Hey Girl, Nice Shot

Barbie on the Internet

Earlier this week, Seth Godin posted about role models and related young girls dressing like Barbie to web site designers who duplicate the look of a role mode website.  And some website design companies are taking full advantage of this.  In the photography world, BluDomain sites can be seen everywhere.  As a matter of fact, it seems that just about everyone has one.  Surf photographer sites long enough and you'll notice that they all start to look the same.  Many of them come from BluDomain. 

To take advantage of that role model status, BluDomain invites high-profile photographers to come and act as a guest host on the BluDomian blog Happy Hour chats.  So for aspiring photographers that spend time on the role model site and blog, they then go to the BluDomain site to see the chat with the role model, and then they find out that they too can have a site that looks like the role model site.

Take, for example, Jessica Claire.  With her amazing wedding photography and now, the launch of her uber cool ShootSac, she is the talk of the town.  And earlier this week she hosted a chat on the BluDomain blog where visitors could post questions about any subject and she'd answer them in real time.  Very cool idea.  And while they were at it, they could check out the flash websites similar to the one Jessica Claire herself has (I don't think hers is actually a BluDomain site although they have site similar to hers).

They have lots of other guest hosts either that have just had their chats or that are scheduled for the future that are very popular with aspiring photographers for inspiration so it really is a brilliant marketing technique.  Examples of other guest hosts: [b]ecker, Chenin Boutwell, Skye Hardwick and Audrey Woulard (my favorite children's photographer).  And I didn't have to go far for the links to their blogs - they are all in my reader!

Does any of this sway me towards buying a full-flash website.  Nope, still not.  But I'm definitely in the minority for photographers.  Check out my Flash of Bling post for my thoughts on Full Flash sites.  And I do use flash on my website in the portfolio...just not for the entire thing, navigation and all!

What was your inspiration for your website?  Did you have a role model or go it alone?

Spend Some Money...

Super exciting news...the Jamie Schultz Designs Holiday Cards templates are now availabe.  I love Jamie's templates as they are super easy to use and she has such nice clean designs.  Check them out here!

Also, Jodie Otte, whose work I totally admire, posted today that there are still a few spots left in The Secret Workshop in mid-August.  I'll tell you that if I weren't already committed to be in NY that weekend, I would TOTALLY be begging and borrowing to fund a trip to the workshop.  Check out info about the openings here, and more info about the workshop here.  They may not have any others so now is your chance!

Perona Designs!

A little while back I posted about the very handy Photography Vendor Review website.  After reading about the various photo jewelry providers, I decided to switch from the original vendor I had planned on using (but had not yet ordered from) to Perona Designs which had nothing but good reviews.

I completed the application process and was approved to act as a reseller of the jewelry.  Although it states on the website that they are not approving anyone else right now it doesn't hurt to submit your application in case they get an opening.

I then ordered my samples.  I really liked the Lipstick and Denim Necklace so that was the first thing I added to my cart.  The retail is $180 but you can set your own prices when you sell them through your business.  The second item I added was a Clay Photo Tile Pendant with a leather cord which retails for $90.  I felt these two items would represent the collection very well.  I also added the wholesale #1 basics accessory kit which includes samples of the differnt types of necklaces and other items.

Currently they are stating that there is a 4-6 week turn around time for the jewelry. I got my items just over the 4 week mark.  The packaging was great and the items could be handed over to customers as-is.  I'm glad that I got the starter kit too so I can show customers the different ordering options.  And I love the quality of the items.  The pictures were clear and the stones and connectors are beautiful.  I can't wait to order more samples.  I've just started offering these items to my customers but they've generated a lot of interest.  I think they are going to be hot sellers in the holiday season.

July 19th - Link-o-Rama

For those of you that read this blog via RSS feed, here are some of the links that I featured on the sidebar of the blog this week.

