378: Blair DeLaubenfels – How to curate your way to photography success

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

Blair DeLaubenfels of www.worldsbestweddingphotos.com is today's interview guest and was recommended by Premium member, Kelli Wilke who emailed me to say…

Blair DeLaubenfels was the founder and owner of June Bug Weddings. She has recently launched a new site: World's Best Wedding Photos.

She was doing some consulting about photography curation with the editor of Rangefinder Magazine for the 30Rising stars issue last year.

Kelli says, I was chosen by the editors to submit to that contest, which is how I found Blair. It was hell trying to put together 30 images for the submission and I hired her to help me curate that gallery.

Kelli went on to say… I thought it would be interesting to hear Blair share how to curate photos, and how to use contests and publishing to elevate a photographers marketing and SEO efforts. It’s what I’ve been doing now for a couple of years and it’s given me street cred as well as the confidence to charge what I do for wedding coverage.

I did some research, totally agreed with Kelli and approached Blair for this interview to tap into some of her 22 years in the wedding world as a photographer, author, consultant, speaker, executive and publisher.

In this interview, Blair shares how to curate your way to photography success and why curation really is the one big thing that will bring you bookings, recognition and profitability in your photography business.

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

• How Blair found her way into photography
• How the World's Best Wedding Photos website started
• The Junebug Weddings' business model
• The importance of having your own distinctive style
• The process of selling Junebug Weddings
• How curation works for photography websites
• What Blair looks for when curating images for pro photographers
• How to find your distinctive photography voice
• The importance of showing consistency in your work
• Staying true to yourself under the pressure of a shoot
• Visual content is powerful content – if curated correctly
• Who is qualified to offer feedback and be critical of your work?
• Blair's opinion on photographic competitions to build a brand
• Being on Instagram doesn't guarantee bookings
• Getting photography bookings from Pinterest
• The importance of building authentic relationships
• The secret to building a successful photography business
• How to maximise your investment returns from photography competitions
• The benefits of getting published on major websites
• How photographers can land a spot at the World's Best Wedding Photos website
• Pricing for photographers
• SEO tips and tricks for photographers

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.

If you want to be an artist, you must be consistent. There's no way around it. – Blair DeLaubenfels

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 Blair 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.

If you're trying to take a photo that looks like someone else's, you've lost your voice. – Blair DeLaubenfels

If you have any questions that I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Blair 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.

When you know you're lacking something, and you need to get better at something and you know, and the only way you can do it is by actually doing the thing that you don't want to do but you have to do it, then the only thing you have left is your willpower to make it happen. – Eduardo Pavez Goye

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.

Here are the latest reviews…

Via email from Moberly senior photographer John Wright from Moberly in the USA on 19th August 2020.

This has been a long time coming.

3 weeks ago I quit my job to be a full-time photographer. I could not have done it without your podcast. I (hope) I learned enough about the business to make a go of it. 

My old job was killing me in every way. We had been working overtime every week for over 4 months with no end in sight and the bosses were too cheap to hire more help. Like a chronic pain, it was wearing me down. Physically, emotionally, spiritually, creatively and relationally. I was not the dad that my kids needed or the husband my wife married. 

I want you to know this: I would listen @ work and take notes. My job was in a warehouse; tedious, mindless work, that didn’t require my full concentration. I would get loads of ideas and begin to plan out all the things I needed to do. And it got to the point that I quit listening – more than once! It was depressing to think about not living the life I wanted because I was doing the job I needed.

I wanted you to know that, not because you did anything wrong, but because I doubt I’m the only one. If you wonder about the analytics of some of the podcasts and why they might be different than you expected, perhaps that is the answer. Just my thought.

I’m doing work that matters now. I booked 4 high school seniors last week and then your podcast with Tracy Moore was waiting for me Monday morning – it was like you’re reading my mail.

Your work matters too. My kids have their dad back, my wife is happy again, and I don’t feel like I’m sacrificing my body to grow someone else’s business – I’m living MY dream now. You had a hand in that and I thank you.

All the best,

~John

What not to show and what not to do makes it possible for you to be successful. – Blair DeLaubenfels

★★★★★ Empowering, insightful and actionable! ?

Via iTunes by Josh Crist of Lemon Pie on August 31st 2020

Whether you’re well established as a photographer who can translate creative energy into the impact you want to have on the world, or just getting started carving out a profitable niche that’s ready to grow – this is a must-listen podcast for you!

Andrew does an incredible job leading conversations that cover a huge breadth of topics related to the ins and outs of building a thriving photography business and life you can be proud of – from leaders who’ve actually walked the path.

Highly recommend listening and subscribing!