On Monday, November 16, a group of over thirty professional photographers gathered in New Haven, CT for a CLASS shoot out. CLASS is an acronym for Collages.net Learning and Sharing Sessions. It is a professional photographer’s networking group focused on building friendships and strengthening business skills. Although it is sponsored by Collages.net, professional photographers at all stages in their business and members of all event-hosting companies are welcome to join CLASS meetings. Collages.net believes that by sharing information, all professional photographers benefit.

Hosted by Anthony DeCarlo and Steve Blazo, the New Haven CLASS of photographers met and shot together in DeCarlo and Blazo’s studio. A special thanks to them and everyone who helped put this excellent event together.

Rob and Kathleen of Robert & Kathleen Photographers state, “We had a bit of a change from our traditional meetings focused on studio business needs, with a shoot out in Anthony DeCarlo & Steve Blazo’s New Haven studio. We thought a shootout would be a great way to get the creative juices flowing but also a great way for everyone to challenge themselves and learn something new. Not only did Steve & Anthony set up several different shooting locations in their industrial space complete with studio lighting, they also enlisted many models (with help from David Apuzzo), make-up artists and hair stylists to work their magic.”

Here are just a few of the many images that were taken during the CLASS shootout:

Anthony DeCarlo Photography

Anthony DeCarlo of Anthony DeCarlo Photography, host of the event, states, “The shootout was put together by Steve Blazo and I. It was a fun and interesting day with everyone working together in a collaborative effort. I didn’t shoot too much as I was mainly assisting other photographers who haven’t had much experience shooting in a studio setting.”

David Apuzzo, Photography

David Apuzzo said, “The CLASS shoot outs are really helpful because not only do you walk away with some great shots, but you also get to meet new artists and share ideas together that can only benefit your work and help you to be inspired. You also get to work in ways that you might not be accustomed to. For example, this shot was done with all hot lights without any synching with strobes or anything like that. It’s a great challenge because in the end, you can really do many things with hot lights especially with color balancing in the camera and in post production. It’s a type of lighting that the average photographer may not be familiar with, so it was especially great to share these ideas and techniques with other photographers and take their experiences working with the hot lighting to create something in their own style of photography.”

Peach Tree Portraits

Meagan Ebersole of Peach Tree Portraits and Collages.net All Star Product Consultant, describes the day: “There were several models who were each assigned numbers. Each photographer rotated through the different numbers and shot the models in their different settings. The models each ran through three looks, each getting their hair and makeup redone for the different looks. For my shot, I used a ring light. The final result doesn’t reflect typical ring light images, but I loved the different effect that it had on my image.”

Robert & Kathleen Photographers

Kathleen Trenske of Robert & Kathleen Photographers said, “CLASS meetings are all about learning and sharing and this shoot out was the perfect opportunity to do both.  Thanks to the work of our gracious hosts, Anthony DeCarlo & Steve Blazo, we have about half a dozen models with several ‘looks’ each and a variety of lighting situations and settings. Since not everyone in attendance had photographed in a studio setting before, they were able to learn from those that had and were able to share with one another some tips and tricks that can be applied to pretty much any photo shoot. ”

More images from this CLASS shootout can be located on our Facebook fan page.

If you’re interested in starting your own local CLASS group, contact sales@collages.net for more information. The New Haven CLASS group is on Facebook. Join the group today!

Then mark your calendars! We will be announcing several product specials that you can take advantage of only on Monday, November 30, 2009. Cyber Monday is Collages.net’s response to Black Friday.

Collages.net’s hot product specials will be posted on Collages.net’s Facebook fan page and Twitter page throughout the day, so stay connected to these social networking sites. These specials are so incredible that they will be available for a limited time only. You don’t want to miss this!

Collages.net’s most outrageous deals of the year will be available to Collages.net Insiders first on Saturday, November 28th, so become a fan and follower today!

Lacy Dagerath of More Than An Image Photography shot Erin and Chris’ wedding in Las Vegas, NV. Lacy recalls, “Erin and Chris are two of those people you just can’t get enough of! They are beautiful people both on the inside and outside. Their relatives flew in all the way from Scotland to attend their wedding. Erin and Chris were married at the Valley of the Falls in Mandalay Bay, and we did a quick day after session at the Neon Boneyard.”

Christi Curtis of Unique Portraiture photographed Maddie’s portraits at her grandparents’ home in Tampa, FL. Christi remembers, “Maddie was such a wonderful and happy baby. Her big blue eyes were to die for! We put her here and there and she just relaxed, taking everything all in. I don’t think she fussed once in two hours. I was so excited to find a beautiful painting in a spare bedroom that became an incredible background for little Maddie.”

To view the complete events, visit our websites of the week page.