• Digital Photography School brings you "21 Tips for Amateur Wedding Photographers" to help you shoot a wedding like a pro.
• Laura Novak shares her thoughts on creating a brand in Bring it on. Branding.  Laura also posted about what she did to get started with her studio space in "Movin' on Up".  Moving out of the home is a scary step for many photographers...myself included.
• David Cross has a tip on using the postcard view in Adobe Lightroom. The postcard view is a flash gallery available in Lightbox.  A great way to create a quick display of photos.
• ParentDish had some thoughts about the new trend in retouching school portraits in the post: Photoshopping School Portraits.
• Webware provides an update on new features available to Blogger users including Feedburner and Polls.  If you are using Blogger to manage your blog you'll want to check this out.
• On The Search for Conversions, Liam Morrison puts together a quick list of random marketing lessons including one that I found out...a thumbs up in StumbleUpon will cause a brief spike in web traffic.
• Jason Moore shows off using his new Scrim Jim, using it as a diffuser to keep hot spots from forming when the light comes through the leaves in the trees.  A much more elegant solution to the mom holding my translucent reflector over the head of her child - which is what I currently do in a similar situation.

The FSTOP Online Magazine

Check it out...

The FSTOP is an online magazine featuring the work of top advertising, editorial, and fine art photographers. Published six times a year, each issue explores the work of four professionals. Articles combine an in-depth interview with a comprehensive behind-the-scenes deconstruction of the process of creating one powerful image from the photographer’s recent portfolio.

via Soup Questions | Jason D. Moore Photography

Chase Jarvis: NZ

My in-laws moved to New Zealand just about 7 months ago which made the latest installment of the Chase Jarvis RAW series especially interesting to me.  In this video: Chase Jarvis RAW: New Zealand Spring, he showcases the amazing amount of gear that it takes to put together a commercial shoot.  It looks like it might be a shoot for REI.  It is mind-blowing to see all the people it took to put this shoot together.  I'm curious if it was Spring in New Zealand, or spring in the US when this was shot.  It is winter now in New Zealand.

Anyhow, check out the video via YouTube below. 

How Do You Slice Your Pie?

There are many ways to come up with your pricing for your prints.  It is not easy setting up a price list and there are many variables to consider. One formula that is frequently used is 6-10 times your cost.  It is a quick way to set pricing but it might not be the most advantageous - especially as your skill improve.

Certainly you want to consider your market, and your cost for your time and equipment. You want to set your prices close to what you really want to be charging when you are "big time".  And if you don't feel like you are ready to charge those prices for real, you can offer promotions to discount them but at least you start getting used to saying those full prices.  And as you improve you just have fewer promotions.   It is hard to increase your prices substantially once you get started because customers will already have your price point in mind.

The way I look at it, prices needs to cover my time, my equipment, and the time/experience/training I've put into learning to take pictures.

I charge $45 for 8x10s. I also offer the option to upgrade from Luster paper to fine art paper which many people choose to do. And they can also add some special effects (such as color pop or dreamy eyes) which is also an upgrade and many folks choose that too!

It is hard to determine what pricing will work for you. Since I was an hourly technical consultant for 10 years, it is second nature to put a $$ amount on my time. I sometimes hear about what people offer vs. what they are charging and I can't see how they could possibly be making any money. CHARGE FOR YOUR TIME. And for your artistic vision. A painter doesn't charge the $ amount of the materials, they charge a premium for their artistic vision and you should too!

My formula for the 8x10 price, for example:

Materials (ink, paper, packaging): $3
Prep & Retouch Time (30 minutes): $22.50
Equipment Surcharge: $7.00
Session Review Surcharge: $6.00
Artistic Value/Experience: 6.50

To give you a better idea, here's how I categorize in more detail:

Prep & Retouch: This is the time I spend on the file that has been opened. I retouch every file before printing. I zoom in to look for flaws (bug bites, scratches, etc) and remove those. I might enhance the eyes. I might smooth out the skin a little. I dodge and burn to improve the overall effect of the file. During the Raw Conversion I usually adjust saturation, shadows, etc so I don't usually do that in the PSD any more. Overall I feel like this process can easily take me 30 minutes per file. I use $45/hr as my rate for figuring this out since that's what I'm charging when I do retouching for other photographers.

Equipment Surcharge: This is the money that in theory covers the costs of my equipment. Right now I'm about $15k in the hole so it'll take me a while to make that back and, of course, I still want more new stuff. This is to pay for things like my 5D (which I love), better lenses, my printer, etc. This cost allows me to use the best equipment, and to continue to upgrade.

