HomeNavigation arrowBlogNavigation arrow
Current page
Events

Expanding Your Photography Business with NowCandid: Exploring Niche Opportunities

Expanding Your Photography Business with NowCandid: Exploring Niche Opportunities
In the world of professional photography, niche events often present untapped opportunities that can be both rewarding and profitable.

With NowCandid's innovative services and systems, photographers can now explore these niche markets with confidence, creating new business avenues that were previously considered unviable. Here’s how you can leverage NowCandid to seek out and thrive in niche photography opportunities.

The Power of NowCandid in Niche Markets

1. Military Deployments

The United States military has troops deployed in countries all over the world, with over 150,000 troops typically stationed outside the US at any given time. Many members of the US military, essentially, take turns being stationed at these international locations. When a new group is about to be sent out on deployment, they will often have a deployment ceremony, and notably, these deployment ceremonies are not often well-photographed - despite being great portrait opportunities.

Members of the military will often be wearing their uniforms, many of their friends and family will attend the Event, and there are often high-ranking political or military figures speaking at the ceremony as well. Basically, it can be a big deal! Anecdotally, one deployment ceremony we attended in Oklahoma City for a group of troops being deployed to Africa for a year filled out the Paycom Center (where the Oklahoma City Thunder, an NBA team, competes). The governor of Oklahoma at the time as well as several other high-ranking figures spoke at the ceremony.

Once the ceremony concluded, all the families and military members in their uniforms spent the next hour or so taking pictures of each other with their phones, struggling to get good lighting, avoid wind, avoid a crowd in the background, etc. It was a perfect opportunity for professional photographers to provide their services, though there were none to be found.

By being aware of a deployment ceremony happening in your area, you could work your way into the Event as a portrait photographer, setting up multiple portrait stations at the Event. Military deployments are deeply emotional and significant events for families and service members, and people are generally dressed in uniforms and formal outfits. Capturing these moments can be nearly historical for those involved, and providing professional photography services will be MUCH appreciated by those photographed.

The prices you set are up to you, but by providing images for sale in real-time to these subjects, you can both provide a very appreciated service to those about to be deployed, as well as generate some amazing revenue for your photography business.

2. Community Fairs and Carnivals

Community fairs and carnivals are vibrant and bustling with activities. However, these events often lack professional photography services. With NowCandid's real-time photo delivery you can deliver images and fun instantly to attendees.

There are two ways to approach this, either being paid substantially upfront by the Event's organizers or sponsors to provide free and instant images to subjects via QuicPics...

OR using PartyPics Now to instantly deliver image galleries where subjects can purchase downloads and physical products to generate revenue in that way instead.

Which of these two methods is more profitable really depends on the Event and the situation - but feel free to Contact Us to discuss which might be profitable for your specific Event! We are always here to help.

3. Fitness Community Events

The fitness community thrives on events like marathons, CrossFit competitions, and triathlons. While large marathons are typically already covered by photographers, the smaller events are perfect for professional photography, as well.

These communities have large social medial audiences and are in constant need of images that are capturing the determination and achievements of participants. So, providing the images you take to the event organizers is always a selling point.

And thanks to Selfie Check-In and NowCandid's Face Matching, you can easily distribute and sell action photos you take of these athletes and competitors to generate significant revenue! Participants love to buy action photo downloads to share their accomplishments on social media.

4. Craft and Art Fairs

Craft and art fairs showcase the creativity and talent of local artisans. By getting a booth space at a fair such as this, you can be accomplishing two things at once!

  1. You can promote your photography business to the outgoing and socialite-infused crowd that tends to visit craft and art fairs, and demonstrate what you're capable of both in terms of skill and technology (thanks to your partners at NowCandid!). This could lead to lots of brand awareness and future bookings for you and your photography company.
  2. In the process of demonstrating your photography skills and technology, you will be taking portraits of subjects and selling them! Having a nice backdrop, a professional camera, and maybe some props can lead to some pretty sellable photos that fair-goers just might purchase!

5. Hobby Conventions and Immersive Experience Events

Hobby conventions, such as comic book conventions and gaming events, are filled with passionate participants and selfie stations that aren't typically staffed by photographers. These events are perfect for professional photography, capturing the unique and vibrant atmosphere.

