The Art of ‘Becoming Famous’

I was just on a call with a digital marketer and we were chatting about the struggles entrepreneurs have with building their personal brand. I mentioned it was ‘becoming famous’ which quite honestly scares the crap out of most people!

I know myself getting in front of the camera is one of the hardest things to do and promoting yourself is even harder!

What if I make a fool of myself?
Who am I to do this?
How do I come across without all of the ego?

All very valid thoughts, but…. they are all fear-based!

If you’re not getting in front of the camera, showing up at networking events and putting yourself out there for people to see you, nobody is going to know who you are! You’ll be the world’s best-kept secret!

If you’re hiding behind stock images and inspirational quotes – STOP RIGHT NOW!

If you want to have a voice you need to also have a professional personal brand, and that means fresh, original content and images.

If the idea of ‘Becoming Famous’ scares you, you are not alone, but if you can break through that fear and start using images of yourself in your marketing – that will be what sets you apart from everyone else.

Think of your Personal Brand as your Unique Selling Proposition (or USP as it’s known in the marketing world). Nobody has your outlook on the world, your incredible insights or your life knowledge so use that to your advantage. Be your authentic self and play a bigger game!

I help my clients to feel confident in front of the camera and step into their power!

By telling your unique story you are not only connecting with your audience on a deeper level, but you are getting them to know and trust you as the go-to expert in your industry.

Brands are built on familiarity. The more people see your name and your face the more they will think that they know you. How many Facebook friends have you got but never met?
You follow their stories, you may occasionally comment and then one day you run into them in real life! #IRL
Don’t you feel like you’re already friends? Isn’t the ice already broken and the conversation flowing? Imagine what that could do for your business?

Get noticed as a confident and inspiring leader professional, high-end digital content that tells your unique story.

The more you put yourself out there, the more opportunities will come knocking!
Don’t be the world’s best-kept secret!
Invest in your personal brand!

If you need help building your personal brand check out our Personal Branding Packages.

By leoni|May 9th, 2019|helpful info|

Choosing a Personal Branding Photographer

With the rise of so many entrepreneurs Personal Branding Photography has become a necessity for anyone wanting to start or build their business.

People buy from people, and you need to build the Know, Like, Trust factor with your clients.

First impressions are everything and even if we don’t know that we are doing it, we will all judge someone within seconds of meeting them (or seeing them online).

Personal Branding Photography is a crucial element creating your brand, just like a great website or logo. It is critical that you get this right or you’re audience won’t resonate with what you are trying to say. The images we use have the greatest impact on our audience and we need to ensure they are telling our authentic story and are on brand.

When you’re investing in your personal brand it’s essential that you get it right.

Here are my few tips on choosing your Personal Branding Photographer:

Make sure they see and understand your vision and can tell your story
Make sure you connect with them and they make you feel comfortable
Can help you achieve the polished look you’re after by making you feel confident and look amazing!
They are creative and can think outside the box
Is able to work to your requirements – What does your website need, do you need negative space for text, do you need to be facing a certain way, do you need to be able to cut them out easily and repurpose them.
Can assist with how to create and repurpose your content.

branding photographer

_EO_8747_1

Personal Branding Photography is not just about headshots. You audience wants a little insight into your life and your business. Show what you do on a daily basis, where you live, where you work from. Your customer wants to see what you value as well as what you do. You need to create a suite of personalised images that tell your story. Think about how you can repurpose your content across your print, web and social media. Do you need content for Instagram, infographics, Pinterest, blog posts?

These are just some of the key areas you want to consider when creating a library of images that you can pull from any time you need it:

Linkedin
Profile Photos
Email footer
Slide Stacks
Website – about me
Social Media Posts
Events (networking, workshops)
Sales Pages and Funnels
Media Kit – what happens when you get asked to speak at an event last minute or have a piece in a magazine. If you have your suite of images ready you won’t be stressed about getting something done last minute. Just email it through!

If you want to have a chat with me about your requirements you can book in a Branding Clarity Review

If you want to get my tips on building your social media influence, you can download my DIY Social Media Toolkit

By leoni|September 10th, 2018|commercial, helpful info, portraits|

Leoni Bolt Photography is committed to providing quality services to you and this policy outlines our ongoing obligations to you in respect of how we manage your Personal Information.

We have adopted the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (the Privacy Act). The NPPs govern the way in which we collect, use, disclose, store, secure and dispose of your Personal Information.

A copy of the Australian Privacy Principles may be obtained from the website of The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at

What is Personal Information and why do we collect it?

