greener photography

Video conferencing (iChat, Skype, Go to Meeting, DimDim) is a technology that has been around for SO long and is totally under utilized! Just as emails are being replaced by texting, we are loosing so much face to face time and not taking advantage of existing opportunities. For our families, clients, business partners and friends.

I have been really pushing video chatting this past year with my potenital and current clients for several reasons:

* Saves me from having to constantly clean my house

* Saves the client a drive over in a snow storm, getting a babysitter, etc.

* Work with clients who do not live in my city, in a more personal way

* A lot gets lost in back and forth emails

The biggest reason I began pushing Video Chat as an option was that I kept realizing that Brides come to town for a weekend and are cramming as many vendor meetings into the weekend as possible (weddings). They are late to their meeting with me, then have to rush out the door to their next meeting. The entire weekend is a blur and it is very difficult to really make a mark on them and stand out from the crowd. Much like a bridal show.

In this highly competitive wedding market, I thought that if I could get them to video chat before these whirl wind weekends, then when they are here we can focus on getting the contract signed and they are pretty much a done deal. Or worst case scenario, they can meet with another photographer that better fits their needs! Not wasting my time or theirs.

Well, for me, this has been a HUGE success! So far, I have booked EVERY one of the people that took me up on the offer.... right then and there! Luckily for each of them, I received a slew of inquiries for their dates right afterwards as well. Two thirds of my booked weddings for 2011 were over the phone/video chat. Last year, maybe one was booked without meeting first.

Why is this a Greener Photography topic? A lot of reasons. One of the potential wedding clients that I talked into video chatting told me that they were actually going to be driving in for the weekend JUST to meet with me. Now, even though that flatters my ego and makes me feel like a rock star Photographer, it is such a waste....

* I saved them 6 hours of driving EACH way

* I saved them their weekend (and mine!)

* They saved several tanks of gas, food, etc.

Is this just for potential wedding clients? NO! I've used this for Portrait client sales as well. We can screen share and do the sales presentation that would be done in studio... on the computer. When I travel, I always line up Portrait Sessions wherever I go, yet the trouble is capturing sales afterwards. Now, with video conferencing, I can screen share over video chatting and we talk handsfree as if we are next to each other and I can still visually show my client what I would show in person. The client can even take control of my computer (if I let them) and make changes to their album, greeting cards, whatever.... right there on my computer.

So, when trying to be a cut above the rest, think out side the box! Sometimes bringing an old technology into the limelight can pay off. When I mentioned in email that we could video chat to one potential wedding couple, their response was "I guess this is why we pay you the big bucks! What an awesome idea!" My response was, "Why yes it is!"

For more information on getting started with video chatting technology, keep an eye out for webcasts and information on the Greener Photography Forum! The Greener Photography Education Committee is hard at work developing easy to use programs for our members. If you will be attending WPPI, please visit the Greener Photography / Rice Studio Supply booth for more information.

~Heather McKay

Greener Photography Education Chairperson & Leadership Circle Member

McKay's Photography

McKay’s Photography is STOKED to be the winner of a contest from Pexagon Tech! McKay’s Photography won 30 wooden USB flash drives, with logo, for creatively using the green-ish product. Heather has weened off of printed CDs/DVDs for delivery of the digital files and now hands over longer lasting Jump Drives with the Wedding Images (upon purchase). What an honor to be the winner of this SUPER useful award! The contest was simply for creative uses of their products!

A few neat things about these is that they are laser engraved, so there is no die setup charge. The wooden ones are neat-o because the logo looks burned in. They even have some bamboo cases for packaging and little cotton pouches. You may recall that McKay’s Photography had offered some before, however the company Heather was using sold defective drives. Not one of the purchased drives actually worked! So the timing on this contest couldn’t have been better for McKay’s Photography and Pexagon Tech!

On the customer’s end, these drives are much more convenient since they can:

• Reorganize the files however they would like (divide into folders, etc)
• Directly plug into a USB-able TV for a slide show
• Share the images across multiple computers for easy backup
• Portable
• Longer lasting than a DVD that is easily scratched

Greener Photography ~ The Year in Review

After more than two years in development, Greener Photography was unveiled publicly in September 2008 with the launch of our original website. Our goals were, and remain, lofty. We want to change the photographic industry by providing evidence-based research and information about the environmental impact of photography and the choices photographers can make to lessen their impact. Almost a year and a half later, we can look back with pride at what we have accomplished together so far.