We recently interviewed a member of our production team, Kate Campbell. Kate specializes in collagesColor printing. If you have already ordered from collagesColor, chances are, you have heard from Kate C. as she is affectionately called in the office.

Kate Campbell

Tell me about your background in photography.
I took my first darkroom class in community college and instantly fell in love with photography at that point. I decided to enroll in the Art Institute in Philadelphia, where I earned my B.S. in photography. After college, I took a job as a fan photographer at Citizen’s Bank Park where the Phillies play, but that only lasted about two months. During the following year, I worked at a children’s portrait studio until I started working at Collages.net. Once I started at Collages.net, I met Kate Madell, another production team member, who I now help with shooting weddings and events!

How long have you been working at Collages.net?
I began working at Collages.net in July 2008. At that time, I was responsible for scheduling Innovations appointments for our sales team and other general production duties. Then I started working in the collagesColor department and I’ve been there ever since.

What do you love most about your job?
Truly, I love the people that I work with. For me, they are more than just my coworkers; they have become my good friends. The team atmosphere at Collages.net has been overwhelmingly amazing. I love the team player, family-like, supportive environment working at Collages.net. I really love coming to work every day. Also, I love that I get to look at other photographers’ work every day, which provides a great deal of inspiration for me.

What is your favorite Collages.net product and why?
I’m very excited for our press printed card line! When I worked at the children’s portrait studio, I understood how important holiday cards were for families. Our press printed card line gives photographers the ability to design their own cards or use our creative designs for free, which takes a lot of work off their plate.

Since you work for collagesColor, what is your favorite collagesColor print product?
To me, event cards are a great product that can benefit any wedding or event photographer. I think they provide a professional way to spread the word about your studio and also tell people how to view photos from the event for purchasing.

What is currently playing on your iPod?
Surprisingly, I don’t have an iPod! However, when I’m at work and am listening to CDs, I listen to a lot of Save Ferris. It’s perfect for busy days as the upbeat melodies allow me to plough through my work!

How would you describe your shooting style?
I typically shoot using the thirds rule. I like to break up a scene in thirds and keep the subject in the left or right third of the frame. I always find that most of my landscapes and portraits are shot in this style - I think it makes for the most interesting look.

Where do you find your artistic inspiration?
I draw a lot of inspiration from shooting photos of my niece. It’s hard for me not to have my camera around her! It makes me feel great knowing that I can document the early years of her life, and I know my sister really appreciates having so many images of her first child.

What is your favorite candy?
Anything with peanut butter and chocolate, for sure!

What was the last book you read?
I most recently read a book by Janet Evanovich about a bounty hunter in Trenton. It was definitely a good read!

What is your favorite movie?
Anything with Tom Hanks is amazing to me!

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
I’ve never been abroad, but I would love to go to Ireland or Italy. I’d really like to go anywhere where I can bring my camera and shoot amazing photos!

I’d like to thank Kate for taking a time out to talk with me. She wanted to give a surprise present to anyone who read her interview. So, we got approval to give you FREE SHIPPING on your next collagesColor order placed before Thanksgiving. Just use this coupon at check out: 18206EM. If anyone has questions for Kate, give a shout out by leaving a comment below and we’ll get an answer.

Elegant Images and Photographs

As a photographer, your duty is to capture your couples at their best. However, it can often be difficult to get a solid chunk of time to shoot the couple alone without being worried about the day’s schedule. With this in mind, successful photographers are choosing to shoot day after sessions for their wedding couples. Shooting day after sessions eases the stress for both the couple and the photographer. Without time limitations and the stress of keeping an entire group of wedding guests entertained and happy, the couple can really shine. Collages.net consulted with two successful studios that shoot day after sessions regularly for advice to share with other photographers.

Infinity Images

Heather Byrd of Infinity Images in McBee, SC says, “Our studio promotes day after sessions to all of our couples. The uninterrupted, no-stress time with the couple makes for magnificent images. Not to mention that it’s always preferred to have better control over lighting situations. Most of the time, the bride and groom feel very rushed to get to the reception, so they end up with very little time in less than perfect lighting conditions. We want our couples’ images to exude romance, whimsy, and most of all, their personalities. It’s so difficult to get that when you feel rushed.”

Infinity Images

Ross and Kammi Bothwell of Elegant Images and Photographs in Longmont, CO frequently shoot day after sessions and trash the dress sessions for their wedding clients. They truly understand the benefit of shooting portraits after the hectic wedding day. Ross states, “As far as day after sessions go, we love them. We include them in all of our destination packages. Day after sessions give us a chance to play in a relaxed, no-pressured timeline. We can be more adventurous with what we want to capture without worrying about getting the dress dirty and having to worry about holding up the reception.  Some couples even opt for another change of clothes, so it gives them greater freedom in choosing the look of their portraits. I think one of the benefits of shooting day after sessions is that our brides know about them going into their wedding day. When the weather is bad on their wedding day, they know that they have the dress and the man, and can go get some great images another day. Offering day after sessions to our clients has opened up a whole new world for creative images and also more sales.”

