1. HOTOGRAPHY
Idea Book
Tammy K Ewy

2. Table of Contents
Newborns
Children
Seniors
Families
Poses
Business Ideas
3
6
9
12
15
18

3. Newborns
I love photographing newborns because I am a baby lover. I love their sweet innocent
look and their soft newborn skin. I love to cuddle babies and I strive to capture their
sweetness. I like capturing their natural relaxed and calmness. I also like to pose them
all curled up like you sometimes find them sleeping on their tummy or their side with
their hands all in a little fist tucked in close to their face. I also like trying new things
with their flexible little bodies and placing them in a small box or basket. Babies are
one of my favorite subjects.
I’m always looking for new ideas to capture newborns. I like to use all kinds of differ-
ent soft textures so I’m always looking for soft colors and textures to use in my new-
born photography sessions. Sometimes parents bring their own blankets or props
which makes my job just a little bit easier. I’m also looking for different containers to
place my newborns in for a new look and something different than I’ve used before. I
don’t want all of my newborn images to look the same. People like change and I like to
change things up a bit too.

4. Newborns
Kelly Ryden is a newborn photographer that captures beautiful
images of babies. I love the soft light, soft textures, and of course
the babies soft skin. Her style shows great depth of field focusing
on her subjects.

5. I adore these close up images by Bella Baby. I love the
soft light on the babies soft skin and the precious pink
newborn skin. I also like the details in their little faces
and their sleepy little eyes. Tight frames are something
I am a huge fan of. http://www.myhealthnewsletter.
com/rexhealth/yourlife/april2012/images/167x100_
feat1_babyphotos.jpg

6. I love these black and white images and the beautiful con-
trast of tones.

7. Children
I love children and I feel that I am very good with them. I love their smiles and adorable
giggles. I wish I could have captured my kid’s giggles in a bottle so that I could open it and
listen to it every time I need a lift. I like to capture children sitting and posing with a smile
but know that isn’t always possible with their short attention span. I am patient and ready
to make changes with young children who are on the move. I want the parents to be close
by to keep little ones safe from tumbles and escapes.
I am always keeping my eye out for ways to photograph children. I try to keep a variety of
different color backgrounds to go with their outfits, eyes, or personalities. I’m always look-
ing for cute little chairs or boxes for children to sit on. I like different textures and colors in
my props too. I love rustic worn textures because I seem to photograph a lot of little cow-
boy or farm girls and boys in my area. I like to photograph children both indoors and out
so I’m always looking for new locations to photograph them in too.

8. Children
Kari Heimerman photographs children very similar to the way I like to photo-
graph them. I photograph them in and outdoors but love using rustic objects
or backgrounds and always try to capture the spark in their eyes.

9. Erin does a fabulous job using natural light to cap-
ture these cuties outdoors. I like the shallow depth of
field used to make her subjects really stand out. She
does a wonderful job with color also.

10. I love the way Danny Steyn Photography captures
children close up and that beautiful sparkle in their
eyes.

11. Seniors
Graduating from High School is exciting. I want to make my photo shoots for senior excit-
ing and fun too. I think it is important to photograph seniors in their environment where
they participate in school, sports, or other activities. I will travel to photograph seniors on
location if that is what they want. Seniors take a lot of patience and time because they like
to change wardrobe quite often during their photo shoot. I’m always looking for ideas, lo-
cations, and poses for photographing seniors. This is an age where they can be fun or frus-
trating. I like to have some music on hand to help them relax and have a good time and of
course keep the conversation going about their interests is a great way to help them relax
and have fun. I encourage them to bring their own props for sports photos like: uniforms,
shoes, balls, and even awards. It’s a good idea to have a snack and bottled water on hand
for senior photo shoots because they can take a few hours. I like to shoot images of seniors
both indoors and out and this is helpful with all the different changes they make in their
wardrobe because I need a lot of different backgrounds.

12. Seniors
Kimberly Smith specializes in photographing graduating high school
seniors. She does such an amazing job at capturing their personality by
using props and environments. Her images are sharp and vibrant.

