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<p>Business is business. That is the stuff many photographers don't know or learn. It includes law and psychology.<br>

Further, prevention is much more powerful than cure.<br>

You must have respect from your clients or potential clients. <br>

Yes, drive a Rolls, wear a suit, have an expensive looking display area and charge money!<br>

You say, half deposit and balance on collection and you define exactly what you will do and what they will get. <br>

You are not a fartist! You should be a business person who can solve their problems and make them happy to pay you lots for doing it. <br>

Before final whatever, you show, preferably projected big what you will print etc. They like it, you say initial this order and you tell them when and say the balance of ... will be ok when you collect.<br>

Clear is it not?<br>

I just hope you learn something from it.<br>

<br />Cheers.</p>

<p>This is great marketing / selling question.<br>

The areas is in chaos. We are not sure where desktops are going, Facebook does not do it and operating platforms are shaky to say the least. OK, to port from one system to another. For some years I used Maximizer - until they went for the cloud, or tried to sell bigger systems and they customize for you, at a price too.<br>

There is Sage and there was Traker that was sold.<br>

So, for now, make yourself a list somehow. There is more online stuff too, but what you want to do is keep a record of transactions and communications etc and for my liking not much fits together well unless you spend thousands. You have to keep spending and then pay someone to use it, get the right strategy and keep it up to date.<br>

So you have to really figure out why, and what you want to do. This stuff will take your time! Big time, you will work for the CRM setup instead of photographing and making sales! Getting customers and making sales is the most important thing.<br>

If you want to ask other stuff fine, even do it off site, but we are on a site of photo techies not business people.<br>

Cheers</p>

 

<p>This book that is often mentioned is ok in general for some things, but I feel not as helpful in others.<br>

What will give you a bit of an idea of how to do it - not theorize - is the Dean Collins Lighting Series. I was privileged to be around when he did live seminars, but still have the DVDs.<br>

Done plenty of commercial, but this is a specialist area and it takes some setting up, getting used to and real focus. But if you are really interested ... Or would you learn weddings for one wedding? Would I do it - maybe if I could charge a fortune and do lots of it.<br>

Cheers</p>

<p>This sounds like some "cloud idea".<br>

There is a time when we all have to walk away from something, for it can mess with our reputation.<br>

I know of a few ways to get 360, but the purpose and the method you describe leave my bewildered. <br>

This is said with my total background of both photo and modern effective profitable marketing behind me.<br>

Good Luck</p>

<p>Very Interesting.<br>

I note several point and think its worth putting them together.</p>

<p>1 Yes, manufacturers would like profit & redundancy. If you only ever bought one camera ...<br>

Call it slow throw away if you want.<br>

2 Technology allows new things to be added much more easily than before.<br>

3 Yes, lots of photographs want this stuff. If one has ISO 100K & one 150K, some choose like that. Just read the forums and note the questions that have little to do with the image.<br>

4 Take the 80/20 rule and find that probably 80% of photographers - make that camera buyers - like the gadget side of things and and extension of identity as ownership reasons. Look how many people buy a new car and still are poor drivers. What is new?<br>

5 Things will continue to change as technology allows. Nano chips at about 100+ times more powerful and minute will perhaps allow this non focussing type of equipment. Today its challenged because of pixels vs "throw away pixels". Some of you will probably understand what I mean in "non tech speak".<br>

6 Relax and buy new gadgets you want, or go minimalist and buy as little as you choose. These two sides of the market place will continue to exist in the foreseeable future. Spent your time doing your thing and concentrating on the results you want not fighting the other side.<br>

Its probably worth mentioning, I saw a forum post somewhere and someone asked "how you do that manual focussing stuff"?<br>

Have Fun.</p>

 

<p>I suppose, it depends to what we get attached.<br>

Horses and carts not cars.<br>

Steam ships not planes.<br>

Letters not email.<br>

Yet these same people who have modernised in other areas lament the decline of film.<br>

Get with it and realise its the image. Ever heard of a painter dependent on one brush.<br>

I too have made thousands of film shots of various types and I had to realise what the important part was - it was the image not the long gone film or any other technology.</p>

<p>My answer will be a little different. Be a generalist, but promote as a specialist in various areas. Make sure you are capable and good at them. It may even pay to have various business names and set ups according to your local laws etc for which you will check with your accountant and lawyer. If you get too busy, build the business by employing others.</p>

