Secrets of Photography Business for Newbies
Well, not new to photography. I was on yearbook staff in Junior High in the 80s, and during a stint in the Navy and truck driving, was very avid with my picture-taking. Most of those images are gone, now, unfortunately--ah, the brashness and carelessness of youth! :( During college in my latter years, and after, I was the de facto photographer for family events (thankfully my mother-in-law is retired and now does that to fill her time... ;) ). So, I know a little about photography in general, and am learning more every day these days.What I'm trying to do is migrate a part-time videography business (very part-time--I think I've actually paid for one of my video cameras by now...) into a full time media production establishment. I love photography; my video work was mostly in support of dance events my wife was in. Business blossomed a bit, because I'm super-anal about quality, but it's just not as fun as taking pictures.
Looking around, there's a BUNCH of information on the Web and in books about getting a business going. I attended Allison's and Jeff's presentation on the PPA tour. There's Skip Cohen and Scott Bourne doing GoingPro 2010. Scott Kelby has invaluable resources. David duChemin is absolutely fantastic; I LOVE LOVE his work--both writing and imagery. So much information! How to take pictures; how to compose, how to color-correct, lots of information on customer service, accounting, making the sale. Very, very useful stuff!
What seems to be missing are the tiny little secrets. I'm a firm believer that attention to details is a key foundation trait for a successful business person and artist. I'm also extremely dedicated to preparation in advance (that drives my wife nuts sometimes!). Being able to effortlessly flow in the environment with confidence and skill truly demonstrates professionalism (when coupled with the customer service, etc.).
So what I'm missing are some of the small niggling details, that everybody assumes everybody knows, but that are surely nice to have spelled out. As a software developer by current trade, I truly understand the pitfalls in assuming that everybody knows the simple things (e.g., like, what a variable is. It blew my mind to learn some fellow old-time programmers didn't know that!). So the silly little simple things, like, when using seamless paper, do you tear it off and toss out the tear-off when done shooting, or roll it back up? When processing images, Allison says ARP take 2 to 3 minutes per portrait. So where do Topaz Adust, Color (and Silver) Effects Pro, et al, come into play? How do you decide which image gets the Technicolor treatment, and which gets the dramatic? 'cause y'all all know, it's certainly possible to spend hours perfecting one image! All these actions and presets--when during the busy workday do you just sit there and play around to create those? (like Allison is dragged home right at closing time for family time...my wife would likely do the same).
I can handle the big stuff--the networking, the marketing, the technical and artistic aspects of composition and shutter-pressing, of placing the flash or strobe at just this or that angle. It's the little tiny insignificant details that everybody "knows" tribally that I'm missing. And as long as I'm a 1-person show (with a wife, and occasionally a friend, to help once in a while), those details are my responsibility. But I'm not even sure what details I don't know. I guess today, I'd be happy with an answer on the seamless paper question. Seems kind of a waste to just tear it off and throw it out if it isn't dirty or torn...
Anyhow, I've thought about the angle of being a camera assistant or something, and do know a few photographers around. But I'm a full-time-plus exempt employee (which means, toss out the time card, because it ain't got enough space for all the hours!), and, well, my wife does deserve at least some of my attention! So, do people just wing it on the tiny things? I'd really love to learn from somebody else's mistakes (why make my own, when somebody else is already making the same ones I would!!). My problem is, I want to *know* everything NOW, but don't know what I don't know. And I have this obsessive need to be as prepared and competent as Matt-ly possible before I leap off that diving board into the pool.
These are things I think of on a daily basis, so I thought I'd vomit them on the lbobi blog. But you know, if somebody had sage words of wisdom, I really do like learning from others.
Have a great rest of the week!
Matt
What a great post!
When do you create?
You literally have to carve out time for it. Take some time each day to look outside the industry to get a fresh perspective. Maybe build in 30-45 minutes a day to try and experiment. Allison has a much harder time than I do with this. Yes, it's because she works MUCH harder than I do but also because her schedule is set, where mine is pretty open.