13. Sara Welch has a great eye for choosing backgrounds for her
subjects. I really like how the colors relate to the subjects
eyes on the right and the subjects clothing below. I also like
the shallow depth of field in these images. The outdoor natu-
ral lighting is perfect and gives a nice soft look.

14. I often have seniors wanting sports pictures and
Mike Turner Photography has some excellent
sports portraits that show what these kids do. He
also has great lighting and poses.

15. Families
Family is so important to me. I really enjoy getting to know the families in my community
and capturing images for them to cherish. I will travel to their location and do on loca-
tion or studio and sometimes both if they live in my area. Sometimes we go to local places
such as parks, creeks, dirt roads, or whatever fits their needs. I like to have lots of room to
let them be themselves but I also enjoy photographing them in my studio. When I pho-
tograph families in my studio I like to bring them close together with arms around each
other or sitting on mom or dads lap, piggy back, dog pile, whatever they are comfortable
with. By listening to parents you can usually get a feel if they are playful or very strict and
they kind of set the mood for you. I capture families posing but also playing or laughing
together. Close and calm in the studio but playful and active outdoors is probably a good
idea. I wouldn’t want to break my photography equipment by being too playful indoors.
I’m always looking for poses for family photo shoots especially when the families are large
with lots of members. If the families are more than five people I usually shoot them out-
doors because my studio is not very big and my backdrops are not big enough to cover
them.

16. Families
Lara B. Hopkins is a family photographer that photographs families big
and small which is something I also do. She captures families on loca-
tion and shows the closeness of family in her images.
Families

17. We don’t have views like this in Kansas but I love the playful-
ness in Deborah Kalas’s images. Photographing larger families
outdoors is a must for me because I have a small studio. I love
how the family members are holding each other and having
fun. Even though the sun seems bright Deborah has done a
great job with the lighting in the images.

18. I have always wanted to capture an image of a family on the
beach like this one by Maui Professional Photography. I like how
this photographer uses cordinating colors for the families too.

19. Poses
It’s a good idea to have a list of poses for any kind of photography shoots. I once shot a
dance recital and boy did I wish I had something to look at. I felt like I was shooting them
same pose with every dancer and it was driving me crazy. If you are shooting a ballet recit-
al it’s nice to search some poses for ballet so that you will know how to have your subject
sit or stand. I did this after my first dance recital shoot and there are a lot of great ideas on
the internet for this, lesson learned.
I’m always searching the internet for poses now because there are so many ideas and dif-
ferent ways to pose people. Looking through magazines is also a good way to get new
pose ideas. I don’t like to photograph weddings but you can find some great ideas in bridal
magazines for wedding shots. Sports magazines are great for sports photography ideas too.
When photographing large groups it’s a good idea to have an assistant along to help posi-
tion and watch for out of place subjects and also to help keep their attention while you are
shooting.

20. Poses
I really like the variety of poses on the right that I found on pinterest.com, it gives lots
of ideas for photographing families. The image below is a nice idea to photograph a
small family. I have done this with one or two children but would love to try with a
family.

21. There is nothing sweeter than a newborn baby and noth-
ing cuter than a babies skin. I have had several parents
ask me to photograph their babies with the bottoms up
and I love the prop too.
This reminds me of the first time I held my baby all
bundled up in a blanket, who wouldn’t want to capture
that memory to cherish.

22. I’m a big fan of getting close and cumfy with family
and I know these will be some fun poses to try with
the families I photograph.

23. Business Ideas
Having a folder for business ideas is a great way to keep track of things that need to be
done and ways to do them in your photography business. This is something that I really
need to work on and follow through with. Gathering information about what I need to run
a business and how to be successful will be very beneficial to me. It will help me set goals
and hopefully answer questions that keep surfacing in my mind and give me something to
look back on.
I need to keep information about income, expenses, and advertising. I really need to make
packages for my clients and stick to them. I really need a collection of forms and price lists.
I need forms for my clients to fill out for my files and I need to give them a form for theirs.
I need ideas to store images, forms, and contacts. I am at a place in my photography busi-
ness where I have a lot of ideas on photographing people but I really need to work on the
business side of my photography. This folder is probably the most important and will be
most beneficial to me in the long run.