In addition, anime conventions, comic conventions, gaming conventions, and renaissance fairs are loaded with people in well-designed costumes that took lots of hard work and preparation. By taking professional photos of these individuals, you can generate a lot of sales, as they may want the physical photo products you provide or the high-quality digital downloads that they could post to social media right away.

Plus, you can always provide photos to the Event organizer at the end as well, giving them promotional content for future Events of their own.

Making Niche Events Profitable with NowCandid

NowCandid's advanced technology and real-time delivery system make it possible to turn previously unprofitable niche events into lucrative opportunities. Here's how:

  • Instant Image Delivery: Attendees receive their photos instantly, making them more likely to purchase and share these images.
  • Well-Composed Images: Professional photos enhance the value of the event and are desirable mementos for attendees.
  • Data Collection: Collecting attendee data allows for targeted marketing of their photos, directing them to their pictures the moment they click a marketing link.
  • Physical Products: NowCandid provides a wide variety of photo products your subjects can purchase, giving everybody regardless of differing tastes something to get excited about.
  • LiveLoop Feature (Optional): Displaying images via slideshow in real-time during certain kinds of Events adds excitement and encourages more attendees to participate in photo sessions.

Conclusion

By leveraging NowCandid's innovative tools and workflows, photographers can successfully tap into niche markets that were previously considered unprofitable. From military deployments to community fairs, fitness events, and immersive experiences, the possibilities are endless. NowCandid not only enhances the event experience for attendees but also provides photographers with a profitable and sustainable business model.

Ready to explore new opportunities and expand your photography business?

Connect with us at NowCandid and discover how our services can help you capture and capitalize on every moment. If you have any questions or need further assistance, our support team is here to help you succeed.

https://calendly.com/nowcandid-training

Related articles

Candy’s Weekly Recap: Photo Release Features, Merged Participant Clarity & More!
Feature Updates
January 10, 2025

Candy’s Weekly Recap: Photo Release Features, Merged Participant Clarity & More!

5
 minutes read
Hello, my fabulous photographer friends!

Candy here, ready to sprinkle some sparkle on your day with our latest Weekly Recap! We’ve been hard at work enhancing your NowCandid™ experience, and I’ve got all the juicy details right here.

Let’s dive in!

1. Photo Releases & The New Image Release Gallery

Collecting Releases

Before using the pictures you take of your subjects in things like portfolios, websites, flyers, samples, and more - the best practice is to get a record of consent from your subjects before using photos of them for such things!

So... we've made some additions to NowCandid that will expedite this process for everyone involved!

  • Enabled via Retail Site Settings: Head to your Account Profile, open the “Retail Site Settings,” and toggle whether to ask participants for a photo release when they complete Selfie Check-In™.
  • Future Expansion: We plan to someday add this consent request to other locations in our Workflows, such as Scanner ID™ Check-Ins or after retail site checkout, so stay tuned!

Found under "Retail Site Settings" in your account profile

The post-Selfie Check-In messaging

Image Release Gallery

Once you’ve enabled Photo Releases, we’ve made viewing those fully released images a snap with the new Image Release Gallery!

  • Fully Released Photos Only: This gallery shows images where every primary face in the picture has opted in for marketing use.
  • Opt-Out Procedures: If someone changes their mind, NowCandid™ support can remove their release, and those images will disappear from the gallery.
  • Easier Marketing & Inspiration: Enjoy a reliable stash of images for portfolios, websites, flyers, or sample products, all with peace of mind!

This major addition simplifies the entire release process and keeps your marketing efforts on the right side of consent!

Starting next week, this feature will be enabled by default for all NowCandid accounts! If you wish to disable it, that's up to you!

An example of some images with only released faces in the new Image Release Gallery

2. Improved Merged Participants Clarity

We have also improved the photographer's experience and clarity when it comes to Merged Participants!

  • Multiple Names, One Contact: When two or more participants share a phone number, they now visibly merge under one participant in the Participant Manager, with all names separated by commas.
  • Reduced Confusion: Parents with multiple kids at an event won’t be an enigma anymore. You’ll see each kid’s name instead of a single ambiguous participant.
  • Same Smooth Experience for Families: Consumers won’t notice much change, but you’ll breathe easier knowing your records more clearly show who’s who.

No more wondering why two kids keep “replacing” each other in the backend—our improved merging UI has your back!

