What To Do When the Ideas Dry Up

This week I was one of the guest speakers at a function hosted by iStock / Getty Images and General Assembly in Melbourne, Australia. The topic being discussed was How to Build a Small Business Brand on a Budget. I was bringing a photographers perspective in relation to producing new stock photography content.

In that presentation I covered ‘my inspirations’ behind being able to produce 1000 new stock images per year. I have summarized those points for this post and called it – what to do when the ideas dry up. Ironically, after more than 7 years of producing stock photography content, I find it easier to find new ideas and generate new content now than I did 7 years ago. The list below is my “go to” sources when the ideas dry up. Each photographer is different, so this list might not suit you. If it helps – great – and if it doesn’t, work on your own list.

Few tourists would know this part of Melbourne. Local photographers produce unique local content

(1) Local Content. My first go to idea is to shoot local content. I love living in Melbourne, and don’t think I will ever get tired of shooting local content from a local’s perspective. My starting point for what to do when the ideas dry up is to shoot local content.

(2) Client Feedback. My second ‘go to’ idea is to seek client feedback and keep shooting what they want, and avoid what they don’t want. In some ways this takes the pressure off having to come up with all the great ideas myself, by asking clients what they need.

I shoot wildlife images as I believe in and support the work of conservation organisations

(3) Interests and Causes. My third ‘go to’ space is to shoot content about things that interest me or causes I believe in. I am an animal lover and believe in the work of conservation organisations. I like shooting wildlife images that will be useful to these organisations, so when the creative juices aren’t flowing, I’ll go and shoot some wildlife images.

Shooting for fun can help you create unique images

(4) Shoot for Fun. This one I am not so good at. The concept is to not be at all concerned about the outcomes and just shoot something fun. This might be something new as well, so it will have an element of learning as well.

I know business and try to shoot business themes

(5) Shoot What You Know. I find ideas come more easily when I focus on a subject I know. Having worked in a corporate environment for 20 years I have a good understanding of what works for business images. When I am struggling for new ideas, I’ll work on concepts for an area I know.

Getting back to nature helps me relax and develop new ideas

(6) Nature. Lucky last! When I’m really stuck for new ideas I’ll take the chance to relax and get back to nature. There is a beauty and simplicity in observing nature, and often it will get me into a more relaxed frame of mind and help the creative ideas flow again.

Thanks for reading ‘What to Do When the Ideas Dry Up’. I hope it has been useful to you.

Inside a Stock Photography Shoot

I am in the process of shooting a series of stock images of business people. This is a very popular category of stock images, with continual demand for fresh content. Images like these are used extensively in websites, brochures, corporate communications etc. You can probably imagine, this is a very big market. So this post looks behind the scenes, and takes you inside a stock photography shoot.

Lighting is important. The model needs to be well lit, with a pure white background

Lighting. Once you understand how to light images like these, it is straight forward to produce a wide variety of business images. And equally, if you make a mess of the lighting it can be very hard to produce usable files. For this shoot I used a lighting set up very similar to what I outlined in this post. It has one off camera flash to the left of camera, fired by a remote trigger through a shoot through umbrella. In this case it was a 43 inch umbrella. The model is lit with just the one light. The background (a white muslin backdrop) is lit separately through another off camera flash, again fired by a remote trigger (you can read more about the triggers here). This ‘blows out’ the background so that it appears completely white. That flash unit is placed between the model and the backdrop.

Space. It’s a misconception to think you need a large studio space to be able to shoot these kinds of images. The room this image was shot in is 3.2m wide and 6m long. The backdrop is 3m x 3m and just fits across the width of the room.

Makeup, wardrobe and posing are key to effective images.

Wardrobe, Makeup, and Posing. Wardrobe, make up and posing are very important in shooting this style of image. The model needs to be believable and realistic – in this case she needs to look like a professional business person. For this shoot we used two different colored shirts – one white and one blue. We also took images with the jacket on and jacket off. That helped provide a range of images – some of which look more formal, and some which look more informal.

The brief for her makeup was ‘light and natural’ which she did very well. It helps to reinforce the ‘real business people’ theme.

