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Let’s Get this Party Started Right!

So let's talk about getting started on the right foot I mean, I'll get my notes here. Um let's maximise this weekend you guys you lucky six are here, you flu and I want to make sure you get the most out of it. So b get up and get yourself a notebook right now here you're here to really bring it to the next level and I selected you also because I knew you weren't just like going to show up and phone it in like, I want you to really be present. I want you to be honest about what you're struggling with, and I will teo I struggle with stuff myself. Uh, thanks. Gonna be six lashes um, so to get the end for everyone watching at home and for people that are purchasing the download, this is holds true for you also, um, you know, life rewards action, so I really want you to participate the more you do, the more you entertain the memorial you'll grow on give a thousand percent, please don't make me do this all by myself. Um remain open to new ideas, okay? So don't take a trip down the negative t...

own once I say something, they're like, oh, no, that could never work okay, just be open to it, consider it and actually try it out I think there's nothing that contest anything better than you know the success of something you have to experiment with it you can't just dismiss it out of hand. S o a lot of things I'm going to talk about may seem like overly simplified and maybe it is because I did simplification but please remain open to new ideas and know your main outcome and I want you to think about this right now if you haven't already showing up today or tuning in today either one you should have in mind what your main outcome for this weekend is is it to have fun? Is it toe finally nail your price list? Is it tio find out how krista does x y z like what is it really a specific as you possibly can lis maybe three things and really focus on those because if you're looking at this weekend through that filter you're going to get it you know but you have to know what you're outcome is in order to achieve it okay, so these air some tenants I run my business and my life by and I just thought it'll really explain a lot of how we do what we're going to do this weekend keep it simple I will say this so much keep it simple people simple especially if you're just starting out or you're struggling best and easiest way to get beyond that is to simplify what you're doing my dad taught me how to play chess when I was a kid and he's like ok, whenever you're playing someone better than you which was always try and get as many pieces off the board is possible meaning like try and swap is much as possible so you're not looking at a cz many factors so that's what I do when I first started honestly I shot on automatic for two years as a paid pro um so I'm just telling you guys that andi I shot with one lens for seven years seriously so when I say so keep it simple like I walk the walk and I'm here to tell you I've been very successful and I think it's because I didn't overwhelm myself I was here connecting with my client really taking a look at her getting to know her and what what is going to pull on her heartstrings and you know I'm not worried about what the hell setting which one should I didn't have to think about that one lens that was on automatic and I know I know krista the chat room must be everyone must be asking what was that lense twenty four seventy where you yeah, thank you so what? We will totally talk about lenses on day two I have this shoe lens analogy that I like lenses they're like shoes anyway I'm a girl what can I say um what was I saying? Keep it simple. So, um, really, you cannot go on git comes up in my price list and my equipment and my styling eso experiment into because you go, I know sometimes we get stuck and we can't decide being a business owner. Usually you're working on your own. You got eight thousand decisions to make all on your own and it's difficult, and sometimes you just wish you had, like co workers to be like, hey, what do you think of that? Well, there's forms for that number one, but I think that you should just make a decision, choose something and just experiment with it and then you tweak is you go instead of staying stuck so many peoples like I'm just stuck here because I don't know what to charge really it's been two years, so I want you guys to start making some decisions making big decisions this weekend and then you know, but you can change your mind later you can tweak as you go and you get useful information and then focus on emotion. So I mean this bull um, in your mission and why you do what you d'oh but also technically, um I always prefer something that makes me a new image that makes me feel something rather than one that's technically perfect so even in my editing looking at two images like while compositions better here in the lighting but damn, this one makes me go oh, you know, so I choose this one I'm always focused on emotion and you know, even um prepping my client not necessarily talking like dates and details I'm talking about like, why are you doing this and like let's get into the meat of, um the meat of this job all right let's talk about a successful mindset and then we'll get started talking about working with women, but I think it's important to take a step back before we go forward um and talk about some of the I don't know some of the mindset qualities it takes to run a successful business because you're not going anywhere without this you can't skip this no matter how good you are lighting your posing if you don't have these six qualities of a successful months that you're not going anywhere I know shooters that are phenomenal they aren't making any money so no excuses this is number one be someone who produces results versus reasons um I know all the excuses I have the same ones the lighting was shit that day the client wanted to wear that mofo down the street did a groupon I can't you know blah blah blah blah blah, blah, blah