24. Business Ideas
I really like the print portfolio below. I like that pages can be removed
and replaced if need be.
Kari Heimerman is always running specials for mini sessions. I
love this idea to create business especially during slow months.

25. There are so many great ideas in this list I just had to have it all:
Thank yous/Gifts {for word of mouth} | Photography Marketing Tips
1. Thank you cards – send one after each session.
2. Give customers a set of wallets with their order to use as referral cards. Pick your favorite photo from the session, put your studio/contact infor-
mation on the back.
3. Reward past clients with discounts and referral incentives. Give them more reasons to remember you when talking to friends and family.
4. Keep your customers happy!
5. Include bonus, surprise prints with the customer’s order. Write a handwritten note explaining how much you loved working with them and
value their support.
6. Consider giving a few low res watermarked images to seniors for sharing on Facebook. They will see this as a thank you – and yet you get the
word of mouth benefit when their friends see.
7. Give a magnet to each customer with your favorite image(s) from a session. Include contact info (website and number).
8. Offer a unique gift before the session, during or after – it could be a small gift certificate, fresh baked goods, or any other small token of appre-
ciation.
Photography Marketing Tips - 50 Marketing Ideas for Photographers
Get out there {for more word of mouth and visibility} | Photography Marketing Tips
9. Show up at local events, and with permission from the organizers, shoot photos. Get your website address out there by handing cards and post-
ing the images online.
10. Have a contest/drawing for a free photo session. This way you can collect names, addresses, and emails for all the non-winners for future busi-
ness.
11. Use Facebook ads to target customers locally
12. Start a Facebook fan page to share images, photography marketing tips, communicate photography specials, and interact with your customers.
Invite all your local friends so they can help get the word of mouth underway.
13. Post customer images on Facebook, and tag them – this is especially effective for senior photography.
14. Give free artwork and photographs to doctors offices, hair salons, baby boutiques, etc. Include a small sign and/or stack of business cards. Stop
by occasionally to leave more cards for sharing.
15. Blogging (Photography Marketing Tips) – blog each session that you do. Those photographed will spread the word so friends and family can
see the images.
16. Deliver an excellent product and experience. Your customers will talk about you.
17. Use referral cards – hand these out with every order so your past customers can spread the word easily for you.
18. For children’s portraiture, join a “Mom’s group” and get to know the other women, who may end up your customers and/or refer people to you.

26. 19. Take your camera everywhere. It is an easy way to start a conversation. And always have your business cards ready!
20. Add a small label on the back of baby and senior announcement cards with your photo studio’s name and web address. Nothing tacky. Just
simple and small.
21. SEO – if you come up on specific photography searches for your area, potential customers will find you.
22. Donate a free session for a fundraiser auction – include a sample of your work and stacks of cards.
23. Don’t be shy. Hand out cards to people when you are out – for example if a mom is at a park with their kids, give them a card and tell them
about you.
24. Network with a group of local small businesses – and help each other with photography marketing tips.
25. Get your name, website and email listed on all the free photographer databases online.
Photography Marketing Tips - 50 Marketing Ideas for Photographers
Get visual | Photography Marketing Tips
26. Use images on your business cards
27. Have a website with best examples of your work, and keep it updated periodically.
Photography Websites, Design & Photography Marketing Tips – www.medianovak.com
28. Have different business cards for your different specialties. If you do more than one type of photography, have cards for each type, so you hand
out cards specific to the interests of the person asking.
29. Show your best images on your business cards.
30. Show it to sell it! Have samples of wall portraits to show clients. When they think an 8×10 will do it, “wow” them with a 16×24 standout mount
or 20×30 gallery wrap, and show it on the wall so they can see its value as an art piece.
31. Have samples of any products you wish to sell, whether it be gallery wrap canvases to albums, to photo jewelry. People need to touch and feel
in order to buy.
32. Create branding that is unique to you. Make it memorable.
33. Control the process – and even if you offer DVDs of the session, also give them lists of places to get images printed with a high quality that
represents you well.
Pricing | Photography Marketing Tips
34. Volume discounts for large orders
35. Packages and bundled pricing

