Interview: Troy and Heidi Eiffert

If you remember last year, Heidi and Troy Eiffert gave a wonderful program about having an on location portrait business. They have graciously given us an update on how they are doing now! Check out their website at www.studioUphotography.com

1. What have you guys been up to since you were here last…2009?

- Has it really been that long already?! WOW! Well to start we just returned from Michigan. We were honored to photograph Carrie Freeland’s wedding which we booked after meeting her at the MTPPA meeting! I think everything is pretty much the same- studioU is still doing everything on-location (without a studio)… but we did add in-home projection sales [using PROselect] to client experience. This nearly doubled our sales!

2. When you came here in 2009, you had just started your on location business philosophy. How is that going and have you made any changes to your business since then?

- Everything is fantastic, cloud 9! We are meeting goals and creating new ones everyday. We are constantly tweaking our business to make it better for us and our clientele… things like phone scripts, marketing plans for next year and new product ideas. We still do all of our shoots, sales and meetings on-location in our client’s homes. The biggest change for us right now is that after almost 10 years of renting apartments we’re building a house!!!

3. What inspires you?

- God, life, architecture, design, retails stores, movies, magazines, nature, other artists, etc.
- Henri Cartier Bresson: Just finished reading his book “The Mind’s Eye: Writings on Photography and Photographers”

4. Do you have any new products that your clients are loving?

- Album frame from Arthur Kjelshus Frame Design
- Our 10×10 “Storybook Album” still remains as a top choice for high school seniors [Hinged Press Printed book from WHCC]
- Photo cover CD cases from WHCC for our wedding clients

5. What is your favorite image that you have taken this year?

This is always a tough one! How can I pick just one?  We just completed one of our baby plans and we incorporated the vintage scale from Avery’s newborn session into her 1 year session. It’s amazing how fast kids grow and these images are the true testimony!