November  2015

FALL COLORS ARE ALL GONE UNLESS YOU HAVE A VIRTUAL BACKGROUND SYSTEM

 A few weeks ago photographers, amateur and professional, were scampering around to try to get good portraits with the beautiful fall color backgrounds.  But perfect fall colors only last a few days and much of the west is NOW getting blizzards.  For most of the country, outdoor location photography is shut down until spring…but not if the photographer has a virtual background system.  With virtual backgrounds, the photographer could capture seasonal backgrounds at their absolute peak when the natural lighting was perfect and use them 24 7 365 in their studio.  Or they can buy stock background files. The temperature is always perfect and if they want some windblown hair, they turn on a fan and get exactly what they want.  They can make their subjects feel like they are in a Hollywood studio.

Amateurs and low level professionals can't do this.  But if you had virtual backgrounds you could do it every day all day with better than real results. Perfect lighting.  Perfect posing, perfect positioning, and a variety of backgrounds without even moving the subjects.

That's what you get if you have the many benefits of a virtual background system.  Click on the arrow to watch the 2 minute video.

WHY SHOULD A PHOTOGRAPHER NOT INVEST IN A VIRTUAL BACKGROUND SYSTEM?

Frankly, we don't know why.  If you do professional portrait photography, especially of people, you need virtual backgrounds as the clear tool that enables you to do things no one else can do.  And, this is something you have to readily promote the things that you can do.  

Now, there are many illegitimate reasons including,
I don't have room...I don't have a studio; someone told me it doesn't work, it's too expensive, business is down so I can't justify the expensive.  If I need a background I already have green screen. 

The fact is, if you do people photography, VB is a great investment that can easily and quickly pay for itself in increased business and higher sales averages.  

BRING MOST
ANY OLD
SCENE MACHINE BACK TO LIFE WITH A NEW POWER SUPPLY AND FLASH

If you have an older Scene Machine, you can bring it back to life with a new power supply and flash assembly.  Or if your system is now working, you can get the extra power supply and flash for back up.  Call your VB consultant for additional information. 

FOX NEWS RIDICULES PROFESSIONAL WEDDING PHOTOGRAPY

The morning crew of Fox & Friends ridiculed professional wedding photography and basically suggested couples would do better if they just gather up the digital files shot by amateurs and used them as their wedding photographs. They joked about the unnatural silly poses that the professional photographer makes couples do. Basically it was a major put down of professional photography in favor of the amateur.  There was zero appreciation for the fact that anyone can call themselves a professional photographer which means there are no guarantees in what one gets.  Obviously one or more of the Fox group has had bad experiences with so called professional photographers.  However in many ways it is the professionals fault in that a great many wedding photographers at all levels of sophistication have opted to  get wild and loose shooting thousands of candid pictures instead of concentrating on being professional and producing a truly refined professional product.  So in some ways Fox & Friends told it like it too often is.  Perhaps the key to being clearly different is to promote a return to the basics of professional wedding photography and let the amateurs do the crazy stuff.

PHOTOSHOP FOR SMART PHONES

We knew it would happen…just knew it.  It is now possible to do Photoshop on a smart phone.  And the camera in the new I phone is better than ever for still pictures AND video. Amateurs have less and less reason to hire a professional UNLESS the professional can do things the amateur cannot possibly do.  That's the primary reason for a professional photographer to invest in a virtual background system…to be clearly unique from all others.  Bring Hollywood type photography to your clients.

CLICK TO SEE THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE OF THE BACKGROUNDER

CLICK TO SEE THE OCTOBER ISSUE OF THE BACKGROUNDER

VISIT
VIRTUAL BACKGROUNDS

FOR A FULL DAY HANDS ON DEMONSTRATION

Super Monday is Coming!

Visit us on
November 30th

It's tough to get away from the studio for a three day workshop.  By demand we are now offering hands on product demonstrations every other Monday. 

All of your questions about VB equipment will be answered and you will have the opportunity to use the equipment yourself with your camera. 

Portrait and video production demonstrations will be covered.

If you are interested in attending please call
(512) 524-7085 or email info@virtualbackgrounds.net
 to RSVP

Lunch will be provided!

When: 
Monday November 30th
9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Where: 
Virtual Background Studio
101 Uhland Rd. Ste. 204
San Marcos, TX. 78666

Come to discover with your own camera what Virtual Backgrounds can do for you!