We are so thrilled to have hundreds of photographers banding together for one purpose. As individuals, we each have opportunities to run greener business and live greener lifestyles. But as a collective, there is power in numbers. We hope that we will have your support in affecting change in our industry and making the world a greener place.

Accomplishments to date (2008-Present):

Community and Organization Development

• Solicited reduced-cost website design (DMY Studio) and brand identity design (Double Vision Inc.)
• Developed the Greener Photography website to house information, resources, and member directory
• Populated the Greener Photography website with relevant information, resulting in a 4/10 Google page rank
• Completed and filed federal tax-exempt non-profit corporation application
• Coordinated 2,000 hours of volunteer services
• Solicited pro-bono printing services from ProDPI Photo Lab
• Solicited pro-bono graphic design services from Red Loves Green

Member Services

• Designed introductory membership application process
• Processed more than 200 membership applications
• Compiled a 150-strong Member Directory
• Compiled a 200+ waitlist to join.
• Developed a photography-specific certification criteria of 100+ questions that will make GP membership more exclusive, more respected and of higher value.
• Acquired GP member discounts

Outreach and Education

• Wrote and published a full-length article in Professional Photographer magazine reaching more than 50,000 subscribers in June 2009 titled "Brand it Green: Marketing Yourself as an Eco-Friendly Photographer"
• Researched, edited/wrote a series of articles for Professional Photographers of America's Web Exclusives magazine:
  
  Mulch Marketing 101: Resources for Greener Promotional Materials
  Mulch Marketing 102: Presenting Yourself as an Eco-Friendly Photographer
  Seven Ways to Pool Resources
  Less Energy, Greater Profits: Energy Conservation for Photographers
  Running an Eco-Friendly Busines
  The Eco-Friendly Studio/Meeting Space
  The Photographer's Water Footprint
  Water Conservation
  Beyond the Three Rs
  Greening your Battery Usage
  Shipping
• Presented a program entitled "Brand it Green" at the Digital Wedding Forum Convention 2009
• Provided promotional/informational materials to more than 400 Digital Wedding Forum Convention registrants
• Published 25 e-newsletters to over 700 recipients

Research and Information

• Researched, wrote, edited and published on greenerphotography.org 12 in-depth articles, including several primary source, evidence-based reference pieces:
  Greener Photographic Prints
  Ecological Framing
  The Environmental Cost of Shipping
  Digital vs. Film
  Greener Albums
  Simple Steps
  Marketing Your Studio Virtually
  Three Simple Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint When You Travel
  Economy of Motion
  Epson's Recycling Program
  You Said It: Conservation Methods
  Closer to Nature
• Researched, interviewed and published monthly profiles of greener manufacturers and photographers:
  -ProDPI Photo Lab
  -Design Aglow
  -Green House Framing
  -Jessica Riehl Photography
  -Wild Magnolia Design
  -David Paul Bayles
  -La Dolce Vita
  -AC Ellis Inc
  -Green in Print
  -rebinder.com
• Researched, compiled and currently maintain a list of more than 125 eco-friendly products and services on GP's Links page

Come Visit Greener Photography at WPPI 2010!

Date: Monday, March 8, 2010

Time: NEW EXTENDED HOURS! 8-11pm

Location: MGM Grand. Room # will be announced on FaceBook and Twitter on Monday.

Enjoy food, drinks, and raffle prizes while you network with other photographers and vendors. Come and learn how you can be a greener photographer!

RSVP at: http://www.pingg.com/rsvp/7f564qks7cs6rexxr

Raffle prizes provided by:
-Bay Photo
-Borrow Lenses
-GP Albums
-Hahnemuhle FineArt
-LensBaby
-M-Rock
-Pro DPI
-Rice Studio Supply
-Simply Color Lab
-White Glove First Edition Books
-Wild Sorbet Frame Company

SPECIAL thanks goes to our Sponsors:
ProDPI - http://www.prodpi.com/
Rice Studio Supply - http://ricestudiosupply.com/
Simply Color Lab - http://www.simplycolorlab.com/
Wild Sorbet Frame Company - http://www.wildsorbet.com/