Personal Information is information or an opinion that identifies an individual. Examples of Personal Information we collect include:names, addresses, email addresses, phone and facsimile numbers.

This Personal Information is obtained in many ways including interviews, correspondence, by telephone, by email, via our website from your website, from media and publications, from other publicly available sources, from cookies and from third parties. We don’t guarantee website links or policy of authorised third parties.

We collect your Personal Information for the primary purpose of providing our services to you, providing information to our clients and marketing. We may also use your Personal Information for secondary purposes closely related to the primary purpose, in circumstances where you would reasonably expect such use or disclosure. You may unsubscribe from our mailing/marketing lists at any time by contacting us in writing.

When we collect Personal Information we will, where appropriate and where possible, explain to you why we are collecting the information and how we plan to use it.

Sensitive Information

Sensitive information is defined in the Privacy Act to include information or opinion about such things as an individual’s racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, membership of a political association, religious or philosophical beliefs, membership of a trade union or other professional body, criminal record or health information.

Sensitive information will be used by us only:

• For the primary purpose for which it was obtained

• For a secondary purpose that is directly related to the primary purpose

• With your consent; or where required or authorised by law.

Third Parties

Where reasonable and practicable to do so, we will collect your Personal Information only from you. However, in some circumstances we may be provided with information by third parties. In such a case we will take reasonable steps to ensure that you are made aware of the information provided to us by the third party.

Disclosure of Personal Information

Your Personal Information may be disclosed in a number of circumstances including the following:

• Third parties where you consent to the use or disclosure; and

• Where required or authorised by law.

Security of Personal Information

Your Personal Information is stored in a manner that reasonably protects it from misuse and loss and from unauthorized access, modification or disclosure.

When your Personal Information is no longer needed for the purpose for which it was obtained, we will take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify your Personal Information. However, most of the Personal Information is or will be stored in client files which will be kept by us for a minimum of 7 years.

Access to your Personal Information

You may access the Personal Information we hold about you and to update and/or correct it, subject to certain exceptions. If you wish to access your Personal Information, please contact us in writing.

Amanda Ramsay Makeup and Beauty will not charge any fee for your access request but may charge an administrative fee for providing a copy of your Personal Information.

In order to protect your Personal Information, we may require identification from you before releasing the requested information.

Maintaining the Quality of your Personal Information

It is important to us that your Personal Information is up to date. We will take reasonable steps to make sure that your Personal Information is accurate, complete and up-to-date. If you find that the information we have is not up to date or is inaccurate, please advise us as soon as practicable so we can update our records and ensure we can continue to provide quality services to you.

Refund and Exchange Policy

Policy Updates

This Policy may change from time to time and is available on our website.

Privacy Policy Complaints and Enquiries

If you have any queries or complaints about our Privacy Policy please contact us at:

Bolt Studioz

3/6 Bunya Park Drive

Eatons Hill 4037

mail@leoniboltphotography.com

+61 416218161

By leoni|May 29th, 2018|helpful info|

5 tips for getting great Christmas photos this year.

Christmas is a time of year when friends and family have the opportunity to spend time together where most of us lead such busy lives these days.
While it’s great to get those social media shots that show everybody having a great time, we all know that’s not the reality.
Be the star of the day and capture all of the those precious moments, from the kids unwrapping their presents to an elated Grandma holding her grandchild. Be the one that can give the whole family the gift of those memories.
pexels-photo-76931

Christmas Day photography tip #1

Paint with Light

Professional photographers will tell you that the most important element to getting a great photo is great lighting.
We all know the kids will be up before the sun checking under the Christmas Tree to see what Santa has brought for them, so think ahead about your lighting.
Natural light is always the most beautiful so if you’re lucky enough that the sun is shining open up the curtains. Have the light coming in from the side rather than from behind.
If you do need to use a flash, it is always more flattering to bounce it off the roof or a wall than to shoot straight on. This prevents faces being too bight and harsh shadows.
Christmas lights!! Play with them! See if you can capture those colours, shoot through them or capture the tree through the window. It can be exciting to get some fun photos incorporating the Christmas lights.

Tip #2

Details
enjoy-Christmas-with-friends-and-family

Think like a wedding photographer – capture all of the details of the day. Capture the decorations being put up, the meals being prepared, the guys around the bbq, the table setting, the presents, the water play.