Posing is also important for this type of shoot. When we weren’t using props we focused on a ‘natural and confident’ look like in this image. Because of the studio setting and the beauty of digital photography we were able to shoot and review each image until we got the right look. While this image is very simple it has flexibility – the model could be anything from corporate executive to a home based entrepreneur.

Shoot Length and Process. This shoot took 90 minutes and that is fairly typical of my stock photography shoots. I find that is long enough to get a range of images, but not too long that the model or the photographer get bored!

We started this shoot with straight forward poses like the one above and then move to more specifically themed images using props. Mid shoot the model took a wardrobe change giving us the opportunity to assess the images taken up to that point and to plan how to make the most of the remaining time.

Corporate Whistle Blower. This image uses a sports whistle as the only prop.

Post Production. I aim to keep post processing to a minimum on stock photo shoots. I import the files to Lightroom, check for sharp focus, set the white balance and make minor changes to color saturation and contrast. Importantly, I make sure the background is pure white. This is a short process which takes 1-2 minutes for each image.

Where to from there? I complete model releases and look after any paperwork with the model before we start the shoot. That means that after post production, the file is saved as a JPEG image. From there it is uploaded to iStock (along with model release form). It then goes through an inspection process and, assuming it passes, is added to the stock database and is available to be downloaded. That’s it – inside a stock photography shoot.

Note, the model in this shoot is Klara. She is an up and coming model in Melbourne, Australia and is originally from Frankfurt, Germany. She is a great person to work with. See her current work here.

Thank you for reading ‘Inside a Stock Photography Shoot’. If you would like to receive regular emails from Beyond Here, please add your email address in the sign up box in the margin of this page. Thank you.

Why I Shoot Stock

This week I’ve been fielding lots of questions about stock photography. Those questions ranged from what rates to pay models, to the best stock libraries to work with, to what is the best sort of content to shoot. The answer to those questions vary with each photographer and what you like to shoot. To set a foundation to answer those questions for yourself, I’ve outlined here ‘Why I Shoot Stock’.

First it’s important to understand that stock photography only makes up a component of my photography income. I am not a full time stock photographer. Many of the points I make below I would take a different point of view if I were a full time stock shooter. Stock is an important foundation to my photography business, and makes up one part of an overall strategy.

Stock makes up an important part of a wider strategy

So, this is ‘Why I Shoot Stock’

1. Stock generates a consistent income year round. Outside of stock photography, I primarily shoot weddings and portraits. Both of these have significant seasonality. I live in Melbourne, Australia and most of my weddings and portraits are local. Down here at the bottom of the world we have hot summers and cold winters. This brings seasonality to my work especially in wedding photography. I am typically busy in spring, less so in mid summer, and busy again in autumn. Winter tends to be very quiet. There are not many people getting married in the darker and colder months of June, July, and August. On the other hand, stock photography provides a consistent income all year round. There are some ups and downs between months, but for the type of content I shoot, the demand is steady year round. That means my downloads and income from royalties are also consistent.

In stock photography, I work on the image. The stock library looks after the sales and marketing.

2. The stock library looks after the sales and marketing. With my wedding photography I look after everything from meeting with potential clients, building a relationship, quoting, pre wedding preparation, shooting on wedding day (with a second shooter!), post production work, delivering images, organizing prints and albums, and delivery of the final products. It is a ‘full service’ proposition and I look after each step of the journey. Stock photography is different. I look after the shoot planning, shooting, post production, and uploading to the stock library. Then they take over. They look after marketing images to potential clients, the download process, the payment from the client, the licencing agreements for use of the file, and any client inquiry or complaint. They also look after payment to the photographer, which happens automatically. For me, the simplicity of this model works well. I shoot and upload, the stock library looks after everything else. That’s why they keep a percentage of the price paid by the end customer.

3. Stock gives me leverage. With my wedding photography work, there is a limit to the number of weddings I can shoot per year. Even with a number of really good second shooters, there is a limit to the number of clients we can look after. And they are nearly all local to Melbourne. Stock on the other hand allows potential sales worldwide and, in a lot of cases, my stock sales happen when I am asleep. They are selling to clients in the USA and Europe during their day time hours, which is in the middle of the night in Australia.