Elegant Images and Photographs

Both Heather and Ross are absolutely right. Day after sessions equate to better images and higher sales. In addition to engagement sessions, which we wrote about in a previosu post, day after sessions can boost both your package revenue and print revenue.

Images Copyright: Elegant Images and Photographs; Infinity Images

Edson Dias of DiasPhoto.com shot Sarina and Brian’s wedding at the Intercontinental Hotel in Boston.  Edson recalls, “This mango and red-themed wedding took place at the Intercontinental Hotel in Boston.  The reception took place at Radius restaurant, the culinary apex of the Boston food scene. From the Vogue-esque, naughty bridal party shots to the faux-to booth, the details from this wedding made it a photographer’s dream to shoot.”

Laura Leslie of Laura Leslie Photography photographed baby Hunter’s portraits when he was only three weeks old. Laura recalls, “Armed with his soft skin, chubby cheeks, and sweet little toes, he was a gorgeous and easy baby to work with. I shot his session in Athens, GA at his home and then his mommy and I ventured to an empty field in the country. The weather and lighting was perfect and we had the cutest baskets, blankets, and chairs to prop him in. At the end of the shoot, we found a vintage milk jug to photograph him in, too!”

To view the complete events, visit our websites of the week page.

Judy Dawson and Chris Heldenbrand

When did you start shooting?
I started photographing in high school for our yearbook and special events. I then took photography courses in college and later attended several workshops at the Texas School of Photography. After a successful stint as a free-lance editorial photographer, I began apprenticing at weddings with local photographers. I gradually gained the courage to go out on my own and start Visuality. Ten years later - here we are!

How would you describe your style?
Our style mixes photojournalistic and traditional styles. We also shoot some “guided” candid shots, but our images have a natural look. We think of it as enhancing the candid look, rather than posing. Some of the couples at first feel a bit awkward, but when they see the results, they love it!

Do you have any influences?
Bambi Cantrell has had a huge influence on me in terms of contemporary photographers. I have been in contact with her several times and she gave me some pointers that have helped my studio.

What do you love shooting?
Weddings are definitely my forte, but I also love shooting bridal portraits. Chris shoots most of the engagement sessions and then we collaborate at the weddings. I love shooting weddings because they are always fun and festive. Capturing everyone on a happy day when everyone looks great is such a joy. I also love knowing that I am capturing a historical moment for a family.

What is the best part of the wedding day?
Besides eating the cake? I would say getting photos of the bride and groom during or before the ceremony is my favorite part of the day. We’ve found that about 25% of our couples want to see each other before hand, which gives us more time and flexibility to shoot their portraits.

What gear do you use?
We use all Canon gear – mainly the 5D and 40Ds.

Do you have a favorite lens?
I really like my 85mm 1.2.

In terms of your style and what you shoot, what inspires you?
I’m inspired by the romance of the day. For me, it’s inspirational to see a couple in love and see them interact with each other.

Do you use Facebook or other social networking sites?
Right now, I use Facebook for personal use and have a business page, but we’re so busy catching up with weddings that we haven’t had the time to really put too much effort into it.

Do you have a favorite venue or location that you love to shoot?
I like gardens and architecturally interesting buildings. There is a place in Guthrie, OK called the Dominion House, which is an architecturally stunning location. The Masonic Temple and Cole’s Garden are also great locations where I love to shoot. I like churches, too, but Oklahoma is a relatively new state, so we don’t have the old historically beautiful churches like you do on the east coast.

What was the best business decision you’ve made this year?
Probably meeting with vendors and establishing relationships with them. We’ve gotten a lot of leads in the past just from networking with vendors. It’s a great idea to keep in touch with vendors as well as other photographers, too, in case they ever get overbooked.

Do you ever run promotions or specials for your clients?
We try to run a special about every month or so. Every promotion is different – some are a little more extravagant than other months. I think one of our best promotions was when we offered a gallery wrap with every booking during a certain period of time.

When people leave your studio, what impression do you want them to leave with?
That we care about them and that we’ll do a great job for them. Also, that we’ll give them great customer service.

What is your favorite Collages.net product or service and why?
Of course the books, but I also love the event cards, which is also something that our clients love. We’ll be meeting with a potential client and they just love the idea – they think it’s really cool. Also, the Premium leather albums are really nice and online posting is great, too!

