Lush Albums

Keeping it all Together – Lush Albums Binding Process

December 3, 2015 Leave a Comment

We truly believe that Lush Albums created by Finao are one-of-a-kind albums that are worthy of your one-of-a-kind photographs. Every album is thoughtfully crafted with care by a team of artisans. From cover to cover, literally, each album is made with uncompromised quality.

One of the most important features of the album is its binding. Today we wanted to share some valuable information about the Finao binding process and the difference it makes to your images and your album.

Bridging the Gap

Finao uses a “folio” style of construction. Folio construction means that the pages lay flat, eliminating the gap from one page to the next. Old-fashioned coffee table books without a folio style have thinner pages that are stitched or stapled together. Because of the way they are bound together so tightly, the books can’t lay flat. Each image is forced to bend at the inside margin. It’s impossible to have an image cross pages because of the deep gutter where the pages meet.

With Finao’s folio construction, you’re not losing any of your image in the center. This construction technique eliminates the gap between one page and the next. When the book is open, the pages lay beautifully flat. This allows your stunning images to flawlessly cross from one page to the next. There’s no ugly gap in the middle you have to design around. This construction provides a seamless panorama, providing an album worthy of your work.

What’s Inside Matters

Each album is both animal-friendly and environmentally-friendly, crafted with pure-quality, all-natural photo glue. The matte pages are strong and sturdy, made from 100% plant-based cellulose. The album is supported by a thick spine. When the album is open, the spine lays flat, supporting the pages and displaying the images beautifully. It keeps everything together with no sagging or skewing of the pages. This strength and support will preserve the quality of your album for years to come.

There is a difference when it comes to binding, and the quality that Finao provides is without compromise. Each Lush album is designed with quality and care, we know that the binding is so important.

Happy Thanksgiving from Lush Albums

November 26, 2015 Leave a Comment

Happy Thanksgiving to our friends here in the US!

For many, today is a day of reflection, gratitude and giving. We wanted to say thank you for visiting Lush Albums and for your support to building a more eco-friendly and sustainable album, also for believing in our commitment to Beautiful Together and for supporting families of all kinds.

To show you our thanks, we have a few specials to share from our trusted partners Fundy Design Software & Tamara Lackey Photography for the Holiday weekend.

FUNDY DESIGN SOFTWARE

Fundy Designer’s Black Friday sale will be the biggest this year! Get unbelievable deals on Album Builder, Gallery Designer, Blog Collage and Image Brander from 11/26-11/30 only: fundydesigner.com/store

TAMARA LACKEY PHOTOGRAPHY

Kids Posing Playbook is $30 off with code: BLACKFRIDAYTLP30

Family Posing Playbook is $5 off of current sale with code: BLACKFRIDAYTLP5

All About: Beautiful Together

November 12, 2015 Leave a Comment

Every time you create an album with Lush, 10 percent of the proceeds go to Beautiful Together, the charity that Tamara Lackey started to raise money and awareness for orphaned children waiting for families. Ten percent might not seem like much, but part of the Beautiful Together philosophy is that even the smallest things can be the spark that effects change in people’s lives.

The mission for Beautiful Together is to identify and complete specific projects that improve the day-to-day lives for orphaned children living in the United States and Africa.

Over the summer, Tamara and her family visited the Kidane Mehret Orphanage in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on behalf of Beautiful Together. While they were there, they managed to finish the planned bathroom renovations, as well as completing an unplanned printed portrait gallery (Tamara’s BEST Gallery Opening Ever!) of all the children in the orphanage, many of whom had never seen a printed photo of themselves. Tamara came home inspired and with many other projects in mind to be completed.

Beautiful Together didn’t wait long to implement new campaigns, and started fundraising immediately for the Safeguarding the Orphanage project, even before Tamara returned to the States. It was fully funded relatively quickly, ensuring a safe playground for these deserving children. Learn more in the video below.

Most recently, they just reached a major goal when the project to light classrooms and provide computers at the orphanage also received full funding. A solid education in a safe environment is the best chance these children, especially the older ones, have for a bright future.

The current three classrooms at the orphanage school are poorly lit; electricity is unreliable and prohibitively expensive for the school. The Education Center computers are inoperable. The money raised will install solar panels to provide energy to light the classrooms and provide updated computers and tablets for the Education Center. You can see how dark the classrooms are in this video:

They also have another project in the works in which Beautiful Together is partnering with Life to Live for Korah. This Feeding Fund will raise money for the supplies necessary to sustain the feeding program for orphaned children in the Korah community. One hundred percent of the donations to this fund go to food and supplies. Tamara was in Korah during her last trip to Ethiopia, and got to see firsthand the incredible work of the feeding program founded by Korah native Cherenet Gullene.

