How effective is it to offer your services on trade

   As a photographer I advertise my service like everyone else on Craigslist. Craigslist is much like fishing, you post and ad, much like casting your hook and bait and you wait for something to bite. Its very passive, but it seems to be a good way to advertise and pull in customers every now and then.
The problem is you will get bombarded by girls from god knows where in the world sending you scantily clad photos and asking to meet up and see their website... The other pit fall is theres people out there that want something for free. They will post an ad that they need their daughters birthday party photographed and they will do it on trade for my portfolio and maybe, KEYWORD "MAYBE" lead to paid work in the future.
  I've been fortunate enough to be born and raised in New York City and I didn't fall off a turnip truck, so I turned things around. I do work in exchange for goods and services that work for me. For example, I live in South Florida as I already stated, and I recently made it a point to get my Wedding Photography business off the ground but it was driving my girlfriend nuts. Im also a Firefighter/Paramedic in Fort Lauderdale, and I work as a paramedic in an emergency room a few nights a week in Boca Raton, so Im always working and stay up all hours of the night working on pictures, placing ads, SEO, building my website and etc. Soooo needless to say she was feeling neglected. Well, I was contacted by a spa that is a new start up, but part of a chain in Plantation, Florida called Planet Beach. I gave it some thought and told them I would be willing to photography a little trunk show they were holding in there store. I gave it some thought and asked, well I don't offer my services cheap or free, but my girlfriend would definitely love to have access to your spa. They said sure, you'll both be VIP members. I said, Ill be there.
   Well the date rolls up and I go to this trunk show and they have someone selling jewelry and they are offering raffles and the like and serving some light snacks. There wasn't a lot of people, but I took some great photos of the staff, and displays and the like. I spent a total of 2 1/2 hours there and I leave to process the photos and I email them and create a disc for them which my girlfriend personally drops off on a visit... Well a week later, Hey Alfredo, we loved the photos and we are doing a Model Cover search for the company and we would love for you to do the photography on trade, please, I was asked.. I asked where it would be held and I said, I would think about it...
   Later on during the week the Planet Beach told me that the Model Search would be held, at the Broward Mall, in Plantation Florida on a Saturday. I advised I would sleep on it and let them know.
I thought about the various positives and negatives of doing this photography work again for free, but now it would be much more intense and time consuming having to process potentially thousands of images. I also thought, well it will be in a mall with an audience, people will see me doing what I love, Photography, they will see the high end gear I use, and I will be at a venue where I can really give out cards, and push my business. I decided to do the job.
   I get to the mall an hour early and I meet with the staff of Planet Beach, who happen to be authentically nice people. and I start shooting the models that are already there, Im giving out cards and introducing myself and the show starts. I took some of the most incredible photos yet. I gave out almost 250 cards to people as they watched the show or walked by and it was just a fun good day of shooting.
Now the finally to this modeling contest my name and what Im doing is announced throughout the mall, and Im names one of the sponsors of the event... All is good
    I get home later that evening and begin to process amazing images, and I post them on my Facebook and Flickr page. I check my stats and now my facebook and website are blowing up with new likes and people sharing my page and talking about my pictures.
The result of this was I have a more captive audience, I have established a repetoire with the model, their families and friends, and Ive shown the quality of my work. These are all little things that make a big difference in growing your business. Unlike doing free photos for a person, doing free photos in this situation benefited me by exposing me to the masses.
   So Im looking for other opportunities like this in order to boost business and awareness of my business and in the end, its more to my portfolio and practice...
Thanks

What I offer as a wedding Photographer and What I posted on my www.Facebook.com/CoutureBridalPhotography Page

 Couture Bridal Photography images are creative, clean and crisp. They’re romantic, fun, and emotional. The Couture Bridal Photography name is known for developing a unique style of wedding photography that is deeply rooted in wedding photojournalism while influenced by fine-art and fashion photography. I pride myself on not just being photographer, but rather an artist creating unique and expressive imagery.

What exactly does all of this mean? Well, let’s get into the specifics of what makes our style unique. Here are the 10 main differentiation factors and techniques that differentiate Couture Bridal Photography from the rest.

CREATIVE COMPOSITIONS

Always in search of reflections, silhouettes, foregrounds, perfect symmetry, and juxtapositions, my style is deeply rooted in creativity. As we’re shooting, you’ll see me sneaking behind objects, shooting off mirrors, and running around to achieve different perspectives.

The idea is to turn ordinary into extraordinary through finding the interest of the composition in a scene that the average eye may not notice.

