How To Be a Phenomenal Second Shooter

If photographers had academy awards, there's no doubt winning the best second shooter would be equivalent to winning best supporting actor. Second photographers play a vital role on a wedding day, and being someone the main photographer knows they can trust wholeheartedly is invaluable. We put together our best advice so you can provide the best second shooter experience anyone has ever had!

Be a team player. Remember that it's about serving the couple well while capturing beautiful photos. Take photos you can be proud of and love, and don't worry that your name isn't directly attached to them. When your goal is to serve to the best of your ability, you won't inwardly complain if you don't get to photograph the gorgeous reception details. Your role is to help the main photographer tell the wedding day's story.

Take the initiative. Don't stand around waiting to be told what to do. Clear the getting ready area to prepare for photos without being asked. If there's a lull, grab detail photos of the venue. Know the star shots you should capture and provide direction if you're in charge of certain portions on your own. Help the main photographer keep track of their equipment and phone.

Anticipate needs. Bring water to the main photographer, carry the bride's train from place to place, or assist with boutonnières. Always be aware of everything happening and ways you can help, even if they aren't directly photography related.

Arrive early. Showing up before your start time will be appreciated and infinitely better than being late! An early window of 15 min. is perfect.

Familiarize yourself with the timeline. Having an idea of the flow of the day beforehand will help you prepare and not have to wonder what moment is next. 

Pro tip: Set the timeline as your phone lock screen for quick access. You never know when the lead photographer may need to reference it too!

Study the main photographer's style. It's important to capture images how they would so the whole gallery is cohesive. Do they shoot wide or tight crops? What are their preferred lenses? What poses do they use often?

Capture different angles. Never capture the same thing from the same direction or focal length as the lead. Add variety to the overall gallery by getting artistic with crops or shooting horizontal if they're shooting vertical.

Pro tip: Try to utilize balconies or staircases for an overhead view!

Bring styling supplies and other equipment. Share your styling kit or anything else that could be useful for the day. It's especially beneficial to bring your entire arsenal if the photographer you're assisting is from out of town and unable to pack everything they commonly would for a local wedding.

We hope this article provided some insight on how to be an extraordinary second shooter and asset to a photographer's team!

Networking

It's so exciting when you have the chance to meet vendors you've been dreaming of working with and have the prospect of creating a connection. Networking is a beautiful part of the industry, and working alongside friends makes jobs even more fun.

Fostering work relationships into friendships will not only bring in referrals but makes the industry less of a lonely place. Having friends who can relate to your work experiences and who you can talk shop with is invaluable.

Today, we're sharing four keys to networking to help you create connections and nurture those vendor relationships into lasting friendships. Let's dive in!

1. Put yourself out there. Don't be afraid to send a kind word and interact with someone you'd love to work with on Instagram. If someone you're following will be visiting your area and you think it'd be fun to connect, offer to take them to dinner or show them around a bit. If you're traveling and you have someone in mind you'd like to meet, send them a message to see if they're available for coffee. 

Having the right connection can open doors qualifications never could, so initiate the conversation, and you never know what incredible things could happen.

2. Remember community over competition. Photographers need photographers too! Don't limit your networking to vendors who aren't photographers. Having friends who are also photographers can help and be a blessing in countless ways. When you second shoot or associate for friends, it's the perfect reminder that their success also means your success. There's room for everyone to thrive.

3. Find your tribe. Have a base of friends you can connect with regularly, whether in person or via FaceTime or messaging. It means the world to have peers who can offer feedback, encouragement, and support. Knowing you have friends in the industry who have your back and believe in you is an immense treasure.

4. Create a referral network. Once you've established your tribe, assemble a list of favorite vendors to recommend to clients. Your friends will be thrilled to hear they gained a client from your word of mouth and may return the favor. It's important to have relationships with vendors in your pricing market so you can share clients and gradually level up together.

We hope this article empowers you to go out and network! This industry is full of so many amazing people, so we challenge you to DM or email three new people who share your vibe!

Building a Social Media Presence

Love it or hate it, social media is an essential part of a business in this digital day and age. Having an active presence reinforces your brand and encourages engagement with your audience. Think about your ideal clients when creating content, and remember the goal behind every post: converting followers to clients. A high number of followers doesn't mean anything if you're not reaching potential clients.

When someone scrolls through your feed, they're trying to get a sense of who you are while determining if they like your work and can imagine working with you. Put yourself in a potential follower's shoes and see what you can discern about your profile in a minute or less. Can they clearly see what your photography niche is? Would they find your captions valuable and engaging? Are they compelled to watch your story because you left them wanting more?

We know social media plays a vital role in a business, though it's an area where many photographers struggle, so here's our best advice for building your social media presence!

Post often. You don't necessarily have to post every day, but if you haven't posted in months, someone who comes across your account is likely to wonder if you're still in business. Even if you posted on your story yesterday, it could've expired by the time someone checks out your profile.

