WPPI Week Activities | Las Vegas Boudoir Photographer
WPPI is next week and I couldn’t be more thrilled! This is the most informative and inspiring week for me, as a photographer. It’s full of nonstop activities like classes, workshops, and parties. I get to see all of my long-distance photographer friends too!
I plan on attending classes on filmmaking this year too, and hope to add more video on to my boudoir sessions afterwards. I will also attend classes on marketing & business.
I am hosting a desert shootout one of the days for some of my fellow photographers. Having a blast putting together the styling needs for that one!
The parties! Airplanes & Blazers is a party I will definitely be attending. Look at clips from last years event here.
A bunch of boudoir photographers are planning on wearing these shirts one day to WPPI. If you haven’t already bought yours, now would be the time to do it! Get yours right here. Or get a version of the Peace Love Boudoir group shirt here.
And, of course, Robert and I are hosting our Sexy Soirée Boudoir Workshop! This is not affiliated with WPPI in any way. We still have a few spots left if you are interested. We have quite a collection of phenomenal boudoir photographers attending already, so please come hang out with us all!
The Workshop Schedule:
Sunday, February 19th
5pm – 8pm
Part 1: The Business of Boudoir
Monday, February 20th
10am-2pm
Part 2: Boudoir Shoot-out
3pm-7pm
Part 3: Couples Boudoir & Video
Tuesday, February 21
8am-10am
Bonus video shoot
with Los Angeles filmmaker
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My workshop for Photographers
Sexy Soirée Boudoir Workshop Model
Where do I even begin with the beautiful woman featured in this post? I feel like my life pretty much started with her actually! While I was growing up, my Mom and I moved almost every year or two during my schooling. The longest amount of time I spent at any school was for 3 whole years at Vail Pittman Elementary School (here in Las Vegas) during the 2nd, 3rd and 4th grades. I feel like I was able to make my closest friends there in all of my years in schooling because of this. I was particularly close with a group of 3 other girls, whom I have mentioned before as the Fighting Foxes. Our friendships carry on to this very day, although as adults we all have such busy lives that I don’t get to see them nearly as much as I’d like to.
So, when my friend Corinna told me she needed updated images for a Playmate event, I hopped on the chance to spend more time with this amazing person I am fortunate enough to call my good friend. Corinna has a heart of gold. She is literally one of the sweetest, kindest and funniest individuals I have ever met.
During our shoot, we danced, laughed and had the absolute time of our lives! We were both in awe over how both of our lives had ended up exceeding all of our childhood dreams. Never would we have imagined that I would become a boudoir photographer, and, hello?…who would have known she would go on to become Playboy’s Playmate of the Year?
Corinna has very kindly agreed to be one of our models for the upcoming Sexy Soirée Boudoir Workshop that Robert and I are teaching next month! This is actually a really big deal, as there is no way she would have done this if she were not such a great friend to me…it’s on her birthday, for crying out loud! She is such a good sport! One of our other fabulous Fighting Foxes will be modeling for us too. She is also a knockout, as you can see right here.
I love you Corinna! We are going to have so much fun again! It will be just like old times like the picture below! Hmm…on second thought, it will be even better! xoxo
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Announcing A Sexy Soirée | Boudoir Workshop
I am so pleased to finally be able to announce my new workshops for boudior photographers or photographers considering offering boudoir, A Sexy Soirée! So many of you have been asking for this for quite some time now, and it has finally come to fruition! With the urging of a very special vendor and the help from a photographer I greatly admire, I finally worked up the muster to go for it! Overjoyed and thrilled that Robert Evans will be co-hosting these events with me!
The BIG EVENT will be held in glitzy Las Vegas during WPPI – in the sexiest hotel fantasy suite in all of Vegas!
A bit about our workshop:
A Sexy Soirée Boudoir Workshop is for both ladies and gentlemen. Get the perspective from both sexes and learn why it’s important not to ignore either side when shooting boudoir.