4. Shoot once, sell multiple times. When I shoot a wedding, the income from that wedding only comes once. Now and then a couple order additional items for their first anniversary or another occasion, but mostly the wedding produces an income for me just once. Stock is different. I started shooting stock in 2008. Today, files from 2008 are still producing an income. I love the idea that if I can develop a strong concept, and execute it well, then it can keep selling for years. A single stock image can generate an income multiple times.

Stock photography allows me flexibility. I am not dependent on the client for when I can shoot.

5. Costs today, income tomorrow. Combined with the point above – with stock photography I incur my costs associated with producing the files today. I receive no income until into the future. Some people don’t like this model – they like to be paid today for the work they have done. On the other hand, I like the concept that my costs are incurred today, but my income from those costs is spread out into the future. As my portfolio grows I am building an asset which has value to me in the future. It is the basis for a revenue stream in the years ahead. I like the concept of ‘planting’ now and ‘harvesting’ later.

In portrait and wedding photography, I work to the clients timetable.

6. I work to my own timetable. When I shoot a wedding for a client I plan around meeting their needs. That means I work to their timetable and to their brief. I work hard to make sure I understand their needs and then exceed them. If they really want a shot of the first kiss with a fish eye lens from an upstairs balcony – I’ll do my best to get it for them. By necessity I work to the timetable they set out. In stock, the timetable is all mine. If I have a brilliant idea in the middle of the night and want to get up and shoot it straight away, I can. If I want to work long hours and uploads hundreds of files per week, I can. And if I want to take a holiday and do no stock shoots for 3 months, I can. In stock, I can work to my own timetable. I can work as much or as little as I want to.

7. I can shoot a wide variety of subjects. Image libraries don’t care that I mainly shoot weddings. As long as my images are up to the technical requirements they set, I can shoot any subject matter. I like this variety and flexibility. There are times of the year after a series of weddings where I need a break from shooting with people all day. It’s especially at these time that I enjoy shooting wildlife images and relaxing outdoors. Stock allows me to do this while still being productive. Win, win.

If you have read some of my earlier posts about stock photography you will know that I value the stock photography model as a key part of my business.

Thanks for reading why I shoot stock. If you would like additional information, please see the previous posts I have written about stock photography. The most popular have been Starting in Stock Photography and Simple Stock Concepts. I also have an ebook called Build A Five Figure Income in Your Spare Time. It is for the photographer who is full of enthusiasm and needs a little guidance and encouragement. It goes into more detail on my own stock photography journey and the lessons learnt along the way. You can download it here for $5.

Thanks again for reading ‘why I shoot stock’. Happy shooting.

What Do You Need for a Mobile Photography Studio

Producing high quality portraits in different environments can be challenging. There can be issues with lighting, backgrounds, even models! So, how do we have the best chance of creating strong portraits – we take our equipment with us. What do you need for a mobile photography studio? Read on.

This portrait was shot with a single light to the right of camera

Here I have outlined the minimum gear you will need to have a mobile studio. Sorry, if you were hoping I’d give you reasons to buy thousands of dollars worth of new gear! I have taken the opposite approach – and will show you just how affordable it can be to have simple mobile equipment which will allow you to shoot strong portraits in different locations. As you will see this set up is best suited to indoor conditions where you are trying to generate professional quality light with the minimum of fuss and effort. First, we need a light source. The simplest way is to have one external flash unit. Not the pop up flash on the top of some cameras, but a separate flash unit. This will enable us to control the level and direction of light in any situation. Most readers of Beyond Here will already have an external flash unit, but if you don’t, you should consider getting one. You really can’t produce excellent quality portraits using pop up flash. Once you do have an external flash unit, you will have flexibility in how you light your subject.

A flash unit and radio trigger mounted on a light stand

Once we have a light source we need to know how to use it! For simple portraits we want just one light, but we will need a light stand to put it on. Once we have a light stand we can position the light anywhere relative to our subject. At the online camera store I use, you can currently buy a 1.8m light stand for $30. Light stands are very handy, and pack up to a manageable size to carry. Mine fit inside a small bag, making them easy to transport.

