Professional Photo Books.com

One of the great and incredibly unique things about a professional printed photo book is that, once you understand the basic design process, you are in control of the printing process and can print on demand. If a client suddenly decides they want a hard copy of their favorite photos from their wedding or family portrait shoot, you can create and deliver a photo book to them in a reasonable amount of time. But a professionally printed photo book is a big step up from an envelope stuffed with pictures.

A professionally printed photo book is a much more creative way to print on demand. Not only is the quality of the images much better than that of a commercial printing service, you also get to present you clients with a beautifully bound book of those images. You can include text, reshape and resize the images and layout the book exactly the way they (or you) want it to look.

Professional printing services often have fantastic customer service representatives, so you know that when you call with a question regarding your photo book you are going to get a real answer. If you need to make design changes, more often than not it is a simple fix if the book hasn’t already been sent to print. A professional printing service wants to make your job easier, so you can give the best product to your clients.

You can also use professional printing services for yourself, not just clients. Printed photo books make great portfolios that focus on one theme or style of photography. The quick turn-around for printing time and careful design are sure to impress anyone. You’ll also be able to order additional copies of your photo book at any time, making it a great tool for selling your work in a gallery or out of your studio.

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If you’ve decided to create a professionally printed photo book for your photography business, whether as an addition of your portfolio, a price guide for clients or as an add-on to your studio packages, you need to make sure you are using the best printing services available. At the end of the day, it is your name associated with that photo book, so it needs to be something you are willing to stand behind. Choosing a professional printer over a commercial printer is the first step.

There are several things to take into consideration when choosing among the professional printers. These factors include price, quality, ease of use, processing and delivery time and customer service. If you’re making the photo book for yourself, there isn’t a huge rush on the processing and delivering time, so maybe that factor isn’t as important as price. But if the photo book is for a client, they are going to want it sooner rather than later, so maybe that has a greater impact on the company you choose.

One of the most important things when it comes to designing a photo book is how easy it is to put together. Most photo book services have some kind of software you get from them that allows you to custom design your photo book. Is that software compatible with your computer? Is it easy to understand and use? Or is the software complicated and not very user-friendly. You don’t want to have to struggle with a design program to build your photo book.

You’ll also want to work with a company that keeps a clear line of communication open between you and them. If you have a question about the status of your photo book, they should be able to answer it. If you reach out to them for help, does someone get back to you in a timely matter? A professional printing company should have customer service representatives available to help you as needed.

The benefits of using a professionally printed photo book center on a better product. Professional printers have the equipment and experience to make your photo book look great. But not all printers are the same, and it’s important to understand what makes one different from another before beginning the process.

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Gone are the days of just leaving a business card or sending out postcard announcing your studio and services to the community. Marketing/advertising campaigns and techniques have come a long way from posting a few column-long ads in the local paper.

Here are few things you should be doing to more effectively promote your services as a photographer:

1. Own your website domain
A photographer’s website acts as their online portfolio, marketing tool, calling card and invitation to prospective clients to connect. A professional photographer should invest in a professional website and register their personal domain name (www.johnsmithphotograhy.com) and not use a free domain service that incorporate their company name into your domain (www.johnsmithphotography.com/freewebsitemaker).

2. Create social networking profiles
Sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Flickr (a photo storage and sharing site) are a great way to connect with current clients, friends, other photographers and potential clients. It’s one more place to get your name out and drive visitors to you main website. Since Facebook and Flickr allow you to upload photos, they are also great for creating mini-portfolios or sharing the film from your latest shoot.

3. Develop relationships with local businesses
A real-estate agent needs photos of the homes they are trying to sell; a restaurant needs shots for a new menu; small, local papers are always on the lookout for great news photos. Develop your working relationship with local businesses that may have need for a photographer. It will expand your client base and they can help promote you and your work with references and referrals.

There are dozens of different advertising and marketing techniques you can use to promote your services as a photographer.
Traditional advertising like print ads and direct mail are still viable marketing methods and can help pull in a lot of business. They key to marketing is to develop a diversified plan designed to reach potential customers in as many ways as possible. The more they hear your name and see examples of your work, the more likely they are to hire you when the time comes.

Tags: For The Photographer by Embassy Pro Books
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Building your brand is an important aspect for every business. It doesn’t matter if you sell clothes, sports equipment or your photography services; your brand is what most people remember you by. Your brand is what your photography business/studio stands for and acts as an assurance of what client’s can expect to get when they hire you.

Part of building your brand is having a compelling logo that people can easily recognize. Think the Nike swoosh; even if Nike isn’t written next to the symbol, people know what company it belongs too. Don’t expect to have the kind of national brand recognition as a brand like Starbucks or McDonalds, but there is no reason you can’t become a well-recognized photographer in your own community.

