Are you a wedding photographer looking to employ a short-form video strategy to grow your business? In today’s episode, I’m talking with wedding photographer and Reels coach Corrin Jasinski about some of her best practices for effective video marketing. Corrin has cultivated these tips from her own experience with growing a significant social media following and a community of enthusiastic clients and couples.
The Focused Photographers Podcast was created based on the idea that the most incredible tool for learning is a deep dive into any given topic from multiple perspectives. Join us every other week as we explore important topics, with host Daniel Moyer and a variety of guests offering different perspectives! Make sure you’ve hit that follow or subscribe button on your favorite podcast player to get notified each week as we air new episodes!
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REVIEW THE SHOW NOTES:
Human first, wedding photographer second (2:19)
Moving beyond the expected role of a wedding photographer (4:34)
The strategy behind booking couples from Instagram leads (11:29)
Showing up consistently with short-form video (18:07)
The slow burn strategy to posting reels (29:04)
Dealing with hate comments (32:26)
Using short-form video to grow your newsletter (44:06)
How Reels can change your business (48:13)
Connect with Corrin (54:51)
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
CONNECT WITH CORRIN JASINSKI
CONNECT WITH DANIEL MOYER
Website: WWW.DANIELMOYERPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
Wedding Instagram: @DANIELMOYERPHOTO
Business Instagram: @GETFOCUSEDPHOTOGRAPHERS
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Review the Transcript:
Dan Moyer
Hey photographer friends this is Episode 50, the Big Five zero 50 episodes of the focus divers podcast. I’m your host Dan Moyer. And I’m so thankful that you’ve been along on this journey with me and then I have that we’ve gotten the 50 episodes. Here’s to many, many, many, many, many more. Today’s episode is brought to you by the focused five. Focus five is a weekly business newsletter written specifically for wedding photographers that covers every topic from mental health as an entrepreneur and business and personal finances to client experience setting boundaries, work life balance, and a ton more topics. grow yourself and your photography business by subscribing to the one business newsletter that you didn’t know you needed. Go to focus photographers.com where you can subscribe today and I will see you in there. My guest today is coloringes insky, a wonderful wedding photographer from the Virginia DC area. She popped up on my Instagram algorithms quite a few years ago now, at a time when I was recording another podcast about wedding planning with a friend of mine who’s a wedding coordinator. I was drawn in initially by Karen’s enthusiasm, her thoughtfulness, graciousness, her knowledge, but I was really drawn in by how she continued to give tips to couples that were outside the context of what a normal wedding photographer would. And that really drew me in because I was recording this podcast about wedding planning. And it just seemed like she was reaching so many people and doing so good. And since then she has amassed a significant following on social media, and really has formed this really wonderful community of enthusiastic couples. Today’s episode does include many of tips and best practices for short form video and reels and tic TOCs and all that. But it actually went much deeper than that. And I’m so thankful for Karen’s vulnerability and the teacher’s heart that she has, I’m so excited to share this episode with you. So please enjoy my conversation with Corinne Dzerzhinsky.
Dan Moyer
So Corrin Jasinski I am absolutely thrilled that you are here because you have somebody that has been on my periphery for like at least six or seven years. I want to start off because I was you know, doing research for this podcast episode and there’s this quote from your website. Like, I think you get a good idea of who you are as a person from because you record so many reels and and you’re very happy and like all of your brand pictures are like you smiling. And so you get this like very warm, warm, approachable feeling from that. But then I read this and and my heart song because like this is how I am as a wedding photographer as well and says, I’m a human first wedding photographer. Second, my priority is to be the kindest person in the room, the extra hand, whatever it is, and be the direct yet gentle encourager. Ah, so can you just tell me a little bit about yourself and where all this comes from and all that stuff?
Corrin Jasinski
Anything? That’s great. I’m pretty sure you just get I don’t need to speak anymore. That was wonderful. But I’m Corinne. I am a wedding photographer based in Virginia and DC. And that quote is something that I just it’s rings so true to me and my business, because my couples are my number one, always and so but that’s a people first interaction, and then I’m a photographer, because I’m very good at my craft. That’s why people hire me. But I always tell my couples, I’m like, You’re gonna hire me because I’m the person that’s gonna be there all day long celebrating you. But yeah, wedding photographer. And then when Now I like to say that I’m a real tick tock guru. Guru is a strong word, but the only one I could think of, I think I think I know what I’m doing when it comes to reels and small form video marketing. But yeah, so I’ve moved that into that realm and start educating other wedding professionals in that realm as well. So a little bit about me.
Dan Moyer
Yeah, you. When I first saw you, it was maybe like 2018 or something like that. And you’d popped up in the algorithm. Well, I had another podcast at that time, was like maybe two or three years in it was called the put a ring on a podcast. And we were doing it from about 2016, early 2016, all the way through sort of the end of 2021. And it was a lot of the same things, a lot of tips for couples, it was very couples facing and it was it was with this really amazing wedding coordinator, my friend, Daniel Pasternak and we we did you know, tons and tons of episodes about this and it what popped up about your reels and your short form video is it you blur this line between like, what’s sort of expected of the wedding photographer and that’s what really struck me is you talk about your wedding, but you also talk about like music and things should not forget, you know, on the wedding morning and what’s going to make your day better and what’s going to make the planning process easier. And it’s just that’s like not what’s expected of a wedding photographer and I just love that you come at it from this perspective. So where do you like, get that from? Is that just from your own wedding? Or I don’t know, where do you get all that ideas, those ideas from?
