What are Clients Looking for in a Photographer?
Lesson 2 from: Baby Safety and Posing for Newborn PhotographersKelly Brown
What are Clients Looking for in a Photographer?
Lesson 2 from: Baby Safety and Posing for Newborn PhotographersKelly Brown
Lesson Info
2. What are Clients Looking for in a Photographer?
Lessons
Class Introduction
05:35 2What are Clients Looking for in a Photographer?
05:38 3How Your Health Affects Your Newborn Session
09:26 4Q&A with Registered Physiotherapist Stephanie Robin
23:06 5Legal Case Examples
14:35 6Safely Shooting Outside Your Own Studio
12:53 7Photographing Siblings & Newborns Safely
09:56 8Newborn with Sibling Session
19:09Two Young Sibling and Newborn Session
50:39 10What Not to Do with a Newborn
24:13 11Working with Different Newborn Behaviors and Medical Conditions
37:25 12Safe Posing Using Props
15:59 13How to Safely Set-Up Your Studio and Business
14:22 14Policies and Procedures on How to Operate Your Studio Safely
09:27 15Safest Equipment and Products
07:24 16Infant CPR
17:13 17The Potato Sack Pose
08:48 18Wrapping Newborn for Potato Sack Pose
47:07 19Potato Sack Pose with Sibling
18:12 20The Potato Sack Pose
33:43 21The Froggy Pose
21:24 22Side Lying Pose
03:42 23The Taco Pose
32:52 24Hand Held Set-Up with Dad
29:53 25Hand Held Set-Up with Mom
22:57 26Posing: Hanging Set-Up
19:29 27Session Workflow
18:23 28Final Q&A
21:18 29Class Overview
15:19Lesson Info
What are Clients Looking for in a Photographer?
So, moving on to what it is that our clients are really looking for in a photographer. What are our qualifications? Do you have any qualifications as a photographer? I have a diploma in photography, which I'm really proud of, and I share that with my clients. When they come to my website, and they go to the about me section, they don't wanna know that I love coffee. They don't wanna know that I love Tim Tams, (laughs) 'cause we just ate some, and they don't wanna know that we love chocolate, or long walks on the beach, or I love my dog, or animals, and things like that. They wanna know why they should be hiring you, what are your qualifications, your about me section is not really about you, it's about your business and the services that you provide for your potential clients. You know, if you are qualified in any form of previous education, like before becoming a photographer, if you were a midwife, if you're a nurse, if you're a schoolteacher, put all that on there. If you've worked ...
with children previously, put that information in there, because it's gonna make your clients feel confident in you, and being around your children. If you've received any training, that's really important. I actually got asked this the other day, and they said, so if I watched all your CreativeLive classes, can I put that on my about me section? I said, why not, it's education, it's training, it's learning, and I think that's what we continually need to do as an industry, and to stay up there with those standards. So if you have received any form of safety training, or any form of training in photography, share that with your audience, share that with your clients. They're also looking for classic, timeless images, not that next big shot. I do like to create different images, I like to create unique setups, but I usually do those at the end of my session. The beginning of my session and the focus of my session is providing my clients with those timeless images, with images that they can hang on the wall that aren't gonna date in 20 years, they're still going to be there. I want the baby to be the main focus of every single image, when someone looks at that photo, I want them to see the baby's face, I want them to see all the details, 'cause they change so fast, that's why they're hiring us. They don't wanna forget all those little wrinkles and creases and the tiny little eyelashes, you know, that are just poking through when they're born. They wanna know all of this information, you have to be able to share that with them. Your website, your portfolio, needs to display all of this, needs to display what your clients can expect when they're coming in for a session, because you have to set those expectations, and then you have to be able to deliver them. They don't wanna see a website full of big, grand images, your best images that have, you know, been really complicated setups. They want to see how you're gonna document their baby. When my clients come into my studio, I have big canvases on my walls, they are my elaborate setups. So I set the scene, and the information that I provide them on my website and in my pricing information that I send out, they see the beautiful photos that they can expect to get during session. When they walk into my studio, that's when they see the big images, and they go wow. And if that's something that they want, then we'll do that at the end of the session once I've delivered what it is that they're expecting to receive. And the baby should be comfortable and relaxed. You know, it's really funny, recently some of my work was shared on a website, and it was quite funny because I read a lot of the comments, and a lot of people could potentially take offense to the comments, but I didn't, it was bizarre, because people were accusing me of hurting babies because they were, you know, positioned a certain way. But then I realized that what we do, and how we present our work, is not necessarily perceived the way we intend it to be perceived. It's not received, you know, the same way, like not everyone's gonna love what it is that we do as photographers, and we have to accept that. My style of photography is not for everyone. But we also have to share how it's done safely, so that people, when they look at that type of photography, don't go, oh my god, that poor baby, and that they do understand that safety measures have been taken throughout the whole process to create those images. But, you know, it is funny, when people look at images, they will get a feeling from them. My brother, he looked at some of my photos in my studio, and he's like, aw, that baby looks cold, so this is someone that's so far removed from the newborn photography industry, that's the feeling he gets when he looks at my photos, so now every time I take a photo of my studio, I'm actually consciously aware of, does the baby look comfortable, does it look warm. (laughs) You know, am I giving out a vibe when I share my work, am I making people feel good when they look at my images, that's gonna be my intention from now on, and it should be everybody's intention. And obviously, they're looking for something they can't create themselves. That's why we get employed, 'cause they can't do it. So we're learning how to create beautiful images, we're learning how to do it safely, we're learning to understand what it is that our clients are looking for, and then we provide products that they can't create themselves. That's why we're gonna stay in this industry.
Class Materials
Bonus Materials with Purchase
Ratings and Reviews
Lindsey Wall
Kelly Brown is one of my favorite teachers not just in newborn photography but photography and learning in general. Her patience is inspiring and she makes this job seem so much more enjoyable and installs passion in you to improve and be the best you can be! Kelly is an expert at what she does and is great at communicating how she does it. I have taken the Creative live baby bootcamp class which is actually what got me to want to go into newborn photography! Ive also purchased a few of her newborn posing courses and I love them all. I literally own my new blossoming little career to Kelly! I love creative live, I have just learned so much from these courses. They are constantly giving out new classes that are so affordable and such amazing resources for any photographer or professional. I am so lucky to have discovered them and Kelly Brown. Thank you Kelly and creative live!
Alice T.
This is an amazing class! Kelly Brown offers a wealth of information that is comprehensive and straightforward. She has such a soothing voice and such great patience that it translates into becoming a great presenter and instructor. Her methodology both in business and her art are sensible and desirable which has taken me up significantly. She has helped me in understanding this business and how to become successful while doing what I love in a profitable and safe manner for both my clients and myself!
TheColorDana
Kelly is such a fantastic instructor! This class is wonderful for both beginners & intermediate newborn photographers to improve their posing and keep safety number one. Not only does Kelly teach you step by step how to safely pose, she also explains why she poses the way she does - which is so important. This class is a great resource to watch over and over again until we are all masters!
Student Work
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