Growing Pains: Shooting my first night wedding

This coming weekend, I will face one of the most challenging lighting situations so far in my photographic journey. I will be shooting a Jessaca and Nathan's winter wedding at night inside a church lit only with white Christmas lights and candles!

To further complicate matters, I and my assistants will not be allowed to shoot the actual wedding since it is against church rules to shoot the sacred ceremony. That means flash is out. However, that could be the silver lining in the cloud. We will be able to shoot several staged shots, including the bride's walk down the aisle and the kiss. I am hoping the officiant will allow us to set up some flashes for those special moments. Attending the wedding rehearsal earlier this week will give us a chance to scope things out.

My 70-200 2.8 offers the fast glass I need, while my Canon 5D's extended ISOs to 3200 and above will be a must if we can't use flash. If we can shoot from the balcony, I will definitely be using a tripod or monopod. That should allow me to drag the shutter and let in whatever ambient light may be available. I think grainy images in black and white could create a sense of romance and intimacy.



To prepare for this event, my blog this week will focus on tricky lighting tips during weddings.

I found this great thread about the exact topic on Photo.net's Lighting Equipment and Techniques Forum. It is filled with wonderful suggestions to tackle this issue. I would welcome and appreciate any other suggestions my readers can give. I also read this forum thread on low light weddings that was very helpful too.

Growing Pains: How Should You Price Your Photography

While reading some information on photographer's Rod Evan's Facebook page, I came upon this link to an amazing article about how portrait photographer Jodie Otte of Black Horse Studio answers the question: "How should I price my photography?" Otte was a guest blogger on the MCP Actions Blog. I found the ideas both right on and also worrisome because if her model is correct, then I am a long way from ever being able to be a full-time professional photographer. I'm definitely one of those kind of people who worry about charging too much and making sure people can afford me, especially when I - along with everyone else - is reeling from the economic downturn. But Otte carves away emotion and gets back to the practicality of what is essential for having a successful business....and that means you've got to set your prices to make a profit!


Here is Otte's advice:

As a general observation, I am shocked at the low prices of a lot of photographers - especially new photogs, and I hope this isn’t offensive to anyone, but what is more important than your photography, is your business skills when running a business. This industry is completely saturated with underpriced photographers - many talented. Think of this — the stats are something like 95% of all photography businesses fail. What makes you feel that you should be in that 5% that does not fail?

Business sense, that’s what. Have you marveled at a local photog who does really boring work, yet they are always busy and their prices are more than yours? Why is that person a success and you can barely bring people in even though you are always hearing how everyone loves your work… It’s because he/she knows how to run a business.

Everyone asks - how should I price? so and so has $25 8×10s, so I can’t go higher than that. Okay, so research all the local photogs and find out what they are charging. Use that as a guide, but understand, many photogs do not have their pricing on their site, and there is a reason for that. You need to price yourself for profit. If you are new and still portfolio building, something that is great to do is set your prices based on turning a profit (as I will describe below), then sure, discount your prices and be CLEAR that you are portfolio building. That way, when you are done PBing, you can return to your already advertised REAL prices, and you won’t make your previous customers angry because they knew at some point you would move on to them. The problem with starting too low is when you start realizing you aren’t turning a profit, and you start to raise them, you are going to be without business because people will get angry with you for raising them. So be honest and upfront and clear about what exactly is going on, and you will continue to have clients who have built a relationship with you and understand what’s going on. Don’t drop a bomb on them, by any means. Once they have invested with you, they are invested, it’s a relationship, maintain it.

Another thing - if you do not need the money right now because your spouse is the breadwinner, now is a GREAT TIME to build an exclusiveness about your business. You don’t need the money, so why not price yourself to make it well worth it. So you get a few sessions a month. You are PAID WELL for your time away from your family, and then as word of mouth builds, you are viewed as a higher priced, more exclusive photog - and that can be quite desiring for many crowds.

The thing about running a business - you have to take emotions out of it. By emotions, I mean “I want people to still be able to afford me” “I don’t think I am good enough” “I’ve never done this before” “I can’t afford me (I beg to differ - how much did you spend on your living room furniture? $3,000? How much did you spend on that big screen TV with surround sound? I have news for you - pictures last longer and are more important in the longrun. Clients will not value your work, if YOU don’t value it. News Flash: WalMart’s a la carte pricing is $50 for an 8×10. I’m not talking about the coupons. I’m talking about for one of those crappy ugly 8×10 a la carte backdrop pictures of your child with a fake Christmas tree, where you only got 15 minutes to get your child to smile printed on substandard photo paper is $50. You offer WAY better than that to your clients, don’t you?

When I see some charging $200 and that includes all the digital files or even some of the files or even a $100 print credit with $20 8×10s, I cringe because that photographer can be making less than minimum wage and has no idea.

Do you have a reason for pricing the way you do? Do you just toss it out there and hope for the best? Or do you have concrete logical reasoning for why you are pricing the way you are. You need to take your EMOTIONS out of this and think like a business owner. No business owner should be making less than minimum wage. You really need to think about business management (classes would be a great idea).

So how do you price? Work backwards to figure out what clients need to spend. So many people want to skim over this because they are “arteests” and think it’s all about the talent, not about the pricing structure. WRONG! Artists work from emotions, and you better step outside of that for a moment and keep those emotions and business separated, or you will BE a starving artist who will one day look back and say “my kids are grown, where did the time go? I sat in front of that computer for hours for less than minimum wage… I wish I had that time back with my kids….” No one looks back and says “I wish I would have worked more away from my family….”

Ask yourself how much you want to make per year. My personal goal is always well into six figures, but I’ll back this down to a more reasonable goal for newbies.

Okay - let’s say you want $50,000 SALARY for a full time BUSINESS OWNER. When figuring this out - what do you value your family time at? $50 an hour? $100 an hour? $10 an hour (REALLY???? You may regret that one day years in the future - don’t set yourself up for regrets) Don’t laugh - some people do this for $10/hour and then pay a babysitter $5/hour. It boggles my mind.

Work backwards to figure out your pricing structure.

1. Income desired is $50,000. Again, you are a business owner, you don’t need to be working for pennies. Add 35% to that (that’s for your taxes as a sole proprietor). Yes, you need an additional $17,500 to cover your taxes. So now your income has to be $67,500 as you are going to owe Uncle Sam a nice chunk.