Corrin Jasinski
Ah, so ideas come from a whole slew of things. A lot of it comes from my couples and what I see every single time I photograph a wedding. So the problems that are in the getting ready space, or something that’s going really well on a wedding day, I like to like take all of those and I’m like, this is something I could share to others that they’ll find really, really helpful. Because whether it be oh my gosh, they forgot a lint roller and the dog just got like they had their dog tag, and there’s hair all over the guys suit. And they’re like, ah, the lint roller would have been such a good idea. That’s something I could share. Because if someone else down the line, that’s just something good to have on hand anyway, but it’s so often forgotten. Or if something like a sunset time can really help the ceremony time like that information. That’s something from a photographer’s point of view. So it’s just like knowledge with the photographer based my knowledge with what I see just in the grid of a wedding day. And then also what my clients are like continually asking me, and then now that I’ve grown a following, I do get DMS that are like, Hey, can you help me? I’m having a problem with this. Or I’m having a problem with this. And so those become reels, or they’re just actually conversations in my DMs of like really helping people with their wedding planning. I hope that answered your question. But yeah, that’s kind of how I get my tips that
Dan Moyer
I just like I said, I found it. So really beautiful that you that you move beyond like the expected role of a photographer, and I just don’t see that many photographers moving beyond giving advice of like, how to get great photos from the day, right. So like, do you take advice from when you’re when you got married? And all that stuff? Like? I mean, I guess the real question is, like, when did you see that this was a, a hole that needed to be or a gap that needed to be sort of filled between, you know what people were saying, and that you felt like it was your place to sort of step into that role even as a photographer?
Corrin Jasinski
Yeah, so my wedding day does, I just kind of wish that these tips were out there when I was wedding planning. I’m approaching my six year anniversary. So this really did not exist, Pinterest exist, but like, a small form video wasn’t there. And so all these tips would have been so helpful for me planning. So that’s kind of the role that I felt like I could have filled and just be there for somebody just one bride or groom. That’s like, I’m lost. I’m overwhelmed. I don’t know what I’m possibly forgetting someone, please tell me. And so I was like, Cool, I can voice the knowledge that I have and fill that space, hopefully and help somebody. Just being a helping hand is for first and foremost what I was trying to do. But yeah, so that’s kind of what motivated me to do that. And also, Oh, pretty much with my couples, I am all about them feeling comfortable, as comfortable as humanly possible on their wedding day so that they can authentically live out each moment with their people. And so they don’t have to think about a list. If they don’t have to think about like, the timeline, or they don’t have to think about they’re missing something because of tips that they heard from me or somebody on the interwebs then yeah, like they could be they’re more present on their wedding day. And that helps me as a photographer. And so in the end, like I just want them to enjoy and have the best day possible. And if I can help that with tips that aren’t just photography lated I think they’ll have a much better day because of it.
Dan Moyer
This has got to build an immense amount of trust between your couples, and you the ones who actually ended up hiring you. Or do you notice that? Is that something that you sort of feel like even from the moment they book you all the way through to the wedding that like they just see you as like the trusted adviser?
Corrin Jasinski
Yeah, yeah, um, for sure. I already have a whole slew of them think I’m thinking about each one of them right now my brain. Actually one of them. I just posted a real today about being like a type A bride. And so with that one of My Brides, she actually posted it. And she’s like, my wedding photographer just gets me back. And I was like, oh, because I was like I was you. And she’s like, I just appreciate you so much. And I was just like, and she’s one of those brides that literally, like, was in my inquiry box, like my email and she was like, I have to have you. I’ve been following you on Instagram and your reels forever. And now it’s my time. We want you like only you because I feel like I know you. And so like she’s one of those people that has just been there the entire time too. So like her trust in me is just and her fiance like both of them interchangeably are in my DMs constantly. And it’s really cool and they’re not just the only couple but yeah, so it’s really awesome.
Dan Moyer
That’s a really interesting part of of it though is that like that, even though like like you’re putting yourself out There’s so much and it’s not just about like, Hey, look at me as a photographer. It’s like, Hey, look at me as the past bride Hey, look at me, it’s like a person who is part of the wedding day plays this like massive part on the wedding day. But that doesn’t mean that it needs to be about, you know, me, the photographer, it’s about me sort of being along for this journey and and helping you guys throughout that process. And I love that you are able to build, like, break that wall down of what it looks like when, when you’re just putting yourself out there constantly. And couples, like you really attract the couples who, who really feel that and back when back when I first started, like, obviously, it’s working, right? Because, like, I think when I first started, you had like, you know, several 1000 followers, but now it’s like up over 50,000 people. So obviously, you’re like striking a chord that you have this unique perspective from a photographer’s perspective, and not not that many other photographers are talking about this kind of stuff. It’s really awesome.
Corrin Jasinski
Yeah, it’s just different. And I think that’s what people needed. And when I started doing it, I was one of the first step was like, here we go, because I was over on Tik Tok. And when rails came out, I was like, Here, let’s just throw it all over here. And then once that everyone was like, Oh, that’s such a good idea for a wedding. Like that’s a great wedding idea. Oh, that’s a great wedding idea. So then it just I kept posting and posting and posting and it just kind of went berserk. Like, yeah, I don’t I don’t really understand that. It’s there. Yeah, exactly.
Dan Moyer
what’s your what’s like your strategy? Like, because one of the things one of the criticisms I feel, like I hear is like, Oh, well, it’s hard to get, you know, couples from Tik Tok or from Instagram to move, you know, because they’re cold, or at least that’s what you know, the the argument is that they’re, it’s a cold lead, it’s hard to get people to move over. So What’s that process like, where you’re moving couples from a cold lead? When they inquire with you or, or like seeing you on Instagram through to Hey, there, they’re booking me.
Corrin Jasinski
First, I definitely want to say that like tick tock doesn’t give me any inquiries. I’m actually like, let’s just be real there. Like, I’m not even really present right now. I’m just like, hold back, I wanted to like really focus on one platform for a little bit. And Instagram is where I get solid leads. So I would say, my, all my 2024 bookings are right now from Instagram. And that’s wild. And a good chunk of 2020. Like a good chunk of every since I started reels are from Instagram, but I would say that posting consistently. So they’re always seeing my face. Yes, it is always my face. In my reels. It’s not just another wedding, or details. It’s actually me talking to a camera, so they see my face a lot. So whether they were engaged or not engaged, they were like, Oh, this is this is this girl who’s gonna give another wedding tip? Oh, here it is. And then they’re engaged. You’re like, oh, my gosh, I remember this girl. And she also has beautiful images. Like I already feel like I know her. She has beautiful images, why not just reach out to her? Like, why not? Why is that going to hurt so that I found really works for me, because I’m consistently posting. So that strategy always works on whether you’re consistently posting in your stories, or on your feed and are both that’s like the whole, that’s the big goal. That’s how they will see you and remember you because I think there’s some type of stat that like people don’t even know the information that you’re giving out until they hear it seven times. Yeah. And they don’t remember it until they hear it seven times. So you until I keep showing up over and over and over again. They’re not going to really get it that I’m actually there permanently high, you’re gonna hire me. It’s like hypnosis in some way now, but um, so that’s kind of, I obviously don’t know the data completely, but it’s mostly like they’re in my inquiry, like my email. And they’re like, Hey, I’ve been following you for so long. Your personality just really resonates with me. And I just want to hop on a phone call. And obviously, you’re and then they’re like, obviously, your photos are beautiful. Like, that’s like the last sentence because obviously, they wouldn’t want to inquire with me if they didn’t like my photos, but then they’re like, my person, your personality just seems like a person that I want to spend my day with as long as well with my husband or wife.