Your photography website is also essential in building your brand. The Internet is how most people are going to find you, view your work and reach out to connect with you. Every photographer should have a well-designed website that showcases their talent and skill level, as well as demonstrates their experience as a photographer. Being able to view your work from their own computer helps inspire confidence in potential clients and encourages them to call/email you for a face-to-face meeting.

Developing a brand is also about establishing connections. It’s entirely fair to ask former customers to recommend you to friends, or use them as references and include their reviews of your work on your site. It helps to have these relationships in place, because would-be clients are more likely to hire you if you can prove that you’ve done successful work for previous clients.

The key to building your brand as a photographer is to pick something and go after it. You can’t be everything to everyone. So decide what the main focus of your business is. Are you a wedding photographer? Do you want to be hired by all the local schools for yearbook portraits? Or are you looking to get your work in galleries? Once you determine what you want to known for, you can build your brand around it.

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Home is a very important thing to people. It’s where they come from, it help defines who they are, it where they return when times get rough. They don’t call it “hometown pride” for no reason. A lot of passion comes out when people talk about or defend where they come from. Whether they are from Manhattan or a small farming community in Iowa, everyone thinks their town has something that makes it extra special, sets it apart and gives them something to brag about. Why not use your skills as a photographer and create a professionally printed photo book celebrating your home town?

First off, a photo book of your home town is going to help generate a lot of buzz about your studio and your work. It gives you a common enough subject that everyone will be interested to talk about, see and share. Again, that hometown pride makes a person want to promote something that celebrates where they come from. The photo book can help get the word out about your studio and may be even attract a few new clients who are hunting for a photographer. It’s a great addendum to your regular portfolio.

Second, a professionally printed photo book centered on your hometown is something you can easily sell in local businesses, as well as from your studio. This is especially true if you live somewhere that gets a lot of tourists. Local boutiques, restaurants, historical sites and other businesses can promote your book as a souvenir and herald you as the resident photographer. This can introduce your work to a new audience and build your reputation and brand as a photographer.

Creating a photo book of your home town also gives you the chance to explore a familiar setting in new ways. When we live somewhere, we often overlook the little details that make it unique to those just passing through. Taking the time to create the images for a hometown celebration photo book helps you reconnect with where you are from and learn to appreciate the town’s personality.

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There is a lot more drama in a frame when one or multiple elements are actually doing something! It can be a lot more interesting for the viewer and a lot more fun to shoot as a photographer. But capturing objects in motion requires a certain level of awareness and preparedness you don’t always have to have if your object is sitting still and waiting for you.

Here are a few tips of getting the best action photography shots you can:

Practice your timing
Action photography is all about capturing a moment. Missing the game winning catch at a football game because you were slow on the uptake is no excuse. If you’re going to be shooting something like a professional sporting event, maybe go to a few local games to practice your timing. It will help you get an idea of what players do before a really spectacular action like a dive or slide. Noticing those little movements will help you get ready in time for the important shot.

Pick a new point of view
If it all possible, try to change the point of view you are shooting from. Getting up close and personal with the action can provide really interesting and engaging shots that most photographers don’t capture. If you’re photographing a car race, for example, try hanging out around the corners of the track. That’s usually where cars have to slow down and get pushed together, giving your more objects to focus on. Move around to get the action from different angles, heights or in different lighting situations to capture a range of photos.

Shutter Speed
If you want to freeze the action completely, use a faster shutter speed. If you want the image to be a little blurry, pick a slower shutter speed. Practicing will help you determine what shutter speeds you need to capture various objects in motion (person vs horse vs car, for instance)

Autofocus is your friend
Some photographers feel like using autofocus is a little bit like cheating, but sometimes action photography doesn’t provide you with an alternative. There just isn’t time to manually focus the shot.

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From a client’s perspective, one of the best parts of using a professional photographer is getting to sit down and sort through the images. Many clients spend a lot of time getting ready for a professional shoot, whether in your studio or at an event, and they are excited to see how your work turns out. They probably have an idea of what the photos will look like, and are hoping you captured the event the way they were expecting. Why not create a professionally printed photo book to organize your contact sheets from the shoot so your clients will be able to compare them side-by-side and have a good idea of what to expect from the final printed images.

Creating a professionally printed photo book to hold your client’s contact sheets is a great way to stay organized and simplify the decision process for your clients. They can compare images side-by-side, making it easier for them to pick their favorites. Since it is a printed photo book, your clients will have a better idea of what their images will look like when they choose to have them printed and framed. Sometimes looking at an image on a computer doesn’t correlate with how the image looks once it’s been printed. A professionally printed photo book removes any guessing.

Having printed contact sheets also makes it easier for you and your client to discuss editing the frames. They will be able to tell you exactly what they like and don’t like about each image, so you know what you need to go in and edit when the time comes. This eliminates miscommunication between you and your client, making them happier and your job a little easier.

If you decide to give your clients the photo book containing their contact sheets, you are inviting them to reach out to you if they want to print more of the photos, or if they need to hire a photographer. That photo book becomes a portable advertisement for your studio and reminds your clients (and their friends) of your skills.

