How to Maximize Your Event Photography

February 25th, 2013 by Beth Baynum | Share Blog

One of our most loyal and beloved clients, Consultants 2 Go, recently celebrated their 10^th anniversary in business, and we were there to capture the event.  Consultants2Go® is a management consulting company providing marketing and analytic consultants to Fortune 1000 companies.  Being experts at using PR to market their services, they had a specific plan in mind for using their event photos.

We asked Sandi Webster, one of the company owners, to re-cap their strategy for maximizing use of the event photos:

1.    All photos were posted to the company’s Facebook Page and website

2.    Individual photographs of clients, consultants and staff gave more ways to market:

• Sending individual emails to each attendee who was photographed, along with a Thank You for attending.  For clients, this individual email was a follow-up to any conversation had at the party, and was another client touch point.
• For some clients, including a photo of a consultant who can help their business.  Even if they didn’t speak at the party, it gave them an increased comfort level since they probably saw the person at the event.
• For consultants who attended, sending a link to the Facebook page so that they can see the album

3.    Emailing a newsletter including links to the pictures

4.    Sending a press release announcing the anniversary, with a photo

5.    Making commemorative photo albums for the staff

These are just a few ideas for extending the use of your event photos.  Including your event photos as part of your overall marketing efforts is strategic and smart – just like Sandi.  Thank you for sharing your marketing expertise, Sandi, and congratulations on 10 years in business!

The Bar Mitzvah Havdalah: Making an Old Tradition Fresh Again

December 21st, 2012 by Elizabeth Beskin | Share Blog

 

In its broadest sense, the Havdalah is a Jewish religious ceremony that marks the end of Shabbat (the Saturday Sabbath) and holidays.  Some branches of Judaism also include the Havdalah as part of the Bar Mitzvah celebration. It’s a traditional and beautiful service that seems to be growing in popularity, especially for Bar Mitzvah families  not wanting to do a morning service and an evening party.

Many families, not wanting to share the bema in the morning with another family, or those who are not closely associated with a temple, have been able to use their party location for the Havdalah service, much like we do for ceremonies in weddings.

A Bat Mitzvah we photographed recently for Jacqueline illustrates this beautifully.  Our photographer captured the most important elements of this service: the teacher, the torah and the family’s emotions.  Arlene Rosenthal of Party Ideas created a beautiful setting for the service and the party that followed.

Vendors:

Planner and D̩cor РArlene Rosenthal at Party Ideas, Westport
CT arlene@partyideasct.com

DJ and Games – Hal Prince Music http://www.halprince.com/

Location – Shenorock Shore Club

Photographer- Jennifer DelCastillo for 5^th Avenue Digital

 

 

 

 

Fresh Photography Talent Makes This Yale Club Wedding Glow

December 17th, 2012 by Elizabeth Beskin | Share Blog

While the Yale Club is a tried-and-true traditional wedding location, our new team of fresh young talent brought new vision to photographing a recent wedding there. Dakota and Kris are a husband and wife team that recently joined 5th Avenue Digital’s roster of photography talent. One look at their photos will tell you why we brought them on board.  Their work highlights the romance and the softness of a wedding, and the synergy of their combined efforts creates truly stunning wedding photography. Read the rest of this entry »

The Mansion at Natirar: A Wedding Photographer’s Dream Location

December 12th, 2012 by Elizabeth Beskin | Share Blog

 

Our photographers were thrilled to finally shoot a wedding at The Mansion at Natirar, the place in Far Hills, NJ that Richard Branson bought as an event space.  The most obvious advantage The Mansion has over any other location we have seen is the killer views during the ceremony.

Formerly owned by the King of Morocco, The Mansion is an historic estate that has been transformed into a luxury Banquet and Catering venue, in partnership with Restaurant Associates.  Their attention to period details and modern accommodations makes The Mansion a distinctive location for weddings – and for wedding photography.  The exceptional creative powers at By Robin, the wedding planners, made full use of the space, giving this couple and their families a wedding experience that truly expressed their individuality, complete with a drum solo by the groom.

