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So you've decided that birth photography is calling your name. You know photography, you've got the equipment and you know how to use it well. Your family is supportive, you've got on-call childcare lined up, and you're ready to go. What's next? You've got to build a portfolio that shows your birth photography skills. So, you enthusiastically contact a pregnant acquaintance and tell her that you are eager and excited and will shoot her birth for free, right?

Wrong. While this is a tactic that many, many aspiring birth photographers have used, experienced birth photographers will tell you this is NOT the way to go if you want people to value your services in the future. Birth photography is so much different than a 15-minute mini session you might offer for a discount to boost your portrait portfolio. Birth photography not only requires a huge sacrifice of your time, but it might actually require a great deal of expense to you as well--paying an on-call babysitter, having a spouse take a day of vacation time while you are at a birth, paying parking fees in the parking garage of the hospital, etc. By offering a free birth, you are actually losing money while investing a great deal of time in your client.  

Losing money on a birth client is a bummer, but you know what is even more of a bummer? Being on-call for that client, night and day, for weeks; anticipating the moment they go to into labor and give you that call to let you know; waiting and waiting for that chance to finally go photograph your first birth...only to wake up one morning and see a cell phone pic of your birth client's brand new baby in your Facebook newsfeed! You've rearranged your schedule, you've had on-call childcare waiting, your bag has been packed for weeks, and they don't even bother to call!?!?! Yep. It happens all the time. Why? Because they don't necessarily value the FREE service you are offering them. She goes into labor, real life gets in the way, things get hectic, and that call to you never gets made. They've invested NOTHING in you, so they have nothing to lose. How do I know this? Because I learned the hard way. It happened to me 4 out of my first 5 births. It was devastating! I wasn't charging a deposit, and they had no real reason to call me. I started charging a deposit and do you know what happened? Clients started calling me every time.  

Halsrud-Cedar-Rapids-Home-Birth-Photographer-9423 So here is my suggestion. The first step in portfolio-building is to SET YOUR PRICES and post them publicly. Let people see the true value of birth photography from the get-go. Then start trying to get clients. Offer a portfolio-building discount (in exchange for the clients signing a full model-release so that you can use their images publicly). Perhaps you advertise that the first couple that books you gets a 75% portfolio-building discount, and have them pay the balance (or at least a good deposit) up front. It's a win-win. Someone gets a great deal on an incredibly valuable service, and you get a client who values your service and has invested in you...and will most likely actually call you when the time comes! The second couple that books you might get a 50% off discount, which they'll be thrilled with after seeing the images you took at your first birth. After 3 or 4 births, you should have a pretty great portfolio and be ready to start charging your normal fees. In the mean time, you haven't lost money, you haven't gotten burned by no-calls, and everyone can see your amazing images that you have captured along the way!

Just to recap: 1.) Don't offer free birth sessions for portfolio-building. 2.) Don't take a birth without a deposit. 3.) Set your pricing and value yourself highly so that potential clients will value you as well! 

Don't undervalue your time and expertise. You are offering an amazing service to your clients, and if your portfolio and photographic skills speak for themselves, there are plenty of clients out there who will value and invest in your service!

by Laura Eckert of New Creation Photography & Birth Photography in Cedar Rapids/Iowa City, IA.
 

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Want to see more images from the PBAP?  Check out the link at the bottom of this blog!
 

Check out some more PBAP photos from Sticky Mango Photos!!

Digital Photography 101 Spring 16b

Got a nice camera but don't know how to use it to its full potential? Interested in photography but could stand to learn a few things? New Creation's Digital Photography 101 class is for you! Join us on Saturday, June 11th from 9am-4pm for a class that will help you make the most out of your camera and improve your photos.

Let's face it: you need this class! You've got a nice camera, but it's stuck on "auto". Your camera is controlling you, but you need to be controlling it if you want to take the very best photos! So, clear your calendar and sign up today. Get a friend to sign up too and learn together. I promise you will be a better photographer when you leave, and you'll have a great time too!

