As you may (or may not) know, I don’t charge per image, I charge per session, so although we were after that one epic shot, we organised an hour of personal brand photography  focussing on headshots. We headed down to Frankston waterfront – a location that resonated with her.

I was very concerned about my photographs competition with her favorite photo. I felt the low resolution had something to do with the feeling of youthfulness which just wouldn’t occur in my images. I’m also not into retouching (unless its something transient like a pimple or coldsore) so that wasn’t going to help.  Plus we were going to be shooting in pretty bright sunlight – notorious for accentuating the shadows under eyes!

So why did I deliver 159 photos?

<gets out soapbox> I don’t like the traditional model in photography of a session fee and then a price per image – especially when you are delivering digital files.  I do the same amount of work whether you purchase one of my photographs or all 159 – so why should you pay more?!?! <slides soapbox to the side a little but keeps it within reach!>

I also understand that you are probably not going to use all 159 images.  I deliver a heap of locations and different poses but you get a couple of varients for some shots so you can chose which crop you prefer or which facial expression you prefer or which composition etc.

And we don’t waste any time going backward and forward because you don’t have to pour over the gallery then chose your favorites then send that info to me, then I have to deliver the chosen few images.

And its also super handy to have all those small variations so if you want to use the same kind of photo again next month on your socials – you’ve got one slightly different and don’t repeat yourself.

So Bernadine now has a new favorite shot to use everywhere plus a heap of other images to update the website, fill her socials and make her graphic designer/social media manager VA super happy!

 “Oh Miranda! I have never liked photos of myself and now I am finding it hard to choose which ones I don’t like. I love them all. Thank you so much!”

Would love to know if you have that one photo you love and use everywhere or do you like to change it up regularly?  And what is it about that photo that makes it the favorite?

The post Why deliver over 150 photos (when she needed one)? appeared first on Miranda Mayle Photography.

1) Define your personal brand
This isn’t an epic essay that defines every nuance of your branding. Just take a little time to define:
* your brand values – what’s important to you? what do you believe in?
* your brand personality – how do you present your message and values?
* your brand iconography – are there a few key colors you want to stick to? what’s your style? Do you need or have a logo and fonts?
Hopefully these are quite simple questions to answer as you’ve aligned your brand with who you are and you’ve now got a high level brand blue print:)

2) Niche your message
It’s so hard in business to not to try and please everyone. The fear of losing potential customers because you’re not pitching to everyone all of the time is very real. But usually a message that tries to speak to everyone is wishy washy and doesn’t directly speak to anyone. Taking the time to do your ‘know your ideal client avatar’ exercise of choice is usually* well worth it. (Or short cut: just think of a favorite existing/past client). You then construct all your marketing as if you were talking directly to them.

You’ll want to discuss your product/solution and how it benefits them. Always about them. Also think about how you would talk to them the first time you mentioned your business (aka cold audience who may not even be aware of the problem you solve) versus how you’d talk to them after you’d had a number of conversations about your business (aka warm audiences, who know what they want but need convincing to buy from you, not a competitor). You want your ideal client feeling like you know them and can help them and its only you they’re interested in working with.

* I say usually because some avatar creation workbooks have you creating some obscure info that isn’t really useful!

3) Tame them socials
Keeping on top of the myriad of social media platforms we’re expected to be on can be so overwhelming. Then add in business groups and local groups and perhaps you run your own facebook group and there’s just so much to do! And if you’re not in a position to be able to outsource some of the work then you know that feeling of scrabbling and throwing up something that isn’t consistant or leading your clients to conversions.

I recommend picking the two social channels that you feel are the most successful and enjoyable for you. Are you a video guru so its FB lives and youtube all day? Or you’re all about the imagery and get a heap of traffic from Insta and Pinterest. And then nail those two channels. Work out if you can outsource the scheduling or any graphic creation to further reduce the overhead. Schedule a couple of hours a fornight where you batch create the content for those channels for the next two weeks, taking the time to ensure your content is aligned with your brand blue print and the messaging you just niched.

When two channels are manageable, then you can look at existing on a more (especially if you can reuse or repurpose content) but ensure you’re going to get more enquires for the time you commit, you’re not just distracted by something new and shiny!