Dan Moyer
Yeah, I guess the thing that I’m, you know, really wondering is like, when you are, you know, talking with, you know, all these couples and stuff. And when they reach out to you, if you’re already giving so much of this like information on Instagram, what does the experience look like for couples who actually hire you? Are you meeting with them in person? Or do you have like, other information that you’re giving those couples or, you know, wedding magazines or that kind of stuff?
Corrin Jasinski
Yeah, so I don’t, I don’t do a wedding magazine. That has been I have it. I got it from Caitlin James back in like 2016 Did I try I spent hours trying but it’s did not end up being anything. But essentially, like the first thing that I do, even before they hire me, I go on a consultation call, before they even get pricing. That’s like a whole other combo, I feel like anything, I go on an inquiry call with them. And that’s to align who they seen on Instagram with the person that they’re going to be hiring, obviously, they want to make sure that connection is there to like, because sometimes people who show up on online are different than who they are in person. I’m not, I’m very, very similar, I’m not very good at being anything other than what I am, which is just very, very passionate and very joyful. And so especially when it comes to weddings, and so with that, and like their love and their story, so we just talk a lot on the phone, I get to really just know them as a couple. And then they get to ask me questions about my photography. But essentially, they’re like, Oh, so you’re the same person cool. Like, it’s just verifying what they had already thought. And then they sign. And then after that, pretty much that I go into detail on the call, where I’m like, we’re gonna go over your timeline, like your timeline is going to be very I work with your planner, but obviously, there’s going to be a photography timeline as well, just to make sure that we’re all on the same page. And then other things that we talk about a lot, or like the engagement session, I’ll help you like with any outfits that you want, like I tell them on the phone that I’m very interactive, as much as they want me to help, I will help them. So that’s kind of my role that I play as a photographer.
Dan Moyer
And then as you’re like, you know, leading up to the wedding day, so there’s like the booking part. And then when you do the timeline, is that like a couple months out or something that you’re like, you know, ironing that out with? And do you get together with them in person? Or is it just on Zoom or whatever, it’s
Corrin Jasinski
I send a questionnaire, actually, I try to keep things as simple as possible where they don’t have a lot of my couples are in DC, and they work in DC, and they don’t have a ton of time to like they’re trying to keep wedding planning as simple as humanly possible. And I’m trying to do that for them as well. So I just send them like a five to six question questionnaire. And they fill that out, I send them a tentative timeline. They’re like, wow, this is perfect. Thank you, I can now tell my hair and makeup, what time to go and all that kind of stuff. So that’s I try to keep that simple. If they ever want to hop on a call, of course, I’m available for them. But other than that, I don’t know,
Dan Moyer
man, this everything. I feel like there’s this theme of like us, the trusted advisor throughout the whole entire planning process, right? And, and it’s like from the very beginning, when somebody first sees you on Instagram, and they’re just seeing all these reels popping up over and over again. And that idea of them seeing you and be like, Oh, wow, you’re the same person. And that first call being is very similar to how I do things where that first call is more about like, are we a good fit, like, like, I’m the same person, I am online and all of my branding is about me sort of blurring that line of what the traditional client relationship looks like in that, you know, I’m sort of along for that journey, not just the wedding day where I’m trying to become know them just as well as their their best friend, right? So a lot of times I’ll spend time in person with couples. And then like the high touch experience means that like I’m not doing a million weddings a year, I really want to get back into this like I dislike kind of more Instagram practical things that you’re doing. Because if you’ve been putting reels up and videos up for a really long time, that’s a lot of content to put out like, do you have the same themes that you come up with? Do you share like the same reels over and over again? Do you rerecord ideas and reels? Like it’s a lot of thought and content and stuff you have to go through, right? And then the editing of it all like, right, that’s a lot of work.
Corrin Jasinski
It is it’s a lot of work. It’s not, I say that it’s a lot of work. But I also think it’s very doable for everybody to do, I don’t want to say it’s a lot of work and then that scare people. Because sometimes I say that, but I also spend a lot of time because that’s I kind of have like couples, my couples are my first priority always. And then after that, it’s like obviously some like planners and my emails, the people that have hired me are my priority. But then it’s like reels and making sure that I am just being there for my community. That’s also very important to me. So I spend a lot more time there. And so I don’t want to again, I just don’t want to scare anybody. But essentially how that works for me is I have a lot of different days broken out into how I’m going to record so you have your batch day and that’s when I like get up I have my outfit I have my makeup and I have a script written out. So that’s that is the end goal there though. But there’s other days before that. So I should go over those,
Dan Moyer
like a couple hours of time that you’re like, like sitting down behind this camera and just like busting out these. Wow. Okay, continue.
Corrin Jasinski
My goal is 10 to 20 when I have a batch day, wow in turn makes it very difficult. Because the room that I record in is is this room but it gets dark pretty quickly. So I have to wake up very early, and I have a short amount of time in the winter. So it’s like, but I know that so it’s like, Alright, my expectation and goals for this day is maybe around 10 to 12. And then I’m going to post this many kind of thing I have, I’m very strategic with how I post and what fills in certain things, too with carousels and reels to make sure that I’m consistently planning and that happens in the winter, because I can’t produce as many reels and keep my sanity all at the same time.
