#277: Photography Tips for Boutique Owners with Janzen Tew, Founder of Denim and Velvet

Welcome to episode number 277 and get a pen and paper. If you need notes on photography tips, today is your day. Get ready to chat with my friend Janzen of Denim and Velvet Marketing. Let's talk about your business strategy and the juicy details of what actually works, from mainstream fashion to fashion on Main street and the entire ecosystem behind it. How do we scale your company and do it with the balance and the happiness that we all seek? Let's hear from those inside creators, experts and strategists that actually make it happen. I'm your host Ashley Alderson from the Boutique Hub and I can't wait to chat. I think one of the most commonly struggled with parts of running a boutique, especially at the beginning anyway, or when you feel like you're at a plateau and you really need to up level your brand is fantastic. Finding the best type of photography for your business There is nothing like great photography that sets you out in the mind of your customer. You know the type of photography when you scroll Instagram and immediately you see a photo and you know who it belongs to. That's branding. But it's far too common today in the boutique world that we use stock photos or, you know, snap a quick photo here or there and throw it together and there's a time and place for that, don't get me wrong, but there still is such an art behind great photography. So. So today on the show, I'm so excited for you to hear from my friend Janzen. Jansen's been a longtime friend, helped us put on the very first Boutique Summit, which was quite a story you're going to hear about. She's the founder of Denim and Velvet Marketing and she's been a member of the Hub forever. You guys are going to get to hear tons of photography tips and marketing tips and just hear about how to create a brand that is going to help you and your business stand out. Jansen is full of ideas and after this podcast, if you guys have questions, questions, be sure to tag her inside of the Hub groups because I know she would love to lend a hand. So, couple of quick tips. Back to photography before we jump into today's episode. We talk a lot about lifestyle photography and lighting and how important it is to set your brand with great photography. But I just want to give you this quick tip. Great photography consists of a couple of different product shot types, right? There's lifestyle photography, which is great for marketing and branding. It's great for changing of the seasons and bringing in new collections and it's Important for your website and again in all of your marketing materials. But then there's social media type photography. And this might be whatever resonates most with your customer. It could be flat lays, it could be mirror selfies. It's whatever draws the click and gets the most engagements from your customer. And you know your customer best. And this is going to be different from boutique to boutique. And the third type of photography to think about is your product photography. That's for your website. Now, a lot of photographers get this type of photography mixed up and your photos start to look like senior pictures where we're focusing on someone's face, face or smile. You know, we don't really care about the model's face or smile, to be honest. We want to see how good that piece of clothing looks on the model and put it presented in a way where the customer can look at the picture and go, I can see myself in that. So that might be your model avoiding eye contact, looking to the side, wearing sunglasses, whatever it might be. But it is product focused photography. So keep that in mind, the three types of photography as we jump into the conversation today and then take all the notes, learn the photography tips from the best in the business. My girl, Jansen Jackson, the founder of Denim and Velvet Marketing. You guys, it is like old home week because one of my favorite people is on the podcast today, Jansen too, the founder of Denim and Velvet. How you doing, girl?

I'm doing good. Just surviving here in Texas.

I'm so excited that you're on because this is like I said, like old home week. We could just girl talk this whole time, share some tips and it wouldn't even feel like we're recording a podcast. Not at all.

I mean, you were my first job in the boutique world by helping out with some content management for the Hub. Back when it first started, it was like, I think the end of 2016, maybe this summer. And yeah, since then it's just continued to be a great friendship.

I love anyone who starts a sentence with you were my first.

You were. Yes.

Oh man, we've got to go back to those times. I'm trying to remember, like if someone introduced us or how we first met.

I saw your listing. I don't remember if it was a Facebook like ad or what it was for a job. And I believe me and Jesse Jarvis actually sent in hours at the same time. We were both super pumped. She was much more qualified and got a well deserved position. And I helped with social for a while and then I got to help with A couple of your boot camps and doing some photography lessons in there, and then it's just continued to spiral. Yes.

