How to Setup Lightroom Catalog and Useful Keyboard Shortcuts

I wanted to share my best practices when it comes to setting up your Adobe Lightroom Catalog because I think it's very important to start off on the right foot when editing, backup and archiving your photos. Lightroom is an incredible photo editing program that has a ton of features which can become very overwhelming when you are first starting out. I have studied and mastered how I use Lightroom to edit my photos and I wanted to share with you how I prefer to setup my Lightroom Catalogs along with some of my favorite Lightroom Keyboard Shortcuts.

I will preface this post but saying that I wouldn't know anything about Lightroom if it wasn't for Jared Platt's Creative Live course Lightroom 101. I bought that course and watched it 3-4x's in a row to truly understand how to setup my catalog and edit my photos as efficiently as possible. I would highly recommend checking out his catalog of courses on Creative Live. I met him once at WPPI and thanked him for helping me and changing my editing workflow process from top to bottom.

How to Setup Your Lightroom Catalog

No. 1 - Create a NEW catalog for each and every job you photograph. Think of a Lightroom catalog as filing cabinet and your photos are the "files" inside. You want to keep all of the folders and files inside one filing cabinet at a time. If you were to keep all of your photos inside the same catalog, archiving and and keeping track of your "files" (aka. your photos) is going to become a hassle and you could get the dreaded question mark (Folder Missing Icon) inside of your catalog. To keep everything organized, I create a new folder for each client and create the same file set inside their folder which includes a Catalog, Images and Print folder. When I am done organizing, editing and exporting the images and have delivered them to my clients, I will archive them to my backup drives and within time, deleted them from my computer. If I were do this while only using one main catalog, I'm going to have a hard time keep track of all the photos that belong to each job. For me, it's peace of mind knowing that everything is in ONE place and can be easily opened, archived, and worked on anywhere without ever missing important photos. 

No. 2 - Turn on Automatic Backups and Write the XMP data for Each Catalog. After you've created your new catalog you should immediate turn on two important functions of Lightroom every single time.

It seems like a no-brainer but turning on Automatic Backup's every time you quit Lightroom is just a extra level of protection for your files. Sometimes catalog's get corrupted but if you've turned on this feature, you can simply go into your Catalog > Backups Folder and simply unzip the last saved backup and start working as if nothing happened. It's 100% worth turning on and takes only a few seconds to complete once you quit the program.

Open Lightroom > Go to the Lightroom Menu > Catalog Settings > In General Tab > Backup > Choose Every Time Lightroom Exits from the drop down menu.

When you are editing photos inside Lightroom (and hopefully your are shooting in RAW) all of the changes you make to the image don't actually touch the image. What's happening is the data is being written to the "sidecar" file which is the XMP file. The XMP data writes on top of your photo like a piece of vellum. It's only a layer that can be easily removed however, Lightroom doesn't automatically process these changes while you are working. Why? I have no idea so you have to tell the program to do this for you thus saving you time and energy if the program were to crash and you lost all your work. Nobody wants that!

Open Lightroom > Go to the Lightroom Menu > Catalog Settings > In General Tab > Metadata > Check the box next to "Automatically Write Changes to XMP". 

No. 3 - Build Your 1:1 Previews for every catalog - I'm sure you've heard of Smart Previews when importing your photos into Lightroom. It renders a faster preview of your image so you can edit faster BUT it's still not the fastest. It can still take time to render each image inside of Lightroom thus slowing down your editing time. Your images can look pixelated until Lightroom catches up and processes the file. I find that when I make the Smart Previews upon import, I still need to build my 1:1 Previews to have my images load instantaneously with absolutely no lag time. 

After your images have been imported successfully into Lightroom, select all the images in the Library Module. Next, go to Library Menu > Previews > Build 1:1 Previews. It will take a while for the previews to load so I will go make myself a cup of tea or respond to emails until the process has completed. Once it's done you are ready to edit your images without any rendering or lag time in editing. FINALLY!!

No. 4 - Keyboard Shortcuts - Oh my goodness, Lightroom has a million shortcuts that will become second nature to you the longer you use the program and sometimes they change them on you without warning, which is the worst! 

Keyboard Shortcut: SHIFT + R - REFERENCE VIEW
My favorite keyboard shortcut is the Reference View. You must be in the Develop Module (D key) for this to work. The Reference View creates a split screen inside the Develop Module for you to do a SIDE-by-SIDE edit without having to use the pop up window option anymore. Once it's selected, you can drag your Reference photo on the LEFT and on the right, you can edit and toggle between photos to match your REFERENCE image. It never moves until you drag and drop a new REFERENCE image to use. Seriously, it's the BEST shortcut ever for hybrid photographers like myself or anyone looking to match images. 

