Photography for Income

noreply@blogger.com (Photographer) — Mon, 06 Nov 2017 23:38:00 +0000

This blog is no longer produced on blogger.com. Please visit https://www.photography4profit.com for new articles.

Thank you,
Steven M. Bohne
stevebohne@gmail.com

The Promotion Planning Wheel & Your Promotional Planning Calendar

noreply@blogger.com (Photographer) — Sat, 08 Nov 2014 17:54:00 +0000

Here is what you need to layout your business' Promotional Planning Calendar for 2015...and every year thereafter:

1) Promotional Planning Wheel - before Kodak ran into to financial difficulties, they used to give professional photographers a LOT of support: Studio Light Magazine, The Toolbox (a set of promotional planning ideas and tools), ad slicks, ad campaigns, and more. Sadly, as the number of professional photographers dropped...and Kodak's own fortunes slipped...this support dwindled.

This was a great tool created for the Times of Your Life promotion. You simply set SALE arrow on the date you want your promotion to begin; the other arrows will indicate your dates to PLAN and then LAUNCH. I doubt Kodak has any of these on hand...it is nearly 35 years old. But you could give it a shot: it is item P3-708A. I have scanned mine and reproduced it here. If Kodak no longer has them, you could print two copies, laminate the two wheels, and connect them with a brass fastener (AKA "split pin") that would allow the inner wheel to rotate.

2) Wall Calendar - I never paid for one...I received one every year from the fine folks at Shore Color Lab in Munster, IN. Unfortunately, like many small labs, Shore Color has closed. You will have to purchase one at an office supply store. Buy the biggest one you have room for. You will write ALL STAGES of your promotions on here (Plan, Promote, Launch, Results). You will also make note of your event dates (proms, reunions, sports, weddings, etc.) and your TOTAL sales for the month.

I would suggest if you have just one, use a paper calendar. If you have room for two, I would use a dry erase calendar as well. Why two? The dry erase calendar is easier to change if something gums up the works (print materials get delayed, your previous promotion is running into your next promotion, etc.). The paper calendar gives you a permanent record of your promotions, your sales, and your events so you don't have to start from square one each year. You can also see which promotions were good, and which ones may need to be replaced. It also acts as a reminder so you can try to rebook those events for the upcoming year, and lets you compare your wedding bookings...if you do those.

"But I keep my events on my computer's studio program!" Okay, here's what you do: you take that computer, and the studio program, and place it gently where the sun doesn't shine. If your machine tanks, or the program becomes corrupted, or the planets are not in perfect alignment, this information goes buh-bye! And you are what's commonly known as screwed, blued, tattooed...and most likely, sued. Take it from me: as much as I love technology, sometimes old school is best. If you still want to use that studio program, swell. Just have a backup. No one over all the years I was in business could ever convince me to stop using an appointment book. Yes, I had a custom made Xenix studio program that did ALL of that...that they failed to tell me would stop working after 1999. Five thousand dollars flushed down the toilet. Ah, well...I used it for nearly 11 years, so I spent less than $500 a year for the program. Can you tell I'm trying to convince myself?

3) Fine Point Colored Markers - RED to mark the plan date; GREEN for the start date; BLUE for the sales date; BLACK for the gross sales/ORANGE for the net.

Now...RIGHT NOW is when you want to start creating this calendar. Next time I will give you a list of promotions that I used. Many of them ran UNCHANGED for over 25 years! Until next time, may all your highlights read 245, all your shadows read 7, and all of your PHOTOGRAPHY be For INCOME! Happy Thanksgiving!

Don't Let Scams (OR Your State Government) Steal Your Income!

noreply@blogger.com (Photographer) — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 11:18:00 +0000

I am taking a quick break from the Promotional Calendar series to call your attention to a couple of things that could really hurt your business.

First off, I want to warn you about several scam emails that even the most veteran of computer users have fallen victim to. You may be receiving emails from AOL, Bank of America, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Delta Airlines, CVS Pharmacy, USPS, FedEx, and others. Here are a few examples (I have no control over how long images will be available since they are not mine!) - do NOT click ANY of the links here:

ACCOUNT STATEMENT Action is Required
		Payment Declined - Your account needs attention!
Please Update Your Account
Dear steve, We're sorry, but we were unable to process your recent payment for your subscription. This may be because the credit card we have on file expired or reached its limit. Please update your billing information as soon as possible in order to avoid any interruption to your services. You can update your billing information online simply by going to myaccount.aol.com and clicking on "Manage My Wallet and Billing Info." If you need further assistance, you can get help online or contact an AOL customer service representative at 866-485-9217. In order for your subscription to continue uninterrupted, please update your billing information today. Thank you for your prompt response. Sincerely, AOL Member Services

Update online by visiting myaccount.aol.com or call customer service 866.485.9217 to avoid service interruption.

This WAS from AOL...trying to charge me for an account I haven't used AOL in about 18 years! Here's another one that COULD have tripped me up if I hadn't been cautious:

USPS.COM

Notification Our companys courier could not make the delivery of parcel to you address at 2nd October. Print your label and show it in the nearest post office to get a parcel.
Print Shipping Label

Copyright 2014 USPS. All Rights Reserved.

I did NOT click the link, but instead took a look at the header. The mail was sent by support@barefootedintheson.com--do you think this is the Post Office's official email address? Nah, I don't either. Feel free to send this address about 1000 long junk emails and maybe his service will be shut off.

	FedEx

	Dear Customer, Your parcel has arrived at September 29. Courier was unable to deliver the parcel to you. To receive your parcel, print this label and go to the nearest office.
		Get Shipment Label

	FedEx 1995-2014

If you were to click the link - which I did NOT do - it takes you to http://sparkling-clean-windows.net/assets/docs/include.php?fdx= oBF9dkh7jybwxa +JcMPXP4yF6617EISlQip Ji8yizkI

I am pretty darn sure this is NOT FedEx's email address either. This link is probably harmless, sending you to a site that wants to sell you some type of window cleaner. But others are not so harmless.

I also got similar emails from PayPal and Bank of America's "Security Department" informing me that an unauthorized attempt was made to access my account, so please click a link and create a new password. Oh, yeah, like I was about to do that! You can bet this was a phishing scam intended to grab my personal info and grab my cash...not that they would have gotten much ;)

Whenever you get an email like this, NEVER click any links until you check the sender's email address. In fact, I wouldn't even do it then. If you are in doubt, contact the business and verify such information. It goes without saying, NEVER, NEVER, EVER click links or download files from sources you do not absolutely trust.

Finally, you want to make sure you keep your taxes - both business AND personal - current. But ESPECIALLY keep your State taxes up to date. Most states have a collection policy that makes the Federal Government look like Girl Scouts. They have huge penalties for unpaid sales taxes and will suck your personal accounts dry, even if you are a Corporation, without any previous notification. The IRS has hardship allowances if you owe taxes. Most states do NOT! They don't care if you won't be able to pay your employees, your health insurance, or your house or car payment. They are blood suckers. Take a look at just how ruthless Kalamazoo, Michigan is.

That's it for this time. Next time we will get back to the Promotional Calendar. And may the tax man never interfere with your quest doing Photography for Income!

Three Easy Promotions You Can Get up & Running Right Now...

noreply@blogger.com (Photographer) — Tue, 30 Sep 2014 00:13:00 +0000

Summer's gone and like every year, I promised myself more days sitting in the shade and less days working. And like every year, it doesn't happen. Oh well, such is life. For those of you doing weddings or senior portraits for income, you've noticed a severe and sudden drop off in business, and this is why I have been talking about your Promotional Calendar.

The Promotional Calendar helps to prevent huge peaks and deep valleys in your cash flow. I received an email that said, "Ok, Steve...I'm with you. But I still have the last 3 months of the year, and buddy I need to see some income NOW!" Well, the title of the Blog IS "Photography For Income," so let's see if we can help this gentleman (and you) earn a little income.

The 1st promotion you could do right now is the Halloween promotion. It can be operated in one of several ways:

Charity Promotion
Studio Promotion
Shopping Center Promotion
Day Care/Pre-School Promotion

As a Charity Promotion, you partner with a local charity. The charity covers the advertising costs. Many times a charity will get in-kind donations from media; other times they will receive a discount or a "match" ($10 free time for every $10 spent). You agree to split the proceeds from the promotion 50/50 with the charity.

You might offer two different packages: 1 5x7/4 wallets for $9.95 or 2 5x7/8 wallets for $12 for example. You shoot it like a prom: 1 exposure, unless there is a blink. You can buy the first package from many labs for about $1.00; the second for about $1.85. The price is low because the lab is printing files all photographed under the same lighting conditions. I would suggest you add $2 per subject over two...otherwise, people will bring their nieces, nephews and cousins to put 12 kids in a 10 buck photo.

You can do this in your studio or at a shopping center (if they permit it) or the offices of the Charity if they are not in an out-of-the way location. Make a simple set: a couple of hay bales, dried cornstalks with Indian corn in them as a background and some carved pumpkins. Carve the largest pumpkin to read "Halloween 2014". Inside this pumpkin, place a small strobe with a built in slave-eye that has a yellow filter over the flash head. Be sure to set your aperture as to not overpower this small flash.

You'll get your best response at a shopping mall or enclosed strip mall. You could see up to 200 buyers. If your average sale is $11, subtract $2 for overhead per exposure - $1800. You give the charity $900, you keep $900, and everybody is very happy.

This same promotion can be operated in your studio, but you will see fewer people. If you need to keep as much cash as possible, check with your local shopping center or department store (if you still have one) and offer them 20% of the gate. The last option is to approach day cares and nursery schools and photograph on costume day. You should be able to photograph several schools during the week of Halloween.