2. Add your expenses to your desired income - $67,500 plus $25,000 equals $92,500 -Don’t think $25,000 is a lot for business expenses. That’s not a lot at all. Last year alone, my expenses were $70,000. Expenses means everything - gas money or mileage, office supplies (paper, ink, packaging, file folders, pens, pencils, envelopes, sticky notes, light bulbs, batteries, whatever….etc.), office equipment (computers, software, actions, mouse, keyboard, file cabinets, books, internet etc. etc. etc.), studio supplies and equipment if applicable, portions of gas and electric bills, telephone bills (if working out of home, it’s portions of this vs. full amounts if you have a studio) photography supplies and equipment (cameras, lenses, memory cards, lens cleaning supplies, flash, strobe, softbox, camera bags etc. etc.), packaging supplies (bags, boxes, bows, tape, labels, etc.), postage, props -yes, all those baskets, newborn hats, wraps, backgrounds, chairs, stools, etc., marketing supplies - print samples, business cards, etc. oh and your business insurance. Do you have studio rent? Then think much more than $25,000 as expenses. The figure I am using is based on not having a studio - and I am being nice, most with even part time businesses have higher expenses than $25,000.

3. So you need to bring in $92,500 in sales every year to get your desired income of $50,000. How do we go about that? Okay, ask yourself - how many weeks per year do you want to work? Let’s say 48 weeks per year (don’t forget, you may have your kids home for spring and winter breaks, etc.. $92,500 divided by 48 equals $1,927 per week. You need to have $1,927 per week in sales.

4. How do you want to achieve that? How many clients do you want per week?

If you want 2 clients per week, you will have to have two sales of $963.54 (if you are selling albums/prints, make that $1,163.54).
If you want 4 clients per week, you will have to have four sales of $481.75. (if you are selling albums/prints, make that $681.75)

Umm… okay, why did I add the parentheses? What are your COGS (cost of goods sold). If you sell an album, some prints, and a canvas, you are looking at COGS of being around $200 per customer - factor that in.

A little note, how many hours exactly do you work for your client. Hmmm… An hour in transit, 2 hours in session time, 4 hours proofing/editing, an hour uploading and doing office tasks, 3 hours between phone calls and scheduling and emails and questions from client and client sale finalization, packaging, ordering etc.. So you did 10 hours for that client? (we didn’t include other things like marketing and bookkeeping and in person ordering, but I’ll skip that for now - challenge: log in while you work on a client, EVERYTHING you do related to that client, I bet it will be close to 10 hours or more per client). Well that’s not bad, that’s about $50/hour toward the business for option one, having two clients per week. That’s half of what plumbers make, though… and guess what, your PICTURES LAST LONGER! :laugh: … but option two puts you at about $25/hour toward the business. Not TOO bad either - but you SHOULD be making at LEAST $50/hour as a BUSINESS OWNER (although myself and others would tell you as a business owner, you should actually be making more like $100/hour because you don’t want to forget having retirement, college funds for your kids, etc. and as a business owner, you should accept nothing less in my personal opinion or you may as well just work a job for someone else that is less stressful than dealing with the public). I challenge you to plug in lower numbers in this equation as well - let’s say you only want to make $20,000 per year - I’ll touch on that at the end. Although don’t forget, life happens, and you may find yourself in a pinch one day to where you may actually need an income to support your family on your own…. which begs to go back to - what do you value your time away from family at? One customer takes you away from your family for 10 or more hours. Is that only worth $250 to you? Not to me personally…. but to each his own.

5. Back to what do you price? I personally like to work by worst case scenario so I figure at the very least, I know I will have 2 clients per week, even during slow time, so that means I would want to guarantee two sales per week at $1,164. So therefore I would price my work so that every client would spend at LEAST $1,164 which means my lowest print package should be $1,164 (or $682 if going to take on 4 clients per week).

Personally, this is just my opinion, but I don’t think a business owner should be making less than $50,000, but that’s just me. You should network with some other local BUSINESS OWNERS (not photogs, but business owners) and see what they are making. Want to work with lower figures? “Oh I just want to do this part time for fun… $20,000 is plenty for me to have part time…”

Okay, let’s work with lower numbers.

Goal: $20,000 Add 35% to that for taxes equals $27,000

Expenses: Add all your expenses up - I’ll be nice and pretend you aren’t spending on all those group buys, trendy items, and you don’t have any SUPER expensive equipment, so let’s say your expenses are $15,000 per year (do you REALLY think that is high? I don’t - not at all - see above list and I challenge you to REALLY evaluate what you are spending every year - most photogs are spending at LEAST $20,000 per year in expenses if not much much more. So $27,000 plus $15,000 equals $42,000

So for you to make $20,000 per year, you need to have sales of at least $42,000

$42,000 divided by 48 weeks per year of steady work equals $875/week in sales without cost of goods sold factored in. You need $1075 (including COGS) per week in sales to have an income of $20,000 per year - so if you are only taking 2 clients per week, you need sales of around $640 for each client. Just keep that in mind…

Also keep in mind, if you are taking on 4 clients per week so that your sales need to be much less HOWEVER when taking on FOUR clients per week - you are working 40 hours per week - that’s FULL TIME for $20,000 per year… umm… That means that you are working a full time job for $10/hour - your time away from your kids is valued at $10/hour? You are missing 40 hours per week of your kids’ lives for $10/hour as a BUSINESS OWNER. Makes you think, doesn’t it?

I just challenge all new business owners to really look at their figures and use these simple concrete ways to project your income, to define your income, to price yourself out, and actually structure your business as a real business, and operate as a business owner who knows basic business management 101 now. Work your business proactively with good reasoning behind it. Remember, IF WE DON’T VALUE THIS INDUSTRY, NO ONE WILL.

Growing Pains: Resolving payment issues for clients

Panic made my client's voice shake when he spoke into the telephone receiver. Immediately, my heart and stomach sank as I contemplated all the myriad of reasons why he and his wife-to-be must have changed their minds about letting me shoot their wedding in December.

"I tried to make a full payment for the wedding coverage using the PayPal shopping cart buttons on your website, but PayPal took it out of my checking account instead of my credit card! Can you get them to stop the payment?"

Having made that mistake before during my own purchasing process, I knew firsthand the anxiety my client was feeling. Of course you want to be able to do anything to please a client, especially ones who offer to give you a full payment, upfront, months before an event takes place this most wedding client did. Thank goodness PayPal allows its users to refund payments back to a buyer (as well as fees). My client was able to make the payment again from the correct account, and within minutes, we both received emails describing all of the transactions, including the refund and my client's final payment.

