photography mentor Archives

5 Programs I Can’t Live Without | Education

Published on April 24, 2018April 24, 2018 by Remy PhotosLeave a comment

I can’t believe I haven’t shared the 5 programs I can’t live without on the blog yet. These downloads, apps, and websites actually cut my work time in half, they save my life, they are my babies. Trust me when I say, you’re going to LOVE this blog… thank me later, honey. They are 120% worth the investment and I’ll tell you why with each program listed!

1. Lightroom–– For some of you, this might be an obvious one, but let me tell you… When I first started this business a few years ago, I was using Photoshop for ALL MY PICTURES. This actually took me forrrrrevvvverrrrrrr and it was so annoying. Then I found out there was actually an easier/faster way to import, edit, and export my images (WHAT!?!?). If you don’t have Lightroom, get it right now, like today, tonight, asap. Youtube shares some awesome tutorials if you’re confused, but feel free to ask me anything!

2. Photo Mechanic 5–– I purchased this program about two years ago and I don’t know how I ever survived without it. It’s a major time saver and makes importing extremely easy!! Now, if you’re just starting out and aren’t booking a ton of sessions, I recommend waiting to make the investment until you are booking consistently!

3. BlogStomp— All those pretty little collages you see? All those images paired side by side for blog posts? BlogStomp. It’s AMAZING. I use this for blogs so that I’m not sharing a million photos in one post- you can just pair them up and cut your blog in half! It’s super easy and super fast. I also use it for facebook, my website, and Instagram stories to share session sneak peeks!

4. Dubsado— MY ENTIRE LIFE IS IN THIS WEBSITE. All my clients, my calendar, accounting, invoices, contracts, forms, notes, tasks, ALL OF IT. Check it out for a free trial and if you want to sign up, then use my code to sign up!!!
https://www.dubsado.com/?c=yayrtp CODE: “yayrtp”

5. Notes— This one seems silly, but guess what… IT’S FREE and IT’S AMAZING. The “Notes” app gets updated on my phone and computer, so I keep all my thoughts and ideas organized here. This is where I keep my daily to-do lists, goals, new session ideas, blog ideas, workshop vendors, Instagram captions…I mean, alllll of it. If you want to keep your ideas and thoughts organized, I highly recommend using this program. Keep it constantly updated and it will become a part of your routine. It’s there on the go and it’s there at home- use it!

I hope this was helpful! These programs made a huge difference in my business and workflow, so I know it will do the same for you! Questions are always welcome. Happy downloading! 🙂

If you’re interested in an educational opportunity with me, check out more information about my “Shades of Pink” Workshop on June 18th!! Find the registration and investment at the bottom of the page! Mentoring is fully booked until July- if you are interested in some one-on-one time, shoot me an email! I can’t wait to hear from you!! 🙂

To sign up for my Education Email list, click HERE!

FREE GUIDE To Growing Your Photography Business

Published on March 22, 2018 by Remy PhotosLeave a comment

Stop Waiting and Make It Happen.

Oh, I remember it so clearly. This time last year, I was crying, complaining, and felt defeated. My husband witnessed the worst of it (sorry, Eli!). I had maybe 3 people on the books for the Spring and I was so confused as to why I wasn’t booking more clients. Here I am exactly one year later, and I have an incredible amount of clients on my schedule and I am getting new inquiries almost every day. Normally I would say, “Woah, I don’t know what happened!” But I actually do know… That’s what I’m going to share with you today!

“If we don’t have dreams, what do we have?” I heard this on some random Netflix show I was watching the other day… It spoke to me. If we aren’t dreaming and fighting to get where we want to be, then what are we doing!? It’s time to reach your goals and begin living your dream! YOU are the only one who can make that happen. It all starts with YOU. So, let’s get you going!

Here are some ways to grow your business and start booking more clients from my personal experience! These tips worked for me, but keep in mind it took an entire year to get there. I have practiced, worked hard, tried new things, followed through, and taken chances. I went for it and I made it happen. It’s not going to happen for you overnight, but it will happen over some time and on YOUR time. So stop comparing your business growth to someone else’s because it doesn’t work that way. This is YOUR experience and YOUR story. Soon you are going to stop feeling defeated and start feeling refreshed with a newfound perspective and confidence!

Grab your FREE DOWNLOAD HERE!

If you’re interested in an educational opportunity with me, check out more information about my “Shades of Pink” Workshop on June 18th!! Find the registration and investment at the bottom of the page! Mentoring is fully booked until the Summer- if you are interested in some one-on-one time, shoot me an email! I can’t wait to hear from you!!