Pro tip: Your stories are for your faithful followers, and posts are for growing your audience.

Choose what you want to be associated with your account. In addition to photography, what else do you want to be known for sharing? Travel, food, fashion, personal life, etc.? Let your followers know the type of content to expect by selecting a few primary themes.

Study your favorite accounts. Ask yourself what you love about them and what makes you a faithful follower. Even if it has nothing to do with photography, examine what aspects you can incorporate into your account model and content calendar.

Remember quality over quantity. Avoid posting for the sake of posting. Sharing work that isn't your best or off-brand could end up hurting you in the long run. Always ask yourself these questions before clicking "Post."

• Does this photo attract my ideal client?

• Does this post create a connection or encourage engagement?

• Does this post serve my audience?

Share your heart and who you are. You may find it difficult to share personal things, but your followers want to connect with you. Determine how much or little you're comfortable with sharing and decide how you can go from there. Your audience wants to know the person behind the business. Share beyond what you do to establish the know, like, trust factor.

We hope this advice helps you create a new social media strategy and builds your online presence!

Maintaining & Monitoring Growth

Growth is essential in every area of life but especially crucial in a business. A thriving business tracks its growth regularly and knows which steps to take to maintain progress. Your business should be growing to some extent every year, but remember that success doesn't happen overnight. Growth, however small, is still progress. 

Maintaining steady growth will establish your business and expand your brand. No matter your level of business, there's always room for growth. Approach everything with a mindset to learn, and you'll go further faster.

To measure growth, compare where you are this year to the same time last year. You'll probably be pleasantly surprised to see your business has grown more than you thought.

Look back over your years of business and pinpoint the areas of growth that led to where you are now. Was there a breakthrough year or a dream job that opened doors? Did you have a revelation that completely changed how you approach business? Can you remake the recipe that resulted in those strides of growth? 

If you feel stuck and don't see growth, focus on one area at a time to develop. Devote your time and attention to it and consider investing in education or mentorship. Avoid the comparison game, and don't get discouraged. Growth can be slow but stay the course, and you're hard work and dedication will be rewarded eventually.

Once you've started growing, it's time to maintain it! Surround yourself with people who inspire you to challenge yourself and push for excellence. Look for ways to expand your business's market and increase your passive income. Make it a goal to learn something new in photography or business management every year. 

Submit your work to top publications and raise your prices to reach a new clientele. Become an educator and teach topics you're passionate about and have a wealth of knowledge to share. Niche down your brand or pivot to specialize in a new industry. 

The incredible thing about being a creative business owner is there are no limits to the direction you can take! Grow at your own pace and on the right path for you. Know that you're capable of reaching the moon and having the business of your dreams. 

Traveling with Gear

Many will agree packing is the worst part of traveling, and it becomes even more hectic when you have to bring along thousands of dollars in gear. Staying organized and having a solid strategy will help eliminate stress. Today, we put together our best tips and tricks for packing and traveling with your gear.

Be as much of a minimalist as you can. Know what you can do without and condense as much as possible to conserve space. Overpacking will result in heavier luggage, and it may take longer to find what you do need.

Start packing a couple of days in advance. You'll have more time to triple-check that you have everything you need instead of quickly throwing things in a suitcase and hoping you didn't forget anything.

Make your main camera bag your personal item when flying.Traveling in peak seasons often results in the overhead bins reaching capacity before everyone has boarded. The airline will check any remaining bags with wheels, so make sure your camera bag is a backpack or shoulder bag that doesn't have wheels.

Have the most important things in your carry-on. Keep your essentials with you, so if your bags are misplaced, you'd still have the necessary equipment to complete your job. If they check your carry-on suitcase, you'll have a few minutes to stuff some extra items into your camera bag.

Pro tip: Choose unpopular flight times for the chance of a less packed flight.

Keep an inventory of each bag's contents. When you repack for your return trip, you can ensure you have everything, and it's a precaution should you need the airline to compensate for lost luggage.

Mail items to your destination. If you're staying with family or friends, order film and ship it to their address, so it's one less thing to pack. If there's a city you travel to regularly and have someone there to stay with, ask if you can store a few items there indefinitely (tripod, reflector, styling mats, etc.).

We hope you found these tips helpful for traveling with your gear. Happy travels, friends!

Being an artist + business owner

When you first start photography, it's all about improving your work, finding creative fulfillment, and photographing as much as you can. Passion and love for photography started your business, but that doesn't pay the bills. 

The not-so-glamourous truth is capturing photos is simply a fraction of the time. Your CEO mode provides the opportunities for you to be behind the camera. Today, we're talking about remaining true to your artistry while maintaining a thriving business.