4) Check your workflow
Taking the time to write down your process from a client reaching out to initiate a sales conversation through to delivering and potentially archiving the work can be worthwhile.

Often we’re down in the trenches completing step 17 of 42 and taking a step back to review the entire process can highlight bottlenecks & inefficiencies that can be fixed plus highlight potential tasks that can be outsourced. And documenting the process also ensures we don’t miss steps when thing get busy.

It might also show which sales channels and communication methods are generating most of your customers so you can better focus on growing those (and drop something else that might take your time for little return)

and 5)Update your photographs!

Okay – so we all saw that coming. But having a set of professional photographs that you love is so worth it. You stand out from the competition, you’re excited and proud to create and share marketing, you’re not wasting time or money using stock photographs with a library of your own to chose from, you’re socials look schmik, the website looks great, you’re profile pics show you’ve got this and you’re personal brand, messaging and images are all in alignment! It’s win win win. 

Short headshot sessions start at $190, personal branding photography is $790 or as little as $100 per month if you need photos regularly (including all the images). So stop putting it off and just book the shoot!

What are you doing to grow your business this year?

The post 5 ways to better your biz in 2021 (without a big $$ spend) appeared first on Miranda Mayle Photography.

If you are a business owner whose success relies, to some degree, on real connection with your audience, then being willing to show up authentically is part of the deal.  And let’s be honest, in today’s saturated service-oriented business market, being yourself is one of the quickest and most effective ways to attract your ideal clients.  Like it or not, you are your brand.

Being authentic does not mean, however, that you have to share all the private details from your life.  You are always in control of your messaging!  But if there’s a gap between what people see and what they actually get when they work with you, the chances of building deep, lasting relationships may be affected. 

The biggest thing I have learned- both personally and professionally- is that, to some extent, the fear of being vulnerable by showing up authentically never really goes away.  It’s a practice.  And the more you practice, the better you get at putting yourself out there, DESPITE the discomfort.

Having my photos taken by Miranda was a great example of this for me. After decades of intense personal work, I consider myself a confident woman.  I generally don’t worry about what other people think of me. I’m hyper aware of comparison traps.  I stay in my own lane.  Yet, when it was time to have some pictures taken for my business, all those old fears came roaring back.  So much so that I almost cancelled the whole thing.

But I didn’t.  Instead, I sat with those yucky feelings, accepted them for what they were and kept going. That commitment on my part, combined with Miranda’s insane talent behind the camera and her desire to help the client see what she sees, resulted in the best photos I’ve ever had taken.  When I saw the proofs, I cried (in a good way).  It was like, “Oh! There I am!”  Powerful stuff! I’ve often wished I had the ability to make others see themselves the way I do, even for a moment.  That’s what Miranda did for me.

My invitation to you is to become aware of and accept the fact that showing up authentically- especially when it comes to having your photo taken- may feel uncomfortable. That being said, there are some simple tools you can use to dig a little deeper about WHY being vulnerable feels so…well, hard, so that hopefully it gets a little easier.

Unpack the emotions you’re feeling

Instead of sitting with a general sense of unease, dig down and try to clarify what’s actually going on.

1. For example, instead of saying, “I feel nervous/scared/uncomfortable…” follow that thread by asking “Of what?” “What am I scared of?” “Why am I uncomfortable?” etc.
2. Once you have some clarity about the root causes, explore potential solutions with an open mind. Worried that you’ll hate all the photos and be unable to use them? Talk to your photographer about what would happen in that case. Scared that you’ll lose potential clients because they “don’t like the way you look”?  Ask yourself if those are people you want to work with anyway.