PHOTOJOURNALISM

Wedding Photojournalism takes awareness of surroundings, knowledge of human tendencies, and patience. Each image I take serves a purpose and has a point. Each image captures an emotion, tells a story, or portrays a mood or feeling. That’s why you won’t see me taking random images, for example, you stuffing your face with food or staring off into space.
I'm always paying close attention to environment, listening in on conversations and anticipating that smile, laugh, tear, or hug. I have my crop in mind, my lighting set up perfectly, and I'm waiting for that expression.
HDR WEDDING AND ENGAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY
“Save the skies!” is one of the themes of my photography. Instead of the white, blown-out skies that you might see in the work of other photographers, I put an emphasis on bringing out those beautiful sunsets, clouds, and backgrounds.
One of the methods I use is called HDR (High Dynamic Range), an advanced technique that involves taking three consecutive exposures and layering them in post production. I have developed a unique style of HDR wedding photography that maintains a natural feel, while producing dramatic effects and capturing all of the detail.
NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY
My passion for understanding lighting and camera equipment has helped me develop a style of night photography that exposes for stunning backgrounds, creates a dramatic effect, and maintains a natural feel to the image.
Notice that we’re not creating harsh, flash lighting on our subjects. Furthermore, the backgrounds and lights in dark scenes are not only visible, but play an integral part in the composition of the images.
NATURAL POSING
Whether you’re stiff as a board or used to being in front of the camera, I'll make sure we give you as much direction as you need to create natural, comfortable poses.
I'm always paying attention to things like overly puckered lips, unflattering angles, and other awkward expressions. At the same time, I'm creating an environment where you’re comfortable and your personalities and affection are the focal point of the image. I'll also be sure to come up with poses that focus on your positive physical aspects.
ADVANCED FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY
I also use flash photography to create interest in daytime and nighttime scenes. For example, sometimes I’ll introduce a flash flare into the scene to add interest to a first dance or a toast.
Other times I’ll introduce intentional mixed lighting to create interesting effects. And another method I use to “save the skies” is using daytime flash techniques to bring out the subjects while exposing properly for the dramatic backgrounds.
WE HAVE FUN
I love setting up scenes where you and your family/friends can be silly, fun, and playful. Whether you’re jumping, doing silly poses, or expressing some inside jokes between you and your friends, I’ll be sure to have a great time during our couples session and our wedding party session.
In some scenes, the idea sometimes is to get you out of your comfort zone by getting you to do something silly, ridiculous, or even inappropriate. During those moments, and especially in between, I'm snapping away to get those smiles and natural emotions.

ADVANCED POST PRODUCTION

Whether it’s adding textures, adding grain, removing blemishes, or any other advanced Photoshop and Lightroom effects, I've studied and mastered these techniques and applied it to my wedding photography. While my preference is to have the majority of my images remain natural, vibrant and colorful, once in a while I’ll throw in a certain effect to complete our artistic vision of the image.
DETAILS DETAILS DETAILS
You’ve spent thousands of dollars on the details of your wedding like the rings, floral arrangements, centerpieces, venues, candy bars, etc. I'm not going to let it slip past me!
I will capture the details of your wedding with the same attention and with many of the same techniques as I've described above. Your day moves quickly and while you may not have the time to sit back and fully appreciate your cake, I’ll be sure to have gorgeous pictures of it.
And don’t forget, I take some pretty cool ring shots.
My Client Service Philosophy
I believe that in hiring a professional wedding photographer, clients deserve a professional that is able to use his or her technological expertise and creative vision to create a product that clients and amateur photographers could not on their own. With digital SLR cameras becoming more and more affordable, there are many amateur photographers out there posing as professionals. My goal (Couture Bridal Photography) is to educate our clients on the differences, and provide artistic imagery that far surpasses other top notch wedding photography businesses.

Therefore, my wedding photography philosophy has three primary parts as follows:
Wedding photographers are artists and therefore must have a deep understanding of artistic theory including concepts on composition, lighting, color, design, balance, etc.
Wedding photographers should be using professional grade camera(Canon) and lighting equipment.
Wedding photographers are constantly in unusual lighting situations with significant time constraints, thus wedding photographers must be masters of their equipment. Being able to quickly adjust camera settings, anticipate lenses needed for each scene, use on and off-camera lighting techniques, etc. are crucial to being able to consistently create a professional product.

MY CLIENT SERVICE PHILOSOPHY
My photography is focused on providing you with a true Couture Bridal Photography Experience. I will start by helping decide what fits your individual needs and desires. I will assist you in planning your wedding day photography by giving you some “best practice” ideas based on my experience. When I shoot your event, I will capture each moment with my artistic vision. Finally, I will deliver to you an artistic product worthy of the Couture Bridal Photography name.
In the end, My philosophy on client service creates wonderful friendships with each and every one of my clients that goes far beyond the day of your wedding. I pride myself on always being available to my client/friends, so if you have any questions or would like to reach your me, please visit my website LauderdalePhotography.Com or call me 954-399-0741.