Ok, we have a flash unit and a light stand. What’s next? The light produced from a single flash unit will be harsh. To create high quality portraits we need something to soften the light from our flash unit. For this, I mainly use a shoot through umbrella. A 33 inch umbrella at my favorite online store is currently $35 (though they are often much cheaper than this. Bring on the sales!) When we fire the flash through the shoot through umbrella it will produce a soft, flattering light.

The umbrella fits into the swivel adapter

To mount the camera and umbrella we need a simple adapter which fits on the end of the light stand. If you haven’t done this before, it is this piece of equipment which often gets overlooked. It is often referred to as a ‘swivel umbrella adapter’. The current price at the online store I use is $34. Look out for them in your camera store.

The final piece of the lighting puzzle comes with having something to fire the flash while it is off the camera. A simple option here is a radio trigger (I wrote a separate post here about how to use flash triggers). To make radio triggers work you place one in the hot shoe of your camera, and attach your flash unit to the other one. When you press the shutter button the trigger on your camera sends a signal to the other trigger, and fires the flash. Cool eh? A pair of radio triggers is currently just over $100, though you can get them for half this price when they are on sale.

With this small amount of equipment you are now ready to go. The equipment is easy to carry, with the light stand being the bulkiest item.

(If you want to be able to control your background as well, you can buy a ‘pop up’ background. I have one of these which is black on one side and white on the other, cost $100. It is useful, particularly for shooting corporate portraits on a black background. If you are not ready to buy one, look for a plain wall to use as your background and position your subject 2-3 meters from the wall.)

So there you have it – what do you need for a mobile photography studio – in a few easy steps. Note, this set up works very well in indoor situations. If you are using it outdoors, be careful with the shoot through umbrella. Even a small amount of wind will catch the umbrella and blow your light stand over. Not a good look!

Thanks for reading ‘what do you need for a mobile photography studio’.

5 Easy Ways to Rediscover Your Phojo

I recently discovered the word phojo! What a great word. If you haven’t figured it out yet, it is short for ‘photography mojo’, or ‘photo mojo’. And when we have lost our phojo it can take months to rediscover it. Here are 5 easy ways to rediscover your phojo.

Yo! Looking for your phojo? Join a photo walk and learn from other photographers

1. Go on a photo walk. Not an aimless stroll on your own – actually go on a photo walk with other photographers to see something new. I recently joined a group here in Melbourne, Australia to discover and photograph the street art in a suburb called Windsor. (Images from that walk are shown in this post.) I found it was fun to meet new photographers and to learn from their point of view, and in this case I got inspiration from the street art we were seeing. There was a fantastic attention to detail shown in the artists work, and real impact with color.

Looking to other artists can provide inspiration for a lost phojo

2. Buy a new lens. Buying a new lens helps you to see the world differently and discover new shots. If you’ve always shot studio portraits, go out and get a 400mm lens and aim it at some wildlife. There is a whole new world out there waiting for you. (I can hear some people saying they can’t afford a new lens. Renting a lens is an acceptable alternative – so is borrowing one. But they are not nearly as much fun as buying a new one, and let’s face it, if I am ever going to get Canon and Nikon and Tamron and Sigma to sponsor Beyond Here, it won’t work if I am suggesting “borrow a second hand lens off Aunt Betty”). Go on, invest in some new glass.

3. Shoot new subjects. Sometimes to break out of a photo rut, we can do it ourselves by shooting something new. If your shooting weddings every weekend and getting tired of it, its time to try something new. Landscapes, studio portraits, macro in the backyard. It really doesn’t matter, just shoot something new.

A new lens can provide a new perspective. Bring back the phojo.

4. Learn something new – take an online tutorial. We are all guilty of sticking with what we know and repeating it. If you find you have lost your phojo, it’s time to learn something new. One way I like to do this is to learn a new post processing skill. Search online, and put yourself through a free YouTube tutorial. Bring back the phojo by learning something new.