And, you know, one of my favorite stories from, like, those days, and Jesse and I tell this story all the time about the summit and the very first summit that we ever put on. I mean, at the time, so I was the only, like, full time person at the Hub. Jesse was sort of part time, Beth was sort of part time. You were like, part time writing and kind of, like, contracting. And we put on this crazy event, and everyone was like, what are you thinking? Like, you're gonna bring 300 women to Dallas and you've never put on a big event before? And we're like, yeah, of course we got this.

Don't worry.

Why not? Yeah. And then that turned into us getting carbon monoxide poisoning because we were gonna meet you guys for dinner in Fort Worth that night. Yeah. You had to be thinking, like, what is wrong with these girls? Like, the Midwest comes to town and all hell breaks loose.

No. Probably one of my favorite memories because it did push me out of my comfort zone to put together so much, like, so many items for that. I'm very much introvert, and it made me, like, step out. You actually made me have to speak at my first event. I definitely spilled a bloody Mary on me about 15 minutes before I went on stage and had to go clean my jumpsuit off in a bathroom. So, you know, nothing like forgetting about your nerves because you're too worried about looking silly. But, no, that first boutique cup summit in 2017 was incredible. I got to really meet a ton of people. It helped Denim and Velvet a ton to network and meet a lot of boutique owners. But it also really pushed me to have the drive that you do for your business because you're all in, and you had such a big vision, and that was just a really pivotal moment for Denim and Velvet.

No, I love that. I love seeing how you've blossomed. You know, like, you've always had this amazing gift in you. And I remember from, like, the very first time I saw Rodeo Vogue and what you were doing on Instagram, which I thought was so unique. I just always knew you had something, like, so special. So to see you do that and be able to share your gift with other people, I think is so cool.

Well, thank you. You're welcome.

So if anyone doesn't know you yet, let's kind of give them the backstory. Talk to me about how you got started, like, in the creative space with photography and with a blog, and then into the business, like, talk to me, like, backstory how it all came about.

It is the most dysfunctional story. But when I went to college, I had no idea really what I wanted to do. And I had a girlfriend that had gone to a dental assisting school and loved it. Money was good. And so I was like, I'll do that. And I really fell in love with the dental world. And then I decided to go to school for dental hygiene. And during that process, I picked up a camera. I really was getting tired of, like, waitressing to make money during school and started doing photo shoots for friends and family and really fell in love with it. And I have no formal training, YouTube university, and just trial and error. And it. I took the time to shadow and reach out to a lot of photographers to go see what I could learn, hands on. And I'm very fortunate that there were some amazing photographers that definitely took me under their wing and taught me. And so from there, I have always had just a love for clothing. I grew up with a grandmother that was a seamstress that could make really anything that I dreamed of. And so that spoiled me a little bit in the fact that I could have my own voice through my fashion without having to spend a ton on it. So I was part of a group called the Bleacher Babe Squad. And we had part of our contract that we had to wear these specific items that the sponsors sent us. And it was a great way to network, but it wasn't my style. And so I stepped out with Rodeo Vogue because I'm very much a high heels. Every day I will go feed at the barn in the mornings before I go to work in heels. It's just more who I am. I love to be dressed up. I always say that, like, office fashion is my style, but I'll put like a little bit of a twist on it. And I have a wonderful husband that was my cameraman to allow me to have good quality photos. I'm not one that can set a tripod up and take a picture. And I applaud any influencer blogger, anyone like that that can do it because it is not my skill. So I was very thankful for him. And then I started blogging because I really felt like there was girls and women in the rodeo world that were afraid to not dress western and be themselves because they felt like they needed to fit in. And so that's kind of how Rodeo Vogue was born. And then from there, denim and velvet started because I was helping some businesses do photo shoots and then they would need an ad design or logo for their business. And even though there were other businesses that were doing each of those things, we didn't really see one that did it all together. And so Denim Velvet was born to be the one stop shop for marketing needs. You could get your logo, website, social media, photography, graphic design, really anything you needed to market your business. And so, like I said, it's a very dysfunctional story of how it evolved of me wanting to be a dental hygienist to now owning a marketing company. But we definitely went like A, Z, B, D, X, H, no actual lineal method. We just bounced around to get to where we are today.

