So what’s been the result and how has it affected your website? The change means that the source page (i.e. your website) will no longer load up in an iframe in the background.

Users can click the displayed domain name, “Visit page”, “View original image” or the image itself to navigate to the source page. While the new search seems highly intuitive for someone searching Google Images, analytics suggest that fewer users are clicking to the source page.

Users can click any of the four links boxed in red above to navigate to the image’s original source page.

In the past three months, we’ve seen a 78.69% drop in traffic to PhotoShelter members’ websites from Google Images search results (not Google web search results, but specifically image search results).

Why did Google do this?

One idea about the “why” of this change is that it’s a content grab on Google’s part. Other updates, like including IMDb results on the sidebar when you search a movie or Wikipedia results when searching a notable person, are other recent tactics that Google has employed to keep you in their ecosystem instead of visiting the “destination” site.

Google now displays IMDb and Wikipedia results when search for movies or notable people.

In many ways it provides a better user experience, but it also removes the need to utilize other sites. Some SEO consultants also suggest there’s danger here, because users no longer find the need to navigate to the source page now that they can see (and potentially steal) a high res photo directly on Google.

Is anyone else seeing these results?

PhotoShelter members are far from alone on this point – it’s an issue that the entire SEO community is grappling with. Webmasters were quick to react on dedicated forms like WebmasterWorld and Digital Point. An SEO consultant shared the effects one of his clients saw within a month of the change. The client is an artist and her site is 99% images – the consultant observed an 80+% drop in referral traffic from Google Images.

More recently, SEO consulting firm Define Media Group analyzed 87 domains worldwide from a variety of networks and business verticals, and found an average 63% decrease in referral traffic from Google Images after the January update. Those defined as “photo sites” are down 74%. Fashion, lifestyle, and entertainment sites are down 78%.

What happened?

PhotoShelter members have always seen a steady stream of referral traffic from Google Images (as is the case for most photographers’ websites). In 2012, the average number of visits to PhotoShelter members’ sites (in aggregate) from Google Images actually increased by 35.19% in the second half of the year.

Referral traffic to PhotoShelter members’ sites from Google Images increased by 35.19% in the second half of 2012.

Then on January 27, 2013 – the first full week after Google’s update to its image search – something changed:

In the three months since the January 23rd update to Google Images, referral traffic from Google Images has decreased by 78.69%.

Here’s a closer look at that data from the past 6 months:

Referral traffic from Google Images to PhotoShelter members’ sites in the past 6 months.

A nearly 80% drop in referral traffic from one of the top three referring sites to PhotoShelter members’ sites is nothing to scoff at. But there are some important things to note:

• Referral traffic from Google web search has remained relatively consistent over the last year and a half.
• Average site visit duration (how long someone spends on your website during one visit) and number of pages per visit have also stayed nearly the same.
• Bounce rate and percent of new visitors (people who have never been to your site before) have also stayed about the same.

The community is also talking about the concept of a “truer visit”. Internet marketers at MoreVisilibity explain that with the new image search, Google Analytics code does not have a chance to fire, “removing page view credit and decreasing referral traffic.” Meaning that it’s possible many of the visits you were seeing before were people who saw your image in the iframe that popped open in the background, but these people never actually clicked through to your website at all. So while this change may seem extreme, it might just be a more accurate count of visitors who click through to the original source.

So while the absolute number of visitors to your site may have decreased in the last three months, the true visitors are still behaving the same once they land on your website – which makes sense assuming you haven’t made any major changes in that time.

What can you do about it?

First, you need to truly assess the impact beyond simply reading the analytics. Start by asking if your business has been materially impacted in any way. If not, then the concept of a “truer visit” may actually be relevant to you.

Still, if Google Images is only sending a fraction of the “useful” traffic to your site as it previously did, then you might consider focusing on other traffic sources. For example, the #1 source of referral traffic to PhotoShelter members’ sites in 2012 was Facebook. Google Images and PhotoShelter.com were #2 and #3, followed by Twitter and Pinterest.

It’s also clear at this point that Google is taking social media – specifically Google+ – activity into account when ranking search results.

The photographer community has continued to grow on Google+, but if you’re still averse to getting active on another social media platform, consider this: Google Authorship, which links the content you post on a specific domain (i.e. your photography website) with your Google+ profile, is becoming a huge factor in how Google ranks your website. People who have set this up are often ranked higher for their targeted keywords. (Read more and learn how to set up Google Authorship here.)

Trey Ratcliff, known for his huge presence on Google+, ranks on the first page of search results for the term “hdr photos”. His headshot and name show up in the search results because of his Google Authorship (of course, over 5 million people have Trey in their circles, so keep that in perspective).