Dan Moyer
So important part of keeping our sanity
Corrin Jasinski
Yes, exactly. So like in the summer months, I can crank out a lot more because of the light. But essentially, that’s batch day, in the days leading up to that are actually the most important days because if I don’t have the content ready, batch day will not go very well for me. So I have a research day, I call it a day, but it’s actually kind of each, each day, I take about an hour, and I do research. So I research reels, and I research tiktoks. And I’ll just scroll for about an hour intentionally looking at what’s working for creators and what’s not working for creators. If I for some reason, I’m watching a tick tock and I watch it all the way through now tick tock started by turning into the these like five minute videos, if I watch it all the way through, I will save it, because that showed me something that like I watched it because of the hook. I watched it because their storytelling skills, I watched it because they did these cuts. There’s some reason in that Tiktok that I watched it all the way through. So I want to save it so I can digest dissect it later. So that I can use their create, like I can use that in my own way. Because it could be about real estate, which I do have a lot of real estate, talk on my thing. So it’s fine. But like I watched the whole, that’s a lot of talking. And so if I’m watching that, I want to know why I watched it for that long. But that’s an example of how I do some research. And I also look at trends, I see if I can relate to anything. And also some other ways that I figure out real content, as you were saying that I have so many. Sometimes if I’m like really I’m like I have nothing to post, I don’t know what to do, I will go if a wedding reel or tick tock comes on my feed. I actually don’t watch the video itself. I’ll go right to the comment section. And I’ll read what people are asking the like the content creator to make next, they’ll be like, what should this timeline look like? Or what should I do in the morning? What should I like? What about this? Like they asked specific questions in comments, take those that’s not that is not copying? That is just taking a question at that bit like somebody really wants to know the answer to and they’re not the only ones. So that’s kind of like my secret of how I find content that’s a little bit out of the box. It’s outside my brain blanks. But like, it’s really valuable because someone is asking a creator to create it.
Dan Moyer
Okay, so you have like, sort of like a research day where you’re going through and just sort of like gathering information, right? You’re seeing what’s out there, you’re seeing what people are commenting, you’re watching, you know, certain reels and watching like, you know what picks you up, and then maybe a day or so after that you’re like going through and saying, Okay, these are all the questions that I have or these are the things I need to answer. And then you’re scripting out all of these reels and saying okay, this is real number one, this real number two, and then do you have an editing day after that like where you’re just like, busting it out?
Corrin Jasinski
Yeah, yeah, I haven’t edited day after batch day. I do not edit at all on batch day because it’s all about recording. You also again, that phase are like you have to do what works best for you. Some people can’t do batch days where they just crank out reels over and over and over in a set amount of time. They need to do like one reel per day. They need to make it in the morning. They post it at night.
Dan Moyer
Okay, wait, how often is a is like a recording day, like once a quarter once a month, once a week? What are you talking about here?
Corrin Jasinski
It depends. Because it depends on how well batch day goes. But it was like the last one that I just had if I’m being real, like it just didn’t go well. My energy wasn’t there. I was tired. I guess I was tired because I was looking back at them and I was like, I’m not engaged. I don’t look at this and want to watch this. So what is why would anybody else want to watch this? So that day didn’t actually go as well for me so I kind of have to do another one soon. Because that didn’t work out for me but typically two per month if I have to do another one three.
Dan Moyer
Okay, do you find yourself like constantly like doing take after take after take after taking you’re like oh this I don’t like that? I don’t like that like so my problem is that I tried to do things in one take right like I don’t like to cut I really like to just do like one solid take all the way through. So when you like scroll through my phone, there’s just like 50 videos of like, you know this Same exact setting and then like, you’ll go past that and like another like 100 videos. Some of them are like 20 seconds long. Some of them are two seconds long. Someone were like, like 59 seconds long or one minute and one seconds long, which was just a little bit too long for stories or whatever. Are you in that same boat? Is that just that just just me?
Corrin Jasinski
I’m not in your boat. I don’t know if you might have others, but I’m not in it. I’m in a different boat, swimming in a different direction. What’s your boat? My boat is I pretty much I that’s how I script everything out. So imagine if I have my topic up top and then I have a different dash. It’s like you were taking notes in high school, essentially. So that each line is what I say. It’s like a sentence or a little phrase or conjunctions while we’re going into English. Now conjunctions sentences
Dan Moyer
can go into that. We’re not going.
Corrin Jasinski
Okay. Okay. So essentially, but like if you were to do, okay, I won’t go there. But it’s like how a sentence would go, I want to make sure it flows in, you’re gonna go back to my reels now and be like, Ah, I see what she I see what she does. But I break things up so that the clips themselves aren’t too long. Because that when you have shorter clips, when you’re saying something, people pay more attention, because it disrupts their thinking. So that’s just studies that I’ve read. So like, I will have the hook, and then I will have another little sign. It’s not even a sentence. It’s like five words, and then I’ll stop and then I’ll do another video. That’s another five words, and go until the
Dan Moyer
cut has to be sort of like almost in between, like not even a full sentence and might be like in the middle. Interesting.
Corrin Jasinski
Why it takes some practice. But um, for me, like conjuncture accent is is where you would be like the beginning and then but and then the end. So that’s where you would break it up into a full sentence, or and, or, or
Dan Moyer
inside matter, your and or, or like all those things.
Corrin Jasinski
Fine, I set myself up for that my mother would have said the same thing. My husband would have said same thing. It’s fine. Thank you. So yeah, that’s kind of how I break everything up. And that’s just so it flows. And that breaks up. Because talking to a camera isn’t going to engage someone but for so long. So when you cut them up like that, then it keeps them engaged, because they’re like, oh, what just happened is a different angle. Or oh, like she just started a new sentence. Like it just breaks things up a little bit. You’ll notice that happens in YouTube’s that happens in a lot of different face to camera reels. It’s a strategy to keep the end, right,
Dan Moyer
it’s like a couple seconds, like every every like three to five seconds when they when they like suggest you make a cut. Right?