PayPal's resolution center also makes it easy to respond to buyer disputes. Here are tips to help your payment transactions go smoothly:

1. Overall precautions:

Provide clear, detailed descriptions. Buyers don't like surprises. Give a detailed description of your item and include photos. Pictures are especially important when selling in countries where buyers may not be as fluent with the language in which the seller wrote the listing. Also clearly state your return policy in a place where buyers can find it.

Respond promptly to inquiries. Show buyers that you are listening by promptly and courteously responding to all questions.

2. Before accepting payment:

Beware of unusual requests. Abnormal requests can be a sign of suspicious activity. A few examples include:
Rush shipments at any cost.
Partial payments from multiple PayPal accounts.
Payments not received in full.

Be extra cautious with high-priced items. It’s fairly common for shipping addresses to differ from billing addresses. However, be extra cautious when sending high-priced items, especially if payment is received from one country and sent to another.

Know the buyer.
Do they have a confirmed address?
For e-commerce sites with feedback systems, what is the buyer's score?
Do you have any questions? Get answers by emailing or calling the buyer.

3. Shipping tips:

Track packages. Packages should be sent with tracking numbers. Once you get a tracking number from the shipping service, promptly send it to the buyer. As an extra precaution, you should consider adding delivery confirmation. Finally, make sure to keep proof that the package was received by the buyer.

Insure packages. When sending goods, opt for postal insurance to protect yourself in the event that a shipment is lost or the buyer claims it was never delivered.

Keep buyers up-to-date about delivery. Set expectations up front. Once payment is received, give buyers an estimated delivery time. Keep in mind, it's better to overestimate delivery time than have a package show up late. If a package is not sent in time, tell your buyer about it.

Growing Pains: More Exposure for Picture Your World!

I have been asked to display several of my photos at the Wolf Camera store in downtown Denver! A store manager there, Jessica Olesky, photographer and co-owner of Impact Images, contacted me last week and asked if I would be willing to participate in her venture to highlight the work of several photographers' whose work she knew and respected. It's a wonderful, gracious offer and I want to thank Jessica for her faith in my abilities as well as her willingness to open up a platform for other budding photographers to showcase their creativity.





Jessica said "Terri's Rose" was a given for the display. I was worried that the 20x30 I had framed would be too large. But she placed it large and in charge, in the direct front and center of the setup! I also decided to hang up this nighttime image of the South Platte and this fiesty fox that visited the backyard of a friend's wood cabin in Jefferson County.







The gallery set up at the camera store is impressive, and each image is available for sale. Before, I used to get stymied by trying to price my work until I remembered how expensive it was just to by the frame and mats, much less the print itself. Plus, I think what's even more important is the power of exposure. Even if no one buys one of my prints, having my name and work out there will hopefully keep me forefront in potential customers minds for future services if they like what they see.





If there is anything I've learned this month, it's that no matter what size your studio is, creating visibility is the only way to increase sales. Exposure can mold a company brand and drive how potential customers view your product or services. I've been greatly blessed with many opportunities to have potential customers see my product and services with an ongoing display at a local deli, Facebook ads, internet presence and most recently by hosting several photo booths -- all of which have helped me expand my reach and lure in new clients or print sales.

Growing Pains: Photobooth placed near the main stage

As a cub reporter for the Denver Post in the late 1990s, I can't tell you how many festivals and fairs I covered. It was always interesting to see how the many vendors set up their wares and did their best to standout among a sea of other businesses. I never dreamed that I might one day own my business, much less be one of those vendors at a festival, but my time to get out there and shine is just three days away!

It's very exciting to see my company name on a vendor table! If you look closely, Picture Your World Photography will be stationed at Table 5 on the left-hand side of the event map. The table isn't too far away from the main stage and seating area so that should help us in generating some customers.



All week long I've been getting tips from friends and colleagues about how to make this idea happen without a hitch. My iP100 Canon Mobile Photo Printer will allow us to bring 4x6, 5x7 and 8x10, which I think we should sell for $5, $10, and $15 respectively. Sean Donnelly, said it might be a good idea to consider offering a bulk "discount price" of all the images on CD, such as 6 for $45 or something like that. That's definitely worth doing!

Sean also thinks I should be good to use my Vagabond II battery pack as portable power my laptop and my printer.
Sean had his Macbook Pro plugged into a Vagabond II and running for approximately 2.5 hours and didn't notice anything unusual, including no odd smells or excessive heat.

I'm still a little anxious about using the Vagabond like that (as I've only ever used it for powering my Alien Bees). I will use a Canon PU-200U Printer Automobile Power Unit and a Canon LK-62 Printer Portable Kit Battery to keep the printer powered, and use the Vagabond for a last resort if necessary.

Canon PU-200U

Canon LK-62 Printer Portable Kit Battery.

Jason Peckovitch of Illusive Dreams let me know about a great deal going on at Vistaprint for numerous "free" offers, including a banner. At previous events he has hosted, Peckovitch has used a laptop to run a slideshow of his images, but said the sunlight made it hard to see. He suggested that a digital picture frame might work as well.

Christine Tydingco, my photography friend and colleague who will be assisting me at the booth Saturday afternoon, said a few framed prints on the table (even available for sale) and a postcard or flyer giving people discounts on a future photo session if they book a date with me that same day would be great too.

I thought Rachel Hawthorns' idea to put a sticker on the back of each purchased photo sending customers to the password protected gallery on my business website where they can purchase additional prints and enlargements.

Growing Pains: Preparing for my first photo booth set up

Photo credit: National Geographic

On Saturday, I will be hosting my first photo booth at a local community fair. So this week's blog coverage will be about how to set one up successfully. I've turned to several professional colleagues who regularly run photo booths at various events throughout the Denver metro area, as this state seems to have a festival nearly every weekend in the spring and summer months. I've also found some helpful resources online.

Rachel Hawthorne, one photographer in the Mile High Photographers group, said by printing 4x6s, she was able to generate $100 in two hours with a photo booth at a horse competition:

We do instant photo prints at horse competitions, and our typical setup runs like this:

Shooter swapping out cards (we don't have a tethered or wireless setup yet) as she shoots in Raw
I'm at the table - I dump everything into lightroom, and since she's shooting with a fixed setting, any additional post processing is done based on that setting, so I apply the changes en masse in the library.
I scroll through the pics of each rider, and apple+select the multiple ones that we're going to print, and send them to the printer (Epson PictureMate Dash 260)

While that's printing, I then take the photos and export them to iPhoto and run a slideshow of everything taken so far on another monitor facing the crowd. That keeps them patient while waiting for prints.

We charge $5 a print on site, and each print purchased has a sticker on the back sending them to our website to purchase more from our smugmug account. I'd love to hear what you do choose for your final setup!

