School’s Out, Earnings In: A Teacher's GradPics Now Success
By
Jack C.
on
July 27, 2023
|
8
minute read
Time for another success story!
For years, graduation photography has played a crucial role in capturing the pivotal moments of grads. Not only are these professional photos treasured keepsakes, but they also present substantial income opportunities for photographers.
Consider the story of Eric, a high school photography teacher and small business owner. Eric ventured into a graduation event with NowCandid's platform, intending to photograph around 500 graduates. He had modest expectations, aiming to generate about $1,200 in sales. What unfolded next, however, far exceeded even his most optimistic projections.
In his very first event using NowCandid, the earnings soared past expectations!
Almost reaching an astounding $12,000 within only seven days after the event. Such a windfall was not only a personal victory for the teacher but also a testament to NowCandid's potential to transform event photography. So far (as of publishing this article), the event has reached well over $15,000. A far cry from his initially predicted $1,200.
Sharing his success in an email to his onboarding trainer, Darwin Drake, the photography teacher expressed his profound amazement and gratitude. "I am at $6,700 earned and counting. I am beyond speechless. I'm gobsmacked. I'm overjoyed. I am stunned." (And that reaction was before it hit $12,000 days later!)
A friends & family photo taken after the ceremony by Eric & his photographers.
But the triumph of this story goes beyond the impressive earnings.
As a teacher, Eric was able to bring his students onboard, teaching them practical skills while also providing them with paid experience. "I hired 4 of my current and former photography students for this event," he wrote, "and as a teacher and small business owner I am so profoundly thankful to be able to teach them and pay them."
Eric and some students in Berlin at a graffiti workshop just days after their successful graduation ceremony.
This story highlights the remarkable opportunities that NowCandid can bring to photographers and entrepreneurs.
Whether you're a professional photographer seeking to maximize your earnings, a teacher nurturing the next generation of photographers, or a business owner eager to expand your reach, NowCandid can provide the platform and tools you need to achieve your goals.
In event photography, moments become memories, and for a photographer: memories are opportunities!
Eric's experience shows, that with the right tools and workflow, it is more possible (and easier!) than ever before to monetize your photography in a big way.
Enjoy some more photos taken by Eric & his photographers below!
NowCandid Event Settings & Numbers Breakdown
Program: GradPics Now
Workflow: Selfie Check-In
Price Level: Price Level 8
Title Option: Simple Text Title
Staff: 4 Photographers (doing some Selfie Check-In work as well) and 1 Dedicated Selfie Check-In Attendant
Participants: 500+ Participants via Selfie Check-In
Candy here, and Merry Christmas to those who celebrate.
We’ve arrived at the 12th Day of Christmas, and I’m thrilled to unwrap our biggest new feature of 2024—Photo Booth Mode in the Capture & Upload App!
The new NowCandid Capture & Upload App Version that includes Photo Booth Mode will be going live at the end of December, this month!
Let’s get into the holiday spirit and explore everything this mode has to offer. 🎁
What Is Photo Booth Mode? 🤶
Photo Booth Mode is a brand-new option inside our Capture & Upload App—you’ll see a shiny “Photo Booth” button once you log in to an Event and create a Folder.
Give that Photo Booth button a tap, and voilà: your iPad turns into a photo booth station where guests can snap fun pictures with minimal hassle!
Multiple Camera Options: Tether a Nikon, Sony, or Canon camera, or use your iPad’s front-facing camera, depending on your particular photo booth frame.
Solid Internet Connection: The app downloads any custom overlays or backgrounds you’ve set on the web dashboard, so stable Wi-Fi or LTE is essential.
It’s perfect for holiday parties, corporate shindigs, weddings, or any event where a lighthearted photo booth can bring on the smiles!
The Photo Booth Flow ⏱️
Here’s how Photo Booth Mode keeps your guests engaged:
Tap to Begin Screen: A dimmed live view awaits guests to tap and start. Once they do, the booth will let them know to get ready for three photos.
Three Countdown Shots: Each shot has a 3-second countdown followed by a short preview of the taken pic after each shot. If your event uses a Bottom Banner Overlay or Full Frame Overlay, it shows up in the live view, so no one ends up hidden behind the graphics!
Instant Delivery & Overlays: In QuicPics events, each photo is sent via MMS with the overlay art included. Retail site users can choose or order their images with or without the artwork.
Guests can hop in, pose, and receive fun, branded photos—no fuss required! 🎉
On-Device Backgrounds & Filters 🎨
Before finalizing those memorable pics, guests can personalize them right on the device:
Background Selection: If you’ve uploaded custom backgrounds on the web dashboard, the app fetches them before the booth session. Guests can pick from these in addition to several default backgrounds, great for holiday vibes or brand-specific themes.