The next promotion is "Fall Color Families," or "Fall is Family Time." You do outdoor portraits with the Fall colors really popping. This one you will have to get going right now, today. If you do not have a good outdoor at your studio, have the sessions at a local park. For these sessions, I would do a variety of portrait studies. Have a low price offer to get the appointments, such as portrait session plus an 11x14 portrait for $49.95 or something similar. People will want gift size portraits, so put those on special, too...about $2 off the regular price. You don't need to deeply discount these: they already got their discount on the original package and session. When you advertise it, simply say, "GIFT SIZES ON SPECIAL, TOO!"

Be sure to do "breakdowns" of the family relationships: the entire family, just mom, just dad, mom and dad together, mom with the girls, mom with the boys, dad with the girls, dad with the boys, and most importantly, just the kids together without mom and dad. Can they bring pets? You bet! This is a very good promotion.

Finally, you can have the Veteran's Day promotion. Veteran's Day is Tuesday, November 11 in 2014. I live in Michigan, and there is still plenty of fall color and good weather for family portraits. A LOT of people get Veteran's Day off, so it is a perfect time to get the family together. Drop the hint that Christmas is just 6 weeks away, and portraits are the gift that only YOU can give. They are always the right size, and they will never get the same portrait from someone else!

The photo above shows where I took my family portraits. This photograph was taken the end of September, so the color is just ramping up in lower Michigan. DO NOT RAKE YOUR LEAVES UNTIL THIS SPECIAL IS OVER! People LOVED all the colors on the ground and in the background. Have a place where you can photograph indoors as well, because some people will not want them outdoors. It also helps if the weather isn't great. Again, if you don't have a place at your studio, hit the park. Collect leaves in bags from your home in case the park has already sucked them all up!

Again, I normally used a session plus 11x14 offer for around $59. I also took sessions the Saturday and Monday BEFORE Veteran's Day. Again, be sure you do breakdowns of the family relationships. My best year brought 37 families during the promotion, with a sales average of just a little over $225. After costs, advertising, processing, I got to keep nearly $7000 of the $8325 we grossed, and I was happy with that. It was a lot harder to make that kind of markup in the film days!

So there you go: three quick Fall promotions that can make you some quick cash right now. Who says you can't do Photography For Income? Sure as heck not me! You could very easily see anywhere between $8000 -$15,000 in gross sales from these 3 little promotions. Next time, more on the Promotional Calendar. Make all your exposures count!

If You Use Facebook...

noreply@blogger.com (Photographer) — Tue, 26 Aug 2014 15:10:00 +0000

Some changes have taken place at Facebook that you may not be aware of:

#1. NO MORE INCENTIVIZING "LIKES."
Facebook has stopped the practice of businesses requiring customers to first “like” their page in order to receive discounts, prizes, free apps, coupons or other promotional offers.

This technique, called “like-gating,” is defined by Facebook as: “when you force a Facebook user who has not already liked your Page to like your Page before they can see content on a particular custom tab.” The same applies to entering contests, receiving a free eBook, coupons, discounts, etc.

The "LIKE for a discount" scheme was used very heavily by many businesses, followed up by a free custom app. In my area, a local convenience store/gas station was giving away a free app for your Smartphone if you would first "LIKE" their Facebook page. And this is VERY common. They will now have to pull all of their pump-top ads and replace them to be in compliance with Facebook rules.

Going forward, businesses “…must not incentivize people to use social plug-ins or to like a Page. This includes offering rewards, or gating apps or app content based on whether or not a person has liked your page.”

They go on to state, “It remains acceptable to incentivize people to login to your app, check in at a place, or enter a promotion on your app’s Page.” For example, you cannot offer a discount when someone likes your business page, but you could offer a discount if someone used your app to enter a contest, or checked in at your studio.

Now, I think I see a "black hat" way around this. If you have a laptop set up in your reception area, you COULD have your receptionist simply say, "We are offering free wallet personalization if you will "Like" our Facebook page." To be extra safe, you may want to change your DNS settings every day. It is not offered on your FB page anywhere, so if increasing "Likes" is a goal of yours, this would be one way to do it. I'm just not sure if the number of "Likes" really influences many customers.

If you go to the link provided below, you will see comments from a lot of developers...and they are NOT positive. Many people have invested time AND money to develop these marketing strategies...and FB shoves a knife in their back without warning. This is why so many photographers who are relying ONLY on Social Media for promotion are playing with fire. Never bet your success on a platform where you have little or no control.

2. FACEBOOK CONTEST RULES HAVE CHANGED.

Last summer, Facebook made changes to the contest rules that they said made having such events easier. But the rules are a little confusing. In the FB contest guidelines, it is stated you may not use "Likes" as a method of voting: "You must not use Facebook features or functionality, such as the Like button, as a voting mechanism for a promotion," but a different FB pages says you CAN use "Likes" as votes! Here is a resource you may want to review to avoid making mistakes that will get your contest shut down.

3. THE RECOMMENDATIONS BAR PLUG IN IS DEAD.

After November 5, 2014 it will no longer render on any site. That's too bad. I think it had more weight than "Likes" in many situations. So skip this feature, it will be useless after 11/5/2014.

4. YOU ARE CUT OFF AT 5000 "LIKES."
When you reach 5000 likes, your page can no longer receive any "LIKES." Well, at least not unless you pay Facebook some cash. Understand this includes friends as well. So if you have 2000 friends and you "LIKE" 3000 pages, you will not be able to "LIKE" any more pages UNLESS another FB user suggests you "LIKE" a page. Be aware that this policy may result in your pages not being followed as much.

NOW you see why many business are now hiring a "Social Media Coordinator" to ensure they are A-ok with the rules of each of the various Social Media outlets. To make sure you are all good with Facebook, you want to review their new policy, to prevent a Facebook suspension -- or even loss -- of your account.

Thinking About Your Promotional Calendar

noreply@blogger.com (Photographer) — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 19:32:00 +0000

Here is a question I received from T.Q. in Minnesota: "I am just getting started doing Photography for Income. I am a hot mess when it comes to planning. I get busy, then things cool down and I think that I should have some kind of promotion, but then it is too late! I need some cash coming in and there's no business to be found...HELP"

I laughed to myself as I read this, because I was EXACTLY like this when I started in business. Then Kodak - back when they used to think professional photographers were important to their business - came out with "The Toolbox." It was basically some promotions and some user testimonials, but the real GEM was the Promotional Calendar. When I discovered this, you would have thought I had found the Holy Grail...it was genius!

I am going to give you a stripped down version here:

1. Buy a LARGE wall calendar with all 12 months on it. These are available for 2015 at office supply stores now. A dry erase model is best. You want 4 different colors: Black, Red, Green, Blue

2. Next, think about what promotions you will have for the upcoming year; perhaps:

January - Continue Home for the Holiday Special; Snow Days Special
February - Valentine Special; Kiddie Kontest
March - High School Senior (HSS) Reorder Special; Spring & Summer sports
April - Spring Special; HSS Ambassador/Model Program; Proms & Dances
May - Continue Spring Special
June - Moms & Memories; World's Greatest Dad
July - Red, White & Blue Children's Special, Your Best HSS
August - SCHOOL STARTS SOON/TIME'S RUNNING OUT SPECIAL for HSS
September - $1 Session fee special for HSS weekdays between 9 AM and 2 PM
October - Preschools; Fall Family Special; It's Not Too Late to Start thinking CHRISTMAS!
November - Veterans' Day Family Special; Christmas Special
December - Home for the Holidays Special

3. Now, think about how you want to promote these specials:

Direct mail - Newsletter
Direct mail - Color post card
Direct mail - two or three color post card
Direct mail - fliers
Fliers handed out at the studio or placed in each order
FlIers handed out in high traffic areas
Displays
Sandwich board (employee or temp wears a Sandwich board and visits high traffic areas)
Bird dogs
Door Hangers
School Newspapers and/or radio stations
Networking
Radio
TV
Social Media
YouTube
Your Web Site
Email your customer list
Local Newspaper
Billboards

4. If you want to run a promo in January, you have to start planning it in October. Yeah, I hear some of you now: "OMG, that's too early, I'm busy, wah, wah, wah..." If you want to get off the income roller coaster, this is how it gets done. It takes discipline. You have to have enough lead time for design, printing, mailing, etc. Trust me: if you decide on December 2nd to do a Christmas special, you are wasting your time.

5. In the month you plan to have the promotion, write it down in GREEN (for go). If the promotion is going to last one week, write the name across that week.

6. Three months PRIOR to the promotion, write the promo name with PLANNING in front of it, such as PLANNING Kiddie Kontest. Write this in RED for the number of days it will take to plan and create the media you plan to use.

7. Two months before the promotion, write PRODUCTION OF Kiddie Kontest; write this in BLUE. Include your day of mailing if using direct mail and circle it. Remember if you are using bulk mail (now called Presort Standard or Standard Mail), the post office may hold this mail up to THREE DAYS before delivering it. Build this into your mailing time. If you do several mailings per year, you'll want to purchase a Bulk Mail Permit. If you are new to this, you may want to hire a mailing company to do it for you. Even most small towns have a mailing service.

8. If you are not sure if Standard Mail is right for you, you might consider EDDM (Every Door Direct Mail). This lets you reach customers in targeted neighborhoods without having to provide names or street addresses, and no permit is required! Ask your local Post Office for details on EDDM-retail or EDDM-BMEU options. A lot of photographers overlook this service!

9. To be considered successful, you promotion should bring in at least 8 times the cost of promotion. If it costs you $500 to advertise your Kiddie Kontest, it should bring in at least $4000 in gross receipts.This is another way to say the cost of Promotion was 20%. As you get more skilled at this, you can try for your cost of Promotion to be 10%.

"This is great, but where do I learn more about the promotions?"

You'll want to get on my mailing list to be among the first to get my book, "PROMOTIONS: How Photography for Income is Done." Send an email to steve@bohne.com.