Another MHPer, Sarah Cutright, suggested a wireless route to prevent customers from tripping over wires, shoot tethered to a laptop; stick to one background; and bring a stack of model releases. I definitely didn't think of the model releases, and I'm working on going the tethered route. That one will be tricky because one of my assistants shoots with a Nikon (and I a Canon) so all of the software we would be needing for teethered shooting would be different. He also has a PC laptop and I've got a Macbook Pro. Well, the day should be interesting, that's for sure.

Sarah pointed me in the direction of this great blog post at Photocrati.com about photo booths that was helpful as well. I love how Bill Millios, the photographer uses guests during an event to help lure in more victims, er, customers to the booth. And I think having the guests pick items out of a box of goodies glasses, feather boas, and party hats is a great way to get some genuine smiles, laughing, and a crowd gathering around to watch. These practical tips from Bill were great too:



People will want to bring more and more people into the picture – and your backdrop is only 9 feet wide. (Or rather, MY backdrop is only 9 feet wide. A 12 footer won’t fit in the minivan.) At the second event, I taped out a rectangle on the floor using gaffer tape, and said, “You can put all the people you want in the picture, but they have to fit inside the rectangle.” That made it self-regulating.

I recommend using a 50 mm lens or larger – this will prevent problems with the people on the outside getting squished around by the lens distortion. If you don’t have enough depth, then do what you can – but keep in mind not to go too wide, or it will look funny. More depth will also allow more people to fit on a given backdrop (since you are farther back, your angle of view is smaller to include the entire seamless, but the AREA for the subjects is wider.)
Equipment list

backdrop kit – two stands and a crossbar (I have this one)
White seamless
AB800
Large softbox
Camera
Tripod
Lightstand
Trigger cable

Make sure to read the comments at the end of the blog post for more ideas. One commenter in particular mentioned something about using a video feed to show customers their photos instantly. I think I'm going to use a second laptop and have a slideshow running the images. More ideas to come!

Growing Pains: 20 Tips Every Business Should Know

Quickbook Intuit's website offers a great list of the "20 Tips Every Business Should Know" to its customers to help them create a more efficient and profitable company. I wanted to begin offering this resource on my blog every Sunday in the "Growing Pains" post till we make it through all of them. Here is the next tip in the series:

INVOLVE YOUR CUSTOMERS

Studies show that it's cheaper to create a repeat customer than to bring in a new one. Here are some tips to get your customers begging for more:

Incentives: Everyone likes freebies. Offer repeat buyers discounts or free gifts.

Communication: Keep your customers loyal by sending a monthly email newsletter or direct mail sales flyers.

Customer Service: If you treat customers well, they will come back. Always be courteous, and make an effort to learn your customers' names so that you can use them while interacting.

Yesterday, I think I got some of the best show of repeat customer approval ever. My nephew's birthday cake was decorated with the very picture I posted up on my blog yesterday! The hostess, my nephew's grandmother said to me "I hope you don't mind." Are you kidding me!!!! That was AWESOME and some of the coolest advertising ever. Everyone who saw (and ate a slice) of that delicious cake saw the cute pic I took of my nephew. Plus, me wondering around with my camera at the party and having Grandpa say "I've got a Professional Photographer taking pictures for me" was amazing show of support and encouragement for my business.

Growing Pains: Successful Client Consultation

On Sunday, I had a lunch/consultation with Julie H., a young woman whose wedding I will be shooting next month. Every opportunity I've had to speak with Julie has been wonderful and the excitement for her upcoming event is definitely building. I think the goal of a consultation is not just to impart information about services and coordinate schedules; it's an opportunity to really delve into a client's desires. It's the photographer's chance to let the client dream and share so plans can be made to make those ideals come true. Plus, the more I know about what she wants, the better instructions I can give to my assistants to get those kinds of shots.

I asked Julie to collect images she saw online or in magazines to give me a better idea of what kind of imagery she was looking for. There is absolutely nothing wrong with gaining inspiration from other photographer's work. I was able to see that she loves wide aperture shots with blurred bokeh in the background as well as detailed shots, such as ribbons in the flower girl's hair. Her style is a mixture of classic poses in contemporary imagery.



Julie, her fiance Joe and I are on the same page about having a preference for candid and artistic wedding photography. Julie said she doesn't want "weird magazine unrealistic poses," although we spoke about what she wants from the formal portraits we will be shooting of the family and wedding parties. She wants the unobtrusive, documentary type images, such as this one I took at a previous wedding event:



Of course we spoke about the must-have shots with family members who will be making special trips to attend the ceremony. The couple both have amazing eyes, Julie's large and green and Joe's a deep, drowning brown with lashes most women would die to have. I've been requested to shoot several images emphasizing their eyes. And what was the main reason why the couple hired me? Because they loved Teri's Rose and similar selective coloring shots such as this one:



I loved talking to Julie about how her romance with her fiance Joe developed because it gives me a better sense of the kind of photos they might appreciate as a couple. This lovely pair have known each other since they were in high school; they weren't sweethearts, but their lives have always been intwined with mutual friends and experiences that helped build the foundation for their friendship and later their love. She mentioned that it will be two whole days before the bride and groom get to see each other right before the wedding, so the moment they finally lay eyes on each other when she walks into the church will definitely be something that I and my assistants will focus on (one person focusing on Julie and the other capturing Joe's reaction).

I'm very excited that Julie has allowed me to shoot her final bridal fitting and a special "pedicure and wine" party for her bridal party. I think these two events will make their wedding a more complete story and will yield some great timeless, fun shots that will be more relaxed and filled real personality without the added stress of the BIG EVENT. I will also be shooting the rehearsal -- all wonderful chances for the clients to begin to see me as their advocate for capturing the best memories possible.

Growing Pains: Blogging for Business

Quickbook Intuit's website offers a great list of the "20 Tips Every Business Should Know" to its customers to help them create a more efficient and profitable company. I wanted to begin offering this resource on my blog every Sunday in the "Growing Pains" post till we make it through all of them. Here is the next tip in the series:

Blogging for Business

A blog is a journal-style series of posts on a website. They're casual in nature, and readers can post responses or comments to blog posts. Blogs can be used to:

Let readers know about upcoming business product releases.
Test the market on new ideas.
Address customer concerns and issues.
Present a more personable face to the customer.
Provide resources for information on the industry.

My blog has been extremely beneficial for my business, allowing me to receive emails from clients interested in my services. I am also learning how to monetize my blog. I joined the B&H Affiliate Program where I receive commissions from B&H product sales generated through clicks on my blog. Basically, you keep your readers up-to-date on new product releases and sales, and earn a commission on the revenue.

