Welcome to another of our hugely successful Feature Friday articles - today we're going to be featuring Samantha Jones from Samantha Jones Photography.
Hi Samantha, thanks so much for taking the time out to talk to us today - can you tell our readers a little more about you and your company? My company is Samantha Jones Photography - I decided to use my own name as I believe that my clients are buying "me" rather than a generic studio. I am based in Faversham, Kent and don't actually have studio which is one of the reasons that my prices are so competitive. My main business is wedding photography throughout Kent, Surrey and Essex but I also very much enjoy family portraiture. I have a small home studio set-up which can fit into the smallest of lounges!
I was working as a legal PA in London for nine years, commuting four hours per day to and from work. The opportunity came up to take voluntary redundancy and I seized it, knowing that my real passion is for photography and working with people to create beautiful images that they will cherish.
What do you love most about your business?
I love the fact that I am my own boss and that no one day is ever the same as the next. I have met some wonderful people during my first year in business, attended beautiful weddings and celebrated the birth of many babies.
What would you like to change?
I would particularly like to change the perception that anyone with a digital camera can be a wedding photographer. I am finding recently that brides are trying to economise by asking a friend of the family, who has a decent knowledge of photography, to take their photographs. And then, afterwards, I hear that they are not really very happy with the pictures and regret their decision. That is one of my main reasons for offering "Rock the Frock" sessions, which are becoming much more popular now and involve getting back into your wedding dress and taking time to create beautiful and unusual shots which were not captured on the day of the wedding.
What is your aim for the next year?
I love living in Faversham and my aim for next year is to become "The Faversham Photographer". I would love to be in the situation that every bride who is getting married in Faversham or the surrounding villages books me for their wedding!
Where do you ultimately see yourself? I would very much like to be in the position to employ an assistant at each wedding as carrying the equipment and setting up group shots can be quite tiring and I would much rather have the energy to be more creative. My ultimate aim is to be booking twice as many weddings as in my first year of business and then to expand accordingly.
What are your Top 5 tips for new Business Women?
Tip 1 Never be too proud to take advice, you don't always have to act on it but you can learn so much from those already in business.
Tip 2 Invest in proper branding and promotional materials and don't do it on "the cheap".
Tip 3 Attend courses and seminars which are applicable to your new business. Understand the power of social media, such as Twitter and Facebook and understand its strengths for your business.
Tip 4 Embrace your competition and meet up regularly to discuss ideas and concepts.
Tip 5 Don't give up ... be proud of what you have already achieved and always look to the future.
How can any prospective client contact you?
I can be contacted via my website at www.samanthajonesphotography.co.uk or I can be emailed at sam@samanthajonesphotography.co.uk - I'm also on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Faversham-United-Kingdom/Samantha-Jones-Kent-Wedding-and-Lifestyle-Photographer/25818384150 or they can Tweet me at http://twitter.com/SamanthaJones68
Great post Samantha and fantastic tips. Thank you for sharing x
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