5. Take a break! Yes, radical I know! Sometimes we need to take a break to refresh and rejuvenate. It’s ok to put the camera down for a short time – just make sure that you tell yourself its temporary. And when the phojo returns, make up for lost time and shoot, shoot, shoot. Take a break now, shoot like a madman later.

Thanks very much for taking the time to read 5 easy ways to rediscover your phojo. And if you are from Canon, Nikon, Tamron, or Sigma – do give me a call. Get in first, sponsor Beyond Here and this cool community of photographers!

Shooting new subjects can reinvigorate us and bring back the inspiration

6 Alternatives to Price Discounts for Family Photographers

I follow a range of family photographers and their portfolios via Facebook. Commonly I see many of them offering price discounts to encourage new clients to book now. Do you take this approach? I am going to offer you a different approach and will show you 6 alternatives to price discounts for family photographers.

But first, why might price discounts not be a good idea for your family photography business in the long run?

Continuous price discounting will attract very price sensitive clients. Is this the type of client you want?

As photographers, our skill and the quality of our work increases over time. Typically our costs go up over time as well, as we upgrade to new equipment, new computers, and costs for insurance and other necessities rise. So, unless we want to work a lot longer hours in future, our prices need to increase over time as well.

So why is price discounting not such a good strategy?

Price discounting focuses your clients on your prices and not on the quality of your work. I don’t know about you, but I want my clients to be excited about the quality of the work, how it will capture the moment of their child’s early steps, and how a large print might hang on the walls of their home for a lifetime. I don’t want them thinking about saving $50 off my usual rates. If the quality of the work is strong enough, the $50 will not matter.
If you are a habitual price discounter you can be sure that any clients that have paid your full rates will not be very happy. If your usual family portrait rates are $500, the client who paid $500 last week will not be very pleased when she sees the same package advertised on your facebook page this week for $350.
And further to that, any potential clients who follow your work will never book at your full rates as you are conditioning them to wait for your regular “Hey world! I’m on sale” posts on your facebook photography page. If you regularly discount, you are essentially cutting your rates. Is that what you want in the long term?

So how do we attract new clients now, and fill the gap in our shooting schedule, without constant price discounts?

Here are ‘6 alternatives to price discounts for family photographers’.

1. Add Value. Instead of offering price discounts, make offers which add more value for your client. If your basic package is $500 offer a ‘Summer Special’ which includes a large canvas print valued at $150 for a package price of $575. The idea here is to present a ‘value offer’ not a ‘cheap offer’.

2. Solve a Client Problem. This is one which can be adjusted for any “hard to buy a present for” family member. For example, “What do you buy your partner for his birthday? He has everything right? Surprise him with a photo of you. Booking available from now until the end of the month”.

3. Build a High Value Package. Building a high value package works in a similar way to the ‘add value’ alternative. But here we add lots of extra things to the package. Let’s show you an example – “Looking for presents for the entire extended family? And would like prints to decorate your own home too? Complete you family portrait shoot before 15 June and receive a 36 x 24 inch canvas, two 12 x 18 inch prints, five 8 x10 inch prints, and a USB of your images, all for $695”

Here are 6 different ideas for promoting your business without positioning yourself as cheap

4. Guarantee turnaround times. Most people have busy lives and often leave things to the last minute. This alternative recognizes that and helps make your client’s lives easier. “It’s not too late for the perfect personalized Christmas present! Complete your family portrait session before 30 November, and receive your prints and images by 18 December. Book now!” Note, that in this alternative there is no mention of price. It is all about recognizing people are busy and solving their Christmas present challenges. (I have found that clients who like you to solve the problem this year, will also like you to solve the problem again next year. They are time sensitive, not price sensitive.)

5. Make tailored offers to previous clients. Your previous clients are a fantastic source of future business. You have a relationship with them and they like your work. This makes them ideal to approach for tailored offers. Here is a sample email “Hi (existing client), I was looking back over my work from last year and realised that it is nearly a year since I did your family portraits. I wonder if you would like to make a record of your family’s images a year later? I currently have a gap in my shooting schedule on (XX date). Would you like to book an anniversary shoot?”

