As I mentioned in my previous post in the last few months I have been totally blown by the range of photographers who have found us – from all types of photography and from all over the world.
I am so excited to share with you one of my favorites. And even more excited that he volunteered to write a post for of us – to share about his awesome technique.
When I first reached out to Keoni, I explained that there are a two recurring themes I started to notice in some of the best albums being submitted:
1. Including only the best images from a shoot into an album makes such a difference.
2. The ORDER of the images can really have a significant impact on the story the images tell and the emotional impact they make.
Keoni’s stickyalbums are such perfect examples of these concepts I had to ask him to tell us more about how he does it. Specifically, he leads with really strong images, but then ends with some of the most amazing jaw droppingly awesome images. When we talk about making an impression on potential clients, this is how you do it. You want to leave an impression that lasts – that keeps them thinking about it 2-3 weeks – even moths later. You really do want your last impression to be your best. Open this post on your iPhone or iPad and Tap these links to see what I mean. Then continue reading below to learn how to do it yourself.
BUILD A STORY & MAKE THEM CRY
I love browsing through photography websites & blogs. I find my self always curious in what the photographer sees? Looking for how originality in the backgrounds and poses. How much energy & emotion is in the image? Where does the photographer position him/herself to capture the moment in time? Then there’s lighting, always the lighting.
But most of all I try to see if the story of the day is being told.
Believe me I know there are some incredible photographers out there. However, a common thread I’ve discovered is that many photographers stop at the “cool photo” never thinking of what the customer wants to see. I know that for the most part we the photographers are showing off are best shots to the customer, keeping in the back of our mind that a few other photographers may see our work on the World Wide Web.
However, as professionals we are forgetting the elephant in the room…
THE CUSTOMER!! They don’t really care about the lighting, or what cool action is used.
They want to be emotionally moved by what they see. Enter…StickyAlbums.
Stickyalbums are a fantastic way to show off those incredible pictures to the person that counts the most, the customer. Yes they are the one who may purchase more images, slideshows, books, a canvas clusters etc… More importantly, they are the one who’s going to become a loyal and vocal customer.
You need to use SITCKYALBUMS as your WOW factor.
I have found a great way to take the viewer/ client to another level by following these few minor steps.
1) Pick your best 10 to 15 “cool” images: The photos you want every photographer to look at on your website. You know, the pics that say, “THIS is my style”.
2) Time Line: Arrange these photos into the story of the day. Your session could be 8hrs or a half hour. It doesn’t matter. There was a timeline & ultimately a story to tell.
3) Take the next 10 to 15 favorite photos from your folder & filter them into the timeline you have created. These are what went on between all the cool shots. Now you should have about 20 to 30 images.
4) Insert LOGO: This is only good if you want to have the multiple viewers of your customers app walk away with your name & logo on their mind. Make sure you place the logos on your WOW pics. These are the pictures you know people are going to remember. Having your name plastered across an app show like this is the kind of free commercial we as small business owners dream of.
5) BIG BANG Theory: Remember to open & close with a BIG bang. Putting the most striking photos as bookends of your story well hopefully bring a smile & bonus, a tear. This is yet another way to keep your name on their mind.
You can easily use these same design steps when building a slideshow, or custom book for your customers. The cool thing about STICKYALBUMS app is that it’s a faster and easier way to promote your business & keep customers happy, and ultimately setting you apart from others in the industry, I hope these design steps will help you out as much as it has helped me.
KEONI Ks a wedding/ lifestyle and commercial photographer. Keoni K uses social networking as a means to show customers their story books, slideshows, & now apps with STICKALBUMS. When not shooting or teaching “SHOOT for the BOOK: Steps in Creating the Perfect Story” work shops, He lives in Nashville, TN & enjoys his wife & 4 kids.