Example of multiple merged participants wrapped into one participant

3. Group Photo Filter in Manage Images

  • Just Group Photos: We’ve added a toggle to the Manage Images page that shows only images flagged as “Group Photos.”
  • Sports & GroupTags™: Perfect for organizing big team shots or verifying no single-person images slipped in by accident.
  • Future Tweaks Coming: We’re cooking up more ways to polish Group Photo and GroupTags™ functionalities, so watch this space!

If you handle big groups (like sports teams or large gatherings), this quick filter simplifies your event workflow.

New toggle button to switch between showing All Images and just Group Photos

4. All Images Gallery Pagination

  • Page-by-Page Browsing: We replaced the endless scroll in the NowCandid™ retail site’s All Images Gallery with a paginated view—complete with arrows to move between pages.
  • Jump to Page: Customers can type or select a page number if they already know where to look.
  • Less Scrolling, More Finding: Makes returning to a specific photo (especially one not in a personal gallery) a breeze.

This update ensures customers spend less time hunting and more time admiring—or purchasing—the images they love.

New retail site page navigation tools

5. New Events List Filter

One last small addition to mention... we added a way to filter down your Events list!

This should make it easier than ever to browse through your upcoming Events as you plan and prepare for them.

New Events list filter options

That’s it for this week’s recap!

We hope these changes help you manage your events more smoothly, give you extra confidence in your marketing, and offer your customers a cleaner, faster photo-browsing experience.

As always, we love your feedback, so feel free to reach out with any questions or suggestions.

Thank you for being an essential part of the NowCandid™ community. Keep capturing those unforgettable moments and creating smiles! 📸✨

Cheers and sparkles,

Candy 🍬

Candy’s Weekly Recap: Overlay Artwork in the Product Gallery 🎨✨
Feature Updates
January 3, 2025

Candy’s Weekly Recap: Overlay Artwork in the Product Gallery 🎨✨

2
 minutes read
Hello again, my wonderful photographers!

Candy here, and welcome to another Weekly Recap. This time, we’ve got one exciting improvement to share—overlay artwork now appears by default on product previews in the product gallery!

Let’s take a closer look. 🌟

Overlays Rendered by Default in Product Gallery 🎉

We’ve introduced a fun change for anyone using Banner Overlays or Full Frame Overlays in their NowCandid Events:

  • Visible Overlay Art

    Items in the retail site’s product gallery will now display your Event’s overlay artwork right away. Customers can see exactly how their images look on each product, with that extra creative touch of your Event's Overlay Art.

Theme: Marshmallow - Watermarking: Heavy

Theme: Liquourice - Watermarking: None

  • Use Overlay by Default

    When customers go to customize or add a product to their cart, the “Use Overlay” option will already be selected. This makes it simpler to highlight your unique event designs or branding. But they can still view & order the product without the overlay art.
  • Easy Toggle in Settings

    If you prefer to keep products overlay-free by default, no worries! Head to the “Retail Site Settings” in your Profile and uncheck “Use Artwork By Default.” That way, product images will display without your Event overlay art unless customers choose otherwise.

Find this option in your Profile settings

Enabling Use Artwork By Default will feature your Event's Overlay Art on the renders in the product gallery page. Guests can choose to view and order products without the art, but "with overlay art" will be the default selection.

That’s all for this week’s short-and-sweet recap!

We hope this feature adds a little extra flair to your retail experience.

As always, let us know what you think or if you have any feedback.

Candy 🍬

Big News: Introducing Photo Booth Mode in iOS Capture & Upload App 4.13! 🎉
Feature Updates
December 30, 2024

Big News: Introducing Photo Booth Mode in iOS Capture & Upload App 4.13! 🎉

6
 minutes read
Hello, my wonderful photographers!

Candy here with exciting news for you on this festive Monday. We’re launching Capture & Upload App Version 4.13, and it comes with a massive new feature: Photo Booth Mode.

Let’s dive into what it is, how it works, and why we think you’ll love adding it to your events!

What Is Photo Booth Mode? 🤳

Photo Booth Mode is a brand-new option inside the Capture & Upload App (Version 4.13 on iPad). When you log in to your Event, you’ll see a shiny new “Photo Booth” button alongside the usual options.