RANDY POLLARD USES
VIRTUAL BACKGROUNDS FOR BOTH LOCATION SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY
 AND STUDIO PHOTOGRAPHY

November's featured photographer's
Randy and Laura Pollard

Victoria Texas professional photographer Randy Pollard and his wife Laura have been very active users of the Scene Machine projected background system for four years. One system is permanently set up in the studio while the other one is used for location photography for sports and events and can also be used for school photography.  The prime reason the Pollards got into using virtual backgrounds was to be clearly different from their competition and to provide their clients with more customized variety.  75% of their sports photography is done indoors with their Scene Machine, using umbrellas for lighting.  They currently use their studio based system for about 25% of their studio work.
 
The Pollards were impressed with the work being done by Lubbock Texas photographer, Mark McCall and this is what pushed them into investigating the projected background concept more seriously.  Randy's wife, Laura, started in photography as a hobby which quickly turned in to a business in 2000.  Randy formerly worked for Dow Chemical but became a full time professional studio photographer in 2004.  While many people today say that it is impossible to make a successful living in professional photography, the Pollards are proving them dead wrong.  The key for their success is concentrating on producing product no one else can do.  When marketing their sports photography they emphasize how everyone else bidding for the contract just shoots the kids on the field and have to deal with the bright sunlight, wind, rain, and heat. Randy promotes the fact that he can work indoors with professional studio quality lighting, with a wide variety of sports related backgrounds, and with no concern about the weather.
 
While his rapid growth has leveled off in the past two years, the Pollards are still happy with how they are doing and look forward to expanding, especially in the school photography market.

The Pollard's web site is www.l-annimaging.com and www.getontheedge.com

SANTA CLAUS FLYS HIGH FOR
TREVON BAKER PHOTOGRAPHY

How many times have you heard that it is impossible to make any real money in professional photography any more…especially in doing Santa Claus pictures where many retail stores do them for free as a promotion?  After all, how can you beat FREE?

Montana Master Photographer, Trevon Baker, has been successfully doing Santa pictures for 22 years in his Montana studio.  His schedule fills up in 48 hours even without any promotion.  He simply sends out an e mail to his customer base that he is taking reservations for the big special event which happens the Friday, Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving.  

Trevon gets everything in gear ahead of time.  He has the perfect Santa and a Mrs. Claus who bakes and hands out chocolate chip cookies.  There is a large flat screen TV playing Christmas shows. They also serve coffee, cider, and beer and wine to the parents.  It's a special event and many customers come back year after year after year.  There are some new backgrounds each year.  The studio is fully decorated for Christmas.  It's a festive time.  Each child is given 15 minutes, plus or minus, with Santa.  Trevon takes several shots with different virtual projected backgrounds and different poses.  The parents get to see the images immediately and place their order.

And what do you think the average order is?  It's over $100.00 per child.  Who says you can't make money when your competition is free?  It's a matter of the quality of the "timeless" image that is clearly different and far above anything anyone else does.

  WHY SHOULD A PHOTOGRAPHER INVEST IN VIRTUAL BACKGROUNDS?

First and foremost reason to invest in virtual backgrounds is to be clearly different from all others in terms of greater creativity, producing more variety for clients, providing clients with a unique experience, and having more fun doing it.  Using virtual backgrounds is much more important today than ever before because it is the only tool that the amateurs do not also have.  A fundamental fact of life in any business is that it is critical for success to clearly stand out from all others in desirable ways.  A professional photographer has a limited number of tools and methods to use to distinguish themselves and create a buzz.

The business minded photographer must make maximum use of their advantages or their business will continue to languish or fail because today, amateurs can get really good results and they have fun doing it Why pay a professional for work that one can do on their own very simply and have the fun of DIY And now that virtual backgrounds is digital, it is even better plus it enables the photographer to get into video production with professional still and moving backgrounds.

SEE AND TRY VIRTUAL BACKGROUNDS FOR YOURSELF WITH YOUR OWN CAMERA

DISCOVER WHAT VB CAN DO FOR YOU

Many photographers just can't appreciate the unlimited power of this extremely creative tool known as projected virtual backgrounds.  One really can't get but a glimpse of the product's power at a trade show.  But now it is possible to arrange to visit with a system user, get their perspective and try the product out for yourself, even using your own camera to capture images.

