We’ve said it a million times, and we’ll say it again! Mothers LOVE photographs of their children! Sibling photoshoots can be some of your biggest sellers. If they are done correctly, you are sure to see your revenue grow. You will learn so much with our Posing Brother and Sister course. In this 2 part course, Sue demonstrates some of the reasoning behind how you would do certain poses for a brother and a sister. She also explains why certain poses for a couple are not appropriate for siblings. After she explains these things, she then shows you how to put her advice into action.

You’ll see three photographers with the same equipment and same model take 15 minutes each to get their best shots. They talk you through their process as the other contestants chime in with critiques and good-natured jibes. The winner is determined by the Conference audience.

Knowing how to retouch is crucial as a portrait photographer, but it doesn’t have to be difficult or complicated. Sue and Jason Hoppe take us through a multitude of ways to retouch your photographs — everything from blemishes on the skin to extending a backdrop.

Boudoir photography marketing has undergone major evolutions just in the past five years as the genre has changed. This genre used to be about creating sexy pictures just for him, but now it has become a major body-positivity empowerment movement. In this edition from Sue’s Live Archives, Sue Bryce chats with two women who are dominating the boudoir photography industry, Jasmin Jade and Kara Marie Trombetta. These conversations dig into the contemporary boudoir photography scene with a special emphasis on how to market boudoir photography sessions.

Mother’s Day is a huge holiday for portrait studios, and I want you to be ready. The Mother and Daughter shoot has always been in my top percentage of bookings and sales. A mother will do pretty much anything for their child, but I noticed very early on this special shoot is really all about Mum and being photographed in a beautiful way with the people she loves. As much as they may secretly want it, many Mums won’t give themselves up to the luxury of a beautiful photoshoot without the push of including a loved child. So learn to speak the right language to this powerful shopping demographic. Above all enjoy photographing the friendship and love that this relationship is all about.

When I first became a wedding photographer, lighting with the Profoto B1 was not something I’d ever considered trying.  I found studio strobes incredibly intimidating, thinking that they must be difficult to set up, manage, and use.  Where would I put them?  How far from my subject should the light be?  How do I figure out what power level I need?  And how do I trigger the lights to begin with?

When talking to wedding photographers about marketing, one of the big questions is always “How do I get my work published?”  Whether you’re looking to get your images posted on a blog, featured in a magazine, or shared on a popular social media account, there are so many questions to be answered before you get that first publication!

We talk a lot here at the Wedding School about the actual art of photography.  What lenses to use, how to light a wedding reception, how to compose a good image, and then how to sell your work.  Marketing, business, branding : these are the things that you think of when you think of wedding photography education.

In this class we look at lighting, posing, and retouching 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s. We will also talk about how to market them in your business with so many angles: we can take mother and daughter shoots, girls day out, family shoots, because you’re 60 and fabulous… the list goes on. Start a campaign today that challenges the beauty norm and shows this demographic just how incredible and beautiful they are. This woman is the matriarch of the family. She is the core to multiple referrals and shooting genres from maternity, to newborn, to generation shoots, to full families.

Watch as Sue breaks down her original posing wall series for you. It is the foundation of studio posing and it will change the way you shoot. You will see her comparing photos from past shoots with a live model so you can see how she set them up. She will go over lighting and angles along with a lot of other amazing information. Sue is always great at sharing her nearly 30 years of experience and this video is no different. Posing people on the wall changes the body language and gives your clients something to do. It provides a feeling of safety and support. When your clients feel safe and supported, they tend to feel more comfortable. This will make for an amazing shoot with absolutely beautiful portraits in the end! You won’t want to miss this course!

Sue has a different take on boudoir photography than most photographers. For her, portrait photography, even boudoir photography, is all about connection, glamour, and fashion-style imagery. This shoot revolves around a glamour version of vintage pinup. It asks the question, what would you find if you did a search for vogue pinup? And it teaches you everything you need to know about how to achieve it.

So much of shooting portrait is the adjustment of angles and how they change the shape of your client’s body. In this video, watch as Sue will live shoot using different focal lengths. This will show you the power of angles, tilts and composition and how to use them for your advantage. First things first, you want to make sure you are eye to eye with your client. If they sit, you sit. If they stand, you stand. This is where apple boxes come in handy. They come in half sizes and are great for getting you eye to eye with your client. This is important in helping with shooting with angles.

Posing is one of the most important parts of being a portrait photographer. You MUST be able to pose women of all different body types if you want to book women as your clients. It took Sue a lot of practice, but she can say that she has mastered posing women and she wants you to master it, as well! Watching our Posing Breakdown course is the first step!