6. Discount only for your special clients. And the final alternative is for those people who just can’t resist offering a price discount. If you feel you really must do this – don’t broadcast it to the world. Don’t create the impression that you are a cheap photographer who is always offering discounts. Keep your clients focused on quality. So what do we do?

Go to your ‘special’ clients or repeat clients who you know will respond to the offer. A sample email might look like “Hi Amanda, I’ve got a booking time available next Wednesday morning at 10am. I know it is short notice, but wondered if you would like to bring the kids and do a 60 minute shoot? My normal price is $500, but for you as a loyal client I’d be happy to take 20% off this.”

Continually offering price discounts will lead you down a path of attracting clients who focus on price. There is another way. Thanks for reading 6 alternatives to price discounts for family photographers. I hope it has given your some tools to escape the trap of constant price discounting. If you would like to receive updates from Beyond Here, please add your email address in the sign up area on this page.

Newborn Photography Props

Today’s post on Beyond Here is from Julie and Victor at Propjar.

Propjar is all about props. They supply photography props for newborn, maternity, family and portrait photo shoots. Based in Melbourne, Australia they ship their products worldwide. For shipping within Australia – all shipping is currently free. And for international addresses, shipping is currently free for all orders over $50. Check out the Propjar website for more details. Read on for more about newborn photography props.

Silk extravaganza for newborn photography!

Propjar daffodil silk swirl being used as a basket stuffer. Image copyright Kelly Gladwin.

The current trend in newborn photography is creating organic images, whether it’s in gorgeous neutral tones or with splashes of bold color.

A lot of the products used to create these images are very hard to clean, and some, in particular synthetic products, can be very harsh on baby’s skin.

Natural silk is the solution!

Silk is super soft and squishy, and gives a gorgeous natural, organic feel to images. Not only is it very gentle on baby’s delicate soft skin, but it always amuses us how parents just can’t get enough of touching the silk and exclaiming with ooooh’s and aaaaah’s. And because these little clouds of softness can be gently hand washed after each photo shoot, you’ll be able to use them many times over. As a newborn photographer, you will know just how much cleaning is involved after a newborn shoot. To have a product that cannot be cleaned properly can become a real headache.

Propjar snow silk swirl being used as a wrap. Image copyright BeccyRose Photography.

We highlighted in our maternity photography props post that building a bond and rapport with your mum-to-be client, and understanding what she’s comfortable with, was critical for building a relationship that can lead to follow up business, such as newborn photo shoots.

The same applies to the parents of your newborn client. Making sure baby is comfortable and safe with whichever props you choose to use to capture this special moment, will help you in building this bond and trust with the family.

Image copyright Jamie Lee Photography

If you’re able to do this, you’ll be remembered when it comes time for baby’s one year old birthday cake smash, toddler portraits, family portraits and any other photo sessions the family may want.

Image copyright Emily Clare Photography

If we can leave you with one tip, it’s that in business, it’s far easier and cheaper to sell to existing clients who are also fans you’ve connected with, than it is to find new clients. That’s why connecting with your fans / clients is so important to building a thriving and sustainable business.

At Propjar we’ve created a range of silk props available in 22 colors.

Our super soft silk swirls can be used as a wrap, layer, or basket stuffer.

Combine the nest with layers such as the Propjar stretch wrap. Image copyright Jamie Lee Photography.

The versatility of the Propjar silk nest allows has proven to be a real hit with photographers and their clients. These nests come with a removable cover, with extra covers available to purchase, so that you can change the color of your nest to suit your theme.

Look at those gorgeous eyes! Propjar silk swaddle sack being used with a silk nest. Image copyright Siobhan Wolff Photography.

Because this soft nest ring makes it easy to pose both newborns and older babies, you’re able to give parents who may have left their newborn photo shoot a bit late to still get wonderful memories of baby. The posing options are endless. Use it as is on an old wooden floor with character, or perhaps a posing faux fur. Or anything else your creativity allows.

