Photo sales are plummeting

<p><em>[he] did come back to consumate the sale.</em></p>

<p>I love that term.</p>

<p>Politicians of all stripes, elected leaders we chose and respected wizards with MBAs, PHDs, (and <strong>H</strong> 2<strong>SO</strong> 4s if you like:-)) contributed to the fix. It is pretty bad here too. I visited a car lot recently. Nothing is moving. And the light bill still has to be paid. I am personally holding on to my 1989 Toyota as long as it runs, although I would like something newer. Folks are just not used to these things because they haven't been so prolonged and pervasive. And it has really started to sink in to even eternal optimists. Getting by is now a struggle.</p>

<p>Perhaps a barter economy is one survival remedy. I do a portrait of the family. You install a fuel filter and plugs in my car or patch my driveway. That kind of stuff. But the State can't tax that I think. And that is not recovery. Damn.</p>

<p>Frans, I am no economist, but I was interested in your question invooving a piece of data and request for other data...mixed bag resulted, naturally..You recounted two markedly important days for your outlet in July over last two years. Both in key season. (maybe representative liike Black Friday sales as harbinger of Christmas) Same location. Same photos. Some other variables the same.</p>

<p> So. 2009 sales = 1/3 < 2008 sales. Something is going one but what. Then we got into not uninteresting speculation about general slump in tourist areas for sale of art photos. One photo professional, Bill Clark in Minnesota, says weddings are still being chock a block booked. But has price package of weddings changed to lower? Another gent finds he sells Eiffel towers but not local stuff..</p>

<p>So we have a few items to plug into the think box:</p>

<p>1)Are art galleries seeing a steady decrease?</p>

<p>2)When did your Thursday street sales <strong>begin</strong> to change;..are we talking one data point?</p>

<p>2)Is Minnesota market (<strong>metropolitan area></strong> ) overall healthier re the photo saes economy over other places (geographic phenomena)? Are weddings the staple that decorative arts via has street sales are slower to reespond to in tight times?</p>

<p>3)Can we compare your experience in Portland with other fence/ open market art photos in say San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf? Perhaps Jeff Spirer knows what is going on there?</p>

<p>I suppose I am casing this by habit from a "research" perspective, before we all get drenched by speculation and t prognosis.Yes, I worked for government in program evaluation, and we had to take a hard nosed numbers a la cause and effect analysis before recommending changing. ...I like to think it mayb be<br /> is the same in marketing, Frans. (John Kelly was kind of getting at that in a slightly tongue in cheek way. :-)). I believe the question itself <strong>deserves attention. </strong> Really..Aloha, gs</p>

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<p>I suppose I am casing this by habit from a "research" perspective, before we all get drenched by speculation and prognosis.</p>

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<p>The example I gave of First Thursday sales is just one of my many data points. My sales to one of the major cultural tourist attractions in town is down by 100% and to a chain of framing outlets it is down by 30%. The only exclusively photography art gallery in town is struggling to survive (the other one closed a couple of years ago).<br>

My objective in posting this thread was not to get a research project going, but to get a discussion going on declining photo business, which, as far as I can tell, was not started on this forum before. With the general economy in a nose-dive, more spending on the way to do more damage and unemployment at 9.5% and climbing the last thing we need here on the forum is a research project, I would think.</p>

<p>Gerry:<br>

"Perhaps a barter economy is one survival remedy. I do a portrait of the family. You install a fuel filter and plugs in my car or patch my driveway. That kind of stuff. But the State can't tax that I think. And that is not recovery. Damn."</p>

<p>The road to recovery is not paved with more tax dollars, but a ways to put more money into peoples hands long term. More taxes does not do this, never mind the inflation that is due to come down the road. I do not mind paying my fair share of taxes but + 40% is no longer a fair share. I also do not mind helping the needy as we try to contribute to charities as we can afford. However I am totally opposed to helping the clueless and lazy, there have become to many of those! Since this has become such an interesting discussion with you, will please explain to me why I must pass drug test in order to work and earn money to be taxed on, but the people that those taxes are give to in the name of social welfare and engineering do not have to take a drug test to receive assistance. Seems to me turn about is only fair play. Or will the gov. & liberals come up with some inane reason of why they are deserving without it ?</p>

<p>Excellent suggestion on the bartering. The trick is to get fair value for each service. That way it is up to the idividuals & not the gov.</p>

<p>Franz:</p>

<p>My point exactly. I live in a tourist area and all three of our business's, photography, guiding, and internet freeze dried foods, are affected by this downturn. People are afraid of what the current government policies are and what they bode for the future and are not spending because of what they see going on now and what they see coming from Obama's present course. People with government background are often not entrepreneurial, at least not good one's and have no true understanding of what their policies and actions do to the everyday people. Often the outlook of government people is "we have to study this" instead of seeing what is there and making decisions that deal with it like a business person would. In almost all cases government is the problem not the answer.<br>

