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Instagram for Professional Photographers

Yes, I was up early again this morning looking at the slide deck and there's you gotta just go with what's happening out there and the energy that all of you giving me. And when I woke up this morning to Pumpkin and Sunshine's Post, she's like we're having a Google bark out like I love that word. I need to use it. I have to go back and change my slides. So So I did just that. And again, I want to remind you all that you want to go to the instant gal live instagram account where you can find all the Google hang out guest, all the in studio guests and all the guests that I'm bringing on stage. They're all back there. If you're not writing this down while im while have the slide up, So a little background here on them, you're gonna you're gonna hear from Olea, who is the mother of Laura. I'm not quite sure her age, but as you can see, she's a young, beautiful girl who was so talented she's an artist and they have a dog whose name is actually cookie, not pumpkin. They call him Pumpkin beca...

use when he was a puppy. He rolled up and fell asleep, and he looked like a pumpkin. So it's a little confusing with that, but But they have multiple accounts I'm gonna let her talk about and why They have multiple accounts, and I'm just so thrilled that they're here with us today, so let's give them a warm welcome. Hi. Hi. What a pleasant surprise that it no longer was gonna be on with you. You have a short day today, so it's It's really good. This is perfect. Oh, Cookie, you look adorable. Okay, so way. So we have a lot of great questions for you guys, and we're so thrilled to have you here. You know, I'm a huge fan of your account. It makes me smile every single day. I just adore you guys. We want you. We want you, Teoh, talk to the audience and tell them why about each of your accounts and the purpose that each one of them serves. So if you could talk about pumpkin and sunshine than organic remix and then Laurie, your accounts designed me mix. That would be great. Um, so it's an interesting thing because I created my organic for makes a while ago and then Laura created documents. Sunshine and I don't Want Toe have a second the calm because, you know, it's always difficult to promote. Second, the college. You always have to be active from both occult to be able actually see a, uh, what was happening in older likes comments. But, you know, she started posting their and that can't punk in Central became much more popular than my account. People were not engaging on my food shots or anything, but if I put something, they cook it. And immediately there's somebody like some comments. So this account started growing very fast. Andi Lotta She has what design remakes its in the article. So we just removed it from the feet because, you know, you know what is that? I mean all our Countess, that kind of super focused. It's either. It's, um, Lauer's personal account. It's OK I'm getting for Makes it something else, But pumpkin, pumpkin, sunshine, sir. Practically about dogs and then are the come So not all people, Actually, who wants to see dog interested? Also in other stuff. So that's why we divided them. We have those who Colin separates. Oh, yes. So, yeah, that Laura, Let's hear from you. Talk about your account. Well, um, I believe in in December, I began my account. I was just I just started to pose some drawings, it off a little Japanese mango illustrations. And from there on, I I developed my own style. And then I do cookie just for a photo shoot for from Friends, Sunshine. And from there are many people ask me to you commissions, but unfortunately, I haven't been able to to work on the commission's because I'm still working on my high school application. And I started this account when I was only 11 but and I'm 13 hours, so Yeah, well, so so you have you Drew Cookie. And people wanted to hire you to draw because you are an amazing artists. Exactly. So the reality should has logged off a lot of requests. I have people emails and, like she did a lot of commission, but she couldn't do them all because she's so busy. But at the end of the month, she will be always complication process a national started doing commission. Pat Patrick primarily. Yeah. Everyone has to log into these accounts. They're just amazing. They're so talented. So tell. So talk to us how you've grown each account. Like what has been your posting strategy. You can start with, um, cookie and pumpkin and sunshine. So a walking on sunshine beside Post Be had different pictures, the old high quality in terms of most of them taken in my professional camera. But it didn't have a style. We didn't know what exactly when where you might go. And at some point we change it to more minimal style. And I think that, well, it attracted a lot of people. I mean, that's how we notice that our count started growing very fast. So for me, it was important to see the whole field as a gallery haven't consistency and style so that everything fits together. And I notice if I post one today, um, get maybe you I don't know, like 100 $150 a Follow us. If I post twice a day, it's maybe 300. So it's like doubles, but it's that was by each post. Um, I don't have always time. Suppose twice a day, but yes, I think consistency of post and frankly, how growing the count? Yes, because you have 190 post and 42,000 followers. That is amazing. So, um so while you you mentioned photography a little bit, Can you elaborate on the details of how you take such amazing photos? I know that that is your profession. You are a photographer, and Laura is in a lot of the pictures, and they're just actually no stage so beautifully if you can talk about the quality of those photos and how you get them to be so So I use my professional cover. I use