 

 

 

Vendors:

Planner – Suzan Salmon at By Robin    http://byrobin.com/

 

Band – Kenny I band    http://www.kennyi.com/

Getting Ready Location – The Bernard Inn    http://www.bernardsinn.com/

Décor- Robin Lathrop, Owner of By Robin  http://byrobin.com/

Location-  The Mansion at Natirar    http://www.natirar.com/

Principle Photographer - David Nicolas for 5^th Avenue Digital

 

No Storm Stopped These Mitzvah Photographers

December 4th, 2012 by Elizabeth Beskin | Share Blog

We recently shot a Bat Mitzvah that took place on the Saturday of Hurricane Sandy.  The first challenge for 5^th Avenue Digital’s photographers was just getting to the event, which took place in New Jersey, in the midst of the gas crisis.  But our intrepid crew found a way and everything went off without a hitch.  Despite the storm, the planner pulled the details together and this Chanel-themed Bat Mitzvah was came off as planned, with lots of style – even its own runway, so all the girls could strut their stuff!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read the rest of this entry »

Meet the 5th Avenue Digital Photographers: Best Locations to Photograph in New York City

November 30th, 2012 by Elizabeth Beskin | Share Blog

Scouting possible NYC locations for your wedding photographs and want to know what a professional photographer might say?  We asked some of the professionals at 5^th Avenue Digital to share quick thoughts on their favorite NYC locations in which to shoot. Read the rest of this entry »

5th Avenue Digital Photographers’ Views of Hurricane Sandy

November 13th, 2012 by Elizabeth Beskin | Share Blog

We asked our photographers to share some of their images and stories from last week.  Here are their contributions.

 Kari Otero shares her struggle with the gas shortage and how this time brought out everyone’s generosity.

What is your most poignant picture of Sandy?

One, it’s not everyday that you see this great city without its power. Two, I live in Red Hook Brooklyn and I’m in one of the few buildings to date with power. My neighbor set up this impromptu power station  for anyone passing by to use. I think it says a lot about the generosity and creativity of people. There are so many different ways to help out and it generally starts with a good look at what you have and what others might need.

What was the craziest adventure this week trying to get to a job?
I was planning to drive to Long Island for an event when my car became unavailable due to circumstances related to Sandy.  I spent hours on the phone and driving around from lot to lot attempting to hunt down any available car in the New York. I was confronted with the reality that not a single rental car had gas. I was able to coordinate a local pick via the Long Island Railroad to and from my event.  Teamwork (right down to the 511 operator who planned out my route on the phone with me) was the answer in making  sure I was able to work the event. Read the rest of this entry »

Ten Things I Learned this Week in Sandy’s Aftermath

November 5th, 2012 by Elizabeth Beskin | Share Blog

1-It is time I start to believe the hype about incoming storms. Sometimes they are correct.  I’ll never go through a tunnel again without remembering the sight of the flooded Brooklyn Battery Tunnel.  Kudos to Governor Cuomo and Mayor Bloomberg for leading us calmly and fearlessly.

2-It’s time to move to higher ground.  It’s tiring getting evacuated once a year.  My family in Connecticut all own their own generators. That won’t help on the 19^th floor.

3-New Yorkers are always nicest in crises.  I met the most wonderful people sharing cabs, bargaining with livery drivers, waiting on the bus line and sharing a power strip in Starbucks.  We come together and help one another when it counts.

4-Facebook has improved communication in crises.   This was the first crisis I’ve been involved in where Facebook was a major source of family communication.  We found out who left town, what Fire Island looked like, who had showers, and who needed a hug.  We shared sad pictures and humor and we have been able to help out friends in need faster than in times past.

5-New Yorkers are tough.  When one way doesn’t work, we find other ways.   We band together to help our neighbors and we speak our minds when we think we are not being treated fairly. Staten Island was offended by the idea of the merriment of the marathon – and Bloomberg listened.