Until next time...may all of your PHOTOGRAPHY be FOR INCOME.

Your Fatal Promotional Mistake - Part One

noreply@blogger.com (Photographer) — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 15:39:00 +0000

A lot of you reading this blog are part time photographers. That means a lot of you are working on a shoestring budget. So, you attempt to promote and market your studio STRICTLY via your website which is affordable if you can do it yourself, and via Social Media because it is free. You spent days...maybe even WEEKS...creating web pages and galleries on your website. You put in HOURS and HOURS posting, blogging, Tweeting, getting Facebook "Likes" pinning on Pinterest, making friends on Google+...

...and now you wonder why you have only photographed 12 seniors through the end of July. Well, I am going to tell you why:

Because Social Media marketing by itself sucks big time.

Let's first of all take a look at your web site. I have seen some web sites by photographers here in my home town that are sad. Laughable, really. My pro friends often say, "You need to come out of retirement...the photographers in your area are BAD!" Well, they make a point. Understand this, friends: unless photography is a hobby, a BAD website is worse than NO website. It can make you a laughing stock and make you look silly, unprofessional and incompetent.

Not all of the photographers in my home town are bad, however. Take a look at StudioOne. Operated by Kurt Robertson, M.Photog CPP in the former Byerly's Studio location, his website is totally professional. It was done by Marathon Press. Yes, it cost him some money. But it puts Kurt at the top of the heap in his market. It shows off his talent as an excellent photographer, and it puts the competition to shame...nobody is even close.

Marathon Press has simple sites that start at $99. However, you must purchase hosting from them. The downside is that their hosting is on the expensive side. Even their LOWEST cost package of web hosting is $24.95 per month or $215 if you pay for one year up front...ouch! By comparison, I pay less than $50 for three years for shared web hosting at HostMetro, which is fine for my low traffic site (after 3 years that price WILL increase). On the plus side, Marathon will provide you with limited support; good if you are not a "techie." You'll have to weigh the pros and cons.

If you cannot afford that kind of money, then at least go to Fiverr and find someone who can do a site for you that won't make you the object of ridicule.

However, the best website in the world will not bring you customers if they do not know about it! That's why you have to do SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to keep your site near the top in your category. Again, check Fiverr for people who will do this for you inexpensively.

Then are are some low tech, low cost ways to drive traffic to your website. Here are a couple techniques I used:

Go to the print shop. Have them print a foldover that is business card sized. The front and back of the outside have printed on them a $50 bill (you are not reproducing this at actual size, so it is permitted). On the inside, put your business info and your URL in bold, with some offer that sends them to the site. Drop these in the lobby at movie theatres, at the mall, stick them in newspapers at the newstand (you may have to drop $5 on the clerk to have him or her look the other way)...any place that has a lot of foot traffic.

Print a color business card (Vistaprint is cheap and fast). Use a color image on one side (create one card for kids, one for families, one for engagements, one for weddings, etc.). When you go to ANY restaurant, leave MORE than the average tip. Most people tip 10-18%; make sure you tip 25%, AND leave one of your cards with the tip.

Print a small classified ad in the local shopper that says, "You will see Yourtown's most beautiful people at www.yourstudio.com!"

Finally, in every direct mail piece, include your URL prominently.

What's that? You are not doing direct mail? Silly rabbit! Check back often, because we are going to be talking about that next. Until we meet again, may all your PHOTOGRAPHY be FOR INCOME!

Summertime, and the Business is...Missing?

noreply@blogger.com (Photographer) — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 16:00:00 +0000

When my business was at it's peak, my phones were ringing constantly, and I had multiple lines. Through the implementation of effective marketing, advertising, and promotion, I normally had photographed 200 High School Seniors (HSS) before school was dismissed for the summer.

Today, I visit studios and they are devoid of people. The phone is not ringing, except for the occasional call from a vendor or the power company trying to get payment. I talked to a photographer for a while earlier this month, and he asked, "Can you tell me something?"

"I'll do my best," I replied.

"How is it that you photographed SO MANY kids before school even let out, and I don't even start getting calls until the middle of July?"

Well the reasons are many. First of all, the industry itself has changed tremendously. With the advent of digital, many people think they can do it themselves...and they do. The end product is crap, but they will accept it and beam as they show the photographs to their friends. The friends say, "These are nice!" then gag after they walk away.

The second is that in most areas, the number of HSS has dropped dramatically. In 1990, my market area had nearly 4000 HSS. This year I think the count is 1400. Combine that with more people going after the business (anybody with a Canon Rebel is a professional photographer, you know) and it is a tough way to earn a buck.

But a large part is due to the lack of effective marketing. I asked the studio owner when he ran his first ad. His reply? "We'll run that about the 2nd week of July." I could only shake my head. My studios were successful, because we used a promotional calendar. In January, we planned out the entire year. Most photographers quit wearing a coat and think, "I ought to do some type of HSS promotion." By then you have missed the boat.

We used a variety of vehicles: fliers, school newspapers, we made our OWN newspapers, radio, TV, newspaper, direct mail, telephone calls, handouts and more. The last few years we used the Internet and email marketing as well, but that was just starting.

But advertising for the next HSS class started in January, after school was back in. School newspapers never get enough budget, and my business probably saved a couple of school papers. As a result, the advisor was always looking for ways to steer kids to my studio. Now today, local newspapers are just about ready to go the way of the black and white television, but in some areas--especially smaller towns--they can still work. The same can be said for weekly publications, often called "shoppers" or "penny savers."

When I printed my own newspapers, I found other businesses in the HSS market (rental centers, caterers, barbers and hair stylists, DJ's, etc.) to pay me for ads in the paper. Not only did it cover the cost of the paper, but exceeded it. Was it work? Sure it was. But none of my other colleagues were willing to put in the work.

Another reason for slack sales is because many photographers tend to rely ONLY on Social Network or Internet marketing. It can't be done. You need a rounded, multi faceted approach to marketing if you want to fill your appointment book.

About 20 years ago, the big thing was VIDEO MARKETING. It was the rage. Guys gave seminars about how to do it. One guy from Wisconsin was showing his video, which was VERY cool, and saying this really made a difference in his business. I raised my hand, stood up, and asked, "What difference did it make? What increase in sessions did you see? How much did your sales increase? Was this in line with the cost of producing the video?"

His answer? "I'm not really a numbers guy, but I feel like my business has increased."

I attended this seminar with my friend, the late Lisle Ramsey from St. Louis, MO. His color lab was considering getting into the video production business for it's customers. He leaned over and asked what my thoughts were. I replied, "He can't give you any firm numbers, he can give you his feelings. Well, I can have a warm feeling, but I may have just peed myself. My thoughts are that this is a passing fad that will not last, because it impresses PHOTOGRAPHERS, not CUSTOMERS."

Lisle then said, "I can always count on you to ask the questions that need to be asked, and make a decision based on facts instead of feelings." Lisle passed away April of 2014.

You have missed the entry point for this year. The GOOD NEWS is that you are reading this at a perfect time to get a start on next year. So over the next few posts, I will teach you how to build your own promotional calendar. It is imperative for ANY photographer attempting to do Photography For INCOME! Till next time, may all of your shadows read 7 and your highlights read 245.

Why Doesn't Anybody Want to Learn From This Teacher?

noreply@blogger.com (Photographer) — Sun, 10 Nov 2013 12:37:00 +0000

Since I have been crushed under the weight of Medicare Enrollment, my time is short and very precious. I had a similar post written in a rough draft, but I came across an excellent article that got the same point across on petapixel:

http://petapixel.com/2013/09/12/photography-teacher-nobody-wants/#KOWpcc9oU7KX1omI.01

No sense in me writing a "me too" post and as my regular readers know, I do not rip off other people's work and represent it as mine. In any case, this was very well written and it is well worth your time to read and learn...especially if you are doing Photography for Income!

Hope to be back soon!

Making a Sales Presentation? Don't Make These Mistakes!

noreply@blogger.com (Photographer) — Sun, 29 Sep 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Lord have mercy, where did the summer go! The leaves are turning color, falling off the trees, and messing up my 2.5 acres...which I now have to clean up! Fall often means quoting church directories, school directories, school and/or sports photography for next year (yep, it is normally done this far in advance), and other photography events...All prime candidates for Photography for Income.

As photographers, we don't normally have to have real sharp presentation skills, but when you are doing Photography for Income, the time may come where you have to put them into play.Years ago, I was doing a presentation for a church. We were pitching a church directory.

There was a photographer from a local studio, and a representative from a national church directory chain. The local guy stumbled and bumbled...he was CLEARLY out of his comfort zone. The guy from the chain outfit was slick and polished. He went through his presentation smoothly.

Amazingly, BOTH presentations were very close in content!

1. Who is "Our Studio?"Company and what is our history?

2. Overview of Our Studio Products and Services.

3. What Your Church's needs are.

4. The solution and how Our Studio can help Your Church.

5. Display of portrait samples.

6. How Our Studio will deliver results.

7. The support Your Church will receive

8. How we will manage your account

9. How Our Studio Innovates! (the future of Our Studio & Your Church)

10. Benefits of working with Our Studio.

11. How we will launch Your Church Directory:

Program and launch planning.
Recruiting congregants as appointment setters.
Scheduling portrait sessions, photography, and sales
Target Delivery Date.
How Our Studio will deliver portraits to Your Church.

12. Your Church's feedback and results

13. Our Studio will now open this to Your Church for Q&A

What a snorefest! The board making the decision was bored just 10 minutes into the thing (no pun intended, by the way). Here's why: they didn't give a rat's ass about the first NINE topics of discussion! What they WERE interested in were items 10 through 13...and I am being kind by including #12.

