On Location Newborn & Family Photography with Elena Blair (Re-Release)

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Portrait System Podcast – On Location Newborn & Family Photography with Elena Blair (Re-Release)

Host: Nikki Closser
Guest: Alaina Blair, Lifestyle, Family, and Newborn Photographer
Release Date: April 29, 2025

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Introduction to Alaina Blair

In this re-released episode of The Portrait System Podcast, host Nikki Closser welcomes Alaina Blair, a seasoned lifestyle, family, and newborn photographer based in Seattle, Washington. Alaina shares her unique approach to photography, emphasizing simplicity and efficiency in her business model. With over twelve years in the industry, Alaina has honed a system that not only delivers stunning images but also ensures a seamless experience for her clients.

Navigating On-Location Photography in Seattle

Challenges of Seattle’s Weather and Traffic: Alaina discusses the impact of Seattle's unpredictable weather and traffic on on-location shoots. She mentions, “This year has been complain-worthy. So much rain, so cold. It’s hard” (04:23). Despite these challenges, Alaina thrives by focusing on specific, manageable locations, ensuring that each shoot is conducted under optimal conditions.

Selecting and Managing Locations: To maintain consistency and control, Alaina limits her shoots to about six to seven preferred locations, each offering ample parking and suitable lighting. She explains, “This is my studio. My studio is the outdoor locations that I use” (08:20). By familiarizing herself with these sites, Alaina minimizes logistical issues and maximizes creative opportunities.

Business Model and Pricing Strategy: Flat Rate Pricing

Flat-Rate Packages: Alaina employs a straightforward pricing structure, offering a single package priced at $1,200. This all-inclusive rate covers digital files and a complimentary album. She states, “I charge $1,200 a session. So you can do the math to do pretty well doing it that way” (19:40). By simplifying her offerings, Alaina eliminates confusion and streamlines the booking process for clients.

Session Structure: Each family shoot typically lasts around 45 minutes, while newborn sessions extend to 90 minutes to accommodate feeding and comfort breaks. Clients receive a minimum of 75 photos, often exceeding this number, as Alaina believes in “under-promising and over-delivering” (20:06). This efficiency allows her to provide value without prolonging the session unnecessarily.

Transitioning from Nursing to Photography

Career Shift: Before fully committing to photography, Alaina worked as a newborn intensive care nurse for a decade. Her passion for photography ignited during maternity leave when she began capturing moments of her newborn son. Reflecting on her transition, Alaina shares, “I gave myself a year. I said if I can match my salary this year, I’m gonna leave nursing behind” (16:12). This strategic approach ensured financial stability as she built her photography business.

Marketing Strategies: Compassionate Marketing and Mailing Lists

Compassionate Marketing: Alaina introduces her concept of "compassionate marketing," which focuses on providing valuable, relevant content rather than overtly selling services. She elaborates, “Instead of saying, you need to book a newborn session with me, I understand what it feels like to have a newborn and be completely overwhelmed” (33:10). This empathetic approach resonates with clients, fostering trust and connection.

Leveraging Mailing Lists: A significant portion of Alaina’s business success is attributed to her active mailing list. By prioritizing list members for bookings, she efficiently manages her schedule, often booking out a year in advance. She notes, “I book out about a year in advance” (33:10), highlighting the importance of consistent communication and client relationship management.

Efficient Workflow and Session Structuring

Guided Sessions: Alaina emphasizes the importance of having a structured workflow to ensure consistency and quality in her photography sessions. She explains, “I have a workflow. Even though my work looks like it's candid, it's not. I'm literally guiding and directing every moment” (25:36). This approach allows her to capture authentic moments while maintaining control over the shoot's progression.

Dealing with Children: Having never had a session she couldn’t handle, Alaina attributes her success to her ability to pose and manage children effectively. She advises, “Having a plan is really going to make it easier for you. But it's also better for the clients. It's a better experience for the clients” (28:45). Her proactive strategies ensure that both photographer and clients enjoy a smooth and enjoyable experience.

Scaling the Business: Associates and Team Management

Introducing Associates: To accommodate growing demand, Alaina has recently started hiring associates. She shares insights into managing a team, including setting slightly lower rates for associates to remain competitive: “I charge a tiny bit less for them. So they're $975” (38:00). This strategy allows her to expand her capacity without compromising her business model.

Training and Collaboration: Alaina emphasizes the importance of training associates to match her shooting and editing standards. She states, “I have a team… right now that's what we're doing” (39:08). By fostering a collaborative environment, Alaina ensures that her brand’s quality and consistency are maintained across all team members.

Gear Preferences

Essential Equipment: Alaina cannot live without her 50mm f/1.2L lens, highlighting its importance in achieving her moody, high-quality shots. She mentions, “I cannot live without my 50 millimeter f/1.2L lens” (49:31). Additionally, she utilizes Canon's R5 and Mark IV bodies, appreciating their performance and reliability in demanding shooting environments.

Advice to New Photographers

Stay Rooted in Your Why: Alaina advises newcomers to remain firmly connected to the reasons they embarked on their photography journey. “Stay deeply rooted in that. Why? And you'll… that’ll keep you going” (53:58). By maintaining focus on their core motivations, photographers can navigate challenges and sustain their passion.

Embrace Continuous Learning: Understanding that success is built over years of hard work, Alaina encourages photographers to invest time in honing their craft and building their business foundations. Her favorite quote encapsulates this mindset: “The fastest way to be an overnight success is 10 to 15 years of really hard work” (53:07).

Inspirational Quote

Alaina shares one of her favorite inspirational quotes: “The fastest way to be an overnight success is 10 to 15 years of really hard work.” This resonates deeply with her personal journey and serves as a motivating reminder for photographers striving for long-term success.

Conclusion

In this insightful episode, Alaina Blair provides a comprehensive look into her successful approach to on-location newborn and family photography. From her streamlined business model and compassionate marketing strategies to her practical advice for managing shoots with children, Alaina offers valuable lessons for photographers aiming to elevate their craft and business operations. Her emphasis on consistency, client experience, and staying true to one's passion underscores the principles that have propelled her to substantial success in the competitive Seattle market.

Notable Quotes:

• "This is my studio. My studio is the outdoor locations that I use." — Alaina Blair (08:20)
• "The fastest way to be an overnight success is 10 to 15 years of really hard work." — Alaina Blair (53:07)
• "Stay deeply rooted in that. Why? And you'll… that’ll keep you going." — Alaina Blair (53:58)

For more insights and resources, listeners are encouraged to visit Alaina’s websites: elenaesblairphotography.com and elenasblair.com.

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This summary captures the essence of the episode, focusing on the meaningful content shared by Alaina Blair, while excluding advertisements and non-content segments.

Transcript

[Nikki Klosser]

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[Alaina Blair]

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[Alaina Blair]

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[Alaina Blair]

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[Nikki Klosser]

Hey there, it's Nikki Klosser to let you know about an awesome free giveaway for people on our email list. If you haven't already, click the link in our podcast description or go to theportraitsystem.com signup to get on the list. If you sign up, you'll get a free posing 101 PDF to jumpstart things. It's an epic PDF so you'll definitely want to get this. Also, just by being in our email community, you'll get deals, sales and information about any of our upcoming events and activities. So head over to theportraitsystem.com sign up and sign up Today you're listening to.

