Press Package Overview

Lesson 107 from: Fine Art Photography: The Complete Guide

Brooke Shaden

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Lesson Info

107. Press Package Overview

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Next Lesson: Artist Statement for Your Series

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Yours is a Story Worth Telling

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Press Package Overview

This is all about the press package which is a whole bunch of different things and will mean something different to each person depending on your particular business and what you want to be putting out there into the world. So, it's important to note that maybe some things that we're gonna talk about, you'll leave behind. Maybe other things you'll keep, and it all depends on the business that you wanna build. And I'm gonna go over what materials you'll need for what and when and how and why and all of that. But a press package is very important. First thing you're probably going to think is I don't need a press package because I don't have any press to give my package to, right? So that's like an important thing to consider is why would I even need this. Well in my experience it's really good to have something like this already made for when that opportunity does come or for creating your own opportunities. You know, we all think that we have to sit around and wait for this big magazin...

e to email us and feature our work. No, send in your press package to people ahead of time, then see what it gets you. And that's what I love to do in my business is make a plan, do it ahead of time, give it to the people who might need to see it, and then hope that I get hired later. That's how my fine art business works. So press package. Let's talk about what that entails specifically in a press package. One thing will be the Artist Statement, and this is a very, very important part of the press package. If you are not used to writing a lot, this will be incredibly difficult, and I'm just saying that right up front because I want you to know that I recognize the difficulty in this. It's not something that will probably come with the first thing that you write. You'll probably have to do a number of passes on this. Maybe show it other people, see how that goes, but an artist statement is your statement as an artist. That solves the whole mystery doesn't it? So what you're going to be doing is writing about your art in an intelligent, thoughtful way so that somebody who wants to know what you're all about will know based on this document that you're going to send them. How to write captions for your images, another thing that we're going to talk briefly about. So, this will come up mostly. Let's say that you're submitting to a juried show, and they want you to write like one or two sentences per image that you're submitting which is very, very common with awards, trade shows, things like that. And you're gonna need to know how to do that. What are they looking for and how can you put that together and have it ready prepared ahead of time. An About Me is what you're going to need. Some call it a biography. That annoying little blurb that you have to put on your website that no photographer wants to write, ever. Do you all have About Me pages written? Do you think that they're awesome? Me neither, I get it. It's really hard, and we're gonna talk about that in depth. A CV which is your artist resume. Understanding what needs to go on there. Making sure that it's nicely presented, that it's not too long which is the problem that some of us have, and that it's not too short which is the other problem that some of us have. So what to put on there to get a happy medium. Head shots, it seems like a really obvious thing, but there are different types of head shots that are appropriate in different scenarios. So it's good to know how you should have your picture taken. Have any of you guys ever shot your own head shots? I'm so antisocial that I won't even ask anybody to shoot my head shot, and it's a problem. So, if anybody out there wants to shoot my head shot, please help me. But I'll show you the ones that I've done so far. And then I have this thing called a Leave Behind which is something that you would leave behind. I know, I know, it's really fancy. So, you'd wanna leave this behind with a client or a potential client. For example, a gallery, a publisher, a magazine. Any meeting you might have something really good and solid to leave behind. An Elevator Pitch. You're not gonna like this, but I'm gonna make you do it. An Elevator Pitch is something that's part of the press package insofar as you need to know what to say when you're in this situation where you could give somebody a press package. Okay? So if they're like, do you go up to someone, you're like, hi, my name is So and So, and I do this thing. What are you gonna say? What is your pitch gonna be to them to get them to really be interested in who you are and what you do and what you have to say?

Class Materials

Bonus Materials with Purchase

Guided Daydream & Writing Exercises Workbook (Lessons 1-11)

Creating an Original Narrative Workbook (Lessons 12-18)

Finding Your Target Audience Workbook (Lessons 19-27)

Planning Your Series Workbook (Lessons 28-34)

Set Design Workbook (Lessons 35-41)

Compositing Workflow Checklist (Lessons 42-49)

Editing Workflow Checklist (Lessons 50-55)

Location Scouting Workbook (Lessons 56-60)

Stock Image Downloads for Practice (Lessons 61-72)

Organizing Your Portfolio Workbook (Lessons 77-81)

Pricing & Editioning Your Work Workbook (Lessons 82-89)

Writing Contracts & Licensing Images Workbook (Lessons 90-98)

Gallery Best Practices (Lessons 99-106)

Pitch Package Workbook (Lessons 107-111)

Writing Your Brand Workbook (Lessons 112-117)

Marketing Workbook (Lessons 118-122)

Social Media Workbook (Lessons 123-127)

Printing Methods Checklist (Lessons 128-133)

Self Critique Workbook (Lessons 134-137)

Bonus Materials Guide

Syllabus

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Brooke Shaden

Brooke explores the darkness and light in people, and her work looks at that juxtaposition. As a self-portrait artist, she photographs herself and becomes the characters of dreams inspired by a childhood of intense imagination and fear.

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topics covered in this class

Fine Art Digital Photography

Ratings and Reviews

April S.