If you are anywhere near Louisville Kentucky, you can make an appointment to visit Cindy Cofer Barclay at her new studio.  Readers of the Backgrounder have been seeing Cindy's images for years.  She was also a feature photographer in the book, Background Power.  To arrange a visit with Cindy, you can call her at (502) 266-9119
or e mail her at cindybarclaycreations@hotmail.com

If you are anywhere near Glen Cove, New York, you can arrange to visit Pete Budraitis at his Glen Cove studio.  Pete has many years of experience doing a wide variety of photography.  The Scene Machine has been a featured cornerstone of much of his work. He is especially well known for his first communion portraits.  You can arrange to visit with Pete by calling him at (516) 674-0227 or e mail him at studio@pmbphoto.com

Of course it is always possible to visit us at our headquarters in San Marcos Texas for hands on experience. 

WATCH THIS SHORT VIDEO CREATED BY CINDY BARCLAY
MAKE $100,000 A YEAR IN PRO PHOTOGRAPHY
PURE BS OR TRUE FACT?
Before you say ridiculous and impossible, take time to do the math.  Family photography, especially when it is part of church directory photography, can be very profitable.  Amateurs don't do very well setting up and posing families and it is hard for a family member to take control and get the best results.  A professional photographer can get control of a family group and make it happen…creating a timeless family portrait that will be treasured forever.  Most families talk about doing a family portrait, especially over the holidays but they either never get to it or they do a lousy job and get a family snapshot.  An amateur tries to set it up and get cooperation and then usually has to press the timer button and run back and get themselves in the picture.

The family portrait is on the rebound and becoming more important as is family photography.  If you do it as part of a church directory, the church officials can set it up and encourage church members to come in at a prescribed time and the photographer can be continuously busy shooting not only the entire family but also then splitting the family up into individual and sub groups.  Virtual backgrounds can play an important role in adding variety and creativity and digital makes it possible to show the results and sell immediately.
 
You can also go on location to do special family gatherings whether it be on the beach, in a park, or in the family’s home.  Sales of $1000.00 and more are not unusual.
 
If you are one of the many who claim there is no longer any money in professional photography, maybe it is YOUR fault.   Things have changed BUT, people will still pay for quality professional photography that is clearly far better than anything they can produce themselves.  
 
How do you get in to doing church directories?  Contact Marathon Press.  Marathon Press sponsors multi day workshops by Chris Wunder.

WHY YOU SHOULD MINIMIZE
DOING LOCATION PHOTOGRAPHY

It's simple.  When you work only on location you are working in the exact same environment where every amateur shoots.  So why should anyone hire you to do what they feel they can do quite well on their own…and have fun doing it? When you work in the studio, you can do things that cannot possibly be done on location…and this brings more business and more sales.  

Of course you can continue doing location work but at the same time, sell your customers on the many advantages of doing professional studio photography where the photographer has total control of the lighting, the wind, the temperature and most everything else including the background. And in the studio, the subject has total comfort and privacy.  If they want to do something a little risqué, there will not be snooping eyes and unwelcome comments from observers.

Ideally, offer your customers a special package of location AND studio photography.  Then they get the best of the best with more to choose from, more excitement, and higher sales which means more profit for you.

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT REASON TO USE
VIRTUAL BACKGROUNDS IN YOUR BUSINESS?

There are many reasons but there is one reason that stands out above all the others…the ability to be clearly and distinctively different producing highly desirable product no one else can do.   Henry Oles, founder and president of the Virtual Backgrounds company got excited about background projection and bought a very primitive system many years ago because he wanted to be clearly different from all other photographers he competed against.

Being different…having unique technology others do not have.  Being more creative are all ways to attract more customers…especially today when the public can do so much photography on their own without a professional.  You have to be clearly better than the do it yourselfers.

Yes, virtual backgrounds is expensive but it can quickly pay for itself and then go on making money. It is a great investment.  It ends up not costing the photographer anything because your customers pay for it.  And one does not have to start out with a new digital system.  There are great buys on factory refurbished systems which serve as a great starter package.  Call your VB consultant for more information.

 "SPI 2016 Creative Summit Conference & Expo"
Orlando, Florida
January 25-28, 2016

Visit Virtual Backgrounds in Booth # 42
Register at
http://myspionline.com/register/
For more information visit the SPI website
http://myspionline.com/orlando/
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