27. 36. Give coupons to your friends to pass out to their friends.
37. Consider a friends and family discount (that is if you want to take pictures of friends and family – sometimes this can cause issues of its own).
38. Offer mini shoots, themed holiday shoots and portrait parties as a lower cost, higher volume option
39. Work for free – not often – but donating time to a charity can go a long way.
40. Offer occasional deals – such as book in X month, get a free 8×10.
41. Figure out how much money you ultimately want to walk away with from a shoot. If you have, say, three packages available, use that amount
as your mid-priced package. Then, for your first package (the package you want the customer to see first) price it much higher. The third package
will be your lowest priced package, but will be bare bones. This way you sort of subconsciously funnel customers to the package and price in the
middle.
42. Don’t list prices on your web site. If you do, you’ll just be another photographer in the list for them to choose from and they’ll likely go with
the best deal. You want the potential customer to call and connect with you. Have them select you because they want “you” to be the one to take
their pictures. (I know some will disagree – but it is something to consider)
Photography Marketing Tips - 50 Marketing Ideas for Photographers
Motivation/Other tips and ideas… | Photography Marketing Tips
43. Believe in yourself! If you have confidence in yourself and your photography, so will others.
44. Share with other photographers. Be generous with ideas and photography marketing tips to help others – and they will give back to you. When
you give, your receive. Plus Karma!
45. Be genuine – give people reasons to trust you to take their photos. People do business with people they like.
46. Over deliver!
47. Do a little each day. Rather that just one big marketing campaign, provide steady, consistent, and quality photography and service. It will win
people over – one day at a time, one person at a time.
48. Be available! Do not use out of office replies that say you are so busy that it will take 48 hours to get back to them. Make your customers feel
important. Communicate in a timely fashion. Answer/return calls and emails.
49. Stay positive – never write anything negative about clients, a client’s preference or another photographer on your blog or Facebook page. You
may just be “venting”, but a new client would be less likely to choose a photographer who has negative posts like that.
50. KNOW your target market. Know their ages, their income levels, their interests and hobbies, and what makes them tick. You as a photogra-
pher do not have to be in your target market. Know your target customer’s habits. Where can you best reach them? Is it Facebook (seniors), mom’s
clubs, wedding shows, displays in the mall? There’s no right answer – it varies depending on who your ideal client is.
Photography Websites, Design & Photography Marketing Tips – www.medianovak.com

28. I think these note pads and notebooks by Pinhole pro would
be great client giveaway gifts for my photography business.

29. References
Baby GaGa http://forum.baby-gaga.com/about984801.html web. June 26, 2013
Bella Baby http://www.bellababyphotography.com/ web. July 10, 2013
Danny Steyn, Professional Photographer http://www.dannysteyn.com/childrens-photography-florida.htm web. July 18, 2013
Deborah Kalas Photography http://www.deborahkalasphotography.com/ web. July 10, 2013
Erin Carlyle Photography http://erincarlylephotography.com/ web. July 10, 2013
Family Photo Posing Tips (Older Kids) Feb. 16, 2012 http://www.iheartfaces.com/2012/02/family-photo-pose-ideas/ web, July 18, 2013
Kelley Ryden http://kelleyryden.com/web. June 26, 2013.
Heimerman Photography https://www.facebook.com web. June 26, 2013
Joey L http://www.joeyl.com/2011/05/creating-a-photography-portfolio/ June 26, 2013
Kari Heimerman http://www.heimermanphotography.com/index2. June 26, 2013
Kimberly Smith http://ckfineportraits.com/ web. June 26, 2013

30. Lara B. Hopkins Photography http://www.lbhphotography. June 26, 2013
Maui Professional Photography http://www.mauiprofessionalphotography.com/#/photography-portfolio/family-portrait-photography/
web. July 18, 2013
MediaNovak, 50 Marketing Tips for Photographers http://www.medianovak.com/blog/photography/marketing-tips-for-photogra-
phers-2/ March 22, 2013. web.
Mike Turner Photography http://www.miketurnerphotography.com/ web. July 18, 2013
Newborn Baby Photography Tips http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view web. July 18, 2013
Pinhold Pro, Product Gallery https://pinholepro.com/products/gallery/ web. July 18, 2013
Sara Welch Photography http://sarawelchphotography.com/ web. July 10, 2013