What was your strangest wedding moment?
We once shot a wedding towards the end of October for a couple who asked their guests to come in costume. All the guests showed up in costumes and bride and groom were dressed as Godzilla and the Bride of Frankenstein! They walked down the aisle to a funeral dirge, which was very strange!

Step One: Pre-Post the Event – Pre-posting your events allows event guest to “log-in” to the event before the event site has been uploaded. They can leave their e-mail address to be contacted once the images are ready for viewing. To pre-post the event log in to your Administrative Area and click Upload Event. Fill in the Event Username, Heading, Title/Subheading, Client E-mails, and Event Type. Make sure to check the box next to Pre-post this event. Choose Save. You now have a pre-posted event! When you are ready to upload your images, simply log back in to your Administrative Area, click on the Event Manager tab, then on the Pre-posting status link.

Step Two: Order Event Cards – Open collagesColor + ROES and click on the Sizes button. Choose Non-Color Corrected Products from the Catalogs folder and click on Sizes again. Navigate to Endura Prints, then Event Cards, and choose your preferred event card template. Drag and drop your desired image into the template and type in your studio name, username, and password for your event. Remember to use the username you created when you pre-posted the event. The password will be your photographer code, unless you added an alternate password suffix in the event set-up process. When you are happy with the order, click Add to Order and then Review Order. Complete your order by navigating through the collagesColor + ROES shopping cart. Event cards take 2-3 business days to produce plus shipping, so make sure you place your order in advance.

Step Three: Shoot the Event and Hand Out Event Cards – On the day of the event, make sure to leave event cards on every table in the room. Personally hand event cards to guests at the event and let them know that they can view the images from the event by following the steps outlined on the event card. For weddings, make sure you hand event cards to the bride and groom and to each member of the wedding party. It is important to make personal contact with event guests as much as possible. Event Cards are also great to hand to seniors to pass out to their family and friends at school.

Once you have the images ready for viewing. Every person who logged into the site while the event was pre-posted will receive an e-mail notifying them that the site is ready for viewing. The end result is more online sales and increased brand awareness for your studio. Use this three-step process for your next wedding or event for increased reprint sales and traffic to the event site.

Oubon Phommavong of missphom photography shot Matt and Kala’s wedding at the Hammock Dunes Resort in Palm Coast, FL. Oubon recalls, “The ceremony had to be moved inside because of the rain, but I think we managed to make it memorable for the bride and groom.  Matt and Kala’s families were so beautiful, and everyone was such a pleasure to work with.”

Candice Brumm of Candice Brumm Photography shot Kelli’s graduation session portraits in Lino Lakes and Blaine, MN. Candice recalls, “Kelli is supermodel material! We had so much fun shooting her graduation session. She’s such a natural at posing, and her eyes are incredible! It was hard not to get a great shot from her.”

To view the complete events, visit our websites of the week page.

• Send every client you booked this year a thank you card. Send an unexpected note to your past clients, thanking them for their business and wishing them a joyous day with family and friends. Use your studio’s logo or a portrait of your family and print them on Collages.net’s Press Printed Cards available through collagesColor + ROES. Offer your clients a special referring bonus in the card.
• Photograph local turkey day activities. Most towns have their own turkey trot, turkey bowl, or other activities on Thanksgiving to raise money for local charities. Photograph the event and hand out event cards on the day so people can easily see your studio and purchase their photos online. Remember to customize your own View an Event Portal to drive traffic to your studio. Then, donate a portion of your print proceeds to the charity.

• Emphasize the meaning of family. Send your clients a marketing e-mail or Facebook message from your family on Thanksgiving day. Thank them for their past business and share with them the importance and value of professional family portraits. Who wouldn’t be moved to book a portrait session after receiving a compelling message on one of the most family-oriented days of the year?
• Photograph your local Thanksgiving parade. Does your town host an annual Thanksgiving day parade? If so, photograph the event and contact your local newspaper and submit your photographs of the parade and crowd to be published in the next day’s newspaper.
• Assist at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter. Have your studio (or your family on behalf of your studio) help serve a meal in a soup kitchen or local homeless shelter. Not only is this a good thing to do. It’s good PR for your studio. Blog about it, Facebook about it, tweet about it, and don’t forget to write a press release about it and submit it to your local paper.

In addition to the above suggestions, delivering your clients’ albums before Thanksgiving is a great way to ensure your studio will be talked about around the turkey table. Submit your album order by the date listed below and choose FedEx 2Day shipping. You will receive the album by November 24th, so you can deliver it by November 25th.

Premium Leather Albums - Wednesday, November 4th
Genuine Leather Albums - Wednesday, November 11th
Brilliant Albums - Wednesday, November 11th

Photo Credit: Small Wonders Photography