We are kicking off our “Featured Fridays | Photographer Spotlight” with a woman that has changed my life and business. Joy Vertz, owner of Shoot the Moon Photography, is not only an amazing photographer, but an incredible teacher as well. I signed up for Joy’s 3 Weeks to Pricing Perfection course in 2013 and was literally blown away. She taught me to value my time and the importance of setting boundaries. After being in business for 15 years, Joy helped me realize what I need to be charging my clients in order to not only make a profit and stay in business, but to remain happy. To remember why I started this business 15 years ago, and why I want to spend the next 15+ years doing this. Photography isn’t just my passion, it’s my life. It’s the way I see my son, my family, my world, and how I help my client’s document theirs. Joy reminded me of all of these things and also helped show me where I could improve my business. For all of you who know Joy, you’ll LOVE this interview. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Shoot the Moon Photography, take a moment to follow her Facebook page and get to know her work through her website. Bonus … for all of you photographers … if you only do one thing for your business this year, take Joy’s online pricing for photography class. Trust me, you won’t regret it.
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Shoot the Moon Photography |
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Website |
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How would you describe yourself to someone you just met? |
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Polished and professional with a witty sense of humor when you get to know me. |
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When did you decide to become a photographer? Why? |
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After art school and my first son was born, I spent a year going to professional photographers to capture his first year. At the end of the year, my favorite images were the candid more natural ones I had taken with my trusty film camera from college. This blossomed into me photographing friends and family and my business began. |
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What gear do you have in your camera bag? |
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Nikon D3s, D3 and D700 70-200 2.8 VR Lens (which almost never leaves my camera body) 24-70 2.8 50mm 1.4 85mm 1.4 Assorted accessories Speedlight 910 This camera strap (in pink and gold): https://www.etsy.com/shop/nicoleberlowski All bundled in this bag when I travel: http://joyv.co/1nO3Sly And a Jo Tote in Marigold when I am just going to a short session. |
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What was the first piece of equipment that you bought? |
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A 110 film camera when I was a pre-teen |
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If you could only use one lens an entire session which one would you choose and why? |
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70-200 2.8 VR without a doubt. The compression is amazing and it is sharp and reliable. |
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What advice would you give to someone just beginning in photography and hoping to have a business of their own? |
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Make sure you get your pricing and expenses in line before you ever start charging. Make sure you understand WHY you charge what you charge and that you account for your time. Don’t ever compare your pricing to others. |
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What type of photos do you take for yourself when not working with clients? |
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I’m a mom with a point and shoot simply documenting the life moments. |
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How would you describe your style? |
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Polished and clean— timeless. |
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What has been the biggest obstacle you have had to overcome? |
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Time management. Time is money and wasting 15 minutes here or there added up to significant stress and financial loss. I’ve learned to keep things dialed in so that I can maximize family time. |
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What is your favorite time of day to shoot? |
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Mornings for sure! The earlier the better. I like to do my work and go home and enjoy family time. |
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If you had to stop taking photos right now, what would you do instead? |
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Teach. I adore it. |
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Have you attended college or had any formal education in photography? |
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Yes! I have a B.A. in Studio Art as well as several degrees from PPA |
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What do you do to get your clients to relax with you? |
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I like to explain what to expect every step of the way. |
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What are your photography related goals for 2014? |
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I will work to increase my average sale by 5% and reduce expenses by 5% |
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What do you do to become a better photographer? |
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I invest in education.. several times a year! |
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How do you set yourself apart from the crowd? |
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Strive to have amazing customer service. When you offer wonderful service clients stay loyal– even if you are more expensive. |
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What do you think your next photography related investment will be? |
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Some lighting equiptment |
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If you had to recommend ONE thing that a photographer needs in their camera bag, what would that be? |
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A notebook- to record details for blog posts and for the sale |
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A huge thank you to Joy for allowing us to interview her and feature her work on our blog this week. We are honored to feature Shoot the Moon Photography as our first ever “Featured Friday | Photographer Spotlight”.
