Youth Sports Business

<p>I saw in another thread someone was buying new equipment to shoot "Youth Sport" events. I was somewhat suprised because most of my photographer friends in the city where i live have pretty much gotten out of the game, so to speak,<br /> because fewer parents were buying and competitors were coming in to get experience shooting and selling cheap.<br /> I also have slowed down doing any youth sports unless I get an "official photographer" designation so at least I can say<br /> I've been "endorsed" by the club(s) or venue and sell prints online for $10 or so per unit. That depends on the location as well.<br>

Anyway, have you cut down on youth sports shooting? How about any other client services? If so what do you think<br /> has caused the market drop? Everybody with a point and shoot thinks they're the world's greatest photographer?<br>

..didn't post this in the tech area because it is a little off topic there...<br>

interested to hear your comments...</p>

<p>Betty -</p>

<p>The youth market is tough to get into, but once you're in - you're in. </p>

<p>Several random thoughts:<br>

1. The older the competitors - the less likely the parents are to buy. There are exceptions but as a general rule - by the time they're reached their teens - the parents don't buy.</p>

<p>2. Some parents will never buy a photo. Ever. They just don't do photos of their kids.</p>

<p>3. Competition - from other photographers, parents, etc.... It's always going to be there. Our challenge is to offer a better product then they can, at a reasonable price. Example: One of my competitors offers a collage (5 photos) on an 8 x 10 print for $100.00 - I offer the same thing for less than half. Why? Because I know how long it takes me to create one and it's not that much more than printing 5 4 x 6's.</p>

<p>4. Parents / fans with cameras - they're always going to be there - again - my job is make my product better than they can get from the stands.</p>

<p>5. I never, ever shoot sports without being the "official" Photographer. Without that - it's just too speculative.</p>

<p>6. Many "sports" photographers do the sport because their kids are in it. When the kid grows out of it or realizes that they aren't the next superstar - they move on to the next thing... There always are exceptions, but that seems to be the norm. </p>

<p>7. Increased competition for the money. Food, Gas or photos of my kid playing (insert sport here). The economy hasn't recovered yet...not even close. If you're in an area that's really been hard hit - it's going to be a lot worse. I heard that in one area of the country - Executive homes are selling for $25,000 - 4 - 5 years ago those were $300,000 - $400,000 homes.</p>

<p>8. Some photographers use the action shots to get their foot in the door to the league - once they're in and doing the team and individual shots - they're done with the action shots.</p>

<p>Dave</p>

<blockquote>

<p>The youth market is tough to get into, but once you're in - you're in.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>David hit the nail pretty well.</p>

<p>A close friend of mine earns a VERY nice living shooting Jr. High football and baseball.<br>

His own son is on the team, so my friend knows all the parents.</p>

<p>It's not his shooting ability that gets him the biz; it's knowing and being friends with every single parent who have children on the team. These parents wouldn't even consider buying photos from anyone else; even if that person shot better pics.</p>

<p>It's all about sales & marketing in this venue. ;)</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Thanks guys. There's a lot to weigh in what you say.And from what other photogs say (and from what I've seen<br /> when parents force me to look at pictures they took), buyers are not looking for the best shot pictures. This is not a quality market like, say, weddings. And I personally think the same can be said for portraits made at churches and schools. Unlike the days of classic photography (you interpret when that was) the availability of cheap digital cameras has pretty much cut the market out of sports, as well as other consumer photography niches.</p>

<p>Betty -</p>

<p>I prefer to think of it as opening up the market as opposed to cutting it out... Parents will definitely pay for a good shot of their children, but you've got to be creative in the marketing and selling of it. I continue to have parents come up to me and thank me for getting a shot of their child doing something that they have been trying to get for years... One parent even tried to sell me his D3 - since I was taking better photos and would know how to put it to better use than he could! (unfortunately my wife was there, so no D3! ;-()</p>

<p>As for the school photos - those have been yuck for a lot longer than digital has been around. The 800 lb gorilla in the room has seen to that. (LifeTouch) They turned that business into a generic photo factory back in the days of film. Hiring college kids or semi-stay at home moms to go around to schools for minimum wage - get as many kids done as quickly as possible. If the camera breaks - call the office...don't touch it. It's rote assembly line photography. Zero creativity, zero thinking... set the flashes up on the tape marks, set the stool on the mark, camera on the mark for camera...viola.</p>

<p>Weddings are rapidly going the same way... Consumers expect more and more and to pay less and less. There are clients out there who are more than willing to pay for quality but they are becoming rarer and rarer. Most weddings in the US still end in divorce - so brides / grooms don't want to shell out big bucks for photos that they think will be destroyed or trashed in 5 - 10 years. Also - some brides tend to fall into the anyone with a camera can do this trap. Alas - there are also photographers who fit the bill too.</p>

<p>Dave</p>