Tip #3

Point of View

Have you ever noticed in the movies how the best angles are the point of view of somebody else, or coming from a different perspective. Photograph from everywhere except where you would be naturally. Kids opening presents? Lie down on the floor or stand on a chair looking down. Food prep in the kitchen? Get down on the bench with the knife working away in the foreground. If you have aperture and macro settings play with them. Low apertures (f2.8, f4) will have the background drop off quickly from the subject. Want to capture all the scenery – bring it up to something higher (f11) If you’re taking a group shot bring it up to f8 to ensure everyone is in focus, but still try and get everyone as close together
Stocksy_christmas-dinner_805419-58a70b093df78c345b675b1d Jeff Wasserman/Stocksy United

Tip #4

Avoid a double chin

Want to make sure you look great in every photo? Never stand straight onto the camera. Push your neck out like a turtle. Out and down. This prevents a double chin and still creates a shadow under your chin making you look slimmer.

Tip #5

Get a great group photo

When you’re trying to get everyone together for a group photo, the trick is to get them all in as close as possible. Have everyone turn slightly to the middle and put their weight on the back leg. If you need to create layers due to the amount of people in your photo, try to keep everyone’s faces as close to the same plane as possible i.e if your were to stand to the side they would all be in on the same line.

We hope these tips help you to get some fabulous photos this Christmas!! We hope you get to be in some of those photos too!

If like me you never end up in the photos yourself you can always book a session with us to be sure you can be part of the memories too!

Even professional photographers have to hire other photographers sometimes!
We are currently running a special on Gift Vouchers at 40% off for Christmas. So if you would like something to hang on the wall with everyone in it, or you think somebody else might like it as a gift, you can grab them on our site here.
Christmas Gift Vouchers

2015-Christmas-picture-2
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

From the team at Bolt Studioz xx

By leoni|December 7th, 2017|helpful info, portraits|

Leave a review and receive a free 8×12 print from your session

We love it when you share your experience with us with the rest of the world!

Please leave us a sparkling review and we will send you an 8×12 print of your choice from your recent photography session.

Valued at $68

thank you print

By leoni|February 12th, 2016|helpful info, Recent Photo Opportunities|

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By leoni|October 12th, 2015|helpful info|

Have wedding expo’s had their day?

I know this is going to be hot and potentially heated topic among wedding suppliers and vendors, but it has to be said.

Have wedding expo’s had their day? This year in particular it has been noted across the board that numbers at wedding expo’s are down, and not just by a few brides, but by hundreds in some cases.

Why is this? Are we becoming a society totally reliant on the internet. Do we not feel the need to meet those people that are going to make your dream wedding day come true, and see the products they supply up close and personal? Are we solely relying on the referrals of our friends (or Facebook friends?). Isn’t it important that we meet and get along with those people like your celebrant or your photographer, that will make or break your day?

The expo’s I have attended recently, that most wedding vendors spend a fortune to set up and promote themselves, have definitely been on the verge of why bother? I especially feel sorry for the florists that bring along so many fresh flowers, and the cake decorators that spend days baking beforehand. Not to mention the person that just let a dozen doves fly into the air for all of 3 spectators!

Being a photographer I know I am in a totally saturated market. Every person with a good camera is a photographer these days, and everyone always has a friend or a cousin that can do it for them. If you’re on a tight budget, I understand – I’ve been there myself. But more and more I’m hearing of people finding businesses on Facebook and then finding out they are not legitimate businesses or that they are using photos of other peoples work to get noticed, which is not only immoral but completely illegal. Who do you trust? How much research do you actually do?

My question is, where is the market taking us? Is there a need for something new and exciting? Where do you go to get your information and find the wedding vendors that are a perfect fit for you? Because even though that person was recommended on Facebook or some other social media site doesn’t mean they are the right fit for you and your partner. It just means they probably sit on Facebook all day.

Is anyone else reading this in Carrie Bradshaw’s voice? Thanks for reading my Sex in the City style rant! lol.

I would love to hear your thoughts!

Leoni

By admin|October 2nd, 2014|helpful info, Recent Photo Opportunities|

Newborn and Maternity Photography Sessions

Newborn and Maternity Photography Sessions by Leoni Bolt Photography

Bringing another life into this world is one of life’s amazing miracles, full of wonder and excitement. Creating a new life inside of your growing baby belly you emanate a glow that only a pregnant woman can enjoy. As you embark on the journey of becoming a parent let us help you to capture those memories so that you may cherish them for the rest of your lives.

We have designed a couple of specialised packages to celebrate these special moments. Of course you are welcome to design your own package from our Al a Carte price list or add additional items to your package.

BLOSSOM COLLECTION

The first year of a child’s life involves so many milestones as they grow from a little bump in mum’s belly through to a little person of their own. This first year flies by so quickly we often wonder where our baby has gone! Let us capture some of these amazing moments for you to keep and share.

