Episode 122: Diversity, Inclusivity, & Allyship
PhotoSpark
As business owners, it can be scary to be vocal about "controversial" topics. However, it's important to note that issues like race, human rights, and social justice are NOT controversial. They are incredibly important to recognize, talk about, and continue to educate ourselves on. We've always spoken the importance of letting your values show in your business, and standing up for what you believe it. With the current climate, it's even MORE so. We looked around recently & realized our photography community here in San Diego is VERY predominantly white. We've joined the conversation on...
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Episode 121: PhotoSpark Updates & What's To Come!
PhotoSpark
Hello everyone! We missed you! Truth be told, we are both going through some crazy changes in our lives & schedules, and point blank, we've kinda ignored the podcast. We are SO sorry we've left you hanging, but we are back & we have some awesome episodes on the way! We just wanted to update you guys with what we've been up to & our stance on things like the EIDL loan, unemployment, and social distancing sessions/weddings. There is a LOT going on in the world today, and we are here for it and for YOU!
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Episode 120: Front Porch Sessions- Do or Don't?
PhotoSpark
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past couple weeks, you've likely seen Front Porch Sessions on Facebook. These are professional sessions of families at home on their porch. They've been highly controversial in the photography world; some people are loving them & finding ways to supplement their income or donate profits to causes, and other people are slamming them HARD, saying they are unprofessional and even illegal. So where do we lie on Front Porch Sessions? Are these a do or a don't?
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Coronavirus Series PART 2- Contracts, communication, & cash flow
PhotoSpark
In Part Two of our Coronavirus Series, we chat with Braden Drake all about contracts, client communication, & cash flow. He brought super valuable information to this show, and helped us with things we should add to our contracts for the future, ways to speak with your clients about your policies, and ways to help your cash flow during the Coronavirus crisis.
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Coronavirus Series PART 1- Survival Tips for Photographers
PhotoSpark
We don't even really know where to begin! We do know that COVID19 is a topic on everyone's mind, and we don't want to add to the panic or give anyone anxiety, but the truth of the matter is it's affecting small businesses on a level we've never seen before, and we know you're likely being affected. Wedding & portrait photographers alike are dealing with cancellations, reschedules, and a decline in inquiries. We wanted to reach out to you & provide some help and encouragement. Here are some survival tips for photographers dealing with COVID19.
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BONUS EPISODE: Website launch & rapid fire questions w/ Julie!
PhotoSpark
We are SO excited to launch our brand new website redesign today! We didn't have a regular episode scheduled but we decided to pop on really quick to chat about the rebrand & as a bonus, throw Julie Ferneau some random rapid fire questions!
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Episode 117: Surviving WPPI 2020
PhotoSpark
WPPI 2020 is here & bigger than ever! Whether you're a newbie or seasoned pro, we have some tips on surviving WPPI & getting the most out of your trip!
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Episode 116: Beach Photography with Amy Gray
PhotoSpark
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! We took a short hiatus to spend time with friends & family during the holidays. Well, and to edit millions of photos, but we are BACK! On the show today, we're chatting with , a San Diego based family portrait photographer who specializes in beach photography!
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Episode 115: Prepping for 2020
PhotoSpark
Julie & Kate discuss the new year & how to wrap up 2019 with a pretty bow. Tune in to hear how we're getting organized, prepping for taxes, thanking our clients, & starting 2020 with a clean slate!
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Episode 114: Website Copy for Photographers with Rachel Greiman
PhotoSpark
Rachel Greiman of Green Chair Stories helps you bring your personality into your photography brand & attract your ideal clients with your website copy!
info_outlineIf you've been in business for awhile, you'll know how often marketing methods change. When I first started, search engines were really the only way people would find your business. If you weren't paying for advertising, chances are you were struggling a bit. Then Facebook added business pages and that became the new place to be to nab new clients. Now, Instagram seems to be the way to go! Is anyone else here having a hard time growing your Instagram following? Julie & I have been working on upping our Instagram game lately (have you noticed?? Be sure to follow us!) & couldn't help but notice friend of the show Melissa McClure's amazingly successful Instagram account. This girl has 11.2k followers and gets HUNDREDS of likes and comments on her posts. We invited her to join us for a chat about growing your Instagram following!
Key Takeaways
- Follow & Observe. Follow accounts that are doing what you want to be doing. Watch what they do! When do they post? How often do they post? What are their captions like? What type of content seems to be getting engagement? If you can watch and emulate your favorite accounts, you'll likely be on the right track to growing your Instagram following too!
- Quality over quantity. The most important aspect of Instagram is engagement. You want to have a LOT of likes and comments, and ideally you want to spark conversations in your comment section. Be sure to reply to every single comment you receive; that DOUBLES your comment number just by itself! DMs also count as engagement, so be sure you're messaging people back when they message you. You should also be messaging others... introduce yourself & let them know what you like about their content! Make sure your captions are fun & add calls to action... it's the best way to get people to comment!
- Get over your fear of stories & just do them already! We get it... stories are SCARY. The best stories usually involve other people seeing your face, and that's something most of us are terrified of. Do we have enough makeup on? Is our hair done? Are we a sweaty mess after a 10 hour wedding? NONE of those things matter... what matters is people seeing YOU & getting to know you beyond your images. Stories are a great way for potential & current clients to see glimpses into your personal life and they DON'T CARE if you have makeup on. In fact, the more real you come across, the better!
Melissa has about 30 million more amazing tips during this episode regarding everything from hashtags to sketchy ways to grow your Instagram following, and more. Be sure to tune in to hear the rest!
Also, be sure to check out Melissa at instagram.com/chasingbacklight as well as melissamcclure.com. And if you haven't heard her previous episodes, you can find them here: