Here are the answers to last week’s Q&A.  Hope everyone had an excellent weekend. I am thoroughly enjoying these last days of summer . . . although, I live in LA, so it’ll probably be hot for another couple months.

1. Amy M.: For a new business – how would you recommend using social media to extend awareness and client base?

Share your work. Constantly update to keep people engaged. Interact with others. Set up a blog or vlog and create new content at least once per week. Promote valuable posts on Facebook. LinkedIn too if you want. Know where your clientele is. I have a lot of corporate clients who are not creatives, so they look are more likely to look on LinkedIn and Yelp for photographers compared to Instagram.

Submit your work to be published on other blogs like Style Me Pretty or Green Wedding Shoes.

Here are some additional tips for using Social Media!

2. Joo K.: Can you give some tips on improving image quality? When I edit pictures in Photoshop they look fine but when I upload them to Facebook or Flickr the quality looks like crap.

Unfortunately there is not much you can do about image quality on Facebook or Flickr. Both sites downgrade photo quality, and it seems to be worse now than it was before. Sometimes I’ll boost the clarity and saturation of a photo if I know I’m posting it to Facebook. It looks crazy in Photoshop or if I were to print it, but on Facebook it slightly makes up for the poor quality.

3. Sophia L.: When will you start doing your workshops?

In November. Stay tuned for details! I will post them on Facebook as well as on my blog.

4. Christina W.: Did you develop your branding yourself or did you have someone help you?

I had a general idea of what I wanted and then Irena from In A Card came up with the specifics. She’s great! Call her for all your design needs.

5. Mikey L.: Is there a good angle to avoid a double chin showing up in photographs?

Angle from up above. Double chin or not, that angle is more flattering in general.

6. Christina W.: Do you have a set number of weddings you do a year?

Quality is very important to me, and for that reason I don’t shoot more than 2 weddings per month. There was one summer when I was pumping out weddings every weekend, and quickly learned that I am not that kind of photographer. I was getting backed up with editing and had my mind on the last wedding right up until I had to shoot the next. I felt burnt out and couldn’t spend as much time with each client. 2 weddings per month works well for me.

7. Suu K.: Do you always carry your camera with you every time you go out? If yes, what is your favorite lens?

I do not, but whenever I bring it out for recreation I put the 50mm1.2 lens on.  When I don’t have my SLR with me I take pictures with my iPhone.  It takes great photos.

8. Naomi G.: How do you work with natural light?

If possible, I choose optimal times of the day to shoot. Lighting is best during golden hour.  If it is sunny and lighting is harsh, I look for shade. Look for natural reflectors like a light colored building or cement where the light is bouncing off If it is overcast, then you can shoot any time.

9. Naomi G.: How do you deal with cranky clients?

You do what you can do and then move forward. It’s important to try your best to make the client happy, but to also stick to your boundaries. Sometimes, if someone isn’t happy, they just aren’t happy and there is nothing you can do about it. It’s something that I have learned to accept.

10. Jamie G.: Photographing weddings and other events has taken you around the globe. Of all the places you have shot at, which is your favorite and why? What about that location has been inspiring for your photos?

French Polynesia. Bora Bora in particular. That place is hands down one of the most magical places I’ve ever seen. Turqouise water, quiet, pristine. It is impossible to take a bad picture there! The stars at night are out of this world. I’ve never seen anything like it.