376: Cheryl Walsh – Inhouse printing is the recipe to becoming a better photographer

Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area.

Cheryl Walsh of www.cherylwalsh.art is a US-based fine art photographer. It's a term that get's thrown around a lot in our industry.

In some cases, it feels like the photographer is purely looking for a label to place on their work that fails to successfully deliver an idea, message, or emotion.

Cheryl, on the other hand, is a Portrait and Underwater Fine Art Photographer and she does not fall into that category. Her photography has a dream-like appearance, featuring floating goddesses that appear to be more like masterful paintings than photographic art.

She says… I Shoot Dramatic Underwater Portraits That Are Reflective Of Overcoming Troubles In My Life.

She only photographs in her own pool and maintains full control over her work by doing all the printing herself… inhouse.

Until recently, Cheryl's time was divided between high school senior photography and fine art underwater and portrait photography. Today, it's 100% underwater photography.

She has earned way too many awards to list here that include, to mention a few…

• International Portrait Image of the Year Award
• Winner of the coveted WPPI Grand Award 2016
• Triple Master distinction from WPPI

In this interview, in addition to covering some underwater portrait photography topics, Cheryl shares why you should not only be printing your work but taking full control and printing inhouse, if you want to grow and improve as a photographer.

Here's some more of what we cover in the interview:

• How Cheryl discovered underwater portrait photography
• How Cheryl's work evolved through time
• Overcoming personal troubles through creating photographic art
• Using photography to capture and bring happiness to people
• How to get people on board to collaborate with for your photography projects
• Dealing with photo sessions while on lockdown
• Why Cheryl decided to stop her senior photography business
• Is Cheryl's underwater photography business successful
• Why Cheryl is focusing on the education side of printing nowadays
• Who are Cheryl's clients – who are buying her photographic art pieces
• Accepting private commissions for underwater photography
• How does selling limited edition prints work
• How to come up with pricing as a fine art photographer
• The value of Cheryl's prints is in her time
• Pricing your photography
• Avenues to sell photographic art pieces
• The benefits of gallery shows
• How Cheryl is marketing her work to the right people
• Does Cheryl see herself as a photographer or an artist
• Cheryl's order and printing workflow
• Cheryl's file saving process
• Why Cheryl saves in TIFF format
• Using TIFF format files for your printing workflow
• The challenges in printing images inhouse
• Why printing is considered a science
• Why Cheryl devoted herself to mastering the process of printing perfect images
• Discussing printing challenges in the photography industry
• Why Cheryl decided to go all-in on in-house printing
• How to define a perfect print
• Where is the best place to learn successful printing
• Are photographers missing out by not printing in-house
• The difference between in-house printing and pro lab printing

What’s on Offer for Premium Members

If you’re a premium member, you should have received an email with links to your version of this interview – the full length and more revealing version where you hear the absolute best tips and advice from every guest.

If you’re on the fence about becoming a premium member, join with the $1 trial today and get access to the FULL interviews each week, get access to an amazing back catalogue of interviews and ALL future interviews delivered automatically to your phone or tablet.

Plus special member-only interviews.

Part of being a photographer is creating a photograph and a photograph is a piece of paper, a print. – Cheryl Walsh

You'll also receive access to the members-only Secret Facebook Group where you can connect with other Premium Members and interview guests to help, support and motivate you to take ideas you hear in each episode and put them into action. There are also FB live video tutorials, role-play interviews and special live interviews happening in the group. You will not find more friendly, more motivated, caring and sharing photographers online.

Seriously, that's not all.

In addition to everything above, you'll get access to and instructions on forming or joining a MasterMind Group with other premium members. These groups are super motivating, make you accountable and build friendships with other pro photographers with similar motives to you – to build a more successful photography business.

What is your big takeaway?

Following this interview, I’d love to know if you're taking anything away from what Cheryl shared. Is there something you heard that excited or motivated you to the point where you thought, yeah, I'm going to do that! If so, let me know by leaving your thoughts in the comments below, let me know what your takeaways were, what you plan to implement in your business as a result of what you heard in today's episode.