I tuned in for most of Brooke's lessons in this course and watched some of them more than once as they were rebroadcast. First I want to say that Brooke is a very good instructor. Her easy-going, friendly, down-to-earth, somewhat quirky manner cannot be mistaken for unprofessional. She is very prepared, she speaks well (not a bunch of hemming and hawing), she is thoughtful, she is thorough, she is very relatable and at ease, and she is definitely professional in her presentation. I really thought when I first tuned in that it would mostly be background noise while I was at work, sound to keep me company. Not because I didn't like Brooke but I really didn't think I was into fine art photography nor did I think I cared about the business side of things much. Not now anyhow. I was really wrong. Brooke sparked a deep interest in me to delve into fine art photography, to consider creating images for myself, from my imagination. In fact, I realized that this was something I'd been thinking about for a couple of years though I hadn't put a name to it (the idea of creating pre-conceived images based on my own creative goals). I gleaned many little treasures from her about image sizes, working with printers, different types of paper, selling, interacting with galleries, and so much more. I may not need all of what she taught right now because I'm definitely headed in another direction at the moment, but she planted ideas and information in my head that I know will be useful at some point. Things I may not have thought of on my own, but that seed is in my head now so when the time comes, I'll know. I'd really like to buy her course but at the moment, with the holidays right around the corner, it's not in my personal budget. I'm grateful to have caught the live and rebroadcast lessons though, and her course is on my list to own. I think it's a great reference to be consulted over and over again, not watched once and forgotten. Kudos Brooke for really putting together an excellent course.

Angel Ricci

When the title says comprehensive, it means comprehensive! I loved every part of this course. It's inspirational, motivating, and insightful towards creating art work. Even if you are not necessarily considering a fine art specialty, the concepts discussed in this course are applicable to many areas! I find this super useful as a videographer and photographer and look to apply all of these exercises and concepts for my personal and business work moving forward. It is lengthy, but you will not regret a single minute. Brooke Shaden is an amazing artist and educator. I recommend keeping up with her work, presentations, and any future courses that may come in the future.

Ron Landis

I'm retired now, but spent decades in the people and training business. Brooke is extraordinary! Even though this course is extremely well organized and she's left nothing unattended, she moves through it with friendly conversational manners and without a sense of it being stilted. It's as though we are all her friends, not students, as she shares her heart and passion with us. What a joy it is to listen to her. And what a clear, unambiguous command of her subject. Wow! She explains it with such ease using explanations and techniques that won't overwhelm artists just starting their portfolio or the Photoshop-squeamish among us; but despite its simplicity her resulting art is breathtaking and beyond original. I wish more of my professors at school were as engaging. This was by far my best buy at Creative Live yet.

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Press Package Overview

Press Package Overview

Lesson Info

107. Press Package Overview

Lessons

Class Introduction

Storytelling & Ideas

Universal Symbols in Stories

Create Interactive Characters

The Story is in The Details

Giving Your Audience Feelings

Guided Daydream Exercise

Elements of Imagery

The Death Scenario

Associations with Objects

Three Writing Exercises

Connection Through Art

Break Through Imposter Syndrome

Layering Inspiration

Creating an Original Narrative

Analyze an Image

Translate Emotion into Images

Finding Parts in Images

Finding Your Target Audience

Where Do You Want Your Images to Live?

Create a Series That Targets Your Audience

Formatting Your Work

Additional Materials to Attract Clients

Which Social Media Platforms Will be Useful?

How to Make Money from Your Target Audience

Circle of Focus

The Pillars of Branding

Planning Your Photoshoot

Choose Every Element for The Series

Write a Descriptive Paragraph

Sketch Your Ideas

Choose Your Gear

How to Utilize Costumes, Props & Locations

What Tells a Story in a Series?

Set Design Overview

Color Theory

Lighting for the Scene

Props, Wardrobe & Time Period for Set Design

Locations

Subject Within the Scene

Set Design Arrangement

Fine Art Compositing

Plan The Composite Before Shooting

Checklist for Composite Shooting

Analyze Composite Mistakes

Shoot: Black Backdrop for White Clothing

Shoot: Black Backdrop for Color Clothing

Shoot: Black Backdrop for Accessories

Shoot: Miniature Scene

Editing Workflow Overview

Add Fabric to Make a Big Dress

Edit Details of Images

Add Smoke & Texture

Blend Multiple Images Into One Composite

Put Subject Into a Miniature Scenario

Location Scouting & Test Photoshoot

Self Portrait Test Shoots

Shoot for Edit

Shoot Extra Stock Images

Practice the Shoot

Introduction to Shooting Photo Series

Shoot: Vine Image

Shoot: Sand Image

Shoot: End Table Image

Shoot: Bed Image

Shoot: Wall Paper Image

Shoot: Chair Image

Shoot: Mirror Image

Shoot: Moss Image

Shoot: Tree Image

Shoot: Fish Tank Image

Shoot: Feather Image

View Photo Series for Cohesion & Advanced Compositing

Edit Multiple Images to Show Cohesion