A place for you to learn, get inspired, and keep up to date with all things SmugMug and photography
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Nov. 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading photography management and sales platform SmugMug is approaching the holiday selling season in a brand new way this year. Instead of offering discounts and deals to attract new customers to the platform, the company is devoting their entire marketing focus to promoting and supporting their existing users.
In practice, this looks like a wide range of initiatives launched during the month of November, including a worldwide directory of professional photographers for hire, a paid digital media campaign promoting the work of SmugMug Pros, and hyper-focused out-of-home marketing in select cities showcasing local photographers on SmugMug.
"Imagine, as a photographer, seeing your work on a billboard across the street from your office. Then you see it advertised online. Then you're able to find it in a directory that leads right to your website," says SmugMug Senior Director, Brand Marketing Christine Fradenburg. "We're building a new sales funnel for our photographers, from scratch, because they deserve to be found and supported for the work they do."
The heart of this fresh approach is ShutterScout, a brand-new, worldwide directory of professional photographers on SmugMug. The directory is searchable by location and subject, helping people find, hire, and purchase photos from SmugMug photographers. Backed by digital and out-of-home marketing campaigns showcasing photographers on the platform, the company hopes to leverage their decades of experience and global reach to help their users find success.
This is far from the first time the innovative photography brand has shaken things up: recently SmugMug offered to pay the entirety of their Pro-level subscription fee back to photographers who hit $500 in sales in their first year. Photographers around the world jumped at the opportunity, and many of them far exceeded the benchmark.
"We described that as "we believe in your success so much, we're betting on it" and folks really took us up on the challenge," says Scott Kinzie, SmugMug VP of Marketing. "This is a natural progression of that. We're putting our money where our mouth is and truly throwing our weight behind our photographers, because we know we can be instrumental in helping them succeed."
In addition to paid initiatives, SmugMug is also releasing The Development Lab—a wealth of fresh content to educate, inspire, and equip SmugMug users with the tools they need to build a business and sell their photos on the platform. From instructional videos and how-to blogs to inspiring interviews with other successful pros, this holiday season will be full of opportunities for SmugMug photographers to grow and thrive.
"Ditching discounts is just the beginning," says Kinzie. "We can't wait to see where our photographers go from here."
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA – (August 22, 2022) – Photography management and sales platform SmugMug just launched a new entry in their award-winning SmugMug Films series. Titled Where the Fire Is, the film features extreme nature photographer Mike Mezeul II as he attempts to document one of the world’s most active volcanoes—Volcán de Fuego in Guatemala.
As a self-described “extreme nature photographer,” Mezeul has built his life and career around daring to capture the shots that others won’t. From supercell storms to active volcanoes, his photography puts him in risky and sometimes downright dangerous positions in order to capture the power of nature at its most volatile.
Mezeul found photography at a young age, discovering an early love of the sky and all it had to offer. “As I began to capture the sky with my photography, I wanted to see and experience more of it,” he says. “Not just the pretty sunsets. I wanted to feel the power that was above my head.”
Soon he was right at home in front of some of the most powerful storms on earth, and braving danger became second nature. It was only a matter of time until volcanoes were calling his name.
In his SmugMug Films debut, Mezeul packs up with a hardy crew of Guatemalan locals to document Volcán de Fuego, a volcano that has been regularly erupting since 2002. Combatting elevation, the weather, and unpredictable eruptions, he braves it all to capture images unlike any other.
“Besides having a deep and understanding knowledge of your subject, you’ve gotta be willing and able to put yourself and keep yourself in some of the most uncomfortable positions ever,” Mezeul says of his work. “When others are running and seeking shelter, your feet are firmly planted on the ground, and your mind and camera are ready to tell a story.”
---
About SmugMug
Photographers across the globe trust SmugMug with more than just their photos. They trust SmugMug with their memories, their passion, and their businesses. SmugMug provides passionate photographers at every level of experience a place to store, share, and sell high-quality photos. At SmugMug, we love your photos as much as you do—and we’re focused on helping you celebrate and preserve all of life’s important moments.