The Blossom Collection consists of sessions:

Maternity session
Newborn session
6 month session
12 month session including cake smash

Maternity Session

As your excitement grows from the anticipation of the arrival of your little bundle of joy, so does your gorgeous belly! It’s an emotional time for parents, and a time to bathe in the glow of pregnancy and the love of becoming a parent. You can share this session with your partner and if you have other children they are welcome also.

The maternity session can be done in the privacy of your own home, on location or in the studio, depending on where you feel most comfortable your preferred style of photo shoot. In the studio (which can also be set up in your own home) we will use studio lighting to accentuate your bumps and curves and can create some really artistic photos. Outside is more of a lifestyle, fashion style session celebrating life!

Ideally your maternity session should be taken in your last trimester and preferably by 38 weeks.

Newborn Session

Newborns are best captured within the first 14 days of their lives, when they are at their sleepiest and most content (most of the time – although not all babies get the memo). Newborn sessions are generally between 2-4 hours in length, as they require feeding, cuddles and attention throughout to keep them happy and sleepy. Be sure to bring along any little outfits, blankets or stuffed toys that you want to include.

6 Month Session

This is generally around the time when bub starts sitting up and getting around and being a little more active. They have started laughing and playing and are turning into little personalities. Feel free to bring their favourite toy and be prepared to be a little silly to make them laugh!

12 Month Session

By now you have a very active little person,that loves to get into things. A cake smash is a great way to give them something tactile and fun to do and to capture their joy and amazement as they explore the tastes and textures.

Pricing

What would you expect to pay for a whole year of memories? Well at just $350 per session, you can get a lifetime of memories!

Each session includes

up to 2 hour session in the studio or on location
Your viewing session appointment
3 art mount prints to put into your portfolio collection box set (included)

By admin|August 1st, 2014|helpful info, Recent Photo Opportunities|

Testimonials

TESTIMONIALS
We could not be happier with our photographer. Leoni produced the most spectacular wedding photos – she really has an amazing eye for detail, and makes the most of the conditions of the day. We found it so difficult to pick our favourites photos – they are all so beautiful!

Shelby & Steve

Leoni was an amazing photographer. She listened to all of my personal requests and went above and beyond to deliver. I would highly recommend Leoni to any brides looking for beautiful photographs to last a lifetime.

Jess & Kahu

Leoni captured the essence of our entire wedding day – from me wielding the cake knife and my husband cutting loose on the dance floor to the amazing bridal party photos and more traditional family shots. Leoni managed to do it all and was an absolute pleasure to work with!

Angela & Peter

We had some portraits taken of our little girl and they were fantastic! Leoni got some shots that were amazing because on the day we were a little worried that there would not be much to use. In the end the only problem we had was choosing which ones to use because there were so many beautiful photos. Highly recommend especially for any child photography!

Katie

I approached Leoni with a small idea of how I wanted my invitations photographed, she took my idea and made it into something much, much more. Wonderful photographs showing details of my work from a variety of angles. I would recommend Leoni to anyone seeking photography work of any kind.

Kijaro Invitations

Leoni is a fantastic photographer who I recommend to everyone. Leoni is incredibly versatile and captures amazing pictures that can be very traditional or quite unique. Leoni was able to take the most adorable photos of my pooch and travelled to various locations. She turned my pooch into a superstar!

Natara – Nat & Darcy

Very talented and professional with great ideas – very affordable too and would recommend her to anyone – thank you Leoni for a great shoot.

Jason

Fantastic photographer, very easy to work with! Very quick turn around!

Carly

By admin|June 11th, 2014|helpful info|

Maternity & Newborn Photography – what you need to know!

For those of you who know me, you may or may not know that I’m 38 weeks pregnant and am supposedly sitting around waiting for the arrival of baby number 2. If you know this much you would probably also know that the likeliness of me just sitting back and relaxing and not coming up with some new project that will consume a massive amount of time and energy is close to zero! Well your right I can’t just chill out and watch daytime tv – but instead I am focusing my energy into the newborns and pregnant mums that have come to see me recently.

Photographing baby bumps and babies that are just days old is so rewarding, as it is such a special time and oh so short!
Carrying around that pregnant belly or rocking your baby to sleep can sometimes feel like the longest journey, but once it’s over it’s just a distant memory, making way for all the new and exciting milestones to come. It is a really special part of a photographer’s job (and the reason why we love what we do!) being able to share those incredible moments and memories with you.