Here is what needed to be done: they needed to focus on the prospect’s issues and concerns (and their studio history sure as hell isn't one of them!). So why didn't these people speak directly to the prospect’s concerns? Well I am only guessing, but I would guess that they felt the still had to sell the church on their company, and by talking about their company they would sell the church on their business and eliminate any nagging concerns the church board had..

I have yet to encounter an executive team or decision making board who was interested in a person’s company--decision-makers don’t care! All they want to know is:

1. That you understand their problem/concern (or want/need/desire), and

2. How you can help them resolve that issue.

I walked in and said, "Wow! You asked for a drink of water and you got Niagara Falls! (chuckles and guffaws). Look, you know who I am, you know what I do, and you know I am the best at doing it. I am going to get your church directory appointments set in one week using volunteers from the church. I will photograph all 600 families in one week. That's right, one week, not three like the people before me stated. The photography will be finished before October 15th, the viewing and sales done before Halloween, and the finished portraits delivered before Thanksgiving.

"Your finished directories will be delivered before Valentine's Day, barring any unforeseen events such as mechanical breakdown or labor disputes...I have no control over those, so I'd be lying to you if I said I could guarantee it 100%. Now does anyone here have any questions, or do you just want to authorize my studio to get this going? (again chuckles and guffaws)

"Why are you laughing? You want to stretch this thing out until Memorial Day with these people, or do you want things done right, done right the first time, and done right now? Does anyone have any questions?"

I answered 4 questions. After that, it took 7 minutes for the board to make a decision.

Afterwards, the guy from the big chain outfit offered me a fairly decent amount of money to come work for the place he worked for. "Thanks, but no thanks...travel 44 weeks out of the year doesn't appeal to me."

The other studio owner didn't talk to me--he was pissed. It didn't matter...his studio didn't make it to prom time the following spring.

Look, the next time you have a sales presentation - or even a sales call - invest some time finding out what your prospect wants and focus your efforts on those things. Skip the yadda, yadda, yadda about your company and tell them exactly how you will help the prospect achieve their objectives.

This approach saves time and really sets you apart from you competition. Not only that, but you will never hear someone complain that you took two hours to explain what could have been done in fifteen minutes. And if you are doing Photography for Income, that is a big plus.

Until next time!

RAW vs JPG: Round #2

noreply@blogger.com (Photographer) — Mon, 23 Sep 2013 14:48:00 +0000

Several years ago, at the request of moderator Sue Chastain, I published an article on ABOUT.COM that spoke about using RAW vs JPG. The article elicited a lot of discussion when it was published. As expected, many of the comments were simply stupid, to wit:

From Guest Seth: "Part of photography was always darkroom work or lab processing. Now RAW files are replacing physical negatives and darkrooms. Shooting in JPG is like Ansel Adams letting the teenage boy in the One Hour Photo process his images. Are you a photographer or not?"
It is NOTHING like Ansel Adams letting 1 Hour Photo process his images...you're an idiot, Seth.

From Guest Kate: What's seen on the camera's LCD is a camera-generated JPEG "thumbnail" of approx. how your image will look when it's opened, and even that depends on factors such as color spaces, settings, compression level which--contrary to some opinions here--does matter because when JPEGs are compressed, data is tossed. Data=pixels and the camera decides which pixels to toss, not you (if you shoot JPEG). Lost pixels=lost resolution. While it's true that med. vs. high Q JPEGs printed at the same size are almost indistinguishable, what IS lost in higher-compressed JPEGs are all those precious pixels you'll wish you still had if you heavily crop an image. Why have a 12mp camera if you're only going to use 6? Regardless of mode, capture all the data you can, using best exposure practices.
Kate, you are wrong. Lost pixels do NOT equal lost resolution. The JPG image comes off the same sensor as the RAW file, and if you use medium compression, you are actually OVERSAMPLING the image...not throwing data away as you state. The statement underlined above is ludicrous! You do not cut resolution in half by using JPG compression! And dear: images photographed at medium quality and printed are not "almost indistinguishable"...they ARE indistinguishable!

But my favorite was from Guest Gordon: This concerns anyone holding a camera and says that shooting RAW is a waste of time and storage. First of all, storage is cheap. Second, you have no clue about pixels and how to get the very best out of them. Clearly you are not a professional photographer and need to be saving your money on a P&S. Enroll is some type photography class and learn the technical side of photography because you sure as hell don't know it now.
Gordo--you are a total douche. I have forgotten more about photography than you will ever know. I hold both degrees from the Professional Photographers of America, and hold several Court of Honor Awards for my photographs. And I beg to differ, but I have ALL the clues on pixels and how to get the very best out of them. So maybe you might want to pick up that photography class...

It is one thing to disagree with a working professional photographer...it is another thing entirely to insult him, especially when you probably wouldn't know the difference between a RAW file and a JPG file if one of them bit you on the a$$! The whole RAW vs JPG thing has kind of become an elitist battle cry, and I really don't play that game.

I reprinted the article here on Photography for Income last year, and all of the comments were positive. Most of them went similar to this: "Thanks for clearing that up for me...I was working my butt off trying to post-process these RAW files and it was taking me forever. I read your article and it makes sense...THANKS!"

So I am not trying to change any one's mind. If you like shooting RAW files, and have all kinds of time, by all means, stick with it. But don't lie to me and tell me you get better images when you shoot RAW, because you don't. And don't give me this line of crap where you tell me, "It doesn't take me that long to process my RAW images." Really? Take a look at this letter sent to Shutterbug Ads in December of 2012 by John Frederick:

"I have been shooting RAW format for many years, but I have an issue. I have yet to find a quick, easy, reliable way to process the images. I spend an average of an hour or more of post-processing time per image before I have something worth printing. That's just not acceptable and it has gone a long way toward frustrating (disgusting) me with digital photography.
What I really would like is as piece of software that will take my RAW image and show me a quick "best guess" as to how the image should appear, then allow me to either accept it or tweak it slightly. I fully agree with the advantages of shooting RAW for serious work, but I cannot spend my life post-processing the images. Any recommendations and suggestions will be very much appreciated, probably by a huge number of "Shutterbug" readers."

Now, either John here is an incompetent idiot (which I totally do NOT believe), or these people who say they can process a RAW image to perfection in 3 minutes are outright liars...which I definitely DO tend to believe! If you take 25 images for a senior portrait, that is 3 full workdays just to make ready images to show the customer...ONE customer! And the last wedding I did was 300 images!! At one hour per image that is SEVEN AND ONE HALF WORK WEEKS to simply process the images. Gut Gott in Lieben!

Editor David B. Brooks' answer was for John to check out a service called Organic Imaging. You do not purchase software, you pay per image. As this is written, the price is approximately 15 cents per image. David wrote a short blog about Organic Imaging that you might want to check out.

I never cared for the time it took for post-processing even in JPG. I think I'd kill myself if I had to post- process 300 RAW files from a wedding, but hey, whatever turns your crank. In any case, do what works for you, but remember: the image is no sharper off the sensor, and all of that post-processing time puts no $$ in your pockets, and that's important when you are doing Photography for Income! Till next time, may all your highlights read 245 and all your shadows read 10!

#10 -Ten Things You Should NEVER Say to a Photographer...

noreply@blogger.com (Photographer) — Mon, 16 Sep 2013 14:02:00 +0000

NUMBER TEN:

"My minister (accountant, plumber, landscaper, dog groomer, doctor, window washer, etc.) does some photography and he says you should have done [this or that] differently."

Okay, this is the one that hastened my retirement from photography full time. I had done senior portraits for a young lady, and the girl's mother came in and told me all the things I did "wrong". When I asked her how she figured I did them "wrong", that's when she said, "Well, my minister does a lot of photography and he said these things could have been done better."

I had to stand there and count to ten...then 15...then 20 before I answered.

"You know, I own a Bible but that doesn't make me qualified to lead the sermon at your church this
Sunday." I walked her over to the wall that had my Master of Photography Degree and my Craftsman of Photography Degree on it and said, "Please take a look at these two degrees awarded to me by the Professional Photographers of America...do you know what they signify?"

She replied she did not. I answered, "This means I know what I am doing. Less than 1000 photographers worldwide have both of these degrees. This means I have FORGOTTEN more about photography than your minister will ever know. I'll tell you what: you tell your minister when he has both degrees, he can critique my work. Until then he needs to keep his comments to himself."

I then asked, "Why did you select ME to do your daughter's senior portraits?" She replied that I had an excellent reputation and her daughter liked her friends' portraits that I had taken. I then said, "Exactly. So why are you taking advice from your minister? Why didn't you have HIM take your daughter's senior portraits?"

The daughter was visibly embarrassed. I said to the mother, "I think it would be best if I just return your money and you can have your minister take your daughter's senior portraits, because right now I cannot tell you how much you have insulted me."

The daughter went ballistic! She told her mother, "You had better apologize to Mr. Bohne right now! I LOVE those pictures and I want them for my senior portraits. If you have pissed him off so much that he won't make my senior portraits I will NEVER speak to you again!"

The mother apologized and asked if I would please take her order.

Dear readers, please understand that if you are involved in ANY creative endeavor, you will face criticism...most of it from people who don't know the first damn thing about it! Again, I caution you, do NOT get into a pissing contest with a customer, because you lose - regardless of the outcome. Remain calm and discuss things in a professional manner, but don't take any crap. If someone is not happy, tell them one of two things:

1) "I am very sorry you were not pleased with the portrait studies I did for you. I will be happy to do some additional poses at no additional cost to you. You may order from both sessions, but please understand that if you decide to order from poses from the first session, an addition session fee will be added to your order." By adding this last sentence, you will KILL 80% of the requests for additional poses. By the way, NEVER say you will do a "retake" - in my opinion, it says you have done something wrong.

