Fran Reisner Photography

Dealing with the Doldrums~ February 2003

It’s funny how my brain works……. While I was out running the other day I was thinking about how so many of us seem to be stuck in the doldrums lately. By the time I got home I had quite a metaphor spinning around in my brain. I thought I’d share that with you…

In nautical terms when you hit the doldrums there is no wind to fill your sails, therefore you sit stagnate, not moving in any direction. The dictionary uses words like listlessness, despondency, inactivity and slump in its definition. Think of the evolution of your business as a sailing adventure to a place far away. Some of us set sail alone, others with a partner. We all started with different skill levels, from different ports, and in different types of boats. But one thing we all had in common was the passion and excitement we felt about the adventure before us. I think of the wind as the driving force that carries us through the evolution of our business and creative growth; the motivation, the inspiration, the dreams, the energy that keeps us moving towards our goals.

We’ve lost a few along the way… stormy weather, lack of experience, or just plain couldn’t find their way. But the rest of us, as we travel on our journey…… hit the doldrums now and then. What do we do when that happens?

We can wait it out, maybe use the quiet time to set some goals, reflect on things, pray… but if you have to wait too long for the wind to come back and fill your sails it can become very depressing, even dangerous.

We can power up our motors. Let’s think of this as our affiliation with the DPPA and TPPA, maybe our annual trek to Texas School and State Convention. Those smart enough to have that back-up power source can get to the wind when we need to.

We can also flag down another boat and ask for a tow… (this would be those we turn to for help and guidance). Some of us may need only a short tow before we find the wind filling our sails again. For others, it may be a bit farther. What’s interesting is that help doesn’t have to come from some big ship like the Coast Guard. Even the smallest of boats can help you along the way. (I thank God for those who’ve been there to help me on my journey.)

Those folks who didn’t think to bring a motor and are either too proud or shy to ask for help may find themselves sitting stagnate for quite some time. What if the wind never returns? The ocean is far too big to paddle across on your own. The only thing left is to accept that you were not prepared for this voyage, jump ship and swim ashore. Possibly you’re not cut out to be a sailor. Or maybe you just need time to become more prepared.

I guess the moral of my story is that if you want to reach your destination, it makes sense to be prepared. Always have a backup power source, not to mention food (faith), map (goal) and a compass (mentor). And remember to stay close to others along the way.

Most sincerely yours~

~Fran

“Nothing happens unless first a dream.”
~Unknown author

It’s hard to believe I’ve been in Dallas for 6 years now. And it still amazes me how often I’m asked why we’d leave California to live in Texas. I have no regrets at all. Other than the fire ants and the idiots on the roadways I love it here. Truly, the hardest thing about leaving California was walking away from a business I had worked so hard to develop and the clients I had grown to love. I saw great potential in Dallas though, and an energy that excited me. I was thrilled at the challenge of creating something very special on the clean, fresh canvas before me.

Since many of you have asked how I was able to quickly grow a successful business that is hidden from the public I thought I’d share a few thoughts on that this month.

First of all, in case you haven’t figured it out, I am very goal oriented. I’ve always focused on the light at the end of the tunnel. It keeps me moving in a straight line (it really is the shortest distance between two points).

I’m also a firm believer in positive thought and positive affirmation. If I had asked someone if they thought I could move to a place where I didn’t know a soul, hide my business from the public, not advertise and quickly become profitable they’d probably think I was looney. But I didn’t ask. I simply believed that I could. I’m here to tell you that, whatever your dream, if you believe in it, if you visualize it, and if you want it badly enough it will be yours.

Target your market. Figure out who your ideal client is and focus on marketing to that client. Where do they go? What are their habits? An example: If you enjoy doing pet portraiture you may want to communicate with some vet clinics in your area, ask them if it would be ok to put some images on display (if you want to do wall portraiture try to get some on their walls), and then nurture the relationships with the people who work there.

Be visible in your community. One thing that I have found to be very helpful in getting my name out there is donating to charity fundraisers. When you do, it is important to put your work on display at the event. It is one thing for them to know your name, but I believe it is just as important for them to see your images.

