track of the number of times clients have said, “Just shoot it like your craftsmen series.”

Personal Work by Doug Levy

I try to treat personal work no different than commissioned work, and often that means paying an assistant to come to personal work shoots. It totally depends how you work though. For me, paying to have an assistant is just part of my overall marketing budget. I wouldn't do a client job without a second set of hands, so why would I shoot personal work any differently? To me, spending a few hundred dollars on an assistant = better photos = more paying client work. Personal work is also an opportunity to try new techniques and work in new assistants (or stylists, or digital techs) on jobs that inherently have a lower stress point than those involving large client expenditures.

I frequently get asked by local photographers, “How do I get more commercial clients?” At its root, the first step could almost always be, “Shoot some killer personal work and show it to as many people as possible.”

The following words are by Xavier Vega, an alumnus of Avon Old Farms School, an all-boys college preparatory school in Avon, Connecticut. He delivered them on May 19th, at the opening and dedication of Ordway Gallery on that school's campus:

It is always the path of the artist to have to create his or her own. Never is an artist given anything in this world but their talent – rarely do any of us truly possess it naturally. In a world where hard work is equated to physical labor, artists live in a perpetual limbo of social acceptance. When one decides that one will draw, sing, dance, paint, sculpt, or pursue any other vein of art, they are immediately undercut by the social pressures that so consume their peers.

“Oh, you’re going to school for graphic design? … That’s great! … So are you going to minor in business.”

“You’re an artist. So what is it you REALLY do, you know? Like what’s your job-job?”

It is always the path of the artist to have to create his or her own. I hate to burst any bubbles, but Avon Old Farms School is no different. And this is no fault of the administration or the educational staff, but the blame lies instead in our culture. It lies on the way we treat young men in society. To many, our life should culminate in some hyper-masculine expression of what is thought to be a success: work on a railroad, go to Wall Street, join the military, and the list goes on.

Let me assure you that I do not seek to discredit how valuable physical labor is – physical laborers and corporate workers are the very backbones of this country. Nonetheless, not every man is fated to pursue such a path. Once again, not every man is fated to pursue such a path. For those of us who refuse to do so, we often turn to art, and this will breach the very subject of why I make this speech. For young men like myself or the incredibly talented Graham Deckers, the jungle of success has an artery to its core cut with a machete of deeply-felt emotion, hours and hours of time, and most importantly, inward faith. We must believe in ourselves 101% because our peers often do not do so.

As a young Puerto Rican man from a very humble background, I realize that paramount to my success was my ability to believe in myself when nobody but my amazing family did. For them to even take the risk of believing in me is a huge cultural and social step in a positive direction, and I’m eternally grateful. When your son is the art kid, I imagine it can be terrifying – Who makes a living off of painting? How do you make a living off of painting? All questions reasonably created by our social climate, and that are no more than a reflection of our attitude towards artists.

So then, if you take anything away from this talk: support artists. Be a patron, buy that painting, because what most artists need is simply that – support. Never tell a young man that art is out of his grasp. Condition the young people around you in such a way that they appreciate the arts, understand how difficult they are, or even feel comfortable enough to pursue them. The change starts with the people in this crowd, who I know are intelligent enough to help destroy the wall that keeps boys from pursuing art. You and only you can assist in cutting a path for the next young man who decides to pursue a career or have a passion for art.

I want to thank Mrs. Pinton for being the catalyst to my career as an artist and for accepting this original work in such a space. I also want to thank my parents for being my biggest supporters, and want to thank my little sister, Brianna Vega, for reminding me that there is always tomorrow, and that balance is the key to success in all that you do. Thank you for your time and please enjoy the show.

*Please note that while Xavier's emphasis is on young men, be assured that his message is equally applicable to young women who are interested in pursuing a life in the arts.

Chris Knight is a photographer based in New York City. We sat down to talk about his upcoming book, The Dramatic Portrait.

He combines his unconditional love of art history with his conditional love of technology, topping it off with a flare for the cinematic and an uncompromising eye for detail.

Chris also has a full blown workshop via RGGEDU.com called Dramatic Portraiture & Lighting With Chris Knight.

Use the code: TIFFINBOX (to get 15% off for a very limited time)

The Interview

The questions I asked Chris:

1) I love reading biographies on photographer's websites and yours stands out a bit.

Speaking of yourself you say: “He combines his unconditional love of art history with his conditional love of technology, topping it off with a flare for the cinematic and an uncompromising eye for detail.”

Where did you acquire that kind of discipline?

2) Your photographs remind me of paintings that one would see in a museum. Is that your end goal?

3) Why is drama so important to you in portraits?

4) You give light and shadow almost equal value in telling a story. Most of your photographs don't draw attention to the use of artificial light. Is that a skill that was taught to you or is it something that you have honed yourself?

5) Let's talk about your book, The Dramatic Portrait: The Art of Crafting Light and Shadow. What prompted you to write this book and who is it for?

6) Most photography books about portraits jump right into loop lighting or Rembrandt lighting. You spend nearly 40 pages describing the history of portraiture? Why do you believe this is important?