Making the Personal Connection: Sell yourself not what you offer.

   I have a background in sales, way back when before I moved to South Florida and became a Police Officer and now Firefighter/Paramedic, I work for a Scuba Equipment and teaching business and I had the honor of working for 2 major motorcycle dealerships. I learned that people looking for a product had many choices of where to go and find said product. I learned that when someone goes looking to buy a service or product they want to make the purchase from someone they feel deserves their hard earned money.

   When a potential customer approaches you for a product or service, they want to know what they are obviously getting for their money. I can go on and on about how I have top of the line Canon Camera's and lenses, and how great my photos come out, and how I process the photos I take and yada, yada, yada. Guess what? There are thousands upon thousands of photographers that offer the same thing. 

Actually, theres a million photographers that are better then me and worse than me. The difference is how each photographer interacts with the potential customer face to face, over the phone or through email exchanges.

   I close most of the sale inquiries, I get because I happen to be personable. Im a people person and I can talk about a million things other than photography. When People approach me I make sure I take the time to answer all their questions, and offer advice when needed. I also make sure they feel at ease with me. When it comes to photography, especially wedding photography, people are letting you into their world on their special day, they want to feel as if your their friend and that you catch every perfect moment for them.

   A potential customer also has expectations. Its very important to explain what can and cant be done and be honest. I cant stress it more how educated consumers are becoming and trying to fool one is a huge mistake. Don't ever promise what you cant deliver. Its funny but I learned this from an employer of mine years ago in New York City. "If you treat a customer right they wont tell anyone, if you treat a customer wrong, they'll tell the world". This is a fact I live by. I want my customers to feel confident they can refer me to their family and friends, and I often remind them after a job to please let anyone know about me if they are happy with my services. 

   I make it a good practice to listen to my customers needs. You cant always assume that every wedding is going to be the same or that every engagement session is going to be the same, etc. You have to pay attention to the customers needs, and being photography listen to their creative input. Although, I may be the photographer, they might actually play the role of director and want a certain feel or look to their photos. I always make the effort to try and give the customer exactly what they want within reason, when I cant I explain why and usually the customer will agree.

    In conclusion, in whatever business your in, you have to make a personal connection with your potential customer, make every attempt to satisfy your customers needs and provide him or her with the best services you can provide, but also the best possible experience as well.

Alfredo V.

Maternity Photo on the Beach in Pompano Beach across the street from my home.
LauderdalePhotography.Com, Couture Bridal Photography, Alfredo V. Photography

The hardships of starting a photography business

   I am Alfredo V. Im an avid photographer and have been for 20 plus years. Im 2009 I decided to turn my passion into a business. I never new a photography business would be so hard to start. I launched a website, I posted pictures, and I used craigslist as a way to advertise inexpensively. I've also done many a free photo shoot to build my portfolio. What I have found is through time and SEO, the business will slowly take shape. Ive met many people willing to help and as well as a few people with equipment and the ability to add to my product, such as a videographer.
   Im going to be sharing my experiences and pictures in my blog as a way to motivate others who wish to get into the photography business. It is definitely a challenge, but with time your business will succeed. I will be posting how I've managed to get my business Couture Bridal Photography, off the ground and share the tips and tricks I've used to attract customers, get great equipment, and take better photos. Photography is something that you really cant master, there is always something to learn and always a better or different way to do things. I hope that my insight will help you create or better your business. I also think that this may apply to various other businesses.

So here we go.
To better improve the types of images I get and to further increase my knowledge or give me ideas, I began educating myself with different types of lighting I might encounter at a wedding. Ive also found photographers, I wish to emulate and create my own style with. I have found 3 photographers who I find are incredibly talented and which I can learn from. I have found the Jerry Ghionis, Syl Arena, and Cliff Moutner are epic wedding photographers, each with there own styles. I found they have done seminars for various photography businesses and they are posted online. So here are the links if your interested.

Jerry Ghionis - In camera Artistry: Using any Light source
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2nNxaBA6ss

Syl Arena- Getting the most out of Canon Speed lights
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5byuHJ9uBns

Cliff Moutner- Shooting around the clock 3 12 noon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A17wFD_0So

Ill be posting more, but I hope that this helps anyone by leading in the right direction.
Please feel free to Like my Facebook page.
Couture Bridal Photography
and visit my website.
LauderdalePhotography.Com
 I will leave you with a random Photo I took on Monday just walking around.

Homeless Man LauderdalePhotography.Com
Couture Bridal Photography