 |
 |
Hey folks... yesterday we had the most awesome Study Hall yet. It was due largely to my super popular and awesome guest Mrs. Jasmine Star. We had an wonderful chat and a super good time. I personally love hosting Study Hall every Thursday at 4pm PST. I am an open book and I want to share and help as many people as I possible can. It's free to all photographers, so please help spread the word.
J* & I had a great time and we both sure do appreciate all the kind feedback. It was crazy how fast the chatroom was moving, we couldn't possibly keep up with all of the questions. I feel bad that we didn't get to so many questions, but I promise we will get Jasmine back on the show soon, in the mean time, you can ask the questions to me and whomever my guest(s) are. This coming Thursday the 28th, I am going to be broadcasting from Vancouver with my friends Steve & Jennifer Bebb, who are awesome! We are doing it at 6pm PST, so it's 2 hours later than usual for this week only. |
| Who talks more, me or Jasmine? (It's hard to shut either of us up?) |
| Here's my new 27" i7 iMac. I love it! It finally supports a secondary monitor. For those who are interested, I use two Logitech Quickcams and the Blue Snowball Mic (even though it's white). |
| Here's a fancy look at our "production studio" a.k.a my garage. Notice JD kickin' it in the background. |
| Click the graphic below to watch the replay. (You must be a [ b ] School member to watch the archives) |
| You can enter your email address to be reminded when we are broadcasting: |
| Lastly, we did have a technical difficulty at the beginning of the show and for whatever reason, this graphic didn't show: |
| I want to thank my good friend Regis Chen for taking these fun behind the scenes photos. You should follow him on Twitter because he's super funny & awesome! |
Please watch this video for my take on the contest:
Here's my original post about this contest from July: |
| And here's the article on PDN online: |
If you are a new visitor to this blog because of the PDN contest results, please take a look at the yesterday's video from the [ b ] School co-founder.
Also, be sure to catch Study Hall tomorrow with my good friend Jasmine Star, who also made PDN's list of influential photographers. I'm sure we'll be sharing our thoughts on this list in greater detail, so you may want to tune in.
You can click the graphic below and even enter your email to be reminded when we go on. Don't worry, we don't get your email address... Livestream gets it and only uses it to remind you of the episode you asked to be reminded about. You won't be spammed.
|
| And folks... I don't approve any anonymous comments, so if you want to share your feelings, have some balls and let us know who you are. Stand behind what you say instead of just taking pot shots from behind your anonymous keyboard. If you leave your real name, email address and website, I will publish your comments no matter what you say. |
Please meet my partner Keats Elliott, the brains behind the [ b ] School and Shootsac. She is wicked smart and has a heart for helping people. Listen to her story: |
Hey folks, just about every single Thursday, I host an hour long, free live chat for wedding & portrait photographers. It's on at 4pm PST, 6pm Central, 7pm EST and 5pm Mountain. We even have folks in the UK watching at midnight and peeps from down under watching it the next morning (I think it's at 10am Friday, but check my math).
Anywho... the live broadcasts are FREE, so there's no reason not to attend and tell your friends about it. They don't even have to be [ b ] School members. (We figure eventually they'll sign up so they don't miss out on on of the fun we're having inside). |
As a convenience to our [ b ] School members, we record the chats incase you can't listen live and we post them in the classroom so you can watch the replay at your convenience. You can also post follow up questions in the discussion below the chat to get more clarification. These are great conversations to listen to in the background while you are editing or doing an album design.
If you find these chats useful, please consider sharing a link to this page on your blog or another wedding forum. Also we certainly appreciate retweets when we announce the Study Halls on Thursdays.
|
I just got back from Nashville where I attended my first Imaging Convention. I had a really nice time and I kept thinking of it as a warm up for WPPI. Overall it was a great convention. I just went to the trade show, but the speaker line up seemed pretty impressive. The Opryland convention center was pretty slick. Even though it was freezing outside, I never really had a reason to leave the facilities.
One of my favorite parts of any convention is just catching up with friends. Sure, we keep in touch via texts, twitter, email and the phone, but nothing beats some nice face to face conversation over a frosty beverage or a nice meal. Keats & I connected with our newly engaged friends Dale & Meredith and we chatted about their wedding plans. Italy 2011 is going to be fun! |
| Here I am with my friend Troy Widner, the inventor of PickPic. I've been using PickPic since the very beginning and I am so stoked for his new ProofPro version. It was by far the coolest thing I saw at the convention. As soon as I get the new version I'll be making videos to share with the rest of the class. Trust me... it rocks so hard. |
| Check out these presidential impersonators with Mike. When I first saw W out of the corner of my eye, I seriously did a double take. The Evening with photographers of the White House (conveniently sponsored by White House Custom Color) was awesome. I love seeing behind the scenes photos of the Presidents and his staff. It's kinda like the Westwing, but with the real peeps. |
Dane & I at the Fasttrack/ [ b ] School GTG. I just decided to go to Imaging at the last second, so Dane was kind enough to let the [ b ] School peeps crash his party. A lot photographers are members of both Fast Track and the [ b ] School.
