I walked up to Starbucks at the Houston Airport after a crazy flight from Baton Rouge.. because I wanted.. no.. NEEDED a coffee to calm my stress because I was about to get on another plane to Orlando and do it all over again. So.. I waited in line of about 15 people and paid $8 for coffee that probably costs 50 cents…. and enjoyed every. single. sip.
Why did I wait so long and pay so much? Because I KNEWWW my grande non-nat white mocha extra shot of espresso, would taste exactly like it always does. It wouldn’t fail me. Because I know that Starbucks is consistent. Its the same taste as my hometown Starbucks in Watson, as the one in the Houston Airport.
While sipping on this overpriced coffee… a lightbulb went off.
Customers will pay high dollar.. for a consistent product.
Which is why having consistency in editing is SO important! If you can nail consistency in your editing.. you can raise your prices.. because people will pay for it!!
How do you do this in shooting and editing??
1. Shoot in the same type of light!
I’m sure you’ve noticed that some photographers only shoot in natural light, or only shoot with flash, or only shoot in open shade, or only shoot backlit with the sun! Why? Its because its part of their overall style! My favorite type of light is open shade with backlighting! I love the sun popping through the branches and creating that gorgeousness in each photo! And since I am posting those images, my clients expect those types of shots!
2. Have a go to lens!!
I LOVE my Nikon 85mm 1.4 lens! It has amazing bokeh, sharp as a tack, and the colors are true to life! Its beautiful! And clients are used to seeing that creamy bokeh and crisp shots at f/1.4… so I use it as often as possible! This will definitely help have consistency in your images!!
3. Use a Preset… and stick with it!
Presets are not one click wonders no matter how much they advertise them to be! Why? Because everyone shoots differently, has different cameras, in different lighting scenarios, I could go on…but the GOOD thing about presets is that it can be the foundation to every edit! Its a starting point that can help you get a consistent look in every image!
Think of a preset as the roux of a gumbo. You always start each gumbo with the same roux, but you can tweak it each time depending if you want a chicken and sausage gumbo, or a seafood gumbo, or an ocry-gumbo! (there’s my cajun coming out) Same as a preset. You start with the same preset, but tweak it depending on each lighting situation! I use one preset that I apply to every single image.
You can get my signature preset HERE! Its cheaper than your weekly target run and will save you HOURS on editing and help you gain trust with your clients!:)
Your Homework:
- Explore your lens arsenal and choose your favorite!
- Try to shoot as much as possible with that one lens!
- Pick your favorite light that is true to your style, and post the heck out of it!
- And lastly, choose a preset that you can apply to all of your images, so that you can have that base (roux)!
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