Coffee + Creatives Unconference 2019 Peri Pakroo Albuquerque Event Photography

November 11, 2019 in Event

Creative Event Photography in Small Spaces Albuquerque New Mexico

Day two of photographing the Coffee + Creatives 2019 Unconference here in Albuquerque, New Mexico featured Peri Pakroo speaking about contracts for creatives. If I only had heard her presentation when I was starting my photography business ten years ago it would have saved me a lot of time! As far as photographing this event, it presented unique challenges as it was a small space, just one speaker, and the background the speaker was in front of was both mostly just a screen and not far from her. I really had to look for creative angles to make a set of photos that stood out and were not repetitive. One way was to feature cabling and a brick wall in the foreground of the shot above. For other shots I used the bright sunlight coming from a hallway to create a backlight on Peri as she gave her presentation. In this way I was able to produce a creatively diverse set of event photos despite being in the same small space and there being only one speaker.

Jason presents at 1 Million Cups Albuquerque watch the video

October 31, 2019 in Business, Photo Story

My story of becoming a professional photographer

I had the opportunity to present the story of how I became a professional photographer at 1 Million Cups this week here in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was a chance for me to really think about what was the start of my path to becoming a professional photographer. I realized it began back in 2001, on a trip to Thailand and Cambodia. I invite you to watch the video below to hear the full story. I begin presenting just a couple minutes into the video.

ABQ Entrepreneur Event Photography at 1 Million Cups

January 30, 2019 in Event

A community for entrepreneurs

Being part of a community is pretty important for an entrepreneur. There is no better community for an entrepreneur to be a part of in Albuquerque, New Mexico than 1 Million Cups. I have been going nearly every Wednesday for 8 months straight and enjoy listening to the stories of the presenters about how they started their business, and the challenges they are currently facing. The presenter asks the audience for feedback and with any needs they have. This benefits all in attendance at the event. I always take away one nugget or thought to keep in mind as I go home to work on my photography and drone business. Today it is about keeping my work space even tidier than I normally do per the advice of Feng Shui with Connie K. There are also free donuts and coffee each week too, if that appeals to you!

How photographers can use the iPad

January 27, 2010 in Business, Reviews

An iPad would go into a photography client's hands much less clumsily than a laptop.

As soon as I saw Steve Jobs start to demo the new iPad I began seeing how it could help me as a photographer. When Steve spoke about how much more intimate and personal holding and using a tablet device was as compared to a laptop, and even a netbook, these were the words that made me imagine a potential client better connecting with my photography portfolio during a consultation meeting. I think the iPad would be even better than actual prints. Prints are floppy and a bit hard to handle if shown in any significant size to a client, and framed prints are not very portable, but multiple portfolio shots on an iPad could be viewed by the client very elegantly.

I often use my iPhone to show random people I meet some of my portfolio shots to pretty good effect. Since I could basically fit an iPad right into my regular business-sized organizer, and I take the organizer with me everywhere, I could just as easily show random people (i.e. potential clients) my portfolio, no doubt to even greater effect as an image on a 9.7" screen will be much more impressive than on a 3.5" one. Also consider the new slideshow features Jobs demoed and the iPad will help to enhance your portfolio shots' inherent wow factor.

For large budget photography jobs, the iPad could make a great impression as the means for delivering the client their photographs. Could the iPad put a serious dent into wedding album demand by digitally savvy newlyweds? I think so. The same iPad could start as your client's wedding album, then serve to include an album of pregnancy portraits, then newborn portraits, and so on and so on. Your wedding clients will now always carry the photographs you provided for them by their side, no doubt showing them to many more people increasing your chances of referrals.

How much online and print advertising can $499 buy? Quite a bit, but I think if you really are focused on referrals as your source of new clients, an iPad in the hands of a very satisfied client would be able to pay for itself very quickly.

How will you use the iPad for your photography business? Share your ideas in the comments below.

UPDATE: This blog post talks about how the iPad could help sales of photography books in e-book form.

Scott Bourne talks about how the iPad will change photography
Mashable covers the iPad launch