You are cordially invited to a very Sexy Soirée where you will learn:
- how to build a boudoir portfolio that potential clients will respond to
- how to come up with a marketing plan that will flood your inbox with inquiries
- how to price for profit. We will give you a proven strategy, and not leave you in the dark with this.
- how to build relationships with your clients that will turn them into ambassadors of your brand and keep them coming back for more
- how to make being male or female work for you and your business
- how to cater to an audience of both women and men
- Join us as we discuss our own journeys into the realm of boudoir photography, including both the ups and the downs of running a boudoir business. We will walk you through what we think are the most important things you can to do towards your own success as well as steer you away from many pitfalls we see others falling into.
Bridge the gender gap and learn how to shoot for and market to both sexes for a boost to your boudoir business.
Hot Topics:
Are women really better suited in the business of boudoir?
Are men better at capturing steamier images?
Can women be comfortable coaching women to be sexy if they are uncomfortable with their own sexuality due to stigmas cast on them by society?
Can men demonstrate poses properly to their clients without just looking silly?
Who are you ultimately selling to? Women or men?
Course Outline:
Getting Your Start in Boudoir
Creating a Brand that Sizzles
Creating a Unique Marketing Plan
Let’s Talk Business, Shall We?
Working Smarter
Hanky Panky
Creating An Unforgettable Experience for Your Client
Top Tips
Biggest No-No’s
The Art of the Shoot
VIDEO FUSION
Special guest panel with popular boudoir photographers
Build a smoking hot portfolio during the shoot segments with Robert and Stacie.
We will be shooting in absolutely gorgeous settings with beautiful models (experienced models and real life women with no experience in front of the camera). Stacie and Robert will be there to work with each and every one of you to give you posing, lighting and shooting advice that you can use with your own business afterwards.
* The workshop will have the classroom portion open to many but the shooting portions are limited to a few for more individual attention.
VISIT THE WEBSITE to learn more about our workshops.
Learn more about your HOSTS.
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French Model | Las Vegas Boudoir
I received an email about a month ago from a beautiful model in France. She found me on a site that brings models and photographers together for trade shoots and she asked if I would be interested in doing a ‘trade’ session together during her upcoming vacation in Vegas. I wanted to say yes immediately. She was a stunning beauty…and from France? Oh yes, I was smitten! But, I had to pause and really consider this.
See, the thing is, I don’t shoot models. I photograph real women with real bodies, real insecurities and most who aren’t used to being in front of a camera – not to mention being in front of a camera wearing nothing but lingerie! This is where my heart lies, with these women. I find such satisfaction in coaching them into blossoming into a supermodel for during their photo sessions! It’s a transformation that I am thrilled by each and every time I witness it.
With that being said though, I decided to do the session. I wanted to see firsthand what other boudoir photographers are experiencing regularly by shooting models for their portfolios and blogs. And I wanted to do a shoot that was just for my team and me. We were able to just play and style her to our liking. So fun!
So, will I do a model shoot again? Sure! It was a blast! And it gave my team the creative boost we needed. But, I will always let you all know that it is a model when I post images from shoots like that. I’m so busy with my super fabulous clients though that I probably won’t be able to do another shoot like this for another year or so. Boo!
By the way, if you are a client interested in getting more creative with your own session, I highly encourage you to consider hiring Kat and Whitney (or Rachel) of Hera Beauty to stay on and do different hair and makeup looks throughout the duration of your boudoir session. This is especially nice for the Elite sessions.
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Coming Soon | Las Vegas Boudoir
So excited to be almost finished putting the final touches on a special project and website I have been working on for the past 3 months. Only a few people have seen the website so far but here is a little teaser for the rest of you all until I can officially launch it…..
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Featured in New Boudoir Book | For Photographers
So excited and proud to be featured as one of the three top pro boudoir photographers featured in Ed Verosky’s latest book, “Boudoir Photography: The Quick-Start Guide For Professional Photographers”. Ed offers great educational tools for photographers that are reasonably priced and full of value. This book is no exception. He goes into great detail on all subjects pertaining to boudoir and gets other opinions (including mine! woohoo!) on the same subjects too. It’s quite entertaining and educational! Ed is a wealth of knowledge and always so generous in sharing. This is something I adore about him. If you are a budding boudoir photographer, you are sure to find lots of great info in this book and I hope that I helped play a part in that. Thanks for inviting me to share Ed! You rock!
