I am a Shoot & Share Photographer.

What does that mean? For a bride and other photographers?

It’s a simple idea –

I believe in serving my clients by building friendships and relationships beyond the typical client-vendor relationship. We want to share the best memories and experiences with everyone, and I will give couples the tools to do this easily. I prioritize a better experience and a friendship with a client over selling them products.

The simplest ideas can sometimes seem so complex. I know that. So let’s break this down some more. For brides, what are the benefits of a shoot & share photographer? There are many different ways to design a business with the shoot & share philosophy but I will explain how I do mine. And for photographers, what does being a Shoot & Share photographer mean for you. I’m going to start with brides. No offense photogs, but lets be real they’re our priority right 😉  But, pay attention cause there might be good info for you there.

Brides

Is a Shoot & Share Photographer the right photographer for you?  Let’s chat about some of the benefits. Now keep in mind this is how I do things. Shoot & Share photographers have the same basic idea, but there are many ways to achieve it. How I do things is just one way of many and none of us are necessarily wrong.  There are two main things that set Shoot & Share photographers apart from others.

Service – Now every photographer serves their client in some way. At least, they should.  Shoot & Share photographers go beyond the average for service. Yes I’ll still get the 5 specific images you ask for and all the things you want for your wedding. But more than that, I’m truly interested in you as people. As individuals. As a couple. And building a relationship with you that goes beyond… I’m here to take your photos. I’m going to embrace you, and not just on your wedding day. I’m going to joke and laugh with you, and not just on your wedding day. I’m going to celebrate life with you, and not just on your wedding day. If you didn’t catch on I’m interested in more than just what happens on your wedding day.  And not just interested, it’s a priority.

Sharing your images – You’ve asked me to photograph a day full of memories and moments to be cherished. Actually it’s a day chalk-full of memories and moments. The greatest experiences of life should be shared with others. Because not only does it bring joy to you, but it brings joy to all those that you share it with. You’re wedding day is one of the best experiences of your life. And it should be shared. Now there are many ways for these preserved moments to be shared. I, personally, use PASS. It’s simple, it’s clean, and it’s a little sexy 😉 I upload all of your images into a PASS gallery that I will share with you shortly after your wedding. You can view the gallery from any device with the internet. Yes, your phone. Yes, your iPad. Yes, at home. Yes, at the aiport. Yes, in a restaurant. Any device, anywhere. Just need some access to the internet. From this link you can SHARE your images with all of your friends and family. You can share images to Facebook, Twitter, pin them to Pinterest, send them in an email. You can download them directly from the gallery. High Res. You can print the images. Where ever, when ever, how ever big or small you’d like. And for convenience you can order prints directly from the gallery, even from your phone for as low as $1. And they’re backed up in storage for 10 years. So don’t worry if you lose your images 3 years from now, we can get them so easily.  Simply easy to share with everyone you love.  Here is an example of a PASS gallery.

Want products? Such as a canvas, album, and unique products? Just because a photographer shares the images doesn’t mean you can’t order products. I certainly offer products. And I love giving you products. It just means I don’t put together sales sessions for you to come in and view your images and pick the images and product you’d like to purchase. I don’t like be sold to, so I won’t do it to you 🙂

Photographers

You don’t have to sell – Honestly we’re all selling. We’re businesses. However I’m not focused on selling products. I’m focused on selling me. Which is easy. I just have to be me. For some selling comes naturally. They can easily put together sales sessions. Have clients come in, view their images, pick the ones they want to purchase and what product to along with it and clients eat it up. But some of us just simply suck at selling. I, being one. But I also don’t like to be sold to so I choose not to do it to others. This is not saying that those who do sales-session and require money at the back-end to be financially successful are wrong. This isn’t a absolute wrong or right conversation. This is about what YOU WANT TO DO. You have choices. I simply want to Shoot & Share, so I do. I make my money up front so I’m not crossing my fingers for great product sales at the end to make my own financial goals. I prefer it this way, for myself.

Time – I use PASS and don’t do sales sessions. Using PASS after editing images I drop and drag the images to upload. Spend less than a minute entering some information for the gallery. And walk away for a snack, I’ve definitely earned it at that point 😉 When I return and the images are finished uploading I send an email to my clients and voila. And because the common print sizes are offered through the gallery I don’t have to spend time taking orders for them, fulfilling and delivering them. And since I’m not focused on product sales sessions I’m saving time that others use to put those together, meet, take orders, fulfill them etc. I still offer products and sometimes spend time fulfilling the orders, I’m just not spending hours upon hours on sales driven meetings with them. I get to use this time for other things. Such as building my business, building my brand, working in my community of brides, with my family, and even just for myself. I travel for 95% of my weddings. Time for myself and fam is important. And often I choose to spend this time with clients. Coffee dates. Skype calls. Funny late night emails. Back to building a lasting relationship with them. In the grand scheme of life that’s far more important to me than how many prints and products I was able to sell them.

Community – We’re better together. There is a community of Shoot & Share Photographers. We believe in each other. That we’re better because of each other. Always sharing & collaborating. We believe in helping new photographers and celebrating them. And we believe in serving. Serving our clients. Serving each other. Serving the world. And you can be a part of it. Check out the Shoot & Share Community. Join on Facebook. Find a local group. Be a part of something bigger than yourself.

In a nutshell….

Inspiration is a collaboration. I think I can say the same for joy. My “clients” & “colleagues” or as I’d rather call of them my friends, they inspire me. And in turn I inspire them. I think joy is the same. For they bring lots of joy to my life. And I bring joy to theirs.  I’ve built my business around this idea. That these inspiring relationships full of joy are far more important than the dollars attached to a product. I choose to focus on joyful and inspiring relationships, with you.

Contact Jackie  |  Join the Facebook Fanpage  |  Check out the Website