By the way, Dane is going to be my guest on Study Hall tomorrow, so tuned in and here more about the convention, our thoughts on community and our plans for 2010. |
| Tira J was nice enough to get a few snaps of my while I was presenting at the WHCC booth with my Lumix. I totally forgot to take off my name badge, but at least the Back Street Boy mic makes me look cool?!?!? |
| Thanks again to PickPic & WHCC for having me speak at their booth. Maybe if enough people bug them, they'll let me talk again in Vegas. |
| For those of you who went to Imaging... what part(s) were your favorite? |
Hey folks, you can now keep up with the [ b ] School blog right on your iPhone, as we have an app that follows this blog as well as the @thebschool Twitter feed and our YouTube channel. There's not much on the YouTube channel right now, but we'll be uploading many of the video shorts that are on this blog to that site so you'll be able to view the videos on your phone and share them with your photo friends.
Click the photo below and download the app for free (the link opens the iTunes App Store) |
| You can also follow Becker's blog on it's very own app: |
Hey [ b ] Schoolers,
If you are going to be in Nashville for Imaging USA, come hang with Becker on Sunday at 6pm at the Jack Daniel's Saloon (right in the hotel). We are teaming up with Dane & his Fasttrack crew for a combined GTG. Click the button below to get the rest of the details and to RSVP.
|
I'll also be at Dave & Buster's later that night for the ShootQ/Livebooks bowl-o-thon (or is it bowl-a-thon?)
|
I'll be speaking at the Pickpic booth on Tuesday at 10:45am. Booth #329 and/or #333. Click below for more info: |
There will most likely be an informal lunch somewhere immediately following my mini presentation.
You also have a good chance of catching me at the WHCC booth during trade show hours.
Be sure to follow @thebschool for any impromptu GTG's that spring up.
Who's going to Imaging? This will be my first time. |
Name: Kristina Juodyte, owner of PhotoKisses
Location: Rochester NY
How long have you been in business?:
I shot my first wedding in 2003. Even though the first attempt was amazingly pathetic, here I am 6 years later!
How did you get into to photography?
Thanks to my parents I've always owned cameras. From a professional standpoint, I got a job at my college's PR department one summer, and they happened to have a studio. I photographed a lot of my friends that year, which turned into couples, then into engagements, and then into weddings.
Tell us how networking with other photographers has affected your business:
This is my favorite question! I love networking. Before Facebook and Twitter, it was difficult to find other photographers. While in college, Victor Sizemore and I crossed paths, but unfortunately we never got to shoot together. When I moved to upstate NY, I impersonated a bride and went to a bridal show so I could introduce myself to photographers there. That led me to a wonderful wedding photographer Rachel Gracie who kindly allowed me to second shoot with her for two seasons until my own business took off. I will be forever grateful! However, the BIGGEST networking success came from - you guessed it - the [ b ] School! It was during one of those live studies that I let it slip that I was going to Spain, another member chimed up that he lived in Spain, and after class we chatted on Facebook and before long it was arranged for me to second shoot a wedding with him in Seville! His name is Marco Markovich I also organized a [ b ] School photographer GTG in NYC last year for 15 members. Gosh, I could keep talking about networking for hours!
What is your favorite part about shooting weddings?
My favorite part of the day is when I finally get the couple alone. Here in upstate New York most brides choose to avoid being seen until they walk down the aisle - so for the couple, and for me, the moment when they are finally alone after all the formals, is such an "ahhhh" moment, I could just melt. All the stress and people are gone, and it's just us. I try to make that moment last. We go for a walk, I let them cuddle and kiss, and we capture some amazing images during this time. All my favorite pictures are from this part of the day - and that's why I love shooting weddings. It's LOVE.
What's your favorite piece of equipment these days?
I travel light - so all my pieces are dear to me. I recently purchased a macro lens for the ring shots, which has been awesome not only in letting me capture amazing images, but also in increased bookings! Brides see the ring shots and it draws them to me, because they start wondering what I could do with their own rings.
What is your favorite iPhone App?