D NYC indeed 100? Um, I don't know if it's a sort. Maybe it's not allowed so on. And some pictures which I have to take inside and you see them minimal because we don't have a walls of white. So I don't I don't use props as much. I mean, I use props full cookie, but I don't have the back row background, anything really special, and I don't have so much, but it's the lighting in my apartments. Not as good. So I have to be close to the window and its most of the natural light. So nothing special. I think anybody who has a window can take those pictures. I hated them in Florida shop to make them brighter. And like most like I just situation. But that's practically Edye Man on the White Wall background and like cookies, sitting cooking knows a lot of tricks. So he's posing. He's great and posing. And you lost that that teams will help. Look, share some of those chips with us. What are you doing to get your dog toe pose beautifully every time? Oh, actually, my husband. He is such a great help because he's talking his. I don't know if anybody knows that Pat photography. How ridiculous can be all this sounds like as you zins, uh, toys and making weird noises. So Cookie pays attention to him. And sometimes I tell you, it's not easy because he's just, like, sitting like and not move and do anything, and it's like really born. But, you know, it's a part of pet patch photography. You have to know your path or impatient about that. Yes, right. And a lot of your photos you take outside in New York City in Central Park and you stage them and So how long or what's the process to stage that whole photo shoot with Laura? Oh my God, that's that is insane. That hasn't saying normally I would say there should be a team for stylist and prop stylist and are somebody has toe bring all the stuff. And not only me only two and Cookie and people will laugh in and say like, I want to see this back backstage pictures, How you chappelle the pillows and mason jars and you're like blankets to their central park, practically to stage those pictures. And I started it because I wanted toe. I wanted to work on my book for recipe and those who essentially cakes or any kind of tissue that I I cooked and I took pictures of them and then they were there. And I think, OK, that's fun. They eat on picnic my food, so why not? And people reacting and responding so positively? They love those Pickney pictures, But I'm telling you, it's a lot of work, a lot of work, getting all the props, putting all together. They call the same day so it looks fresh and then bring them on in Central Park and Michael around the audience, trying to for a short Yeah, it's It's a lot of work. I can definitely see that it's a lot of work, but you definitely get a perfect put photo every time. Now with one some of the products that you bring to the photos to these shoots when you're in Central Park, Do you have sponsorships with the products like Tom, that your tag, your strategically tagging and occasionally Elsie Martha Stewart? Or I'll see a big pet name and you absolutely, at mention other pet accounts? Talk about those sponsorships and relationships within the post. And maybe when you're actually staging that theme, you're thinking about those sponsorship opportunities. I'm absolutely So we have a few collaborations responses, also including Martha Stewart. We get products. From now on. We try to please them, have a nice for short in their style, because for me it's also very important to know the style of the client. So I checked it. He I email them back and forth, make sure that they I get the shot, how they want to see, because sometimes they used told those pictures for their backsides, and I have Yes, I have Patrick Collins that we collaborate together inside that I get gift We also do together for shouldn't, um, project together. So we merchandise them together on the different accounts. Um, And you mentioned to me when we spoke earlier that you partnered with several accounts to create a pet calendar that you're actually selling, right? Yes. So you talk about that project and the money. And what in the collaboration for that calendar that you've made, that is a very interesting project because we collaborated. It's actually including us 12 accounts. Some of the best comment on instagram. Some of them, I think, have always 300 of solving followers and some of them 5000. But it doesn't matter because they're Patel refuse. Amazing. And it has a star like only textiles throughout the calendar. High, high quality pictures. Um, I would say also kind of minimal. And I didn't I didn't start it. It's actually was idea off my very good friend and partner, and she brought it all together, contact little people because we all know each other. We do a lot of project together. So she got on this people and, um, we decided toe have a practically. They have a X account with some. By now we have toe palace soul and yeah, I hope please someone. So I used the money that you're making collectively. Is it for a cause or you sharing the profits, the sharing, the profit, it all equally sharing a profit, right? And so it's minus of obviously production costs. Then at the ampule, shelled, uh, profits. I think it helps not beautiful. It's interested in project to test the mark. Your see how people react and how can I sell the product? Maybe next year I will try toe release my own calendar. It's interesting to see the dynamic off sales. Second, we can promote on 12 different the car and everybody off ask has also unique forwards that like I practically don't have. So yes, it's it's a great idea. Yeah, sure. Actually, first question is, people are saying which one is the mother and which one's the way people are loving you both. So now do you take a photo every day? Or do you bunch photos together and drip them out? Perhaps