Overall, best practices in the wake of Google Image search update will likely be to continue optimizing your website with on-page text that Google can crawl and index in regular search, and build authorship via Google+ to help influence how your content appears in search results. Likewise, we will continue to optimize our own tools to help facilitate this.

How can you see the changes to your website’s traffic?

To see how your traffic has changed, log into your Google Analytics account and navigate to Traffic Sources>Sources>Referrals. Click on the google.com link and look for /imgres. Clicking this will give you a picture of how referral traffic from Google Images has changed over time. Be sure to look at a time period containing the week of January 28th, 2013 (the first full week after the update).

One of the contributors to this guide is Neil Binkley, who works as a photographer consultant and co-founded Wonderful Machine. No matter how many portfolios Neil has seen, it still excites him when a photographer comes to him with images that clearly express their “creative DNA” or personality. His perspective on targeting clients is based on a strong belief that the best thing to do is shoot what you love and aim to inspire.

Below is Neil’s advice for attracting your dream client with your photography portfolio.

How does a photographer target a dream client with his or her portfolio?

The best thing you can do is pretend that you are your dream client and think, What would I hire me to shoot? Every portfolio shoot that a photographer does is a chance to do the work they find most exciting.

I think that portfolio projects are the single most important things that photographers can do to propel their businesses forward. And when I say portfolio projects, I also mean personal projects – they’re the same thing to me. A portfolio project has the potential to make you more money, but also provide more artistic satisfaction.

How do you recommend coming up with a project that’s portfolio-worthy?

There are really two things that can help you come up with portfolio projects. One is practical: think of what you need to fill in the gaps of your current work. The other is to think of what work would get you excited. Because when you’re excited about the work, it can be infectious.

I think that the more photographers can do to show off their personality the better – whether a subject matter or a style. It’s harder for others to replicate something that’s personal to you.

It happens more and more these days that a creative director will see some work on someone’s website, regardless of whether it was done for a client, and they will be inspired and want it re-created for a client of theirs. This is a win-win situation because the job becomes more of a collaboration. So the goal with your portfolio should be to inspire creative directors and art buyers.

What are some specific go-to practices for a photographer who can’t come up with a portfolio project?

I used to be a designer, and the hardest thing to do was to design for myself. There’s a lot of pressure to create something from nothing. Photographers are up against a blank canvas when starting a new portfolio project so themes can help them react to something.

Some tips:

Pick a color and run with it for six months. Then do a portfolio shoot every week or two (this is the red project, etc.) and see what that means for you. Then on your website you can have one gallery that says, “latest project” or the “red project” or the “rainbow project.” That way a client can look at it and say, “This person did a really great job across these 10 images. There’s a thread that shows this is a cohesive work and yet it’s exciting because they’ve obviously tried to do something a little bit different.”

How do you recommend thinking up a portfolio project that is both personal and can be targeted to a dream client?

Think of 10 things that you enjoy doing the most and choose one of them to be a portfolio project. Say it’s a hobby or taking your dog for a walk. Think of how taking a dog for a walk is interesting, and interesting in a way that you haven’t seen done. Make it personal to you. Try to make it a story.

Good marketing is good storytelling – everyone likes to hear stories. Maybe you just focus on the tail of the dog, which is something I’ve never seen. This also adds a limiting factor. A limiting factor helps you use your creative mind to execute the shoot. Maybe it’s through lighting, styling or the environment that the tail is photographed against. You can add irony or humor. All of those things tell an interesting story and give the images variety, but the theme of the tail will keep it all cohesive.

How do you keep your dream clients once you’ve got them?

I never give people permission to stop marketing themselves. You have to sell yourself to people even if they’ve already hired you. If Coke and Pepsi have to advertise then why wouldn’t a photographer whom no one has ever heard of not have to do the same thing? It’s just a reminder, that’s all.

It’s possible that you may never do work for publications like GQ or Vanity Fair or Esquire, and you should forgive yourself if you don’t. There are only so many projects and only so many photographers in line for those projects. You can do work for many other clients. If you have five clients that hire you, with a few rotating in and out, you can have a very solid career.

Takeaway: Why a photographer with a fast, intuitive portfolio comes out on top.

I consult photographers foremost, but I was recently tapped by an ad agency to find a local photographer for a specific region in the country. The client wanted high quality and happened to have a really odd combination of specialty needs (food and lifestyle). I found several people who were good at one or the other, but it was hard to find someone good at both.

Every time I hit a website that wasn’t quick and easy to use – if it didn’t have thumbnails, for example – I was less patient. It was taking a day and a half to find a couple of good contenders to send to this ad agency, and I really saw the weaknesses and strengths of website designs.

