mparsons

<p>Laura,<br>

I met a man at a photography seminar who was turning a million dollars a year in portrait sales a year in a very small town before he retired. Here is what he told me--sell large sizes using projection sales. He said that he had many photographer friends who were not the greatest photographers--yet they were quite successful financially. I think he was saying that the business side of things is much more important. I think people hire you mainly if they like you. I believe you should always push yourself to improve your skills, but convey likeability in your marketing and your consultations with clients. Show them your best work on canvas, metal, etc. Under-promise and over-deliver. Using these methods, my average sales have increased drastically. <br>

Don't be afraid to try new things or make mistakes. You are asking the exact right question, Laura. I believe you will be one of the successful ones. One last thing--give yourself plenty of time. My business advisor told me to plan on five years before really turning a profit. Build it slowly--don't go into unecessary debt. Wait until you have a following before you incur major expenses. I wish you the best of luck and much success.</p>

<p>Hi Sara,<br>

I would recommend that you not show your clients their proofs online. I once believed that this was more convenient for my customers, and while this is true, it does not lend itself to them ever ordering. In this day of instant everything once the "reveal" has been done, often they look at them, get their fill, and decide they don't want to spend the money. Where does this leave you? You have invested session time, editing, possibly travel and/or babysitting. Even if you collect a session fee, most portrait photographers need to complete some sort of print or file order to stay profitable. I would suggest you schedule a viewing session and show the proofs large via projector or largesceen tv. Let them know they are expected to order and pay right there. You are creating a sense of urgency and excitement about the work you did for them. It is much harder to say no to a person than to a computer screen. I saw my order amounts quadruple by using this method, and my clients were also happier. Presentation is very important. </p>

<p>Hi Elle,<br>

It sounds like it is time to print your work. This is the main reason that those of us who are hesitant to just deliver digital files still deliver high quality prints. If you still feel you must deliver digital files, I would build a set of prints into your price so that the client can appreciate the difference. If you are losing business over it--I think you must change. Brides complaining about your quality is not where you want to be. Sometimes we must set limits on our clients for their own good. <br>

In my business model I deliver wall portraits with each package and all small prints are sprayed and mounted. The wall portraits are canvas or metal prints and are printed at a high end lab. I have a sample to show clients of the same picture printed on a desktop printer and the sprayed and mounted one--guess which one looks better? They may purchase a digital file(at a premium) after they have spent a certain amount at my studio. Cds and Dvds may soon follow the path of the floppy disc--a print will never be obsolete. So by printing a high quality product you are putting the needs of your customer first as well as maintaining your reputation. Best of luck to you! </p>

<p>Hi Kristy,<br>

This is something I had to learn the hard way. After similar problems to yours, I realized that I must change my approach or go broke. I now require a significant investment before I take the pictures(part sitting fee and part print credit). I do not post any pictures online anymore. Once they have seen them, that is enough for some people and they may never place an order. Instead, they come to my studio for a viewing session on the big screen, where they make their selections on the spot. Because they already have money invested, they are motivated to come see the pictures. I only promise 20-30 previews and we go one by one after a video presentation to make their choices. This helps keep your quality high and selection process quicker for your customer. Too many choices are overwhelming. <br>

Has this new approach hurt my bookings? On the contrary--I have increased my bookings and my averages sales have quadrupled. I am attracting more serious clients who appreciate good photography. My customers are happy and I am receiving rave reviews from them. Most of them are coming to tears during the video presentation. You don't get this kind of feedback online. I used to think that if I didn't charge a sitting fee, and was easy to work with, people would hire me and would recognize how hard I worked and what great pictures I produced. Instead I found myself floudering as customers refused to show up to appointments, put in paltry orders and did other undesirable behaviors. I read somewhere that the general public tends to judge a photographer by how large their sitting fee is. Believe in yourself. I came to the realization that I would be happier not working at all, than to continue the way things were. Good luck to you, Kristy. </p>

 

<p>This can be done indoors by using furniture and walls as your backdrops and window light as your light source. You will be working at 1600-3200 and at wider apertures. The noise will be fine, as it is underexposure that produces noise more than iso. Schedule your session when there is plenty of daylight. I never bring a backdrop to a client's home--if they want that they come to me in my studio. On location is environmental portraiture, but it is amazing how beautiful these can be. Here is a sample of what I'm talking about. This is more stunning in the high-res version, but I had to shrink it to fit this post, but you get the idea. </p><div></div>