be focused on results we don't care why it didn't happen it didn't happen s o we need teo as photographers were basically problem solvers right? And I love that that's what's awesome about what we dio so you let those limitations fuel your creativity because I believe that that is the definition of creativity um being resourceful in finding a way around that so yeah we've got like this great hey and we've got one chair and like five feet of space up there now go be creative with that um instead of going well, yeah, I didn't get variety because on ly have this one set so I could only sell ten images she wasn't interested like okay, I have the same set of circumstances where you going to do about that? All right um number to be a hustler successful people hustle while strugglers wait for shit to happen all right um go out there we'll talk about like this in the business section but you know don't wait for things to happen don't wait for clients to hire you um you know, create desire go out there and be enthusiastic about what you do I talk people into shoots it's like I have to shoot you here's my information you have to take a look at my website yeah kanna shot her yesterday um you know, we'll talk a lot about creative ways to get work to get clients and stuff like that but really you have to have a hustler's mindset first um I know why you do what you do in addition to what in house so simon cynic wrote a book start with why it's really good I would highly recommend it on day he his quotas people don't buy what you dio they buy why you do it it's true I'm not selling images I'm not selling albums you know what? Um selling emotion and experience and confidence and empowerment and I talk about why I do what I d'oh my website only about paige there's right there why I'm doing what I do, why I believe in it I believes so strongly in the power of imagery to change lives um and you know, if you just talk about what you d'oh cake sixty pictures of women a cocktail line um or how you do it yeah, we'll rent a hotel and then you'll change outfits three times and, you know, see how that's not really inspiring at all, so you really need to think about why you're doing what you do and you all did in your video um but the more you can communicate that through your website and just threw your daily speech um just the more compelling it is right? Um the quality of your photography is your top priority oh care about your freaking packaging or your biz cards sometimes this is another one where people focus on minutia get over it I took a afternoon to design my logo my brother put up my first website I didn't spend all your picking my colors and you know I just now got business cards how long have I been business? I don't even know um eight years I just got business cards actually they're not even business cards they're little they're cute all shown to you later um but like uh make the quality of your photographer your top priority I think some people get ahead of themselves and I know a lot of these people they are, you know, spending thousands on branding thousands on equipment like you setting up boudoir marathons was like wood a minute do you even know the basic rules of composition? Have you even, like thought about what makes a great photograph are you you know, keeping yourself inspired creatively so I can't stress this enough I'm I feel like I'm going to say this all week and this is the most important thing no, this is the most important thing, but I feel like really this is you want to be a success take great frickin photos please on don't forget that and the bulk of your money time, energy and mental focus should be on this not a geeking out on facebook forums colin hey, what kind of album press print do you know are you know what I mean? Do it once make the decision have the product and move on all right uh no yourself and that you are the absolute best you out there? This one kind of strikes a chord with me because we all deal with copycats um especially if you're renew whatever ahead of the game people are you know, biting your tail whatever keep moving is what I say do you know how many people copied my about paige when it was ten things that make me happy I saw like tons and tons of people that would take my workshop that would have that and, you know, they still my images that's fine and, um I want to know every little thing that I d'oh it's you know what? No one could be you so if you stay focused on who you are and really build your business and your style around you and you kind of have those blinders on, I just think that's going to see you so I mean, I don't think you should operate in a vacuum she definitely kind of know what's out there, but I wouldn't worry about competitors I don't believe they exist just really it's an art and lets you you're you're you're brand how can anyone compete with that? Um do you have any questions about this about copycats because I know a lot of people deal with that and they get all caught up in it so I go with someone so down the street name their thing oh my my exact same name are you know, they they're doing the using the same set or whatever I know it happens but those people I don't have legs who cares if they steal your photo like where they're gonna go with that really? Where are they gonna go that I had someone ripped off my entire website the whole thing just changed the name seriously where you gonna go with that? You can't be me. Um so any questions about this? No. No questions? Yeah, sometimes I'm scared to do that because of this right here people taking your ideas like so do you feel like networking strong and that's useful or do you kind of stick to your own little group? Um now I really have um you know, I have a bunch of photographer friends, but I still I still I stay outside as much as possible only because I feel like it makes me a better photographer. I tried like when I first started I never entered a forum I didn't have any photographer friends for like three or four years and I feel like that