This year I attended the Reset Conference in Downtown Indianapolis. Since I am an Indianapolis photographer I was super excited about this conference since it was hosted in Indianapolis!! It was a good time and I even learned a few things! A huge thank you to all the speakers who opened up their hearts and their businesses to share with others.
Here are my top take-aways from the conference:
- Perfect Isn’t Always Best.
I was truly inspired by Spanki Mill‘s story on how she came to be where she is at today. I won’t even try to retell the story because I won’t do it justice! However, one point she made in telling her personal story is that it’s not all the technical things that make a picture perfect. It’s the emotion behind the image that determines the image’s true value. I’m guilty of trying to make client’s images technically perfect all the time. I’m a type-A, hard working, overachiever it’s in my nature to try to make EVERYTHING perfect. I try to shoot my clients in the perfect location, with the perfect light, and help them to have the perfect outfits, and I use all my technical knowledge to make the image technically perfect. I think all this stuff is great but her point was that sometimes you have to think outside the box to get the image that really makes your heart skip a beat. It’s okay to experiment during a shoot to find that light that might not be technically perfect, but that in the end will enlist more emotion – more feeling. It’s okay to shoot at a location that has meaning to your client even if it doesn’t look like it’s straight out of a magazine. Just shoot for your clients and don’t look back! I’ve always loved Spanki’s work and now I love her as a person too. If you don’t follow her – you should! - As A Photographer I Can Do Video Too.
Tylor from The Herrintons gave a crash course on video for photographers. I’ve always loved video and you have probably seen me dabbling on it here and there. However, he explained how other photographers are using it to help their business and provide a great service for their clients. Stay tuned for even more video from me! I can’t wait. 🙂 - Your Clients Don’t Know What They Want – You Have To Show Them.
I had the pleasure of doing two shoots with Sarah-Beth Photography. I did one with her outdoors and one with her in her studio. She does lovely consistent work both in her studio and outdoors. She has a very specific look – especially in her studio. You won’t see any posed newborn sessions with her. She explained how she wasn’t a fan of posed newborn sessions so she found a way that she enjoyed shooting newborns and she shot it consistently and showed her clients. Now clients want what she is doing because they can see it and know they will get a consistent specific look. Don’t worry – I don’t plan to shoot only lifestyle newborn sessions anytime soon. My point is, if there is something I want to shoot I have the freedom to do that and it’s likely I will still find clients who want what I’m offering. - I Am Not Alone.
Being a photographer can be lonely at times. Unlike when I had a corporate job, I can’t take 10 minute breaks and go talk to coworkers in the break room. However, at the conference I was able to catch up with old photographer friends and even got to meet some new ones! I do have to be more intentional about keeping on top of these friendships. But it doesn’t take much to twist my arm to go out to lunch with a fellow photographer! - Experience is Everything.
Doug Weittenhiller of Twig + Olive Photography showed us his client experience from start to finish. It was an impressive experience! I like to think my clients have a good experience with me and that is why they keep coming back. But even though something is good doesn’t mean it can’t be better. He gave me some great practica ideas on what can be done to improve client experience. Stay tuned for some new client experience upgrades!
Below are some of the pictures I took while watching Sarah from Sarah-Beth Photography work. We did both an outdoor shoot on the circle in Downtown Indianapolis and also in her studio.