7) You say: “The hows and whys are inextricably entangled in a successful photograph, and hitting both of those points shows mastery of the technical medium.” Can you explain that briefly?

8) What does it mean to you to have a published book? Does it open more doors for you to teach?

9) What can we expect from you next?

10) How can people find you and your work online?

The Dramatic Portrait

Buy Chris Knight's book now or buy the PROEDU.com tutorial today. For a limited time, PROEDU.com is including the book with the purchase of the tutorial.

Do you prefer to buy The Dramatic Portrait on Amazon?

You can also catch Chris Knight teaching at CreativeLive in these online workshops:

Exploring Low Key Portraiture

Creating Advanced Masks

How To Work Faster In Adobe Photoshop CC

Feel free to use this affiliate link for CreativeLive when you browse through Chris Knight's courses.

The Portrait Portfolio

Here's a small sample of Chris' portrait photography. I urge you to visit his website and bookmark it. It's absolutely stunning work!

The Food Photographer

Simi Jois, started as a marketing and branding professional but transitioned to becoming a food photographer. Now based in Chicago, Illinois, her food photography has been featured on MSN, Fox News Magazine, Better Homes, and theKitchn. She is a frequent contributor on the Daily Meal.

Raised in an art-emphasized home subconsciously trained her mind to engage creatively with color, texture, light, shadow and composition. Simi uses photographic images as her canvas and the lens as her brush. She did not have to look far for a subject – her passion for creating flavors provided her with infinite permutations of expression. Painting with ingredients, pairing exotic spices for mutual enhancement and richness of flavor, Simi narrates her stories through the play of light and bold strokes of color.

The Interview

A few weeks back, we sat down to chat about her journey as a food photographer:

Interview Highlights

You will learn that:

1) Simi's parents, both artists, inspired her
2) Her becoming a mom was the catalyst for taking up photography
3) She loves to cook
4) Finding comfort in the ingredients, aroma, and texture motivate her to try different set-ups
5) Her other inspiration are painters from the Renaissance period
6) Simi is creatively challenged to produce photographs that don't look overly styled
7) How the power of observation in day-to-day events and places can help your photography
8) She loves to play with light and uses speed lights, reflectors, and Nikon cameras
9) She is intrigued by shadows just as much as the light
10) How a simple garnish of mint on blueberries can create a punchy image

Simi Jois' Food Photography

Additional Resources

Check out Simi's tutorial on painting prop boards.

Do you want to learn more about food photography? Check out the CreativeLive courses offered here.

Lastly, Don Giannatti is offering a spectacular 8-week food photography course that you simply can't pass up. For $75, it is a no-brainer and in my opinion, there is no better photography instructor to guide you through this wonderful genre of photography.

Can we all just agree that moving is the absolute worst? It only takes one or two rounds of packing, unpacking, and starting all over again in a new area to understand how difficult it can be! As a matter of fact, research indicates that “moving is more stressful than a relationship breakdown, divorce, or even a new job.” That is HUGE!

If you're a small business owner who has moved or is getting ready to do so, you're probably feeling the effects of stress and anxiety ten times over. When your local network and reputation is everything, the idea of relocating your wedding photography business can be downright scary! But what if I told you that this doesn’t have to be the case?

Meet Emily Chappell – Dallas Wedding Photographer

My name is Emily Chappell, and I am a Dallas wedding photographer who has been capturing weddings for four wonderful years. I average 20-25 weddings each year and have shot domestically and internationally. In 2015, my family and I were living in South Carolina where I started and successfully grew my business. Due to some significant changes happening in our lives, we agreed that it was time to move back to Texas where both of our families lived. On top of the stress of moving, I was also pregnant with our son, Lincoln – talk about crazy! After our move, I finished out the remaining weddings I had in South Carolina and got very familiar with the Dallas and Atlanta airports. In February 2016, our baby boy arrived and I took a two-month maternity leave. That same year, I shot five weddings in Texas. This year will be my most successful yet with 25-30 weddings, and I am continuing to receive inquiries for 2017-2018.  

If you're a wedding photographer facing the potential of an upcoming move, be it out of state or just a couple of zip codes away, I get it. I understand. I’ve been there, too. But for now, take a deep breath and try your best to calm those nerves! Moving your business might seem daunting, but it is possible and may actually prove to be profitable in the long run. Today, I am going to show you how to successfully relocate your wedding photography business!

Update All Marketing to Reflect Your New Area

The first step you need to take is to update your online marketing. Obviously, your website copy will need to reflect your new target market area. You'll also want to update your Google Business listing, Facebook, and other social media and advertising platforms to show that you're a wedding photographer in whichever city to which you've moved.

Refine your SEO and Online Presence

This is a whole topic unto itself, but SEO will be your best friend as you begin shifting gears into your new market. If you don't know anything about current SEO trends, begin learning as much as you possibly can. Work on your on-page SEO by optimizing your page titles and image tags. And of course, start blogging with relevant content about your move to your new location. You might not have sessions or weddings in your new city, but you can certainly share your personal experiences as you move! What a great opportunity to connect with your readers on a relatable level! 