In our tourist area generally speaking room rentals/condos etc and all of the business that depend on the tourist trade are off on the low end @ 30% up to about 50%. The government and government thinkers just don't get it.</p>

 

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<p>Of course,My objective in posting this thread was not to get a research project going, but to get a discussion going on declining photo business, which, as far as I can tell, was not started on this forum before. With the general economy in a nose-dive, more spending on the way to do more damage and unemployment at 9.5% and climbing the last thing we need here on the forum is a research project, I would think.</p>

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<p>Frans, I won' t presume to quarrel with your intentions in opening discussion . No way. Nor am I trying to take the helm and steer it, Whatever form commenters who male a living w. pictures have to input. It did attract interest and like comments. I am digesting same. Putting a frame around it so to speak.<br>

It would be nice, useful even. I suggested, to put a little quantity and identity to a "problem" if the valuable educative purpose is to find out how broad it is. Can that be all amiss? What markets .and where are managing to Make a Go. And consequently whether there is somehow a way to survive in hard times. Is that even possible. Maybe we are in a graveyard spin. Gosh I like to think not..<br>

We all read the papers and see the DJIA and know there is a recession abroad in the land and tourism is way down..layoffs, furloughs. Non profits begging for help. How Big is a fair question because some are hurting more than others, as we see. What types of images are selling.</p>

<p>I think that is not an overly academic or ivory tower analytical approach to any marketing job. ( Eg. New construction here is way down. Solar power installation salesmen still hiring... (good time to take a course on photovoltaic and diversify))<br>

Maybe the conclusion I see is that people in charge we trusted have screwed up. We all pay for their folly. Financial pain will last a lot time. And the government thinks first of CYA and helping their old buddies. Let us commiserate now.... And decide throw the bums out...also some might go so far as "People are no damn good." At least " People and foundations who can' t still support the artists are no damn good... I can say that because I support the arts in my modest fashion with donations.<br>

OK. No research approach. I have shot my bolt and pau. No biggie..I still like the barter idea though. Good luck,Frans, and may thing get better or level off for your business and may Portland still be the friendly place I like to visit..gs</p>

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<p>Wayne wrote: However I am totally opposed to helping the clueless and lazy,...</p>

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<p>Me too!.Even when they are CEOs who proved they are "clueless and lazy." Social welfare OTOH recipients could be any of <strong>us or family</strong> , in my experience. And they are getting no free ride... but that is another subject we haven't got time for. PS. I spent a college summer job as a tourist guide in fascinating place called Lost River Reservation, North Woodstock, NH. You probalby know it. Was not a tourist trap either...Love New Hampshire and White Mountains, beautiful New England ..aloha. gs</p>

<p>Just had to chime in with a response regarding the political aspects of this discussion. Regardless of your leanings, I don't think we should blame the politicians for what we, the people, have mostly done to ourselves. We invest in schemes that scream "scam" from the start, spend money we don't have on luxuries with no intention of paying it back, and buy $300,000 homes when we can barely afford a trailer. And for God's sake people, if you have to get assistance to buy food, you can't afford freakin' tattoos (glad I got that off my chest - the gripe, not the tattoo that is)!<br>

But regarding the main topic at hand, I agree with the person(s) who noted that the availablilty of digital cameras that can make anyone look like a decent photographer has to be having an impact on photography sales. I mean, a 10mp 20x zoom with image stabilization that is within the reach of many financially? Walmart processing here we come.</p>

 

<p>Great points, Bill, on the larger picture. I might add that many of us (not me, I am a downeast New Englander raised by a Depression era mom) caught the fever. Kitchen cabinet salesman " Gerry, just take out a reverse mortgage, then refurbish all you like and visit Europe." Another real estate broker, in 2007: " Your house is going up in value thousands every month. You could afford to buy a new camera every month, friend." I know, the fingers are pointed everywhere, and I have to say I was almost seduced by the 'irrational exuberance."</p>

<p>The strangest thing to me is that in the late eighties we had a Savings and Loan Debacle. Big 50 billion dollar losses. Some economists said that debacle would "make the country go broke." They wrote that. It didn't thanks to larger forces in the gay '90s. But lessons were not really learned. I still haven't got a satisfactory feel for why those in Congress decided to <strong>loosen restraints. Both </strong> parties.</p>

<p>I want to reinforce your point Bill that professional photographers have had to 'retool' years before this downturn because of the market driven reasons you noted. There will be culling in professional ranks. Not unlike banks or auto dealerships. We need to take something away from all of this is all I add. Be well. gs</p>

 

