Mystic Seminars: Building a Better Business

The Eight Greatest

business ideas I came away with from Mystic Seminars

1. “How does it feel to be a Steph Stevens Photo bride?”  

This is a hard one right off the bat. If you happen to be a past client and feel inclined to share, please help me articulate this… here’s my take: Organized & well taken care of prior to the wedding. Relaxed and comfortable in front of the camera on the wedding day. After the wedding they feel relieved that all of the hard work paid off and grateful to have so many photos to start a life as a newly married couple!!

2. Making the studio EVEN MORE cozy and comfortable. 

Bought a coffee maker – check! And now have a complete drink station. Looking for the perfect rug and other little touches to pull the room together.  Actually, I seriously am looking for a good rug.

3. Identifying client needs

Doesn’t that sound like a simple concept? Very simple. So often people tell me they want “candids”, but this is actually quite vague. I’ll be looking to have people give me visual examples of what they like / don’t like about the photography they’ve seen. Open up a deeper conversation about their expectations.

4. Reaching out to other wedding vendors

Big goal for 2012!! Blogging and bragging about my client’s favorite vendors. Sharing the photos that they helped to make beautiful.

5. Headshots for select wedding vendors

I love a good headshot and it’s something worth giving to someone I want to build a stronger professional relationship with.

6. Engagement Sessions < Photo Road Trip Adventure

Which sounds more fun? For those that are up for it, why not just hop in a car, wander down a country road and hop out to shoot when you see some amazing barn, field of wildflowers, used book store, etc…. It’s a little bit of a gamble but the payoff is bound to be greater than shooting some run of the mill photos next to some Boston landmarks.

7. Eeeek, complaints!

My business is in this for the long haul and diffusing a tense client situation is a necessary skill. It’s so valuable to see a professional photographer discuss how to turn a negative situation into a positive and then go even farther to get that client’s confidence back to a raving fan.

8. Email Newsletters!!

If you’re a former client you’re on the list. The first one, out in the next few days will include a complete portrait shoot giveaway!! In total a $1600 value. These will be quarterly and in order to make it worth your while there will be giveaways and deep discounts in each issue.

Snowed In . Walpole Family Photography

First storm of the winter and it was a perfect day to feel snowed in, snap some photos and have a huge family snowball fight.

mary ann siron - January 23, 2012 - 7:54 pm

this is so cool ,great family memories xxo mom

Sweet and Simple . Cambridge City Hall Wedding

Today was a good day to get back to basics. To take the most important parts of a wedding and get right to it. A ceremony at Cambridge’s City Hall and a little tour of around town for some portraits.

Here’s to new happy couple, their baby boy on the way and summer celebration in Ireland!!

mary ann siron - January 20, 2012 - 3:42 pm

congrats to the happy couple ,and mother to be you look terrific ! great job steph xxo mom

Meg - January 20, 2012 - 5:36 pm

Beautiful photos, Steph!

Briana Moore - January 20, 2012 - 6:19 pm

Adorable! :)

Aileen Byrne - January 21, 2012 - 9:53 am

I’m thrilled with the photos Steph. Thanks so much. Andrew and I are delighted with how they look.

this is me . self portrait

Self Portraits are hard! Here’s one of me yesterday.

I had the lights and a backdrop set up for a client session and decided to take a turn in the hot seat myself. I’m looking to explore self portraits more over the course of the year. There’s a lot I can learn about photography by sitting in front of my lens.

What does it take to get to a finished image? Not much, but the little work that’s done makes all the difference in the world. Some stray hairs, skin smoothing, teeth whitening, maybe a rogue eyebrow hair….

I’m not perfect but I’m honest.

Debbie - January 11, 2012 - 4:42 pm

Gorgeous!! LOVE the B+W!

Best of 2011 . Boston Wedding and Family Photographer

2011 was a kickass year.

Have a look at my retrospective slideshow.

A collection of bold and colorful imagery, where the emotion is overflowing and the celebrations were epic.

To start the show click play AND I highly recommend turning on the sound [ in the lower right corner ]

to hear one of my favorite songs of the moment Florence and The Machine belt out “Shake It Out”. With 354 images you’ll probably loop the song 2 times, but it’s so good you won’t mind.

Here’s the breakdown of what I photographed

20 wonderful weddings,

second shot on 4 other weddings,

1 wedding rehearsal dinner,

14 engagement shoots,

shot 21 family sessions,

4 photobooths

26 days of corporate and small business shooting,

and 34 headshots.

 

…. Oh yeah and I got married too!! Speaking of… Many thanks to Ben, my love, my right hand man and faithful wedding second shooter. Many of these images are credited to him (and if you can’t tell the difference, all the better!)

Debbie - December 30, 2011 - 4:56 pm

LOVE it Steph!!! Such a beautiful look back on the year. The song is so perfect too! Almost had me in tears there and not even at our own images!! They all just speak volumes. Congrats on an amazing 2011!!

Amy Blair - December 30, 2011 - 5:35 pm

Beautiful work!! Love the music just like last year’s,I am still addicted to Adele !!!! :) Happy New Year Steph we wish you and Ben the best!!

mary ann siron - January 2, 2012 - 12:28 am

what a great collection of photos ,i feel like i know these people ,such joy and beauty ,and i can’t tell which photos are ben’s ,both of you are outstanding ,florence is growing on me! happy life and here’s to a successful 2012 steph and ben! much love mom

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