2) "I am very sorry that you have lost confidence in my skills and expertise as a photographer. Please allow me to give you a full refund, and you may select another photographer." I normally would use this response when the customer had been a royal pain in the ass, and I didn't care if they ordered from me or not. Again, many times this causes the customer to backpedal. If they say, "Fine, I'll take the refund," then give it to them with a smile on your face and wish them the best of luck with their next photographer.

I would actually send a thank you card to these people. I thanked them for giving me the opportunity to be their photographer, and I regretted that I did not measure up to their high standards. I hoped that I might be of service to them in the future. And about 4 out of 10 called me back a month later and asked if I still had their session available for them to order from. It seems they weren't happy at the other studio, either. Hmmm, imagine that! Yes, I would make the order, but they would forfeit any specials or discounts they would have received. No exceptions.

Now, in a few instances I had a third response. There were cases where customers made a scene (with other customers in the studio), used foul language, or made disrespectful comments about me or the studio. I didn't give them any choice. I gave them a refund. Most of the time this was NOT what they wanted. They were thinking if they complained, I would give them a discount or free photographs. Oh, dear...they picked the wrong studio for that gambit, I fear!

I had one lady who made the mistake of pulling this stunt 2 weeks before Christmas. This was during the film days. I had photographed her and her siblings and their children for a gift for Mom & Dad. She was just a total flying bitch, complaining about the poses, the background, not enough of this, too much of that, etc. My sales consultant came back to my office and asked what she should do. I told her to give her a full refund.

She handed her the check and said, "Mr. Bohne apologizes that you were not happy. Here is a full refund, and he hopes you have a Merry Christmas." THEN THE REAL FIREWORKS STARTED! "These were going to be Christmas presents for my parents!" she sputtered. "What am I supposed to do now?" she yelled.

My sales consultant simply replied, "I don't know. Have a nice day!"

Of course, about 40 minutes later one of the other siblings came into the studio hat-in-hand to apologize. "Steve, the rest of the family is mortified. PLEASE let us order these for Mom and Dad. They have wanted this photograph for such a long time. Please don't disappoint them. My sister thinks if she makes a fuss, she will get a discount...she swears it works most of the time."

I told the woman that I would take the order. However, the first woman was not to place the order, she was not to pick up the order, and they would NOT receive the special that they came in under. I said, "Once I refund money, any additional business is at full price--no discounts, specials or coupons apply." She replied she understood completely, thanked me very much, and gave me the order. Her sister's shenanigans cost her and her siblings an extra $125.

Understand that some people are so unreasonable and insulting, we don't want them as customers. I did a young man's senior portraits many years ago. His mother picked the photographs up, and was delighted with the results, and placed a very nice order. She told my sales consultant, "His father and I are divorced--I am just back in town to make sure my son had proper clothing for his senior portrait. Can I keep the originals out another few days so that he might order? He is responsible for purchasing the yearbook photograph." She told her she could, and asked her to tell her ex-husband to please call for an appointment to place his order.

Well, "Wild Bill" comes in a few days later - without an appointment- and with a reception room full of people, he proceeds to go on a rampage...

"These are the WORST photographs I have EVER seen! They are LOUSY! Doesn't your photographer know the first _ _ _ _ _ _ _ thing about his job? These poses suck, his expressions are terrible, and the clothes the photographer selected for the kid to wear are stupid [gee, I didn't know I selected his clothes!]. Where is the owner? I need to speak to this dumbass right now!"

I walked out to the reception area and asked if I could be of assistance. He was about to repeat himself when I said, "Please, Mr. Customer, I've heard your concerns. In fact, I think the people at the Subway across the street heard them as well."

"Well I wanna know what the _ _ _ _ you are gonna DO about it?"

I had a refund check all made out. I took the originals from him and said, here is the refund for the session fee, which your ex-wife explained was paid by you. Please feel free to take your son anywhere else and have the portraits taken by someone else."

He nearly had a cow! "But...but...the yearbook deadline is two weeks away! How am I going to get his picture in the yearbook?"

I replied, "I really don't know...and I really don't care. Besides, after your earlier statements, I'm surprised you would even consider putting one of these lousy photographs in the yearbook. Goodbye and have a nice day." And with that, I turned on my heel and walked away.

He started to launch another tirade, but my sales receptionist stopped him cold. "Sir, your business here is completed. I will ask you once to leave. If you refuse to do so, we have 911 on speed dial, and the City Police will be here in just a few minutes to escort you out." The man left, and you could hear him a block away as he called us everything BUT Christian!

Now before you think I am a total ass, I sent a photograph to the school for his yearbook since his mother had such a nice order. But make no mistake about it: if the mother had not placed an order, there would have been no yearbook photograph sent! I always told my employees to let a customer vent, then express regret, and then see if we can help them be happy. But under NO CIRCUMSTANCES were they to deal with ANY customer who became profane, threatening, or abusive.

Never forget: this is Photography for Income. Enjoy the summer while you can...it's slipping by fast. See you next time!

#9 - Ten Things You Should NEVER Say to a Photographer...

noreply@blogger.com (Photographer) — Mon, 09 Sep 2013 14:48:00 +0000

Number Nine:

"I need a photograph for a magazine article (or book cover/press release/President's Wall/ etc). I know you had some extras of my last session. Can you just send one over to the newspaper. You already have it made...why do I have to pay?

It is AMAZING how many people think I'm in business to make friends. In fact a lady told me that just a few years ago.

I had taken her portrait for the local hospital. She was elected president of the Ladies Auxiliary, and the hospital paid for her session. I made images in black and white and color, which we of course tried to sell to her. She declined.

A few months later, she needed a photograph for another use, and called and said the above just about verbatim. When I told her there was a charge she was incredulous! I told her, "You know, Lydia, this is how I make my living."

Her heated reply? "Well it certainly isn't to make friends! There are some very important people waiting for that picture, so you had better send it out today. Send it by Express Mail so it gets there overnight!"

Whoa! This takes MAJOR cahones: you not only insist I give you the picture for free, you also expect me to send it via Express Mail at my expense. Unbelievable!!

I informed her that I would be glad to do so once I had the price of the portrait PLUS the cost of mailing via Express Mail in my hand. She haughtily refused and said that she would complain to the hospital and I would NEVER do business there again.

This attitude is not held just by your regular customers. I have businesses and PR firms ask me for the same thing. The answer is always the same: no dough, no photo.

Look, you don't owe anyone free photographs, ESPECIALLY if you are doing Photography for Income! Stand your ground and get paid what you are due. See you next time!!

#8 - Ten Things You Should NEVER Say to a Photographer...

noreply@blogger.com (Photographer) — Mon, 02 Sep 2013 16:34:00 +0000

NUMBER 8:

"Hey, mom! Look at that picture of Jenny...it looks just like the one you downloaded and put in the family room!"

I used to have a booth at the county fair, and I actually heard this comment while I was manning my booth. The customer who did the illegal download told me her daughter's portraits were "terrible." This is the reason she gave for not placing a very big order.

I had a friend who was talking to me at the time, and I told the copyright infringer, "This person is a witness that you have committed copyright infringement. This is punishable by a $10,000 criminal penalty plus damages. Would you like to settle this out of court, or go to court?"

As it turns out her husband WAS an attorney, and she told me, "_ _ _ _ you, my husband IS an attorney and you can just go _ _ _ _ yourself!" Wow! And to think she kisses her kids with that mouth!

It seems that she went home and told her husband...who called me and started to tell me that they were "innocent infringers." I stopped him and said, "Mr. Customer...you are an ATTORNEY! No court is going to swallow that story, and you and I both know it.

He wondered if we could come to an "agreement." You see, as an officer of the court, committing copyright infringement is not looked on kindly by the court. It's the kind thing that can get a lawyer reprimanded, censured, or even disbarred in extreme cases.

This is why you need to register your copyright. If your image is not registered, you can't get spit for someone illegally copying your work. You can do it yourself, or you can use LegalZoom. You gotta get paid! After all, you ARE doing Photography for Income, aren't you? Til next time!

#6 & #7: Ten Things You Should NEVER Say to a Photographer...

noreply@blogger.com (Photographer) — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 14:17:00 +0000

NUMBER SIX: "You charge HOW MUCH? Just to push a button?"

NUMBER SEVEN: "FIFTY DOLLARS FOR A PIECE OF PAPER!!??"

Don't you just love being a professional photographer? It's great isn't it? Now I have to admit with number six, it is getting to be harder to defend. When I was a film photographer - using RZ-67 and Hasselblad cameras - there was a lot more than just pushing a button. I had to focus, determine exposure, etc.

Today, the general populace uses the same equipment we do in many cases, and in their eyes it IS just pushing a button. The camera does pretty much take care of the rest. Having said that, there is still the matter of composition and posing, not to mention the post production work.

When a customer says this to me, I always reply, "I wish that was all there was to it. But there is a lot of work that takes place AFTER I have made the initial image. And I do have a substantial investment in education, equipment, etc. So I do try to make a profit as a matter of customer service. You see, if I cannot stay in business, I won't be here the next time you need or want a great photograph taken. That's important, wouldn't you agree?"

That pretty much takes care of the matter.

Number seven is very easy to answer. Whenever someone says that to me, I take the 8x10 and place it on the table so only the white back of the photograph is showing. I then say, "That is a $50 piece of paper." I then flip it over to show the image of their family, baby, senior, bride, etc. and say, "It's the image on THIS side that makes it worth $50. I think your family (baby, senior, bride) is worth at LEAST fifty dollars... [PAUSE] don't you?" I then I don't say another word.

I once had a guy come in and tell me, "$50 for an 8x10 is outrageous. I do some photography, and I know what an 8x10 costs!"

I didn't issue any rebuttal at that moment. I said, "I understand how you feel. What do you do?"

He said, "I have a trenching business. We do trenching so you can lay pipe, cable, etc."

