Why Creative Portraits Are Just What Your Business Needs – Rock Hill, SC Photographer
Have you ever come across a website for a business and just fallen in love with the business because their online presence is so awesome? The site was clean, professional and the images portrayed the business in the best light possible. But then I’m sure you’ve also come across a site that looked dated, used stock images, and just didn’t do it for you visually. Or worse yet, they have absolutely no web presence? As business owners we like to think that our work speaks for itself. If I make my clients happy and put out good work then that’s all it should take to bring in new clientele. Well, yes, that’s partly true, but (and this is a big BUT) our online presence says more about us to potential clients than we think.
What’s the first thing most of us do when searching for a new business? Say you need a plumber, a baker, a photographer…we hop online and begin our research. Even if we have a recommendation from a friend or family member most of us want to do our own research online first; let’s face it we’re not trusting Aunt Helen with just word of mouth business, we have to see things for ourselves. Your website, LinkedIn or Facebook page can make or break you to a potential client at this point. That head shot photo you took at Sears 20 years ago isn’t going to cut it in this day and age. Or that selfie you took in your bathroom, yeah that definitely doesn’t scream ‘I want to work with you!’
So much has changed about head shots these days. Branding head shots not only show the world who you are through your awesome personality, they also showcase what you do in the most professional way possible. Do you bake cakes for living? Why not have a photographer come in and photograph you while you work and then throw in some more traditional head shots at the end. Sell insurance or real estate? Have your photographer on standby so they can capture your images with clients instead of resorting to those boring stock photos every other realty and insurance office uses on their site. Even for me as a photographer, sure I can (and have) taken self portraits, but I’ve also worked with other photographers to have them take photos of me and I’ll continue to do so as long as I’m in business.
So if you’re a business owner (or even just in business and need to update your online image presence – and no those selfies aren’t cutting it) reach out to your favorite photographer and see if they do branding photography. I love supporting local, small businesses and would love to make you stand out from the rest. If you’re interested in scheduling a session please contact me at [email protected]!
All About Working With Denise Benson Photography – Rock Hill, SC Photographer
So…you’re thinking of booking a photography session. You hop online + begin to do research. You’re overwhelmed with the possibilities since it seems that everyone (and their mom) is a photographer. How do you choose which person is right for you? How do you know if their style will fit with your personality? How do you even know if they’re qualified? These questions, along with many more I’m sure, run through a lot of peoples’ minds when deciding to hire a photographer. I like to take a lot of the guess work out of it for you from the minute you contact me. Here’s how I’m hoping that choosing Denise Benson Photography is more of an experience versus just a quick session.
1. Online Presence | In this day and age we live in a digital world. That means the moment you want to find something out about a person, business, product, etc our initial instinct is to hop online and begin our research. I feel that having a strong digital presence can make or break a business. I surely wouldn’t hire someone that didn’t have at the very least a Facebook page. But better yet, I want to see a legitimate website. One with your own domain name and that looks like it’s maintained regularly (sites that haven’t been updated since 2012 need not apply). Not only do I have a website with a blog that I try to keep up on a weekly basis, but I also have a strong presence on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter + LinkedIn). I try to make sure that however potential clients may try to find me, I’m there. My website is clean and easy to navigate. I don’t want to over complicate things and confuse clients. My website is my introduction to you. I want it to be the best representation of me.
2. The Initial ‘Meeting’ | Once you’ve decided that you like what you see as far as my images and web presence goes, then you reach out to me via email or telephone call. You’re still not 100% sure if I’m the right photographer for you, but you like what you see so far so you want to know a bit more. At this point I send all of my potential clients an informational email letting you know a bit about me, my style of photography + my pricing/booking information. You get a quick rundown before even signing the contract or paying the retainer fee.
3. Consultation | I use the term consultation loosely. The only time I do a thorough, sit down consultation with a client is if it’s an elopement client or the client prefers it. All other ‘consultations’ are handled via email. After signing the contract and paying your retainer I will mail you my Welcome Packet. It includes a plethora of information that will answer any other questions you may have about working with me. The packet includes (but is not limited to) a What To Wear Guide, Print Pricing Information, etc. It’s a more thorough informational guide than the email you received when initially contacting me. The ‘consultation’ period can last right up to your session date because I allow clients to email or call me with wardrobe and prop ideas that we can decide on together. I’m here with you from the start of your experience to the very end.
4. The Session | I make sure to contact all of my clients 2-3 days prior to your session to answer any last minute questions as well as reminders about the date/time/location of your session. The day of our session it’s go time. This is the time where we finally get to put your vision and mine to work! This is the exciting part. I will put you at ease and make things as comfortable as possible. I know being in front of the camera can be a scary thing so I try to take as much time as necessary with my clients to make them feel at home.
5. Post-Session | I will use this time to edit your photos. This process can take up to 14 days. I give myself that extra time in case it’s a busy season, or I am out of town for any reason, but I can usually get the images back to you before then. I love to share sneak peeks on social media so be prepared to get a ‘friend request’ from me so that I can make sure to tag you! After you’ve viewed your proofs you will decide on which images you would like to include on your USB as well as any prints you order. While I do allow my clients to print their own photos should they choose to do so, I warn them that I cannot control the image quality. The only way I have quality control is to print the photos directly from my professional photo lab. The images they produce are beautiful and consist of high quality, archival paper.