really served me because I just developed my own damn thing on my own um I don't know maybe looking back, I would have been nice I would've cut my learning curve down a little bit on certain things like getting a different lens if I had jumped in sooner, I have sometimes have a problem asking for help sometimes so that's my own thing, but I do enjoy very much the company of photographers were such a great group of people were so generous and fun and I just I just I love r r our contemporaries I just think are awesome and we're all here to help, so if something I do helps you awesome, you're not ripping off me entirely even the girl who ripped off my entire website it's like whatever, you know what? I'm not gonna let that stop me from making friends that I enjoy for teaching every single thing that I d'oh if it can help you, you know what I mean? I really believe that that is no way that brandy you, khun do what I dio and there's no way that I could do what you do, so why we even worried about it? Um, it does get a little touch here when if you're down the block and I you know, some photographers out there very well known don't teach won't allow people into their workshops with in the same state or within a fifty mile radius I had someone in santa monica down the block take my workshops over and over and over again using all the images shot at my workshops on her promo cards posted at the same a place that mine were so I even then I was a little bit like okay, maybe a little uncomfortable still I'm fine with it where you gonna go with that? Um so I would suggest you do I don't like I don't know what the lord network means really, but if befriend share ideas sure I highly recommend it it makes just you have be generous, be generous it'll come back to you from eyes wondering about watermarks o r against that yeah all right let's talk about that. I'm so glad I have a forum to discuss why I use water marks because I really didn't know I was kind of a a snob about it was like, well, I don't want a watermark my image I compose that someone you know it's throwing the whole thing off I hate waterworks and then people started I don't care that people other photographers would rip off my images and s so what? But here's what started to happen escort services were taken my images and using among their sights, so I had to call my lawyer and I found out because the model found out the guy who was looking up some london escort service I'm looking at you carlo leaders you're from london you know started see and so we started searching around and I was getting I was feeling so so so awful about that so I had teo I called my lawyer and he's like he made me feel really silly actually and he's like he knew you could prevent this easily because he was going through hoops to tryingto you know, locate who these people are get them to take it down um so I was like yeah so I have to water market yeah, I know people can clone stamp that out but at least I'm doing the best I can to protect um my clients and models having said that that's another reason why I don't post a lot of my clients even once you want to give me like I've gotten over it sometimes I do a killer shoot that's creatively fricking awesome and something I want to share with everybody and it does crush me to not because I'm shooting a lot of hope high profile people lately anyway um uh so yeah water marking is a necessity for me because I do not under any circumstances want my image is used on escort service I belong and short of it simple answer way always have we already have yeah totally couple more on the internet good as always um see you kind of talked about this but how about a good friend this is from lyons photo how about a good friend that is doing the same thing is you in the same town but for cheaper how do you reconcile that? Um this person what's her name lions photos lines photos needs to know why she's where she needs to create more value so she has to be distinctive she has to have that passion that heart that why just to create an amazing experience she has to differentiate yourself somehow um so she has to get personal know what I mean because once you get personal no one could duplicate it and that was another just to follow upon that was uh just takes photos just takes photos had as it how can you say that you don't believe in competition that nobody can can compete with your art could you expand on that yeah um I just think that there's no person that's gonna take a client away from me so people think in terms of my main competitors meaning like people are going to her instead of me but I think my client comes to me my client comes to me I don't know I hate to simplify it that way or be cheeky but you know that person's for for her and that clients for me and no one's taken my client I don't know I just feel that way plus there's no competition in terms of who's better it's just different and that comes with, like you were just saying, defining who you are, what relation? It is exactly that people know to come to you absolutely great. Thank you. Warm. You understand who your customer is and when they contact you, how, you know if you are spending time in the right person or not, right? We are going to talk about creating your ideal client. That is a fat ass answer on so that's a big portion of what we were gonna do together. So, uh, let's do that when we get to it, but great question. All right, let's, move on. Um, last one know your ideal client. Thanks for the segway and focus on lee on thrilling her. So just like I know we talked about, I'm not worried about, um I think some people try and book every inquiry that's like, insane. Um, I'm not focused on thie new bride. I'm not focused on the military wives wife. I'm not focused on, um, you know, thirty year old pretty girl. My client is very specific, and I'm very focused on thrilling her. I'm not wasting any any energy trying to book or seduce any other client, and I think that this is where a lot of people waste a lot of time, money and energy