1. Your First Wedding
If you screw up on your first wedding, it is OKAY
~ Jasmine Star
When I was watching, I caught this statement from Jasmine. It was really early on in Day 2 and probably the reason I flipped all of the chesterfield cushions to find money to purchase the creativeLIVE downloads. While I completely know and understand there are going to be speed bumps with every venture, it’s always comforting to hear these words from someone you can look up to.
No matter how much you second or third shoot, it’s still possible to screw up. This isn’t meant to scare anyone; it’s real life. You have to get out there and take the risk. Putting yourself out there will create a possibility of screwing up but you’ll be stronger no matter what happens. I’ve experienced a troubling first wedding and I’ve learned more than any theory or book could have tried to prepare me for.
You’ll probably do much better than I if you’re soon to shoot your first wedding! I’d love to hear your first wedding shoot experience.
2. The ONE Rule on the Wedding Day
There aren’t any rules on a wedding day, the rule is for you to have fun
~ Jasmine Star
Context for this quote would be awesome, but it’s not necessary. Without the context to surround the quote, we can play with Jasmine’s words in a couple of ways. This rule for the wedding day could be directed at the photographer, but it would also be a rule for the couple that’s getting married. You know what, we can actually assign this rule to everyday life (especially photography lifestyle design). Have FUN! The more open everyone is to having fun, the better the photographs are going to turn out.
A Wedding is time for everyone to celebrate and have a great time.
As the photographer, don’t be a stick in the mud – Enjoy that Uncle Jim is hanging around taking some video. Perhaps you can talk to Uncle Jim for some of that footage because it might show you doing your thing! As the couple, be willing to lower your inhibitions and have a good time.
3. Perfection in Photography
The quickest path to perfection is procrastination
~ Jasmine Star
This couldn’t be any closer to the truth. The desire to create the most perfect images only leads to procrastination. I really don’t know how it works, but it only leads to the production of NOTHING. Perfect doesn’t even exist and there is a movement that says we’ll accept imperfect photography for the ability to share images quickly (look at the popularity and acceptance of mobile photography).
The moment I stopped the path to perfection was the day procrastination took a backseat. This quote probably has some War of Art influence. We use perfection as an excuse that lets in the resistance and it easily overtakes us. Perfection is scary and leads to the resistance that stops us from doing anything to push work out.
I love that Jasmine has reinforced the act of sitting own and doing your work.
4. You’ll Find What’s Right
Do it wrong because in the process of doing it wrong, you find what’s right.
~ Jasmine Star
A teacher of mine always talked about the value of mistakes. You never set out to do things wrong or make mistakes but they are going to happen. Jasmine reminds us that there is bliss in the act of doing things wrong. My first wedding contract was not done right. It was totally done wrong, but I know that now and I have found a better path because of it. If I wanted to be perfect, I’d probably still be procrastinating on booking a wedding to photograph today.
This quote also makes me think about shooting in Manual. Setting your camera on Manual mode will cause you to make mistakes with your shots. You’ll set the wrong shutter speed for the aperture you desire. You’ll underexpose and overexpose all the time, but with each click of the shutter you’re learning. In the process of setting the wrong manual settings, you’ll find what’s right. If you desire to shoot Manual, you’ll have to make the decision and understand you’re going to be wrong for a while. It all eventually pays off.
5. Emotional Connection
Slideshows to create emotional connection.
~ Jasmine Star
In one of my Moleskine journals you’ll find some brainstorming around Animoto Video Slideshows. What is happening in a video montage? Other than “it’s a cool things,” what does an Animoto video do for the clients? Jasmine wasn’t reading my Moleskine; however, she let’s us know that slideshows connect to our emotional state.
These short videos can create an emotional connection on a number of levels too. Slideshows can be shown on your monitor, your HDTV, your Apple iPad, and your iPhone. There is a different connection that’s created when you view media on an iPad vs a monitor. To hold the video in your hands is a very intimate experience . It feels amazing and deepens the connection to the imagery. The same is true for photographs.
Now imagine throwing an Animoto video to your Apple TV and playing it on an HDTV. This event creates a different emotional connection. This connection is less intimate than on an iPad or iPhone and can connect a group of people together. The emotional connection feeds off the reaction of the group watching. This also brings a social connection to the slideshows and the clients feel amazingly important.
We must understand the connection that a slideshow and music can create.
6. Your Photography Website’s Impact
If your website does not ooze you, excrete you, then you’re doing it wrong.
~ Jasmine Star
When I see the term “website” today, I associate this with an entire domain and should include static pages mixed with a blog. Soon enough these 2 terms should merge and become your overall online presence. WordPress has become so strong that everything can exist as one. Even beyond your website, I believe you have the ability to let your personality ooze out. Any profile you create can be branded to excrete what you stand for now.
Jasmine is right though, you’re website is all about you – the photographer and the person. Your photography website should show off everything that is you because it’s what people will connect with when making the emotional decision. I’d rather hire someone that is a hardcore Survivor fan if they make it known to me. The problem is that most photographers won’t make any of there personality known. In trying to appear as a perfect photography business, you can only come across as sterile.
7. Constantly Redefining
I’m constantly redefining the person I am, the person I want to be.
~ Jasmine Star
Life is dynamic and we’re influenced by everything around us. Hang around a specific group of photographers and you’ll be influenced by the way everyone post-processes. Unknown to you, you’re being redefined by your surroundings. The point Jasmine makes, in my eyes, is that I need to be aware of the person I am defining so that I can consistently redefine myself back on the track of where I want to be.
Be present or risk being stagnant. Life is dynamic and your beliefs can be redefined. You’re in charge. You’re wedding photography will be refined as you redefine the person you are.
8. Polarizing Wedding Photography Clients
Attract clients to similarities and repel through differences on your blog.
~ Jasmine Star
Many websites that teach blogging will tell you do do this kind of thing too. Like the earlier quote about a website that screams who you are, the blog is easily the best place to share your personality. A blog is a place that you can be yourself. I love writing free-form on my blog and hope that it feels as if we’re simply chatting. I don’t want any one to feel as if I’m talking down to them because I’m never writing in that mindset.
9. A Branded Photography Website
A branded website became a game changer, I was able 2 raise my prices, book more weddings…
~ Jasmine Star
The branded website was a game changer for a photography business but why? The ability to raise prices and book more weddings happened because the website was branded? Not really. The branding of the website boosted a wicked confidence. Remember that I haven’t seen this part of the video, but I feel that having a photography website you’re proud of will boost your overall confidence to drive traffic, to blog, to share your photography, and to interact in social media. All of this can happen as a result of a beautiful and branded website that works for you.
10. Don’t Miss the Point
If you feel like you have to do it like me, you’ve missed the point.
~ Jasmine Star
The point isn’t to replicate Jasmine’s business to a tee. A clone business isn’t going to be YOU. It’s never going to feel right and you’re always going to chase the wrong things.
The point I’ve taken from this 2 day wedding photography course, is that we should “BE” like Jasmine. Be transparent, be open, take risks, take business seriously, submerse yourself in your passion for photography and embrace everything that is YOU... You’re going to make mistakes and you’re going to find the right way of doing things as you embrace all that is you [not Jasmine Star].
I am so grateful for creativeLIVE putting these courses on for us photographers.
da qui.