When someone is trying to quickly assess your photographic value, it’s important to help her do her job. We’re not in the beautiful, animation-rich, Flash era that we used to be. It’s important not to get in the way of function. It happens all the time that the best photographer is not the one that is found. And there are a lot of great photographers out there, but it’s not always about finding the best. It’s a combination of having a good edit and being able to have it found by the right clients.

For more information on what goes into an exceptional online portfolio and  how an online portfolio should fit into your marketing plan, check out our free guide:

Freelance photographer Melissa Golden raised an interesting observation about a particularly gruesome photo that was featured on The Atlantic’s InFocus column.

Photo by Charles Krupa/AP (Editor’s note: The above image is a crop of The Atlantic’s image. Warning: extremely graphic. Click to see the full, unblurred image.)

From her Facebook page, Melissa commented, “Number 8 in this gallery is horrifying, but I’m very concerned with the In Focus’ decision to blur the face. Since when do legitimate print journalism outfits modify photos like this? Run it or don’t, but don’t enact a double standard for Americans when we’re totally cool running unadulterated photos of bombing victims from foreign lands.”

Interestingly, the image was originally run without the pixelation, but The Atlantic decided to make adjust the image with the following statement: “Note: An earlier version of this gallery featured this photo with the graphic warning but without the image blurred. We have since decided to blur the subject’s face out of his respect for privacy.”

My initial reaction was in opposition to Melissa. I supported the blurring, but not necessarily because of the typical argument the family members hadn’t been notified yet. I reasoned that the flow of real-time information today is different from an editorial decision to publish an image of a dead soldier a week or even a day later. Just like the Super Bowl, I argued to myself that we needed the 10 second tape delay to be able to censor out objectionable content until we had time to consider its impact.

But upon further reflection, I realized that this is bunk.

Consider for a moment that just two weeks ago, Louisville basketball player Kevin Ware suffered a devastating leg injury which broke his bone and pierced his skin, sending blood onto the basketball floor. This scene was broadcast live, and then in slow-mo, and then over and over again on TV and the Internet. Consider the Pulitzer Prize Winning photography from Syria that featured maimed and murdered people. Consider the World Press Photo grand prize photo that featured two dead children. The cat is already out of the bag. We live in Internet time. We individually apply editorial decisions to every tweet, Facebook post, and Instagram that we create. There is no more waiting a week to gut check whether a photo is appropriate or not for publication. The bombing occurred in broad daylight at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. Dozens, if not, hundreds of people saw this victim roll by them in the wheelchair. This isn’t a case of violence behind closed doors where release of the image would violate reasonable privacy or would jeopardize the prosecution of the case.

A free society can determine the standards by which they live by. I certainly believe that children should be shielded from horrific images and pornography. But a well-informed society shouldn’t have a double standard for “us” vs “them” or “sports” vs “news.” When it comes to newsworthy items, we should not allow ourselves to censor the flow of information. As Schneier opined in the aforementioned piece, “But we need to be vigilant not to weaken the very freedoms and liberties that make this country great, meanwhile, just because we’re scared.”

Let the news flow freely, gruesomely if necessary. And let’s refuse to have our eyes covered in the face of adversity.

We recently put together The Photographer’s Guide to Copyright in partnership with ASMP to help photographers navigate the world of copyright law. One topic covered in this guide is Fair use, and the following article is written by Eugene H. Mopsik, ASMP Executive Director and Victor S. Perlman, ASMP General Counsel and Managing Director.

Defining Fair use

Fair use is one of the grayest of gray areas, and possibly the most misunderstood, in copyright law. It’s not a right, as commonly believed, but a defense that is raised when there is an infringement claim. Ultimately, whether a particular unauthorized use of copyrighted materials qualifies as fair use can be determined only by the courts – everything else is just guesswork and opinion.

Sometimes, though, even the court decisions seem to come down to guesswork and opinion. There’s probably no better example than Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart’s famous quote – when expressing frustration trying to define obscenity he said, “I know it when I see it.”

A little background

Fair use exists in the U.S. because of §107 of the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976. In the introductory section of the Act are some examples of the types of purposes that the fair use provision is intended to support: “…criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research…” This list is not exclusive or comprehensive, so uses for other purposes may qualify for fair use. We know this because that list is preceded by the word “including.” Conversely, just because a use is for one of the listed purposes does not mean that it is automatically fair use.

For example, if uses for teaching purposes were automatically considered fair uses, there would be no textbook publishers left in business, since most of the buyers of textbooks would simply make unauthorized copies of desired books rather than buying copies, and the infringers would be protected by fair use.