over a week? Or drift is probably the wrong word, but release that I don't think this every day. No, it wouldn't be very, very stressful. I find a spot also. It has to be a good day, not Rainy, like nice lighting and then depends on what kind of products I have because it's all line up. I already make a schedule for people what they want. And then I take pictures of cookie with the product and then their sound kind of, let's say, editorial, because I don't want to spend my county only product placement A people full cooking because they like Cookie. They do enjoy also and check out the count, of course, but I can't just, like, put every single past as, like product placement. I don't think I don't have full many forwards. If I start doing that, how do you decide who to work with or who to give a shout out to? You must have standards because you have such a successful account. So I'm sure that there's criteria that you have to decide who you're gonna at mention or partner with our sponsor. Oh, that's an interesting aspect. I get all the time requests from people. Can I have a shot out and you know, sometimes the opening, the calm and I already Then even if I give a shout out of that Purcell, not maybe out my phone was going to pull them because it's a different aesthetics. So people have to understand that, um, I have this those four words who appreciate my style they made it won't appreciate it. Just, um I don't know how to say about it. Let's say thank you. Low quality of mobile shots they would not appreciate. So I picked people. If I recommend, I also want to look good in front of my followers and say, Look at that. This is a very beautiful A cop. It doesn't have to be paddock on because we all humans may have different interest. But if it comes with a really inspiring and in it could be like, even say, your car. Everybody's interested in promoting their INSTAGRAM account so it doesn't have to be packed, so I'm happy to say, Always check out. Uh, CBS is a mom calm because it's useful for them and it's me. It's totally okay to you. Yeah, and to that point, I want it. I want to commend you and Even when she promoted this course, she did it in the theme of her brand. She held up on IPad. You know, the pictures are both on creative live there on my account. In her account, she thought about well, my followers will my 42,000 followers. How will they receive this information if I'm promoting Sues course? So she put Cookie in the photo because that's who they want to see. She announced the course on an IPad, and the photo is really clean and white, and you'll remember it first day of the show. The slide that I let off on was Cookie watching the course when they first watched the last course. She knew that would get my attention if if I saw this adult like my favorite adorable dog paying attention to to me teaching instagram eso, she knows her audience, and she knows how to give a shout out in a way that her followers will have value. And that's really important. So if someone's asking you for a shout out and you want to give it, give it in the spirit of your business and how it relates to you and the people that are following you, So I really like that point huge photography community here creativelive. Earlier. So many photographers are watching this course and learning how to use. And they they you to use multiple accounts, a swell for different types of photography. But does the pumpkin sunshine accountant lied to people hiring us a photographer earlier? Yes, yes, essentially people asking me not just taking pictures of cookie, but then just for their products and I take pictures of product. It's most of the time. It's a package. It's a package. It's not just one sponsor passed because that's your profession. You are a photographer and you get paid to do products. So so Cookie cookie brings people over to your featured account, right, which is your organic remix account? Yes, and so you. It's interesting because I was not so active. Inorganic creeks that chill still kept the gallery just to show people what I actually doing, because I do a lot of food photography as well. But it is also was a fund that some off the bloggers with where work and I show them food. They wanted to have a cookie in on that some of the pictures because that's what they got engagement on their social media. So much, so much more than just a piece of cake offering Susie Cookie Lost Prince movie. By the way, my now is Laura. Can you talk about Cookie for a minute? Just to share with everyone watching your what you love so much about this business and being a part of it? Well, first of all, cookies just adorable and all the people that support us every day. That's a big plus. But also over the years, many people also from movement sunshine noticed my art account, and from their arm day they saw my enjoying when they some illustrations and they wanted to get a Porsche. And I have me a good amount of money makings a few portrait's off, other people stop. And once I'm done, those high school application are definitely gonna Teoh. I love that entrepreneurial spirit. It's great. Was online is saying they use multiple accounts on their wondering. Only if you could give any advice on how you can leverage one account to help help another, well, that that actually became very organic. I didn't plan. I didn't know how quickly Punkin self driving growth. But obviously, because we have 22,000 on frankincense sunshine, it's much easier to give a shout out or, um, referred to my other cards like Laura's on drawing the comp. Um, mostly, most of you be make promotion on on the parking sunshine and that leads toe force and potential. Some got a job in collaboration on other cons. So you're making money with your photography business, and Laura is making money drawing, and someday she's