CHIC magazine...Issue 6 is available~

We are so excited for our friends at Chic Critique for the launch of Issue 6 of their magazine, CHIC.

Kelli France and her team have created a wonderful magazine for "women who love photography"...which is us! And did you know if you sign up to be a member of the Chic Critique Forum, you will get the digital magazine free in your inbox! 

I love reading this issue and seeing all the great articles from some of my favorite photographers (and fellow Savvy Sisters) like Laura Winslow, Kara May, Stephanie Piscitelli, Leslie Kerrigan, Jamie Schultz and Angie Warren. Love this issue...love this magazine...and love the generous and sharing hearts in the industry! 

Welcome back to the Savvy blog~ Kelli France

Today we welcome Kelli France back to the Savvy blog!
Kelli will be joining us again at the 2012 Savvy workshop and we are thrilled to have her back! She has been quite busy the last year creating a wonderful forum for photographers called Chic Critique along with the Chic magazine. Let's talk to Kelli...

Will you share with us how you started your career in photography?
When I was a little girl, I was fanatical about fashion and magazines because I wanted to be a supermodel.  I’d simulate the poses and ideas in fashion magazines with my hot-pink film camera from Kmart. In order to build my modeling portfolio, I went to modeling school. There I learned about posing in front of a camera, applying make up for headshots, interviewing skills, and walking on the runway. When I finally accepted that my legs were just too darn short to be a supermodel, I found myself behind the camera instead of in front of it.


Did you attend any workshops or seminars that made a big difference in your business?
I loved Jeff & Julia Woods’ workshop! It was super informative and a major a-ha moment.

What do you think makes your business stand out from the other photographers in your area? 
Video! I offer videography, make-up & hair with every session so that my clients look & feel like stars! However, we just moved to a new state this summer so I have to start all over which is not my fave. Those things should help though.


Who or what inspires you as a photographer?
FASHION! When I look at fashion magazines or go shopping, I get super excited to shoot.

What are your favorite subjects to photograph? 
Senior girls. My goal is to help them see their inside & outside beauty.

What are your favorite products that you offer your clients?
My clients love my video DVD’s, framed storyboards, die-cut frames & image boxes

We love your newest endeavor, Chic Critique. How did you come up with such a great idea for a forum?
It was one of those “Wouldn’t it be cool if..” ideas that has grown to be so much more! Our members get all sorts of goodies including Chic Magazine, What-to-Wear guides, free templates, quarterly kits, and access to our Celebrity Tutorial library & ChicTV exclusive interviews.

How do you manage to run several very successful businesses and be a mom to four little ones?
Well I guess I find comfort in chaos-ha! For realz though, it was my obsession/passion for photography & my laser-like focus that pushed me to make a life and a living doing what I love.


Do you shoot with Canon or Nikon?
Both! I use a Nikon d700 & a Canon Mark II for video

What's your Savvy indulgence?
Reading the fashion magazines or books piled high by my bed, shopping  & chocolate!

Will you share with us the proudest or most memorable moment of your career?
Speaking at the last Savvy Workshop, of course! It really was an amazing experience to be a part of.


Again, thank you for joining us at the Savvy 2012 workshop...can you give us a summary of what you will be speaking about and teaching the girls?
I’m so excited to teach! I’m going to teach the step-by-step ways to incorporate videography into your sessions so you can stand out!

 I'll also be teaching how to style sessions from start to finish and take creative control.

And finally, I’ll be sharing how to pose your clients to look like models during a live shoot.

France Photography Promo from Kelli France on Vimeo.

Red Carpet Week at Chic Critique

Have you seen the new look of Chic Critique Forum founded by Kelli France? Even Chic Critique's Facebook page looks fabulous!


Chic Critique offers Celebrity Critiques from some of the best photographers in the industry so that you can transform your images from weak to CHIC. To celebrate their gorgeous makeover, they are having "Red Carpet Week" this week with giveaways, freebies, and more!


They will be launching a CHIC magazine soon and you can enter their Cover Contest to win a Kelly Moore Bag!



Chic Critique also just announced this Exclusive Live Web Event:







BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE

decorating your walls~

Kelli France sent us images of her new wall with three gallery wrapped canvases...

we love these!