I want to share with you some hints and tips for your maternity or newborn photos that will get you prepared before you arrive at the studio.

Initially you may not feel like you want to get semi naked in front of anybody when you are considering maternity photography, and hey you don’t have to if you really don’t want to! There are many ways to show off that gorgeous baby bump and pregnancy glow, and you can always include your partner and/or other kids as well. Photo shoots out on location can be a very relaxed and free spirited way to get in touch with that maternal instinct, and in the studio you can really make magic happen with the help of lighting. We can also do a combination of both and I am happy to travel to you if you are more comfortable in your own home.

On location maternity photography

Ok I’m ready! So what do I need to know?
The best time to get your maternity photos done is generally between 32 & 38 weeks, depending on your personal situation. I have even photographed pregnant ladies at 20 weeks only to find out a few weeks later they have had complications and have been ordered to strict bed rest. 32-38 weeks means you’ll really have a bump to show off and hopefully your hands and feet haven’t started swelling (oh the joys of pregnancy!) Listen to your body and be sure to let your photographer know if you are uncomfortable or need to stop for a minute. Although you won’t be expected to perform any acrobatics, standing around in front of studio lighting can really have an effect on your unbalanced body. If you need to stop and have a break, sit down, have some water or go out for some fresh air. We don’t need you fainting during your photo shoot!
Maternity photography is really quite basic when it comes to what you need to get organised. The general rule is keep it plain. Maternity photography is all about your belly, and your natural glow, not about your fancy accessories or new lippy. If your in the studio plain black and white always works, in fact be sure to take both to give yourself more variety. If you have a white mens button up shirt bring that along too! There are always ways to use the draping of different materials to create different looks and textures and you can bring along any props such as teddy bears or blocks that spell bub’s name to include as well. Unless you’re outside on location you probably won’t need to choose other clothes, but flowing dresses or jeans and white tops are always a good place to start.

maternity tryptich

Of course after the maternity shoot along the comes the newborn, the anticipated bundle of joy that will change your lives forever!
One thing you need to be aware of with a newborn is that nothing ever goes to plan! Want to make a booking, but not sure of exact dates? Most photographers are very understanding and flexible when it comes to newborns. If you give them an approximate date they’ll be expecting your call once your baby is born.

Baby girl in a tutu

Newborns are best photographed within the first 2 weeks of their lives, when they are still new and fresh (and sometimes wrinkly and flakey – especially if they’ve been overcooked!). The main reason for this is that they should still be mostly sleeping, which makes it easier to capture their innocent sleeping beauty. To be able to achieve this you need to be patient! Sometimes a photography session with a newborn can take up to 4 hours, although we try not to do this to you as everyone especially the baby can get over it by this point! Depending on your baby, if they are sleeping pretty well through the night, mornings are easiest as they can be a bit more tolerant. We all know about the ‘witching hour’ come afternoon. Don’t know what I’m talking about? I’m sure you’ll find out soon enough lol!
Babies are best started off with a full belly, so feed your baby while the photographer is setting up or as you get there. Don’t worry we can wait – and we’ve all dealt with breastfeeding mums. While your feeding the baby, loosen his nappy to help get rid of excess marks – although any unwanted creases, blemishes and peeling skin can be retouched in Photoshop afterwards. Be sure to give baby a good burp after his feed, to keep them as content as can be. If you can pump breastmilk, of if baby is bottle fed have one on hand as it’s easier to settle a baby once in position with a bottle.
If you are having the photos done at home, don’t stress about the mess! You’ve just had a baby – we don’t care about the state of your house! Ideally if you are having the photos done at home find a spot close to the window as natural lighting tends to work best. Babies can get disturbed by too many flashing lights! The environment should also be reasonably warm as when you start peeling clothes off baby they won’t like it much, especially if it’s cold.
Sometimes the smell of mum can be a distraction too so it’s always good to have another set of hands if they are available.

baby girl holding mum’s ring

I have several packages on offer so that you can combine your Maternity and Newborn photo shoots as well as through the first year of your baby’s life. In the first year your baby will go from a precious little bundle to a crazy toddler – leaving you wondering where your baby has gone? Be sure to capture all of those special moments and finish the year with a bang with our new 1 yr old cake smash!

If you want to check out more of my work with babies and bumps head on over to this gallery: Maternity & Bubs

If you would like more information on my packages for mums & bubs send me an email:[contact-form-7 id=”152890″ title=”Contact form 1″]

By admin|March 6th, 2014|helpful info, portraits, Recent Photo Opportunities|

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