Processing time on an image:
I try and limit the amount of time on average. That is an average though. There are always tricky images and headswaps. Yes, headswaps we are not perfect and neither are our clients. I could literally spend hours on one image if allowed myself. To do that you have to be doing it for a reason. Like knowing it's a LARGE image and your are going to be reasonably compensated for the time you spent on it.
White paper, tear off or roll up?
If it is not too dirty then roll it back up. If it is dirty tear that part off and discard. I am sure someone could create some magnificent origami from all that paper but who has time? It's not wasting paper to tear off the part that gets dirty in a session. It's just the cost of doing business.
Wing it?
Yes we wing it everyday. I wish there was a play book to follow but everyones situation is different. There are some universal truths though.
1. Act with integrity
2. Have your email be the same as your domain name.
3. Sometimes good enough is good enough.
4. Most of the hard decisions will be Better or Best not good or bad.
5. Things ALWAYS cost twice what you plan for them to.
I hope this helps a wee bit.
Thank you for being transparent in your post. This is the best of what I want lbobi to be.
Mayor Jeff
Hey Matt!
First - I'm kind of a "newbie" too, and I really love your attitude. At least you recognize that it's not necessarily easy and are thinking about the details of how you will do everything. If you ever want to chat, feel free to email me!
I was working as an engineer full-time and just recently transitioned to part-time, but it's a lot of time management and being wise about how you do things (at least for me). While I would LOVE to have time to play around and design a bunch of new personalized actions, I just am not able to. I have a set of ~10 that are "go to" and have started to define my style. Do I want to play around more? Yes! Of course! But for right now, it's mostly about being consistent and expanding my business. I'm working with the processing that is growing my company and it is also saving me the time I need to get everything done. I cull in PhotoMechanic, do my basic adjustments and style in Lightroom, and then flip images into Photoshop for a bit extra if needed.
I think that PS can be the big time-sick, so I work a lot with my Wacom and also have all of my F-keys programmed with action shortcuts. Every little movement counts. I don't think I spend more than 2-3 minutes max in PS with an image.
I do wing it on tiny things, and just do stuff how I want it to be done. And a BIG +1 to Jeff on the email from your domain name. I think this is so important to a professional image!
PS - usually the images that are my "meh" choices from a session are the client's favorites. Goes along with the "good enough is good enough" comment.
Awesome post!
Let me ramble a bit:
- yes, tear the paper off it it's dirty
- always have drinks to offer your clients
- clean the bathroom
- if you are photographing a young child have: papertowels, baby wipes and tissue close by at all times
- always give appointment reminder calls
- have hand sanitizer around always
- read over your consultation notes one more time before a client walks in the door - nothing worse that forgetting someone's name during the middle of a session...
- touch up the images you want your clients to buy
- provide them with something to buy other than loose prints
- review your work often and make sure you like the direction your post work is headed.
- it's ok to be different but trendy gets old real fast - hence the name
- shoot with intention
- if you know a client is only going to buy and 11x14 do not spend your time with 5 different set ups and get mediocre images of all of them. pick one thing - get the shots you need when everyone is happy and be done.
- be friendly :) or fluffy as we sometimes call it
LOVE this lbobi interaction!!!!
The "A" of ARP :)
Some great responses! Thanks, guys, that really helps! As a software developer, I sometimes start acting like my computers--needing explicit specific step-by-step instructions. I'm really trying to get back to that place in my younger years when I could be more holistic about projects.
"Good enough" is something my wife is constantly calling me out on--I'm really particular about details. Perhaps I should work for Ralph Lauren as a retoucher, so the models would actually look real....(I couldn't--I like some retouch and glam, but a person is what she is, and I won't change that...).
The advice is really good--I want my clients to have a good unique experience, but until I'm established with a reputation of excellence, I don't want to rock the boat *too* much. :) So it's helpful knowing how other photographers run their operations, so that my clients will recognize that they are actually working with a photographer and not just some crazy guy.
Thanks!
Matt
P.S. @lbobi called me "Mike" on Twitter--that's my brother! But it's all good, 'cause my Mom always did the same thing! :P
Matt, I properly chastened lbobi about calling you Mike.
He swears it won't happen again.