[Alaina Blair]

The Portrait System podcast and I gave myself a year. I said if I can match my salary this year, I'm gonna leave nursing behind. And I doubled my salary. I don't know how I did that by the way, that year as like a blackout situation for me. Like it was so, so much was going on but, but I did.

[Nikki Klosser]

Welcome to the Portrait System Podcast. I'm your host Nikki Klosser and this show is here to help you succeed in the world of photography and business. To help you learn to become financially you love and so much more. With over 1 million downloads, countless photographers have taken what they've learned from both our episodes and from theportraitsystem.com and they have grown their businesses, quit their day jobs and are designing a life of their dreams. We keep it real and share stories about the ups and downs that come with running a photography business. You'll hear real life stories of how other photographers run their business and you'll learn actionable steps that you can take to reach your own goals. Thank you so much for being here and let's get started this week on the Portrait System podcast is Alaina Blair. Alaina is a lifestyle, family and newborn photographer and she has her business down to a simple system. She has only one package price that she offers and she tells us all about how she makes that work. Alaina does her photo shoots on location and in clients homes and to keep the simplicity going, she Limits her location and does everything possible to make this very easy for the family she photographs. Elena has a ton of great info for you during this interview and I hope you enjoy. Okay, let's get started with Alaina Blair. Hey, Elena. Welcome to the portrait system. How are you?

[Alaina Blair]

I'm so good, thank you. How are you?

[Nikki Klosser]

I'm good, I'm good. I know I have a little bit of a cold. I know you said you do too. So.

[Alaina Blair]

Yes.

[Nikki Klosser]

Getting through it together.

[Alaina Blair]

Yes.

[Nikki Klosser]

All right. So you are in Seattle, Washington?

[Alaina Blair]

Yes, I am.

[Nikki Klosser]

Have you always lived there?

[Alaina Blair]

So I moved to Seattle in 2000, which makes me feel old. But I came here for undergrad from Albuquerque, New Mexico actually. But I've been here 22 years, so this is definitely home now.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah. Yeah, that's great. I lived, I don't know if you know this, but I lived in Seattle for 11 years from 2008 until actually 12 years until 2020.

[Alaina Blair]

Oh, really? Okay.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah, yeah, we moved back to Michigan January of 2020.

[Alaina Blair]

Oh, before everything happened, huh?

[Nikki Klosser]

Just before. Yeah. It was pretty. Yeah, pretty crazy.

[Alaina Blair]

I did not know that. So you know about the weather then. And we're having like one of the worst springs on record right now.

[Nikki Klosser]

Oh, I'm so sorry. That's what some of my girlfriends were just complaining about, my Seattle friends.

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah, it's. I try not to complain about it. I get to leave, I get to travel quite a bit. But this year has been complain worthy. So much rain, so cold. Yeah, it's hard.

[Nikki Klosser]

It really is hard. I mean, and I think people probably think it rains in Seattle all the time, which, I mean, really, that's not the truth. Obviously summers are amazing, but gosh, when you get those gray patches, it's. It's hard not only just like on your psyche, but also as an outdoor or on location photographer.

[Alaina Blair]

Absolutely. Yeah. It definitely, it's really the short days that are really hard for me in the like in the height of winter, like January, February, it just feels like it never really gets light out. And that's really, that is very hard on your, on your mental health for sure.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah, the sun sets it like on that side. For people who don't know, on the west coaster, it's in Seattle area specific. And I'm not like a geography expert or anything like that, but there were days when the sun would set at like what, 4, 44, 45.

[Alaina Blair]

Oh, it's so my kids that the elementary age kids, when they're getting outta School about 3:30, walking home from the bus, it's Getting dark.

[Nikki Klosser]

Like it's.

[Alaina Blair]

The sun is setting. Yeah, it's. Yes. And it's set by 4:30.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah, yeah. I remember that being a huge issue for scheduling photo shoots. And that is also when I incorporated constant light, which I didn't. I didn't use very often because I've always just done window, window light and reflector. But there were times when I'm like, oh, my God, I cannot push my ISO higher than 1600. Like, I have got to do something about this on those dark, short days.

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah, yeah. And, you know, it's something that I've learned to deal with. I actually don't use artificial lights. My style is a little bit more moody, a little bit dark and moody. So it maybe because of where I live, maybe I adapted. But it's definitely in those months, it's harder. And I do shoot a lot less in the winter, for sure.

[Nikki Klosser]

So you do mostly on location, right?

[Alaina Blair]

All on location.

[Nikki Klosser]

All on location. Okay.

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah.

[Nikki Klosser]

Okay.

[Alaina Blair]

All right.

[Nikki Klosser]

I want to hear your story and of course, I want to get into everything. But while we're on the. On the topic of this, I think this is kind of interesting to people because I think a lot of times people struggle with on location for a couple reasons. One, for some reason, there's this mentality that you shouldn't. Like, I've heard people say, well, I don't have a studio, I can't charge those prices. And I'm like, huh, like, it is so much harder on location than it is in studio. So why shouldn't you charge those prices like you're working extra hard? What are your thoughts on that?

[Alaina Blair]

Oh, that is. I would never equate luxury or high price with only studio. I'm one of the highest priced family photographers, if not the highest price for the, for the structure, the pricing structure that I have in my area. And I do not have a studio. I don't own any lights. I know a lot of people are going to be like, gasp. But that is the way that I've done it for 12 years and it works really well for me. So I'm all on location, lifestyle, family and newborn. And yeah, it does not matter if you have a studio. It's just about the professional experience that you provide and the end product, of course. Yeah.

[Nikki Klosser]

Now, when I first started in Seattle, I did a lot of on location outdoor shoots. A lot. And I know it's gonna be like this for some people who are listening, but specifically in the Pacific Northwest area, like Seattle, Portland, Louisiana, like where traffic is bad weather, Is bad. Like parking is super hard. How do you navigate around all of these things? Being an on location photographer.

[Alaina Blair]

So I would actually say that in Seattle, yes, traffic is bad, but it is not as bad as we're not talking like Bay Area, Los Angeles, New York. And so I have about five, maybe I would say six or seven total locations that I shoot at. And so when I'm doing the intake form, I ask what type of location they want. Do they want beach, park, urban, mountain or field? And when they don't get to pick the location, they get to pick the type and I pick the location. And there is not any location except for mountain. I charge extra for that. That takes me. That takes me 50 minutes. 5, 0. But every other location takes me 20 to 30 minutes and that's all. And they all have parking.

[Nikki Klosser]

Where do you live in Seattle?

[Alaina Blair]

I actually live on Mercer island right now. I moved, we did a Covid move during 2020, but I used to live right in Wallingford, so right in downtown.

[Nikki Klosser]

Oh, I did too, yeah. Oh, really? Oh, cool. Just up the street. Well, it was, I guess it was technically Fremont, but right at the north end, just as Wallingford was starting.

[Alaina Blair]

Okay. I lived on 40th, so.

[Nikki Klosser]

Okay. We were right at 45th and Evanston by like via Trib, via tribunal. It's a place.

[Alaina Blair]

Yes, yes. We were neighbors.

[Nikki Klosser]

I miss that place.

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah, I. Seattle is great. The best food. It's the best. So now I'm on Mercer island, which is eight minutes from downtown. It's not, you know, far.

[Nikki Klosser]

Okay.