<p>Hi,<br>

I have encountered the same thing in my area. I would not necessarily assume that the other photographer is flourishing--what if like you he is handing out free sessions, hoping to get referrals? I have given out many gift certificates to non-competing vendors(hairdresser friend, raffles,etc.) and not even received one call on what they could get for free. I am beginning to think like Michael said that the economy is much worse than we think. I am finding myself going back to the drawing board. My business advisor did tell me it would take between three to five years to begin turning a profit--if that helps. Good luck to you. </p>

 

<p>Hi,<br>

Thank you to all. You have given me a lot to think about. Mario--I do not have a hundred dollar travel out of state package. I think people just see my studio sign or hear of me and want to haggle. I am rethinking my whole approach and that is why I asked the question I asked. I was using the resources I had which were my local business chapters, but lately realizing that photography must be different. It is not a roll of toilet paper to be priced matched with a competitor's ad. I would not describe the situation as disaster yet--I have paid off my start-up costs and yet a business must do more. I need to be more profitable. I think what I'm learning is like Kevin and Wayne said perception is reality and maybe a niche is the way to go. The seminar photographer was retired from it, and his wife was on a shopping trip so he wanted to kill some time. He said people came from all the surrounding areas to see him. He said it has little to do with the actual photography. He has friends that aren't very good photographers yet do quite well financially. </p>

<p>I want to be full-time and I do not consider Walmart my competition. I am hoping the new prices will curtail some of this. I have met a photographer at a seminar who was turning a million a year in a small town, so it is possible. I just think that this past year I was too nice and trying to be all things to all people, and it just wasn't helping my bottom line. Isn't it better to focus and get the clients you really want? Failure is not an option for me. </p>

<p>Hi,<br>

After a year and a half of being in business, I have come to the conclusion that I must go against the business advice I was given by two different business advisors. I have decided that what works in other industries does not always work in photography. The gist is that I was told that I should work with a person's budget and try to develop a package to meet their needs, and not to raise my prices. They said that our area is very conservative when it comes to laying down a dollar, and I just could not justify high prices. I told them about the PPA benchmark, but they did not feel it could be done here. I was also led to believe that I should be a full service business and offer weddings, kids, seniors, etc. rather than specialize. This approach has led to being walked on by clients and dismal sales(multiple cancellations,etc.). I have now decided to specialize in children's photography and I have raised my prices significantly. The breaking point came when someone wanted me to travel out of state to do photos in the $100.00 price range. I no longer want to be fielding these types of calls. I have changed my website to reflect the new changes and listed a new larger deposit amount. To experienced business owners--have I made the right decision? I appreciate any opinions.</p>

 

<p>I think you should use it to play with on your off-time, but not use it at weddings. Weddings are so fluid, that you might be missing important moments by fussing with all that equipment. You are right that you can often find better lighting in nature than can be produced in the studio. There are only three situations where I feel I must have strobe--indoors in the dark during a formal portait shoot, freezing motion indoors, and balancing a scene that contains the indoors and outdoors. I have studied Zucker and Zeltzman and all the lighting patterns. The knowledge of formal lighting patterns is very valuable but the patterns can come from natural lighting. At weddings there is also the issue of safety with lightstands to be knocked over or equipment failing. Studio lighting has to be adjusted for maximum results and often there is just not the time for all of this. </p>

<p>Lom,<br>

Don't lose heart. Every photographer out there has shot a picture like this early in their career. The key is not to show something like this. Doctors will back each other even when there is a dead body, but take a poor picture at a wedding, and you'll never hear the end of it. You charged her a very low amount which seems appropriate for this stage in your career. Do what it takes to make your customer happy, and go on with your life. Study and practice and I bet your next time will go a lot better. Good luck to you. </p>

<p>I think you would have to go with a traditional matted album probably in a 10 x 10 size and arrange the all 8x 10 mats in the manner she has requested. If this is not something you normally do, (and putting together these types of albums can be time consuming or expensive to have someone else do it), I would charge her more because your time is valuable. I use slip in 8 x 10 albums for one of my wedding packages oriented all in portrait, but it is impactful having big eight by 10's on every page. I do not like all these collages that are being done. I feel like if this is the look they want, they can buy my more expensive package that comes with digital files, and design their own photobook. I have read about nightmares on these forums of brides not approving layouts and multiple redoing of albums with the photographer eating the cost. It seems like a lot of trouble. I cannot afford to trash multiple large prints and entire albums or pages, because someone didn't like the layout.</p>

<p>Adorama offers exactly what you seek in many colors and sizes and brands. It is found in the album section and I believe the subsection is Professional bound albums.</p>