gonna be making a lot of money drawing on. And so that's how you're bringing people over. So, cookie that pumpkin and sunshine, because it's an amazing account, it is the catalyst to get people over to the others, and you give yourself a shout out on that account that has the most followers. So that's like the featured account, personal account kind of area. Yeah, we got a lot of people question about the hashtag sponsored on their asking earlier. Do you use the sponsored hashtag to be clear for legal purposes? And do you have to use it for transparency when you're sharing a sponsored posts? Um, you know what Not I don't know. I give him my caption, the right costume by a Martha Stewart. Or it's a PetSmart who understand, as there that brought, I think everybody knows if I mentioned somebody's Alice account that Issa sponsors of a post, I don't know, I didn't have any problem. Maybe I should start writing its its response of past. But you didn't. I didn't see anybody in my community. And we have a lot of forwards with a huge amount of, uh, follow us. They have much more than me, but they would never mentioned that it's a sponsor posit, because you practically you understand very responsive. Somebody. Maybe. I think that really helped clarify just for yeah, I haven't seen that either. Like it's obvious that if you're mentioning them, you're sponsoring. Yeah. Now Colin is asking, What is the best work flow when you're uploading images taken with the DSLR onto Instagram? I don't have a I don't have a good for a PLO at all. It's kind of thing. Easiest way it's ah, model shot, obviously, because that you needed to post, I have to first practically add it'll pictures and process because I should draw so process in on my computer and then upload them toe Dropbox and from the drop box. I used them for my account, and I practically check the greed of life of my post. That thing will hold together, combined to get the well. So that's how I'm doing. But normally to drop a drop box. I think it's the easiest way a question here from Megan. Did you work out how much to charge a sponsor like Martha Stewart? Or did you? How did you find somebody like her? Originally? I do negotiate. It depends on the product. If I don't need a product, then I, uh I prefer that I have a monetary compensation. If I need a product, for example, it's a good path. Would then, uh, I'm from leaving and it's and it's like big amount of food that I would go to store and buy myself will spend, say money. I just take a product so it depends. It depends. Okay, So I have I have a question for your daughter, um, or actually for both of you. So she plays a huge role in this business, and we all see it. I'd love for you to talk about what it's like to empower your daughter, because I this is so heartfelt for me cause I feel the same way, especially for young people. She's 13 to take advantage of social media in a way that's so positive. And I mean, she's already talking about her future and how much she It's obvious how much she loves it. So what is what is that like in your relationship and how you're growing as a business? No, Larry, you want? Do you want to ask? You feel comfortable answering? I have to think about this one, I think, since my mom has been supportive since the very beginning, even though the beginning, I just drew for fun. She always supported me until now, and she I know that she will support me later on, and so that definitely encouraged me to do what I do. I think it's the kind of fun relationship Think about how many moms actually would rock help running their kids. A columnist. Oh, by the way, somebody common. And don't forget your reply. You have a direct message. Go check in. That's that's We have a kind of very interesting communications here, and I'm agent I'm her publicist. I'm everything accounts you have is called vegan Sundays, so I won't know. How does Cookie feel about his vegan diet? He's not bigger. He's not gets the organic food, but it's a normal dog food. But well, when we tried toe, actually to do with this begin fun days account is to inspire people to eat healthier and Ben The Post pictures off fruits and vegetables. But they're cats. Kevin Father, obviously, especially family and kids. They get attracted to that. Oh, I want to have this apple. I have. I want to eat banana. I'm such a big friend of holistic lifestyle. So that's what's my idea. Off. Inspire people in a positive way without preaching and saying how important it has to like you'll diet, then your good nutrition. That's that's what the idea. Yeah, and Cookie does. Cookie does drink those green smoothies that you put down G. He's Matics. He's a French movie addict. He never with the kitsch chair if he doesn't get Christmassy. So when I just if I'm there to see the juice, are my I do with my lyrics, my smooth there's he's there. She hears this noise and he sits on my kid and she won't move until he gets his prints. Movie. So it's a It's so funny That is so funny. So I want to ask you about the themes, because I see a lot of themes that you use, especially around the holidays. And so, outside of the holidays, is there a purpose to the theme or are you thinking the season of the year and holidays, or are there certain dog holidays that we need? T. You know, share that that you work your theme around as you're creating these little vignettes and stories? Yes, yes, absolutely. It's an interesting thing. I'm not sure about the other count, but in the pat community you have much more chances to be featured a bigger count like big picture cons. If you created this theme, so obviously been my Halloween costume, I have a chance to be featured that somebody like Buzzfeed or Martha Stewart will notice me and, uh, well situated. So obviously, if you thinking about if you want to be promoted and