Corrin Jasinski
Right. Yeah, mine sometimes go to seven. But that’s also because I’m a long winded human. So the prop I mean working on it.
Dan Moyer
Obviously, something’s working right. Like it’s so again, like, I don’t know, I think it’s really that like that you have so much content and so much to share that. Like, I think that’s a struggle for a lot of photographers that, you know, you like say this one reel or you say this like one thing. It’s like, oh, do I like do I say that again? Can I give that same tip again later? Right? Like, are you reusing things over and over again, just from different perspectives?
Corrin Jasinski
Yeah, I’ve done that every so often. Not as much. I tried to keep it as new as humanly possible. But if I go back and again, do my research, and I’ll look back through my own reels, and I’m like, Oh, that one really resonated with a lot of people. Like, why don’t we just put a little spin on this and, like, film it again. So that new people that are now on my page can see it and or if again, the whole seven times, maybe someone forgot about it, or they haven’t seen it, they didn’t see it the first time because Instagrams weird. So like, that’s it doesn’t hurt to ever repeat your content. But for me, I just don’t tend to do that as much.
Dan Moyer
Okay, cool. How often do you try to post I mean, just specifically real because I’m sure you post you know, work from your weddings and things like that, but how often you try to post a reel
Corrin Jasinski
two to three times a week. It used to be used to be five used to do Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and that was kind of at the beginning when I had that amount of content. But now because Instagram changes so often. I have found that if you see that your reel is doing pretty well give it time to breathe. Don’t just post another reel right on top of that. Just give it some time to breathe. Let the comments come in and see how the likes are going and then post a reel like two days from that. If you want to or a carousel post or whatever you’re thinking about posting just wait to post something else until you’re like allowing your reel to reach more people
Dan Moyer
have been years like really blew up. It seems that at least in my very limited experience with like, you know, posting not on my photography website, I have this little dad group and we have this like, silly fun Instagram account called the for Dad typographers. And we just post these like ridiculous little things, comments on the wedding photography industry or whatever it is, you know, things about flash photographers having too much gear like what you know, right? And we have a contest between the four of us about like, well, who’s whose real has the most views and like all that stuff. And the I think I think technically mine, one of mine has the most views. But if you go by other metrics, this guy Matt has like the most interactions and stuff, it seems like, like, it’s like a slow burn like that to like, get them up there. Like where it doesn’t all sudden, just like you posted and just rockets up to, you know, a million views. It’s like over the course of time, have you had anything that, you know, sort of got up there and views and likes not stuff? Yeah,
Corrin Jasinski
I say it like that. Because there’s, it’s really awesome to have that happen. It’s also you get a lot of people that you don’t want interacting with you as well, when that happens. I get a lot of awesome quality, wonderful followers, and I built a wonderful community. But then there’s also people that just flood in with hate. And so that’s really hard sometimes when you grow. So that’s why I said it like that. But yes, I have had, I would say maybe like seven that got over a million. But with that it was pretty much it was kind of like a week that it took to get there. You can kind of tell though, when things are starting moving, but I actually had a real recently, it wasn’t anything crazy, but it was only at like, you know, 2000 likes, and I was I was like, okay, cool. It’s it’s a dead real Oh, and so you kind of know, when it dies, it’s like, okay, you’ve lived your life. And but then it just recently started picking back up and just randomly. And so then it got another 1000. But like, wow, they don’t completely die ever. Sometimes they can come back to life. And so it’s just you never know. So that’s why I always say don’t delete them, just let them live. They’ll serve a purpose. No matter how far they get, or how many views they get. It serves a purpose no matter what. But you never know down the line that it could like row randomly.
Dan Moyer
Can we talk about sort of like the hate comments for a second? Because I’ve heard it from other, you know, accounts that have a lot of followers and stuff that you just like, you have to expect that 10% of people are just going to find something to be upset about. And obviously as as you grow, that’s something you’re gonna have to deal with more like you’ve got, you know, 50,000 fans and whatever. What does that like for you when you started seeing that more and more? And how do you sort of move away from that and not let that, you know, affect the positive vibes that you put out?
Corrin Jasinski
Yeah, um, I think it primarily depends on the video. And it depends on the comment itself. But for the most part, I have always been taught to like, just, if I see a negative comment, like, just be kind, I don’t necessarily ignore sometimes I do ignore, I will be playful with it. And then but like sometimes it does hurt because a lot of my videos are my face. So people will comment on the way that I look. Yeah, people comment on the way that I look, people comment on the way that I speak. I’ve gotten people just comment in just saying really nasty things in terms of like in terms of who I am as a person too. So it’s like, oh my gosh, like that’s harder. It’s no longer just the content, like you’re now depicting me. And that was probably my most recent real. And those views just skyrocketed because all these people were commenting. And I think it was the other day I did the bad decision that I looked at them. And one of them was What did he say? He said something nasty. And there had been 200 and something people that liked his comment, and I was like,
Dan Moyer
stab, right? Like, what is the world?
Corrin Jasinski
I hadn’t read that way. And and so I actually commented and I think he was I think it was was something about my personality in the video. And then I had comment back and being like, yep, that’s just you know, that’s just who I am or whatever. Like, I didn’t say anything. Like, I’ll never say anything mean, because I just don’t think it’s worth that. But always come back just to be like, I see you. I am a person. And that is who I am. I’m not ashamed of that. But yeah, so that’s more of the tricky part when it’s my face, but if it’s like my clients, like I had a real that went viral, and it was pretty much a showcase of everyone they loved. So it was all the guests that have been married. They placed on this beautiful backdrop and all of the pictures of them on their wedding day, all their guests and it was beautiful. And I loved it. And so there was a lot of comments of like, well what about the single people or what about this it like you’re forgetting them, like how selfish I, I’ve become like a mama bear. And I’m like you do not talk about my comment about my couples like that. And so like, I go in full force, and I’m like, no, they’re that’s not their point of view at all. They’re very kind people. And they’re doing this because they love love, and they love the people that are attend in attendance. It has nothing to do with the single people. But yeah, that’s kind of something I’ll do is I’ll comment back. Again, still very kind but informative.
