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!

Systems to Make Your Life Easier

Have you ever wondered if a system existed to make tasks in your business less time-consuming?

Running a business is hard enough already, so today, we've compiled a comprehensive list of all the systems you could ever need to make your business run smoother and your life easier. You'll want to bookmark this one, friend!

Business:

No matter where you are in your business, a CRM program (client relationship management) is 100% essential in our digital age. You can send proposals, contracts, and invoices, automate emails, track scheduling, and more with programs made for photographers and creatives. Each program offers a free trial, so test out which one is the right fit for you.

• Honeybook

• Dubsado

• Tave

• SproutStudio

• Studio Ninja

• 17 Hats

Quickbooks is great for accounting and integrates with some CRM programs to make bookkeeping a breeze. Quickbooks can also track your miles, or you can use a separate app like Everlance or Mile IQ.

Google Docs, Sheets, and Drive are fantastic resources as well.

Social Media:

Posting regularly to social media is a must. Save time and plan a week or month of content at once. Batch schedule in advance and automatically post, so you don't have to think about it again.

• Planoly

• Later

• UNUM

• Unfold

• Creator Studio

Ultize Tailwind for Pinterest to schedule and automatically pin your photos and get more eyes on your work.

Design:

Do you need to create a client guide or perfectly arrange photos for a stunning post? Effortlessly design on-brand content from your phone and leave everyone wondering where you got your professional quality graphic design skills.

• Canva

• Unfold

• WordSwag

• SCRL

We also love Creative Market for fonts, templates, and graphics. They have a vast selection for every aesthetic!

Photography:

As every photographer knows, the job is far from done when you set down the camera! Besides backing up your photos on multiple external hard drives, use cloud storage services like Backblaze for additional security.

Deliver galleries and increase your passive income by selling prints through online gallery services.

• Pic-Time

• Pixieset

• Instaproofs

• Shootproof

• Pass

Quickly design and share album proofs with clients through
AlbumStomp and SmartAlbums. They simplify the design and ordering process so you can focus on selling more.

Create beautiful collages for blogging and Facebook sharing with Blogstomp. Everyone will be asking what templates you use!

We hope you implement these tools to run your business more efficiently and save time so you can enjoy your favorite things in life!

The Booking Process

Getting new inquiries is exhilarating but can also be nerve-wracking for some. What to say? How to proceed? Am I missing anything?

A streamlined booking process saves time and makes the whole experience better for you and your client. When you have good workflows in place, you can focus more fully on the creative aspects of the job. Let's dive in and study a detailed look into the booking process!

There are some ingredients to the booking formula relevant to everyone, but you can find ways to personalize the process to provide a branded experience. Put yourself in your client's shoes, and think about how you would feel in your client's place.

The first impression:

The inquiry/contact form on your website should be easy to read and user-friendly. If it's not easy to navigate, visitors may exit before completing your contact form. Besides having the required fields of name, email, date, etc., you can add some fun and more detailed questions:

• Instagram handle
• How did you hear about me?
• Event location
• Guest count
• What are you looking forward to most about your session/wedding?

Reply quickly:

On your contact page, list the timeframe they can expect to hear back from you. If they emailed a lot of photographers at once, think about how appreciative they'd be if you're the one who always replies the fastest. It certainly makes them feel like a priority!

Create or purchase email templates to send for your initial response. They'll save time and enable you to reply as soon as you see the inquiry. Be sure to personalize it if they provided specific details or mentioned something you can address by sharing your expertise.

Call to action:

End your email with a call to action so they'll feel more compelled to respond. Provide a reason to reply. Ask to schedule a Zoom meeting or call. "Do you have a location in mind for your session? I'd love to hear about it and can send some additional ideas."

On the call:

You don't have to jump straight into talking photography. Ask a couple of establishing questions about themselves. Pinpoint their needs and what they're looking to hear from you that convinces them you're the right person to hire. Share your expertise and how you can make their day easier while beautifully capturing their memories. Ask what photos are important to them and create a connection.

Pro tip: Create a list of talking points or questions you don't want to forget to ask. It eliminates wondering what to say next!

Send proposal:

Some photographers send their pricing information with their first reply, while others wait until after/on the phone call. If you wait until after the call, send it promptly and readdress any concerns or questions they might've brought up. Find ways to add extra value to what you said on the call.

If you sent your information before the call, let them know how much you enjoyed chatting with them and that you're available to answer any additional questions.