Boudoir photographers, be sure to keep an eye on my blog for more exciting news to be announced at later dates. Woohoo!
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Marketing For Photographers | Las Vegas Boudoir
I was recently invited back as a guest on the About Photography podcast show with Ed Verosky to give my thoughts on marketing. I was honored to be featured alongside the oh-so-fabulous Robin Owen. We had so much fun talking about something I hold dear to my heart – marketing for photography. With a background in marketing and design, I very much enjoy sharing some of my methods and hope that many of you will find this helpful in your photography business endeavors!
I would love to hear your thoughts on this after listening to it. Please feel free to comment or ask questions here on my blog or on the podcast page. Look forward to hearing from you!
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For Other Photographers | Las Vegas Boudoir
I am head over heels in love with photography and absolutely adore running my own business. Both of these things bring me ridiculous amounts of joy that I feel so very grateful for every single day. My life was never easy and it was a long, hard road getting here, but persistence, honesty and hope brought me to the point I’m at now. I worked very, very hard to get here. I realize there are no shortcuts in life. But persistence definitely pays off and it begins to feel like life rewards you for persevering through the trials that lead you to your calling.
Unfortunately, there is an ugly side to running a photography business too. I am consistently shocked at how shady some people are by stealing images, copy from my website and even stealing my hard-earned client testimonials. You also get some who try to acquire your price list by acting like a potential client and even some who go as far as sending a ‘faux client’ to get the inside scoop on my business. I just don’t understand why people feel the need to do this.
Running your own business, especially a creative one such as Photography should be a fun and unique experience. You should have enough photos that you are proud of (that you have taken on your own) to use in your portfolio if you are promoting yourself as a professional photographer. And you should feel passionate enough about what you do that words just flow naturally when describing your business on your website and to others. And, if you are doing a job well done, testimonials will come naturally, and often! Testimonials are a reward for your hard work. Just let them come to you. Most of all, remember to be an original! People don’t want to hire a person trying to be someone else. They want to hire YOU, (yes YOU) if you will allow yourself to shine genuinely for everyone to see. And, if these things just aren’t there for you yet, then just keep photography as a hobby until you are more ready. Nothing wrong with that at all!
So, in trying to think of a solution for all of this, I realize that maybe I could possibly help those of you who feel stuck and might be contemplating doing something unethical as I spoke of above. I get a lot of requests to offer workshops. Is this something many more of you would want? Would you rather I write a book? Or make myself available for mentoring?
I really just want to see everyone reach their own potential, which is unique for all of us. I definitely don’t want to see our industry going down the tube because of a few bad apples either.
So, please tell me, how can I help you?
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About Photography Podcast | Las Vegas Boudoir
Recently I was honored to be a guest on Ed Verosky’s About Photography Podcast series. Ed picked my brain about the business of boudoir, Vegas-style. I had so much fun doing this podcast with him. I absolutely love my job and adore my clients so once I got over my initial nerves I thoroughly enjoyed getting to talk about my world of boudoir! Ed was a fantastic host who put me right at ease (he is also a very accomplished and talented photographer). I can’t wait to do it again!
I truly hope that budding photographers as well as experienced photographers will find something in the podcast useful or interesting. Some of the things I mention in the podcast that I think are worth expanding on here for other photographers are:
Marketing:
Stop following other boudoir photographers and research instead big brands that share your target audience. We have a huge problem in our rapidly growing industry right now with copying. Newbies are copying websites word for word, using others images, marketing campaigns, etc. Big no-no. Instead, find inspiration that you can make your own. Another marketing tip is to invest in a graphic designer for your marketing material, website and logo. It will make a huge difference, I promise!