Dan Moyer
Yeah, it doesn’t take anything away from single people to honor people who are married. Like, it’s not a it’s not a comment anyway. Yeah, I think that that’s really, I think a lot of photographers deal with, like, oh, when you have like a problem with a client, right, where it’s like, oh, it’s easy to just let like this one client, sort of derail you, or take over all your energy, from like, the wave of other like good intentions and emotions you have from this other like, huge set of clients. And then it’s kind of be so strange, though, when it comes from like a bunch of people who don’t know you who know nothing about who just saw something in algorithm and just right, like, that’s got to be very difficult to, like, I think the worst situation I’ve ever had, which was just like a guy, it was, it was on my Instagram, my get focused Instagram, because I don’t post my wedding photography on there. If I wanted to post my wedding photography, I would post like I would share, I would have made Daniel more photography and focus photographers together. But there’s two different clients and I talked to wedding photographers, specifically on focus photographers. And somebody’s like, I would trust a photographer who actually took pictures. And I was like, well, like, you can actually just look here like, this is my wedding photography business. Yeah, it’s just like, just think for like, one second. I don’t know. Anyway, I’m just rambling now, because now I’m getting heated about these people who are saying mean things to you. And it’s not nice.
Corrin Jasinski
Yeah, no, I, people, I do have, like, My followers that actually follow me, they will come in sometimes they’ll be like, just stopping me man. Like, that’s not necessarily like, and or I got a couple of DMS being like, hey, like, I was reading some of the comments, and they were not nice, like, how are you doing? And I was just like, I’m good. Like, I, I know myself, and I know my worth. And I’m okay, like, but thank you so much for checking in. So it’s really nice, because I have a community and I know the people that are following are here for a reason. And they support me and I support them. And then the people that are sending in all this hate, they don’t follow me. They don’t want anything to do with my business or anything like that. So like they’re not worth me thinking negatively about myself, I kind of actually feel I feel sad for them, like what’s going on with your life that you have to pick on me. So it’s stuff like that. It’s just changing your mindset when that happens. Because when you post reels you there’s a chance of going viral and there’s a chance of that happening. There’s a lot of positive aspects of marketing on Instagram, but there are those, there are those little windows of negativity and it can it can hurt if you’re not prepared for it.
Dan Moyer
Yeah, yeah. Obviously, the positives being that your entire 2024 I think you said or 2023 No. 2024 is like, all from Instagram, right? Like,
Corrin Jasinski
they’re all amazing. They are. Every single one of them. They literally booked me before they booked their venue, I will obviously they had to get their date, but like, they’re like, I want you. I know you. I was like you don’t know me for this funny. Um, but like, it was just so fine. And like, every single one was like, at the end of the day, it’s like who you are is why we’re booking you. We love your photos, but like, we know, we’re gonna feel so comfortable with you. They’re on our wedding day.
Dan Moyer
That’s so fascinating. Like, that’s the response that they have is like we feel comfortable with you. And it goes back to that trust thing. Like, yeah, your pictures are really great. But it’s it’s so much of the content that you put out that’s like, Hey, I know what I’m doing. Hey, there’s some you should think about, hey, and it just comes back to this whole, like, being more than the wedding photographer. That’s the nicest thing anybody’s ever said about me. It’s like he was so much more than a wedding photographer. And that’s the same vibe I get from you and your couples that like they view you as somebody who that they already know, just through a bunch of these, like, short videos that you that you create, right?
Corrin Jasinski
Yeah. And it’s because they are very, very much the same. Like again, it’s like, my personality on the phone with them and my personality on the wedding day and the personality and the real is it’s all the same like I’m not a different person. So that’s what makes it all align really well.
Dan Moyer
Yeah, so it seems like short form reels are shorter on video, or what has impacted your business the most is that fair to say? Yeah,
Corrin Jasinski
I would also say sharing them on I don’t know the connection that much but sharing my reels. I do cross post on Pinterest as idea pins. And I have reached some of them like one of them has definitely reached over a million views. And so I don’t know if that correlates because you have no idea. Like whoever from Pinterest is now following me on Instagram is then now enquired kind of thing. But that’s an idea if you’re posting any type of real just put, like, download it and put it on my death pins, because why not? So
Dan Moyer
do you feel like, like Instagram is your like the number one focus for your marketing? Like, do you do any other traditional marketing, marketing other than Instagram,
Corrin Jasinski
my newsletter list. So I have that was something that actually made me think way beyond just reels was like with reels, you can sell a product. Obviously, with reels you can get people onto your newsletter list. Like, I think smaller steps are easier. So just getting someone to my newsletter list was way smaller of a steps than if I were to sell a product like I plan on selling products for couples in the future. But instead of just direct selling them, like get them on the newsletter list, prime them Be like, here’s way more information from me and then sell. But essentially what the real, like one of the reels that I did was a playlist. It’s a walking down the aisle playlist, and it went crazy viral. on Spotify. I think it has over like 15,000 likes I my newsletter list is over 30,000
Dan Moyer
subscribers. Wow. That’s amazing.
Corrin Jasinski
Yeah, from the real. So and that’s, and I have a couple Oh, I do have a couple of reels. So it’s like getting ready playlist, there’s a walking down the aisle playlists. But that’s those are the two that keep funneling in more couples. So that’s a way to continue the marketing beyond just something that obviously you don’t have, but so much control of and everyone always talks about that is that reels could go away, or Instagram go away any day. But you always have your newsletter list. So creating a reel that can get people to your newsletter list.
Dan Moyer
Wow. I’m a huge advocate for the newsletter I I’ve moved off of Instagram. I mean, I still create lots of content for photographers on Instagram and through this podcast. But the newsletter seems like such a place where you can really we’re all there as well. We’re all the in our email all the time, we’re constantly talking in there, and you can file things away and save them. Can you tell me a little bit more about sort of that, that process of like, can you tell how many couples hop onto your newsletter and then book you from the information they’re receiving on that?