Oh, those are the best stories though. You know, I think that I've always said this, that God laughs at people to make plans because, I mean, I'm a big planner and like, I'm all about casting, big vision. But if we think that it's on our shoulders to decide, I'm going to go to point A and then B and then C. Like, that's just not how it happens. I think you have to be willing to go with the flow just like you did in order to have the best outcome. Right?

Yeah. I mean, had someone asked me 10 years ago, I would have said that I was going to be a dental hygienist. And by now I wanted to be working like three days a week and who knows what else. But I did not plan on marketing, business or anything. Like photography was not on my radar at all. But I'm very thankful now because my job is different every day. I don't think that I would have made it long term in the dental field.

I love that. And we're gonna go super in depth in photography in just a minute. But before we do, I've got one more question, kind of as it comes to fashion. Because I think what I admired about Rodeo Vogue from the start was that, you know, we both come from the western world.

Right.

And your husband's a professional team roper. Like, you guys travel, you do the thing. But to you, like, being western doesn't mean you have to dress western, quote unquote, all the time. Or you have to like fit into this box and wear certain western outfits. Like, you just put your own spin on it. And that's kind of how I see it too. Like, I rarely dress western. I feel like I just kind of put my own little spin on it. So talk to me kind of about your style because I think that's super classy and cool.

Oh, well, thank you. I. I think the Most important thing is to be comfortable, and being comfortable is something different for everyone. It might be, like, leggings and a cute graphic tee for one person. It could be jeans and a top or a T shirt for someone else. But for me, I'm at my most comfortable and confident when I am in, like, heels, slacks, a nice blouse, like, really put together. That is when I feel like I can conquer anything or just go anywhere. Like I said, I'm super introverted, so I don't, like, it's not fun for me to, like, show up at a rodeo and, like, walk into the stands and find somewhere to sit, unless I know that my friend group is there and I'm headed to them. So to do that and feel like I had to be dressed in jeans or, like, booties and a graphic tee and hat and turquoise jewelry, because that was what was trending. Just made me, like, want to sweat. And so once I started, you know, really just leaving that, I'm still, like, I love a good skinny jean with a cute top. I'm not much of a graphic tee person, but I'll do, like, a good, solid T shirt or, like, a solid bodysuit and heels or, like, a cute tank top. But, like, every day as far as the office, most days, I'm in a pair of slacks and a blouse and heels, and I feel like I can conquer the world. So I always say that my style is, like, office chic with just touches of western, and that'll come in through, like, my jewelry or if I do wear a hat or, like, smaller accessories or maybe the prints and my shirts.

I love that. And it goes back to, I think, why we're all in this business and why we love fashion is how it makes us feel, right? It's. It's not about fitting in with a trend, so to speak, but it's about making your own signature style that makes you feel beautiful and comfortable. So super spot on. I just.

I think that's the most important part for any woman, getting dressed up. Women in general are hard on themselves as it is, so wearing something that you don't feel comfortable in just makes it even worse. So even if you're gonna look different, wear whatever makes you feel confident.

Absolutely. All right, let's transition that, because a key to selling that confidence and selling clothes on the Internet, which, you know, I laugh when people, you know, 20 years ago were like, well, that's not possible. Like, you can't sell. Can't sell shoes on the Internet. And then Zappos comes along, and you.

Can'T sell clothes on the Internet.

And then all these brands come along. But a big key to that is transitioning that feeling of confidence of what I'm going to get out of this product when I buy it through photography online. And that's what you guys are so good at and I know you help so many boutiques with. So let's start at the beginning. Talk to me about before you have any photos taken or as you're just like thinking about overhauling your brand. What do you think are some of the biggest things to consider when it comes to photography before an actual photo shoot happens? Like, how do you decide that this style of photography is going to impact my brand?

