Are your photos uninspired or lack creativity?
Do you have moments and realize that you don’t like your images and are tired of missing moments? There are few things sought after in photography other than the ability to remain creative in your craft. How do you have creative wedding photography?
How do you level up
In this episode on The Bearded Tog Podcast, I talk with Erika and Lanny Mann of Two Mann Studios. We dive into their creative wedding photography course that will carefully craft a learning experience that can change what you do.
Pandemic Struggles, Refunds, and Relief
Due to the pandemic, the Mann’s had to cancel their sold-out workshops and ended up refunding a quarter of a million dollars. Terrifying and relief are two words used by Erika to describe the emotion they felt with doing this. Terrifying due to the amount of money they refunded and relief because they were heading into the busiest three months of their lives. Not traveling to France, Europe, Mexico, California all within a month and a half allowed them to spend time with their children.
Before the crazy world of wedding photography, the Mann’s lived and breathed for outdoor adventures. The pandemic stopped their work, but they could get back to those roots and went on paddling trips, backpacking trips, and camping trips with their kids. Trips that would not or could not have happened in a pre-pandemic world. Erika said that her main goal now is to never get to that state again. She consistently reminds herself that they don’t want to go back there when she sits down to work.
Focusing on not missing boundaries and readjusting
Erika says that she realizes that they are in a privileged position to turn down doing wedding photography this coming summer. But the kids are off in the summer, and with their oldest only having four years left in school, they realize they only have four summers left to spend as a family.
It’s tricky setting boundaries as a couple working together. They do everything together; every vision and consequence affects them differently because it’s not just a solo-run business.
They did set boundaries a few years ago to 15 weddings, but they didn’t readjust. They started teaching, speaking at conferences, their kids are getting older, and the family’s needs changed, but they didn’t readjust their boundaries with each change.
Refunding a Quarter Million Dollars and Why
Clients who booked weddings with them rescheduled. The refund went to those photographers who signed up for their workshops. They couldn’t refund them all, but they refunded as much as they could.
The motivation from refunding a quarter of a million dollars, Erika said, is because they feel them. They understand that they lost all their work for an entire year. If the photographers who put down the deposit were in a financial position to reschedule, they did, and if they were not, then the Mann’s refunded what they could.
Necessity breeds new methods.
Purely out of necessity, the Mann’s put a workshop online for the most affordable price that they’ve ever done. They accepted donations for a food bank if people couldn’t afford it. They also donated more than 10% of their earnings from selling 300 seats in their online workshop.
In 2020, Erika and Lanny had a goal to launch Two Mann U; however, they could not finish filming with covid restrictions in place. So they placed it on hold until things could get to a position to finish filming it.
Information vs. Learning
Erika says that if someone said that to her, she would tell them not to sign up for their course. People are under the impression that their workshop is about shooting like them, and it’s not. Their creative wedding photography course is about a learning curve. It’s more about learning and becoming aware of the unique way you see the world and how you experience the world through information.
It’s more about self-discovery than here’s how to do replicate the shot. You can find this information here, but it’s more than the information or education; it’s the learning—the learning experience versus just hearing the information.
How do you unshackle your creativity?
They’ve taken three days packed with information and brought it to a place where there will be weekly Q and A’s. People will be held accountable for their investment and carefully crafting a learning experience to change what they do.
The workshop is honest; nothing sugar-coated or held back. You are going to see every frame from the wedding while hearing Erika and Lanny’s thoughts. It’ll be like seeing through the viewfinder as the Mann’s shoot from three or four different angles.
Takeaways
What are some things covered in this workshop? Technical skills, the art of photography, and then the industry of photography.
Who likes free stuff? The Mann’s have a 35-minute presentation all about their dance floor lighting. Only available until March 30th.
What is the one thing that has impacted the Man’s the most? Don’t miss this episode to find out!
Want to watch the free dance floor workshop or enroll in their course that opens March 30th? Visit here!!
Links
Join The Bearded Tog Facebook group
Download the Wedding Guide Template
Follow Adam on Instagram @masonphotography