Session Review Surcharge: This is a somewhat made-up number that I use to account for the time I spend for a client that is not the time I'm taking picture or printing an order. Perhaps it could be called customer service time.  I charge a session fee which covers the "cost" of the time I'm actually taking pictures, but in addition to that time there is the time to prep, the travel time, the time to review/rate the images from a shoot, the time to do the RAW conversions, the time to create the slideshow for the review session, the actual client review session, and the creation of the online gallery. Essentially I try to spread the cost of that time across an order but putting that "surcharge" on there.  This is one area I think I a lot of new photographers don't consider and then they wonder why they are spending lots of time working and not making any money!

Finally, Artistic value. Think about all the time you spend improving your skills. You practice, learn new techniques, go to classes and workshops, read read and read some more. All that time and experience needs to count for something and that is part of the artistic value. Just having a nice camera isn't enough to capture what you capture..it is all this experience that leads up to you capturing that picture and that is what this value is for.  And as your experience and skills increase, so does this value!

So as you set your prices, consider these different areas to be sure you are providing for your future growth and development.   If you're lucky, you'll even make a few bucks!

Getting Your Name Out

If you are just starting out as a childrens or family photographer, you'll definitely want to hit the pavement to get your name out there.  I've heard recent conflicting reports that it takes either 5 or 7 contacts with a potential customer to make that sale so you'll want to be EVERYWHERE and your conversions should build.  It will take time but if you work hard to get your name out there you should be able to fill those sessions.

Along these terms I recently partnered with my local Moxie-Moms group.  If you have one near you, contact them to become a business partner.  In return for offering their members a discount, they'll market me to a pre-screened group - MOMS!  I'll let you know how this works out for me but I think it has a great deal of potential.

I also donate gift certificates frequently for drawings at events.  I gave one to a fund-raising auction for a local private school and that has translated into two paid sessions to date, and with the holidays approaching I wouldn't be surprised if it were more.  There are also two events coming up that I've donated gift certificates to and again, it yields me some free marketing as my business name will be on all the marketing for the events, and I'll be able to set up a display at the events. 

And don't discount the USPS.  I'm in the process of purchasing a filtered mailing list from InfoUsa.com which I'll use to send out marketing newsletters.  The cost of the mailing list is very reasonable and I can be very specific in terms of what I want from the list (geography, age of children in the household, income range).

Word-of-mouth has definitely been my biggest benefit.  Almost all of the customers I've had to date have been referrals which is an awesome way to go.  I send out an e-newsletter to existing customers and frequently it is forwarded to a friends or family members that are looking for a photographer.  Keeping in touch with your customers is essential to recurring business, and for referrals.

Website Relaunch

It has been pretty quiet here on the blog recently and for a good reason.  I've been busy getting my business site ready to re-launch!!!

As you may recall I went through a logo design process with Logo Mojo a few weeks ago.  And they came up with a logo that I loved.  So instead of just slapping the new logo on the old site, I decided to go through and do a full update of my site.  The overall design is close to what I already had but much of the content has been totally revised.   I'd guess that I spent about 30 hours on the redesign and content development.

Here's the thing to remember about websites...they are not static beings.  They are fluid and should be updated frequently.  There is nothing worse than a website with out of date information.    So, it may be nice to have an area on your website where you have information about your current promotions, and you'll want to revisit your portfolio at least every 3 months to update with your newest favorite pictures.  And for the "daily" updates, a blog has become an essential tool for photographers to communicate with their customers, both new, old, and potential.

Through Their Eyes Blogathon

One of the photographers whose work I really admire, Jessica Claire, is part of a small group of photographers who will be going to Africa to teach children there how to take photographs to create a travelling exhibit as part of the Through Their Eyes Africa project.  They are having a blog-a-thon to raise money for the trip.  This is a great example of photographers that are giving back to the world.  Visit the site for more information about this project or to donate!

Here's the quote from the Jessica Claire blog:

My good friend David Hessemer is doing a blogathon TODAY for his "Through Their Eyes" Africa project. He is going to be taking a team (myself and David Jay included) to Africa next year to areas where all the adults have died and the children are more or less on their own with little aid. In addition to helping the people living there, we will also be teaching them to take photographs, in the hope of giving them a skill as well as to be able to see the world the way they see it. The photographs they take will be formed into a traveling exhibit all over the country.

It's really a fantastic project, however, it needs funding to make it happen! Today and tomorrow we are running a blogathon to make that happen. The link where you go to donate and learn more about the project is:


http://www.throughtheireyesafrica.typepad.com/