The number one question I ask always is who they want to sell to. Because we can do the same photos in the same location, with different poses, even the same apparel, and get a different vibe from the images. But it depends on, like, who you're wanting to sell to, what you're wanting to come across. We can take a pair of jeans and a graphic tee and do the T shirt down with like a little French tuck in the front. Super simple. And you're like modest stay at home moms. Even women who maybe work in an office, but they want something comfortable and casual to wear in the afternoons, they're going to look at that image and feel comfortable because there's no skin showing. They're covered, but they still look on trend. But we can take those exact same pieces and like, cuff the sleeve of the shirt, tie a knot in it, cuff the jeans, or like, put a fun belt and make it edgy, and you're immediately selling to a younger crowd. So that my first question always is, who do you want to sell to? Then I try and get an idea of the color scheme of the apparel that we're doing. And then we create a vision board poses that they like, that they don't like, how they like their clothing to be styled, what is comfortable to them for their business? Because the worst thing that in my opinion that a business owner can do is let someone have, like, free rein when it comes to the creative side, and then it doesn't match their business. And then when they're trying to sell to their customers, they don't have that emotion, that excitement attached to it. So it gets very flatlined. Like, oh, yeah, that was a pretty picture, but I wouldn't have put that top with that pant kind of situation. But when they love it, yes, I love that outfit. We found this perfect location. We had her stand this way because it showed this detail off on a product. Then that excitement moves from the photo to the business owner and then onto the customer. And you see a lot higher rate of your sales crossing over based upon the images. Especially when you can't be face to face to sell the product and let them feel and touch it. You have to have that emotion attached.

Oh, that's so good. It's all the little details, I feel like that are so often overlooked. Like how is this photo, how is this product going to make someone feel? And all those details are really what tells the story. Do you feel like when you think about the ideal customer, is that how you also decide? Do I want to do a flat lay or a model photo or a studio photo? Or how do you recommend boutiques? Choose between the three or a mix of the three.

I typically like to have everyone do it on a model because you can see how the clothes fits and then depending on their customer and how they've set up their business to shop. That's where a flat lay can come in handy as well. We have a handful of customers that they do both. We shoot everything on a product or all their products on a model for them and then come back in studio and do flat lays. But I think on a model and then be very conscious about your model. Make sure it's someone that your customers will relate to. Don't choose your model just because she's the pretty girl. There's so, I mean, women, like I said earlier, are so hard on themselves that it has to be someone that they can relate to. So if you're wanting to do that crossover between curvy and just traditional sizing, you need to make sure I tell everyone, choose a size large model. They're going to represent both categories. People are going to look at that and feel confident in what they're buying. But if you're wanting to also sell curvy and you only shoot everything on a size small model, your girls are going to be so turned off by purchasing items because they don't know how it's going to fit their body type. And I think that that is the biggest deterrence when it comes to customers. They'll want to automatically choose the size small model. And that was part of the model team that we built. I wanted different ages, heights, ethnicities, sizing. Because a size small that's 5, 2 and a size small that's 5, 8 are two totally different body types. And it truly depends on where you're located in the world, your customer base that you've already established and what you're trying to achieve as your perfect customer along the way as well.

That's super helpful and the data will tell you that. Right? You've got to dig into who your customer is and the data beforehand. Super smart when you know those things. Let's like down the step by step process and you've got your vision board. You know, like the aesthetic feel that you want for your photo shoot. What do you look for in choosing a good location of where you're going to take photos?

I prefer something that has a clean background so it's not distracting. I don't leave a lot of the background behind my images anyways. I tend to get pretty tight on the model because we're selling the clothes and we want to really be able to see the details and what makes that piece of apparel stand out. But having a clean background and then always lighting, you want to have good lighting to match your mood board. If you're wanting something like very moody and a little bit dark, that's showing more like of a raw emotion, you're going to find an area that's more fully shaded with a darker background. If you're wanting that super bright and airy, like fun, flirty look, you're going to go somewhere that has some shade, but you're wanting a lot of sunshine coming back through, through your image that it's really warm and the model looks, you know, happy and fun. So your, your background and your model need to match in a way. You don't want to take a. In my personal opinion, you don't want to take a hot pink dress against a super dark wall with this like, happy, bubbly model, but have this dark image. It doesn't match. So you need to have, you need to be able to pair the, the model along with the mood board and the style of clothes so that you have a cohesive look across all pieces.

Such a good point. When, when you choose that location and you've got like the, the sun, the time of day, is there like a good rule of thumb when it comes to making sure the sun's in a certain spot or it should be a cloudy day or a sunny day or like, how do you make sure you've got good lighting at the location?

