What is your DWF Username? Lynn Michelle

What is your Full Name? Lynn Michelle

What is your business Location? Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas What is your website URL? www.lynnmichelle.com What’s your facebook page URL? www.facebook.com/lynnmichellephoto How many years have you been in business? 8 lovely years ——– Was there life before photography or has this been a lifelong passion for you? I was a telecom engineer in my previous life. Coding, project management, software upgrades… zzzzz.

How did you become a professional photographer? I’m feeling feisty today so my initial answer was “when I passed the certified professional photographer (CPP) exam earlier this year”. Actually, I officially picked up a camera my freshman year in college. I was being social against my better judgement (remember I was studing to be a people-hating cubicle dweller) and decided to join the newspaper staff. I wanted to be a writer and they needed a photographer. Arguing with the editor didn’t help my cause, she sent me out the door on my first assigment with a camera instead of a pen. From there, friends started getting married and offering me Dr. Pepper and film to photograph their weddings. One morning, I woke up with the realization that I had the client base and the equipment to go full time. And I did.

What’s been your biggest business challenge? Not strangling other photographers.
How have you faced that challenge? The photographers in our region have built a wonderfully supportive community to educate our new peers. We have headed free lighting, posing and business workshops to help them mature in their craft and understand what price undercutting, stealing images/verbiage, delivering shoddy work and not setting up a proper business does to lower the repuation of all photographers. Knowledge is definitely power.
What three words best describe your shooting style? happy, happy, joy joy
What’s the most effective way you’ve found to market your studio? My blog. I actually have stalkers – clients who know every personal detail I devulge and every person that I photograph by name. I love it, it’s instant conversation and the easiest way to constantly showcase my most current work. I started blogging Monday through Friday and I thought it would wear me out, but I have gotten such amazing feedback that I want to keep posting.

 

What has the DWF done for your business?

It’s impossible for me to put into words exactly what the DWF has done for me. First and foremost, it has been an amazing support system; a real community of skilled professionals who brought together their own experiences and personalities and helped me make some tough decisions when I needed a helping hand. They brought incredible smiles to my face when I thought I was the only one out there starting from nothing and struggling through the business.

Looking back, the members that said the meanest things back then are the ones that I respect they most because they cared enough to tell the truth. Even when I wasn’t ready to hear it. And those bonds that I have formed are so incredible to me. I know I can call up a group of real friends in the business and they will be there to guide me, support me and lift me up when I feel like I am the only one out there.

If we needed a photographer today why would we book you? I pink puffy heart love formal portraits and I make them oooo so fun.



What makes you unique?: I shoot fabulous people ™.

What is the one item used in your shooting or editing workflow you can’t live without? Compact flash cards. Those buggers are freaking important to this whole operation!
Right, a serious answer. One item? Just one? Really?

Alright, Lightroom. It’s everything and a bag of chips. I never want to do batch editing in Photoshop again. I love you, Lightroom, yes I do.

What makes it indispensible? two words: batch straightning. I have days where I am just off by anything from 2 to 10 degrees, always to the right.

What advice would you give to an aspiring photographer? Some days I want to scream “don’t do it!” other days I want to sit them and give them a cheat sheet. Laying the right groundwork in place before going full time is so essential. What would my cheat sheet say?
- have a solid business plan
- specialize
- know when to say no and how to say it
- know when it is time to outsource
- never stop learning
- be fearless. make mistakes.
- always wear sunscreen

Optional but come on be a sport: If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? Elasticity. I’m 5 feet tall. I could use an inch here and there without having to carry around a stepstool.

Do you have a group of real friends in the business? A community and support system you can turn to for help making tough decisions? Take a trial in the DWF and find out what we’re all about. It’s free and easy to sign up here.

 

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