The statute goes on to make it clear that each claim of fair use has to be determined on a case-by-case basis (“…determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use…”). This means that, where fair use is concerned, there are no absolutes or black and white rules. If you ever hear a statement to the effect that “ABC is always fair use” or “XYZ is never fair use,” you can be pretty certain that the statement is not true or accurate.

What is considered Fair use?

The language of §107 then goes on to provide some guidance in how to determine whether a particular use is a fair use by providing a list of four factors to take into account when analyzing the situation:

1. the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
2. the nature of the copyrighted work;
3. the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and
4. the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.

Again, the statute uses the word “including” to show that the list is not comprehensive or exclusive, so other factors may be considered. Similarly, no single factor is determinative, and all must be considered.

The courts have varied from time to time in their opinions as to which of the four factors is the most important. Since the statute requires a consideration and discussion of each of the four factors, that is the approach that we are taking here:

1. The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes

The goal of the first factor is to consider the public benefit versus the private benefit of the use. Under the first factor, a number of myths have evolved, including:

Myth #1: Absolute statements (referred to above), such as “no commercial use can ever be fair use;” “nonprofit educational uses are always fair uses,” etc. are true.

Myth #2: Originating from a 1990 Harvard Law Review article that was cited with approval by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1994 where the concept of a “transformative” use was a fair use.

Unfortunately, over the years, the concept of what “transformative” really means has become misunderstood and misinterpreted, especially by the public, so that many people believe incorrectly that any change made to a  copyrighted work, no matter how slight or insignificant, is enough to qualify as a fair use.

Case study: A great way to judge the impact of the “transformative” concept is to compare the different results in two cases claiming infringement of photographs by sculptor Jeff Koons. In Rogers v. Koons, which was decided by the Supreme Court in 1994, a sculpture closely resembling, and based on, a photograph of a couple holding a group of puppies was found to be an infringement, not a fair use.

Roger’s original photo on the left, and Koons’ sculpture based on Roger’s photograph on the right.

2. The nature of the copyrighted work

The second factor is important because one cannot own a copyright for an idea or concept, only for one’s personal expression of that idea or concept. Because of this, works that are fictional or highly creative tend to be heavily protected by copyright, while factual and scientific works tend to have very thin protection.

In other words, the second factor is more likely to be found in favor of fair use where a work is factual or scientific
and less likely where it is fictional.

Case study: A good example of this is the decision in Dyer v. Napier, where a photographer set up a scene in which a mountain lion cub was placed on a dangerous outcropping of rock and the mother lion was then released to retrieve the cub and move him to safety. This photograph was used as the basis for a very similar statue, which was found to be a fair use.

Dyer’s original photo on the left and Napier’s sculpture based on Dyer’s photograph on the right.

3. The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole

The third factor takes into account the quantity and quality of the original work used in the unauthorized one. As one would logically expect, generally, the more of a work that is used without authorization, the less likely the use is to be found fair under this factor.

Similarly, the more significant the portion of the work that is used is, the less likely the use is to be found to be a fair use under the third factor. Once again, though, remember that no single factor will determine a finding for or against fair use.

4. The effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work

The fourth factor takes into account the potential financial impact of the unauthorized use on the copyright owner. This factor is one of the reasons why almost every infringer  tries to claim that the unauthorized use benefited the copyright owner in some way, often by way of “free advertising.”

An important thing to remember is that the loss of a licensing fee that the copyright owner would have charged the unauthorized user who is claiming fair use does not count. Otherwise, the fourth factor would have to be found in favor of the copyright owner in every case.

Remember, there are no absolute rules regarding fair use. When in doubt (which is just about every situation involving fair use), talk to a competent copyright lawyer.

Learn more

The Photographer’s Guide to Copyright will help you break down copyright law, understand your rights as a photographer, and take steps to protect your work from infringement. Get tips to keep your work safe, plus read in-depth interviews from photographers and experts from ASMP.

Navigating copyright can be a daunting task. So we’ve partnered with the experts at ASMP to break down this important subject and help you take the necessary steps to protect your work.

The Photographer’s Guide to Copyright is filled with insights and resources to help you get an understanding copyright law, register your images, and protect your work from infringement. This guide is a go-to resource that will help you:

• Understand your 6 exclusive rights under copyright law
• Learn how to safeguard photos and avoid infringement
• Get tips to register their work through the U.S. Copyright Office
• Discover steps to take if their work is infringed

The guide also offers in-depth interviews from photographers and experts from ASMP, who address key areas – including major trends in copyright today, how to incorporate copyright registration into a daily workflow, the risks to weigh before joining social networks, demystifying what counts as “Fair use”, plus copyright for video and motion.