Tap that button, and your iPad transforms into a fun, self-serve photo booth station, perfect for:

  • Weddings & Parties: Encourage guests to capture memorable group shots and instantly send them to their phones.
  • Sports & Corporate Events: Provide interactive experiences that keep people engaged and excited.
  • Holiday Gatherings: Add some festivity and help guests create themed keepsakes right on the spot.

Whether you tether a Nikon, Sony, or Canon camera or just use the iPad’s built-in camera, Photo Booth Mode gives you a convenient, autonomous way to let guests take pictures without any manual work from you (aside from set up and takedown of course).

How It Works ⚙️

  1. Tap to Begin Screen
    • Guests see a dimmed live view with “Tap to Begin.” Once tapped, the booth takes three pictures in quick succession, each with its own 3-second countdown.
  2. Real-Time Overlays
    • If your event has Bottom Banner Overlays or Full Frame Overlays, they appear in the live view. This lets guests see exactly where the art will sit, so no one’s face gets covered.
  3. On-Device Styling
    • Background Removal & Custom Backgrounds: If you’ve uploaded backgrounds for your event, they’ll be available for selection.
    • Filters: Guests can apply classic filters like Noir, Sepia, or Clarendon before sending off their images.
    • Reshoot: Not happy with a pose? Subjects can tap “Reshoot” and start over, easy-peasy.
  4. Instant Delivery
    • Both QuicPics or PartyPics Workflows deliver images in real time:
    • If it’s QuicPics, your subjects will get the image files directly via MMS, with Overlay Art applied, if your Event has any. They'll also receive a link to their personal gallery. Reminder, with QuicPics we charge a small fee per uploaded image.
    • It it's PartyPics or any of our other Programs, your subjects will only receive a link to their personal gallery. And there is no additional charge or fee.
    • When visiting their personal gallery, they can buy prints & downloads of these images with various product & customization options.
  5. Positive ID vs. Face Matching
    • Face Matching: Prompts appear to tap faces, then gather contact info for those individuals.
    • Positive ID: Participants just enter their info before sending images, no face-tapping required.

All images are uploaded to your NowCandid Event like normal, so no matter your usual Workflow, things will still function seamlessly!

Key Requirements & Limitations ⚠️

  • Camera Orientation
    • Nikon cameras support both horizontal and vertical orientation.
    • Sony and Canon are currently limited to horizontal orientation.
  • iPad-Only Launch
    • Photo Booth Mode works on iPad (and only in vertical orientation), not on iPhone or Windows at this time.
  • No Built-In Strip Printing
    • If you need to provide prints, set up a separate print station and use quic.pics/portal to download images with or without Event Overlay Art and print them on-the-spot!
  • Strong Internet Connection
    • Ensure your iPad has solid Wi-Fi or LTE, as the app needs to log into the event, download overlays/backgrounds, and upload images in real time.

Why You’ll Love Photo Booth Mode ❤️

  1. Interactive Fun

    Guests choose their own backgrounds, overlays, and filters, creating a memorable activity at any gathering.
  2. Seamless Feature Integration

    Images will show up in LiveLoop slideshows, appear alongside subject's other images in Personal Galleries, be managed using NowCandid's typical image and participant management tools, and more!
  3. Seamless Workflow Integration

    The images flow right into your existing event Workflows—Tap-A-Face, Selfie Check-In, Type & Take, and more—without any additional setup.
  4. Effortless Setup

    Whether you opt for a tethered DSLR or the iPad camera, it’s a simple tap away in Capture & Upload App 4.13.

Download Capture & Upload App 4.13 Today! 📱

With Version 4.13 now live for iPad (iOS only at the moment), you can start offering Photo Booth Mode at your next event.

We’ve tested it extensively, but with so many different devices and use cases out there, we encourage you to try it out ASAP.

If you spot any quirks, let us know, and we’ll work on improvements swiftly.

Thank you for joining us in this Big News blog post.

We can’t wait to hear your success stories with Photo Booth Mode!

Candy 🍬

Let’s get in touch

If you’re a photographer looking to add NowCandid services to your wheelhouse – set up a call by clicking the button below.

How to customize formatting for each rich text

How to customize formatting for each rich text

How to customize formatting for each rich text

How to customize formatting for each rich text

How to customize formatting for each rich text
How to customize formatting for each rich text

What’s a Rich Text element?

The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.

A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!

Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.

  • List One
  • List Two
  • List Three
  • List Four
  • List Five

This is a link

This is bold text