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If you’re going outside of your studio, whether for a client’s destination wedding, an ad campaign shoot or just on your own personal vacation, it pays to be prepared. If you want to be fully ready to seize any and all opportunities, it’s worth doing a little research about the location to find out what you are getting yourself into. Researching your destination doesn’t take away from the “in-the-moment” mentality of the photo shoot; it might just give you a few ideas of what to keep your eyes peeled for.

Check out some guidebooks
While they may not include the pinnacles of artistic photography, guidebooks can give you an idea of what your destination is known for. Is there a historical landmark you can’t afford to miss? A hole-in-the-wall garden that grows award winning roses? Guidebooks are extremely thorough and packed with information that you can use when planning your shoot. For instance, if you’re travelling for a client’s wedding, they may help you select a few unique places to take the bridal party photos. This makes you look more prepared and professional the day of the event. Plus it is one less surprise for you.

Take a look at other photos
If you are going to a well-known destination, perusing popular online photo sharing sites like Flickr will let you know what the favored subjects are, and how they are usually photographed. If everyone has the same frame of the same gravestone at the same cemetery, maybe you should skip that one. Or at least know that you have to take a creative approach with your angle/lighting/framing to make the photo really stand out.

Read the local news
This can help give you a sense of the place you are going. What is important to the areas’ residents? Who or what are the big attractions when you’ll be visiting? You don’t have to subscribe to the local newspaper, but try searching online for recent news stories about the area. You never know what interesting tidbit you come across that could help create a more dynamic shoot.

Tags: For The Photographer by Embassy Pro Books
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It’s hard to learn photography from a book. Reading how ISO and shutter speeds effect exposure is a far cry from having to do it yourself. Learning the basic skills of photography takes a lot of time and dedication. Becoming a professional requires even more commitment. Some books are all about the technical, others more about the photographer and his relationship with his camera and object. But everyone can find something useful; whether a technical tip or creative inspiration, when they browse through a great photography book.

Listed below are just a few titles if you are looking to do a little reading.

“On Photography” by Susan Sontag
“On Photography” is actually a collection of essays that Sontag wrote expressing her views on the evolving role of photography and the photographer in society. It won the National Book Critics’ Circle Award in 1977.

“The Negative” by Ansel Adams
“The Negative” is the second book in Adams’ Photography Series, preceded by “The Camera” and followed by “The Print.” Very much a technical guide, the book discuses various photographic techniques: the use of artificial and natural light, film and filters, creating the appropriate exposures and (now the less relevant) darkroom equipment and techniques.

“The Digital Photography Book” by Scott Kelby
“The Digital Photography Book” is written to be user-friendly, and attempts to avoid much of the jargon that confuses amateur photographers. With nearly 200 photographic tricks, Kelby presents the reader with a straight-forward how-to guide to taking great shots.

“Understanding Exposure” by Brian Peterson
“Understanding Exposure” is a step up from Kelby’s book, written for photographers (both serious amateur and professional) who already have a good grasp on photographic techniques, but are looking for ways to get more creative with their cameras. The book even accounts for the differences in shooting with a film or digital camera.

“The Art of Photography” by Bruce Barnbaum
Often described as the most “readable, understandable and complete textbook on photography,” “The Art of Photography” offer insights and knowledge for photographers of any skill level. Barnbaum takes the how-to guide a step further by actively discussing the philosophical, expressive, and creative aspects of photography, in addition to the technical.

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Everyone wants to be able to learn new things. Whether it be cake decorating, belly dancing or writing HTML code, just about every activity comes with a “How to” book for beginners. The “For Dummies” book series built their empire on teaching people everything from crocheting to personal finance to Dungeons and Dragons. A professionally printed photo book is a great way to create a unique and informative “How to” guide for some of your clients.

Just about every company could use the skills of a professional photographer to better market their products or services. Depending on the company, considering offering to help them create a “How to” book they can use as a promotional tool.

For instance, let’s say you’re hired by boutique that sells wedding gowns to photograph some of their inventory for the new spring catalogue. Why not suggest to the store owner they consider creating a “How to” guide for newly-engaged women who don’t know where to start when it comes to buying a dress. The “How to” photo book can include images of various dress styles, fabric choices and appropriate accessories. Professionally printed photo books also let you add text so each of the dresses comes with a little explanation and could incorporate cost, type of fabric used and what “season” the dress is best suited for.

You can even use the same images you shot for the catalogue to fill the photo book so you don’t have to do a re-shoot. The “How to Select a Wedding Dress” photo book doubles as promotional material for the boutique and is a unique add-on they can offer the women who come into the store. The high quality of a professionally printed “How to” photo book is sure to match up with the elegance, style and level of service of the boutique.

Being able to offer a unique service like helping create a “How to” photo book also makes your services that much more valuable. It can help you reach new clientele and expand your photography business.

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