Essentials for a Tech-Savvy Photography Business with Dawn Richardson

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In this episode, Scott speaks with wedding photographer, software engineer, and educator, Dawn Richardson about her photographic and photography business workflows.

Dawn is a software engineer turned wedding photographer who helps creative entrepreneurs go from tech overwhelmed to tech empowered. Her mission is to create a safe, fun, and welcoming corner of the internet where creative entrepreneurs can learn how to leverage and implement technology in their businesses to spend less time working and more time with the people that matter most. If you're already familiar with Imagen, then you know that more time with family is one of the things we love seeing Imageners have.

When she’s not working, you can find her spending time with her husband and two little girls or searching for the best Margarita in San Antonio.

• (00:00) - 023
• (09:25) - What is one thing that you do for the photographic process that has saved you time?
• (13:25) - What is one thing that you do for the business that saves you time or money?
• (17:23) - What is one thing that you do for editing that has saved you time?
• (20:52) - What is one thing that you do after a session that has increased business?
• (27:14) - Can you share an outlined breakdown of your workflow from lead to delivery?
• (35:57) - What does the future of AI in photography look like to you?
• (42:16) - How did Imagen impact your life?

Discussed in this episode

- Blogging sessions and weddings out of respect for clients, not just for ranking or Pinterest pins.
- Treating clients well and making them feel worthy of being showcased online.
- Excitement over clients being dressed for their engagement session and showcasing them on the website.
- Respect for clients who don't want to be online but still providing content for those who do.
- The value of wedding anniversaries as opportunities for content creation and connecting with couples on social media.
- Emphasizing the need to back up photos on cloud-based services and locally to avoid potential data loss.
- Expressing gratitude to clients for allowing photographers to be a part of their special day.
- Comparing the transition from film to digital photography with the current transition to AI technology.
- Emphasizing the importance of trying AI technology and not dismissing it without giving it a chance.
- The significance of a consistent workflow for effective editing.
- Establishing a designated storage system for files to prevent loss and confusion.
- Creating a new Lightroom catalog for each shoot to enhance organization and efficiency.
- Breaking up a wedding catalog into smaller collections to make editing less overwhelming.
- Being repetitive and organized with file management for a sense of automaticity.
- Using the free tool Fathom for summarizing meetings with clients
- Addressing individual pain points and automating basic administrative tasks for consistency and professionalism.
- Using both card slots in cameras for in-camera backups.
- Benefits of rating images in-camera for quick selection and editing.
- Personal experience of using same-day slideshows with rating images in camera and Imagen software.