Corrin Jasinski
That I don’t know, either. I know, I can go back into that and see when they signed up for my newsletter. Just see how long they’ve been looking at my content, but it’s just like, they just get they became a number one fan. And then I just kept giving them I kept showing up. And for them, like that specific type of client, they needed someone to show up. Like, they wanted a photographer that was going to be there in their corner. There’s a lot of different clients out there and a lot of different photographers that do different things differently. Like I know, some photographers would listen to my perspective, and they’d be like, that’s too much, too much like she’s charging an arm and a leg, but it’s like, and then there’s other photographers like me that I’m like, that’s not a that’s just enough. I feel like what I’m doing is just enough support to make sure that they’re having the best experience and then the best day, but yeah, I’m sorry, I can’t answer the question of that statistic. But yeah,
Dan Moyer
yeah, I love the newsletter seems like such an interesting idea. Because you are able to get obviously right into people’s inboxes. But it’s another way of like, long form sort of nurturing people through this process of just like, you know, building confidence and whatever, because some people like you know, they’re not on Instagram, and they are maybe they got on because of Pinterest. It’s just like a wider web. And I think it’s difficult. I’ve always struggled with trying to figure out how I should do a newsletter for my wedding photography business. So I mean, obviously, this is about short form, short form video this episode, but can you talk a little about your approach towards your, your newsletter for wedding photography clients? Yeah.
Corrin Jasinski
So essentially, I would say it’s about twice, twice a month, maybe three times depending on how I’m feeling. But I will like send out just an infant. It’s kind of like a blog post in a way where it just give some tips about something that’s going on. So like ceremony tips, or reception tips or trends that I’m seeing. I do not like the word trends, so I don’t really use it, but I’m gonna say it now because it’s the easiest thing to say. But like, I just kind of go into their inbox being like, hey, like this is what’s up, like, these are the things that I’m seeing like or if it’s a wedding that I just photographed or something. These are the ways that they made their wedding day really personal to them. So that it’s like oh, cool, like we get to see photos and an extra donation of how this cup like this real life couple did this. And so I’ll do that sometimes and then just all kind of remind them like, Hey, I’m updating the playlist, here are some new songs that I just added. So it’s just stuff like that, that are just in their inbox. I don’t again, I don’t, I’m never like, Hey, I’m also a wedding photographer. Hear me like, I’ve never I never say that, just because it’s pretty obvious that I’m a wedding photographer. And I don’t need to. I don’t need to say that. I always say like, if you have any questions, please feel free to send me an email kind of stuff. But I’ve never been like, hi, hire me. I think we’ve talked about albums before in my newsletter list. But again, it’s just Do you have
Dan Moyer
any calls to action in it? Like, like, hey, check your date with me any that kind of stuff? No,
Corrin Jasinski
I don’t know. I guess I could. But essentially, like, also my books are, they are pretty fine. So that’s where it’s like, if I ever got to a year where I was like, not doing as well, then I can be like, oh, like exactly like that could be my time to shine. And or if I were to, like, open up the books a little bit more for destination just being like, hey, like reminder, I travel because a lot of the people in my inbox aren’t necessarily for Virginia. It’s all over the world. So like with that, I need to remind them that I am a destination. I am elopement. I do family like that kind of stuff. I could do that in my newsletter. But right now, because of how my calendar is I really enjoy what my calendar looks like right now. I don’t necessarily need to do that as crazy. It’s just kind of I’m also at a price point, too, that not everyone can necessarily afford.
Dan Moyer
Yeah, do you? You seem like somebody who’s just a, a giver and likes to see people sort of at their best because you’re giving away like, so much knowledge? And yes, there’s an ask at some point. Well, it’s not like a call to action. But there’s like this implied thing that’s like, obviously, you’re available for hire and all that stuff. But is that just your motivation? It’s like, Alright, I just want people to like, be happy. And there’s a lot of like stress around, you know, being planning a wedding. And there’s a lot of very bride centric, and there’s a lot of stress around like being a bride and like having everything perfect and figured out and the wedding planning learning curve is so steep, it’s like, is that sort of where you’re coming from with all this?
Corrin Jasinski
Yeah, pretty much, because I’m not really getting it. Like, my books are solid. So that’s where it’s like, it’s a little, I need to figure out my next step. If I’m being honest. So that like I am looking to do abroad, like a couple shop where it’s going to have like a timeline guide specific. It’s funny, because everything that photographers are selling to photographers, I plan on selling to couples instead. So and I have like, and because I’ve been nurturing for so long now, I’m all for that, like when I release it, then people will be like, Oh, like this is gonna be a helpful guide. Like, if she’s already giving us all this information, this piece of content is just going to be loaded. Like they already kind of have that instilled trust. That’s my Oh,
Dan Moyer
wow. Okay. All right. So we’re coming up on almost 50 minutes here which Time flew Holy crap. So the last, the last question I have is, What did you really do, you know, for marketing before you started this? And, and like just sort of maybe in a concise way, like, how did you? How do you view that, you know, just doing these reels, you know, a couple every week and just getting super organized about it? How do you sort of see that they have changed your business? And you know, what encouragement do you have for other photographers who need to do these two?
Corrin Jasinski
Yeah. Before reels. Wow, I don’t I don’t even know I forgot what that looks like. Also, like, that same time of COVID. So you’re like, what, what is time before that? But essentially, it was just kind of like hoping for the best with Instagram because Instagram was really somewhat dying in a way before COVID. Like, it was really difficult to be seen. It was literally just like a portfolio for the month of people that were following because I wasn’t getting very many followers. I think at that time, I was at like 3600 followers. So like, not very many at all. In hindsight, like in comparison to other photographers that I was seeing that like, there was like certain waves of Instagram where like if you were in the first wave, you got the whole many, many followers and then I hit the second wave where I didn’t and so, but essentially it was a lot of referrals from other planners, referrals from other couples venues. That’s kind of how I was getting those inquiries. I was on the blog a lot. I was more now but I blogged a lot. Now my time has moved more towards the reals, but Jake and I should go back to blogging. But vlogging was really helpful. I think those were the that was really it, though, I wasn’t doing much else,
Dan Moyer
that that’s a really good point that sort of prior to COVID and stuff, it was really like, Oh, who’s creating these like, really crazy wild pictures? Like, let me make this couple stand on a mountain? Or like, how many flashes? Can I set up and like, do this crazy thing? And then, you know this, you took the short form video and said, How helpful can I be? And I love that? What sort of advice or encouragement would you give to other photographers who are like, seeing this and be like, yeah, I could do that.