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah, yeah. So now it takes me 30 minutes instead of 20 to get to some of my favorite locations. But what I, how I look at it when I'm teaching about this too is I just always say like, this is my studio. My studio is the outdoor locations that I use. And if you're going to be an on location photographer, you need to know your locations inside and out, I think, so that you can produce consistent work. You know, the light, I know the light at the locations that I shoot at like the back of my hand. That helps me to keep it consistent and to stay in control and to not be driving all over the place, you know, newer photographers or photographers that, that aren't really in control of the client experience will say, sure, where do you want to do your shoot? To a family or whoever, an engagement. And they end up at this location that's super far, just like you're talking about without parking. That they don't understand the light that's on you as the artist and the professional to, you know, to vet that, to make sure that you're in control of that situation.

[Nikki Klosser]

So that's how I control that.

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah.

[Nikki Klosser]

When I. When I was first starting out, I was a wedding photographer, and it was like this third wedding I did or something like that. And they wanted to get a shoot done. And granted, I did have a photographer with me who was a veteran wedding photographer. He had been doing it for years and years, and he was assisting me anyway. He was like, where are we going? And they wanted to do the photos in between the ceremony and reception at Gasworks. And this was in 2012 or 2013, so, I mean, it was different back then, but still. And I'm like, oh, I love Gasworks. Like, oh, it's so amazing. I did not look at the different festivals and things that occur in the city. And it was honk fest.

[Alaina Blair]

Oh, God, that day.

[Nikki Klosser]

And so we're pulling up, and I'm like, holy shit, there's nowhere to park. It was just like. And that was on me. However, what we decided is their whole wedding party just went back. And I just took the couple. My assistant drove the car around. Cause there was nowhere to park. And I. Me and the couple went and got some really great shots. But that was on me. Like, in that moment, I was like, okay, I need to. From now on, wherever I'm gonna be, research and figure it out first. Go there ahead of time. Look at the light. Everything that you just said.

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah. And I always. You know, when something like that happens, which, by the way, if you're listening and you're, like, scared from that story, like, those things happen. Especially when you're newer, because you just don't. We don't. Now, I. You probably feel the same way, Nikki. Now I can, like, think three steps ahead, you know? But when you're newer, you're just. There's so much that you're absorbing and so many things you have to handle. And so when that happens, don't be hard on yourself. Just think of it as information. Okay? This is information. I learned something from this. Next time, I won't let that happen. And you won't. We all have the things that happen. And you're like, okay, that'll never happen to me again.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah. Now, I know someone out there wants me to ask this. I can just feel it. Do you tell couples specifically, like, these are your six options? I know you said you'll say, like, you want beach or park or whatever, but are you giving them, like, these are your locations. This is where you get these choices and that's it.

[Alaina Blair]

So I don't photograph couples, just only families and newborns. Yeah, no problem. I would actually feel like couples could be maybe a little bit more high maintenance because it's their wedding and, you know, anyways, we don't have to get into that. It's not my. It's not my thing. But yes, I only give a couple of options. You want fields? Here's my. Here is the location. Actually only have one field. You want park? I go to these two parks. You want beach? Here's the two beaches that I go to. Once in a while, a family will have, you know, a nice property or. And I do photograph in the home all the time for newborns. Very less. Less often for families because families like my environmental stuff that they see in my portfolio. But sometimes the family will say, like, I want. We want to shoot on my property or whatever. And that's fine with me. I'll do that. But not a random park or beach or anything. I won't do that. I just won't. It's not worth it for me. Yeah.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah, totally. Like, I stopped going to Golden Gardens. I mean, there were just certain things. Cause, like, it was just park parking was just a huge deal.

[Alaina Blair]

Yep.

[Nikki Klosser]

But there was one photo that I was looking. I was looking at your Instagram this morning, and there's this photo of these gorgeous children. They have curly dark hair, and they're holding their newborn, and it looks like they might be on their couch in their family room. And they're like, backlit. Do you know what I'm talking about?

[Alaina Blair]

Yep, I do. Yeah.

[Nikki Klosser]

Love that. So, like, I would take that over a park any day.

[Alaina Blair]

Yes. My newborn work is 100% in the home. Actually, I have a class about newborn photography, and I always tell people, like, I can shoot in any home. I live in Seattle. I've had, you know, a dark, dark, dark townhome, you know, that I've walked into and been able to make it work. So I just have gotten really used to that. And I think that that's. That takes time to feel comfortable with that. But, yeah, that's definitely how my newborn work flows. It's very organic. It's very much in the home. It feels like Sunday morning, which is what I'm going for, so.

[Nikki Klosser]

And I feel like that's less stressful for the couples, too, like the parents and the kids.

[Alaina Blair]

Oh, absolutely. That's when I switched from doing the more posed newborn photography, because I was doing it only because I thought that was what I had to do to make money. We all make those mistakes in the beginning. You do what's on trend just because that's what you think you have to do. When actually it couldn't be further from the truth. You need to stay true to what you're drawn to. But what I say in my client communication and is that this is, I think about what those families are going through. I have four children. I remember what it's like to have a newborn at home. The last thing I wanted to do was like don a beautiful gown and you know, and have my hair and makeup done.

[Nikki Klosser]

Oh my God.

[Alaina Blair]

Which by the way, there are some people who want that. Great. There is a talented photographer for you that will make you look like a princess and make your baby look like a bunny, but that's just not ever gonna be me. And you know, those sessions are. My sessions are relaxed and laid back and I'm in and out within usually about 90 minutes. And which is pretty rare for newborn shoots. Newborn shoots can last a. If you're trying to pose a baby, but it just is not about making the baby into something they're not. It's about capturing that moment, you know, that, that fleeting time. So definitely, definitely much easier. Yeah.

[Nikki Klosser]

Well, let's back up a little bit because you were not always a photographer. What, what did you do before this?

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah, I was a nurse. I was a newborn intensive care nurse for 10 years actually. So there was a five year overlap between my, you know, two careers. But yeah, I was a nurse for 10 years.

[Nikki Klosser]

And what made you decide to switch? Like, how did you get into photography?

[Alaina Blair]

This is probably a story that a lot of moms with cameras that are listening will understand. And I use that phrase lovingly. I feel like it has been used as a put down. But I'm like, I'm a mom with a camera and it changed my life. So I had my son, he's now almost 15. And I was on maternity leave and, and thought, you know, before I had babies, I had him pretty young. I was 24. But before I had babies, I was thinking, oh, I would love to be a stay at home mom. Like, this is going to be amazing. And I was home with this newborn and losing my mind. I was like, oh my God, totally. I mean, I put it out there. Like, I was like, whoa, this is not what I thought it was. I have no friends anymore. I'm super isolated. And he was a really intense baby. And I started taking photos of him with this little point and shoot that we Had. And it was sort of this addiction I think that a lot of photographers can probably relate to. You realize like that you can capture something more, not just what the person or the thing looks like. Even if you're a landscape photographer, you know that you're capturing the memory of being in that place. And when I was capturing my baby, it was like I could capture his personality, who he was. And it became an addiction. I got a better camera, started getting attention for it and realized that I wanted to go into business with no business doing that. I had no idea what I was doing, but jumped in and now, you know, the rest is history. It's been 12 years, but it was just, that was. The inspiration was my son. And funny thing is, I never take pictures of my kids anymore. So I'm not, I don't do that at all anymore. But that was what inspired me for sure.

[Nikki Klosser]

Did you just randomly quit your nursing job or did you kind of build up your clientele before you quit?

