Hello Storyteller Podcast

Hey Friends Well, summer's over.  Time to get back into the regular work schedule.  Which means more episodes coming! But we also want to talk about the dos and don't of being OR having a second shooter at a wedding.  Are you the primary and want a secondary?  Or are you looking to get into more weddings and being the secondary.  Well here's what you need to do, not do, and keep an eye out for with plenty of experiential examples. Thanks Friends!

Hey Friends! If you're not over on the Facebook Group, why not?  Every Tuesday we take questions from the community and give out real answers from our pros.  Questions from you.  Answers from us!  This time, we thought we would ready a few of those answers for the show.  So buckle in.  We're about to drop the knowledge. Here's your link to the community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/160841264572540 Bye!

Hey Friends! Whoa!  This is it!  The 100th episode of Hello Storyteller.  Wow.  Who would have thought we could make it this far?!? Amazing. We've alluded to it before, but this week we're going to give you the origin story for Hello Storyteller.  The whole thing.  From the Academy to the podcast to the people that make it all happen.   Thank you to our admins, our editors, our pros and creatives, and everyone else that makes this happen.  And especially our audience.  Thank you!

Hey Friends Passionate subject today.  As some of you may be aware, there are things that happen at weddings that really light your fuse.  But for the rest, here is a brief list on the things that can really ruin a wedding whether it's from a guest or a vendor.  So take this episode, this list, and this opportunity to talk with the wedding party, planner, or couple, and make sure that they know what you nbeed, what you're doing, and maybe nip a few problems in the bud. Bye Friends!

Hey Hey Hey it's time to talk about getting organized.  REEL organized.  Get it?  Yeah.  We're cool.  We're talking about memory card organization, Reel organization, instagram, and even touch on a little making money.  So check it out. Plus, we want to plug this handy dandy little device again because it is so great. The Hot Shoe Phone Tripod.  https://amzn.to/3btuPvh Thanks friends!  BYE!

Hey Friends This week it's all about summer.  Summer and then kids.  Summer, and the kids, and capturing those moments.  They're getting older.  Maybe wiser.  Definitely more annoying... kidding.  But you don't want to be stuck wishing you could capture more of those moments.  Get them now.  We reflect on what it's been like with the kids growing into their tween/adolescent years.  And how even we turn to the academy for tips and tricks about capturing summer in these awkward growing years. Be sure to check out the Capturing Adolescence course: https://hellostoryteller.com/product/capturing-adolescence/ over on the HS Website.  And it's time for Summer Bingo.  Head over to https://hellostoryteller.com/summer-blackout-bingo-contest/ for more information on rules on how to play. Have Fun and Welcome to Summer, Friends!

Hey Hey Friends Today we want to talk about Hello Storyteller Memberships and why you might want to consider getting one.  What is a membership?  What does it include?  Well... definitely listen to the episode and get the FULL details.  But here's a quick run down: 25% off all workshops and full elective courses 24 hour early access Direct Perks from Mentors, Pros, and Artists Big Tog / Little Tog Partner Program (WHAT?!?!) AND SO MUCH MORE!!! This deal is way too good so get in quickly! Bye Friends

Hey Friends Today we're going to talk more about getting that business going.  Welcome to part 3 of our passion to Profit series.  We want to talk more about the behind the camera stuff like finding the ideal client (and what that means) and customer relationship management (CRM) software. Then, we got a request to talk a little more about some of the other things you can do to make money like corporate gigs, school sessions, and even photo booths. Here's a link to the management software that we use for our own businesses as well as what the Hello Storyteller Academy runs on.  HIGHLY recommended. https://www.trysproutstudio.com/melissaortendahl Thanks Friends!

Hey Friends! It's that time again.  Rolling in to summer.  On the horizon we see family get togethers, trips, time outside, children.... so many things to bring the camera out for.  So we felt it's time to talk about some of the summer courses we have out AND a whole mess of courses that are coming over at the Hello Storyteller Academy!  Check 'em out! Currently Available Art of Location - (https://hellostoryteller.com/product/the-art-of-location-how-to-maximize-the-space-youre-in-with-melissa-ortendahl/) Photographer Checklist - (https://hellostoryteller.com/product/the-photographers-checklist-with-stephanie-schweitzer/) The Art of Underwater - (https://hellostoryteller.com/product/the-art-of-underwater-photography-with-erica-williams/) HS Kids - (https://hellostoryteller.com/product/hs-kids-4-week-photography-workshop/) Coming Soon 2022 Summer Collab Course - (https://hellostoryteller.com/product/the-summer-collab-2022/) Tween Collab (June 6th Presale) Watch Us Edit 4 (Coming Soon) Social Media Course New Family Photography - Melissa And be on the lookout for Sales and Bundles a Plenty! Make sure you sign up for the newsletter for all the info on specials and when these exciting new programs become available. Bye Friends!

Hey Friends! Today we really REALLY want to talk to you about the Hello Pro program.  This program really snaps my photos.... closes my aperture... flashes my bulbs? What we're trying to say is it is a great way for all of our listeners who want to take that next step with the Hello Storyteller group.  Becoming a mentor. Be an Artist. A Creative. A Mentor.  A Teacher. We want you to become a bigger part of the community (if you think you're ready for it), so we dive in to some of the steps and benefits of the Hello Pro program.  If you're ready, you can start here: https://hellostoryteller.com/hellocreative Bye Friends!

