It’s happening—no really, summer is in full swing! There’s no doubt it’s been an awful winter. It doesn’t matter where you live; you’ve most likely been stuck in your house and very unproductive. To make matters worse, now you’ve got summer fever, and you’re already falling behind!
Here are 10 photography trends to help you maximize your summer fever:
Wi-Fi and hotspots are now more inexpensive than ever, so the good news is you can do work from just about anywhere. Bad news, you are connected all the time.
Are you set up for fast payments? Efficient payment systems like Square, PayPal and Venmo allow for very easy ways to collect payments from clients, anywhere you are. Go paperless and email your clients their receipts using these payment tools.
How’s your turnaround time? No one has time to wait. As technology develops, timing is a key feature that’s constantly improving, and it’s your job to get your clients their images fast. Are you set up to do work on the road? There are so many great cloud-based storage solutions these days! I highly recommend you take some time to set yourself up for easy image delivery, or get yourself some small, portable, bus-powered USB hard drives. I love being able to go to the park and cull my images—add a nice picnic lunch, and you’re set for the afternoon!
How about your website—is it set up to work on the road? Don’t neglect your website! It’s the portal to your business, and while it’s not a new trend, keeping it fresh is always the hottest trend. Entering photo competitions is a great way to get your name out there. If you win, chances are you could make it big! Make sure you’re getting your work out on other websites, too, like the WPPI Print Competition winners website!
Implement new tools into your business to help engage your audience. For example, are you using your smartphone? Instagram, Vine, Facebook, Twitter, and even Snapchat are great ways to reach your clients in an organic way. If you’re a wedding photographer, trust me: future brides and grooms love to see you out there shooting! You live a fabulous life—share it with the world! Better yet, get creative and use some of the fun tools you can attach to your smartphone. There are so many fun lenses and filters you can play with.
Yep, there are a lot of fun things you can do to keep it real. Rangefinders are back, and shooting film is a fun way to embrace the past (and do something different).
There’s nothing more fun than an instant print, and the Fuji Instax camera is a party with every pack of film. Bring one to your next event, and I guarantee people will love getting a pic from you. Better yet, photograph them, tag them on Facebook and get the conversation started! Although working in pixels may be efficient, people still love to hold a print in their hands.
This might be the hottest trend in photography right now, and why not? If you’re an event photographer, this is a great add-on to any party! I’d highly recommend partnering with a company that offers this as a service. The ones who have good social media components are worth their weight in gold!
Actively keep a list of people who engage you, ask questions and support you. People want to hear what you’re up to. What shows are you attending next? Where can they find you? Are you speaking at any upcoming engagements? Do you have your work on exhibit at a gallery? A website re-launch, a new event you recently shot, a new featured blog post or a promotional deal? Use the seasons to your advantage, especially this time of the year.
Learn something new—never stop learning! There are tons of classes, workshops and seminars, the Adorama Learning Center—and we have Photo Plus Expo just around the corner!
Moral of the story: Summer is here and it’s time to make Summer ‘14 a photo success. With the influx of new innovations, ideas and gadgets, use them. Get your business to blossom! As you contribute to the world with beautiful images, make sure you’re using the growing and expansive resources to your advantage to keep us all informed. There are so many new, emerging and old-school ways to consider when building up your photo game. The biggest take-home tip here: GET OUT AND SHOOT…and don’t forget to share with the rest of us.
Want to learn more about us? The Photo Group encompasses WPPI, PhotoPlus Expo, PDN and Rangefinder. You can catch us October 29 to November 1, 2014, at the Javits Center in New York City at our next photo show, PhotoPlus Expo, the largest imaging show in North America. With hundreds of educational seminars, a trade show floor with 300+ exhibitors, it’s the ultimate opportunity for you to grow your business with thousands of prospects for new connections, new ideas and innovations, and priceless knowledge.
Mark your calendars—here are some dates to remember:
Javits Center
New York, NY
October 29 – November 1
WPPI:
MGM
Las Vegas, NV
February 26- March 5
Enter contests all year round! By becoming a member, you save 30% off all of our photography contests, get discounts to WPPI and PhotoPlus Expo, and more! Find out about becoming a member of The Photo Group community here.
As a photographer or filmmaker, your skill in capturing beautiful imagery is essential, but there's…
Hybrid shooters and content creators, listen up. Canon released not one, not two, or three,…
The target audience was consumers when Apple first released the iMac and the Mac Mini.…
If you're the memory-catcher of the family, Panasonic has just announced two brand new camcorders…
If you're a photographer who loves a versatile, compact light for just about any situation…
High-end lighting equipment may be expensive and intimidating for a beginner. Most photographers start with…