We will start by exploring camera features, aperature, shutter speed, exposure, depth of field, lenses, composition and other elements of photography. Then, we'll take what we've learned and put it to the test, actually taking photos, uploading them, sharing them with others, and maybe even doing some light Photoshop work to them. If there’s time we'll conclude with some ideas of how to creatively get those great photos from computer to print.

If you are a photo enthusiast, scrapbooker, nature lover, or mom who wants great pictures of her kids, this class is for you! Just $200 includes lunch and 7 hours of instruction and practice. The workshop will be held at my studio in Shueyville, IA.

Go to https://tave.com/newcreationphotography and select “Digital Photography 101” as the session type or call 319-841-2071 to register or get more information! Space is very limited, so act quickly!

$50 deposit is non-refundable and guarantees your spot in the June 11th workshop. The remaining $150 balance will be due via cash or check on the day of the workshop. Must have 6 registered or class may be postponed (in which case deposits would be refunded!).

Want to see more images from the PBAP?  Check out the link at the bottom of this blog!

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Check out some more PBAP photos!  Here's some from Cortney Fraleigh of Captured by Cortney Photography! 

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So, just how BIG are these drives??  Well, technically, they are 4gb, but they're really so much more than that.  By purchasing your drive, you will become an NCPVIP!!  And why is that big?  Oh, you know, you'll just get 15% off EVERY New Creation session, product and service AND get TWO FREE IMAGES ($80 value) with every session you purchase from New Creation. Every. Single. Session. And you know what else?  You'll also get EARLYBIRD access to sign-ups for mini-sessions! And knowing me, I'll probably be throwing in some new perks every now and then too.

FAQs:

1.) How much will the drive cost me?  

That's always the first question, right?  It would be for me.  How much is this drive, plus all the NCP benefits worth to YOU?!?  JUST $150.  Yep, that's right .  $150 and it will MORE than pay for itself after just two sessions.  How can you NOT buy this drive?!?!

2.) When can I get mine?

Your drive can be purchased simply by emailing me at laura@newcreationphotography.com and telling me which color (blue, yellow, green) you prefer.  I will email the invoice ASAP, and your drive will be shipped to you quickly once the invoice is paid! 

3.) How many images will my 4gb drive hold?

There's a lot of variables that go into determining the file size of an image, and therefore the figures I give are very approximate.  However, I will say that based on the average sizes of the last twenty or so sessions that I've completed, the drive should hold pretty much all of your portrait sessions that you have ever done or ever will do with New Creation. :)  (I'm talking portrait sessions, here, not births.  Births are a whole different ballgame!)  You can consolidate and archive all of your sessions onto one drive. From my calculations, I believe that each drive should hold approximately FORTY PICten sessions or about EIGHTY EXPRESSions sessions, give or take a few depending on how many extra images you order, if your session was in studio or outside (yep, true story), etc.  Either way, that's a whole lotta sessions that will fit on your drive.  You'll be able to transfer all past cds to your drive if you'd like, and download all images from your future image galleries. Seriously, it's going to be awesome.

4.) Will you still be giving out cds with sessions?

CDs are out. Digital downloads are in. A lot of today's laptops aren't even being sold with cd drives anymore.  They're getting to be old technology.  CDs will be available as an add-on for sessions, but they won't come as part of your image package. It will be much more economical AND practical in the long-run to invest in the NCPVIPdrive!!!
 

5.) What are the perks?

*15% off every New Creation session, service or product!
*Receive two free images with every session! ($80 value!)
*Get earlybird access for mini-session sign-ups!
​*Add on the "Love 'em All" Package after your session for just $250!
*Save 15% on Education Workshops like Digital Photography 101 and Photoshop 101!

6.) This is so awesome!  How can I ever thank you?

Well thanks so much! *blushes* You can thank me by purchasing your drive, and continuing to be an awesome, loyal, and dedicated NCP client.  And if you've never been an NCP client before?  There has NEVER been a better time to become one!  Get your NCPVIPdrive right away and begin filling your drive with beautiful images and unforgettable moments! :)  Also, share NCP with your friends.  That would be awesome too. 

 

She really has nothing to do with the NCPVIPdrives.  She's just super cute.  And her mom could put this image on an NCPVIPdrive!! :)

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