I typically prefer to shoot mornings and afternoons. That's what they consider the golden hour within two and a half to three hours of the sun rising or two hours before the sun sets. Now that's not always ideal if you're needing to do it during business hours. So if you need to do a middle of the day shoot. The biggest thing is to look for full shade so that your model can move around and it's not like tied against a building. So during the day the east and west sides of a building are good. Depending on the heights of the building, buildings around you and how the shadows are falling that that works best for us. We're in a little downtown area and so we have quite a few buildings around that help block shade. But I tell everyone, get out, drive around your town, your property, wherever you're going to be doing photos and go outside like four times a day. Go once in the morning and find the spot that you like and you know what the light looks. Then go back like two hours later. Then go back mid afternoon, we'll say around like two or three o' clock and then go back in the evening and look at what that spot does all day long. And then you can kind of have a better idea of when your best times of day are going to be lighting wise. If you can do mornings and evenings, the light's really soft and clean, then you tend to get more harsh light. Middle of the day, if you're not comfortable with your camera and if the like getting the settings right for that harder midday light.

When you're getting ready. Once you have your light, you've got the location. What are some things that you pack? Like, do you keep a checklist of what people should take to photo shoots?

Yes. Number one thing is bring clamps and bottles of water. You're going to especially this time of year as we're going into summer, you're gonna get thirsty. It's hot in Texas. We're already having 100 degree days. And so being hydrated and prepared is key. And then clamps for your clothing. I try not to clamp anything, but there's some items that run bigger and making them fit how they're supposed to. But I always tell anyone if we do that, let your customers know. Model is wearing size medium. She's always a medium. This ran large. This is the fit it should have. So maybe size down like let let people know that you're adjusting apparel, but you also still want it to look nice for the photo. So there's a little give and take to that. And depending on where you're shooting, I A lot of our photo shoots happen with the clothes in the backseat of the car and we're out on location and the model is having to change either in the car or we'll open up doors and they'll change between. I have since made my own sort of dressing room setup. I started out by buying a tanning booth like pop up tent. But they have terrible ventilation and if it's any sort of windy, they just blow away. So I quickly learned that was not the route. So I take fitted sheets to fit over my car doors and to fit through in the windows and in the front windshield to be able to have like a fully closed off area. Because changing pants in the car, if you come from the western industry and you've rodeoed, you know how hard that is. But it is. But doing a photo shoot can get tricky because you're having to change them so often.

It makes me feel like Ross from that episode of Friends, like where he gets the leather pants.

Don't bring baby powder and lotion.

Prepare for your pants to be ruined.

Yeah, but definitely like staying hydrated because even in the winter, like it's tiring. People don't think for everyone. Like whoever is there assisting me that's putting clothes back on hangers and organizing what we've already shot. And it's tiring for the model. They're having to change clothes, make sure their hair and makeup is still perfect, get in front of the camera, smile, be happy for 30 to 40 seconds in that one outfit, go back and change again. And then me reviewing images, making sure our light hasn't changed, adjusting poses and backgrounds and things like that so you're mentally and physically exhausted during this time. If it's a bigger photo shoot, even the smaller ones can get tiring. So making sure you're hydrated. I typically have snacks or at least like gum or something to like keep the energy levels up. And always good music. It makes it fun. It loosens people up. They enjoy the, the photo shoot more when they're, they don't feel like, oh, this has to be like quiet on the set.

Yeah. And talk to me about this. Like if somebody has a newer model that isn't used to or, or if you yourself as a boutique owner are getting in front of the camera, which I hope that you are, it can feel awkward knowing how to pose or how to keep moving. Do you have some tips for good like poses and how to keep like movement in the photos?

