What is your Full Name? Elise Wessell Beall
What is your business Location? Jacksonville, NC
What is your website URL? www.elisebeall.com
What’s your facebook page URL? https://www.facebook.com/pages/Elise-Beall-Photography/196086433793195
How many years have you been in business? 8

Was there life before photography or has this been a lifelong passion for you? While I have always loved photography, this is my second career. I taught in the dental programs (dental assisting and dental hygiene) on the community college level for 30 years.

How did you become a professional photographer? When my daughter left for college, I had an empty nest and lots of time for myself. I decided to devote some of that time to becoming a better photographer. Through online forums, DVDs, workshops, books and journals, I gradually improved to the point that people were contacting me to photograph weddings, portraits and events. I had accumulated a significant amount of equipment and knew that retirement was just a few years in my future, so I started a business with another professional photographer. After about 18 months, I went out on my own and have never looked back!


What’s been your biggest business challenge? Treating this business like a true business – not a glorified hobby. In the beginning my pricing was much too low and I gave too much away to friends and family.

How have you faced that challenge? By setting guidelines and making myself follow them. I have learned to value my time and my investment in my business, so it’s easier to charge a reasonable fee for my work. While my fees appear low to many photographers, I’m actually on the high end for my location. Also, I keep a list of my annual expenses close by and view it often so I always know where I stand.

What’s the most effective way you’ve found to market your studio? By
creating a positive experience, delivering a quality product with exceptional customer service, I have formed a base of clients who return over and over again. And, these clients often refer friends and family. Referrals from happy clients and good word of mouth continue to be my best marketing strategy. I also give back to the community several times a year by donating sessions/print credits for silent auctions to good causes. The main goal is to raise money for the charity, but keeping my name in front of the people in the community who are my target market is very beneficial to my business. I also blog every session I shoot and use social media.

If we needed a photographer today why would we book you? What makes you unique?I insure that my clients know that it’s all about them. I make an effort to never say no – to find a way to deliver what the client wants, if at all possible. My sessions are fun and stress free. I strive to learn new techniques to further my art and my business. I don’t follow fads. I deliver quality classic portraiture and wedding photographs that will stand the test of time.

What is the one item used in your shooting or editing workflow you can’t live without? What makes it indispensable? I love my 5D MK II with my 100mm 2.0 lens. I have used this camera longer than anyI have owned and the lens is the first non-kit lens I purchased. I have a variety of more expensive L zoom lenses, but still prefer my primes when shooting portraits – and the 100mm is a dream. I am sure I could live without either of these – but don’t want to try! As for editing, I edit every image in Photoshop before the client sees it. In my experience, most clients can not envision what an image can look like after editing, so I show them. They don’t see straight out of camera images – they see the finished product. This takes much more time, but I believe it has helped me improve sales and keep clients coming back for more.

What advice would you give to an aspiring photographer? A photography business is more than taking pretty pictures. Learn the technical and business aspects of photography before charging for your work. And don’t sell yourself cheaply. If you start too low, it’s difficult to raise your fees to a sustainable level without losing your client base.

What has the DWF done for your business? The DWF has really helped me with the
business aspect of my photography business. I make smarter decisions now based on sound business principles and don’t just fly by the seat of my pants. Creatively, seeing the talent on this board makes me work to improve what I deliver to my clients. In particular, the senior thread in the Portraits forum opened my eyes to so many possibilities. I am in awe of many of the photographers on the DWF. There is enormous talent and a willingness to share information.

How do you use the DWF? I spend the majority of my time on the Portraits, Business,
and Marketing and Sales forums. I have learned so much from these forums! Any time I have a question, I come to DWF and search the forums. Often I find that the question has already been answered. I also look through images produced by photographers here to get inspiration.

Optional, but come on, be a sport: If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? I would love to be invisible. Just imagine the possibilities! I doubt seriously I would use my superpower for good – I would probably spend most of my time playing practical jokes on my husband.He has been playing them on me for over 37 years – it’s time I got him back.

Don’t just fly by the seat of your pants! Tap into the “enormous talent” that Elise is talking about on the DWF. Take a free trial membership here!

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