Become aware of common traps and self-sabotage methods

Here are a few I see a lot:

1. Comparison: comparing yourself to other people in your industry or to who you “used to be”.
   • Comparing yourself to others: Truth bomb…it’s pointless, damaging and a waste of your time and energy. One of the biggest benefits of owning your own business is the control you have over how you show up in this world, how you operate, and what’s possible.  Why would you give that power away by letting other people’s actions hold you back?  And when it comes to social media (I know you know this, but I cannot stress it enough!) you are comparing yourself to someone else’s highlight reel.  So how do you stop?  There are a couple of options here.  You can choose to strictly limit the amount of time you spend looking at other people’s media.  You can become super conscious of your thoughts and emotions when you do: is it inspiring you or just making you feel like crap? What are you hoping to get from it when you do look at how someone else is doing things? Is it a realistic expectation?
   • Comparing yourself to who you “used to be”: This one shows up a lot for women, especially when it comes to our appearance or where we think we “should” be in our careers. We don’t weigh the same that we did when we were 18.  We have more grey hairs.  More wrinkles. We’re still struggling financially. We don’t own a home. You can choose to accept it and keep going. But if it’s a real sticking point for you, and you find it holding you back, I highly recommend you explore this, either on your own or with a professional like a coach or therapist. Most of the time, the passage of time is not the issue.  It’s what we’ve left behind (grief), what we fear about the future or the chances we didn’t take that causes the discomfort. Identifying the root causes is a critical step in making peace with what’s passed and is no longer an option and making sure you’re moving forward with the clarity, commitment and support to chase those dreams that you’ve maybe just realised or the ones you thought you’d left behind.
2. Other people’s expectations: PRO TIP: Anytime you hear yourself saying something like “A real______________________, would never________________” or “A real_________________, always does ______________”, pay attention! This is a huge red flag, and letting other people’s expectations get in your way is actually a common form of self-sabotage.  Huh?  Here’s what I mean. Let’s say I’m stopping myself from taking a certain action in my business because I’m scared of failure/success/ judgement etc. That’s my problem and I can take ownership.  But the second I make the same decision because my mother/friends/colleagues/society etc. might judge me?  It’s “their” fault (at least in my mind). How convenient!  Not only do I not have to take action, but it’s also no longer my job to be responsible for my choices.  Win/win, right?  Except that victimhood is a shitty place to be, because you’ve just given all your power away. This can be a confronting realisation, so be honest AND gentle with yourself.

Be prepared for the vulnerability hangover

This phrase was popularised by Brene Brown, a shame and vulnerability researcher (I highly, highly recommend reading every word she has ever written!)  This will look different for everyone, so the key is being aware of what it looks/feels like for you so you can have strategies in place to deal with it.  Here are some examples from my own life.

1. Public speaking: I have been speaking on stage for over two decades, in front of all sorts of audiences and I know that my nervousness hits me the moment I get on stage, and when I finish. Because I know this, I often incorporate some sort of physical movement in the first 60 seconds of a talk to release some of that energy (especially when doing stand-up!) and I’m prepared for the fact that afterwards, I’ll probably feel a bit yucky.  Maybe a bit cold and shaky.  That’s the side effects of adrenaline, so I know that moving helps, as does lots of water and then some scheduled down time.
2. Sharing my work: always has been, always will be scary.  So after I produce and share content, I put my phone away and do something else. The biochemical and physiological reactions we experience when we check for Like or Follows are very, very real and can have a huge impact on our emotional wellness. For every dopamine hit we experience when we see a positive comment, we experience a dip when we don’t. It’s up to you to manage your responses, and don’t be afraid to seek support if you’re struggling in this area.
3. Practice/practice/practice: Find a safe way to practice vulnerability.  Write and read a poem to a friend.  Ask for something you want.  Send your order back when they get it wrong. Tell someone they hurt you, and why. Now, I’m not saying these are easy. They’ll probably still feel gross (at least they do for me!) but every time you do this, you reinforce the new neural pathways you’re creating with new behaviour.  Over time, these small, consistent actions translate to big gains in your ability to be vulnerable.

I sincerely hope this has been helpful in some way and – hey – if it was all old news, that’s great because it means you’re already a rockstar at being vulnerable! If you have any questions or comments, feel free to reach out.  And if the idea of being authentic has left you in a spin because you have no idea who you are and how to do that or you found yourself thinking “Geez, I do that a lot!” while reading these examples?  I’ve got a coaching package designed just for you. Check out The Second Half Playbook Coaching Package on Facebook

Super excited to share Meghann’s amazing words! Loving her advice because I know I’m guilty of some comparison self-sabotage!