Thank you Julie and Victor at Propjar for this post for Beyond Here. Newborn photography props can assist in creating outstanding images. If you are looking for a great source of those props, please visit the Propjar website.

5 Tips for Making Images of Fast Moving Animals

This morning I visited one of my favorite wildlife photography spots – Yarra Bend Park in suburban Melbourne, Australia. It is about 20 minutes from where I live and has a colony of thousands of flying foxes. If you’d like more details about where to find Yarra Bend Park, please see this post.

I was there for about 1 hour and made a wide range of flying fox images. Here are 5 tips for making images of fast moving animals.

Fast shutter speeds are required for fast moving animals

Tip 1 – Continuous Focusing Mode

When an animal is moving quickly, getting it in focus is key to a successful image. Use continuous focusing mode on your camera to track the animal as it moves, and to give you the best chance at an image in focus.

Increase ISO to help with fast shutter speeds. This shot was taken at ISO400.

Tip 2 – Increase the ISO

To allow a fast shutter speed you may need to increase the ISO setting on your camera. In the images posted here the ISO ranged from 400 (for the images shot against the cloudy sky) through to 1250 where I was shooting against a dark green background.

Tip 3 – Fast Shutter Speeds

The combination of continuous focusing mode, ISO, and fast shutter speed will give the best chance for sharply focused images. In the flying images here I have used 1/2000s for the majority of these images.

Tip 4 – Expect Lots of Failures

When animals are moving quickly you will have a large number which are out of focus or not well composed. Don’t be upset, this is normal in wildlife photography. You will find that your percentage of good images increases with practice.

Be alert for the opportunity to shoot strong images when the animal stops

Tip 5 – Look for Strong Images When the Animal Stops

It can be tempting to only shoot the animal as it is moving. Resist this urge, and create some very different images when the animal stops. The flying foxes roost in the trees given an excellent opportunity for images as they hang upside down.

Thanks very much for reading 5 Tips for Making Images of Fast Moving Animals.

Practice will increase your percentage of successful images.

Maternity Photography Props

Today’s post is the first in a series of guest posts from Propjar.

Propjar is all about props. They supply photography props for new born, maternity, family and portrait photo shoots. Based in Melbourne, Australia they ship their products worldwide. For shipping within Australia – all shipping is currently free. And for international addresses, shipping is currently free for all orders over $50. Check out the Propjar website for more details. Read on for more about maternity photography props.

Propjar is based in Melbourne, Australia with shipping available worldwide. Picture copyright Southern Haze Photography

Capturing the journey of a mum-to-be in a maternity shoot has become a popular way to record one of the most special moments in the life of a young family. This moment that has been entrusted to you as a photographer is truly a special one, and one that can set your photography business apart through building a unique bond with your customer on this journey. Building this bond and rapport with your customer is crucial in knowing how to capture this special time. There are many styles of gorgeous long flowing dresses that can be used, for example a long flowing dress such as the Pink Lace Maternity Dress below, that splits in the middle. The crucial part of all of this is understanding your customers personality and what they are comfortable with. Remember, this is about their journey, and how they would like to share their journey with family and friends.

A Propjar pink lace maternity dress used on this glowing mum. Copyright BeccyRose Photography

One way of using the Propjar Lace Maternity Dress can be as a skirt with the sash as a bodice. This has been used to great effect in this photo.

Propjar maternity dress. Picture copyright BeccyRose Photography

Here’s the thing, not all women feel confident enough to bare their bellies. Secretly they would LOVE to have images of this magical time, but are not all together comfortable doing it. This is a potential sale lost to your business. As a photographer you have an opportunity to show how magical the moment in maternity photography can be, setting yourself apart from other photography businesses. This may be what also leads a potential customer to choose you to capture their family’s special moments once their newborn arrives. One way to ensure you have the comfort of your customers in mind is to invest in a few dresses that are not all that revealing but still celebrate the pregnant form.

Propjar Chiffon Maternity Dress. Picture copyright Southern Haze Photography

For example, the Propjar Grace Dress in this photo comes in a range of colors and is a soft, flowing dress.