6-It’s key to have a friend in the Police Department.  After the crane collapse on 57^th Street, we couldn’t get into our office, but needed to, to access our equipment for the weekend’s jobs.  Detective Bueller and Sergeant Gardella could not have done more to help us.  We were able to get into the office and get the equipment we needed. This was the result of Sergeant Gardella being a good friend of one of my dear friends, Alexis Fine DeAngelis of the Glazier group!   Detective Bueller even helped us lug our equipment down the street!

7-I have the best friends in the world!  This is not something I needed Sandy to learn, but it’s always reassuring to see how my friends are always there to check in and give support, to offer a desk, a bed, a shower and laugh.  I am eternally grateful.

8-I have the most amazing team.  While I also did not need a hurricane for me to learn this, Sandy reaffirmed it in a big way.  Camping out in Starbucks, strategizing how to get event galleries completed and YouBooth jobs fulfilled was a wonderful day.  We each brought humor and skill to the tasks at hand.  When the news came at the end of the day Friday that the marathon was cancelled and all our herculean efforts were for naught, Rylan and Beth went back to work managing the new information and informing the rest of our team.  I am so fortunate to be working by their side and learn from them always.

9- After 25 years of marriage and a few crises beyond our control, my husband is the best partner I could ever ask for.  I hold it together for a good period of time, but when I don’t he is there to make the decisions and work together in a true partnership to get through.  I am incredibly lucky and I am reminded often.

10- Some things work out the way they are supposed to.  About three months ago, our top technician, Ron, told us he was getting married on November 3^rd and asked us to use the YouBooth for his wedding.  When the marathon booked three booths, we quickly began working on YouBooth version 3 so we would have an extra for Ron.  We were close to it being finished, but Sandy got in the way and we were closed out of the office because of the crane.   Ron understood of course.  When the marathon cancelled, we had an extra booth and were able to supply it to Ron and Daphne!

All in all, there is always learning that comes from catastrophe.  The government will be spending lots of time on how to improve New York’s infrastructure.  I’m lucky to know that there is nothing I need to improve except my need to be in control.  Because, are we ever really in control??

Things I Learned at My First Harvard Reunion Weekend

October 25th, 2012 by Elizabeth Beskin | Share Blog

    It was truly wonderful to go back to Boston and see my friends from the executive MBA program I completed a few years back.

The weekend was filled with wonderful classes, great conversations and a perfect road trip with my friend Sandy Webster.

Here are a few of my takeaways:

 

• There were no new concepts presented, just reaffirmations that I’m on the right track with 5^th Avenue Digital, with our concentration on innovation, customer-centric service, and new focus on profits.

•  Viral marketing works when there is good natured humor involved. You don’t need a big budget but humor is the essential ingredient.  Here’s an example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcSBO8YAnTQ.  This little-known cheese company hit it big with this video…enough said!

 

•  There’s been a customer revelation and now the customers have the power, all what we have been feeling.  It’s important to remember how you are creating value for them and what will motivate them to buy in the future.  Keep innovating.  Be in the business of delighting your customers.

•  Treat your customers as assets — not costs.

•  If you make a promise- keep it!

•  There are no mature companies, just mature mindsets.

•  Boston in October feels like coming home.

•  That one of the best things about the Owners-Presidents-Managers program is the friends I have made from all over the world, and how enlightening and inspiring it is to get to know them better every year.
• That old men get wobbly-kneed and inappropriate around Tyra Banks.

 

Meet the 5th Avenue Digital Photographers: Best Time of Day to Take Photographs

October 23rd, 2012 by Elizabeth Beskin | Share Blog

Perhaps you are giving thought to what time of day might be best for your engagement or wedding photographs and are wondering what the professionals think. Of course, professional photographers are able to produce great shots at any time of day, indoors or out.
Even so, they do have their favorites, so we thought we would ask some of the professionals at 5^th Avenue Digital to share quick thoughts on the best time of day in which to shoot. Read the rest of this entry »