Oooooh... that's an easy one. I love to read, so I use Wattpad all the time! It's great because I can read at night and I don't need a bedside lamp. I also use Twitteriffic and Facebook, the WeddingWire and Wordpress apps. Oh, and Skype. I have an iTouch but with Skype and headphones with mic, I can talk to my family just like if it was a phone (grandparents are in Lithuania, mom is in Spain) My Skype is "kristina.photokisses" if anyone wants to chat! I'm always online! :)
Please tell us something personal about you so we can get to know you better:
Hmmm... Ok. I have three cats and two parrots. My favorite season is winter. I ski and skate. I have been to 26 countries, most of them either with my mom or with choir. I studied a total of 8 languages, but unfortunately only really know two now (Lithuanian and English). I have a Masters degree in choral conducting, but I haven't done anything with my degree other than sing in the shower. I am addicted to the game Bejeweled to the point that it interferes with my sleep schedule. I am horrible at housekeeping. I am sociable, love to laugh, but I also like to be quiet and listen.
Where do you see the industry heading in the next 5 years:
The technology is making it easy for everyone and their brother to be a photographer. I can totally see technology become extremely advanced but also extremely user friendly. And when everyone knows how to use the equipment, the selling point will no longer be technical skills but people skills. That means more interaction, more friendships forming between photographer and client, and it will make for a more powerful referral base. I see word of mouth advertising along with social media overpower paid advertising/marketing.
Who's your favorite vendor in the industry?:
My local vendor, Bouquets by Bonnie, has helped me book at least 5 weddings this year, we refer each other like crazy. I give her tons of pictures from every wedding she does flowers for, and she tells every bride about my photography. It works wonders both ways! A national vendor that I absolutely love is Vision Art. Their wedding albums consistently blow me away, and clients absolutely LOVE them.
How important is your blog?
I have a blogsite, so I would say it is of utmost importance. I ditched my website last year and went to blog only. I completely redesigned it as well, to incorporate my logo and colors. The feedback has been very positive. Brides love the funky bright look, they know we will have fun on the wedding day based on the look of my blogsite. Yay! I designed it myself and I think I've succeeded in making it my own. By the way, the lips are mine :)
How has Facebook and/or Twitter impacted your business?
Facebook has been fantastic in connecting with vendors and brides and booking weddings. In the last year alone I booked 6 weddings through Facebook (tagging the bride after the wedding, and her friends finding me through the link back). I am still trying to figure out Twitter. At this point I don't think it's doing much for me, other than letting me post my status directly to Facebook and vice versa. I sure enjoy *ahem* stalking other photographers though!
My personal Facebook page
My business page
Follow me on Twitter
One thing that I've recently started doing on Facebook is photo freebies. It's small things like free sessions with someone's pet, or a senior session, or discounts on prints, but it attracts more fans because girls share good news like that with their friends, and eventually they know that if they're a fan they will come across a really good deal, like a free engagement session or even free wedding coverage!
Favorite thing about [ b ] School?
Study Hall! I learn so much. When someone asks a question, even if Becker or his guest don't get to it, someone on chat or Twitter will answer it. It's a great learning environment but it's fun also because you get to chat during class.
Are there any workshops or upcoming GTGs that you'd like to plug?
Oh gosh, no. I'd be a bad teacher! However I would like to plug my good friends Zach and Jody Gray of Gray Photography - they do some amazing in camera lighting and post production workshops. They travel, so you may catch them in your area the next time they're around.
Tell us what you like about the attached favorite photographs: My favorite photographs are ones that have a story behind them - either to my couple or to myself.
This is my favorite image from the wedding I shot with Marco in Seville. My boyfriend who also traveled with me was "wind" in this shot, positioning the veil and letting it go at the right moment. The full post from this wedding can be seen here: |
| This photograph meant a lot to the couple. It was taken in front of the University of Rochester's library, where they first met. Now the couple lives in Ohio, so coming back to their home town and having pictures taken at their special location was the highlight of our day. |
| The newlyweds disappeared sometime during reception. I went looking for them, and found them admiring the most beautiful sunset. I snapped this image before they knew I was there. |
| This was the theme of their wedding. Kelly and David are both sheriffs and avid motorcycle lovers. She wanted to have a real life version of what was on their cake topper, favors, and decor. It was a scary few minutes because I thought that her gown would get caught! We recreated the pose perfectly though, and they were thrilled. |
| I usually take the wedding rings sometime during dancing, and travel the perimeter of the location to find fun places to put the rings on. Once I caught a bumblebee hovering around the rings! In this instance, the waiters had just brought out coffee, and the rings are resting on cinnamon sticks on the sugar tray. |
|
 |