Tax Day is right around the corner, and the best thing you can do before you file (if you haven’t already) is to educate yourself. The second best thing you can do is keep good records, as you can often use the tax laws to your advantage if you’ve got the documentation to back up your claims.

Before you start figuring possible tax deductions, you must decide whether you’re running a business or have a hobby for tax purposes. You make the determination, but the IRS won’t be pleased if you claim business deductions and aren’t striving to turn a profit.

In short, you’re running a business if your photography is a “for-profit endeavor”. What does this mean? The IRS says:

“An activity is presumed for profit if it makes a profit in at least three of the last five tax years, including the current year.”

Here are some questions the IRS also suggests asking yourself before claiming business expenses:

• Do you depend on income from the activity?
• If there are losses, are they due to circumstances beyond your control or did they occur in the start-up phase of the business?
• Do you have the knowledge needed to carry on the activity as a successful business?
• Does the activity make a profit in some years?
• Do you expect to make a profit in the future from the appreciation of assets used in the activity?

If your photography is not for profit, then allowable deductions can’t exceed the gross receipts for your work. You can read more about hobby deductions under IRC 183 here, but assuming that you’re running your photography business for profit, here are 10 common tax deductions to consider when filing:

Please note that nothing here should be taken as legal advice or replace legal tax consultation. Always consult an accredited accountant or attorney before making decisions regarding your taxes.

1. Automobile expenses

You have two options here: you either can track the mileage you travel for photography purposes and deduct the government rate per mile (currently $0.565); or you can calculate what it costs to operate your vehicle for the year and apply the percentage that you use it for photography to determine your auto expense. For either method, make sure to record the starting mileage for your vehicle each year.

2. Travel expenses

If you’re traveling for the purpose of your photography business, keep receipts for airfare, car rentals, taxis, public transportation, meals, lodging, and other expenses.

3. Housing costs

If you operate your photography business out of your home, you may deduct a percentage of your housing costs (mortgage, water, electricity, insurance, etc.) based on the proportion of the house that is used solely for photography. You’ll need to know the square footage of your office space and the total square footage of your home to determine this proportion.

4. Office or studio space

You may not deduct the expenses for both an office at home and elsewhere, such as a studio. If you buy or rent a studio or office space elsewhere, this is another business expense.

5. Phone lines

You can deduct the cost of a phone line for your business as long as you also have a personal line. You also may deduct the cost of long distance calls made for your photography, so keep your phone records.

6. Education

You may be able to deduct the cost of photography seminars and workshops, so track those expenses.

7. Internet and website expenses

You may allocate a proportion of your Internet and website expenses that support your photography business. Be sure to apportion an appropriate amount for your personal use, where applicable.

8. Equipment

Equipment that lasts more than one year (cameras, computers, etc.) is considered “listed property” and are subject to different rules. Listed property must be used for more than 50% qualified business use, and depreciated over the expected life of the item – meaning that you deduct only a portion of its cost each year. Maintain a spreadsheet with the date of purchase and the depreciation schedule so that you will know the basis of the equipment if you sell it before the end of the five years. Section 179 deduction allows you to deduct the cost (up to a certain amount) of depreciable property in the year you buy it. Note that Section 179 has received a nice boost for the 2013 tax year.

9. Insurance

Insurance to protect your equipment or business investment is deductible. Also if you have a business license, you may deduct the cost of the license.

10. Accountant and attorney fees

You may deduct your accountant and attorney fees (including fees for registering your copyrights) that support your photography business activities, so keep copies of invoices from those professionals.

More information: Also see 7 Common Tax Mistakes Made by Photographers, featuring Matthew T. Whatley, the “Tax Ninja”.

As the recipient of a great education (thanks in no small part to my parents), I’m always fascinated by discussions of how college influence what we do and achieve later in life. As a music major, I could have never fathomed that I would one day become an entrepreneur, and when I think back to college, it had very little to do with the acquisition of technical knowledge, and more about being exposed to a wide range of subjects, people, and social situations.

And thus I read Joseph Gamble’s essay on the 50th Annual Society of Photographic Education’s National Conference piece with more than a passing interest – an essay in which he interviewed photographic educations, and then came to the conclusion that the “pros” outweighed the “cons” 8 to 3.

My position isn’t meant to be a cynical look at photographic education, but we must acknowledge that there was massive selection bias in talking to people whose livelihoods depend on a constant study body. So let me provide a constructive counterpoint.