Hi Friends Sorry for the delay.  Mel finally got her voice back enough to record an episode.  Yay.  Today we're continuing the passion to profit series by talking about money math, customer experiences, and capping off with a list of photo things you can do that aren't just taking pictures of people for weddings or children. Be sure to check out The Legal Paige (https://thelegalpaige.com/) if you need some assistance with contracts, documents, etc.  And then we also talk about an episode we did on stock photography.  You can get that here: Episode 41 (https://anchor.fm/dashboard/episode/etjf4f) Stay tuned for Part 3!

Hey Friends Spring break is winding up and summer is just around the corner.  So we want to just take a moment and catching up with the kids.  How we make money off their bad habits... just kidding... kinda.  How we get past the travel grumpies. Some ideas for photographing them this time of year.  And general parent stuff.  We're putting the mom hats on. Also, listen in for a quick word from our very special guest Skipper! Thanks Friends!

Hey Friends It is with heavy hearts that we announce that this will be the final set of episodes for Hello Storyteller.  We wanted to get the last big message out there so we're doing a series called Passion to Profit that walks through the biggest steps, key points, and takeaways of turning your photography passion into a profitable business, just like we have.   JUST KIDDING! Well, sort of.  We're a little late to the April Fool's Party with some schedule juggling, but rest assured that the podcast is fine.  We're fine.  Everything is fine... here... now... thank you... how are you? So Strap In Friends!  This could be the most important series to listen to about photography. BYE!

Hey Friends! We're on a roll!!! This week we wanted to have a little fun with a This or That style game but rather than just SAYING this or that we're going to try and get the other's this.  Along the way we'll be offering some tips lighting, composition, and all that fun stuff.  So listen in! Thanks Friends!

Hey Friends Quick episode this week.  Spring is (almost) here and we're bringing you some tips, tricks, and tools you can use to get the most from your spring photography. We're talking presets.  We're talking lessons.  We're talking umbrellas.  Even a new course coming in on how to get the best video from your DSLR because video is king (coming soon)! Products mentioned in this episode: Sun Surveyor (https://profilmmakerapps.com/app/sun-surveyor/) Mastering Skin Tones (https://hellostoryteller.com/product/mastering-skin-tones-with-laura-froese/) Mastering Greens (https://hellostoryteller.com/product/mastering-greens-with-laura-froese/) Good Bye Auto.  Hello Manual (https://hellostoryteller.com/product/good-bye-auto-hello-manual-with-melissa-ortendahl/) Spring Bundle Presets (https://hellostoryteller.com/product/spring-bundle-hello-storyteller-preset-collection-by-megan-boggs/) Spring Bundle Presets: Editing (https://hellostoryteller.com/product/hello-storyteller-preset-collection-spring-editing-add-on-only/) Thanks Friends, BYE!

Hey Friends. Listen in as we talk more about the Creative Getaway.  Very VERY important stuff.  Not just for that desire to travel to exotic locations.  But that's fun too.  But also as a way to fuel the creativity inside.  But there are still ways to get the most out of these getaways that don't come from just jumping right in.  So whether it's pulling the right permits, previewing the location, INSANE weather or something else entirely, we're going to touch on some of the important things to think about in your next creative getaway. Here's that Åirbnb we talked about https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/45651412 Here is the dress company that we rented from: Dalliance Bespoke Dress Rentals Bye!

Hey Hey Friends This week we wanted to talk about branding.  What it is.  What it's for.  How to make the most of it.  And why that's important.  Your identity and visibility are very important when it comes to selling your photography or any small business.  It's part of how you can make your self seen and more identifiable.  Also make sure to stop by and check out Launch You Daydream and the courses we offer with them.  They can really help get that web identity JUST right. For an example of branding or if you're interested in the LYD courses, check out the links below.. Thanks Friends! LINKS: https://www.melissaortendahlphotography.com/branding-and-headshots#/ https://hellostoryteller.com/product-tag/launch-your-daydream/

Hey Friends Today we want to talk about changing focus within your business.  We've previously done an episode on pivoting during lockdown and this is a bit of a continuation of that.  But it could also be thought of as growing.  or changing focus.  or pivoting.  You know what we mean. We get to talking about some of the changes that have happened for our individual businesses.  The growth of the Hello Storyteller Academy.  And why it's important if you're kinda having the same thoughts over and over, then maybe you might want to jump in to that pool.  The water might not be as cold as you think. This all got started because of last week's episode with Gina Yeoh.  So if you haven't checked that out: https://anchor.fm/dashboard/episode/e1ee6vf And here's our previous episode on pivoting: https://anchor.fm/dashboard/episode/euq4o5 Bye Friends!

Hey Friends We're really excited this week to welcome back Gina Yeo.  She is an amazing landscape photographer living in the Canadian Rockies.  What better backdrop is there? She's going to walk us through some fo her history, her tips for getting those amazing landscape manual shots, and then a bit of how you can follow up and learn from her directly.  SO EXCITING! You can find Gina on her website at https://www.ginayeo.com/ or follow her on Instagram at https://instagram.com/ginayeo_photography. Bye Friends!

Hello Friends. We've all been there, right?  Someone has said something about our art or product or person... and maybe it's not all unicorn rainbows... so now what?  Well that's what we wanted to talk about today.  What we do with and about feedback is very important.  Individually, we're all different and will process it how we do, but we wanted to offer a healthy look at where that criticism might be coming from and a few different things that can be done with it. It's not always easy.  But it's something we're going to experience a lot.  Especially as creatives. In other news: We may be in your town or near to it.  So reach out if you want to do a shoot or get creative and we can see if we can make it happen. Bye Friends