Photography:
The same could be said for finding your own style of photography. Look towards other photography niches to find inspiration….fashion, glamour, beauty, even weddings. It seems as though some of the masters of photography are being overlooked in favor of new photographers. But, you can find so much inspiration from the likes of Richard Avedon, Helmut Newton, Ellen von Unwerth, Herb Ritts, Terry Richardson, Peter Lindbergh, and Mario Testino to name only a few. Just remember not to copy them but to find inspiration from them.
Portfolio Building:
I know my comments regarding using models may not be popular in my industry but it is something I feel very strongly about. If your target audience is real women who are not accustomed to posing in front of a camera and who have realistic body types for the average woman, then you really shouldn’t be shooting models for your portfolio. You lose the potential to learn how to work with body issues, self esteem issues and won’t be prepared for the real thing when it comes along. It’s a bit deceiving for women who are contemplating using you. It could potentially hurt your clients sense of confidence if you are unaccustomed to working with real gals not used to being in such a vulnerable situation. If you insist on using a model for these purposes, please include a disclaimer that she is in fact a model. On the flip side, if your target clientele is actually models then obviously this is perfectly fine or if you have personal artistic projects. This is just my opinion, of course, but I do feel very protective of women looking for a photographer who understands how to work with them individually, with their fears and perceived flaws.
So, there ya have it. My first podcast interview! I’m absolutely thrilled and hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I did doing it!
Comments are always welcome and appreciated. Let me know if you have any questions at all and I would be more than happy to answer them.
xoxo
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Getting Ready for WPPI 2011 | Las Vegas Boudoir
Tomorrow begins the delightful madness known to us photographers as WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International Conference and Tradeshow). As you can see from my previous post about WPPI 2010, it is going to be one of the most inspiring, educational and insanely fun events of the year for me. I feel like a kid at Christmas, seriously!
I told myself last year that I would narrow down the classes I am taking before the actual event but this is proving more difficult than I thought. There are going to be so many truly amazing speakers again this year! So far, I am leaning towards learning from Jesh de Rox (can’t wait to experience his Beloved Revolution – I hear his talk last year was so good that it brought many to tears), Julieanne Kost (digital imaging evangelist), Brian Smith (celebrity portrait photographer), Jose Villa (fine art wedding photographer), Sandy Puc (portraits) & Jerry Ghionis, (wedding photographer). There are many others I want to see speak too. I will also be attending the Airplanes & Blazers party (here’s a video from their Airhorns & Lasers party last year)…woohoo! That is just a very brief overview of a tiny portion of the events that will be going on. Oh my goodness, I almost forgot that I get to see fashion photographer NIGEL BARKER – you may recognize him as the ridiculously good-looking photographer from America’s Next Top Model! He is hosting the Sony Fashion Show on Sunday night! I’m sooo excited!
If you are a photographer reading this and you happen to see me at WPPI this year, please come say hi! It’s a much more interesting place when you get to know everyone! I know I am looking forward to seeing the awesome people I met there last year, as well as meeting many, many new friends!
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Disturbing Trend in Boudoir
In the past couple of weeks I have been alerted to 2 different cases of image thievery and 4 cases of absolute plagiarism. 2 supposed boudoir photographers were using my images to promote themselves as photographers…not cool. While 4 boudoir photographers felt at liberty to copy my wording exactly and use that as their own to promote their services on their websites. What is going on?
Thankfully, photographers around the globe are becoming familiar enough with my work to know when they see my image where it doesn’t belong to contact me. So, if you are thinking of doing something like this, know that it is only a matter of time before I become aware of it. This is seriously illegal, so don’t be surprised if you hear from my attorney in these matters.
To anyone considering acting in such a fraudulent manner, consider this, you are not only cheating me and your clients but you are cheating yourself. If you can’t create images like this on your own since you have to use mine to display, then how do you suppose you are going to do this for your client who will be expecting their images to turn out like the examples you showed on your portfolio?
Sorry for the rant. I just can’t stomach that there are fake boudoir shooters preying on unsuspecting clients this way. So shady!