First, I agree that being immersed in a subject and surrounded by others who are also immersed is invaluable. When you live and breathe photography on a daily basis, and your peers and instructors are pushing you to do more, it’s almost impossible to regress. Students who are particularly introspective will gain an enormous advantage from regular “crits.” But photography isn’t organic chemistry. It doesn’t require beakers and exotic chemicals (anymore). A $500 DSLR and a copy of Photoshop will generally suffice. You can do an awful lot of experimentation and self-directed study with simple motivation, despite what the pundits say about having access to expensive lighting equipment and a studio.

Photography is also somewhat unique as a profession in that most practioners are sole proprietors immediately after graduation. When you work at McDonald’s or Google, you are a cog in the machine who is responsible for a specific component of success. Flip the burgers, write the code, cash a paycheck. The extinction of the staff photographer job has made this scenario virtually impossible for the recent graduate. The freelance photographer is responsible for every aspect of their success.

When I joined an Internet start-up right out of school, we were four people, but I wasn’t responsible for incorporating the company, filing taxes, or submitting the payroll. I was just responsible for helping to create a website. As the years went on, and we became more successful, I assumed I knew everything about business. But when we started PhotoShelter, and I was suddenly the boss, I realized how little I knew.

Suddenly, I wished I had taken a business or marketing class in school, or paid more attention at my previous company. It took me several years to understand that our success was as much a function of marketing as it was of our technology. Customer service, social media, DMCA takedowns – it was a steep learning curve, and quite honestly, without a great team around me, I don’t know that the company would have survived with my spartan knowledge.

That brings us back to the photographer. I suppose that pedigree is marginally beneficial, but in truth, I’ve never hired a photographer because of the school he/she went to. I hire on reputation and portfolio. Similarly, I’ve talked to dozens of photographers who have revealed how little they know about business, and many of them have told me that their schools didn’t offer relevant business or marketing instruction (or they didn’t pay attention).

The challenge is that “business” is not only boring academically, but it’s very abstract. When you don’t have to worry about your next paycheck or paying for your camera because you have a student loan, you have very little time for such frivolity as business. But freelancing is a fact of life for millions of people in today’s economy, and thus understanding how to build business success is imperative. So I would challenge educators to build curriculums around the following.

Before graduation, make your students:

• Create an LLC. There are dozens of online services that are relatively inexpensive.
• Open a business bank account so that they learn the value of separate account and accounting.
• Use the NPPA’s cost of doing business calculator to estimate a daily “cost” so they understand how to price their labor without going out of business.
• Build a marketing plan that identifies a) their target market, 2) activities that will help them reach that market, and 3) an estimation of time per week spent with each marketing activity.
• Talk about business use cases on a weekly basis.
• Make sure they have a very functional understanding of web technologies and analytical packages so that they can make data-driven decisions.
• Bring in small business owners and entrepreneurs to talk to your students, so that they begin to understand the challenges of running a business.

Photographers too often fall back on the excuse that “we’re visual people” and “we don’t get this business stuff.” That, my friends, is a perfect attitude for failure. My best advice is to never major in photography (a minor is fine). But knowing that this is an impossibility, both students and teachers alike will help the profession by making sure that it is viewed as a profession, and not a hobby. And the barometer for that success is staying in business.

So it goes without saying that building a competitive edge is key to finding success. To learn more about how the top wedding photography trends today, we talked to wedding photographers in our community who have been running successful businesses for years.

We covered the bases, too – everything from shooting style to client budgets to advertising. Here’s what they had to say:

Shooting style:

Nearly every photographer we talked to described their shooting style as some form of photojournalism: “fine-art photojournalism”, “photojournalistic style, balanced with family portraits and classic couple shots”, and “candid, documentary style photography with a touch of fashion and editorial” were just some of the ways they described their photography.

And while we still see a lot of it, photographers indicate that vintage-style is becoming just that – vintage. Couples want their big day documented just like any other newsworthy event, with a few setup shots of Aunt Mildred thrown in for good measure. “Ultimately, a wedding will always be a story of poignant moments, with a record that needs to be timeless,” says New York-based wedding photographer Brian Dorsey.

Photo by Brian Dorsey Studios

Photo by Brian Dorsey Studios

Hobbyists vs Pros:

The wedding photography market is an over-saturated one. More and more hobbyists turning full-time make it even more so. The competition is tough, but pros feel like this just pushes them to work harder and become the best of the best. Also, many pros aren’t necessarily seeking the type of client who’s just as happy having their DSLR-wielding friend take over.

“My advice is to work on finding your own particular niche,” says UK-based wedding photographer Lisa Devlin. “Too many photographers think that playing it safe is the way to go, but if you try to appeal to everyone, you will end up appealing to nobody in particular.”