Follow up:

If they mentioned deciding in X amount of days and that time has passed, politely send a follow-up email to ensure they have all the information they need and ask if they have further questions.

Seal the deal:

Yay, you booked the client! Send the contract and invoice, then hold the date. You may also want to send a booking gift or welcome guide.

We hope this helps you streamline your booking process, so you can continue doing what you love!

Cheers,
Your Ginger Team

Creating Mood Boards and Bringing Your Vision to Life

A mood board can be much more than the color palette and design elements. It can represent your vision and provide a reference point for inspiration.

Mood boards are not solely for styled shoots. Envision the photos you want to create at every session and establish a clear vision. A mood board should give you clarity and stir all the feels within you to help you flawlessly capture it. Keep your mood board in mind during your shoot, and it will provide direction not only for the photos you take but how you capture them.

Pro tip: Are you a music lover? Is there a song that gives you all the feels? Can you imagine the perfect imagery that embodies the lyrics? Channel that originality into your mood board!

To create a mood board, think of a few words you want to translate into your photos (e.g., romantic, modern, dreamy, etc.). Gather some images that inspire your vision and put them together in Canva or Unfold. We recommend including one photo of the actual location or similar environment to help you envision how everything will come together.

Focus on finding images you aren't necessarily trying to replicate but represent aspects you want to capture. Do you want to remember to take some creative close crops? Do you want to concentrate on hand movements? Do you want to incorporate motion? Is using a particular type of light paramount to your overall vision?

Pro tip: Make the mood board your lock screen wallpaper, so you can easily reference it during your session if needed.

With your final images, make a mood board using your photos to see how you did in bringing your vision to life. Did having a visual point of reference impact your results? Can you see the mood board's influence in your gallery?

Vision is different than your photography style, as it goes beyond editing and lens preferences. It's having a mental picture of the results you want to capture and approaching the session knowing what you need to do to accomplish it. Artistic vision and storytelling transform photographs into works of art and brings further fulfillment to your craft.

There are dozens of photographers in every niche, so bring your original vision to the table to show clients they're hiring more than a photographer — they're also hiring an artist, producer, director, and visionary!

"An artist is not paid for their labor but for their vision."

Cheers,
Your Ginger Team

How to Be Intentional Behind the Camera

Are you intentional behind the camera? Do you know why or what is inspiring you to press the shutter? Many people love shooting film because it makes them more intentional with every shot, but the same principle applies to digital photography.

Intentionality will make you a better photographer no matter the medium you shoot. You'll be more present when you're behind the camera, your photo keep rate will increase, and you'll save time when culling. Knowing the purpose of every photo you deliver when telling a story adds a deeper meaning that will resonate with your clients and audience.

Intentionality has many layers. It's composing the shot and waiting for the magic moment that makes you feel something, knowing that the moment or emotion expressed deserves to be captured to last forever. It's also being aware of everything going on in the frame.

Have a reason for every artistic decision you make when shooting. Understand how your style of direction translates to your clients and how subtle nuances speak in the final image. Know why you're using specific camera settings, lighting choices, or locations.

Intentionality should start before even picking up your camera.
Be proactive in your client interactions by providing outfit inspiration and location recommendations with the ideal times to shoot at each place. You're the expert, and they trust your knowledge to guide them with the best advice for a spectacular session.

Photographers create their art in the moment, so slow down and take your time to craft your masterpiece. Be fully present and let your subjects and surroundings inspire you. Ensure any elements in the frame lend themselves to the story and your vision. Even if you've photographed the same location multiple times, approach it with fresh eyes and keep your mind open.

Build trust with your clients so they'll feel comfortable with your direction yet free to be themselves. Direct and compose, but allow space for authentic moments to happen. For portrait photographers, it's a skilled balance between creating moments and capturing them as they unfold.

It's your job as a photographer to create art that embodies your clients. Develop an understanding of what would be a genuine reflection of their personalities and work to capture it. Strive to provide prompts or poses that would come naturally to them.

Pay attention to the smallest of details. Be conscious of hand placements, horizon lines, facial expressions, and distracting objects in the background. Do whatever you can to capture the photo as close to perfect as possible to save you time in editing.

An intentional approach will bring your photography to the next level. Being conscious and deliberate with every decision will take you from being just a photographer to an artist.

Are you ready to change the way you approach a shoot? You can do it.

Cheers,
Your Ginger Team