It makes you a better photographer to print your own work. – Cheryl Walsh

If you have any questions that I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Cheryl or if you just want to say thanks for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

iTunes Reviews and Shout-outs

Each week I check for any new iTunes reviews and it's always a buzz to receive these… for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, it's confirmation that I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they really are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome!

Secondly, iTunes is the biggest search engine when it comes to podcasts and it's your reviews and ratings that help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and ultimately a better show.

If you have left a review in the past, thank you! If you haven't and you'd like to, head to https://photobizx.com/itunes and you can leave some honest feedback and a rating which will help both me and the show and I'll be sure to thank you on the show and add a link to your website or blog if you let me know the URL of your website and your name.

Alternatively, if you've left a review for PhotoBizX and are looking for more backlinks to help your SEO, leave a review for the new Photography Xperiment Podcast and email me your keywords or keyword phrase and where you'd like me to link to.

Another great way to get a backlink to your site is to send a video testimonial. It doesn't need to be fancy and your phone will be perfect. Click record and tell me how PhotoBizX has made a difference to you and your photography business.

Photography Pricing Masterclass

Want to improve your pricelist and lead clients to the products you most want to sell… for the kind of profit you could be generating?

Photography business and mindset coach, Johl Dunn will show you exactly how in this Pricing Masterclass.

I had a chat with Johl and he's happy to reduce the price for PhotoBizX members (by 50%!) who register for the live training – tomorrow.
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Not already a PhotoBizX member and want this training for 50% off?

1. Grab a 30-day trial membership for $1 here: https://photobizx.com/try​
​Goes to $20/month after the 30-day trial.

2. Get the 6-month membership special for $60 here: https://photobizx.com/sms​

The same great conditions apply – if you register for the live call (even if you can't make the live call), you get…

• The live training (plus the recording)
• A one on one call with Johl to discuss your pricing
• Access to any future iterations of the course
• Access to the FB Group where Johl will answer follow up questions

Details and registrations here: https://photobizx.com/pricing​

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The price is $97 and I'll rebate PBX Members 50% once registered. So that's $48.50 for the training, the one on one call, Group access and login details for any future iterations of the course.

There is going to be lots of value, so it will be well worth people getting on live. – Johl Dunn

Photography Pricing Masterclass

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The live training session is via Zoom on Tuesday 25th August at 7 am – Australian Eastern Time.

You can find your local time here.​

For more details and to sign up, click this link —>>https://photobizx.com/pricing

PhotoBizX Daily Vlog Challenge – Starts Next Week!

Why utilise video in your photography business? The number one reason – to make a personal connection with our prospective client, faster than ever before.

You can do this with video on your website, email replies with video plus advertising and retargeting with video. 

There is no faster way to make a connection than you talking to your clients via video. 

If you generally book most of the clients you meet with face to face, imagine building that bond earlier in your process and before other local photographers. It'll mean more bookings for you. Fantastic right? As long as you can be yourself and make the same kind of connection you do in person. And you can! 

Want to learn how to get comfortable being yourself on camera?

This Challenge will get you there. 

The improvement and transformation in members videos has been extraordinary as we add something new to focus on throughout each module – from lighting, framing, eye contact, intro and outros – all with daily prompts.

Everyone involved is getting daily feedback, and it's easy to see the fun we're all having as we progress.

The next Challenge is starting soon! Click the link and add your details to get involved: http://dailyvlogchallenge.com

The way it works

1. Watch the daily video (with topic/Challenge included) uploaded into a separate post each day – excluding weekends.
2. Record your video reply and upload into the comments for that unit.
3. Once your video is uploaded, leave comments or constructive feedback (if requested) on at least 2 videos from other participants. 
4. Wait for feedback on your recording and implement suggestions into your next Challenge.

That's it, as simple as that.