In a similar vein, Chip Litherland of Eleven Weddings Photography says, “There are clients everywhere, it’s just a matter of finding the right ones.”

Photo by Chip Litherland

Photo by Chip Litherland

Prints & products:

The trend of 2013 on this front is professional, high-quality photo albums. Even in a time when most photographers are providing the bride and groom with downloadable image galleries or DVDs, clients want a physical reminder of the big day – and for someone else to do the hard work of creating it.

“I started including one book with each of my packages and feel like I’ve received more inquires from clients excited about a book!” says Betsi Ewing, who was recently voted into The Knot’s Best of Weddings for 2012. “I also love giving them to clients…it’s something they can hold to and share with others in such a special way. Much better than staring at your computer screen.”

NYC-based wedding photographer Missy McLamb agrees: “While some clients prefer to make their own prints and books, many clients still value the artistry and design abilities of the photographer.”

Photo by Missy McLamb

Client budgets:

Most of the photographers we talked to plan to raise their prices in 2013, even if in small increments. Professionals should work to continue developing their skills, and their prices need to reflect that. Despite the flagging economy, wedding photographers do not plan to lower their prices – they still strive to attract a certain type of clientele.

Fine-art wedding photographer Alexandra Tremaine says, “I’ve been very strict about keeping my rates and not lowering them so as not to attract the wrong client.”

One new trend we see is an increase in “a la carte” options, or add-on’s, that let the bride and groom customize their package. One wedding photographer sets aside $700 worth of prints and products, to be used however the client chooses. This gives clients the freedom to chose a much or as little as they want, while you still get the base amount.

Photo by Alexandra Tremaine

Pricing structure:

The standard package for 2013 among these photographers is:

• Somewhere between 8-12 hours of shooting
• Second shooter/assistant
• Online photo gallery
• DVD of high res images
• Photo album
• Prints or option to order prints from the online gallery/DVD (i.e. the rights to print)

Common add-on’s are larger prints (11×14 in., for example), engagement shoot, photo booth, and “trash the dress” shoot. Interestingly, these photographers don’t usually offer canvas wrap prints – there just isn’t any interest from their clients.

Most photographers also believe that beautiful presentation is still important. Branded packages, chocolates, and hand-written thank-you notes are all examples of ways photographers are making their clients feel special. One photographer even suggests giving more prints than in the original agreement – it makes the bride and groom feel like you’ve gone above and beyond, and helps secure more referrals.

Advertising:

While word-of-mouth recommendations still rule the wedding photography industry, 2013 will likely see a continued increase in online advertising, particularly on wedding blogs. Betsi Ewing says that 80% of her business comes from advertising on The Knot. It seems that most photographers have stopped spending big bucks to exhibit at bridal shows, and print advertising has steadily declined in popularity.

“With online advertising, you can track and see the results – and it costs less,” says New England wedding photographer Matthew Cavanaugh. Here’s an idea for the new year: include a field in the contact form on your website that asks prospective clients where they found you (social media, blog, Google, referral, etc.) so you get a better idea of what’s working and what isn’t.

Social media marketing:

Facebook is the social media platform of choice among pros in 2013, followed by (relative) newcomer Pinterest and then Twitter. Wedding photographers love that they can “friend” their clients, then post a teaser gallery the next day and tag the bride and groom. It’s a surefire way to get them excited to see all the final images, and also get your work in front of their friends and family.

Pinterest has become more even more popular over the last year, as the audience is filled with potential brides. “I post a little of my own work, but it’s mostly from other people pinning my images,” says Lisa Devlin, who makes the work on her site “pinable”. “This is probably currently the best social media for wedding photographers – brides love it and they do all the work for you!”

But, by far the long-lasting cornerstone to every successful wedding photographer’s business is a blog.  A personal blog is still the way to connect with your audience and get your work featured on bigger wedding blogs. It’s also the ideal platform for creating a narrative around your work, as well as giving people a sense for who you are and how you work. Connection is key to getting hired in the wedding industry.

Photo by Lisa Devlin

Shooting video:

At least for now, most wedding photographers aren’t interested in offering video themselves. Most prefer that their clients hire a videographer separately. That said, some are considering adding a video professional to their team as business grows or outsourcing it on a per client basis.

Wedding photographers want to stick to what they know best. As Matthew Cavanaugh says, “If I tried to do both, I wouldn’t do either very well.”

For more information on wedding photography trends today, be sure to check out our free guide How To Grow A Wedding Photography Business . Hear firsthand from successful wedding photographers and learn how set your services apart from the pack.

