DOUBLE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS INCOME WITH VIDEO IN 2023.

LET’S TALK ABOUT WHY YOU’RE HERE.

Let’s face it. Video has come and conquered. Gross, right? I know…I’ve been there.

But I’m willing to bet, you have clients increasingly asking you, “Hey, do you do video?” and you have to keep turning them away, because in all honestly, you don’t even know where the switch is for video on your camera, much less how to shoot it (I promise you, there is no shame in that), I have been there. (Additional reading: Bernadette lands a job as a photojournalist but has never used a DSLR before. You can ask me about that one later…)

But here’s the thing (there’s always a thing):

You don’t have to be a professional videographer to make good video.

You can (and should be) a professional photographer who can offer that good video to your clients.

And without having this skillset in your back pocket, you are leaving money on the table.

LET’S TALK ABOUT HOW I GOT HERE.

Before I was a brand photographer in LA, I was a journalist in New Jersey. A photojournalist to be specific. Life was fun. I was traveling all over the state capturing various community events and breaking news.

And in 2016 it all changed.

My newspaper was acquired by none other than the USA Today Network. And we knew that meant layoffs were on the horizon.

My new editor gave me what would turn out to be one of the best pieces of advice in my life:

“You have to learn video. Otherwise, you’ll be on the chopping block.”

I groaned. I moaned. I think I may have slapped my steering wheel around a bit like they do in the movies.

“No way,” I thought. “I’m a PHOTOGRAPHER.”

Even if video was growing and becoming more important on the digital stage, I wanted nothing to do with it. I would be one of those holdouts that goes to the grave grasping onto their art and way of life.

And then, I almost got fired. A small loop hole in budgeting kept me and 6 of the other photographers on staff. I had a second chance.

“Fine,” I muttered. “I’ll learn video, but it’ll be JUST FOR NOW.”

So I signed up for our internal class on how to shoot video. I learned various tactics and strategies to shoot GOOD video.

And wouldn’t you know it, I felt…reinvigorated.

It reminded me of when I had started to learn photography and I got…excited. It was a new creative outlet. A new way of telling a story. And it had so much beautiful dimension.

And so I got to keep my job and lived happily ever after.

Just kidding. I got laid off anyway four months later.

BUT…here’s the kicker. With even just a basic knowledge of video, I had a saving grace. Because shortly thereafter I landed my dream job at New Jersey’s biggest news outlet as a social media video journalist (well, to be fair, the dream was to work at that newspaper. I definitely wasn’t 8 years old and hoping to be a video journalist some day).

This is where I learned how to shoot even BETTER video. It’s also where I learned how to tell a captivating story using video and video editing techniques.

And the thing is, we HAD to make captivating video that retained our 1M+ viewership, because the 21st century newsroom is all about clicks and views. You’d be in trouble if your numbers weren’t high enough.

That newsroom would be where I worked for the next year and a half before moving to Los Angeles and starting my brand photography business (that’s another story for another day).

But even as I was growing my photography business in my new home, one question always popped up from prospective clients:

“Do you do video?”

And my “yes” was one of the biggest reasons my business skyrocketed in a new and very competitive market.

LET’S TALK ABOUT PICS TO FLICKS, THE PROGRAM.

WEEK 1: SHOOTING VIDEO - B-ROLL

Filming tactics the professionals use to create engaging shots and make your footage shine

WEEK 2: SWIFT SCRIPTS & PROMPTS - A-ROLL

Creating a script for a brand video client

Prompts/preparation for non-brand video clients (family, couples, portrait, etc.)

Delivering your vision to your client (and setting you up for success in editing later)

Shooting A-Roll

Two-camera set up

Teleprompting

Lighting, microphoning

WEEK 3: EDITING, PART 1

Organizing footage & workflow

Starting a Project in Premiere

Your Dashboard/Workspace

Tools

WEEK 4: INTEGRATION / EDITING OFFICE HOURS

You will have homework to capture footage and start a new Project in Premiere. During Week 4’s call, we will go over any editing questions you have so far and create a short video together live.

WEEK 5: EDITING, PART 2: CREATING A STORY FROM YOUR

SCRIPTS & PROMPTS

Combining your A-Roll with your B-Roll

Adding music

Adding graphics / text

Transitions and editing techniques that take a video from “meh” to “WOW!”

Exporting workflow

WEEK 6: DELIVERING VIDEO, EDIT REQUESTS / OFFICE HOURS

How to deliver video to your clients like no one else

Handling edit requests

Editing & video office hours

WEEK 7: PRICING, PACKAGES & MARKETING VIDEO FOR YOUR SPECIFIC BUSINESS

Each student will book a 1-on-1 call during this week to discuss their specific pricing structures for video and how to market it to their audience.

WEEK 8: CREATING AN IRRESISTIBLE CLIENT EXPERIENCE

We're going to bring it all home and talk about how to make your clients love you from the moment they sign on the dotted line to their video ending up in their inbox.

SOME A’S TO THE Q’S I KNOW YOU HAVE

IS THIS JUST FOR BRAND PHOTOGRAPHERS?

Great question. No! Everything you learn during your mentorship can be used for other niches of photography as well, including family, boudoir, couples & engagement, and more.

HOWEVER, I do want to make a big disclaimer that if you are looking to start WEDDING videography, this would only be a first step into that field. Wedding videography is a beautiful beast unto itself, but it requires WAY more production and nuance than what I will be teaching.

That being said, you will still need all the basic knowledge that you will learn during your mentorship. Your mentorship can also be more customized to focus on short-form video to market your wedding photography business, which is extremely valuable in today’s social media scape.

have more questions?

Book an exploratory call or shoot me an e-mail via my contact form.

You probably want to see some of my work…

BEFORE WE GO ON, YOU SHOULD KNOW…

I BELIEVE that black lives matter, that love is love, and I AM COMMITTED to promoting, including and representing diversity in my business. I RESPECT people’s pronouns and welcome working with clients of all races, identities, religions and abilities. I work with vendors and employees who maintain the same values.

I BELIEVE IN in science and having a better, cleaner, and more conscious planet. My business practices are as minimally intrusive to environmental impact as possible.

I BELIEVE IN the health, consideration and safety of our peers.

I am committed to being a conscious and inclusive business owner.