I asked, "I need a 10' trench at my house. I want to run power from my home electrical box to my new garage. How much will that cost me?" He replied that it would be about $125. My reply was, "You charge $125 to dig a hole!? It doesn't even cost you anything! Talk about outrageous."

He was hot right now. "You don't know my expenses. I have equipment, wages, insurance, overhead!"

My simple reply was, "And I don't?" And that was all I said. His wife said, "I'll take it from here."

I continued to be his family's photographer for many years...but he was still always a cheap so-and-so, even though he lived in a huge home and always drove a Hummer or Escalade. Ain't it always the way?

Again, never argue with a customer. Just lay out your case, be quiet, and smile. It's the best way if you are doing Photography for Income. Til Next Time!

#5 - Ten Things You Should NEVER Say to a Photographer...

noreply@blogger.com (Photographer) — Mon, 19 Aug 2013 14:09:00 +0000

NUMBER FIVE:
"Hey, could you do this photograph for our event/fundraiser/brochure/etc. for free? It would be excellent advertising for you...word of mouth advertising is the best, you know!"

If you are brand new (or fairly new) to doing Photography for Income, be on the look out for this one. Many people and/or companies actively look for new photographers for jobs. They then play to the newbee's lack of experience: "Hey, you need to get the word out...this will be great for your business!"

And the new photographer thinks, "Yeah, maybe he's right!" and does the job free. Big mistake. There are three basic problems with this move:

Number one, often you will not get the photo credit--too late to do anything about it.

Number two, very few people pay attention to who provided what in the program. They don't take them home and use them as a resource guide.

Number Three, think about this: most JayCee events are sausage fests. By that I mean it's all men. Who is the number one buyer of portraits and wedding photography? It sure as hell isn't a member of the JayCees. His wife is a different matter. So if the request is by the Opera Society, and you want to do a little networking with that crowd, it might be worth it.

You cannot eat photo credits. It is OK to do a job for a cause you believe in. But if the greater Slobsville JayCees come to you and pitch you on the fact they will list you in their program and give you a photo credit, I'd tell them "Thanks but no thanks" UNLESS you really feel this job would give you valuable experience that you do not already have.

If someone asks you to donate a portrait for a fundraiser, do so ONLY if the following is agreed to by the group:

1) You are the ONLY photographer in the auction;
2) A member of the group reads a short bio that you have written, then tells the crowd what the item is that is being auctioned and the value, and then introduces you; and
3) YOU do the auctioning of the portrait.

You want VISIBILTY! You want people to know who YOU are. You do not have to be a great auctioneer. This isn't a farm auction, it is a charity auction. Two other things:

1) Don't auction an 8x10, you cheap bastard! I see this all the time and it makes my teeth grind. Give a 20x24 on canvas. They'll buy the gift sizes--be smart about it for Bozo's sake!

2) Dress up! For the love of Mike, don't go in t-shirt and jeans. Wear a suit. If the affair is black tie, rent a tux. Women: this event is perfect for that little black dress that's hanging in the closet that you always complain you never get to wear.

Sometimes you see women wearing a man's tux to an event. Here's a tip: don't! 8 out of 10 women end up looking like a dyke, and I've heard men AND women in the audience make comments to same. Sorry, it's the truth. Understand, I'm not slamming homosexuals in any way, shape or form. If this is for a fundraiser for gay and lesbian rights, go for it. Otherwise forget it, unless you look like - and are built like - Carmen Electra, Megan Fox or Halle Berry.

I think three fourths of the population thinks photographers and artists are "funny" to begin with, and there's no reason to add to their perception. I would never suggest that a person hide their true self. If you can't be true to yourself, how can you be true to your customers or your craft?

If you are gay, then you have to pay special attention to your appearance. It may not be fair, but it is a fact of doing business in mainstream America today. This means no wallets in the back pocket of bib overalls for women and men, please...no feather boas. Keep the swishy look for your Friday nights at The Manhole, okay?

Bottom line: you can dress anyway you want to in your business...as long as you are willing to accept the consequences.

To recap: Make it a rule to make donations ONLY if it lets you increase your visibility in a physical way (such as being in attendance at the event). After all, this is Photography for Income. Til next time!

#4 of Ten Things You Should NEVER Say to a Photographer...

noreply@blogger.com (Photographer) — Mon, 12 Aug 2013 14:48:00 +0000

NUMBER FOUR:

"Is this all you do? You don't have a real job?"

This will ordinarily been said to you by either:
A) a relative, or
B) some schlub that makes half the money you make

I had a guy tending bar at a wedding ask me what I did during the week. I told him the truth: "I take pictures."

"No sh*t! Really? Well you probably don't make much money playing around with a camera."

Okay, I took it for as long as I could, and figured this douchebag was not going to be a customer of mine. I asked him, "Hey, what are you driving?" He was driving a 10 year old beater.

"Well. I drive a Cadillac Seville. A new one. Not leased. How much do you make a year?"

He replied, "I have my regular job, then I tend bar at parties like this nights and weekends. I make thirty grand a year buddy!"

I told him, "Wow, that's pretty good. I made that much, too...IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER! So to answer your question, yeah, I make that much money playing around with a camera...dumb ass!"

When the dude told me, "You're full of horsesh*t," the guy helping him tend bar - who was actually a customer of mine - told him, "Hey, this guy is the best in town. He has three studios. He makes more money by mistake than you make on purpose, so I'd shut my mouth if I were you."

The guy kept shooting off his mouth, making comments that I was "stealing my pay," and the like. Remember Steve's number one rule of life: "There are far more horses' asses than there are horses!"

Now if you are not making a ton of money as a photographer, that's okay. There are different levels of everything. I made good money for me, but I didn't get close to what guys like Gary Jentoft or the late Monte Zucker made. So it's all relative.

That being said, don't ever apologize for earning money from your photography. You have a skill, you should get paid for it. After all, it is Photography for Income! Til next time!

#3 of Ten Things You Should NEVER Say to a Photographer...

noreply@blogger.com (Photographer) — Mon, 05 Aug 2013 14:30:00 +0000

Wow, it's August already...didn't the kids just get out of school last week? Well, it seems like it anyway. Here's hoping all of you high school senior shooters have had a great season -- and with the economy coming back, great orders as well. After all, it's all about Photography for Income!

NUMBER THREE:

"Wow, your work has really improved...you've gotten a LOT better since the last time I saw your photographs!"

Now ordinarily, this is not an affront if it is said IN PRIVATE by one pro to another, or one amateur to another, or from a pro to an amateur or semi-pro. However...

This was said to me by an AMATEUR photographer as he stood in the reception room of my department store studio...AND THERE WERE CUSTOMERS THERE! This sawed off little snit shall remain nameless (but his initials are R*my R*squill*).

What did I say? I croaked out a, "Gee, thank you very much!" while my wife held me by the arms to keep from choking him to death on the spot. Hey, it gets better...

While he was there he overheard me talking to a part time photographer who had stopped doing weddings and was selling a Hasselblad camera. This fine Filipino "friend" promptly left my studio and called the photographer, offering him $100 more than the price we had settled on.

I'm long over it now, but for a period of several days, I plotted his grisly murder. Just kidding [kind of].

This is not limited to photographers. I had a woman who wanted my retouching business. She came into the same studio, stood in the same reception room (no, not on the same day) and criticised the retouching on one of my portrait samples...IN FRONT OF CUSTOMERS! This work was done by an artist who was in high demand and had won many awards for her competition entries. To make matters worse, this retoucher was distantly related to me! At least she did apologize and I gave her some work for a few years.

A word to all of you clueless wannabees out there: if you are not a professional photographer, you really have no place critiquing one ESPECIALLY IN PUBLIC! If you DO feel the urge, have the person standing next to you reach over and squeeze your ballsack as hard as they can as a reminder to keep your comments to yourself.

In most cases it is like a Kindergarten teacher critiquing a university professor.

I know it's hot but keep your cool, dear shooters. Remember, it's Photography for Income! See ya real soon! Why? BECAUSE WE LIKE YA! Check back in a week or so for #4.

# 2 of Ten Things You Should NEVER Say to a Photographer...

noreply@blogger.com (Photographer) — Mon, 29 Jul 2013 14:07:00 +0000

Well, we're back with another installment of Ten Things You Should NEVER Say to a Photographer.

NUMBER TWO:
"Hey, what's your best price on a 20x24...I know you can't be serious asking $400!"

If you do Photography for Income for any period of time, you will hear this regularly. My normal reply to this was, "I'm sorry, you're in the wrong place...the garage sale is the next street over!" Then I would look at the person and smile broadly. Most would get a little chagrined, then laugh it off.

On a very RARE occasion, you would get the dipstick that would say, "Come on, really, what can I buy this for? I mean, nobody pays that price, it's outrageous--it's not worth that!"

My reply was respectful: "Sir, the price is not only fair, it is very reasonable. It must be, because I have people who enter my studio every single day and pay that price willingly. They pay that because it is a photograph of their family, which to them, at least, is priceless. So I am going to respectfully disagree. I feel your family is worth every nickle of that and more. I'm pretty sure you feel the same way, too [PAUSE]...right?"

Then I didn't say a thing. If the guy was there with his wife, she normally turned to him and said, "Yes, dear...you DO think our family is worth that, DON'T YOU?" This was usually accompanied by a look that could freeze Hell in an instant. The guy would normally mumble something and say, "Why yes, of course I do." Then a check was written.

Please take note, especially you new comers to Photography for Income: I never argue with the customer. Nothing is to be gained by arguing. "A mind changed against its will is a mind that remains unchanged still" I think the quote goes. Simply state your case and be quiet.

I want to take a moment and give a plug for a Kindle book available now. I used to do craft shows and thought maybe in my retirement in 50 or 60 years I would like to do that again.I recently read "How to Turn Your Crafts Into Cash - Fire Your Boss and do What You Love. Written by Peter Draggon, it was loaded with great information! It was fun to read, too.

