We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sherri Bramlett. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sherri below.

Hi Sherri, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the best thing you’ve ever seen (or done yourself) to show a customer that you appreciate them?

I try to make my customers feel special right from the beginning. Before they come in for a consultation, I have them fill out a questionnaire asking them about what they are looking for. Since I work with high school seniors (and also teens/tweens), I send one to the student and one to the parent. The senior (or teen/tween) questionnaire includes asking them their favorite drinks, snacks, treats, color, music and alot about who they are, their extra curricular activities, about their friends, etc.
I use this information for their meeting and session. When they walk in my door for the first meeting, they are greeted with a personal sign, saying “Welcome to the Image Workshop photography {their name} and a play list of their favorite artists playing in the backround. There are fresh baked cookies on the desk along with their favorite drink and snack. As we discuss their session, I recommend using their favorite things, locations, hobbies.
At their session, we bring a speaker, and again play their favorite music to help them feel comfortable and happy. I have a cooler full of water, their favorite drinks and snacks again during their session. My assistant is there for them the entire session, helping with clothing, hair, accessories and anything they need. We encourage them to bring a best friend and do photos of them together. They also get a complimentary family shot during their session and even shots with their pets, even if we have to go to their house to make it happen.
In the spring of their senior year, I make yard signs with their photo on it and sneak into their yards and put them there as a surprise! I always deliver more than they order, adding little goodies to their final order, like a wallet tin with their photo on it, an accordion mini of shots with mom or their bestie, etc.
My customers are always most surprised by the music playing when they walk in and the drinks on the desk, which to me is the smallest thing!

Sherri, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I have always loved taking photos, and was an assistant/stylist for a photographer for a long time. My daughters both danced, did theatre and played sports, so I was the mom who always took photos of everyone for everyone! I decided to start taking it more seriously and attending workshops, taking every online class I could find and going to conventions to learn as much as I could to get better, more creative and offer things others in my area were not offering. I strive to continue my education to always be on the edge of all techniques, learn the newest equipment and stay relevant to what the age demographic I work with wants (which is ever changing!). I offer not only regular senior portrait sessions, but also have a Senior Team. Being part of the team gives my seniors opportunities to do several mini sessions throughout their senior year, like beach shots, fall color, snow, cap & gown, prom and more! One of my favorite types of sessions, are destination sessions! I love to travel and look for locations off the beaten path in popular areas! I have done senior destinations sessions is New York City, Denver, Colorado, Orange Beach, Alabama, Nashville, Tennessee and the Outer Banks, North Carolina! I would love to do more of these, they are such an experience for not just myself, but the senior and their families! I also have a Model Team for ages 1st – 11th grade. A fun, creative way to get to know me with small photo sessions each year, so by the time they are seniors, they are comfortable with me and have lots of ideas for their session. Although a lot of photographers have Senior rep programs or Model Teams, I think the way I do it, starting younger, sets me apart. I am proud of the fact that our Senior Team and Model Team promotes acts of kindness, encourages Volunteering and Community service. We have raised a lot of money and given alot of donations for many different causes over the years, always organizations chosen by the kids.
I want clients/fans/followers to know that I am not just your photographer, who will take your photos, deliver and be on my way. I love getting to know my clients, I have gone to plays/musicals they are in, dance recitals, sporting events and try to get to grad parties when I can. I follow them through college graduation and get to do a lot of their college grad photos and now have even done the wedding of one of my past seniors. I never want to be an “assembly line” photographer. I prefer a “boutique style” business, which may cost a little more, but gives much more personal service and many times we become friends!

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

I am a hands on learner, so therefore, attending workshops in person, instead of online impacts me so much better. I have also found that smaller more intimate workshops are even better for me personally to learn. I have been to HUGE convention/workshops like Imaging USA, where there are thousands in attendance. There are multiple classes happening all at once and you have to choose, changing every hour or so.
I have also attended medium sized convention/workshops such as SYNC, only 2 classes happening at once, but are specifically seniors or sports, so a little easier to choose, but still a couple of hundred in the class. I learn alot, but never feel comfortable asking questions in such a large group.
I have also attended Light Exposed workshop with Audrey Woulard, where she limits to 10 or less attendees per workshop. 1 day, all day, and VERY hands on. I learned the most from this workshop and I am going again.

I love business books and podcasts. One of my favorite podcasts is Photobiz X with Andrew Helmich. He interviews photographers and photography business people from all over the world and there is always a takeaway that can be applied to any business.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

A HUGE lesson I learned is to stop editing every single photo before showing them to the clients. A friend (who I had just met at the time) told me, “You know that your clients know that they have acne, and that you will fix it for them on the photos they order, right?” This was so difficult for me to do, but once I did it, it saved me hours and hours of unnecessary work and I was able to serve my clients better, by getting their photos to them much faster. I still struggle with this, but getting better all the time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.imageworkshopphotography.com/
• Instagram: image_workshop_photography
• Facebook: The Image Workshop photography
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherri-bramlett-74228b30/

Image Credits

for my headshot – Kelly Johnson photography