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah, no, no, no, not at all. We've always been a two income family. You used to live in Seattle. You know, it's very expensive to live here. It was, it was never an option for me not to be an equal earner. So actually I have a group coaching program and I have a lot of women in my program that want to leave their day job. And I say, you need a plan. I would never tell somebody who needs that income to just jump off a ledge and leave your job without having a plan. So the year my third baby was born, something had to give. I was still working two days a week as a nurse. I was, you know, had three kids under six. I was, you know, busting my butt trying to get this business off the ground. And I gave myself a year. I said, if I can match my salary this year, I'm going to leave nursing behind. And I doubled my salary. I don't know how I did that, by the way. That year as like a blackout situation for me. Like it was so, so much was going, but, but I did and so that was, it was definitely a transition. That's why there was a five year overlap. You know, I waited until it was sustainable and repeatable in order to leave my nursing career.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah. Yeah. So awesome.

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah.

[Nikki Klosser]

Now, I mean, it's, it's quite a different lifestyle going from nursing to photography where it's like you get to structure your time. I mean, nursing is so regimented with your schedule and long hours and. Yes, it's a different life.

[Alaina Blair]

Oh, it's so much better for me, yeah, it's so much better, I think, you know, entrepreneurship is. That's what you are. You're an artist who's an entrepreneur if you're a photographer. And it is so much more suited for me, I. That rigid schedule, those long hours be, you know, having to leave my children for 14 hours at a time. It was not good. And, you know, nurses have a salary cap and you don't have a salary cap when you're your own boss.

[Nikki Klosser]

Totally.

[Alaina Blair]

Just, it's a good thing, you know, you can have a much more abundant life as a photographer.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah. Let's talk a little bit about money.

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah.

[Nikki Klosser]

When you first started, did you just, you know, come right out the gate charging, you know, enough or no. Build. Build your. Yeah, tell us about.

[Alaina Blair]

Of course not. No, of course not. I just, I think, I think my first shoot I made $50. And I did what everyone does. And there's no shame in that, by the way. Like, I believe wholeheartedly in community over competition and know that 100% there is enough business for all of us. And one of people's favorite things to complain about is the undercutting of the industry. Oh, the new. No, no. Somebody who is going to pay $50 for photos will never pay $1,500 for photos. Those are two different people. So good for that new photographer who's getting the practice that you once needed when you were a new photographer. Like, it's no big deal. But no. So I, you know, did I made all the mistakes that most of us make? In the beginning, I was just thinking, well, I just want to, like, buy new gear. I'm going to do this on the side. Realizing my time was more valuable than that and went up gradually. I've tried all different types of pricing systems. I am an all inclusive photographer. I do 100. My biggest year was 180 sessions. I charge $1,200 a session. So you can do the math to do pretty well doing it that way. And that's just the way that I do it. Keep it simple. But yeah, I worked my way up to that though, for sure.

[Nikki Klosser]

Is that your pricing now? 1200?

[Alaina Blair]

Yep, that's my pricing now.

[Nikki Klosser]

And it's just flat 1,200.

[Alaina Blair]

It's flat 1200. They get the digital files from their gallery and an album. We make an album for them.

[Nikki Klosser]

Okay, tell us about that. So you said they get the digital gallery. And do you specify a certain number of photos or a time, the amount of time you're going to shoot? Like, walk us through what your sessions are like.

[Alaina Blair]

So I, I'm a lifestyle photographer, so it's very much, you know, moment driven. And so my sessions are usually about 45 minutes long. Actually, they're not that long. Newborn sessions are a little longer just because of feeding and stuff. So newborn sessions are more like 90 minutes. And I say they get a minimum of 75 photos, but I usually give them a little bit more because I'm can't, I can't not. Because I just. If it's good, I'm going to give it to them. Yeah, totally.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah.

[Alaina Blair]

So I just am all inclusive because that's what I would want. And I know that some people really believe in products and in person sales and all of that. But for me, that's the time that we're in. I live in Seattle. We're very tech savvy community people are wise. They know that they can print on their own if they would like. So I just make sure I'm compensated for it and I'm in and out and that that's where I want to spend my time. And we do make them an album, but the album they do not have any input in or revisions. I call the album complimentary. It's just like a gift for them. And they get the album with. They get a Miller's book is what they got.

[Nikki Klosser]

So Elena, you are like speaking my language with your efficiency and simplicity because that is so important to me, you.

[Alaina Blair]

Know, and it's, it's funny because it's criticized. I get, I don't get criticized as much anymore. When I first was on the scene, especially when I first started speaking and teaching about this, like when I did my first Creative Live class, I got a lot of trolls that were like, no, she's telling you to be a modern day shoot and burner. I'm like, that's what I'm like. This is what people want. We are not in. We have to evolve as business owners. And by the way, there are some people who want to do products mean a lot to them and that's great, but you got to get compensated for your time. You got to be charging a lot of money for that. A lot.

[Nikki Klosser]

Definitely.

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah.

[Nikki Klosser]

I think people forget about that timepiece because they're like, well, how can I, you know, if it's only. And I've said this before on the podcast where it's like, well, if I'm only, you know, paying $2.50 for an 8 by 10, how do I charge 200? Well, there's the ordering. There Is the shipping there, is delivering the product, packaging the product. Like, there's so much that goes into it. It's huge. That time adds up what I tell.

[Alaina Blair]

My students to do. And this actually, I think, goes back to, you know, every part of your life contributes to who you are today. And when I was a nurse, I got paid for every minute I was on that floor. And so when I am working for myself, I want to get paid for every minute that I'm working. And so I'll tell my students, like, track how much time you're spending on one client from inquiry to delivery, and then, you know, track how much you spent and how much you charged. And there's your hourly rate. And when you're working for yourself and you don't have a team, it's really easy to be like, well, this isn't costing me that much money. But your time is your most valuable currency. And so a lot of times people will do that. And they're making like less than minimum wage, even though they charged two or three thousand dollars because of the amount of time, like pre consultations in, you know, the actual shoot, editing, all of that. So I just always say that, like, doesn't matter what, how you want to do it, how you want to deliver, what your. Everybody's business is unique. We're all. We all have unique needs. We live in different parts of the world. Like, all of that has to be taken into account. But you should know what you're making per hour. And you are providing a luxury service. So it should be a lot.

[Nikki Klosser]

Totally, totally. But I do mostly personal branding. Like 90% personal branding in studio.

[Alaina Blair]

So hot right now, by the way. Amazing.

[Nikki Klosser]

I love it. I've been, I mean, for like the last six years. It's been my bread and butter. I mean, it's just. I've loved it, Absolutely loved it. And my average right now, I guess, is probably around 1900, I would say.

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah.

[Nikki Klosser]

But I am paying for studio cost and I am paying for hair makeup. Like, there are some of those extras that you wouldn't be be paying just, you know, doing your 1200 flat lifestyle or whatever. So it probably equals out. But I'm of the same mindset. My shoots, I do six outfits in 60 minutes or less.

[Alaina Blair]

Like, nice.

[Nikki Klosser]

I am trying to, like, give a great experience and have it be memorable and create beautiful photos without burning myself out. I want to go home and enjoy the rest of the day. And I make a killing doing it. And it's just. I love it.

[Alaina Blair]

And you're providing so much value as a personal branding photographer, too. Like, that you're literally, what. You're giving them money, basically, because you're giving them marketing material and things that they can use for their businesses and brand. Like, that is so high value.