This month, I received my first proceeds check for the sale of a 70-200 2.8 lens. My records don't show who purchased the lens, but I want to publically thank whomever of my blog readers who made that purchase! It was a great help to me in these trying financial times. And I will be sure to keep everyone updated on new B&H deals.

Growing Pains: 20 Tips Every Business Should Know

Quickbook Intuit's website offers a great list of the "20 Tips Every Business Should Know" to its customers to help them create a more efficient and profitable company. I wanted to begin offering this resource on my blog every Sunday in the "Growing Pains" post. Since I'm meeting with my CPA early next month to do my taxes, I thought this list would be helpful for you and me:

TAX TIPS

Here are some updates for the 2007 tax year. But realize that all tips may not be applicable in your area, so please consult your tax advisor.

1) The mileage rate for 2008 business has increased from 48.5 in 2007 to 50.5 cents.

2) Your 2007 tax refund can be deposited directly into an IRA account.

3) If you are a husband/wife partnership: A qualified joint venture is not treated as a partnership for tax purposes. Each spouse takes into account his or her share of income and expenses on a Schedule C.

4) Subject to certain limitations, an employer can make one-time balance transfers of an employee's Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Reiumbursement Arrangements (HRA) to a Health Spending Account (HSA).

Growing Pains: The Call I Had Been Hoping For

Late last night, I got the call I had been hoping for: The National Brotherhood of Skiers would like to rehire me this year to cover their 2009 Summit in Snowmass. The NBS was pleased with the work I did for them last year during their 35th anniversary week in Breckenridge and wanted to give me the first chance to accept the assignment.

But there is a problem: the five day event starts THIS WEEKEND and runs through next Saturday, and I don't know if can get the time off from The Denver Post.



The organization only now received the clearance to have a budget for a photographer to cover their event, which explains the late notice. Like all nonprofits, the poor economy hit NBS hard and the organization has had to readjust its finances. However, it still believes in the importance of capturing images to preserve their social clubs activities, and they wanted to offer the opportunity to me first.



I'm not sure if my boss at the Post will be able to give me the time off at such short notice, but I will definitely ask. Perhaps there will be some way that I can combine my skills, shooting for the organization and writing an article for the Post.

But if I can't accept this assignment, then perhaps I can refer it to the new collective photographer and business strategist Jim Turley created this week.

Growing Pains: Referring Other Photographers For a Job

Last night, I attended a meeting set up by fellow photog and business management specialist Jim Turley. Jim wants to form a network of photographers who will refer business to each other when they can't do the assignments. In return, if a photographer in the network books the assignment, then he/she must give a 10 percent commission fee to the referrer up to $300. That takes into account that the profits might be higher if you are taking 10 percent off a $3,000 wedding than it would be if you were getting 10 percent off of a family portrait session (which I sell for $150)

I think it's a great idea, and I'm very pleased that Jim thought I had something to offer this group of talented photographers, including Richard Peterson, Brian Walski and Jason Hayes. This way, even if you can't take the assignment because you are already booked, you can still make a small profit. Plus, the client will hopefully be endeared to you, knowing that you helped them out instead of just sending them away empty handed. The next time they need some photographic services, they will think of you and remember the excellent customer service you gave them.

But I couldn't stop some old insecurities from rearing their ugly heads during the meeting. In April, I would have been shooting semi-professionally for two years, but Brian, for example, has been shooting for 20 years and can ask for and get $5,000 for a wedding assignment! Jason has secured destination weddings where clients will fly him to cool places and pay for his hotel fees just to get him to shoot their wedding. And Richard has been shooting major rock bands since he was 16 and he is now in his 50s!

I don't know how I fit into this group, and while I'm willing to work with them, I fear that I will be gaining more from the arrangement than giving. I think it's important for me to have this discussion with myself (and consequently with you, my readers, too) because it's important for us as professionals to honor and value ourselves without being arrogant. I don't know what I can bring to the table just yet, but being able to figure it out will be beneficial to my own growth and confidence as a professional photographer.

Jim says he thinks my boudoir photography could be an asset, especially since some clients may feel more comfortable working with a female photographer versus a male. Plus, the other photogs will possibly allow me be a 2nd shooter/assistant for them, which will help me improve. I need to be able to tell my clients exactly how I stand out from others and what I offer versus someone else. Once I figure it out, I need to start believing that too instead of allowing doubt to cloud my thoughts. Plus, networking is key to a successful business, and you can learn and lean on each other photographers too! Jason knows I've fallen in love with Photoshop actions, so he sent me some to play with. That will give me more opportunities to be creative in my post processing.

Growing Pains: Baby Steps with Quickbooks

Yesterday, I took my first baby steps in Intuit Quickbooks. I've had this software for several months and just didn't take the time to really get into it. I admit, I was intimidated after an initial poking around. But when I had to sort through all the paperwork I had collected last year such as invoices and purchase receipts for income tax season, I knew I had to have a better way of recording my business transactions. Those Quickbooks commercials seemed to be mocking me and ebbing me on at the same time....you know the ones where the guy supposedly has all his business information "in his head" instead of dutifully recorded in books. I wasn't that bad off, but I was close to it. :)

This year, as my business continues to grow and prosper, I've made a commitment to shoring up essentials including my business plan. I am just about finished with the plan and am ready to start implementing it. I watched a Quickbooks tutorial yesterday and was able to record the first transaction of the year: a print sale! Once I got started, it was actually very easy to learn and maneuver the work flow, from creating the invoice and the payment statement to reconciling my business checking account. If you are serious about having a photography business, you've got to get serious about managing your finances. I think I am on the right track!

Growing Pains: A Photographer Pool

My instructor and colleague Efrain Cruz, director of Illuminate Workshops, has come up with a great idea helping photographers land paying gigs. If you remember, Efrain's kindness and sincere interest in helping his students succeed is what not only convinced me to continue pursuing photography but was also the reason why I got my first paid assignment. He sent out an email to his students letting them know that an opportunity existed that he couldn't shoot, and that he had referred our names to the contact instead. I was the only one reached out to the contact and thus, I got the job, which led to another job and another and another....well, I think you get it! :)

Now Efrain has developed a structured way to refer students and upcoming professionals who may be available to shoot a special event. He has created a web form for collecting names, experience level and interest of photographers who would like to know of such opportunities.

If you would like to be included, please fill out the form here at Efrain's Illuminate Workshops site. I have filled out the form, expressing my specialization in portraiture. Good luck!