future, you should absolutely think off those big holidays on Create some nice for a short of that absolutely have much bigger chance to bit be called it. So when you started this account with Cookie, did you think that this could happen? Were you planning on this? Was this all organic growth with your passion for photography? No way. I had no idea. It was just a fun the count, like posting pictures off. You just gotta pop you a lot of moved from Germany to New York. So she moved two years ago from Germany to New York. And that's what's it like, an adventure. So and I wanted to spend time with them War and, you know, just collect those calories. That's what it iss that wasn't anything special. I was not thinking off any huge promotion or anything. No, no. Do you have any plans for the future? Are you thinking ahead? Oh, yeah, I have. I had a few collaboration, like, I hope that you'll still happen. And I, um I'm not sure, but you know how it is on. And my dream is actually essentially we have a book like anybody else. Everybody would she look so I hope at some point, I don't know if it's a any publisher. Oh, I will publish it myself. Kickstarter. I won't be ableto release a book. Yes, I think from someone watching They might make that happen for you because this is really yes. We got a lot of one of the authors online too, And I'm sure they'll be looking for advice from that as well. So I'm really just a final question here to wrap. Do you have any final thoughts for photographers who are starting out on instagram? Um, well, I don't think that the photography has to be all taken with the professional camera, because Laura personal com should take still pictures his IPhone. You can take beautiful pictures with IPhone, so I don't think it's necessary. Sexually mixed life More complicated. We just started is like this. So take beautiful pictures. Uh, well, it I think it's important, and it should become sister. Still, if your style so whatever you pick. And even if you mix it, it should have your style so people don't recognize. I remember that feed and I want to come back. I want to see you. I want to see a new post because it's so inspiring. Uh, people, what should really want to follow you without you trying to force that ones that please fall. Right. Well, I love that you both four nautical shirts. Of course I noticed that That strike. I know you dio connection with you. I know you do. Thank you so much for taking the time to be here. Thank you so much. Oh, my goodness. Don't you just melt looking at this stock. That s so I know that the dog weighs £11. It's a tiny little puppy and and she is drawing that picture. She's so talented. That was great. It was really great. Yes. What question? Do you know how often they give a shout out to their other accounts? Like, if you I mean, it's not frequent because I've been following them for a long time. I think Rachel brought my attention to them. We wake up to pumpkin and sunshine, and how could you not have a happy day when you look at this account? Um and so it's no surprise to me that they grow the way they do, but she is very careful about promoting and promoting her other two accounts where she generates revenue from. You heard her say? I mean, she is a photographer. She is making money, She does product shots, and food is her space, which he mainly does those product shots. And then you heard her talk about her health and wellness, and that's all feed into Cookie and the pictures and then the other accounts. So they shout outs to her daughter or very soft spoken because her daughter doesn't have time, as you heard to be drawing and getting commission on her art. But she clearly likes it. And if you peek at her account, her talent is phenomenal. So all three of those accounts are just amazing and very inspirational for any photographer or artists out there watching. We got a really interesting question here that I would really like to just address. Now correct. This is fascinating, is in a way, Grace sort of touched on this, and you certainly did, because he was saying, You got into instagram through your kids and through you through your daughter's. So this questions coming, saying, First of all, I love, love, love this class. Thank you soon saying, This seems to be, though Instagram is a place geared for millennials, and this is being reflected by the majority of the guest. Do you think it's also a place, though, for those those are so way past that age range who may not necessarily speak that language? Yes, So I think the millennials, really they were born into their phone, so they know how to use them and they're comfortable on it. And and so you learn from them. I mean, that's what I've done and you embrace it and you follow them because I really think teenagers, air setting trends and opportunities, and that you need to pay attention. Um, yes, you're right. A lot of the guest I brought on are in their twenties or early thirties, and it's because they're very successful at doing it just comes very easy and natural to them. I think in general people 40 and older just struggle to figure out how to put yourself out there and promote yourself. Thes kids were doing Snapchats all day. I mean, there in front of their camera there, so comfortable being on a Google hang out because they do video calls and and they're comfortable with the camera. And also like, don't take my picture. I don't have makeup on. I'm not perfect like they're like, just take it, let's do it. And so I think the level of comfort gives them the opportunity. And I'm going to be bringing Lyla on later, who's 18 and my daughter. And I'm really excited to have her on talking about her passion very similar to Laura and how it turns into an opportunity. And I think a lot of people with a business just need to embrace that opportunity.