[Nikki Klosser]

And hearing you say, too, that your shoots for family shoots are only 45 minutes. I'll tell you what, as a mom with two little kids, hell, yeah. Like, that is so appealing to me.

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah, exactly.

[Nikki Klosser]

I mean, after 45 minutes, they're done. Everyone's done. I am bribing with more than, like, the trip to get ice cream. Like, at that point, I'm, like, pulling out all the stops. So. Because I've had that experience where it just lasted too long, and I'm like, okay, we're done. You know, so.

[Alaina Blair]

And that's. That, I think, is another common. I wouldn't say that it's a mistake, but maybe like a myth, you know, where I see newer photographers, pricing is based on time. This package is an hour. This package is two hours. And if you're listening and you're doing that, why that's not what you should do is because they're not paying you for your time. They're paying you for your talent. So if you can deliver a full gallery in 30 minutes, great. That's amazing. You know, if it takes you longer, that's fine too. But exactly what you're saying, Nikki, children are. I feel like I. You know, the first 20 minutes is like, when they're paying attention to me, and then after that, it's like, all right, we're kind of. Kind of a wild card situation. Like, we're just kind of. I get all that I need in the beginning, and then we're just. I can be more creative, and we're playing a little bit more towards the end.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah. Do you. Do you, like, get the priority photos? I'm. I think you just answered that question, but I'm gonna ask you just in a different way. Like, how do you structure your shoots physically?

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah. Oh, 100. 100%. I have a workflow. Even though my work looks like it's candid, it's not. I'm literally, like, guiding and directing every moment. And I. And I have a workflow, and I always feel I have the ones that I know in my mind that I need for that, for it to be consistent with my, you know, what they're seeing on my website and with what they get in their galleries. And I can get everything that I need. If everything went to hell in a handbasket in 15 or 20 minutes, it would be still fine. I would still have a full, robust gallery.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah. So smart.

[Alaina Blair]

That actually gives you more creative freedom too, because you get all that at the beginning and then you can just use light interestingly and try different things and be a little more creative towards the end. And everyone's kind of losing interest in you anyway. So it's more fun to just. To just play towards the end.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah, for sure. And then do you show all of this in your course? Because you have just for people listening if they don't know. In the Portrait Master Store, you have a family lifestyle course and a newborn course.

[Alaina Blair]

So those are what's in the Portrait Masters store is behind the scenes bundles. So yeah, you can see me work from start to finish for sessions. Yep. In newborn and family.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yep. Awesome. Very cool. Yeah, I think that's really important, especially if, when dealing with kids. Cause I can't tell you how many times people will post in, in our the Portrait System Facebook group saying like, oh, my gosh, these kids, like, just did me in today. And yes, that happens. I mean, kids are hard. They are hard to photograph. But if you've got a system and a workflow in place and you are like, prepping the parents, prepping, you know, coming with what you need, don't you think it's like, it can be easier than, like, it doesn't have to be hard.

[Alaina Blair]

So when, when I say this, I'm not saying it like in a bragging way at all, but in the 12 years that I've been a photographer, I've never had a session that I couldn't work with a kid. Now, yes, in the beginning, I remember, like, with before, I had a plan, feeling more defeated and a little bit sweaty and hot after, like, working with these kids. But it was very quick that I realized what I needed was to know how to pose and to have a routine, to have a plan. Because if you don't, I mean, you'd show up and the family's like, okay, now what? And you're like, I don't know. I mean, everything I see on Instagram is families frolicking through a field. Like, don't you know how to do that? They don't. They actually don't know how to do that. They need you to be kind of like the director of a movie. You know, you got to be the director of the shoot. And when you're a family photographer, they're not models. They're there and super nervous. And mom's worried that everyone's going to misbehave and the kids are bored and the dad's probably annoyed that he has to do it. So you've got to have, you've got to have a plan. And especially with kids, you know, you have to have a workflow. And of course, like, each family is going to make it their own and everyone's going to. There's going to be times that you have to kind of think outside the box and try something different or whatever. But having a plan is really going to make it easier for you. But it's also better for the clients. It's a better experience for the clients.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah, totally. Hey, just a quick break to tell you that since you're here listening, you have access to a really great offer for our listeners only. Only we have a special promo code you can use to get 50% off the cost of membership. Just go to theportraitsystem.com or click the link in the description and use the promo code PODCAST50 to get 50% off of a membership. We rarely discount membership, so this is a big deal. As I hope you already know, the membership is how I and so many guests on this podcast reached our success. And it gives you access to countless amazing videos and awesome community and all the tools you need to build a massively successful business. So use the code podcast50Now to join the community and to start building the business of your dreams. I'll see you there. So then, as far as you just like, load up all of the digital images, do you do a lot of editing? Do you keep it more natural?

[Alaina Blair]

No, I outsource my editing to Image Salon, actually. So, yeah, I don't do my own editing. I haven't edited for about five years probably. So I did my own editing for quite a while. That was the best decision I ever made, by the way. I was able to take, able to take on more clients. Anytime I've invested in my business, I've made more money for sure. Yeah. So I outsource my editing and we, we edit. I mean, we have. I of course have like a little bit of a more, you know, contrasty, moody style. But yeah, 100% edit.

[Nikki Klosser]

So, yeah. Okay. And then so once those are all edited, since you just include all of those, do you say like, I remembered saying, like, when I was portfolio building and I was giving away all of the digitals, instead of selling like packages of specific amounts of photos like I do now, I would say I give you my favorite digitals from the session, like, and I found that, like, what language do you use. So they're not like, aren't there more? Although if you're providing the amazing photos, they're not going to ask for more. But I'm just curious how you do that.

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah, no, that's actually a really good question. So I say I give a minimum of 75. So, you know, under promise, over deliver. I usually give more. Like there's. I usually give more. I usually get more like 150. I get pretty big galleries just because it's lifestyle where there's lots of movement and playing and playing with light and stuff. So I want them to have a variety. So I usually give more like 150. And then in my contract, just as for anyone to know how to cover yourself for these situations, in my contract, it's very clear you will not receive any more images than what is in your gallery and no additional edits will happen. So I'm very clear in my language there as well.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah, that's awesome. Very cool. And then let's talk a little bit about marketing. How. Okay, two parts to this. How did your marketing look at the beginning and how did you kind of get that snowball of clients going? And then what do you have to do now to get your clients?

[Alaina Blair]

I coined this term during COVID And I don't know if I've always say this. I would give credit where due credit was deserved if it wasn't mine. But I have never heard anyone else say it. But I call it compassionate marketing. And I've really marketed myself this way. Always where I'm not selling, I'm providing information and inspiration and relevant content that people actually care about. And I do that on social media, on my blog. And it brings, you know, brings people in who they're not necessarily interested in a certain style or, you know, they're not there looking for like, light and airy or whatever. How some people are, they're there because of my brand, my brand story. They really just want to be part of the story that I'm weaving. And I'm at a place in my career with my family photography that I book out about a year in advance. And the way that I do this is by my using my mailing list, by leveraging my mailing list. So I get people on my list. And my list is relatively small as far as family photography. You know, I don't need a lot of people because I only can do. So I'm only one person. I can only do so many family shoots a year. And so I get them on my list because then they'll, they know that if they're on my list, they get a priority spot because here in Seattle, I really only do outdoor shoots from May ish to the end of October, and there are only so many weekend days that I'm available. And so they know that that's the reason to get on my list. And I send an email, November prior to the year that's coming and book out about 90% of the year that way.

