Use Your Ipad to Promote Your Photography Business | Maris Ehlers Photography

Trust me. I can find more reasons to justify getting the latest and greatest photography gear than most. Last fall, I wanted an  ipad in the worst way, but wasn't sure I could justify it. Until I went to David Ziser's 2010 Captured by the Light Tour, that is.

He gave several key reasons why photographers should be using an ipad:

• create a stunning easy to share digital portfolio of your best work 
• proof images with clients just about anywhere
• share images from a wedding AT the wedding reception

Basic Steps For Setting Up a Slideshow to Share at a Wedding Reception: 

Throughout the wedding day, as we fill up CF cards while shooting, my assistant backs the images up onto a Nexto hard drive. The images are safe on the Nexto, which is my first priority.

• When we take our first "break" during the reception (typically while dinner is being served) we plug in a camera to the ipad (typically my back up camera), and put the first card in.  (Note:  There is a camera to ipad adapter that comes with the ipad that is required to connect the two). 
• I whip through the images on the card, selecting my favorites on the ipad screen.
• We then upload them to the ipad. This only takes a few minutes.  
• Insert the next full card into camera and repeat.  
• Review what we've uploaded and delete anything that doesn't look great. 
• Press the slideshow button 
• We now have a slideshow (I do not add music) of the day's best pictures ready to set out for guests to enjoy.  

No bride or groom to be seen here, but the groom's mother, father, brother and sister-in-law are!

A few things to note:

• Your proofs will look great on the ipad's screen (even unedited)
• Don't expect the bride and/or groom to have the chance to see the slideshow.  That's just fine.  The parents of the bride and groom typically find their way over quickly, and the other guests will, too.  
• The people who do see the pictures will certainly tell the bride and groom after the wedding how they've never seen professional pictures AT the wedding before, and what couple doesn't want to be unique at their own wedding?  
• Be sure to ask if you can place a small stack of business cards near the ipad before doing so.  

I've had great success with follow up from clients who have been at a wedding where I ran an ipad slideshow, often from the guests whose own children are planning a wedding.

At one wedding, the father of the groom actually started walking around with the ipad showing people the images.  That made me nervous, but his delight in seeing the images while celebrating with his friends and family was priceless, and he still hasn't forgotten it.

Some other great ipad resources for photographers:

Ipad Workflow for Photographers
8 Great Ipad Apps for the Small Portrait Studio
How To Sort Images Using the Ipad
Viewing Google Analytic on an Ipad or Iphone

I'd love to hear if you are using an ipad, if you are thinking about it, or why not...

Happy Friday!

P.S.  If you liked this article, please feel free to share or link back.  Thank you!