Lucy And The Lens

Category: Advice

  • 7 Common Mistakes New Photographers Make

    1. Believing that having the latest gear will improve skills. You don’t need an expensive camera to take great images. I’ve taken some of my best images on an Iphone.
    2. Ignoring the importance of basic lighting and composition techniques and starting to do advanced techniques without learning the basics.
    3. Not asking others for feedback. Without feedback its difficult to know where you can improve so ask other photographers or mentors whar they think.
    4. Underestimating the importance of practicing and honing down your skills as you won’t learn how to take the best photos overnight. Perseverance is the key to improving.
    5. Refusing to take the camera off automatic mode. This limits your creative control and understanding of camera settings.
    6. Not paying attention to the lighting conditions and ruining your images as a result.
    7. Not Editing your work. Results in dull or unfinished images. This is only acceptable for an event where you need a quick turnaround.

    Let me know in the comments if you’ve made any of these mistakes or what you would add to this list.

  • Strategies For 2024 Success

    Back In December, I attended a masterclass with Anne Gwilliam delving into strategies for success in 2024. Here are my key takeaways:

    While it might seem optional, having a business strategy is crucial for success. Despite the challenges of 2023, Anne Gwilliam emphasized that being unprepared is a significant reason for business failures. I believe solid research, effective marketing, and authenticity are key components.

    So, what’s essential for success in 2024?

    1. Foundations: Cultivate unshakeable self-belief, a growth mindset, and a healthy money mindset.
    2. Goals: Establish long, medium, and short-term SMART goals, ensuring they are Specific, Measured, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. Share and document these goals.
    3. Strategy and Planning: Develop a comprehensive plan with a mission, vision, and values. Identify problems and solutions for your clients. Conduct market, customer, and competitor research. Outline processes, services, financials, and your unique selling proposition. Prioritize pricing and profitability, and have robust sales and marketing strategies.
    4. Action and Accountability: Emphasize that action is always better than inaction. Break down your plan into actionable steps and hold yourself accountable, or enlist someone else for accountability.

    When setting goals, consider what’s important to you, your values, vision for the future, dreams, and the desired look of your life.

    My Massive Life Goals:

    • Own a studio
    • Enjoy luxurious holidays
    • Own a house
    • Achieve financial stability
    • Conduct 3-6 shoots per week

    Business Goals:

    • 5-year goals: Own a studio, potentially teach others
    • 3-year goals: Own a studio
    • 1-year goals: Consistently conduct 3-6 shoots per week
    • Monthly goals: Secure a minimum of 3 clients in January
    • Weekly and daily targets: Innovate ways to attract new customers
    • Potential obstacles: Address financial constraints proactively.

    If you resonate with these insights, connect with Anne Gwilliam to elevate your business success in 2024.

  • 10 Days To Start Everyday the right was a photographer in 2024

    Today is my 100th article on this website so I’m going to post about 10 ways to start off everyday in 2024 the right way as a Photographer.

    1. Set Clear Goals: Define your professional objectives for the year, whether it’s expanding your client base, mastering new photography techniques, or achieving financial milestones. For me I want to expand my client base this year and to have more stability in work.
    2. Update Your Portfolio: Is your portfolio looking like you haven’t revamped it in months. Why not add more recent images on your website to showcase your work in the best light.
    3. Networking is Key: I absolutely loved networking with other photographers, CWS creatives, Co work society one and mum’s In business though I’m not a mum myself and I want to bring more of this into the new year.
    4. Refine Your Branding: Ensure your brand identity is consistent across all platforms. This includes your logo, website design, and social media profiles. A cohesive brand builds trust.
    5. Stay Updated on Trends: I love checking trending reels on Instagram, videos on Tik tok and planning my content around them and also trying to revamp the trends where possible to fit with my brand.
    6. Time Management: Establish a clear schedule to balance work and personal life. Efficient time management enhances productivity and prevents burnout.
    7. Invest in Education: Continue learning and improving my skills. I am Definetly going to participate in more workshops and read lots more photography books this year.
    8. Financial Planning: Develop a budget and pricing strategy. Ensure you are pricing your services competitively while covering your costs and allowing for business growth.
    9. Social Media Strategy: Consistent, quality content is key and I’m going to keep being consistent through 2024.
    10. Client Relationships: This year is all about building on new and existing client relationships. Plan shoot, send photos, follow up.

  • Weekly Affirmations

    Ever since October’s networking event with Mrs. Mindset at mums in business I’ve had the affirmation card on my desk that reads, “I have the power to choose…” (how I live my life).

    I’m wondering if anyone uses weekly affirmations, and if so, whether they find them helpful. For me, affirmations are a way to focus my mindset on what I want to achieve. It felt good to have this on my desk for a week and I tried to keep this weeks affirmation in mind as I went about my business. I found that it helped me to stay positive and motivated, even when things were challenging.

    Do you have any good affirmations that you use regularly? I’d love to hear them!

    “I have the power to choose…” What positive affirmations do you use to keep your mindset focused on what you want to achieve? Share them with us in the comments!

  • Capturing Emotion In Photography

    Today I’m going to talk about the concept of capturing emotion in photography.

    Emotion is a difficult concept to capture in any art form, but particularly in photography. Images are two-dimensional and can often seem flat and lifeless. Yet, a good photographer knows how to use light, composition and timing to create images that evoke feelings in the viewer.

    One way to capture emotion in photography is through the use of light. Bright, natural light can create a feeling of happiness and vitality, while shadow and darkness can convey a sense of mystery or foreboding. The way light falls on a subject can also create a sense of drama or enhance the feeling of a particular moment.

