When I started this thing

When I was starting everything up, I found what worked for me, and I stuck to it. When it came to hosting this workshop, I wanted to share these companies and why I chose them.

Miller’s Lab: I am impatient. Extremely. So when the majority of other print labs wanted me to jump through hoops to just set up an account, I found Miller’s to be pretty refreshing. Annnnd they also ship overnight for free. Winner! I love how simple and easy it is to use them, I love how quickly I get everything from them, and I love the quality to the moon and back!

Shoot and Share: I had SO many questions when I was starting out, and this community seemed to hold a lot of answers. This group taught me so much, and the local groups even had free sessions we could go to and learn from others. It’s where I learned how to shoot in manual mode, and it helped me learn flow posing for beginners.

Red Leaf: It’s no secret – I love a good filmy look. LOVE. But I never knew how to get that look, and was introduced to this wonderful set of lightroom actions. I studied them, tweaked them, and created my look from these. It was easy and beautiful. When I was trying to decide which way to take my business – light and airy or a contrasty filmy look – I opted for both. My color photos are light and airy, whereas my black and whites are that filmy look.

The International Academy: I was obsessed with learning. I bought a ton of online courses, watched them whenever I could, and these guys PROVIDED. Everything you need to know can be learned here. Not to mention the great little emails with tips and tricks in it.

Pass: When I started out, I was delivering everything on DVDs…. color coded, of course. It was awful. And then I was introduced to PASS. You could upload your images the moment you finished editing them, and email them to clients. Just like that. No need to go to the post office, no need to try to meet up with clients, none of the mess. Just simple. Quick. Easy.

JoTotes: I hate clunky bags that look manly. I wanted something that could be mistaken for a purse, that I could fit my laptop in, and that could hold my gear safely. I thought I had that in the first bag I ever bought from somewhere else, but the clasp on it suddenly broke one day, and all my gear went crashing to the ground. INSTANT HEART ATTACK. And then I found JoTotes. My bag arrived, and it was perfect and beautiful, and everything I could ever want. I’ve had this thing for a solid two years, and it still looks brand new. And I get compliments on my purse often 😉

Agree: I see it asked in every photography group – what do you use for contracts? I currently use Simply Studio, but they have told me they have no plans to continue their services or fixing any issues. It had me looking elsewhere for future companies to use when contracts for current couples are completed. And then Shoot and Share announced Agree. Although I haven’t used it personally, I’ve heard great things about it, and was excited to show everyone at the workshop.

When you have your team that you can rely on, you feel more confident in how you handle business. You craft a system that you follow, and you can build your brand that has consistency to it. I’m so grateful for all of these wonderful companies, and want to send them all a big thank you for helping me start and manage everything from the beginning. So… THANK YOU 🙂