Korah was built around a leper colony, but the community has grown to more than 120,000 people. Most of them live in poverty. The word korah actually means ”cursed,” but the people who live there have an incredible spirit. Feeding the orphaned children of that community is an essential way to put those children on track to grow up with the chance to strengthen their community. Tamara put together another video to share more:

Interested in learning more? Visit the Beautiful Together website to learn more about ongoing projects. You can donate directly to projects on the site, and we appreciate any and all assistance!

Also, know that every time you design a beautiful album from Lush that you are giving just by doing what you love. Contact us to learn more!

How to Help your Clients Choose the Right Album for Them

November 5, 2015 Leave a Comment

Purchasing a photo album as part of a professional photography session can be overwhelming for many clients. Usually, you, as the photographer, need to help guide your clients into seeing the value of having such an heirloom-worthy keepsake—especially as it exists to tell their personal story at the moment you captured.

Luckily, clients, particularly moms, are becoming more knowledgeable about the importance of getting more than just digital files. There is a meme floating around on various social media sites:

“The most photographed generation will have no pictures in 10 years.”

We think it helps clients to understand the consequences of not having printed images.

To help build your album-selling toolkit, we have 3 tips to help you find the right album for your clients.

Color Swatches

We can’t stress how important it is to have a set of color swatches on-hand for the line (or lines) of albums you will be selling. Having a printed card from the manufacturer is vital, because just printing colors off of a website may result in inaccuracies that can disappoint your client when the actual finished album comes in a shade off.

Bonus point for having a swatch set that includes actual fabric type samples. Having a tactile object for your clients to touch and handle is invaluable. You can find the full Lush Albums swatch card here.

Sample Albums

Going beyond just the swatch by having an actual sample album on hand may make the difference between a sale or not. While we highly recommend in-person sales sessions, sample albums are portable enough that you can bring them on your actual shoots. That way, when you are off spending time with part of the family, Mom can be browsing through the books to see what they look like.

Sample albums with your images are the most effective, but if you are just starting out or cost is a consideration, having a pre-designed sample album on hand still has tremendous value. Lush Albums offer pre-designed sample albums with images by Tamara Lackey for 33% off, as well as a 25% discount on ones you design yourself.

Predesign Album Pages

The hardest part for a client to translate a session into an album is when they are faced with a few hundred (or thousand) images on a computer screen. We recommend using a tool like the Fundy Album Designer to predesign album pages to show during your ordering session or before delivering full client galleries if you choose not to do an in-person (or Skype) ordering session.

Seeing the possibilities, with the understanding that they can make changes where they see fit, can solidify the desire to have this in their homes to display.

With these tools, you are equipping your clients to make the most informed decisions about whether an album would be right for them, and you can show them just how beneficial that physical reminder of their memories can truly be.

Feel free to reach out at anytime, we are happy to help you create the best way to showcase your work in Lush Albums.

The Family Posing Playbook for Photographers by Tamara Lackey

October 22, 2015 Leave a Comment

Not everyone was born to be in front of the camera. In fact, we are willing to bet a majority of your clients are a bit uncomfortable when the lens is trained on them, especially if it’s their first time sitting for a family session.

As the photographer, it’s up to you to put your clients at ease so that instead of slightly uncomfortable frozen faces, you get shots with bright eyes, big smiles, and people who are relaxing in their natural habitats. Directing your clients well and helping them into the right poses will result in wonderful portraits pretty much every single time.

You’re dealing with all sorts of different personalities at the same time when it comes to photographing families. Maybe you’ve got one rambunctious kid, one shy kid, a too-serious mom, and a nervous dad—all in one session. That can be a recipe for disaster or a perfect opportunity for some fun and lighthearted moments, but it all depends on you—the photographer—and your level of comfort with any situation that may arise.

Tamara Lackey and our team at Tamara Lackey Studios recently published the Family Posing Playbook for Photographers that you can purchase for download and use as a learning tool to increase your skill and confidence when you are out shooting family sessions. This playbook also includes a separate and condensed Quick Reference Guide that you can take with you when you’re on location.

Photo by Stacey Stricklin, shot at the San Francisco Portrait Photographer’s Workshop

In the guide, we provide detailed posing instructions from experiences that Tamara has encountered in real life. She articulates what wasn’t working and what she did about it.