To sign up for my Education Email list, click HERE!

A Major Clue About My Education Announcement

Published on February 6, 2018 by Remy PhotosLeave a comment

Hey party people!!

If you joined my Education Mailing List, then you already read about my big clue! Now it’s time to share it with everyone else!!

Over the last 8 months, I have grown to really love my one-on-one mentoring sessions, like almost too much! After my first mentoring lesson last summer, I knew I wanted to do something more for other photographers who are trying to get their business rolling… something BIG… something different. I learned that mentoring isn’t just about the education. It’s about the guidance, the support, and the love I pour into the relationships with my clients. The girls I have already mentored have become more than a “mentee”, but actually a friend! I LOVE these girls and I am so thankful for the support that goes both ways!

There are so many different phases of becoming a photographer, especially when you’re on the way to full-time. I remember when I was first trying to get my business started, but people weren’t taking me seriously, which made me feel discouraged. I decided to kick that thought and start being my own cheerleader. I pushed myself and decided to invest in more education to take me to that next level.

When I first started, my goal was to become a wedding photographer, but that didn’t mean I was going to jump into strictly wedding education. When making the decision of where to start and keep growing in education, I knew I had to start with the basics, I couldn’t rush into all the things. I needed to invest in education that would teach me everything I needed to know about portrait photography first, like posing, lighting, camera settings and techniques, marketing, branding… I mean everything! Then, I knew when I felt confident enough in my skills, I would then be ready to take on the wedding world! Through this process, I met other photographers who were there to encourage me, inspire me, and cheer me on throughout the process. That’s truly one of the best parts and it’s so important to have that support system in our industry. Maybe you’re interested in doing the same thing I did, maybe you’re only interested in wedding photography, or maybe you’re only interested in portrait photography- either way, you’re on the right track by coming to my blog, because something so amazing and so special is coming this JUNE and I have a feeling it’s perfect for YOU!

So to sum up the big clue– This IN-PERSON experience I’m offering is for those who want to grow their business and those who want to create strong friendships with women who will encourage them every step of the way. This is for those who want to make that next step because they believe in themselves! I believe in you too, and I will be there to guide you through it all. I’ve been through it all and I want to lift up a team of women who can embrace their differences while empowering each other! We all share the same passion, but we all offer something different and special… now that’s something to celebrate!

If you’re interested in joining the RTP Education List, click HERE to sign up! I’ll be sharing my heart, my photography tips, and upcoming exciting announcements! This list will be the first to find out about details, events, secrets, and the first place registration will open up!

Mentoring Meets Real Engagement Session

Published on January 16, 2018January 16, 2018 by Remy PhotosLeave a comment

The first week of 2018 started with an amazing one-on-one mentoring session with Hannah Shinholser Photography. As soon as I met Hannah and got to know more about herself and her business, I knew she was totally invested. I could sense her determination and passion for photography and the people that come with it. I love getting to know my clients before jumping into the lesson plan. This allows us to get comfortable and really dig deep into the heart of the business. Hannah is so good at what she does and her work is stunning! I can already see business growth and another level of confidence shining through her since we met for the mentoring day.

My larger mentoring packages include a mini styled portrait session of choice. Hannah wanted to practice with a couple and asked for a location that represented her business. Luckily, the barn that I chose was one I have used for a previous mentoring shoot and it fit her personality and brand so well. I always want to make sure I am providing details for my clients that are customized to their business needs, not mine!

I love that my mentees have differences from me and my style, but still appreciate learning from me. I also found that adding a little bit of my own style encouraged Hannah to try something new. She soon stepped out of her comfort zone, and enjoyed it! As photographers, we should constantly push ourselves to step outside of our branding box and spice things up every once in a while! Hannah had the opportunity to try a couple of new techniques and she totally ran with it… that’s what these practice photoshoots are for after all! With a mix of our brands coming together, we had so much fun shooting side by side! Hannah is SO beautiful and I’m obsessed with her headshots, which shares her love for horses, her adorable style, and stunning features! See my favorites below!

Following the headshots, we had the most perfect and adorable couple modeling for us this day. The best part is that they had just gotten engaged over Christmas time and we were able to capture their first professional photos ever, along with their actual engagement shoot!! How special and awesome is that!? Plus we ended the evening with a slight sunset glow along the horizon through the trees, and we were so pumped about it! I loved working with this sweet couple, my amazing mentee, and the vendors who helped out! Just you wait until you see this fun-loving, romantic session- cue the heart eyes!!!