6. The Presentation | I love boutique packaging (which is just a fancy way of saying that your images and USB are packaged in a beautiful way). I enjoy sitting down in my home + creating a beautiful package to gift my clients. It makes me smile when my clients tell me they loved how their images were handed to them. It’s all in the details for me. If you’re receiving only a USB I will mail it to you (unless you live nearby and it’s easy for us to meet), but clients that receive large prints I prefer to hand deliver your items to you.
7. The Perks | Being a client of DBP allows you special perks as well. Any client that contacts me regarding a photo session (even if you don’t book!) is able to sign up for my monthly newsletter, known as DBP VIP members. Newsletter recipients are the first to hear about what’s going on at DBP, as well as any specials or contests I’m running. And sometimes they are the only people that may hear about a promotion. They’re basically my VIP members hence the name. You don’t have to inquire about a session to belong on my newsletter list you can sign up right here on my site with the pop up form that shows up when you visit DBP. Also, every booked client will receive a Christmas card during the year of their session with a special ‘thank you’ gift from DBP. It’s my way of letting you know that you’re not just another number on a list, but an important part of my business and I’m thankful to have had the opportunity to work with you.
That pretty much sums up the Denise Benson Photography experience. Thank you so much for taking the time out to read this and if any of this appealed to you I’d love to hear from you! Contact me so we can discuss your session needs!
Is eloping right for you? Let me first preface this blog post by saying that weddings scare the bejesus out of me. Not physically attending a wedding, although that’s not exactly my favorite thing to do either, but shooting weddings. That’s the reason I have never agreed to shooting a full blown wedding. And by full blown I mean, bridesmaids + groomsmen, flowers up + down the aisle, a huge reception with all of the scary indoor lighting, etc. Nope, not for me. At all. I learned very early on in this business that if you’re ill equipped for a wedding you will potentially ruin someone’s big day so it’s best to leave it to someone that actually knows what they’re doing. Not having the proper training/experience or equipment or insurance can all lead to that day being disastrous. So I decided early on that I wanted no parts in that. Could I take on a wedding + have it turn out pretty good, probably. Am I willing to take that chance? No sir! So as the wedding requests rolled in I politely declined (letting the potential clients know that I am however available for engagement + bridal sessions) + referred them to a few other amazing wedding photographers that I know.
But then came the opportunity for an elopement. It was different than an actual wedding. There would be no wedding party. Just the bride, groom, officiant + two witnesses. This, I thought, I could handle. The ceremony as well as a few portraits afterward would take no more than an hour + I felt comfortable with that since it seemed more in line with a regular portrait session. So I met with the bride + groom to find out their wedding day needs + we trudged forward. I was happy with the results as well as the clients. This was in 2013 + since then I had no more elopement requests. Big weddings, yes, elopements, no…until this year.
I’ve noticed more and more people deciding to elope instead of having a large wedding. With websites like Runawaywithme.com gaining in popularity I can see why it’s such a popular option with some couples. Within the last couple of months I’ve had two elopement + a small wedding vow renewal ceremony (that I just shot last weekend so stay tuned to the blog in the coming week for that post!) inquiries. It got me to thinking that maybe I should add this to my package options. It seems there is a demand for it + why not? Elopements are more about the bride + groom versus a wedding which seems to be about everyone else. It’s intimate, which I love, cost effective + I feel that I would be able to solely focus on the couple instead of everything else going on around them at the time of their wedding. So with that said, check out my pricing page + if you’re interested in my elopement services give me a call or shoot me an email. I’d love to talk things over with you + be a part of your special day!
Lashawn S. Bridal Portraits – Rosewood on Country Club, Lancaster, SC
I have had such a pleasure working with LaShawn for not only her bridal portraits, but her engagement party photos last year. Since I’m not a wedding photographer I don’t get many opportunities to take bridal portraits, but when I do get the chance I’m ecstatic! A woman just glows when she’s in her dress and all done up. And can I just say that her dress is absolutely stunning! I was wowed from the moment she showed me what it would look like.
We had the session at the beautiful Rosewood on Country Club estate in Lancaster, SC and I was thrilled at the chance to get to shoot at this hidden gem in my hometown. We shot late in the evening which produced beautiful lighting to accompany the beautiful bride and location. I wish LaShawn and her fiancee Bryan nothing but the best on their journey into forever together.
This past weekend my best friend graduated with her Master in Nursing from UNC Chapel Hill in Chapel Hill, NC. Proud doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel. I’ve watched her sacrifice time with friends and family, take time away from her job as well as spend day and night studying, reading and writing one heck of a paper! All of her hard work finally paid off and I’m so excited to see what her future has in store for her!
Her session took place the morning of her graduation right on the campus of UNC Chapel Hill. Traffic was crazy that morning and our original shoot location was thwarted by a sea of people wanting to use the exact same location for their photos. There were a lot of families milling about due to other graduations taking place that day as well as students moving out of their housing areas, but we managed to find a great little area on campus that was somewhat secluded and proceeded to capture this wonderful memory. I honestly think this area was an even better fit for her session than the original location because it wasn’t overly used. Her photos will definitely stand out in comparison to her classmates that wanted to shoot in the ‘popular’ part of campus.
And just a note to anyone living in this area, or anywhere else in the Carolinas for that matter: Although my home base is in Rock Hill, SC I love to travel to new areas and explore wonderful shoot locations. After a while shooting the same locations repeatedly can become a bit boring and stale. So if you live in or around the Chapel Hill area and are interested in a session please let me know! I had a wonderful time here for Kanitra’s graduation and would love to return again.
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