When it comes to off-page SEO, I highly recommend hiring someone reputable to optimize your local citations to match your new city. There are hundreds of places online that list your business, and you don't want to leave these untouched. These listings all need to reflect your new market, as well.  

One of your biggest allies will be all of the reviews you've collected while in business! I'm talking about Wedding Wire, The Knot, Google Business – all of these and more. These carry with you no matter where you go! If you haven't reached out to past couples to ask for reviews, do so NOW. Don't be afraid! Let them know that you are relocating and that their reviews are a huge part of the success of your business in your new area.

Join Local Wedding Photographer and Wedding Industry Groups

When we were in the early stages of moving, one of the first things I did was join a few local Dallas photography and wedding industry Facebook groups. This played a vital role in my success as a Dallas wedding photographer. Making a point to get connected allows you to get to know other photographers and vendors, and learn “who's who” in your new market. This also gives you the opportunity to learn what the wedding market is like before you dive in. And on a personal note, many wedding industry communities host meet ups, which help to build a sense of community so that you won't feel quite as lonely! 

One disclaimer – don't feel discouraged if you are denied access to local groups before you actually move. Oftentimes, admins and moderators won't yet approve your request as a measure to maintain the integrity of a local industry group. This is normal, so just try to be patient.

Research and Study The Wedding Market

Moving from South Carolina to Texas, I noticed that the wedding photography market was vastly different, but I let that inform me rather than simply discourage me. Be prepared that your target demographic in your new city may look different than that in your former city. Geographic changes reflect different styles and trends, and while you will want to stay true to your artistic style, you will need to understand what consumers are buying in your new market.  

With this in mind, start learning about the top photographers in your new city. Study what they are doing and discover what makes them successful, but use that knowledge as a tool to decide how you can then stand out on your own.   

Second Shoot for Other Wedding Photographers

For a couple of reasons, I spent a lot of time second shooting during my first year in Texas. For one, we definitely needed the money, but even more importantly I wanted to connect with the most popular and successful photographers in Dallas. I knew that I could learn so much by working for and observing well-respected Dallas wedding photographers and took any opportunity I could to second shoot for them.  

The great thing about second shooting is that you're able to pick up some new tricks and techniques through observation, but you also have the opportunity to impress that more established photographer by giving them your all. This gives you the potential to earn their trust, friendship, and possibly their referrals for dates they might be booked!

If you are cleared to do so, you can also blog the images you take from weddings you second shoot. Make absolutely sure that the lead photographer is okay with this, as you definitely don't want to burn any bridges.

Network With Local Wedding Industry Vendors

A great way to start getting your name out there is to begin following local industry vendors. Connect with venues, florists, bakers, dress shops, and planners. Comment on their Instagram feeds, blog posts, Facebook business page updates, etc. – but make sure your comments are natural and organic. No one likes spammy comments that have nothing to do with the content!

Find and attend local industry mixers such as grand openings and open houses. You can usually find these through Facebook groups and business pages. Also, don't be afraid to hit the concrete and introduce yourself to other businesses such as venues, bakeries, and dress shops! 

Strategize “Out Of The Box” Marketing Solutions

Your most successful business plans might be the craziest, most creative ideas! Come up with fresh and unique ways to connect with your community and market yourself to potential couples. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Contact local planners and offer to do complimentary headshots. Planners will love that you are contacting them from a perspective of what you can do for them rather than the other way around! In addition to serving them and initiating a relationship, you could also blog about the headshot session and ask if you could interview  that planner for your blog!

• Organize a styled wedding shoot. I actually prefer to call these “networking shoots”! Styled shoots are a great way to connect with local vendors while adding to your portfolio. You can also submit the final shoot to wedding blogs so that everyone benefits from SEO building!

• Host a giveaway. In each market I've worked in, I hosted a giveaway as a marketing strategy. In South Carolina, I gave away two engagement sessions. In Texas, I pulled out all the stops and gave away an entire wedding package. In both instances, I was able to attract buzz around my business and booked five or more weddings as a result. The key to making this work is to create entry guidelines, promote as much as possible, and establish a way to collect names and emails so that you can follow up with those who enter. I can't stress the last part enough – following up is absolutely crucial!

Become an expert at creative marketing strategies that no one else is attempting. This way, you'll set yourself apart from other wedding photographers in your area in no time!

Take It Easy On Yourself

It can be easy to look at the move ahead and become frozen and overwhelmed with fear. However, I want to encourage you to try your best to shift your perspective and look at your relocation as an opportunity to start fresh. Challenge yourself to try new marketing strategies, or maybe even consider a rebrand. Lastly, and most importantly, give yourself grace as well as the room to make mistakes. Don't beat yourself up if it takes longer to build your business than you originally expected. This could be the perfect opportunity to take a break in the midst of the stress that comes with moving.

So, deep breath. Slow down. You're going to be okay, and you're going to rock it as your city's newest wedding photographer!