The word serendipity isn’t used enough and today I hope this favorite word of mine brings you a little happiness as you begin your work week.

A FEW DAYS AGO,

we were taking a ferry ride from Bainbridge Island to downtown Seattle. The sun was shining, the water calm, and all passengers on board were giddy excitement as the beautiful Emerald City came into view. From the bow’s upper deck, we had a perfect view of Puget Sound as well as the car deck below, an ideal spot for any people watcher. Of course, I couldn’t help but notice all the smartphones and cameras capturing happy moments and took stock of all the different camera straps people were using (I was personally using the WandeR Bundle Smartphone Safety Tether System on my iPhone X).

WHILE SOAKING IN ALL THE SIGHTS, SOUNDS, AND SCENT OF THE SEA,

I glanced down to the car deck below and noticed something happening: a beautiful couple stood at the bow of the boat while two photographers captured their embrace with the city skyline in the background. It was a perfect engagement session underway! Now, I spent the first 16 of my 20 years in photography shooting weddings and to this day, nothing makes me happier than to see love being captured and couldn’t help but smile with genuine joy watching this beautiful moment and photoshoot unfold. It was exquisite! Then I noticed something: one of the photographers was wearing a BLACKRAPID camera strap! With an ah-ha moment and my BLACKRAPID business card in hand, I ran down the steps to the photo session, introduced myself to the photographers, and asked if I could photograph them photographing the couple. They said yes! and we all quickly got to work.

PRO TIP:

No matter your experience level, photographing BTS images of seasoned photographers is always rewarding. You get to see the angles they see, listen to their etiquette in directing people, and learn to anticipate their moves during the shoot to capture the best angle that represents their story. It’s like learning to dance with a new partner and I highly recommend every photographer take on a couple BTS sessions a year just to stay fresh in style and practiced in experience.

MOVING AROUND CARS AND WASHINGTON STATE FERRY WORKERS,

the lovely photographer gracefully maneuvered her way around all obstacles with elegance. She was so kind and gentle in directing her couple, and I knew she was capturing something truly unique while also creating a special moment for them. I felt honored to be allowed to not only witness this beautiful session, but to also capture a few images for BLACKRAPID.

THE PHOTOGRAPHERS WERE NONE OTHER THAN

the highly esteemed Alante Photography team, Kimberly Person and Loren Callahan, winners of Seattle Bride Magazine’s Best Photographers of 2018 and I know it was true serendipity that our paths crossed at this moment, on this ferry, on this sunny summer day.

Thanks you guys, for allowing me to #LiveTheMoment with you!

To learn more about Kimberly and Loren, visit their website Alante Photography at www.alantephotography.com and be sure to follow them on Instagram @alantephotography www.instagram.com/alantephotography.

The post BLACKRAPID Guest Post by LaRae Lobdell | Photographing Photographers on a Ferry, Seattle WA appeared first on BLACKRAPID.

HERE IS WHY OUTSOURCING YOUR POST PRODUCTION WILL BENEFIT NOT ONLY YOUR BUSINESS BUT YOUR PERSONAL LIFE TOO.

As you grow in your photography business you may find yourself spending more time behind the computer than the camera.

MANY OF US CREATIVES BELIEVE THAT NO ONE IS BETTER THAN DOING OUR POST PRODUCTION THAN WE ARE.

It is “Part of my Style” – but what if someone else was better at it than you? And even better what if they were cheaper than you? What do I mean by that? Let’s say for argument’s sake that you charge your time as a photographer out at $150 per hour (don’t get all hit up about rates now, this is an outsourcing debate, not a pricing one) We all know that a one hour shoot often results in two hours of post production. This means you are effectively earning $50/hr. Let’s say that you could get someone to do your post production on that one hour job for $50. This means that now you are earning $100/hr. You have doubled your earning potential. Use those two hours that you would’ve spent sitting behind the computer on marketing your business or spending time with your family. Go and have a coffee with other role players in the industry, network, collaborate or even exercise! Using those two spare hours effectively will result in more time behind the camera, less in front of the computer, more money in the bank and Heaven forbid, maybe even a better product.

IN MY BUSINESS I AM THE SPECIALIST PHOTOGRAPHER, I LEAVE THE RETOUCHING TO THE PROS AND TOGETHER WE CREATE A PRODUCT THAT I COULDN’T HAVE ON MY OWN.

These three examples show just that. It would’ve taken me days to do what my retoucher did with the raw images she was given. I utilized that time productively to ensure the progression of my brand. As, I am writing this, my retouching is being done for me and a cheaper price than my time.

Happy shooting!

Brett Florens is a BLACKRAPID Ambassador. Discover more about his workshops and mentorships at http://brettflorens.com/photographers/.

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