Mentoring with Nicole Pfeiffer Photography

I never thought I could teach someone else anything. I never thought I would be able to put into words how I felt about photography or how to achieve a certain outcome. And I still might not do that perfectly. But I want to try. I went to college for photography and had the amazing experience of working with a professor that encouraged me, pushed me, challenged me, tested me, critiqued me when I thought I was awesome and fully supports me as an artist. Yes, he still does because we still keep in touch!;)  I admire him and want to offer that feeling to other artists. I want other photographers to know what it feels like to work one-on-one with someone already doing something they want to do. I have found that is the best way to learn anything. Take advice from people in the shoes you want to own. I do this myself and love it. Trial and error is a heck of a way to learn and it does the job, but being able to hear about the good and the bad before it happens also has it’s perks!

I often receive emails asking about different topics related to either running a photography business, creating the type of photography I do, what vendors I use to print with, why I use certain equipment, how to process images in Photoshop… the list goes on. More recently I’ve been getting contacted about interning with me, shadowing me on shoots or 1:1 mentoring. I couldn’t feel more excited about being reached out to for information, but the debate that I struggle with is, where do you draw the line of offering too much information and for free? Many photographers blog a ton of great information about everything from how to use manual mode to how to do your taxes for a small business – I personally love reading about this information on blogs when I come across it. But I have also spent years learning this stuff myself – going to college, working in a darkroom, taking business courses, attending workshops. I invest in my own education because I love soaking up information about what I’m doing and it makes me a better business person and artist. I knew that I wanted to offer information to other photographers, but I didn’t want to do it randomly over my blog or in emails.  I wanted it to become part of my business, possibly part of my brand. What I really want to offer is in-person and hands on. I want to offer a service of knowledge by experience. And I don’t want to offer everything I have learned, experienced and researched for free. It’s a simple truth. This is my business. And so I have incorporated mentoring and portfolio building into my business to help you grow yours!

I started offering 1:1 mentoring sessions last year after a handful of high school students showed interest in learning how to take photographs like mine. Mostly from girls that looked up to me and felt that they could see this as being a passion for them as well. I then started getting emails from other photographers in the business looking for tips on how to maintain a growing business and change their image up. Who am I to give advice though? Who am I to even address that you might need to change something or learn something new? But once I let it sink in and really looked at why they were asking, I was honored and humbled. Maybe I had more to offer than just taking a pretty picture. And so I jumped in last year with just a few mentoring sessions that were probably all a hot mess. This year I want to do more. And without the hot mess part!

I do want to address what I do and don’t offer. Randomly answering emails or Facebook messages takes time away from my business (which is what pays my bills) and my home life. And as much as I don’t mind answering a question here or there, offering an entire explanation about how to address business taxes for example, is a different story. (and then never get a thank you for it, tisk tisk) I will be addressing photography related questions and situations here, so if I find that I keep getting asked similar questions, it just may become a topic!

Taking on an intern is not a good fit for me right now. I am a small business – just little ol me – and I can’t say I would have anything for you to do. I love shooting, I love editing, I love working with my clients. I am still at that stage where I love it all and want to do it all myself, despite being somewhat overwhelmed and overworked. I also feel that I am very much my brand and sending someone else out to do what I do in place of me is not what I am offering at this time. This may change in the future and I totally welcome all inquiries!

Bringing a shadow photographer on a shoot with me is not my style. I think this is a cool way to learn, but it’s not what I offer to the people who are hiring me. Because my sessions are very fast paced and a very personal connection is built during that time, my clients need to know that I am only there for them and they are my main focus. I never want my client to feel like I am also teaching someone else while I am working with them. In every aspect of what I do, I am one-on-one and personal. This goes for both photography clients and mentoring clients. If I was hired to mentor a photographer, I doubt they would like me to also be shooting a client’s session for free and taking their time to do that. I always want to focus on one thing and one client at a time.

I offer a few different options for mentoring and portfolio building – to the budding student photographer that is just barely out of high school, to the intro business photographer that just wants to nail down the questions they have and to the new face on the block that wants to start her modeling career. Yes, I offer model building portfolios that include mentoring in how to get stared. And I am planning some specific PDF downloads that address working strategies for me – such as how to use Facebook to contact senior clients and get your rep program working.

Mentoring sessions are broken down into 3 hour sections and build in information as we go, but you can certainly pack them all into one day and learn it all at once like at a workshop! These start at $350.00 and include travel and a model to work with! Model portfolio building is a bit more complex, so please contact me for details! nicole@nicolepfeifferphotography.com

What are some topics you have questions about?

 

The truth of an inactive blogger

I blogged on Monday. Mostly pictures, but still. I would have to say I am not a natural blogger and have obviously struggled with this so far. Looking back on when I first started this blog, I had high hopes. But blogging keeps me at the computer even longer than I already am, which is no doubt making my butt flatter as the days pass. :/ I am the type of person that doesn’t feel the need to blog if I don’t have anything to say… and sometimes what I do have to say is questionable, so I tend to hold back.