Propjar Grace Dress. Picture copyright Southern Haze Photography

Maternity dress used in an outdoors setting. Picture copyright Southern Haze Photography

The Propjar Stella Maternity Dress in this photo has a beautiful, timeless vintage look it which captures the moment perfectly.

Let Propjar help you to create beautiful maternity images so that ALL women not only feel comfortable, but beautiful while capturing this special time in their lives.

Thank you to Julie and Victor at Propjar for this post for Beyond Here. Appropriate maternity photography props can really help a photographer create outstanding maternity images. If you are looking for a great source of those props, please visit the Propjar website.

Investing in Relationships

When I started Beyond Here, I had in mind that the content should apply to photographers, and also to people running other creative businesses. That has only partly been the case so far. Most readers right now are photographers. This weekend I ran across a great example of a business principle that applies to any personal service business. Investing in relationships, can be much more valuable than any revenue generated by a single job.

The incident happened with my hairdresser.

I have been getting my haircut by the same hairdresser since 2008. I had her recommended to me (by my wife!). I first visited her when she was running her hairdressing business from the basement of her house. Not too long after that, she opened a retail outlet on a suburban main road in Melbourne, Australia. Despite occasional frustrations with car parking, I continue to visit regularly. Now she has a second retail outlet with staff running both shops. She continues to cut hair, and shares her time between the 2 salons.

Choices. This weekend my hairdresser chose to invest in the client relationship and forgo the money from one hair cut.

On this occasion I visited the newer salon. I hadn’t been to that outlet before, as it is quite a bit further from where I live. To fit in with my hairdressers schedule, I agreed to go to her new salon. So far, so good.

Now, I am a stickler for being on time – and she is too. I regularly arrive early, and nearly every time she is ready early or on time, and occasionally just a little late. This weekend, I arrived 30 minutes before my appointment time. I didn’t mean to arrive that early, I had allowed too much time, there was little traffic, and I got a car park 25m from the salon front door.

When I arrived we said hello. The salon was busy. She asked me to wait to my appointment time (which I expected to). I set about reading a magazine, and surfing on my iphone. My appointment time came and went. Twenty minutes after my appointment time I was still waiting and starting to get frustrated. I had been reading a trashy magazine for 50 minutes now – 30 minutes being my fault for being so early, and 20 minutes more as my hairdresser was running late on her appointments.

When the haircut began, she asked where my car was parked. I explained it was outside. She explained that unfortunately it is only a 60 minute parking zone. She was genuinely concerned that I would be there for over an hour. I appreciated her concern, but wasn’t very excited about the idea of running late and getting a parking ticket. (I was even less excited when I realized how much grey hair was showing through!) At this point, I was getting slightly cranky, but doing my best not to show it. My hairdresser is a great person, and has been cutting my hair for years. I wasn’t about to let being a few minutes late and a parking ticket ruin that history.

Now, cutting my hair isn’t a very lengthy experience. I was all done in less than 20 minutes. As we finished she apologized for running late, but the next thing she did took me by surprise and reminded me of a great lesson. As I walked to the cashiers desk, I reached for my wallet. I wanted to pay and get moving so I wouldn’t have a parking ticket and wouldn’t be late for my next appointment. It was then she said – ‘Craig, this time its on me. See you next time’. I was genuinely shocked. I understand that sometimes things run late, and wasn’t expecting a free haircut.

Instead of having a loyal customer leaving feeling frustrated and cranky, I left feeling great that I was appreciated as a customer – she knew we had been unusually late and she wanted me to get moving so that I wouldn’t get a parking ticket. It was a great reminder that investing in relationships is worth much more than the money that would have been generated from that job. I will continue to be a loyal customer as long as my greying hair keeps growing.

As photographers or personal service business owners, investing in relationships is key to our long term success. Today I shot a 30 minute portrait shoot for a friend. I charged nothing. I decided this was my opportunity for investing in relationships. Have you got an ‘investing in relationships’ story to share?

Just in case you were wondering, I was parked in the 60 minute zone for about 75 minutes. I was pleased there wasn’t a parking ticket on my windscreen. All good, and a great reminder about investing in relationships.