Artists need to be in tune with themselves in many areas, including knowing the max amount of work they can handle without feeling overwhelmed or burnt out. Your artistry can suffer when you're overworked, so don't forget to take some time for yourself.Consider it a part of the creative process because it will enable you to show up refreshed and inspired.

What's the nemesis for most artists turned entrepreneurs? The numbers. After calculating everything, figure out how much you want to make in a year. Divide your annual income goal by the number of jobs you can take, and you'll see how much you should charge as a base price. 

It's a fantastic and rewarding feeling to know your work is esteemed and appreciated. Don't undervalue yourself. You can quickly lose enthusiasm if you continually sell yourself short. Being hired for your talent and vision will nurture your artistry and keep work from feeling like work.  

If a particular job doesn't seem like the best fit for you, don't be afraid to say no and let the opportunity pass by. Photographing work you're not keen on will leave you feeling unfulfilled and drained. If you tie yourself up with things you're not excited about, you might be unavailable when your dream jobs come along. 

Every year of business looks different, and everyone's balance will vary. One year could be about honing your skills and investing in education, while the next is about scaling the business and doubling the income. You'll know you've found your balance when you're happy with your work, meeting financial needs, and living life to your definition of success. 

Identifying Your Ideal Client

Do you know your target audience? Can you describe your ideal client? When you have a specific person in mind to speak to, you'll know what to share to connect with them and how to create a brand that resonates with them.

Today, it's all about identifying your ideal client. Let's discover how to market more effectively by getting inside their head and figuring out how to serve them better.

Build a profile about your client and be as specific as possible. It may feel like creating an avatar in a game at first, but remember, your ideal client exists and is out there. Identifying them will reveal a lot about your brand and bring clarity and direction.

Here are the main points to identify:

• Where do they live?

• What is their stage of life?

• How old are they?

• What is their career?

• What are they looking for in a photographer?

• What is their style?

• What are their hobbies?

• What do they value?

• What concerns or problems do they have that you can solve?

After establishing the basics, you can dive further and ask:

• Where do they shop for clothes?

• What are the areas they'll splurge?

• Where do they travel?

• What TV shows do they watch?

• What type of books do they read?

• How did they hear about you?

• What three words would describe your ideal client's personality?

Now, put together their qualities in a paragraph to depict them.

Example:

My ideal client is a kind and stylish bride-to-be who loves travel and art. She wants her wedding to be a joyful and intimate celebration. Her style is timeless and chic. She values her loved ones, moments of laughter, and unforgettable experiences. She wants a wedding photographer who beautifully captures candids, is personable, and offers a high-quality product.

Fill in the blanks:

My ideal client is a _______ and _______ person who loves ________ and _______. They want their wedding to be a ________ and ________ celebration. Their style is ________ and ________. They value ________, ________, and ________. They want a wedding photographer who ________, ________, and ________.

Now that you know your ideal client, only share work they can picture themselves in. Write captions they'll find valuable and communicate that you understand what they want in a photographer and an experience. As you start to book your ideal clients, study what they say are the reasons for booking you and capitalize on it!

How to Speed Up Your Workflow

We've all heard the joke about creatives leaving the 9-5 to work 24/7. Some days that seems more accurate than we may want to admit, so today, we gathered five pieces of advice to help you speed up your workflow!

1. Stay organized. Keep your gear in the same designated spot to ensure it's always ready to go and easy to locate. Immediately knowing where everything is will save you time when preparing for jobs and keep you mentally organized. Maintain a detailed inventory of your memory cards and film rolls to account for if anything goes missing.

Categorize and organize your hard drives and digital files as well. You'll be able to find particular jobs faster, and it will make it easier if you want to share images from your archives.

2. Automate. In your CRM program, create and automate a custom workflow, so you'll never miss a beat. You'll be able to stay on top of everything without spending more time. Questionnaires, emails, and payments will automatically send on your set schedule, so you never have to think about it. Your business will be running like a well-oiled machine which will speed up the backend process.

3. Email templates. Create your own or find ones to purchase, but having email templates will save you the time of wondering what to say. You'll be able to reply to inquiries in minutes when you have a template to copy and paste. Keep them conveniently accessible on your computer or input them into your CRM program, and your inbox will go down in no time. Don't forget to personalize your messages when relevant!

4. Don't overshoot. When you're more intentional behind the camera and purposeful when you click the shutter, you'll also save time when culling. Imagine how nice it would be to have way fewer images to cull through from the start!

5. Outsource. You can outsource just about every aspect of your business that may be time-consuming or doesn't come easily to you. When you outsource, you're enabling yourself to spend more time on different areas and broadening your workload capacity.

At the Ginger Lab, we recognize that time is precious and that there are dozens of other things you'd rather be doing than sitting at your computer. That’s why The Ginger Lab was born – as an affordable and accessible resource to help photographers free their time for their favorite things.

We hope you take advantage of all the resources available to speed up your workflow and help your business run effortlessly!