Weekend Schedule
COWBELLY WORKSHOPS: EXPAND; EXPERIENCE; EXPLORE
Detailed Workshops Schedule: please note that this schedule is subject to change leading up to and even during the workshop.
Each day will be a full 8+ hours of experiencing and learning.
Dates and Times:
11am-8pm Friday
9am-6pm Saturday
9am-6pm Sunday
(60 minute lunch breaks each day + 'stretch your legs' time)
Friday: EXPLORE: 11am-8pm
Explore in-depth tips and tricks that will really help you succeed in your business
Friday is less formal than the weekend, more discussion style, will take place in and out of the classroom, and is followed by a fun night out at a restaurant to really get to know each other. Depending on the needs of the group and time allowed, we will cover most or all of these areas:
1. Observing Jamie do a full photo shoot with a client's dog from start to finish, with tips and explanations and suggestions thrown in, and an in-depth review of her process afterward.
2. Working with clients. The different types, and how to spot yellow and red flags. How to define the 'ideal client'. Real life stories, both good and bad.
3. In-depth branding overview with case studies. Why branding is so critical to the success of a business and what each person can do to get a leg up in that area.
4. How to make the most money off your images. Different routes for increased revenue.
5. Legal needs, real-life stories, access to Cowbelly's legal forms and in-depth discussion on each term of the contract. The important legal things to keep in mind while running a pet photography business. How pets are viewed in the legal arena.
6. Competition and how to best work together. Creating community in your area.
7. Dress-up dinner + drinks out at a local lounge. Includes an intimate Q & A chat in an informal environment about whatever the attendees would like to know. This is your chance to get to know both Jamie and your fellow workshop attendees!
Saturday: EXPAND: 9am-6pm
Expand your knowledge of the business side of pet photography
Learn why good business acumen is just as important as great photography skills. Saturday will be held in the classroom and will be lecture style.
1. Marketing: we will go in-depth on marketing, and touch a little on advertising, and discuss each area as they pertain to a pet photography business. Marketing strategies, promotional ideas, advertising options and how to guerilla market your business. (we will spend a good chunk of time on marketing, as this is a very important area). This whole section will be focused on how to get clients, where they might come from, and how to improve and increase your WOM (word-of-mouth).
2. Business essentials: business name, tag line, mission statement, logos.
3. Web stuff and SEO. Why your website is so important and different options to make it the best it can be. How to create great SEO. What NOT to do with a website.
4. Other forms: client interview, shoot schedule, running projects, marketing stats.
5. $$$: business needs, start-up costs, and ongoing expenses. Review of checklists on 'where to go from here' depending on where you are with your business. Where it's important to spend money and where you can save money.
6. Pricing strategies - 'averages', targets, different options. How rates connect to everything else in your business.
Review: Q&A afterward: 1 hour (or more if we need it!)
Sunday: EXPERIENCE: 9am-6pm
Experience what it’s like to be a pro pet photographer in the field, and how to process images to make them most saleable
Day 2 will start with brief instruction in the classroom, then quickly move to outside locations.
Classroom time:
1. Booking shoots and scheduling clients
2. Dealing with weather
3. Equipment needs: what to carry in your camera bag
4. Gear overview: best equipment for pet photography and where to turn for more gear information and help
Then for the fun part- shooting dogs! At a nearby park, hopefully in nice sunny weather!
Hands-on assignment which will take at least half the day. Ideally we will have 1-2 dogs per 5 attendees to give everyone plenty of fur to shoot.
We will break into groups and Jamie will work with each small group, giving tips on shooting, exposure options, how to work with dogs, different ways to get different 'styles' of shots, how to interact with the client and what your best tools are during a dog photography shoot (and no they aren't treats or equipment!).
When we're done shooting we'll head back to the classroom and break for lunch (we'll bring snacks to tide us over if we go late while shooting).
After our late lunch it's post-processing time.
Jamie will demonstrate her standard workflow process, from memory card to finished images.
We'll go over quick photoshop tips and Jamie's typical Lightroom and Photoshop tips and tricks and some of the really cool features of the programs. Jamie will show processing mistakes that are common to beginning dog/pet photographers and how you can make your images look more professional regardless of your experience.
We'll talk about Jamie's simple editing strategies where, in two minutes or less, you can take your images from great to AWESOME!
We will discuss both Photoshop/Bridge and Lightroom, and what you can do with either/both to help you with your workflow and editing.
Jamie will teach you what clients are really looking for, and how to make images more 'saleable' with software.
Final day Q & A
Goodbye's hugs, tears, and phone number and email exchanges!
Lastly, time to start digesting all of the information your brain is now filled with! Then after it's hit the forum time for more clarification and tips.