Thanks Kelli for sharing.

We also wanted to share with our readers some info on the workshop that Kelli {from Francypants Academy is hosting in October. I wish we could be there~ maybe next year!

joyeusc anniversaire~

The sweet and adorable Kelly France from Francypants Academy is offering Savvy readers a $10 gift card to the Francypants Template Store! We just love her and her french inspired site!

Check out the goodies..the gift card expires Sunday, August 8th, 2010.

Use the coupon code birthday.

An Office makeover

The Office Makeover by Kelli France

This was my office. I love my work but I HATED working in there. All the colors were dull and depressing. The clutter became chaotic. How can a girl be creative in a workspace like this? Although I ATTEMPTED to make it organized, I felt like the “stuff” was taking over the room and that the walls were coming in on me. You wouldn’t think your surroundings have that much affect on you but this room did. It totally effected every aspect of my life, including my creativity (or lack thereof) and my sense of control (or lack thereof). It was stressful just being in there. I wanted to make it a better but I felt it was silly to invest money in a room that hardly anyone else sees. But I see it. That’s the important thing. And so I changed it….drastically. I can’t tell you how much more HAPPY & PEACEFUL the *new and improved* office makes me feel. It is by far THE best investment I’ve made in 2010.

~Kelli France

{France Photography}
www.francephotography.com
www.francephotography.com/blog
www.francypantsacademy.com

To see more before pictures, visit the blog for Kelli France

baby love...

We love seeing the images of the barnwood flooring...here are two great images from Kelli France from Francypants Academy.

To purchase your flooring, click here.

top ten things...

Thank you Kelli France from Francypants Academy!

{trade show pics}

More from the workshop trade show...{there is much more to show}...so stay tuned. This is the booth from Francypants Academy run by the adorable Kelli France.

{the juicy on miss francypants...}

I know I'm making this hard to resist! The line up of wonderful speakers...the wealth of information...the fabulous location...the Savvy swag bag full of goodies worth over $1600...the sisterhood {my favorite part...imagine meeting more sisters than you ever knew you needed...and developing a friendship...a bond...our family reunions will be the ones everyone wants to be a part of...gotta love the sisterhood}...and did I mention the big ole binder full of information you will be taking home? Each speaker will have a section in the binder to share all their juicy details with you. We all know how hard it is to absorb all the information in two days...that's why we will pack it full of information {and inspiration} ...in one sweet spot...a Savvy Source.

I hope you all join us...we are making this an unforgetable experience for all.

You can register here...just in case you are wondering.

{yes...more juice tomorrow}

{free webinar tonight...check it out!}

I just wanted to let everyone know about a free webinar presented by Kelli France's on "The Power of Presentation: Why and how to leave a lasting impression with your clients". Webinar will begin tonight, Tues. Dec. 1st at 8 pm MST (9 pm CST) and lasts approximately 1 hour. All you need is your computer and its microphone or your telephone.
To register, please go to Kim Bear's blog (our awesome webinar host) at http://kimbearphoto.wordpress.com/ and click the "photoshop and photography" icon. It will lead you to a gotowebinar.com site and brings up the webinar for tonight. Just register and the info will automatically get emailed to you!

We are so lucky to have Kelli France as a speaker at the Savvy Sisterhood workshop! {to purchase your seat at the Savvy workshop...check out the post below...}

{what will you learn}

Yes...you can still get on the email list for early registration...email here... I have sent all of the test emails...if you did not get one {check you spam folder} then email me and get your name on.

***

I'm so excited to announce another fabulous speaker that will be joining us at the workshop! Let's welcome Kelli France from the Francypants Academy! Kelli has a wealth of information to share with us and we are thrilled to have her join the wonderful line up of speakers and workshop leaders!

Just a note for all of you not attending the workshop...I'm sorry for all the workshop talk! Promise to stop all the talk about it soon {it's no fun listening when you can't attend}. Maybe a giveaway is what you need...just to make up for the fact that you can't join us...I'll work on that and have it ready for tomorrow.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! This household had so much to be thankful for...some of our best friends spent the Holiday here visiting for a few days. It was perfect...all the kids playing...parents cooking...fireplace burning...couldn't have gotten any better. We are blessed.

meet {and greet} Kelli France...