Yeah. Number one is have your photographer talk to you, ask you questions about your personal life, things along that it makes you relax. And most everyone, when they get in front of a camera, they immediately put tension in their shoulders and their jaws. So I always tell everyone to like drop their arms down and I'll make them shake them out so that they relax their shoulders. And then I will make them, like, chew a piece of gum, blow bubbles, or do something for a minute to go ahead and relax their jaw muscles, because that tenseness is the first thing you'll notice in a photo. And then for the first, like, two or three shoots, find a pose that is comfortable for you. If you're not ready to do all of these extravagant poses or crazy movement, whether it's a hand on the hip, an arm cross, playing with your hair, whatever makes you feel comfortable just to be in front of a camera, it's awkward to have you feel, like someone's, like, just staring at you and picking you apart to get that perfect picture. So finding that comfortable setup of whether it's, you know, for doing a top shot, if you want to have a hand on a hip at your waist because it makes you look smaller, and turning your body, like, 45 degrees towards the camera, but you can still see any details of the front of the blouse and then having the other arm down or in your hair, like, whatever makes you feel comfortable. Most people want to be doing something with their hands. They don't like just letting them sit there or hang down, and that can make them instantly want to do fists. So finding something to keep you busy, like I said, talking is always great. Your photographer is going to know when to take that perfect picture in between you talking. Getting natural laughs. Whether it's telling a funny story about something that's happened in the past or recently, or, you know, I will even go as far as to, like, tell silly dad jokes or talk in a British accent. Whatever I have to do to, like, get people to loosen up and really enjoy that time so they don't feel like, oh, man, I have to, like, stand stiff like a statue in front of this camera, and they're gonna see every flaw or they're gonna know I'm not a model. Everyone can be a model. It's just truly believing in yourself and being comfortable in that moment.

So helpful. So helpful that people don't feel like they have to pose. They can just keep moving through it and just have fun with it.

Right?

I think all the emotion comes through the photos so clearly, Right?

Yeah. As soon as you get tense, then, like, you don't feel comfortable moving. Like, spin in a circle, throw your hands up, flip your hair around, like, move. And your photographer is going to say, hey, that. That shirt doesn't look good when you spin. It's not flattering to you. Or, oh, my gosh that looked good. It really showed off a detail on the sleeve or the hem of the blouse or, you know, that showed like a carefree spirit. Let's do more of that. But be receptive to whoever's taking your photos because they, they want the best for themselves for creating that for you and then for your business. So if they give you instruction, it's never, it should never be from a bad place. It should be from a place of help and to make the whole situation be the best that it can be.

Absolutely. All right, talk to me about cameras. I feel like that's such a commonly asked question, like what camera do I need to take good photos in my business?

Really pretty much any camera. It's honestly a lot about the lens. I do recommend to anyone that's starting to go find a local camera shop, best buy anything like that and get them in their hands. I think surprisingly, the weight of a camera can be the most shocking to some people because they can be heavy depending on the lens. I always recommend the Sony mirrorless cameras. I switched from Nikon over to Sony a little over a year ago and it's really been a game changer. Canon and Nikon both have really good mirrorless cameras as well. I just use Sony so it's more familiar for me. And the reason for the mirrorless is you can see the exact color changes. If you make any changes in your setting, you can see it directly through the lens and so you know that you're getting an accurate image. It a lot of times for a non mirrorless camera, when you adjust a setting, you have to take a test shot, look at the back of the camera, see if that was right, adjust, go again and again. Where on a mirrorless you can hold it up to your eye or look through the, the screen on the back, make your changes and see them right there. And it really helps people, especially visual learners, to know what each adjustment happens to their camera. So I always recommend getting the Sony A6400 with a 50 millimeter lens. It's a smaller camera, it's about the size of an iPhone X. And then the lens is super lightweight. It honestly doesn't weigh a ton more than your cell phone. And because of the size and shape of it, it makes people feel really comfortable. They can put it in a purse and take it with them. It's not big, bulky, it doesn't feel scary. If I hand my camera off to people, they get like instantly like scared that they're gonna break it really unless you like dropped it. Super Far it's, it's hard to break a really well made camera. So don't be afraid of them, go hold them, see the weight that you're comfortable with. And then I like I said go mirrorless if you can. Don't quote me on prices. I believe getting that set up is around like $1200. But places like Best Buy and a lot of camera shops, they have payment plans if it's not something that you can pay out right up front so that you can get the best equipment for your business.

Do you think cell phone photos, like for someone who's still intimidated by cameras, even though you just gave a great explanation, can you still take good cell phone photos for your business?