Meanwhile, fellow photog and business management specialist Jim Turley wants to form a network of photographers who will refer business to each other, giving the referring photog a 10% commission. So far, he has five people in mind each with a little different set of skills/experience. He believes my portrait work sets me apart and has asked me to join. First off, I am honored Jim even thought to include me and very pleased that he believes I have the skills to make his idea a reality.

I want to thank Efrain and Jim for their continued support in my photographic efforts. Having and maintaining relationships like these are the bread and butter of any successful business. But I'm glad to know too that both of these talented men are also good friends, and I know that my progress and happiness is important to them, so it makes it easy to trust them and want to do your best for them as well.

Growing Pains: New Business Slogan?

I have watched "I am Legend" at least six times (especially since it's been playing on HBO!), and every time I get something new out of it that I didn't catch before. Now, I wonder if I may finally have a slogan for my business:

"Light Up the Darkness." What do you think???? I like the dual meanings of bringing life and goodness to the world as well as using lights creatively to enhance photographic composition.....hmmm.



I've been doing a ton of research on developing my business plan, a logo and a brand in general. An article by photographer Sarah Petty in Professional Photographer Magazine talked about "owning your brand;" marketing to distinguish yourself and creating tag lines like:

"have a Coke and a smile"
"we bring good things to life"
"because you are worth it"

Petty shared a list of ways to help entrepreneurs brainstorm a business slogan:
1. Carry a creative journal at all times to sketch images and jot down ideas and words as they pop into your mind. They become a stockpile of prompts when you sit down to brainstorm.

2. Keep a running list of words that evoke emotion. If your wedding client says something warm and fuzzy during your presentation, write it down.

3. Subscribe to magazines (tax-deductible business expenses!). You never know when you can spark an idea from Rachael Ray’s Everyday or Real Simple. As you go through them, write down words, phrases, advertising and article headlines in your creative journal. You can’t steal someone else’s line, but you can farm the inspiration.

4. Read the copy in catalogs and awaken your inner copywriter. The Land of Nod and Sundance catalogs are two of my favorites. Get on mailing lists of companies who market beautiful and expensive products.



5. Ask friends, family, clients and prospects what they think makes you different. Ask new clients to put into words what brought them to you. Write it down immediately.

6. Reading kids’ books puts me in the playful place I need to be when I’m writing emotional copy.

7. Find the time of day or place where you feel the most creative. If you do your best thinking at a computer, transfer your journal notes daily.

8. Most truly creative people need to find inspiration, too, so they become sponges of the world around them— flowers, buildings, clothing tags, in-store signage, store windows, fonts, color combinations, textures.

9. Travel. Observe, even the pretzel packaging on the airline’s snack. You never know what little element will inspire you.

I love watching movies, and I can draw insight from great ones. Since I'm a reporter, I don't go far without having a pen and paper near by. So when I heard that phrase uttered in the movie "I am Legend," it resonated with me differently than it had all the other times. I don't know why. Maybe I'm just at this point in my life when I think the world needs more light in this time of financial and hence emotional darkness. I wrote the phrase down and started to think about how it could correlate to my photography.

In my photography, I've noticed that I often center subjects in front of a dark background. Common portrait techniques explain that a photographer should use a hair light or a light shining on the background to separate the subject from the background. But I don't do it, choosing instead to have the subject appear as if he or she is stepping forward out of the darkness. I think it makes the subject seem more mysterious. I like the idea that I have just thrown a light on them, capturing who they are in that one moment. Oh well, maybe I'm just being overly sentimental this morning. If I still think this way by this time tomorrow, then maybe I am on to something. :)

Growing Pains: The Power of Thank You

A recent PPA Vital Signs business newsletter resonated with me because it reminded me of a very simple mannerism that I have not been using in my business: saying "thank you." Now of course, I express gratitude to my clients for choosing to work with me during and after the shoot, but the article "Expressing Gratitude and Meaning It" taught me that I could be doing more to strengthen the personal relationships that are the foundation of a good business. I need to make creating and sending thank-you notes an essential part of my workflow.

I am considering sending my clients one free high resolution download of my favorite image from their session as my thank you; and because I am social, I really like the idea of having a customer appreciation party. Or I may just give personalized thank yous based on what the client needs. For example, I gave Kim several low resolution downloads of her favorite images to post on her website chronicling her wedding.

I did some research online and found this great example of photo thank you cards at Photo Card Creations. I love the look of these cards as well as the numerous templates to choose from.



But I may also take advantage of the new cards offered by Smugmug.


I am reprinting the newsletter article here on my blog. Thank you Professional Photographers of America for sharing the tools to make my business as well as others healthy and prospering! The money I spend to be a member is money well spent!



"Expressing Gratitude and Meaning It"

When you express sincere thanks, it makes someone stop and think about you. Showing gratitude is a way to keep your business “top of mind.” When you let someone know that you appreciate the fact they chose your business to capture a special moment or partner with you for referrals, you strengthen the bond you hopefully have already established. And this bond pays dividends: more repeat business and more new referrals.

You’ve probably heard this statistic: it costs six times more to get a new customer than to keep an existing one. Thanking your existing clients can actually save you money in your marketing budget!

Who Do You Thank?
It doesn’t matter what type of photography business you own—commercial, portrait, wedding, or sports—you have a lot of people to thank. Not only should you acknowledge your existing clients, you should also show your appreciation of your cooperative marketing partners, your vendors, and your referral network.

For wedding photographers, your “circle of gratitude” will encompass not only your previous clients, but the wedding coordinators, the wedding locations’ event management, the caterers, the florists…anyone who helped to make a bride’s special day memorable. Granted, they didn’t do anything for you. But by letting them know it was a pleasure to work with them in creating a beautiful wedding day, you foster a sense of camaraderie. The next time someone asks for a recommendation for a professional photographer…your name is more likely to be mentioned.

Commercial photographers will obviously thank the ad agency or direct client, but don’t forget that your “circle of gratitude” extends out to include assistants, anyone involved in production or post-production outside the studio, and the individual who may have recommended you for the shoot.

There will always be a few people who you won’t want to thank, and for a good reason. These may be your “problem clients” or individuals (or companies) with whom you would never do business again. Think hard before you cross them off your list, though, because they still may bring you referrals. (However, it is YOUR choice to send a thank you—it’s not an obligation. If you just can’t get yourself to thank these people, then don’t do it.)

How Do You Express Your Gratitude?
Two simple rules: be sincere and be memorable.