Filter Options: Classic filters like Noir, Sepia, Clarendon, and others let participants get creative.
Reshoot Button: Not happy with the shot? Tap “Reshoot” and start the session over.
This ensures a lively, interactive experience that encourages guests to come back for more snaps. ⛄
Positive ID vs. Face Matching 🧐
After styling, the next step depends on your event’s workflow:
Face Matching Events: Guests tap the faces they see on-screen, then enter contact info for each face. If multiple people are in one session, no problem—add them all at once.
Positive ID Events: A simpler approach: participants just type in their contact info and send off the images.
Either way, photos head straight to their phones via QuicPics (if you’re using that workflow) or land in their personal gallery. 🔔
Seamless Integration with NowCandid 💖
Photo Booth Mode plugs right into your existing NowCandid features:
Selfie Check-In & LiveLoop: Photo booth images appear in your LiveLoop feed if you’re displaying one at the event. Selfie Check-Ins can still match participants to their booth photos too.
QuicPics & PartyPics: The images upload instantly, letting your guests receive them right away, or find them in their personal gallery for easy purchase or free download (depending on your workflow).
It’s the same NowCandid ecosystem you know—just dressed up in a festive booth format! 🎄
Requirements & Limitations 🎅
A few notes to keep in mind:
Camera Orientation:
Nikon supports horizontal and vertical live view.
Sony/Canon currently only support horizontal orientation for tethered cameras.
iPad-Only for Now:
Photo Booth Mode works on iPad in vertical orientation, not on iPhone or Windows (yet).
No Built-In Printing:
If you need on-site prints, consider setting up your own print station with a computer and a printer! Use quic.pics/portal to access your Event images, and then download images with or without overlays and print them on-site.
We Value Feedback:
Missing something? Let us know! Your input shapes our next updates.
Why Photo Booth Mode Is a Holiday Treat 🎁
Interactive & Fun: Guests love choosing backgrounds, filters, and overlays, making the booth a memorable attraction.
Fully Integrated: Works seamlessly with QuicPics, PartyPics, LiveLoop, Face Matching, and more.
Revenue & Engagement Boost: Branded overlays, holiday backgrounds, or sponsor tie-ins can lead to higher sales and delighted clients.
This mode is a surefire way to add a dash of cheer to any event—holiday-themed or otherwise! ✨
That’s all for now, folks.
We hope Photo Booth Mode adds a dash of magic to your season and beyond.
And thank you for following along with our 12 Days of Christmas!
Enjoy this new feature, and as always, keep capturing the moments that matter most.
Reminder: The new NowCandid Capture & Upload App Version that includes Photo Booth Mode will be going live at the end of December, this month!
Candy here, and welcome to Day 11 of our 12 Days of Christmas countdown.
Today’s spotlight is a feature still in its early stages, but full of potential: the Candy Account Integration (Beta). Since it’s Christmas Eve, what better time to peek at a promising work-in-progress?
Key Highlights:
Account-Level Insights: When using Candy through the Web Dashboard, you can ask about your account’s metrics, such as sales over a certain period or the number of events in specific categories.
A Learning AI Assistant: Candy’s not perfect yet—she might make mistakes—but this beta integration is a step toward providing instant answers without leaving the dashboard.
Future Potential: With more opportunities to learn and refine, Candy will become a more knowledgeable and accurate assistant, helping you navigate your data more efficiently.
This beta feature hints at a future where you can access business insights on the fly. 🎉
Check back tomorrow, December 25th, for the final day of our countdown. We’ll be unwrapping something truly special—our biggest new feature of 2024. Don’t miss it!
Candy here, and welcome to Day 10 of our 12 Days of Christmas countdown. Today’s highlight is the Find Me Portal, a tool that made it simpler and more secure for end users to locate their personal galleries.
Key Highlights:
Convenient Access: Clients visit quic.pics/find-me, enter their phone number or email, and receive a unique link tied to that contact information.
All Galleries in One Place: That link displays every personal gallery associated with their contact info, helping them quickly find and enjoy their images from multiple events.
Enhanced Privacy & Security: By sending the link directly to their provided contact details, we ensured no one else could stumble upon their galleries. It’s both user-friendly and secure.
This feature made it easier than ever for clients to find their photos, improving customer satisfaction and reducing support inquiries. 🎉
Check back tomorrow for Day 11, as we near the end of our festive journey through 2024’s top features. And don’t forget—something extra special awaits on December 25th!
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