You can, you definitely can. But it's all about knowing your light at that point. Cell phone cameras have came a long way. So I think if you're going to use your cell phone, you don't have to be upgraded to like the most brand new that came out today, cell phone, but have something that's within one year old to make sure that you are having the best quality. And if you're going to take pictures indoors, like inside your store or if your boutique's in your home, get near a window and face that window and do it any time of day that you have good natural light. Depending on what direction your house or your building faces, you might have windows where you can do it all day long. And then of course pay attention to your background. Make sure that you've got hangers, tags, anything behind you picked up. But by facing a window, you're going to have the best and most even lighting across your face, all of your clothing, anything like that. They make really great little bluetooth triggers that pair to phones. So you can put your phone up like in a ring light or a stand and then back away from it and be able to put the button and give yourself like a 3 to 10 second countdown to be able to hide the trigger and get posed. And a lot of people feel more comfortable with that because they can put it on a self facing camera and go stand and see themselves pose and be able to know how they are happy with their appearance in the image before it's taken. And it's a lot easier to take, you know, 20 cell phone pictures and be able to review them back. Okay, I need to move my hand here or change here. I didn't like the way that shirt was tucked and it's just, it gets them more comfortable being in that situation.

Super good. Okay. So whether you have cell phone photos or from a nice camera. Talk to me about editing tools. Like, I know you've got all kinds of things on Lightroom. Like, are there other apps and tools that you also rely on?

Yeah, I mean, if I'm going to do a picture on my phone, and typically that's just for, like, personal use on social media. I love the Tezza app, mainly because her. She took her Lightroom presets that she sells and put them in an app on your phone. The Lightroom app can be a little bit intimidating if you're not comfortable with it. I use Lightroom on my computer every day, and the Lightroom app on my phone is still not easy for me because it's not what I'm used to as far as how efficient it is on a computer. But there's so many different presets, preset apps. I recommend Tezza because she's got, I want to say she has like 50 different presets now, and it's I think, $0.99 a month to be able to use all of them. And it's extremely worth it. The biggest thing is consistency, and that goes all over consistency for time of day or like the coloring of your images and the preset that you're going to use when you are getting crazy and doing a picture in the middle of the night, because that was the only time. And then the next one's all bright because you did it during the day and you're putting the same presets and they don't match. It really deters from your brand because people don't associate that type of image with you because they don't have a consistency across the board. So find, if you use Tezza, find whatever preset you like and then pay attention to the time of day that you're doing your photos and be consistent with those I love. My favorite preset on her of hers is vintage because it gives a little bit of warmth, but it still pops the colors, but it's not hard. And contrast, like, faces don't turn orange because it overdid the contrast or saturation or anything. But it just. It just makes that cell phone image just pop a little bit more. It grabs onto some of the detail.

That's super helpful. I honest, I downloaded the Tezza app and I'm apparently paying 99 cents a month for it, but I don't think I've ever used it. So I am now going to dig into that. Thank you for the tip.

Yes. Oh, my gosh.

Okay, let's transition a little bit. You have given so many tips on photography and oh my gosh, if anyone hasn't seen the photos that you take, Jansen, they're so beautiful. So, I mean, you are getting the goods from the horse's mouth. You guys, like, she is amazing. Go follow her on all of her socials. Where can they find more information on you personally? And denim and velvet.

So I'm a little bit of a hermit on social media and only because it's a lack of time to be on there. But if you want to follow along, I sometimes post on Rodeo Vogue, on Instagram and Facebook. But as far as business, we are active on there every day and it is enemandvelvet on Instagram and then denimandvelvet marketing design on Facebook and then our website is denimandvelvet.com awesome.

Okay, personal questions. Lightning round. You ready for this?

I'm ready.

Okay. Because I love you so much. What's your favorite Will Ferrell quote?

Oh, I'm in a glass case of emotion. That is my daily life. I am all for Anchorman.

We could quote this whole movie.

Milk was a bad choice. Made a whole cheese.

I'm kind of a big deal. I have many leather bound books. My apartment smells of rich mahogany. I had Berlin Olsen over for dinner last night.

I literally.

I was helping someone a couple weeks ago with their public speaking. And God bless this girl. She was 16. And I was like, have you ever seen Anchorman? Like, do you know what Veronica Corningstone does before she warms up when she goes on the news? And this girl's like, I'm. I'm 16. I've never seen Anchorman. And I'm like, oh, my gosh.