Meghann Birks is a coach, writer, speaker and storyteller by trade and by nature. She uses a variety of modalities to help her clients live BIG including humour, traditional coaching techniques, embodiment practices and creative methods. She loves seeing women embrace and use their power to change their lives and the world around them. When not working, she can be found climbing trees and usually getting stuck.

Facebook: @MeghannBirksCoaching
Insta: @meghannbirkscoaching
Website: www.meghannbirks.com

The post You Can’t Be Authentic Without Being Vulnerable…So How Do You Get Past the Fear? appeared first on Miranda Mayle Photography.

When not in lockdown, I spend a morning a month with The Babes Project. Their vision is a society in which all women have access to perinatal support and they help families thrive by creating safe spaces and innovative avenues for vulnerable women to access this vital support. They rely on the generosity of their own supporters so it’s crucial for them to have images that tell their story and get them visible.

>>  THE USUAL SUSPECTS

The Babes Project website gets maximum image impact via powerful web banners and team shots that aren’t always on a perfect background with everyone smiling at the camera.  These candid images resonate with their target audience who understand life isn’t always perfect.

Facebook and Instagram are full of images of their team working with the mums and bubs they support. Most of these images are captured as they interact naturally.  These emotive action shots paint the picture of their passion and support for new and soon to be mums. We also take many close up images which are perfect for text overlays.

>>  IN PRINT

The Babes Project produces a plethora of printed materials for awareness marketing, fundraising, team education and to update supporters on their work.

>>  ON A WALL

I faced my strong dislike of flying late last year to photograph the opening of The Babes Project Cairns Centre. I was blown away to see a number of my photos printed and framed up on the walls. Pictures of real women The Babes Project have helped, that I got to photograph and are now sharing their journey with the women of Cairns. Proud, humbling and way too many feelings.

This use is obviously quite specific to this business but printing and hanging a photograph (professional or not) that celebrates your journey or business milestone is one of the best ways to use your photos!

The post Photos in Action: The Babes Project appeared first on Miranda Mayle Photography.

>>  FACEBOOK
You’ll need a cover image and a profile pic to start with:

Profile photos are displayed as a circle and look best when you upload a square image that’s 720px or 960px square. If you’re not using a logo you’ll want an epic headshot that shows your personality, fits your brand, creates trust (and you actually like!)

Cover photos are 828 x 315 pixels with a mobile safe area in the middle that is 560px wide. Your cover image should showcase your business and serve a purpose like brand awareness or advertising your product/services. You’ll probably want to crack out Canva  or engage a graphic designer to add some text or combine a couple of images for greatest impact.

You’ll need different image sizes for your newsfeed, Facebook event covers and different types of ads. Checkout the DreamGrow cheatsheet for all the details.

My facebook cover image

>>  INSTAGRAM
Jazz up a quote, testimonial or text block on your instagram feed with a background image. Choose a detailed image of your product, tools of your trade or where you work. In your editing program of choice, drop the opacity to around 50% and then fine tune it so it doesn’t overwhelm the text. You could also add a color overlay to further mute the photo or put the text in a coloured box on top of the background image effectively creating a custom border (and in the image below I’ve reduced the opacity on the box so the image shows thru a little). It’s just a subtle reminder of your business beyond a branding color. 

>>  PRINT MATERIALS
I’m actually a sucker for a nice postcard or thank you card inside a package. I’ve a few up on my office wall and fridge which always keep these businesses front and centre in my mind. Grab a gorgeous image and add an empowering quote for maximum staying power and be sure to include all the business info on the back so it’s within easy reach.

I love seeing your photos in action – feel free to send me a link or a pic, or let me know what’s stopping you from using your photos to their full potential!

The post Practical ways to use your professional photographs and be seen by your customers appeared first on Miranda Mayle Photography.

Oh – I’m a big fan!

This was a fun product photography brief: the sexiest fans in ventilation!

As well as photography products on a white backgrounds from a multitude of angles for the catalog,

I got to roam the local Pacific Ventilation factory and grab photographs of anything that caught my eye.

The post Oh – I’m a big fan! appeared first on Miranda Mayle Photography.