You do not need to own a Kindle to read a Kindle Book: Amazon has a free PC Reader you can download. Pick it up here for the giveaway price of $2.99: http://tinyurl.com/peo96zg

That's it for this time on Photography for Income. Check back soon!

Ten Things You Should NEVER Say to a Photographer...

noreply@blogger.com (Photographer) — Tue, 23 Jul 2013 13:20:00 +0000

Look, if you are doing Photography for Income, you must realize that at one point, you will discover there are far more horses' asses than there are horses. People will criticize your work: some intentionally and some without realizing they are tearing you down.

For the next few weeks, I'll post 10 things that I have heard from people. Here is some crap you will hear from people who are essentially...well, stupid:

MY NUMBER ONE, ALL TIME FAVORITE:
"Wow, I have seen some of your photographs...you must have a really good camera!"

This comment was made by a writer for the local newspaper (it was a Booth Newspaper, so I should have expected such tripe). I was at a party and he asked me what I did. He made the above comment after I told him I owned three photography studios. I knew he worked for the paper, but I asked him what he did. He puffed out his chest and said "I am a writer!"

I replied, "Well ordinarily I wouldn't consider someone who works for a newspaper a writer any more than I would consider someone who works at McDonalds a chef, but I have read several of your pieces and they were very, very good...you must have a really good typewriter!"

He recoiled in disbelief and said, "The typewriter doesn't have a damn thing to do with it!"

My simple reply? "You don't say?"

His wife turned to him and said, "You are a total douche." Priceless! This was before cellphones with video (who am I kidding, it was before cellphones!) but I wish I had one to record the look on his stupid face.

Even though it is tough, you have to be polite, because one of these high flying hosebags may end up to be an actual paying customer some day.

Until next time, may all your highlights read 245 and all your shadows read 7...

noreply@blogger.com (Photographer) — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 19:40:00 +0000

Portage, Michigan Salon Learns Power of Social Media

I've been away, did you miss me? I had to have quadruple bypass open heart surgery. Totally unexpected! But I'm back now, ready to give you some information you can use to do Photography for Income.

M-Spa Salon & Day Spa got a harsh lesson in how quickly social media can cripple a business in May. It seems that on May 25th, the spa's owner, Michelle Mott, confronted a customer and her son (Ashley Bays) and her 2 1/2 year old son who is autistic. Seems that the boy was crying and agitated while getting a haircut.

The very next day, a customer who had witnessed the witless owner's dressing down of the customer, detailed the entire sordid affair on Facebook, calling Mott's behavior "horrific and distasteful." By the time Ms. Mott returned to her salon after the holiday weekend, the post had been shared on Facebook...

...tens of thousands of times!

To make matters worse, someone started a Boycott M-Spa page on Facebook as well. And it became INTERNATIONAL NEWS in less than 48 hours. People in Australia were commenting! And the comments were not very nice. By the end of the week, Mott and her mouthpiece George Perrett were circling the wagons, frantically trying to contain the damage to Mott's reputation, crying unfair.

Mr. Perrett said it was cyberbullying and very well might cause the closure of a local business that had been a terrific business partner in the community for 15 years. Mott herself issued a statement through her lawyer on the first day she was open for business after the incident. But by that time, a full blown negative PR campaign was in motion.

On the following Thursday, Mott issued yet another statement through her attorney in which she apologized to Ms. Bays and her family. She added, "Social media has been used to create an impression of me and this event in ways which do not fairly reflect who I am and which seek to silence differing viewpoints about what occurred."

Hmmmm, differing viewpoints? If you were rude and abusive to a customer, what different viewpoint can there be? Look, to be fair, I have never met Ms.Mott. She might be a perfectly delightful woman who had a bad day, who opened her mouth without putting her brain in gear. Then again, she might be a nasty bitch, I don't know. She obviously has a successful business that has been operating for a long time, so they must be doing something right. But it appears that she may have just handled the situation less than tactfully.

Some of you may be thinking, "Hey, I'm a photographer; I don't own a beauty salon, what the hell does this have to do with me, Steve?

Quite a bit actually.

Number one, you need to recognize how fast a negative shit storm can form because you made a customer angry, or you insulted a customer, or just because there was a plain old misunderstanding.

Number two, you need to respond with lightening speed to any form of social media criticism.

Number three, you need to constantly build your brand on social media by constantly asking people to LIKE your business.

Number four, you must realize that you are CONSTANTLY on display when you own a business. Anything you do is under a microscope. So you might get all warm and fuzzy by going to a Tea Party Rally and calling President Obama a big monkey. Just remember that if the guy in charge of the zoning commission was in charge of the local Obama campaign, you may run into some delays. I'm just sayin'...

Number five, it is imperative that you become recognized for good deeds in your community. Work on fundraising events, benefit walks and/or runs, or give one day's gross receipts to a member of the community who is battling a serious illness. Join a service club such as Lions or Kiwanis. Be visible, but don't be a media whore: don't send press releases that you worked on Special Olympics--it's a little unseemly.

And finally, number six, be aware that social media can be used as a threat against you by a customer who wants to get what they want without paying. It will not happen often, but it can happen. And don't forget it can be used as a weapon against you by an unscrupulous competitor.

This is not your father's Photography for Income. If you want more INCOME than OUTGO, you need to be vigilant regarding your reputation. You can sign up for Google Alerts and they let you know when ever your name or your business name is mentioned on the web.

Til next time!

Don’t Let the GREED of ADOBE Rob You of Income!

noreply@blogger.com (Photographer) — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 21:40:00 +0000

A photographer has to remain vigilant if s/he is attempting to do Photography for Income. Adobe software has become one of the greediest companies in the software world. Their unmitigated greed led Apple to develop their own software alternatives to the bloated Adobe software offerings.

I have been a loyal Adobe customer for over 15 years. I started with Photoshop 3.0. Since I used both MAC and PC, I bought a copy of each software: 3, 3.5, 4, 5, 5.5, 6 (a crappy version, I might add), 7, CS, etc. I have paid these people a boatload of cash over the years. And my payback for being a loyal customer was to be kicked in the face and cast aside.

A few years back, Photoshop 7 quit working on my PC. Adobe said, gee, sorry, we are no longer supporting that version; you’ll have to buy a newer version. Thank god automobile companies don’t follow the same upgrade path:

“Oh, your 2009 Corvette stopped running? We are so sorry, we stopped supporting that version. You will have to upgrade to a newer version and just throw away what you have now. Yes, we know you paid $55,000 for it, but it’s no longer supported. Sorry.”

Anyway, I bought the newer version. About 2 years after that purchase, my Dell desktop lost its mother board (bad capacitors), so I had to replace it. I loaded PS CS3 on my new machine. Less than 90 days later, the Solid State Drive (SSD) failed. Dell replaced the SSD. However, I had a problem: Adobe limits Activation to two instances. I could not deactivate the software due to hardware failures. So I called Adobe.

It was not a good experience.

After waiting an hour for online tech support, I had a rep. He admonished me that my User’s Agreement only permits me to run the software on two machines, one machine at a time. I told him I wasn’t trying to install it on multiple machines—I just wanted to put it on ONE machine. I explained I had experience hardware failures, etc.

He asked for my serial number. I gave it to him: MY PHOTOSHOP 3 SERIAL NUMBER WAS 1330-1615-0223-6773-3008-9278. He told me that this was not a valid serial number. I told him that I must beg to differ…it has installed my software each time. He asked if I could tell him where I bought it. I said no, I wanted to buy CS5 and contacted them, but they were out of business. He asked if I had the proof of purchase. I said, “For a piece of software I bought over 3 years ago? No.”

I told him I could take a picture of my serial number with my cell phone and send it to him (see images above). He said that did not prove it was valid! In other words, I paid the full retail price; I cannot reactivate it, too bad for me. As far as I am concerned, this is no different from theft. The only difference is that Adobe doesn’t use a gun.

Photoshop has always been an expensive program. Thank god the hardware cost has come down over the years, because the price of Photoshop has more than doubled. Now, they are moving to a Cloud based model that will cost you $50 a month to use the software.

I would advise every photographer to avoid patronizing this company at all costs. Corel has a photo editing package, but it is not very responsive. It is workable, but I think there are better choices. Aperture, ChocoFlop, Seashore, and Pixelmator are a couple of Mac only options. Some PC choices are PhotoPlus,Pixlr Editor, Inkscape, Xara, and Pixia. Here are some other alternatives:

Splashup (formerly Fauxto) http://www.splashup.com/

http://sixrevisions.com/graphics-design/10-excellent-open-source-and-free-alternatives-to-photoshop/

A couple of photo editing programs were bundled with Epson and other printers, and may still be found on the internet.

The last option is to use pirated software. A Google search will lead you to may sources. I have been a vocal critic of pirating software ever since I started using a computer. But if greedy software companies like Adobe are going to steal from us, we might as well return the favor.

I know that I will NEVER pay for another Adobe product ever again.

What are your thoughts? Let me know here.

Don't be Swallowed Up by the Social Media Monster!

noreply@blogger.com (Photographer) — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 12:00:00 +0000

I have a friend who will remain nameless (But David in Flint, you know who you are) who spends as much time on email and Social Networking as he does taking photographs. I think he's addicted, although he is much better than he was 10 years ago. Now granted, some of this is actual business, and there's nothing wrong with promoting your business on linkedin and Facebook. But be careful: too much twiddling and not enough effective promoting can seriously impact your income!

Many photographers find themselves drowning in email, Twitter messages, and Facebook posts. After all, one comes along at the rate of about 1 per minute. By day's end, you start to feel the urgency--imagined or real--of having to read and/or answer all of these messages! Does this sound like you--(be honest!)? If so, you can be sure it's killing your productivity, ergo your business.