What’s worse than not receiving an acknowledgement of gratitude? Receiving one that smacks of falsehood, or is so impersonal that it doesn’t matter. We’ve all received one or two generic thank-you notes in our life, and perhaps we’ve even sent one or two that may not have been entirely heartfelt. (After all, you dutifully sent Aunt Jane a thank you for that Pepto-Bismol colored sweater that you’ll never wear!)

Be sincere in your message. Let them know you appreciate that they placed their trust in you to create memorable images. You want to make it as personal as possible: include their names or even an observation that makes the thank-you note sound less standard. Don’t try to sell to them in the thank-you note, either. Just let them know it was your pleasure to be a part of that experience.

It can be a struggle to make a thank-you note memorable. Often, these notes may get tossed in the garbage after being read…and quickly forgotten. You want something that they’ll keep, show to others, and remind them of your products and services.

For example, one wedding photographer selects a photo that wasn’t included in the package, and includes that image in her thank-you note. (You can purchase pre-cut photo cards for this purpose.) Many vendors offer innovative products that place your images on items like magnets, keychains, mugs, etc. If you purchased a personalized promotional product for $10 and sent it to your client, and that client gives you a referral…well, that $10 was money well spent, wasn’t it?



Here are some other tips to remember:

Make sure that you do include your studio name and contact information somewhere on the thank-you card (and any product you send to the client).
Handwritten notes resonate more than a pre-printed one. If your handwriting is illegible, then consider having an assistant, a family member, or a friend help out.
Don’t buy thank-you notepaper that feels cheap and flimsy. You want to project a professional image—use quality paper stock.
Do not send a thank you through e-mail. If you have your client’s e-mail address, use it (with permission) to market your services when appropriate. Thank-you e-mails will get deleted too quickly to make an impact.

When Do You Express Your Gratitude?
It’s a matter of personal perspective. Some businesses choose to send a thank you immediately after a session or the delivery of an album. Some wait a pre-determined amount of time (three weeks or a month), then send a note to jog the memory of the client. (For wedding photographers, this may mean a thank you for the engagement session, another thanks right after the wedding, and one after the album delivery.)

Don’t think that you can send a single note and be done with it. Whenever you do decide to initially give your thanks, it can help to remind them later on in the year—send out a second thank you, or take it a step further and show your gratitude in another way.

For instance, you could throw an appreciation party. If you have a studio location, have the party at the studio and invite everyone (all of your clients, vendors, marketing partners, etc.) to come and celebrate their part in making your business a success. If you don’t have a studio, you can choose to have it at a local restaurant or banquet hall…or even a public park. You want to avoid holidays and your busy times, so plan for the slowest part of your year (but before your busy season).

Whether you serve hot dogs and soda with a local band as entertainment, or filet mignon and champagne with a string quartet, it will depend on your clientele. If you specialize in children’s photography, include the child’s name in the invitation (or send the children their own special invitation). You could have a face painter and games for the kids, so the adults can talk to each other while the children are occupied.

Take a moment to thank everyone for attending and, once again, express your gratitude. Remind them that they are a huge part of your success. Invite them to look at your latest products or schedule an upcoming portrait session. The focus shouldn’t be on selling them more products and services, but you may be surprised to find additional products being sold to those attending. You can even choose to donate a portion of your profits that day to a local charity or worthy organization.

Steps You Can Take Today
While this time of year brings “thanksgiving” to the front of our minds, expressing your gratitude to those who help you is something you need to do constantly. Make it a part of your workflow, and include it in your marketing plans. Saying “thank you” in a sincere and unforgettable way is smart business sense that will expand your client base. And it reminds you about those who make your business successful.



Starting a “gratitude campaign” can be overwhelming, especially if you have a large client or vendor base. You don’t need to send everyone a thank-you card today, so here are a few ideas:

Set yourself a goal of writing a few notes each day (after you’ve chosen the notepaper and/or a memorable gift). Make it a part of your daily business routine, because this is part of customer service.
Look at your calendar to see when the best time to hold an appreciation party would be (if you decide to do this). Decide how many people you want to invite (you don’t have to invite everyone on your client list). You can always have an intimate appreciation party—or you can have more than one to thank different types of clientele. Planning this type of party takes time and assistance, especially if you’re watching your budget.
Search out a vendor who can offer you something unique to include in your expression of gratitude. Depending on the type of image you want to project, you may find that you need to spend a little more (or less). A high-end portrait photographer and an event photographer have different clients and will most likely not send the same type of gift.
Think about how you’d like to be thanked. What was the best “expression of gratitude” you’ve ever received, and why did it make you feel that way? Remember that feeling as you compose your own thank-you notes, as this is how you want the recipient to feel.

Growing Pains: Free Marketing For Your Photography Business

A great thread on the Digital Photography School forum tipped me off about a free marketing services we can use for our businesses.

In the thread, people talked about whether or not networking organizations such as Facebook or Myspace helped their online business presence. One poster mentioned creating a free ad with Google Maps Local Business Center; so I decided to give it a try.

It was incredibly easy to create a listing for my business. I love that it allows you to upload samples of images as well. Plus, I got to create coupons to run with my listing, which will be especially helpful in my efforts to secure new clients during the upcoming holiday season. Be sure to check it out!

As far as Facebook and Myspace goes...well, I prefer Facebook for social networking because I don't get spammed as bad as I did when I frequented Myspace. But I'm not sure yet how helpful this application will be for my business. I was able to create a group specifically for my business. Hopefully, I will be able to gain some "fans" and see if those contacts lead to some booked sessions.

Growing Pains: Photography Releases

I have been having some difficulties approaching people to sign model releases. I can tell by how tense clients get that they are already often intimidated by signing contracts, even when I try to explain to them that the document protects both of our rights. But I can see them shut down completely whenever I ask for a signature on a model release.

I have often wondered if a model release stipulation should be included in the overall contract agreement -- sorta like a one-stop shopping experience, but I'm not sure if that's a good idea either. When I posted a thread about this on the Colorado 4x4.org Shutterbug forum, I got suggestions for many different types of strategies including:

1) Offering something in trade, such as a free print
2) Offering a percentage from sales made. The release states that if a photo sells, the photographer agrees to give the client a percentage of the profit.
3) Explain that the photos will be used in your portfolio and that photo releases are required as proof that the photographer actually took the original image.
4) Get releases for everyone you shoot, no exceptions. Use different releases for different uses: one for the intention of sales offering a commission, a second for print portfolio only, and a final one as an "own free will" release.


Consider purchasing this book "Business and Legal Forms for Photographers," by Tad Crawford.