Keyboard Shortcut: SHIFT + F - FULL SCREEN MODE
I prefer to use my Lightroom screen to it's fullest capacity which means I do not want to see my menu bar (For Mac Users), my dock, the clock or any other apps while I am editing. So I love the SHIFT + F keyboard shortcuts. They allow me to toggle my screen from being able to see my menu bar, to completely hiding it. It's a great shortcut to help you max the screen space that you have.

There you have it! My favorite Lightroom Catalog tips and setup options I use just about everyday. I hope they were helpful and will save you time and peace of mind in the future. What are some of your favorite Lightroom Tips and Tricks? Any keyboard shortcuts you want to share? Please leave them in the comments below!

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3 Tips How to Avoid Client Negotiations About Pricing

Over in the Tea with Jainé Facebook group, I received a question about what to do when a potential client starts to negotiate about your prices while you are already in a meeting. Ummmm, can we say awkward? This person had two potential couples start to haggle with her at the very end of their meetings and she was beginning to feel discouraged. She wanted to know if I had any tips to help avoid this from happening again. Boy, do I! This is such a great topic that I recently posted my thoughts over on my Instagram IGTV channel and wanted to follow up with a more in-depth blog post. Here are my top three tips how to avoid awkward client negotiations about your photography prices.

No. 1 - Make Your Wedding Packages SIMPLE - I think the biggest "A-HA" moment for myself was when I started to reflect on what my couples were booking vs. what I was offering. When I first started out, I had several collections with all sorts of options that frankly, were VERY confusing. Every couple wanted something different and I was tired of making "custom collections" so I decided to update my wedding packages to what my couples really wanted and go from there. I created three collections and I made my base collection the minimum I needed to do my job of capturing a wedding from start to finish. This way, there would be no more negotiations about what to "take out" because there was literally nothing to take out. For myself, my base collection will always include 8 hours of photography, a second photographer and the digital files. Once I decided that this was the right formula for me, I built my next two collections on top of this base collection so when someone asks to take out the engagement session or remove the albums, I refer them back to the base collection. I will not remove anything items or services from the base collection because it's the minimum I need to do my job. I wouldn't take a job that wanted me to do less (unless it was a small wedding or elopement which would have separate pricing all together - see my note below). 

So, how do you do this for yourself? I would figure out what is the minimum you need to cover your weddings or events and start from there. It won't be the same as mine but knowing what your base collection is will stop clients haggling over your services because if they can only add-on, they won't be able to take anything away. 

Also, I would recommend having a different collections for the different types of weddings and events you photograph. If you specialize in small weddings and elopements, having different pricing for those types of events will alleviate the frustration of creating smaller collections from your full wedding day services every time someone inquires. If you are a destination wedding photographer, having separate collections for your destination and local weddings is a great way to minimize any type of price negations as well. Only send your potential client the pricing information for their type of event. 

No. 2 - Share Your Prices In Advance - I cannot stress this enough but no one, I mean, NO ONE wants to be surprised especially when it comes to talking about money. They want to know in advance how much your services cost (if not start at) and you should tell them well in advance to ever meeting them in person. As I mentioned in my blog post about Ghosting, one of the biggest reason people ghost you is because they have complete sticker shock. I strongly suggest listing your starting price on your website contact and investment pages. When I first reply to new inquries, I always reiterate my "starting rate" and I ALWAYS send my pricing guide before each phone call.

What should you do? I would create your own process where you will send clients your full collection guide prior to any phone call or meeting so they have time to read and review it. They'll be able to see your wedding packages, prices and be able to ask any questions specifically related to your prices during your meeting or phone call. No more awkward conversations about "asking for a discount" or "what can we do to lower the cost" when you are already in a meeting. Phew!

No. 3 - Get Comfortable With The Word "No" - I know, no one likes to be the bad guy and say "No" to a potential client but to be a successful business person, you have to learn to say the word "No" and for the right reasons. However, with that said, I do have a twist on the way you say "No" without really having to say it. When someone asks for something that I'm not comfortable doing or I don't want to "swap out" to lower the price, I always suggest something else that could possibly be a better solution and benefit both of us. How you ask? Let me explain...

Let's say someone is asking for a discount on an album and I already know that don't offer discounts on albums. How would I answer them? I would say is "Unfortunately, I don't offer discounts on my albums but if you choose to add and album to your collection, I would love to gift you additional spreads as my way of saying Thank You". I'm saying "No" but in a positive way and offering something of value to my client vs. taking money away from my profits. Offering your client something of value such as additional hours of coverage, more pages in their album, an engagement session, etc... is inherently more valuable to them then lowering your prices for your services.

Being able to confidently explain and defend your pricing will lead to less haggling and negotiations during your client phone calls and meetings. I truly believe streamlining your pricing structure for your photography services, being up front with your prices and able to politely (but firmly) say "No" is the best way to avoid awkward negotiations and book the perfect couples just for you.  