Corrin Jasinski
Don’t be intimidated by anything that I said today. I feel like I gave like really big things. But incorporating reels slowly, but surely, like, you don’t have to post every single day. You just you could post once a month, but do that consistently. I would say maybe once a week, but whatever feels best. But you have to try everything. If like talking to the camera, like I do does not work. Don’t do it. Like if doesn’t feel comfortable and natural to you don’t do it. And then again, I think dancing and pointing is kind of out anyway. So like, we don’t have to worry about that one anymore. But again, but it’s for you, like I’m all for it. If you can make that work, and you’re giving out valuable content, through dancing and pointing. Do whatever feels right. And you feel comfortable and resonates with your audience. Do it. Yeah. But you have to try all the different types of reels in order to figure out what works best for you, and what really resonates with your audience. And so once those two collide, then you’re it’s going to just get easier and easier and easier. But you have to put yourself out there first, be brave, I think that’s the biggest leg tip that I can give. It’s just like, take a little step forward and like, just be brave. And you could do it without showing your face really easily. But yeah, anyone can 100% DM me at any time, and I will give them 5 million different ideas. I just, I think it’s a lot easier than a lot of people think because we can get so stuck in our head. And when we get stuck there. It’s just seems like there’s nowhere else to go. And then we go back to our old habits. And so I think if someone is could just be encouraging and be like, hey, try this out that it’s like, Oh, why did I think of that? And then boom, they end up in a direction they never thought that they could go? I hope that answered your question. But
Dan Moyer
it did I have one one sort of follow up. Because I’m assuming like, like, obviously, it’s not gonna work like right away. So like, is it just a matter of like keeping, just keep showing up, find the schedule that works for you and just like, keep plugging away? Because something will break through. And it’s like a matter of just like people seeing you over and over again. Yeah,
Corrin Jasinski
I also like to say like, because right now, like, some of my rules right now aren’t doing that well. And it’s a little frustrating even for me, I’m like, What am I doing wrong? I’ve been doing the same thing for a long, long time now. Like, what’s what’s up? So I have to start being creative and figuring out a different perspective. Go back to my research, go back to that, what’s fun for me, and then do that. But essentially, if I can help at least one person, is that real was worth it. I have to always go back to that. And so like the one that I did today, it’s just not it’s not doing well, it’s not due to hot at all, and I haven’t I have considered deleting it. And that is rule number two, I will never delete a reel ever. No matter how poorly it does, I will never delete it. But I even considered it I was like, oh gosh, this is not doing well at all. And because I was gonna be on this podcast, it has to do well. Now like I just I was like, okay, but then I looked at my comments that are like, I’ve resonated with this, like, this is me, like I thank you so much for sharing this. I get married in two days, like I really needed to hear this. Like those kind of comments where it’s like, it’s only it is maybe like only eight comments, but like, I help somebody I help someone else be seen and heard. And so that’s all that’s really important. At the end of the day, is that you’re helping somebody and I know that sounds like a bunch of fluff but like you’re hoping and I that’s what makes me you continue doing reels, regardless of how well they do or don’t do.
Dan Moyer
Yeah, several my friends will sort of poke fun at me like, like, why I get together in person so much with my couples. And it’s it does not make financial sense. Like I get it like the time that I spent doing that is the reason why couples from like, this weekend. The bride sister for this weekend was like September 2011 I photograph their wedding and she thought of me 10 years later, 12 years later and it’s like that’s the stuff that I’m looking for but like that’s the ROI positive that like I’m trying to find by just being there for couples and I think you’re doing this in a same way right? Where reels doesn’t work for everybody but like it can be part of the part of the repertoire of like things that you do but So alright, in sort of closing here, where can photographers find you and and how can they follow along and I wonder Saying that you also do some real coaching and and helping people sort of figure out what works for them. So lay it all on me.
Corrin Jasinski
Yeah, it’s like Instagram is the best place to find me soccer, but it’s at Krasinski, that is my name. And then my website is credited landscape photography.com. And there’s an education page. Do you didn’t make it more accessible, but it’s down at the bottom? And yeah, like, and there’s coaching there. If you’re looking for if you’re like a high level, photographer, or planner, or just wedding industry person who’s looking to sell a product, sell a course, or just looking to uplevel your sales. I have a service that I will come and do the reels for you, then yeah, that’s, that is my higher end. Very cool. Okay. Yeah, I’ve had a couple like, Abby Grace photography, if you’re ending, yeah, so I’ve done that service for her. And I went in, and she was about to sell the course again. And so what we did was we created I think, 10 to 12 reels for her to be able to throw out into Instagram world, and right before she launched her new course, so that she could get new eyes coming in to her profile. So that then again, that could go into our newsletter list where she sells really well there. But yeah, so it’s something like that. That’s a done for you service. And then I also have services with coaching online and coaching in person. So I’m
Dan Moyer
super thankful for just really laying everything out there today and for your vulnerability about around some of the, like, hate comments, and like all that nasty stuff. And just being like, I don’t know, I’m just being real, because, you know, the, the thing that you said just a moment ago, like really struck me where you’re like, oh, this real is not doing good. I should have deleted I’m coming on this podcast today. Right? It’s like that. It’s like that thing where you’re just like, oh, like, I’ve got to look good. I’ve got to do this. I’ve got to do that. And that. That’s a That’s hard. That’s a tough pill to swallow sometimes. And I love your transparency in that struggle as like somebody who you you have like a wonderful image. You’ve got so many followers. And it’s like, it’s also good to see when like somebody’s like, yeah, like, I also am a real person too. I’m still figuring this stuff out. I’m still, you know, not quite sure of all this. And so I’m just very thankful for your humility and your vulnerability and your your warmth and, and all that stuff today. So,
Corrin Jasinski
no, well, no, thank you so much for having me on. Now. This was awesome. And I love the conversation so much. Thank you.
Dan Moyer
Yeah, my pleasure.
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