The National Press Photographer's Association has these releases available. Here is the model release that Istock uses for submission of photos to its library. I also found some other great releases here at Digital Photo Corner that can be helpful for crafting your own documents as well. And a picked up a pad of model releases from a photography store in town, so you might find something similar in a local shop near you.
My friend and photo colleague Jenny LeBlanc shared the releases she uses, including a parental release. She said I could share one of them with the readers of my blog. Here is her 5% commission model release. Jenny is still tweaking her releases, but it's definitely a good place to start, so have it them! And thanks Jenny!

Model Release and Consent Agreement

1 For valuable consideration, the adequacy of which is acknowledged, for your photographing me, and knowing you have and will expend substantial expenses and time in reliance upon this Release and Consent, I irrevocably and absolutely consent to the unrestricted use by *********YOUR NAME******* and its successors, assigns, and designees("Photographer"), and those acting with the Photographer's permission and authority, of my name and any and all photographic or other images ("Images") of me that Photographer creates or makes, for all purposes, in any form, and in any and all media, including,. without limitation, advertising, solicitation, stock photography or trade.
2. I waive any right to inspect or approve the finished Images, advertising copy, text, or other printed matter that may be used in conjunction therewith, or to the eventual use that the Images may be applied.
3. I release and discharge Photographer and those acting under its authority from any and all liabilities, claims and demands arising out of or relating to any blurring, distortion, or alteration whether intentional or otherwise, that may occur or be produced in connection with the Images, or in connection with any processing, alteration, transmission, display, or publication of the Images,
4. This Agreement constitutes the sole, complete and exclusive agreement between Photographer and me regarding the Images and I am not relying on any other representation whether oral or written.
5. After the initial use(s), *********YOUR NAME******* will pay me 5% of the gross license fee collected or received by *********YOUR NAME******* in connection with any subsequent commercial use of any Image, provided I am recognizable in the end use of the Image. All payments will be made quarterly. If more than one recognizable person appears in connection with the use of any Image, the royalty payment to me shall be apportioned on a prorata basis between such recognizable persons.




Model's Name Model's Signature Date


Model's Address


Model's Telephone Number Secondary Phone Number Social Security Number


If Applicable: Agency Name, Contact, Address, Telephone


Witness Signature



Model’s Ethnicity


Model/Image Description Release #

Growing Pains: Don't Become a Debt Collector

Several lines from an email I recently received from one of my photography colleagues worried me to the core:

"I'm having trouble with one of my clients...they expect the work done on their terms and expect the photos before payment. So, I'm holding the photos ransom. I've become a collector, and I hate it."

One of the most difficult things to deal with for any business is securing payments. Because of that, I've been requiring clients to pay before I start shooting. Clients must pay half of the shooting fee to book me, and then pay the rest before I actually take my camera out the day of the event. Most people haven't had an issue with that once I explain to them why it is a necessary business practice (I think it helps that all of my work has been from referrals as well, so others have vouched for my work ethic). Even my business management instructor Jim Turley told students he hates having to chase people down for payments. So I asked Jim to share with me some strategies for remaining a business owner rather than a debt collector.



JIM SAYS: "Get full payment before the event.

Once an event, especially a wedding, takes place and the total cost is
known (weak budgeting on the part of the bride and/or mother - not
unusual) the motivation to pay in a timely manner can wilt.

If a wedding photographer is providing an album or DVD, then
definitely do not release any photos, even on Pictage or any other online hosting site, until the bill is paid in full. But this should be a last resort if monies are not collected prior to the event.

Businesses that typically carry accounts receivable (few today, since most require credit cards) build in a cost for collections. Photographers are unlikely to do this. And the cost is not only in dollars but in time it takes to pester your client for unpaid balances. Add to this the brain-damage of wearing a bill collector's hat, and the cost is even greater.

An up-front payment is a sign of good faith on the part of the client, but more importantly allows a photographer to make the reserved date unavailable to anyone else. What could be worse than reserving a date, which may be a popular date, and then not getting paid or paid-in-full? Not only does a photographer suffer from losing anticipated income, but she/he was prevented from booking that date for someone else!"

Jim also recommended that if anyone is interested in allowing clients to pay by credit card, then they should check out PayPal, which has a no-monthly-cost plan. In the early stages of a photography studio, Jim explains, owners need to be aware of fixed costs, even when it seems small such as $20 per month. Even established studios should think twice about monthly costs since it's not wise to take on fixed costs that yield no benefit certain months.

If any of this information has been helpful and you are in the Denver metro area, you should take Jim's course "Passion & Profits: Managing Your Photography Business," offered through Illuminate Photography Workshops. The next session starts Oct. 22 and runs for $199.

Growing Pains: My Business is Now an LLC

On Friday, I took an important legal step for my business: Picture Your World Photography has changed its designation from a sole proprietorship to a limited liability company, or an LLC.

Often mistakenly called a limited liability "corporation" instead of the correct term "company," the LLC is a hybrid business entity sharing characteristics of both a corporation and a partnership. LLCs are popular because owners, also called members, have limited personal liability for the debts and actions of the LLC. That means, if the LLC goes bankrupt, I will not be required to make up the difference with my own money. If the assets of the LLC can't cover the debts and liabilities, the creditors cannot look to me, other members, managers or officers for recovery. Other features of LLCs are more like a partnership, providing management flexibility and the benefit of pass-through taxation.

An LLC is a separate and distinct legal entity. Because of that, I was able to get a federal tax identification number (also known as an Employer Identification Number) open a bank account and do business all under my company's, name "Picture Your World Photography LLC." I filed documents with Secretary of State's Business Center , and paid a $50 fee.

Under Colorado law, my company is also known as a "Single Member Liability Company," which is taxed as a sole proprietor for income taxes. Being an SMLLC becomes important when determining employment tax requirements. I can use my companies name and EIN, but I, as a single member owner, is ultimately responsible for collecting, reporting and paying employment taxes. I'm still very confused about this designation, so I will have to do more research to make sure I understand because different federal tax reporting rules apply depending on whether or not I have employees, which I don't yet.

I will have to take all of this up with my accountant. He will be pleased to know that I now have separate bank accounts for personal and business use, will make it easier to figure out my profit and losses come tax time next year.

Need help starting your own LLC? Use this checklist from findlaw.com to help get you started. I am about half way done with the list, working on 4-7, including creating an LLC operating agreement and filing articles of organization. Make sure your business complies with your state's legal requirements by checking with the Secretary of State's office and the Internal Revenue Service. Consulting with a business attorney is a great idea as well.