An excerpt from her introduction to the guide gets more in-depth:

When I first wrote The Posing Playbook … for Kids Who Don’t Do Posing, I tried to incorporate all of the main things to consider when posing children. There are often a few factors to consider: location, lighting, styling, interaction, mood, expression and, of course posing. The most prominent issue with that last factor, posing, being rather interesting as most kids don’t really do posing.

Guess what: families don’t really do posing, either. But even as people aren’t often professional models, they are often amenable to being moved this way and that. So, how do you adjust them to showcase them as flatteringly as possible and keep their expression fresh so you can showcase them as attractively and as naturally as possible—while also keeping the shot well-framed, well-lit and showing off what matters the most: who they genuinely are at heart, and how they belong to each other?

This book, like my original one for just kids, is all about creating a reference book of past “wins”—challenges I’d faced and how I was able to resolve them to produce attractive and natural-looking poses using a variety of techniques, which I share in detail, along with before and afters, metadata, what lighting I used, and any interpersonal techniques I utilized to shift the mood or refresh expressions. I also share any interactions I may employ in certain situations—and any other helpful technical information that could come into play in that scenario or any others like them. This comes complete with bullet points to quickly reference the main considerations of each pose.

The other common feedback I received over time from The Posing Playbook … for Kids Who Don’t Do Posing was that people tended to read it as a regular book first, starting at the beginning and reading clear to the finish, then they would reference it afterwards as an on-the-go by mobile app, gaining inspiration for poses and references suggestions of things that could help. I realized that since I did the same thing, referenced poses while in the midst of a shoot, that it’d be helpful to collect all the posing suggestions as a separate mini reference guide for this new book, complete with helpful bullet points but not the detailed text, which could always be referenced later in more detail in the main Family Posing Playbook.

The guide also includes:

Befores and afters
Metadata
Lighting configurations
Interpersonal techniques
Metering
Interactions

We hope you bring the Family Posing Playbook, or at least the new Quick Reference Guide, with you on your next shoot so that you can feel confident you will have a successful session, then be able to turn those images into a beautiful family album.

And, just like your Lush Albums purchases, 10 percent of the proceeds of the posing playbook go to Beautiful Together, a nonprofit Tamara created that works to help improve the quality of life for children waiting for families.

Download the Family Posing Playbook today, and be on your way to creating more beautiful albums

The Art of the In-Person Sale for Photographers

October 8, 2015 1 Comment

Artist. Creative professional. Visual designer. Business owner. These are probably the first terms that come to mind when someone asks you for your job description as a photographer. I’m guessing, however, that salesperson might not be at the top of the list, even though it is a big part of what you do every time you meet face-to-face with a new client.

This week, we sat down with Steve Saporito to discuss how photographers can hone their sales acumen and steer clients into buying albums for their images. Steve runs Intuition to Succeed, an online mentoring program that focuses on developing in-person sales skills for photographers.

What do you do?

My focus is to empower wedding and portrait photographers to move past the blocks they have about their businesses with clear, actionable systems that have been tried, proven, and replicated in any location. The focus is to build value in the photographic experience for the client and to create desire for our products and services.

How do you define in-person sales?

Fundamentally, an in-person sale [design consultation] is about discovering who the client really is and what they want. From there, it is up us to help our clients design the perfect artwork for them. It is not about what we want; it is about finding the perfect solution for them, and [that] needs to be the most exciting part of their photographic experience. Remember that a client has made themselves vulnerable to us and will be nervous about seeing themselves for the first time [in photos], so it is important to have someone who can coach them on all the things they need to focus on and consider so that they are better educated on how to buy photography.

The important distinction here is to determine what the client places value on as opposed to what we value. These values may be very different in many cases, and [this] is usually the reason why clients do not buy, even though we believe that we have given them an incredible shoot.

What is your #1 piece of advice for in-person sales for photographers?

Never focus on the money. Focus on adding as much value to the client’s experience as you possibly can. The money is a result of the value that you have given to your client. When you focus on understanding what the client values and then ensure that you are giving it to them, the money will come.

Any other tips you’d like to share?

In the client’s mind, the in-person sale is the most important part of their photographic experience. It’s our job to use our professional experience to pull it all together to exceed expectations. They borrow confidence from us that they are making the right decisions, and they feed off of our energy and attitude toward the sale. Some assistance and honest encouragement makes a huge difference to a client’s confidence and ability to make decisions about their artwork that they will be proud to display in their home and the perception of the value of the service that they have received.