    Composition is another important tool for evoke emotion in photography. A well-composed image can create a sense of balance and calm, while a more chaotic image can convey a feeling of energy and excitement. Framing a subject in a particular way can also help to emphasize certain emotions – for example, isolating a subject can create a feeling of loneliness or desperation, while including a lot of negative space can convey a sense of peace and solitude.

    Timing is also crucial when trying to capture emotion in photography. Capturing a moment just before or just after a key event can help to convey the feeling of that event, for example, a photograph of a child just before they blow out their birthday candles can convey anticipation and excitement, while a photograph of a couple just after they kiss can convey love and tenderness.

    Help us capture emotion in photography! Like and comment if you think light, composition and timing are key!

  • Creating A Strong Personal Brand as A Photographer

    Here are my thoughts on why it’s important to create a strong personal brand as a photographer.

    A personal brand is the way you present yourself to the world. It is the sum of what people say about you when you’re not in the room. Your personal brand is what sets you apart from everyone else. As a photographer, your personal brand is especially important. In a saturated market, it can be difficult to stand out. Your personal brand is what will make you stand out from the crowd. It is what will make people remember you. Creating a strong personal brand will help you to succeed in your photography career. It will make you more marketable and ultimately, it will help you to make more money.

    In order to do this start creating a strong social media presence. This means regularly posting high-quality content and engaging with your followers. It’s a great way to showcase your work and I find that more clients find me this way than any other way. You should also have a website where you showcase your work and make it easy to navigate.

    Secondly, you need to be active in the photography community. Attend industry events, meetups, and workshops. Get to know other photographers and build relationships. These connections will not only help you grow professionally, but they can also lead to referral business.

    Third, always be marketing yourself. Make sure potential clients know who you are and what you do. Attend networking events, hand out business cards, and connect with people on social media. The more people you reach, the better chance you have of growing your business.

    Creating a strong personal brand is essential for any photographer who wants to be successful. Comment below if you’re working on building your personal brand!

  • You Are Your Own Worst Critic

    Most of us can relate to the feeling of staring at a photo for too long, second-guessing our every move.

    For me, this happened just last night.

    I was trying to pick a photo for a competition, and two hours and 30 images later, I finally made a decision.

    Even then, I found myself acting as my own worst critic.

    In the moment, it can be tough to silence that little voice in your head that’s constantly critiquing your every move. But it’s important to remember that you’re the only one who knows what’s best for you.

    Also with social media, it’s become so easy to compare ourselves to others and to constantly strive for unattainable goals. It’s no wonder that so many of us are our own worst critics.

    But what if we could learn to love ourselves, flaws and all? What if we could be our own biggest fans? It turns out that there are plenty of benefits to being your own worst critic.

    Being your own worst critic can be healthy as it helps you to focus on areas which you need to improve. If you’re constantly putting yourself down, it’s likely that you’ll start to believe it. But if you’re constantly striving to be better, you’re more likely to achieve your goals.

    It can also help to keep you humble. It’s easy to get a big head when you’re constantly being praised by others. But if you’re your own toughest critic, you’re less likely to get caught up in your own ego.

    So trust your gut, and go with your gut instinct. Chances are, it won’t steer you wrong.

    If you’ve ever been in a similar situation, like or comment below!

  • Take Time To Relax

    It’s always good to take the time to relax and have a holiday.

    I do this a few times a year and here are a few reasons why you should too:

    Taking a break from work can help you to relax and recharge, which can in turn lead to increased productivity and motivation when you return to your job.

    Physical health is another reason to consider a vacation. Getting away from your regular routine and spending time outdoors can help to reduce stress levels, improve sleep quality and boost your overall fitness.

    And of course, it’s always nice to have a change of scenery! So, whether you’re looking to boost your career, your physical health or your mental wellbeing, taking a holiday could be a great idea.

    So, what are you waiting for? A little break might be just what you need!

    Here’s just a little snippet of how I spent my last trip away:

  • How do I manage my workflow effectively as a freelance photographer?

    As a freelance photographer, one of the most important things I can do is manage my workflow effectively in order to ensure timely and high-quality photos are sent to my clients .

    This means I have to prioritize my tasks, and stay organized. One way to prioritize my workflow is to break down my projects into smaller tasks, and then tackle the most important or time-sensitive ones first. This can help me to stay focused and avoid getting overwhelmed.

    Being flexible and adaptable is something that is necessary when maintaining a creative workflow as sometimes things can happen that can’t be planned for.

    Getting regular feedback from other photographers and also those who aren’t photographers is also something that’s beneficial to your productivity as a freelance creative.

    Staying organized is the most important thing when maintaining a efficient workflow. This means having a system for storing and organizing my files, as well as staying on top of my communication with clients is the top priority.

    By following these tips, you can make sure that your workflow is efficient and that you’re able to deliver high-quality work on time.

    Please like or comment if you found this helpful!

  • Creative Setback Resolutions

    How do you deal with unexpected roadblocks or creative setbacks in your work?

    It can be tough to stay motivated when you encounter a roadblock in your work. Whether it’s a difficult project, a challenging client, or a personal creative setback, it’s important to find a way to push through and keep going.

    The way I like to deal with these creative blocks is to take a step back from work for a little while. I do this by engaging in something I enjoy like reading, baking or going to the cinema. I also find that sometimes going for a walk for an hour is a great way to help clear the mind and think of new ideas I hadn’t thought of before.

    And finally, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Talk to a friend or colleague about your project and see if they have any ideas. Sometimes it helps to get a fresh perspective.

    If you’re dealing with a roadblock or creative setback in your work, how do you deal with it? Share your tips in the comments!