With over 35 years of business experience, I had to make time management a top priority--because I am not an organized person by nature. I found to keep on track I had to filter all of the time demands that existed. So here are the top 3 tips from time management experts that can help you get control of that Social Media Monster:

1. Set aside specific times to answer messages. Preferably first thing in the morning, right after lunch, and right after you have quit for the day.

2. Turn off instant notifications. Let's face it, the constant reminder of incoming messages a distraction. And honestly, how many times are they so important you HAVE to act on them immediately? Not that often, right? Do yourself a big favor, shut off the instant notifications on your computer or tablet and on your smart phone. Check them during down time or a missed appointment, or at the same time you check your email.

3. Don’t read a message without doing something with it immediately. Email (and other messages) come in 3 types: junk, reference, and action items. Delete the junk right now. If you feel a message has information you’ll need to reference later, drag it into a folder. You can save even MORE time if you set up filters in your email program to have these messages placed in their folder automatically. For example, if I get a message from PayPal, I have a label (folder if you are using Windows Mail) set up in Gmail that sends that message to the "PayPal" label. This leaves action items. Pay close attention to this: answer them immediately and delete them! If you feel a message will take more time to complete, or if it has the potential for being a profit maker (like an email from me), create a "TASK" and set a "COMPLETION DATE." As part of your daily message review, review your tasks. Here's the kicker--you are going to discover that on average 50% (some time management experts say 80%!) get old and reach the Completion Date without any action being taken. If this happens, delete it.

These tips, in addition to keeping you on task and prevent time wasting, has the added benefit of keeping your inbox tidy. My wife chides me about how many messages I have. She shouldn't throw stones! Truth be told I think AOL sends her warning messages about having so many emails in her inbox it's slowing down their system! Sorry baby, you know I love you!

Make sure that if you are doing Photography for Income, that you will actually earn an income! As always, your comments are welcome!

Canon New Repair Policy Worrisome?

noreply@blogger.com (Photographer) — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 18:02:00 +0000

Sorry to be so long between posts: I have a 4½ year old granddaughter who is affectionately known as "The Princess." And The Princess insisted on having a special room just for her at Grandma's castle. She said, "The next time I come here, I want it to be done, I want it to be pink, and I want it to be perfect!" So Papa was busy constructing The Princess' domain.

To all of my xBox friends, I PROMISE MrPicture will back on soon to help to kill the bad guys and talk smack to our opponents! Anyway, back to Photography for Income:

At the PhotoPlus Expo held at the Javitz Center in NYC, the Teamsters distributed leaflets and held banners protesting Canon's new repair policy. In the past, photographers in NYC could drop their cameras at local repair shops and often get same day or next day turnaround. But that is over: Canon now has customers ship their equipment to out of state facilities. And that can lead to long wait times.

In contrast, Nikon retains its 20 authorized repair shops across the US...including NYC.

Now to be sure, Teamsters Local 210 is upset because this move hurts its members, who are the repairmen. It is destroying local, skilled repair techs' jobs. To add insult to injury, Canon provides a much higher standard of customer service. The Teamsters have employed numbers of photographers to demand that Canon rescind this policy and restore access to independent authorized local repair service.

Here's the thing: if you are doing Photography for Income, this should not be a concern. Why? Because if you don't have at LEAST two bodies and at LEAST two lenses and at LEAST two flash units, you shouldn't be doing Photography for Income.

By not investing in your business, you put your customer at risk, AND your reputation at risk. A good reputation takes a long time to create...and just one bad experience to destroy. Make sure you are doing it the right way.

As always, your comments are welcome.

Jenny Januszewski: Actress turned Headshot Specialist...and More!

noreply@blogger.com (Photographer) — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 02:54:00 +0000

I have known Jenny Januszewski—and her parents—for over 20 years. Jenny has been in films and performed on the stage as an actor, and has been a model.

It seems all people blessed with creative talent possess a kind of “wanderlust” when it comes to creativity. Jenny branched out into film and photography. I thought her story may be relevant to many of my readers, so I asked her if I could interview her via email, and she agreed. The content of that interview follows:

Tell us a little bit about your background (when/where born, school, family, education, career, interests, etc.):

I was born in Vietnam and raised on a farm in Michigan by my awesome parents, Nick and Jane Januszewski. Eventually, I attended high school at Lumen Christi in Jackson, MI, where I took my first formal photography and darkroom classes. After that, I went on to Chicago to work on the stage and in front of the camera---I worked as a model and actress. Now, I’ve combined all of my experiences to pursue the career track I’m currently on. I direct films. My current feature film is in post production and is called The Boogeyman. It’s based upon a short story by Stephen King. Website is www.TheBoogeymanFilm.com . I also am working as a headshot photographer, taking photos of actors. My website for that is www.KickAssHeadshots.com .

When did you develop an interest in photography?

I’ve always been into visual arts and expressing myself through them. But photography came into play when I realized the darkroom was a really fun place to escape during lunchtime. I was a shy geek without friends in school. [Ha! I have a hard time believing that!] So, the option was to either sit in the lunchroom alone or to play in the darkroom. Photography was the obvious winner.

What gave you the idea to get started in what you are doing currently?

Every photographer has their own “gift.” Mine is to make people comfortable and help them bring out the emotion they wish to share in the photograph. I don’t think of my headshot sessions simply as photography sessions. Its very much “headshot therapy.” Film and TV actors are often fearful of a still camera because they can’t move out of an unflattering look or a state of vulnerability that they may find uncomfortable. I’m good at easing that and so, I decided to focus on working with actors doing headshots.

Do you have partners, assistants, etc. or are you strictly a woman show?

Sometimes I have an assistant. But usually, it’s just the actor and me. I find people are more their true selves when they don’t have a ton of people staring at them. However, in June, I have 15 clients scheduled in two days. I’ll need to bring my assistant for that one.

What kind of investment did it take for you to get started?

I started with a Canon 5D (not the Mark II) and an 85mm 1.2 USM lens. If you include that along with the software to edit and store photos as well as blank DVDs, etc. you’re looking at a startup cost of around $9-$11k. You can EASILY start for much less. If you’re not competing in LA, Chicago or NYC, you can get away with something like a refurbished Canon Rebel or even a refurbished Canon 7D.

What do you use in the way of equipment?

Camera Body/bodies (brand/model): Canon 5D. I chose the 5D rather than the 7D because of the format. It was about $3k. However, this one is now discontinued. Now, it would be the Mark II that people would get.

Lens/Lenses: Canon 85mm f1.2 USM (About $2,049 plus tax and insurance)

Electronic Flash Make/Model - how many (if used): Sunshine is my flashbulb

Background(s) used (were these purchased or made yourself?): I like to just shoot people out and about in alleys, doorways, etc.

Other Items: Bags, various filters, extra memory cards, extra battery and battery charger, card readers, reflectors, clips, DVDs, marketing materials, etc.

What equipment would you like to have that you do not currently own?

I would absolutely love a big lighting package that I could use for both photography and filming. I’d also like more lenses.

How do you package and sell your service?

I offer actors a headshot session for about $400-$500. It includes 4-5 looks (e.g. changes of clothing); a DVD of their images un-retouched; and an online link to their session so they can mark their favorites and forward the lists to their agents or manager. If they’re a student, I often do packages at a lower cost if they can get a few friends to shoot the same day. For the LA/NYC market, my price is on the very low end.

Who owns the Copyright?

If I take their photo, they can do what they want with it after they pay for the session. We equally own the rights to use the photos. I’ve even gone online to read an article about an actor and saw that they used a photo I took. That was pretty cool.

How do you develop new poses, lighting, etc.?

Honestly, I just play it by ear and see how each person works best.

How do you market and advertise your service?

I used to list in photography books and make fliers to leave at various audition houses. But now, I just go by word of mouth. Most of my clients are friends of friends or friends of past clients. I do have a website: www.KickAssHeadshots.com for my photography and www.JennyJanuszewski.com for my film directing.

Do you do any photography OTHER than headshots?

Yes, I am a film director

Do you use any companies to help market your business (web design, Constant Contact email marketing, etc.)?

Nope

Do you have a goal or target ($$ earned, multiple locations, etc.)?

My monetary goal is just to pay my bills and make enough to help support my film directing. It’s always nice to have about 5 clients a month. But the market is driven by what’s going on in the film/TV world and what part of the season it is. So, some months are dry and others, it’s pouring actors and actresses.

What problems or challenges—if any--have you encountered along the way (difficulties; equipment problems; discrimination based on gender, race, occupation, body type; finances; etc.)?

The economy really hit the actors hard. A lot of them lost their day jobs and just don’t have the funds for new photos. Plus, everyone with a digital camera thinks they’re a professional photographer now. The market gets saturated. But it’s not that easy. I own a pair of ballet shoes----I suck at dancing. Photography is for everyone but not everyone is a professional photographer.

Is this something others could do with a little effort, or do you feel you were uniquely positioned to do?

If you work hard at anything, you can make goals and reach them. However, to really stand out and give your client something in a way very few can, it’s something you are born with. Some people are born with an ability to play baseball like no other; for some, it’s math; for others, it’s areas of the arts. I don’t think this should ever discourage someone from pursing it if they are interested. However, the average person isn’t going to go out there, buy a camera, and have their work mistaken for Ansel Adams’.

What advice would you give to people who wish to pursue a similar endeavor?

I’d tell them to be patient and realize that working for yourself is harder than working for someone else; that they need to be realistic as to their goals and abilities---is this meant to be a profession or a hobby?; and to try shadowing another photographer or assist them for a few days. I handed my camera to an assistant once and they couldn’t deal with taking photos for more than 10 minutes. Just the physical stamina of staring at details through one eye in the sunlight is something some people have to work up to.

Could readers contact you for further information and/or advice?

Sure. My work email is WLDFilms@gmail.com