Also, projection sales software is pivotal, like Fundy’s Gallery Designer software. Many I have trained have tried various sales software, but switching to a system that allows you to project to true to size is monumental. The combination of using a projector and the software that can show a client their wall art at-scale is imperative. That alone has been a fundamental game changer to higher average sales, no matter what the country or economic situation.

Do you have advice specifically for introverts or ”non-salesy-types?”

The setup and planning of your design consolation space is important. Having the set up right so that it subliminally sells for you adds to the client’s experience and makes it easy for clients to want what you have to offer.

Thank you, Steve, for this incredibly valuable information! We know that every photographer can benefit from all the tips you have shared with us.

Interested in learning more about Steve Saporito and his techniques to increase your selling skills? You can find him on his site at intuitiontosucceed.academy/us/.

If you’re interested in learning more about all the ways Lush and Fundy can help you put beautiful albums in your clients’ hands, you can visit us here: www.lushalbums.com/how-to-get-started/

How Finding the Right Photography Programs can Save you Time

September 17, 2015 Leave a Comment

The day-to-day routine for a photographer can be hectic—with photo shoots, images to edit, blogging and marketing campaigns . . . not to mention all the follow-up and hand-holding that your clients sometimes need. We know that the thought of putting together an album while you’re in the midst of running your business can be the very last thing on your mind. But, fortunately, so many photography programs are out there, geared toward making your life easier. We thought we’d share a few of our favorites with you.

Incorporating these smart software options into your daily workflow can truly enhance your business experience and create more time for you to give your clients personal attention.

Photo Mechanic

We love Photo Mechanic because of all its little time-saving features. You can quickly cull through your images, sort them, tag them, and prep them for editing. The customize tool is great for organization because it lets you file photos based on the criteria you set up for them.

Photo Mechanic also uses embedded JPGs and RAW files to view images so that you can cut out the time spent on previews. Oh, and the export feature is pretty great too. You can transfer selected photos to any editing program, which is really helpful when you need to keep track of all those wedding images you’re sending to a post-processing service.

Adobe Lightroom

Lightroom is great for quickly editing images. It uses a non-destructive editing processes to allow you to retouch your images in the most efficient way. You can create presets and apply one to a group of images, perfect for color correction or converting a set to black and white. If necessary, Lightroom also allows you to seamlessly bring your favorites into Photoshop for more advanced editing.

Fundy Design Software

Fundy is a wonderful, multifaceted, time-saving tool that lets you import your finished images and easily design your albums. You can also compose collages to enhance your blogs and other social media sites. You can even conceive professional wall art for your clients and showcase this art in real room situations. Oh, and Fundy holds a special place in our heart because you can create and order Lush albums right through the software program!

What smart programs do you use to save time in your photography business? We would love to know! And don’t hesitate to contact us when it comes to making your albums!

Why you should Blog your Finished Albums

September 10, 2015 Leave a Comment

You urge your clients to put their sessions into albums not just because those albums serve as neat, portable ways to keep their images together, but also because those albums turn their photo shoots into tangible stories of their most important life events.

And, just as the album is a keepsake for clients, it can be a really good marketing tool for you. Those albums can make for perfect blog content.

Show What You Can Do

What makes the album blog post so perfect is that so much of your work is already done—you already have those images arranged in a meaningful way. All you have to do is recount that session and explain what made working with these clients such a wonderful experience.

Blogging your albums can show potential clients what you can do, beyond just an explanation of your services. Clients can actually see your past work and know what they’re going to get when they decide to purchase an album.

Telling a Story

The album itself is the jumping off point for the post. Whether the album was a newborn session, a family get together, or a milestone birthday, the album illustrates a story about what’s available to your prospective clients. You may have already done a traditional blog post about the shoot itself, but this allows that story to be translated into a product.

Remember, an album is something they can touch and feel and take home. But they want to see examples of that before they invest the money in it. A blog post with images of the finished album and page layouts can be far more helpful to prospective clients than any usual descriptive list of options.

Along with the album images, write about what was going on behind the scenes. Point out your favorite moments and why they made it into the album. Give a little info about your clients’ personalities and what made working with them such a wonderful experience. For prospective clients, this content lets them know how you work and can help them imagine what their own sessions will be like and the types of images they’ll get in their own albums.

Learn more here: http://buattiramos.com/blog/lush-albums

Above all else, make sure your album markets you. You must distinguish yourself and show clients how their experience working with you on their albums will be beneficial to them. Put in your personality and your passion, and they are sure to be impressed.

Now, get out there and create!