THANK YOU, VENDORS–

Models: Kathleen & Austin | Venue: Double B Equestrian | Hair/Makeup: His Or Hers Salon & Spa | Lace Dress: For Love and Lemons

If you’re ready to make the next step in your photography business and you’re interested in one-on-one mentoring with Remy, visit the website for more information!

If you want to be the first to find out more about RTP Educational Events, exciting announcements, and early access for sign-ups, get all the notifications here!

Slowing It Down

Published on October 25, 2017 by Remy PhotosLeave a comment

PHOTOG FRIENDS! I feel like I haven’t done an educational blog in a long long long time… because I haven’t… Not cool, not okay, I’m sorry I’ve let you down. Now let’s get down to business.

In the first year of starting my photography business, I was missing something. Don’t get me wrong, I was having so much fun on my sessions, I was getting great feedback from my clients, I was loving the way I was improving in my style, and things were going amazing. I was learning more and more from each session and I was so excited about it all… But I was still missing something…

I was overly excited about MY bookings, MY growth, MY style, MY photography and everything that comes along with it. See a pattern there? It was all about ME. Photography is a service, though. It’s a way of serving others and creating something beautiful for your clients to keep and look back on. It’s not just about us, it’s about them. Once I realized this, I discovered a few other things. I was missing the heart of what I do and why I do it…I was in my own world! When I stopped thinking just about myself, I noticed less about ME and more about THEM. I looked back at some photos and thought, was I even looking at the way she posed, or how her makeup needed to be touched-up, or how he wasn’t looking at me at all?

I had been so caught up in the fun and excitement of growing my business, that I started moving too fast. I needed to SLOW DOWN. Not only slow down in my thoughts and emotions but to slow down in my sessions!!! Slowing down puts things into another perspective. It allows you to open your mind and think more about the little details (which are more important than you think!). When I started practicing the art of slowing down, it helped me tremendously and allowed me to grow SO much as a photographer. Nobody had told me or taught me to slow down along the way… it just hit me! I realized that slowing down improved my skills, my creativity, and my workflow. It naturally became an important part of my photoshoots!

What do I mean by slowing down in my sessions? Let me break it down for you… Beginning a session usually starts pretty easy, then by the end you’ve been snappin’ photos left and right and everyone is feelin’ good, feelin’ great! I used to just snap, snap, snap and get carried away with everything! Now I begin my sessions by giving a little warm-up chat, some advice, about this and that, allowing the client to express what they are most insecure about. We take our time to find their favorite side, their comfortable poses, their favorite features and go-to faces, etc. We start simple, communicate, figure each other out, laugh, get comfortable, and then dive in! All of this happens while I am basically investigating this person without them ever knowing. They’re just chatting away, smiling, feeling relaxed, and it’s no big deal! Starting this way will set the tone for your session and allow you to notice more about the client.

Remember, this is about them! It’s our job to make them look awesome!! After you’ve warmed up and got a feel for how the session will continue, it’s time to work efficiently, but while still slowing everything down. If you notice a piece of hair sticking up, go fix it. If you find that their hair looked best to one side, suggest them to put it that way! encourage them to bring their chins down, or smile a little bigger, or to give you a sexy face or whatever!

Try noticing the small details… the things that you will see later while editing. Save yourself time in the editing process by taking your time to fix the little things during the sessions. Give feedback, talk to them, make suggestions, educate them on why you suggest something, pose them in the most flattering way possible and then shower them with words of affirmation. Keep posing and talking throughout the shoot. If you slow down, you will notice more details to adjust in-person and you will be so happy with the results. This will give you more quality images to deliver and your clients will love you for it!

Ultimately, you want your clients to feel beautiful and feel loved. You need to be the one to make that happen! Whether you’re practicing in your first year of business and still trying to nail down your own style, or if you’ve been a photographer for years, try slowing down. Remember why you’re at these photo shoots and who you’re here to serve. Our mission is to create beauty in our own unique way while creating an experience our clients will always remember.

Let me know if you decide to start practicing this little tip and how you improve from it! I can’t wait to hear from you!

