Fast Food Friday - For Professional Photographers

​When I started this series, it was all about short easy things photographers could do immediately to build a stronger business. Over the last year, it's grown into a lot more and has included some long-range planning along with the "low-hanging fruit" originally in my plan.

Today's blue-plate special from the SCU Diner is a little of both. Remember, most of you are right-brain creative types. You pay attention to the operational side of your business when forced, but overall you'd love to be out capturing images all day and once a week turn everything over to an assistant to handle! Sound familiar?

Well, whether you're right brain dominant or left, today's special is all about asking for help. I used to think it was more of a guy thing, like jokes about asking for directions, but it's an issue with too many of you, and gender has nothing to do with asking for help.

Before I can share a lengthy list of places you can find help in photography, it's important to recognize asking for help isn't a sign of weakness. Here's a great example:

Years ago my father was doing his best to take care of my mother who was fighting Alzheimer's. He developed some severe anger issues, and his doctor suggested a support group. At first, he wasn't interested, but he and I turned it into a weekly event and the more we went, the more Dad opened up and shared his pain. The Caregiver Resource Center with the Friendship Centers here in Sarasota changed our lives. More importantly, Dad changed his style of dealing with some of his pain. Keeping things to yourself and not sharing your problems was a trademark of his generation, but the support group helped him understand he wasn't alone and it was okay to ask for help.

So, let's kill the myth right now that needing help and asking for it, is a sign of weakness. It's not, but instead an example of strength and the passion for growing your business and skill set!

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Finding Help When You Need It

"Be strong enough to stand along,
smart enough to know when you need help,
and brave enough to ask for it."
Anon

​Almost a year ago I shared a Fast Food Friday post about asking for help. While I covered a little of what I'm sharing today, no one post can cover everything. In my previous post on the topic I talked about the various associations and guilds you need to be a part of. I also covered a little about blogs and conventions, but we're at the end of the first quarter of the year, the "slow season."  NOW is the time, if you need help, to ask for it or search out the answers before business for 2019 starts to ramp up.
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• Your Network: Building a strong network never slows down and it's one of the main reasons to attend every possible workshop and convention. Think of your network as a target with each ring being a different level of trust and expertise. At the center are those 1-2 people you trust the most. As you move out the expertise in each ring changes, but each person is a resource depending on your needs.
• Conventions, Workshops, and Conferences: Every event gives you a chance to find help both as an observer and a student in the various classes. For example, ShutterFest is right around the corner and a terrific boutique conference giving you a chance to learn something new. At the risk of looking like I'm doing an infomercial, click on the banner below for more information because it's the next show coming up. If you need help in virtually any direction in your business, the timing is perfect because it's April 23-24.

Click for more information - hope to see you there!

• YouTube: At least once a day you should wander into YouTube and hit the search button with the name of an artist you respect, a manufacturer whose gear you use or a topic. You'll be amazed at what comes up. For example, just in the Tamron channel alone, there are 189 videos; there are 139 in the LUMIX camera channel; Suzette Allen has close to 400; Behind the Shutter has 890; the SLR Lounge is over a thousand, and the list goes on and on! From webinars to short "how-to" pieces YouTube is loaded with content to help you raise the bar.
• Your Favorite Blogs and Websites: The list is endless with great articles, videos, podcasts, webinars, and interactive features. Photofocus is one of the largest, along with SLRLounge, and a long list of associates. Check out Sue Bryce education for an extensive variety of support. Obviously, if you're reading today's post, you've found the SCU blog, but check out the blogs by so many of your favorite photographers, educators, and vendors! I share content from a dozen different photographers every Monday and Wednesday on the Marathon Blog, and my partner at SCU, Chamira Young shares a lot of great content and podcasts on ProPhotographer Journey. And outside the industry, but completely focused on Customer Service is Shep Hyken's blog, always helping you with ideas on how to build stronger relationships with your target audience.
• Podcasts have become one of my favorite ways to learn because they can run in the background while I'm doing something else. And they're all over the place with good ones and bad - it's personal taste combined with your needs. Again, it's about recognizing you need help and finding a location for the inspiration.
• For Your Spirit: Reading is NOT obsolete. For me, my day regularly starts with Melody Beattie. There's no need to be embarrassed over needing a little spiritual help now and then. You need to feed your soul the same way you do your stomach every morning!
• Your Accountant: I've read so much bad advice shared with good intentions from photographers who think they've discovered a key to financial success and start advising their friends. You need to touch base with your accountant more than once a year to do your taxes. Get help at the end of each quarter, so you're not surprised when Uncle Sam is due to get paid.
• Facebook Forums: While help is all over the place, you need to be careful. Remember there are no erasers on the Internet, and too often participants get caught in discussions that create stress rather than help solve challenges. Nevertheless, there are some outstanding forums giving you a chance to ask for help when you need it. For example Michele Celentano and Gary Box are both sharing content all the time to help you improve your skills. And specializing in boudoir Jen Rozenbaum is like the energizer rabbit with new content!

Whether in person, via phone or email, there are so many of us here to help, but we can't help if we don't know what you're dealing with and what your needs are. The bottom line is we're an industry historically known for helping each other. We watch each other's backs, and while now and then a troll rears it's ugly head, overall, as sappy as it sounds, we're a family.

Stop thinking you're alone in the frustrations of being an artist and small business owner. Ask for help when you need it. And as for me, I can't help you much with your technique, but I'm sure available to help with business and marketing questions. Even better, if I don't know the answer, there's somebody in my network who does.