What are your thoughts? Have you ever had an awkward conversation about your prices with a potential client? What did you do? I hope these tips were helpful and I'd love to hear from you in the comments below. 

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Top 3 Tips How to Minimize Ghosting with New Client Inquires

Last week, I asked everyone in the Facebook group which topic they wanted me to discuss on the next on Tea with Jainé on my IG TV channel. I offered a few different topics but Ghosting clients was the clear winner. It's so interesting how people will just disappear after they've spent the time inquiring about your services but never follow up. Never heard of Ghosting? Well, let me explain!

The term "Ghosting" started in the dating world. Let's say you would start seeing someone, go out on a few dates, think everything was going fine and then out of nowhere they would disappear. Never to be heard from again. This Ghosting! It also translates nicely into the business world. Your a business owner, you receive a promising inquiry from a potential client and reply letting them know more about your services. You wait and wait for their response but they've disappeared into thin air and vanished just a like a ghost. Ghosting can be very frustrating and potentially upsetting, if you let it get the better of you, so I wanted to share my top 3 tips on how to help minimize ghosting with new client inquires. 

No. 1 - Be Transparent! When a couple begins to search for their wedding photographer, where is one of the first places they'll look after they've found you? Yep, your website. They'll browse your photos, read your "about" page, and if they've decided that they like you enough to inquire, they are going to want to know how much your services start at. F A C T. What do you do once you've found a top, or bag you like in a store? You look inside and find the TAG to see if you can afford it or maybe, sort of afford it, right? If you do not clearly list your starting price on your website, you are going to have a very high ghost rate because nobody likes surprises, especially when it comes to to money. The number one reason someone doesn't reply to your email, is probably because they got a bit of "sticker shock" after you've shared your pricing information with them. I would also stay away from the thought process of "I'll tell them my rates AFTER we've met", or "during our meeting", or "after our phone call". Honestly,  you are wasting everyone's time by "hiding" this information. Be transparent on your website and in your communications with your potential couples! I strongly believe that if you list your starting price on your website, on a few different pages (mine are located on my Contact & FAQ pages) your ghosting rate will decrease immediately. Couples want to know if they can afford you, so help them out!

No. 2 - Be Honest (with yourself) I know, it's tough to admit but you probably are not the only wedding photographer the couple has inquired with for their special day. They've looked online, asked their friends, family and co-workers for recommendations and luckily, you made the list. However, if they simply don't reply to you, please don't take it personally. It's taken me a long time NOT to get upset when a couple I really like and the venue I've dreamt about, didn't work out but hey, that's ok!! You can't be everyone's cup of tea! You have to focus on the wins and the positives in every single situation. Focus on the couple you DID book you, who is obsessed with your work, and cannot wait to have you be part of their day. Think of ways to make their experience with you even better so once the wedding is over, they'll be telling everyone about you! Look, rejection is apart of being a business owner and having a thick skin is necessary. Knowing in the back of your mind that couples are probably inquiring with a few different photographers will help keep your expectations in check AND more "ok" if they never reply.

No. 3 - Follow Up. Follow Up. Follow Up! Let's take a minute and think about everything we have to get done for today. Boy, it's a lot and I'm sure we have so much more on our never ending "to-do" lists. We are ALLLLLL sorts of busy these days and people have good intentions but then they don't follow up just for the sheer fact that life got in the way. A potential client will inquiry and then never respond. They actually might not be ghosting you, they might just really really busy. How do you know the difference? Follow Up! Not once, but twice!! I have found that following up twice works the best for me and isn't too much of an annoyance if they have really moved on. First, I'll reply to their initial inquiry and include my starting collections - again I'm reminding them what my services start at so there is no "shock" if they didn't see it on my website. Next, if I don't hear back within the first 48 hours, I'll send a quick follow up and make sure my email made it through their SPAM filters. You'd be surprised how often this still happens!! Last, if I haven't heard from them in another 48 hours after my second email, I'll send my own version of the "Magic Email". If you don't know what the "Magic Email" is, just do a quick google search to find out more. I simply send a final email letting them know that since I haven't heard from them, I'm going to assume they've hired another photographer and I'm going to be closing their inquiry and reopening the date on my calendar for future couples. I want them to know that I'm interested in talking with them but I also have other inquires and need to keep the date open if they aren't serious. My time is just as important and valuable as theirs and I don't want to waste either of them.

So, there you have it. Theses are my top 3 tips to avoid ghosted by potential new couples. For myself, my ghosting rate has decreased each year and I'm happy to say that just about everyone replies. So, will people really stop ghosting you? Probably not but I think implementing these tips and shifting your mentality a bit, will help you experience less ghosting and not take it personally.

I'd love to hear your thoughts about ghosting? How does it effect you? What have you done to minimize getting ghosted by potential clients? Let me know in the comments below!

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