Over the past year I have been busy building my business in Howell (which has been AMAZING), working on our new home (which has been trying) and mourning the loss of my most cherished feline friend, Precious (my baby of 14 years). And though those things do not fill my everyday, they do take time and energy.

My plans for this blog -> I will be blogging all photo sessions – large, pretty images is what I do after all! And I want to offer information. When I first started in photography, I found inspiration from photographers who were not only great at what they did, but also offered information to other photographers. I felt this was something I wanted to do as well, but as time has passed and as I’ve mentioned before, I want that to be something more personal and not just on a blogging connection. I want to be an in-person resource! And I feel that my blog should be mainly directed at my clients, for my clients. So I am offering 1:1 mentoring for photographers, which I will be talking about this week! I will be sharing and have some blogs planned out to talk about Using Actions, If Offering a CD is Right for You and a variety of other topics that I have struggled with or really question! And in the works – a Senior Portrait Posing Guide – a PDF guide on how to successfully work with high school senior clients and make them feel as beautiful, comfortable and unique as they really are! If you are interested in getting the news about this when it comes available, please email me at nicole@nicolepfeifferphotography.com!

Imagine that, a short blog. I will leave you with a photo of my beloved Precious, since she is on my mind everyday.

 

South Lyon / Howell Senior Portrait Photographer {carlye, 2013 rep}

It’s been one year since moving to Howell and moving my rep program to a different city. Last year I was fortunate enough to quickly find 4 senior reps to work with, mostly from the Howell area. And after working with students from all over MI (well at least up to two hours away) in 2011, I wanted to get my name out to other surrounding cities in 2012 (to at least one hour away)! I might be biting off more than I can chew and giving more of myself than I should, but I wanted to try “go big or go home” this year. To my surprise, I found 10 amazing 2013 senior girls to work with located in South Lyon, Brighton, Howell, Milan, Dexter, Clio and Ann Arbor. Be prepared to see a handful of rockstars grace this blog in the next couple months!

Starting with Carlye, from South Lyon High School! I think Carlye’s mom was the first person to contact me when I was looking for reps, months before I was able to meet with them. And I think we planned more than we had time for when chatting at our in-person consult. Between Carlye, her mom and I, we talked about doing a variety of things like shooting at a ski resort (because Carlye is a rockin snow boarder) and doing a Pool Session with her best friend (which may still happen, wink)! Our session was fast paced, split between Ann Arbor and Howell, but Carlye, her mom, her sister and best friend Megan (who I get to work with in August!), were such troopers to work with. This family really offered me their trust and full support in capturing who Carlye is. As an artist, as a photographer, you really can’t ask for more.  {hair/makeup by Nicole Medor} I felt like I could shoot Carlye all day… you can probably see why!

Now taking applications for 2013 senior spokesmodels

It’s the start of my favorite season… senior portrait season! That starts in January, you ask? For me it does! I usually open my doors to senior rep applications in December/January, so I am actually a little behind this time around. I am lucky enough to have some great referrals from previous reps and to have meet some wonderful younger siblings from previous clients that are already starting their planning process with me! My husband and I have been settled in our new home for about a year now {despite what it looks like}, so I am ready to expand into other areas and get my name into other cities. I will be taking about 10-12 students from a variety of high schools within a 1 hour radius of Howell. I am looking for 1-2 students from each school, depending how many students attend there.

What does being a senior rep {spokesmodel} mean exactly? As a senior rep for Nicole Pfeiffer Photography, you will help get other students excited about having their senior portrait sessions.  You will represent yourself in a professional manner and assist in the promotion and advertising for Nicole Pfeiffer Photography’s high school seniors marketing campaign. What I look for in a senior rep is someone who is friendly, fashionable and genuinely interested in my work. The more invested you are in me, the more invested you will be in helping this program be a success. In exchange for your efforts and hard work, you will be rewarded with a complimentary Fashion Session of your own {with hair and makeup included}, as well as have the chance to earn print credits, a personalized brag book, and free products! The more passionate you are about the work we’ve done, the more cool stuff you can earn.

If you feel this is up your alley, contact me for an application! I can’t wait to meet you… and then take your picture, of course! nicole@nicolepfeifferphotography.com

 

 

Brighton / Howell Senior Portrait Photography {erika, senior 2012}

{session date: 9.15.2011} Erika is a cool, cool chick! I met up with Erika for her wardrobe consult at her grandparent’s property so she could show me one of the locations she was interested in for her split session. We looked through a laundry hamper of clothes on the back deck, sorting out summer outfits and fall outfits. Over the course of working with Erika, her mom and some of her friends over the two sessions, I got to know a really amazing young lady with so much life and true happiness. The kind that spreads just because she is around. We were always laughing, or trying to figure out how to pose without laughing, or trying to avoid laughing because then we would keep laughing. I really enjoy getting to meet young ladies like Erika and spending time learning about who they are. Thank you for being such a pleasure to get to know and for a couple really fun sessions! I wish you all the best Erika!

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