So…let’s be honest…what are the odds that your client is a former model? Probably slim ;). Back when I was shooting countless weddings, engagements and portraits, a big part of my job was not to simply just capture, but to also make every day people feel comfortable enough in front of the lens so I…
One of the things that gets under my skin more than anything is stumbling upon articles insinuating that a new photographer must spend top dollar and go into inordinate amounts of debt in able to be considered a “real” photographer. As if the amount of money invested is what buys you a place at the…
Are you ready to take your photography business to the next level? Are you excited to show potential clients what you can do and grab their attention? Here are some simple, yet very important steps toward achieving your goals of becoming a professional photographer. How to Make a Photography Portfolio – 10 Simple Tips for…
One way or another you’ve stumbled upon Cole’s Classroom, and THANK YOU for being here! It might have been from Facebook, or YouTube or Google or perhaps a friend of yours told you about Cole’s Classroom – at any rate, you’ve likely seen my face or read my words but do you really know me?…
Connection is everything! Without connection it’s extremely difficult to capture true personality and raw emotions. Your subjects cannot relax, and be themselves. Connection takes away the awkward silences. It allows you to focus more on the moment, and less on the pose. So how do you create connection with your clients? What if they’re awkward,…
If you are anything like me, you started out taking photos of your family and friends and you really started to enjoy it and then you decided to make a big leap into starting an official business to further pursue your new-found passion on the side of your “day-job” to make some money while doing…
I am writing this from 28,000 feet in the air as I am flying back home from Mexico, but before I return back in San Diego on land, I wanted to share some helpful pricing tips with you. Now – you might be wondering, what the heck does Mexico and airplanes have to do with…
The #1 Thing You’re Missing How much should I charge? Am I priced right? Do you think I am too expensive? These are all questions that I read on a daily basis within various photography groups on Facebook, and I am darn sure those questions go far beyond Facebook too. Photography these days seems like…
We may all be photographers now, but most of us come from very different backgrounds before getting ourselves into this crazy business. As I have discussed in detail in many of my other business or photography pricing tutorials, being a photographer today is no easy task. Why? Because everyone is doing it. It’s simple as…
It’s been about nine weeks since I got dumped, and duped. I have never ever felt so betrayed, taken, mistreated and robbed. Robbed from the months of time and hard work I invested, robbed from my dollars spent and robbed emotionally. Nine weeks ago, I wasn’t ready to share my story. I was too angry…
Note: This is an excerpt from the 19 page photography pricing guide – “Pricing Yourself for Success“. Without a doubt the hardest piece of the pricing puzzle is knowing how much you should charge for your photography. There is plenty of information on the web that makes it seem very formulaic and with some simple…
After months of planning & creating, I am so pleased to announce the release of our online Newborn Photography Workshop for the On-Location Photographer! My goal for this online newborn photography workshop was to be able to create a comprehensive and complete newborn photography training resource that anyone could watch and have the knowledge, tools…
Feeling overwhelmed when you think about starting your photography business? Here’s our step-by-step guide to keeping things clean and organized when you start a photography business. So, how do you start a photography business? Deciding to transform your hobby into an actual job is no easy task! But having to research, and know exactly what…
One of the most common questions I see in various online photography forums is related to the topic of pricing. Have you ever asked yourself: am I charging too much? Am I charging too little? There are many variables that all play a role into knowing what the “right” answer is and also which pricing…