Describe your style…

Romantic. Classy. Whimsical. Fun.

How long have you been a photographer?

About 8 years now.

When you’re not photographing, where can we find you?

Taking care of my 3 kiddos. Cleaning the house...sometimes.

What do you display...gallery wrapped canvases?

framed portraits?

I have a TON of gallery wrapped canvas's in my living room/sales room but I also have lots of storyboards and a cool wall display of 12 square float mounts above my couch.

What's your favorite product that you offer?

All of them! Dream Albums and Millers mini-accordian albums are my latest faves.

What's the biggest size image you have displayed in your home?

30x40

Where do you photograph? {clients homes? studio?}

Mostly in client's homes and outdoors

What’s been your best marketing idea?

When I did a "Model Search" that incorporated 3 children's boutiques. The winners got "styled" at the boutique closest to them and purchased the outfits! The boutique owners loved me because of it and the images were awesome because the models had on ROCKIN' ensembles! Got lots of high orders from those clients too!

Any marketing ideas that totally failed {and made you feel like weren’t meant to do this?}

I did some "Hot Mama" mini-sessions as a Valentines promo. I wouldn't say they "failed." They just weren't very profitable. It seems that women don't like to invest a lot of money on images of themselves compared to images of their children or families.

Do you proof online or in person?

I started out doing online sales but had a client call wanting to come over and place her order in-person

and the order was WAY higher.

I've been doing in-person sales ever since and find it the BEST

method for high sales!

What's Your...Savvy Indulgence?

My Kathy Van Zeeland purple leather triple-luxe belted shopper handbag (phew, say that fast 10 times!) Love it!

favorite thing in your closet?

SHOES!!! Lots and lots of shoes!

favorite thing in your camera bag?

My 50 mm 1.4

What camera do you use?

Canon 5D

Weakness in this business?

Simplifying things.

I'm very eclectic and can sometimes be all over the place.

Do you Twitter? Facebook?

Sure do! (Although I'm not as good at Twittering)

Are there any books that have inspired you

{or helped you} in your business?

The E-Myth Revisited was a HUGE revelation for me.

Totally changed the way I run my business!

Tell us about you...Married? How long? How many children?

I have been married for almost 10 years!!! I am turning 30 in December (yikes!) and have 3 kids ages 8, 6, and 2.

What are doing on a typical Friday night...

date night or family night?

Friday is "Fun Friday" where we have a family night with the kids and take them swimming (indoors) or get a movie and popcorn. Then Saturday is (for sanity purposes) date night- woot! woot!

Favorite family ritual?

Every night, at dinner, we pass around a "talking stick" (to avoid fights over who gets to talk) and it's so funny to hear what my kids have to say. Usually, it's about what they want to do for their birthdays.

If you weren’t a photographer, what would you be?

Well, I have a degree in Elementary Ed. but teaching is SO much work (for so little $) so I would probably be a supermom and an aerobics instructor (still workin' on being both of those things, regardless)

Tell us your proudest moment of your career…

When I opened up the recent November (2009) Professional Photographers Magazine to see one of my images in a Simply Canvas ad (of course, they asked for my permission first).

Tell us about Francypants Academy,

your online mentoring course?

Francypants is an online mentoring course for beginning and advanced photographers who want their images and their business to STAND OUT in a digital world. This course is really unique because you get one-on-one critique not only on your images but on your business practices as well. I believe that a successful business requires:

50% excellent images

50% brilliant business sense.

I strive to help you with both! I've been doing it for about a year now and have gotten fabulous feedback from my students:

"Francypants Academy was KEY in helping my business go from "nice friend with a camera" to "high end custom portraiture."

Kelli revealed all of her business secrets and did not hold anything back.

It was a great investment!"

~Melissa Englebright, Melissa E. Photography

***

Kelli is offering Savvy readers $50 off the Francypants Academy!

You must purchase by November 30th and to receive the discount, just mention the "Savvy Photographer".