Introducing One-On-One Mentoring

Published on August 11, 2017August 11, 2017 by Remy PhotosLeave a comment

Well, I think the title may have given away the big announcement! 🙂

YAS, it’s true!! I am now offering one-on-one mentoring to budding photographers who are looking to improve their skills, invest in their education, and grow their businesses! Mentoring is the best way to take your business to the next step and start making your dreams a reality! Having a mentor, someone to push you in the right direction, and someone to encourage you to keep going, is the most valuable resource you can invest in! Over the past year or so I have been getting a lot of emails and messages asking photography-related questions. I LOVE that so many people choose to come to me for questions and it makes me feel so honored! That’s when I knew I had to start trying this whole mentor thing, to take helping other photographers to an entirely new level.

When I first started photography, I felt seriously confused about EVERYTHING. I decided to reach out to just about every photographer I could find and asked if they were offering any type of mentoring. Some people just didn’t respond and most didn’t offer anything. Then I found workshops, and decided to go that direction instead. I love workshops, but I wasn’t where I wanted to be in my business when I attended my first one! I wish I would have found someone to sit down with me and break it all down piece by piece. I was frustrated, discouraged, and totally annoyed that I couldn’t find anyone in my area to help me. You don’t need to feel that same way.

Now, it’s MY opportunity to help YOU. I want to offer mentoring to those photographers who are starting out just like I did. If you are willing to work hard, learn, grow, and chase your dreams, this is for you!! I am here to guide you, teach you, encourage you, and help you succeed in the business you are meant for! This is your time to take advantage of something that could completely change your business. I want you to feel confident in your brand, style, skills, and the goals you have for the future!

If you are interested in knowing more about my One-On-One Mentoring, please email me for details at remybthompson@gmail.com! I would LOVE to get to know you and everything about your business! It’s time to celebrate, because you are about to start investing in yourself and making your dreams reality!!

For the past few months I’ve been planning a 6-Hour Mentoring Session located in Midlothian, VA with Colleen Megan Photography. Colleen originally messaged with a question a while back. After we spoke, I learned she wanted to really grow as a photographer, so I offered her some mentoring packages to choose from. She was ALL about it! Finally, the mentor day came to life this past Tuesday! We both met at a coffee shop to review the power point lessons that I had prepared and we talked for hours. I LOVED hearing her goals and being able to push her closer to achieving them. We had an awesome day getting to know each other better through our passion for photography! Our time together was jam-packed with a ton of material and great conversation, but the fun didn’t stop there…

The package she chose included a portrait session at the end with a model. I ended up surprised her with a full photoshoot including three stunning models, a variety of session types/outfits/props to practice with, a makeup artist, a florist, and a beautiful venue! THIS WAS CRAZY FUN!!! We started our session in the golden sunshine and finished just after sunset to practice the new lighting techniques she had just learned. She left feeling SO confident and she killed it during the photoshoot!! I was so proud to see her practicing the new skills I taught her during the lessons and learning more and more as the night went on. We were both exhausted by the end of the night, but our hearts were so full! I will never forget my first One-On-One Mentoring Session thanks to Colleen, these awesome models, and amazing vendors. I am so excited to share the beautiful images from the photoshoot!

Before that, I want to share Colleen’s testimony from after our Mentor Day together! She is so so sweet and I love her enthusiasm for life! She is going to be so successful as a girl boss and I can’t wait to see her business take off!

“When starting my business I was struggling to keep a float in the photography world. As many say it is an intimidating, overwhelmingly lonely game, and I couldn’t agree more, that is until I met Remy. She went above and beyond to comfort me and remind me I am not alone in this. Driving away from my mentor session I was ready to take this adventure in my business head on! Her fun loving attitude broke me out of my shell, and allowed me to drastically step out of my comfort zone. I went from hiding behind my camera to taking control of it. The future is is bright for Colleen Megan Photography, and that is all thanks to my incredible mentor Remy, her words of wisdom and, guidance ignited a fire inside of me I didn’t know could exist. I am a better photographer because of her, and for that I am truly humbled for the opportunity of working alongside her! If anyone is looking to grow their education and business Remy Thompson is a game changer!” -Colleen 8/8/17

First… headshots, of course!! 🙂 Isn’t Colleen stunning?!

NOW.. the photoshoot!! Huge shoutout to the vendors and models, they killed it!

AnnMarie is SO talented, I was thrilled to have her as a vendor!! Check her out on Facebook and Instagram @makeupbyvnnmarie_

We started off with a mini graduation shoot of these two cute friends, Compton and Maddy. Next we moved into bridal portraits with Brenna! You’re about to be blown away…

AND IN COMES THE BEST PART!!!…

Just wait until you see the horse with it’s owner, Compton. SO CUTE!!