Keep your clients happy. Make every experience they have with you an enjoyable one and they will grow your business for you. And at the very least make sure they get a personal thank you for every referral they send your way.

I think it’s vitally important to continue to market your business. Equally important is focusing on what works for you and eliminating what doesn’t. Don’t be afraid to try new ideas, but analyze your marketing strategies so you know where to focus your efforts.

I wish I had the space to share more with you. If you’re interested in learning more you may want to check out my program for MPP on April 9.

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
~Eleanor Roosevelt

You all know me well enough to know that I’m seldom at a loss for words, so it was surprising to find myself drawing a blank when I sat down to write my message this month. Mike Walker suggested something on how we can gain the confidence in our client’s so they’ll allow us to create unique images for them. Good one Mike!

I can only speak from my own experience, but for me it starts with building a relationship. You have to be able to spend time with them in order to do this. I made a decision a long time ago to take a very personal approach with my clients, so I work very closely with them throughout the whole process, from consultation to preview session. Two great things come from this time investment; I gain their trust and I get to know them well enough to tell their story in their images. To my clients, that’s what make my images unique… they capture the essence of the people in them.

By continuing this personal approach right on through the preview session and the selection of their frames, every time you work with them, you will not only gain their trust, you will keep your clients for life.

I sincerely hope that you are all having a fantastic year and taking time to enjoy life!

“Far and away the best prize that life offers is
the chance to work hard at work worth doing”.
~Theodore Roosevelt

This quote, by Vincent van Gogh, gave me the inspiration for this month’s message. If your days are anything like mine; full of the chaos of running a business, caring for a family, “kindly” saying no to telemarketers, fighting your way through traffic… then you know how hard it is to always be inspired. And in our business that’s really what gives us our edge, don’t you think? So what do we do, day to day, to stay inspired? I covered a few ideas in my March Message, “Keeping the Passion”, but I thought this was a topic worth digging a little deeper into.

Most of the time my inspiration for my images comes from the consultation time I spend with my clients. I seek out the “story” and get excited about telling it. But that excitement sometimes takes place weeks in advance of the session. What’s important is to find inspiration in our day to day lives. Once again I can only share from my own experience, but here are some examples of what I do;

There’s inspiration all around us… it’s just a matter of slowing down long enough to take it all in.

I can’t think of a profession that has been harder hit by the changes in technology over the last several years than photography. Of course I’ve been bogged down in this digital quagmire for quite a while now, so my thinking is a little biased. What has made it especially difficult is the fact that our manufacturers and labs have struggled with their transitions as well. Otherwise most of my troubles have been a matter of an old dog having to learn a lot of new tricks! I’m from the old school of photography where very little changed about how we did things for years. I liked that. It allowed me to focus on marketing and finding new inspiration for creativity. Unfortunately, for the last few years all of that has taken a back seat to making this transition to digital.

I am relieved to see that for the most part, the manufacturers and (my) labs have finally got things pretty well “dialed in.” Finally there’s a light shining at the end of the tunnel! The one thing I am most grateful for in this transition is the wonderful network of friends who have willingly shared so much knowledge and information with me along the way.

Now that I’ve grown comfortable with this transition, what I love most about shooting digitally is that it has given me the freedom to go back to what I loved about photography in the first place; the creativity and the challenge of finding something beautiful or interesting about everything I see. I find myself “playing” with my camera more now than I have in a long time… trying new things I might not have tried otherwise. It has been like looking through my camera with a fresh set of eyes, and I have thoroughly enjoyed this.

If shooting digitally is something you’ve been contemplating I would suggest that now would be the time to learn. The quality is there. The equipment is affordable. There is no limit to the creative things you can do with digital files. More and more clients are savvy enough to be searching for that creativity.

And you all have many friends in this industry who have taken the “digital road” before you, many of them learning a lot of lessons the hard way, and most all of them willing to share.

“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to
the past or present are certain to miss the future.”
~John F. Kennedy