<p>Yeah Gerry, it's awfully hard to resist what some slick salesman tells us we can afford, especially when your neighbors succumbed. I imagine those who are the best at their craft will continue to find a market, as no matter how much the camera can do, there is still great skill in knowing how to use light (a skill I sadly don't possess). I certainly admire those who can do it well, though admiration won't pay the bills. Ironically, an answer for some might be to actually raise prices, as that can give the perception of greater value, especially in the art world. All in all, I'm happy to have a cushy government job though. </p>

<p>Frans, if you're still around I'd be curious to find out if you do Last Thursday on Alberta. I did my first one ever at the end of May, great weather, good crowds, lots of interest, no sales. I didn't mind because it was more of a learning experience I was going for, but this upcoming one I plan to pursue sales alot harder, I have constructed 'trellises' to hand my matted prints on, I will have greeting cards, be displaying a few framed pieces and offering to finish framing on matted prints, etc... </p>

<p>I was around Portland for the weekend of the 4th and it seemed to be awfully quiet, ALOT of people got out of town, and yes alot of people are trying to save money. Oregon's unemployment rate is misleading though, as alot of the job losses were in rural areas that used to thrive in logging and construction. Obviously Ptown has had a spike in jobless, but I have server friends that say their restaurants are just as busy, fellow artists have still been doing well enough to survive.</p>

<p>Do you think the emergence of Etsy and other online art outlets is cutting into street fair business? Do you have a presence on the web that you can make sales through? I was directing as many people as possible to my personal site and my etsy page on May's Last Thursday and plan to do so even more this upcoming one... If I start doing shows (paid entry) I plan to direct as many people to my sites if they are not ready to buy quite yet, sales down the road are still sales...</p>

<p>ND,</p>

<p>I participate in First, not Last Thursdays. Forget about framed pieces, they don't sell because everybody has a different taste in frames and most are not willing to pay the higher price. I've tried high quality metel frames from NB and low cost clip frames. Even the clip frames hardly sell. First Thursdays this year have been as busy as other years with maybe less visitors from out of town but I sell most of my stuff to people living in the area anyways.</p>

<p>I do direct people to my gallery on picasa, <a href="http://www.picasaweb.google.com/frans2001">www.picasaweb.google.com/frans2001</a> all the time, but follow-up on that is minimal to non-existant. People in the Portland area like to talk art but don't spend much on it.</p>

<p>Frans: I'm not seeing, on the gallery you linked, a way for people to place an order. My experience has been that showing images on line, and making people contact you about whether and how they can buy them ... gets you nowhere. The moment I started providing for online order processing, I was shocked at the sales that took place through that channel. You have to do things to drive interest there, but it's sure nice to come home from an event or wake up in the morning, and see that you've made a sale.</p>

<p>Matt, totally agree. If a business makes it hard for me to purchase their goods, the sale, I figure they'll be even worse at customer service, so I move on to another business.</p>

<p>In like manner; if an online site loads up slowly on dialup; you go to a dialup freindly site to buy ones goods. You figure out if they waste your time with loading flash; big images; crud they will aso waste your time while browsing; order checkout'; dealing with them in general. make quick loading site for dialup was once considered the mark of a web artist; guru. Today many sites are real sloppy; not user friendly for dialup or even a Blackberry or iPhone. If you have a site that is chucked with flash; giant images at least allow a portal/route for dialup; or if the web in general is bogged up ie slow. Make it easy for folks to buy your stuff online; and easy to pay for it too.</p>

<p>For Chris Tobar, and anybody else of course who might be interested:<br>

The class 1 railroads in the USA have 5000 locomotives on idle, not being used what so ever. I don't know the number of freight cars that are sitting idle in yards. This will be in the thousends.<br>

I work at CSX transportation and I am a freelance photographer with my own small studio, in business since last year May. I started my photography business a little bit sooner then planned but it's part a backup plan and an additional source of income, with 8 mouths to feed at home, and my spouse not working.<br>

A backup plan, since many coworkers have already been layed of. I still have some more guys under my seniority belly, but one never knows.<br>

So far this year I have 16 clients, not much, but it's a start. What I run into is that prospective clients compair prices with WalMart and the like. How can anybody beat that and make a living? Secondly some people tell me they can buy a 100 dollar point and shoot camera and will do there own event coverage.<br>

Of course as a profesional photographer you can make much better and artistic photos then the average uncle Jo or Aunth Judy, but the final isue most of the time is money. What I do now is charge a minimum fee for shooting the event, or portrait session, and bank on the print sales. If you put in a 100% and make the best photos you can, they should sell them selves... I hope... :)<br>

BTW, It has been quiet for some time and al of a sudden there is this call for a B-day event with a 150 guests, this coming weekend.</p>