[Nikki Klosser]

Wow.

[Alaina Blair]

So. And, but the months of August through November, I only see returning clients for like the past six years or so. So it's really kind of. I call it a legacy business. You know, it's, it's, it runs itself, which is really nice.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah.

[Alaina Blair]

And then as far as newborn stuff goes, I mean, newborns are all year, and that's not through the mailing list. And that's from good search engine optimization. I mean, I come up number one or number two everywhere that I want to. And really good social media strategy, which is serving, serving, serving, you know, don't. Not selling. But good marketing.

[Nikki Klosser]

How do you differentiate between that? Like selling versus serving in your marketing?

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah, well, marketing and selling are different things. Right. So. And I remember when I learned that concept, my mind was blown a little bit. So if you've never heard that before, go learn a little bit more about it because we don't have enough time in the next 20 minutes to really explain it. But yeah, marketing and selling are very different. So selling is when you say, I have five sessions left. Book this or many sessions this weekend. Book. Now I'm selling this thing. Book now we're all fatigued from that. Everyone will say, oh, I don't like marketing myself. It's so salesy, it's so yucky. That's not marketing, that's selling. And yeah, selling does kind of feel yucky sometimes. And so I rarely do that. So instead I come up with content that is going to. And you actually said, you know, it's one of your missions for this podcast. You know, I come up with content that's going to educate, that's going to inspire, and that's going to connect. So when I'm talking about newborn photography, for example, instead of getting on there and saying, you need to book a newborn session with me, I am the best newborn photographer in Seattle. I book out months in advance. I could say that. I could say all those things, whether they're true or not. I could say it. But instead I say, I understand what it feels like to have a newborn and be completely overwhelmed. I Know what it's like to have toddlers running around and to not know if I should feed the toddler or breastfeed this baby. I understand. Having your photo shoot should not be part of that stress. That's why in home photography is stress free. Something like that. So I'm essentially, you know. Yeah. Just giving them a message. Sending a message of compassion, sending a message of understanding and also educating them on my style. Because for some women, they're like, I don't want to look like I just had a baby. I would like you to put me in hair and makeup and I want my baby to look like a bunny. Well, great. There is a photographer for you and she is freaking talented as ever. But that's not me. So it's a little bit, it's a little bit about education, it's about inspiration, it's about connecting. So that's how, that was just one example of how I do it. I mean you can see in my, on Instagram or on my blog or whatever how we do it.

[Nikki Klosser]

But Yep, yep. Ah, we could not be more on the same page. It's exactly how. But it's, it's funny because it's almost like you're hitting some of those pain points in there and I talk about that a lot here. Yeah, it's like, you know, in bringing it just a personal branding as an example, like most women, a lot of women do not and men do not love having their photo taken. Like they don't want people hair and makeup. Yes, totally. It's like, yeah, this is how it is. Yeah. So, you know, talking about that and making people understand, I'm going to make this so easy for you. And you need these photos, you know you do, you know that you need these family photos, you know, you need these newborn photos, you know, you need these photos for your website. So let's just make it as easy as possible on you and I'm going to help you with that. It's like, yes, it's just like a no brainer. People are like, okay, right.

[Alaina Blair]

And that's what, you know, I think that that concept of marketing, you're a problem solver. Anyone who's marketing anything at all is a problem solver. And as a photographer you could kind of think, well that especially with like family photography, like branding, it's a little bit more like, okay, you have a problem, you need something for your, your personal brand, you know, you don't want to have your hair or makeup done or whatever. And for family photography, it can seem a Little less black and white, but that you have to. Exactly what you just said. You have to think about, like, how can I solve these people's problems? Beyond that, they need photos, but even deeper, how can I connect with them about their pain points? And when you do that, it actually becomes. It becomes more meaningful for you too, because then people are connecting to you on a deeper level. When you meet people and photograph them, they're the right people. They like you as a person. It's just a win. Win all around. But yeah, it's an interesting con. It's a complex concept, but it's definitely worth it to learn about it and to figure out how to do it.

[Nikki Klosser]

Have you ever considered raising your prices from 1200?

[Alaina Blair]

At this point, I have just took on two associates because I don't want to do. Yeah, I don't want to do any more shoots than I have on the calendar right now. And we still get, you know, two to three inquiries a week. So at this point this year, probably not, But I might at some point, you know, it just depends. For me right now, it has felt like that's a pretty good spot based on where I live and my clientele and the type of people that I'm attracting. So right now, no, but maybe one day.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Alaina Blair]

You never know.

[Nikki Klosser]

Can we talk a little bit about your associates and how that works?

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah, well, it's a new endeavor, so it's in progress. It's funny, there's always something to learn. By the way, it's like, okay, I can book myself out a year in advance, but associates is a whole other ball game because I'm not as good at marketing other people. Yeah. But they. So I charge a tiny bit less for them. So they're 975 and they get a flat rate and we edit for them and then we take the rest. When I say we. I have a little team. There's only four of us, but like my. My admin team. So, yeah, right now that's what we're doing. We're charging 975 for them. I'm booked for the year for family shoots. So what? The auto email that goes out has a booking link to their calendar, and the conversion rate isn't nearly as high as when it was just me. And I think it's just that or learning how to market other people other than me, you know? But yeah, that's. I kind of think about it. The way that I structured paying them was a lot of, like, how my friends who are wedding photographers pay their second Shooters, you're paying more. Paying them for their time, for their shooting time.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Very cool.

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah.

[Nikki Klosser]

I had an associate for a while in Seattle, because I was going back and forth from Seattle to Michigan all the time. And then when I moved back to Michigan full time, she would shoot for me there. And the way that I would tell my people who reached out, I would say things like, I've trained. I've trained my associate shooter to shoot just like me. We're such a great team. She does the shoot. I do the editing, and she's so wonderful. You're gonna love her. And then sometimes I would offer, like, a $100 gift card or $100 gift voucher. 150 bucks, whatever. I felt like at the time, if they were a little bit resistant and, you know, somehow the. The conversion weight rate went okay. It was pretty decent, actually.

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah.

[Nikki Klosser]

And I don't know. I'm trying to think, like, anytime she would do a shoot, I would always make to sure to say, like, oh, you know, Janelle, my associate, did this. Isn't that amazing? Like, we're such a good team. I would always say that. We're such a good team. She did the shoot, I did the editing, and blah, blah, blah, or whatever. It worked well.

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah. I do say that I trained them, because I did. That's not a lie. So I do say that. And you're right, though. It has to. To be. It's a lot about. In the language, more of the we rather than the I. We are a team. We do this. And. Yeah. So we're working on it. We just launched this program this year, so. And I did bring them to. Yeah, it is exciting. I'm trying to scale back on the amount of shoots that I do because my online education stuff is so busy right now. So I'm ready. I'm ready to be gone last evening with, you know.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah.

[Alaina Blair]

And to be doing more of the daytime work so well.

[Nikki Klosser]

And it's trickier with family and newborn because it's. You know, it's not. So although newborn, I guess parents tend to have a little bit of time off right after they have the baby. But it seems like with families, I mean, kids are in school, like, they have sports. They have all these things. So it's like evenings and weekends kind of. You kind of have to do it.