<p>Galleries don't usually make photographer money.<br>

I know, I have tried and known many gallery owners.<br>

You are approaching them on the basis of can you do something for me - begging.<br>

If you can show them how you could make money for them they would listen. How you do this depends on the person and gallery, but this you must do.<br>

Then, if they are lucky you will display at their gallery.<br>

Your work better be good and aimed at a specific target market - for instance designers of modern interiors.<br>

Then, you may even get wise and contact these people directly at a venue of your choice.<br>

Good luck.<br>

Business is business and you must have confidence and must be able to back it up with the best.</p>

 

<p>A couple of things, usually a verbal contract is not worth the paper it is written on.<br>

The exception could be with many witnesses who would testify.<br>

Better talk to a lawyer about the specifics in you case.</p>

<p>If you don't make a profit, you will go broke and get a reputation for nothing work.<br>

Better start building the right reputation now and make a profit.</p>

<p>I think it is better to learn to crawl before attempting to run. Walking would already be progress. A first class goof up is hard to live down.</p>

<p>For one thing, it depends on you demographics.<br>

Another thing is your psychographics.<br>

Have I lost you yet?<br>

Another thing is that marketing is like a chain of many links - its as good as your weakest link.<br>

Further, your tech skills in photo are only one third of the total. Your skills in Marketing are one third and your management / finance skills are one third.<br>

Learn as much as you can as quickly as you can.<br>

Welcome to a lifetime of leaning - oh and I forgot, thinks keep changing.</p>

<p>Learn lighting and learn posing. Your lighting does not help the subjects and your posing does not show them at their best.</p>

<p>Copy that?<br>

To me it looks like hot lights with the shutter set short of freezing the image.<br>

In my view I don't think you will find many editors buying that sort of stuff.<br>

Oh, I forgot to mention, that parts of the image are way over, that is somewhat burnt out.</p>

<p>I concur with Matt.<br>

Use the camera to give its best - use the 24x36mm sensor.</p>

<p>This is a question I'm often asked as a consultant.<br>

1 The landing page gives me no reason to stay.<br>

2 The flash drags its bum so slowly, I don't want to wait and with no reason, why should I?<br>

3 A couple of points - make it fast as hell. Give people a reason to stay - remember the radio station WIFM - Whats In It For Me, then maybe if you have a compelling reason, I will look.<br>

This is a big topic, I'll grant you that.</p>

<p>This is not a creative issue. It is a business and particularly a marketing matter. Read up on how to influence people and attract you demographic.</p>

<p>What is the bride's complexion, what is the dress colour and fabric, what is the lighting. Then I think the question practically answers itself.</p>

<p>Again the question is what are trying to do?<br>

For me, there is not time to setup and flash metre with this on the run and it would not do for studio shots.</p>

 

<p>I may have the answer.</p>

<p>I was working with a programmer on a project one day and we discovered that windows file manager gives file sizes that are not totally accurate.<br>

Try another file manager - its not hard to beat windows explorer. Anything from Powerdesk to the fabulous Total Commander.</p>

<p>To add to what Bob said in the first reply, these some photographers also seldom settle for second best. They work for 110%, no cut corners, no close enough is good enough.<br>

I have found many rely on fluke rather than doing all the basic right and then pushing even further.</p>

<p>Regards Peter</p>

<p>I will get on of these.<br>

I have a Nikon 24-70 and am not the greatest fan of this lens.</p>

<p>Ellis,<br>

A great find. Clearly above some folks.<br>

But I guess it makes the point that skill and talent with business know how can come in handy. <br /> That is true in quite a few industries. Having values to express and offering some value will again be remembered by some.</p>

<p>Peter</p>

<p>The balance of the inital package is due 2 weeks before.<br>

Any other orders which you should be striving for are half deposit and balance on collection.<br>

I suggest margins of 3-7 times cost.<br>

Yes, it works.<br>

If they are not sure, you have not sold yourself - either your premisis or your samples, but if all you show looks a million dollars, you will have no problems.<br>

Cheers Peter</p>

<p>Seriously, I think you need to lean about marketing.<br>

I think marketing is as big if not bigger than photography.<br>

Start your research now. The web is great, but look for areas that interest you.<br>

Cheers Peter</p>