Turns out, photographers are pretty optimistic on the whole about this upcoming year. And we got the data to prove it:

Business & Income

We asked: In 2012, how did you make the majority of your revenue?

We asked: In 2013, what will you invest in?

We asked: Do you expect to make most of your revenue from returning clients or new ones in 2013?

Takeaways:

• Decide who your dream clients are, then reach out. Make an effort to customize your pitch because potential clients are more likely to respond to promotions that fit their needs. This may be a long shot and you may have to rely on the seven-year-down-the-road plan, but getting your work in front of the clients you want is a strategy that many respected photographers told us they’ve used.

• Keep in touch with past clients. This is a great source of repeat work as well as word-of-mouth referral. You can include them on your newsletter lists, or even schedule a reminder in your calendar to send updated, relevant work their way.

• Create a solid and consistent web presence. Start with social media and a blog geared for your photo business. Pinpoint exactly who your audience is. This will help you maintain a consistent tone, build your brand, and attract new clients.

Marketing

We asked: Which marketing channel has been the greatest source of new clients?

We asked: Which marketing channel will you focus on in 2013?

Takeaways:

• For events, bring cards, or even a newsletter sign-up sheet. And don’t forget to send an email to those you met at the event. This can help you translate your one-off in-person networking to an ongoing digital relationship, and it’ll keep you top of mind next time they (or their colleagues) need your services.

• When you’re prepping for an in-person meeting, do your homework. Read up on who you’re meeting, try to get a sense of the aesthetic that might appeal to him or her, and make sure your portfolio reflects that. If you can, find out what photographers this person has worked with before, and understand how you can fit into that group, or what you would add.

• Go where your audience goes. We know it can be hard to choose which social media platform is the best for your business, and as a result, where to invest your time. But, some platforms attract more of your prospective clients than others. And, sometimes niche online forums that focus on your specialty, are a good place to start.

Business Tools & Planning

We asked: Which methods do you use to deliver images to clients?

We asked: Do you plan to hire a photo assistant in 2013?

We asked: Do you use any of the following mobile devices to conduct business?

Takeaways:

• Get organized. Make sure your images are clearly arranged in categories that will make sense to someone other than you. For example, change “portfolio 1” to “Autumn in the Rockies,” etc.

• Get set up for online sales. The goal of your website is to have people purchase your work directly from you (as opposed to commissioning your work). All PhotoShelter websites come equipped with ecommerce tools like our shopping cart, which you can set up to license stock images or sell downloads, and sell and deliver prints and products.

• Decide the purpose for an assistant. Some assistants can help out in the office too – social media maintenance, gear upkeep, etc. A lot of photographers hire assistants to help out on the job.

Want more?

For more insights into how photographers plan to boost their businesses in 2013, check out The Photographer’s Outlook on 2013. We compiled all the data into one share-able infographic, plus a guide that filled with more takeaways and tips for how you, too, can grow your photography business.

Too many things have become me and making money, so I am reducing the friction in my business process by creating a “view-wrapped” contract. By reading this, you agree to the following:

BASIC TERMS

• You must at least be a fertilized egg
• Or a sperm/unfertilized egg
• You are responsible for any activity that occurs under your screen name, unless it is “the_real_lindsaylohan”
• I can abuse, harass, and threaten you with a fake British accent
• You must not access my API, whatever that is, unless it’s a euphemism for my private parts
• You must not create or submit unwanted email to me (“Spam”) unless it’s for a free iPad Mini (in white) or actual SPAM (I’m from Hawai’i)
• You must not transmit any worms or viruses or poisonous snakes. They scare me.

GENERAL CONDITIONS

• I reserve the right to modify or terminate my haircut, without notice at any time
• I reserve the right to alter these Terms of Use at any time. If the alterations constitute a material change to the Terms of Use, there will be a 10 minute intermission, followed by a light snack.
• We reserve the right to reclaim usernames like “Ochocinco” and “Metta World Peace”

PROPRIETARY RIGHTS IN CONTENT

• You grant me a very-exclusive, royalty-free, transferable, sublicensable, worldwide license to use, store, and display any and all plastic spatulas and single serving egg cups in your kitchen.
• You represent and warrant that: (i) I own the Content that you post, (ii) the posting and use of your Content on or through the Internet doesn’t violate the privacy rights, publicity rights, copyrights, copycats, cool cats, Siamese twins or people shorter than 4’10” – the legal height for dwarves in most jurisdictions.
• I hereby grant you a limited, revocable, nonsublicensable license to reproduce with your wife or husband solely for your personal use.

I hope that clears things up. Let’s make some money!

In case you were confused, this was a work of satire.