[Alaina Blair]

Sometimes you have to do it. There's what I tell people who want to be family newborn photographers, and they're like, what. What about. I'm like, you're. If you want to Be a family newborn photographer or newborns. Yes, I do those during the week always. Actually they're during the maternity leave and so everyone's home. So that, that happens very rarely on the weekends. But yeah, for family and family stuff, if you're going to be an on location family photographer, it's going to be evenings and weekends and because that's the best light too. There's also that.

[Nikki Klosser]

So true. Very, very true.

[Alaina Blair]

But I guess my perspective was I was like, I was a nurse. I would be gone for 14 hours at a time to leave door to door for my shoes. Two hours. I can like not even miss dinner, eat late, you know, or whatever. But so, yeah, it's a, it's a job. That's. It's the best job, but it's a job.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah, yeah, it is, it is. And that's, that's something to really. It's something to really think about that. Yes, it is great to love what we do and to have this sort of creative outlet and to make our own schedules and all of that. But it is still a job. It is still time away from our family, time away from our friends. Like. Yeah, it's something to remember for sure.

[Alaina Blair]

Absolutely.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah. I'm growing this. We have 10 acres at our primary home here in Michigan. Very different than Seattle, price wise.

[Alaina Blair]

Amazing. Yeah.

[Nikki Klosser]

But what I ended up doing last year is I grew a wildflower field.

[Alaina Blair]

Oh my gosh.

[Nikki Klosser]

And just a small one. Well, this year I made it like 10 times as big. And I'm just getting ready to plant the seeds. And I am like every day I think about it, I was like, I think I'm gonna open up family sessions in this wildflower because I cannot let it to go. Go to waste. Like.

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah.

[Nikki Klosser]

I never thought I would ever shoot family photos again. And I'm like, I have to do this. I'm gonna have to like block off some evenings this summer and do it.

[Alaina Blair]

And it's on your property. So it's like you just walk outside. Like, how incredible is that? If I had a great property, I would do every shoot there. And I'm not that some people are so inspired. And it's actually very popular right now too, the adventure photography, which by the way, if that's you, great. But me, I just want to like, know my location and be in and out in 45 minutes. So. So if I had a great location right around the corner on my property, I would use it every time and not feel bad about it.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah. Yeah, that's exactly kind of where I'M at. So I'm going to toy around with it. I might. I might do it. Yeah, it's. Yeah, it's exciting.

[Alaina Blair]

But.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah, it's. It is. You know, I'm filming a new course actually, and I'm showing shoots and just like kind of everyday, sometimes ugly locations. Like I did one in my garage and I did one in like the dormant dead woods behind my house. And it is really cool. It's been really fun. It's, you know, going from. And again, living in Seattle was amazing. There's not, you know, it's just a different. Like I live in the country now. You know, it's just a different. I didn't have that access in Seattle, like right out my door like I do here. So I guess I really should, you know, try to take advantage of it more. But.

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah, well, whatever. You gotta just do what works for you. You also have little kids at home right now, so you're in the thick of it.

[Nikki Klosser]

I know, I know. It's. Yeah, it's fun though. We were supposed to do our own family shoot. Was it a week and a half, two weeks ago. And we ended up having to cancel. One, cause of rain and two, cause my son was sick. And we're actually doing it now on Monday. And it's cool because I feel like she's making it really easy for us as well. It's just so low key. And she's bringing me a couple outfit options, which I'm excited about. Like, she posts her.

[Alaina Blair]

That's cool.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah. Do you do anything like that? I don't anymore, but I'm just curious if you do.

[Alaina Blair]

I don't, but I just. I have a mastermind student that does that and it's amazing me. It's super cool how she built it too. I'm very intrigued. She does have a client closet and she bought some of the pieces, but some of the pieces, the way that she. She got them into her. I don't. Her closet. I was gonna say her repertoire, but her closet is that she did free model calls, but the model had to buy the dress and then she got to keep the dress. Isn't that interesting? I know. I was like, whoa. I would have never thought of that. But my. Anyways. My point though is that her brand is very consistent and beautiful. She's so talented and beautiful because of this. Because she has this like, basically like a warm color scheme and the dresses are beautiful and amazing. And it's part of that unique experience that she provides for her family is like that they Get. The mom gets to, like, feel like a queen. So, yeah, I think it's cool. It's not something that I do, but it's definitely something that I see people doing. And if you can come up with something like that, that really sets you apart and that creates that really unique experience, like, go for it. That is incredible.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah, for sure. I used to provide clothing and then going back to being efficient in time and just not wanting to deal with taking the clothes to the dry cleaner all the time and, like, you know, all of that, I was like, no, I'm done. I had a huge garage sale and sold all of the dresses, and it was, like, a huge weight off my chest. But going in as a mom and booking Natalie and. And it's funny because as I scroll through her Instagram. Exactly what you said. It's like you can almost curate your brand and your marketing if you're going to provide the outfits because you're in control of the colors that you're providing. And so it is. It's smart. It's very smart.

[Alaina Blair]

Well, it's really thinking about your ideal client and what they need. Again, back to solving that problem where I actually. My ideal client, I don't think would be into that. That's not the type of person that she is. But there are those people, like, you. Like, you're, like, excited about that. That's. And I feel like that isn't necessarily. It may not work as well in Seattle. Like, we're a little more casual and laid back around here. Totally too casual. Sometimes when I go to la, I'm like, oh, gosh, I am so underdressed. I'm a little too grungy. But anyways, my point being, though, is just getting into thinking about that, like, who your ideal client is and how you can serve them really, really well. And if your ideal client's out there stressing out about what to wear and where to get her makeup done and where to get her hair done, and you can solve that problem for her by having this beautiful closet, like, by all means. That is an incredible idea.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah, totally. Totally.

[Alaina Blair]

There's so many ways to do this. That's what I love about artistry. Like, you can. A business is as creative as the art that you're creating, and so many ways to do it. Yeah.

[Nikki Klosser]

And I think it's so important to understand, too, you can implement a business model as far as pricing and marketing and selling, but still make it your own with all of these different services that you can provide. You know, like, you've got the one package and this is what I charge, and this is what you get. And it's simple and it appeals to a lot of people, whether, you know, a lot of photographers having that sort of system and a lot of clients. And then you can be someone who has, you know, big, medium, small packages and lots of options and print products. And that appeals to some people. So it's like, find what works for you, you know.

[Alaina Blair]

And yesterday I had a conversation in my group coaching program with a friend of mine. I had her come in as a guest because she's a quote unquote luxury wedding photographer in the Bay area. She charges $10,000 a wedding at least. You know, she's like really killing it. But her style is this really like, gritty, laid back, unposed style. And what I love about how she explains it is like, it's not about, like, are you, you know, the next. I don't shouldn't use any big names, but, you know, are you the next one that's going to do this, like, you know, stylized, like, thing? It's not about that at all. It's actually just about knowing who your ideal client is, knowing what they need and serving them really well. And then you can just charge whatever you want because they will pay top dollar for what you have, because you have exactly what they need.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yep.

[Alaina Blair]

It's not about what it looks like or what you're offering or if you have three packages or one. It's not about that at all. It's just about really having that. That piece dialed in. Which, by the way, it takes time to get there. Like, none of us came out the gate knowing what that meant and how to figure that out. But once, once you refine that, that's when you really start profiting higher.