Yeah.

And then like, right, like 30 seconds later, I. I pulled up my hands and I was like, I don't know what to do with my hands.

Ricky Bobby, that one.

No, she had no idea. Like, she did not follow Will Ferrell. So I just. I love when you and I get to talk because we could have a whole conversation just in movie quotes. I know.

Oh, for sure.

Okay, moving on. What's your biggest fear? Snakes. Payroll or Internet trolls?

Snakes. Perfect.

What is.

Don't scare me. I can handle those. And I can always go ask other people. I'm. If I'm around a snake, it's most likely because I'm out somewhere by myself and you're going to watch me. Oh, if anybody's around, they're going to see me like jump, scream full on shrill and go hide.

I'm with you on that. Hate snakes. Hate them.

Hate them.

What is your favorite book?

Oh, that is a really good question. I honestly don't have an answer for you on that because I read a ton. So it's more of like a favorite book for the moment. And I have been reading a murder mystery series online lately, but I don't have honestly like a go to book that I always go back to.

Well, how about what's your favorite? Fiction or non fiction? Like do one for each.

Okay. Fiction book. I've been reading a lot of Gemma Holiday's books lately. There's not one in particular. Nonfiction. I have been really into Gary Vaynerchuk's. I've already read his several times, but I'm diving back into them from just the educational perspective.

Perfect. Okay, how about who is your favorite mentor? Who do you love to follow for inspiration?

Jenna Kutcher. And honestly, she doesn't even do the photography side of her stuff anymore. But just her positive attitude, that's what really keeps me in check with her.

Yeah, I love her. She's absolutely one of my favorites too. How about I know that you most people don't understand, I guess if you weren't in rodeo life what it's like to be a driver for someone, right?

Yes.

So what is your go to when you are driving all the way across the country in like one stint and you've got to stay up all night? Like what do you do to stay awake?

Number one, I'm going to get exiance energy drinks and those are not extremely popular and so yes, we do get them by the case at our house regularly. And I like the wild grape flavor. Gonna have Twizzlers and having a really good playlist with a mix of music and podcast. Those are like my four. I have to have those other than I have that I can drive for hours on end.

Super helpful. What is your favorite podcast?

Speaking of that, I have been listening to the true crime podcast lately mainly to be able to shut work. Work off. I'm getting better about that as a bad habit to want to work around the clock. And so if I can pretend I'm solving a mystery that I'm not thinking of everything that I have to do at work. So true crime has been my go to lately.

Awesome. All right, Jansen. I ask everybody this question and I love hearing the responses because I feel like we are all in business for such a bigger purpose than to sell a product or to make money. Like there's. There's service above self that comes from great businesses and I know that's how you operate too. So I'd love to know, let's say 30 years down the road, you guys are sitting on your front porch, you maybe are talking to grandkids or relatives, and you're talking about denim and Velvet and all the things that you and Cody did in your life and the life you lived and the businesses you created and the fun that you had. What is the legacy that you really want to leave behind for those and what's the thing you want them to remember about you the most?

I want to leave a legacy of empowerment behind, of not feeling that you can't do something. Like I said, I don't come with any sort of formal training for any area that I do. It's been trial and error growing my brand and helping other businesses. So I want to, I hope that I instill empowerment upon people that they can do anything that they set their mind to as long as they are diligent and consistent. And I hope that people remember me by being nice, honestly and just like trying to go above and beyond to help others. Like you said, it's not about me or really anyone else. I set Denim Velvet up as a way to help small businesses grow and that's what I would love to be remembered by.

I love it. Well, Jansen, I know you've got tips and tools and trainings and products for boutique owners on photography and on business. Again, just one more time if anyone wants to get a hold of you or follow up and learn more, where should they go first?

Denimandvelvet.com is the best place to go. We do have photography classes on our website and a really great contact form if you're wanting to learn more information. And if you don't get a hold of us there, then hop over to Instagram or Facebook. Instagram is Enemanvelvet and Facebook is Denim and Velvet Marketing plus Design.

Awesome. Thank you so much Jansen. It was so awesome to have you on the show today.

Yeah, I had a great time. I love getting to catch up.

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