Welcome
Welcome to our next issue!
This past week I made it through five straight days of sessions in 90 degree heat and what seemed like 1000% humidity. It was hotter than hell out there!
And you know what I discovered?
Sitting in front of a screen all winter and most of the spring is not a good way to get in shape for days and days of two hour sessions in the heat!
That, and I'm getting older! And being able to do what we do in this business as we get older requires us to maintain some degree of physical fitness.
To those of you who are young and toned, I know you have no idea what I'm talking about. But store this away for later in life, because someday you'll say 'that SeniorInspire guy was right!'
But for the rest of us, if I can inspire you to do anything this week, go for a long walk, jump on a bike, swim some laps, or do whatever it is you like to do to get yourself in shape for this business!
But don't leave your screen just yet... We've got a great issue for you! 😃
Magazine Update
Magazine Update
Mark your calendars for next Tuesday, June 22nd!
That's when we're going to begin taking submissions for the summer issue of SeniorInspire the magazine!
We are so close!
Be watching for more details in next week's newsletter and in the SeniorInspire Facebook group.
And if you're not already a member of our Facebook community, wth? Get on that!
Marketing and Branding
How Many P's in Marketing?
If you said zero, you are just wrong. The correct answer is four!
See them now?
OK, I don't see them either...
But if you were lucky enough to study marketing in college, you'd know the four P's of marketing are product, price, place, and promotion.
Want to know more? Check out this article for a great primer on the four P's and how to apply them to your business!
Adobe Products
Don't Miss This Lightroom Classic Update
I usually yawn when I see updates to Lightroom Classic.
They've been adding a lot of cloud features the last couple years I just don't care about. Sorry, but being able to use Lightroom on my iPad, phone or etch-a-sketch doesn't get me that excited.
But last week they released a new version of Lightroom Classic with a couple cool features worth checking out.
First up is the new Super Resolution feature that effectively allows you to double the resolution of your raw files.
My Sony A9 ii produces files that are 24.2 megapixels. That's plenty big enough for senior photos, but I do have a bad habit of cropping into my photos which reduces the resolution of that cropped image.
With Lightroom's new Super Resolution feature I can take those cropped images and double their resolution before I turn them into jpgs. That's cool!
I've tested this feature a bit and it seems to work well. Is it as good as cropping into a 61 megapixel file from the Sony A7R IV? Most likely not, but it's still a nice option to have.
The second new feature I'm digging is the new batch of presets Adobe is including in the develop module. There are now presets for different skin types as well as travel, futuristic and a few other scenarios.
Usually the standard presets are pretty ho-hum, but these new ones actually work very well and are worth checking out.
Here's a nice video I found that goes into a lot more detail on Super Resolution and runs through most of the new presets to give you an idea what they can do.
So if you use Lightroom Classic, your assignment for this week is to run the update and enjoy!
Meet the Photographer
On the Campaign Trail with Jennifer Collins
For this week's interview we're going south to Georgia to talk to Jennifer Collins who runs a fantastic studio and is also running for PPA Council.
SeniorInspire I want to talk with you a bit about why you're running for a seat on the PPA Council, but first tell us a bit about when and how you started J Collins Photography.
Jennifer Collins I actually graduated from college with a computer programming and information systems degree. They made me take electives outside the computer lab, so I took a photography class. And so it began! I have been full time as my only source of income for 21 years now - Yes, I am one of those 60% business/ 40% percent photography brained people. 😃
SI If you had a time machine and could go back to the start of your business with a boatload of cash, what's something you would have bought then that you didn't have when you were first starting out.
JC A studio from the ground up! With a place for everything, all the organizational bells and whistles!
SI I know you photograph seniors, kids and babies. Wow! Do you have a preference?
JC Love seniors! Some of the parents however…
SI What are you're always game for?
JC A new project. Sometimes it’s a new background or area I am designing to shoot in, like the truck I painted red white and blue. Sometimes it’s a type of photography I have not done before. I am currently playing with macro water drop photography and under water photography! I'm also always looking for ways to streamline my business and educate clients. I seriously believe in educating clients!
SI Pepsi or Coke? And do you feel pressured to say Coke because you live in Georgia?
JC Oh, bless your heart, neither of those matter. Red wine girl here. But I am a country girl, so let’s stay with cheap box wine. Seriously, the brand Black Box is good!
SI Who are a few photographers, artists or influencers you follow on Instagram you think people may not know.
JC You're joking, right? I am self-employed, there is no time to play on social media. Ok, honestly I enjoy looking at behind the scene pictures from a lot of artists. I change around a lot based on the project I am on at the moment. Actually, I get a lot of ideas and inspiration from Pinterest. The pictures on there inspire me some days but more often, it’s something besides a photograph that gets me going. Maybe a new clothing style, a textured wall or maybe even what colors are in a painting.
SI OK, let's talk a little bit about the PPA Council. Tell us a bit about why you're running and how PPA members can vote. Can non-PPA members vote? You'd have my vote if they could.
JC Oh, flattery works for me ... haha. You do have to be a PPA member to vote.
I actually hadn't thought about running until a few weeks ago when someone nominated me. I'm on the board of directors for our state organization (GPPA), and I've been told people feel like they can voice their thoughts to me, and receive fair but honest feedback. I don't know who nominated me to begin with but after doing some thinking, I am very glad they did and I'm up for listening to their ideas and hope to put some of those ideas into motion.
SI Good luck with that! Any readers who are PPA members can head to the PPA website and cast your vote for Jennifer. Ballots must be cast by tomorrow, June 16th!
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