posted
Scooter's post about marketing techiques got me thinkng...
My niece is a fledgling professional photographer and still learning the ropes... lots of lessons for us to learn there!
We like to think we have it tough, but I would rather be a sign guy than a professional photographer any day.
The similarities between the businesses are many however.
A photographer is up against incredible odds to make a living. He has lots of competion... including the folks in the big box stores who do portrait sittings for $5.95. Everybody has a camera too, and everyone fancies themselves a photographer. And nowadays with digital photography and home computers everybody is suddenly an artist too, with the ability to manipulate their images to a "professional" standard without much effort.
And of course everybody has a brother-in-law who is an expert and more than able to do up your daughter's wedding at a fraction of the cost of a studio.
So how do the professional photographers still make it. Why did I pay $4000 for a professional to do up my daughter's wedding... what makes him that good??
The answer is simple.... it's called value. It may be percieved, but I think is much more than that. The fee I paid was earned. And not just on the day of the wedding.
The fellow we hired was a good friend of mine. (I didn't ask for or expect a discount) I knew his work well, and everything I saw was awesome.
He worked hard for many years to develop his skill. He had incredible equipment. He was professional in his approach. His studio, signage, business stationary, portfolios, everything about his image told me clearly that he was professional.
He was on-time both on the critical day and in the subsequent delivery of the merchandise.
He didn't do anything but the very best work, for he was careful that everything he did added to his reputation in a positive way.
I try to take this same approach in my business too. And so far it is working!
-dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8771 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
well put Dan, I have had to use an almost exact illustration with a local photographer. He is undoubtably the best in his field, countless awards, high-end prices, and always very busy. He has attached a high value to his trade which is something we all need to do.
On a few recent jobs for him, he just can't seem to understand why I am charging X amount for my work, when "Joe-Blow Designs" down the street does it real cheap. I try to explain to him that my time, talent and creativity has a value,but the best illustration I have come up with is: "...why do you charge so much to take a photograph, when I can go Wal-Mart or Sears and get a huge package of different photos for $9.95?..." "...My neighbor's cousin just got this really neat camera, they can probably take pictures for me real cheap..."
On a side note: I was a vendor at a photography convention a couple of years ago, and was looking at all of the "best of show" photos on display. The photography guys have just now started experimenting with Photoshop, which turned out to be a real hoot! There were several photos that people were raving about, that just had standard filters applied. (hey...maybe that's what I ought to do, I have Photoshop and $50 digital camera... I guess technically I could be a professional photographer!
-------------------- Michael Clanton Clanton Graphics/ Blackberry 19 Studio 1933 Blackberry Conway AR 72034 501-505-6794 clantongraphics@yahoo.com Posts: 1738 | From: Conway Arkansas | Registered: Oct 2001
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Good message, Dan. I, too have a friend who is a high end professional photographer who gets amazing fees for her work. She has gone digital, and does all her darkroom work in Photoshop. All her work is just stunning.
There is a direct analogy between photography and signmaking. When I get behind a camera, I am an old guy behind a camera. When she gets behind the camera, she is the artist with a really good tool. The camera is just a tool, like the vinyl cutter or the Edge machine. The real work takes place somewhere in the brain. Vic G
-------------------- Victor Georgiou Danville, CA , USA Posts: 1746 | From: Danville, CA , USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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