[Nikki Klosser]

I love that.

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah.

[Nikki Klosser]

Well, thank you so much for all of this. This has been such a great conversation and I think, you know, you just brought up some really interesting points that I think people are going to learn from. And it's. Yeah, it's. What you have going is really amazing.

[Alaina Blair]

Oh, thanks. I'm just a pretty laid back person, so I feel like my business is a reflection of that for sure.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah, definitely. All right, well, I do have a couple more questions to ask you that I always ask at the end of each episode. And the first question is, what is something you can't live without when you're doing a photo shoot?

[Alaina Blair]

I cannot live without my 50 millimeter 1.2 L lens. Cannot. If I had to shoot with one lens forever, that would Be it nice. And it's not everybody's favorite lens, but that is like my absolute favorite lens. I love it so much.

[Nikki Klosser]

What camera body?

[Alaina Blair]

I shoot with two bodies. I shoot with a R5, the Canon mirrorless R5, which is ridiculous. It's unbelievable. And I shoot with my Mark 4 still. My 5D Mark 4.

[Nikki Klosser]

Nice.

[Alaina Blair]

So I. Yeah, just. Because when I upgraded, I just. I was shooting with the Mark III and Mark 4 at the time. And then I brought the Mark 5 or the R5 on.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah, very cool. I have a Mark 4 as well. And I just. In December, I upgraded to the R6. So I have now both. I have both. I. Whenever I do my video recordings or anything like that, I have my Mark 4 on and then I use my R6 now.

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah, I hear the R6 and the R5 are very similar.

[Nikki Klosser]

So, yeah, I went back and forth for a long time about what to get, and then I don't. I'm just not that techy and I just don't need that extra stuff. So I was like, yeah, I'm just going to get the R6.

[Alaina Blair]

I'm kind of. I'm not either, actually. And I'm kind of a boring person to ask about gear generally because I don't have, like, an arsenal of lenses and like, I just kind of like a couple of lenses and. But that R5, though, when I got it, I was like, whoa, this is. It's pretty. My galleries are bigger than they used to be even. It's like a problem because it doesn't take a bad photo. It really, like, never misses focus. The color is spot on. It's like this beautiful piece of machinery. So.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah. So awesome. Yeah, I'm not super interesting with gear either, other than to say I'm like, kind of a hack with my gear. Like, oh, my gosh. I was filming a new shoot and it. I was taking some product photos. It was like a shark charcuterie board thing that I was photographing. And I was using my. My macro and I have two macros and I hadn't used the 50 macro since I upgraded to the R6. And so I put it on and it's like filming. Like, it's like I'm filming the shoot, right? And so I'm like, oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. It's not focusing. Why isn't it focusing? What. What's happening? It's not focusing. Well, the lens is so old. It's a really old Sigma 50 macro. It doesn't work with the adapter. Because it's too old. That's the kind of gear I have. And then I have, like, the Canon 85 1.8. And, like, my lens hood is, like, taped on. It's so bad that people love that.

[Alaina Blair]

Lens, though, that 1.8.

[Nikki Klosser]

It's my favorite.

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah, it's. And it's faster than the 1.2. It's that. The 1.2 original. The original 1.2. The reason that I didn't. I have an 85 now for my R5, but I didn't ever get the 1.2 because it. For my, you know, my old DSLR because it was just super slow to focus. It's. If you're photographing adults, like, it's beautiful, but I have children moving around. Like, it cannot be. Like, it has to focus right away. So. Yeah. But the 1.8. The 1.8 is much faster to focus.

[Nikki Klosser]

I did not know that. I love it. I bought it way back when because it was cheaper.

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah, I know.

[Nikki Klosser]

I just was not ready to spend, you know, two grand or whatever on the last $2,000.

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah, totally. Yeah.

[Nikki Klosser]

Okay. Moon on number two is how do you spend your time when you're not.

[Alaina Blair]

Working with family or friends? I am an extreme extrovert, so I don't. I don't like to be alone. I'm always with my. My loved ones, were my friends when I'm not working, doing anything. Yep.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yep.

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah, that's definitely how I spend my time. Yeah.

[Nikki Klosser]

Cool. All right, Number three is. What's your favorite inspirational quote?

[Alaina Blair]

I have a lot of inspirational quotes, but one that I think is one of my favorite, that I think would pertain to the conversations that we had today is the fastest way to be an overnight success is 10 to 15 years of really hard work. And I don't know who said it, but it's very true. Nobody's an overnight success. It's a good thing to remember when you're trying, you know, you think it's never going to happen for you. And if you're seeing, you know, we're inundated right now with the Internet, which is a good thing, but we're overwhelmed with inspiration.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah.

[Alaina Blair]

And with stuff coming from us, coming at us from other people. And you have to remember that anyone who you see that's successful was not an overnight success.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yes. I love that. All right, and number four is, what would you tell people who are just starting out?

[Alaina Blair]

I would tell people who are just starting out to stay firmly rooted in why they started in the first place. That is Your superpower. Your superpower is your unique vision. And I promise that every single one of us has one. And when we get, you know, you get into the industry, you really start taking on again. I'm kind of back to what I was just saying. But you start taking on so much information that you lose sight of who you are and why you started and you burn out. I've seen a lot of really talented photographers burn out. I don't want that for anybody. So stay deeply rooted in that. Why? And you'll. That'll keep you. That'll keep you going.

[Nikki Klosser]

Awesome. Great advice. Well, thank you again. Where can people find you online if they're looking for you?

[Alaina Blair]

So if I'm on Instagram a lot, so lanasblairphotography, you can please send me a direct message. I answer all my direct messages and then my education site is elenasblair.com and that's where you can find a bunch of free resources and things there. And then if you want to just check out my photography site, everything is public. I don't hide my pricing or anything. It's elenaesblairphotography.com. so I have two websites.

[Nikki Klosser]

Awesome. Very cool.

[Alaina Blair]

Elena Esplayer. You'll find me.

[Nikki Klosser]

Well, thank you again. I hope it gets sunny for you out there in Seattle. I know it will. Hang in there.

[Alaina Blair]

Yeah, I know. So nice to talk to you. I'm looking forward to meeting you in person. I'm assuming you'll be at the conference in September.

[Nikki Klosser]

I will, yes. You will be as well.

[Alaina Blair]

Yes. Right?

[Nikki Klosser]

Yes.

[Alaina Blair]

Yep.

[Nikki Klosser]

Awesome. Very cool. Yeah, I'm excited. It's so much fun. We have a blast.

[Alaina Blair]

I know. Can't wait. I can't wait.

[Nikki Klosser]

Yeah. Yay. All right, well, we'll. I'll see you in September.

[Alaina Blair]

All right, sounds good. Great talking to you.

[Nikki Klosser]

All right, take care. Thank you so much for listening to the Portrait System podcast. Your 5 star reviews really help us to continue what we do. So if you like listening, would you mind giving us a review wherever you listen? I also encourage you to head over to super where you can find all of the education you need to be a successful photographer. There are over 1000 on demand educational videos on things like posing, lighting, styling, retouching, shooting, marketing, sales, business, and self value. There's also the 90 day startup challenge. Plus so many downloads showing hundreds of different poses. We have to do checklists for your business, lighting, PDFs. I mean, truly everything to help help make you a better photographer and to make you more money. Once Again, that's Sue briceducation.com.