It’s Also About Having Fun!
First my apologies for not posting recently but I have been busy shooting some great people. Why are they great? Because they embrace the idea of having fun throughout the shoot!
This past Monday was the most recent portrait shoot: a mother and daughter that just have a kind of chemistry that really comes through in the images. These two danced and relaxed and really played it up. I had so much fun shooting them that I want to do it again and again! Then even played “Patty Cake” together.
Memories Are Priceless
My Wife Amy
Just this past Tuesday I saw a post from another photographer that about knocked me out of my chair. In short it is a letter that the photographer had received from a former client to thank her for the years of memories that she captured for her family. The client had the note hand delivered as she was too sick to deliver it herself. You can read the article here and I encourage you to do so. Warning: have tissues nearby.
Welcome back. I will wait while you wipe the tears away. Now that you can read the screen again I will continue.
Virtual vs. Digital
For a while now there has been the discussion that digital photography is cheaper than film and therefore prices that photographers charge should be decreasing and not increasing. In fact the truth of the matter is that the cost for photography has declined dramatically but that has nothing to do with digital vs. film. The major cause of that is that many unknowledgeable people entering the market and not charging properly for their services. These new photographers will learn in time that they are in fact cutting themselves short and they are driving the market down to their own demise. I won’t get into a discussion of what to charge in this article. I will however go into a bit of the cost of digital photography.
In the film days there was the visible cost of film, developing, processing, chemicals, paper/media, enlargers, and various other equipment. Today much of that has been replaced by computers, software, multiple hard drives, internet connections, and we still have the cost of media and printers. Cameras have increased in price dramatically for professional level equipment. In fact if you actually do the math it is more expensive today than it was 15 years ago and that is taking inflation into consideration. Again the cost is not a topic for this article. If you want to compare the costs of digital to the cost of film Google it; there are thousands of articles out there.
Consumer Value or Valued Customer
Which is more important: consumer value or being a valued customer? It’s true that every person wants to get a great deal. After all, who doesn’t like saving money? One has to ask though, is that more important than being valued as a customer?
As our world gets smaller the distance between individuals seems to be becoming greater. Personalized services are becoming more valued due to the fact that they are indeed getting rare. In an age of mass marketing, cookie cutter solutions, assembly line products and one size fits all where has personal service gone? It seems that very little is made or done for individuals any more. More often than not things are marketed in a way that is supposed to be personal when in fact the product or service is not personalized at all.
So how do I try to provide a personalized experience for you, my client? Easy, I work with you.
I think I have said it before on this blog, my first job in life was working for a family business gutting fish all day – week old fish at that. That job taught me a lot of lessons when it comes to my business and a lot about life in general. When you work for family you are not just another employee. You are expected to do twice as much for less than half the paycheck and no recognition.
Today I run my own business and I want my clients to think of me as that family employee. I am going to do as much as I can, as often as I can, for as long as I can and I want you to get the credit. My goal is to make you look as good as possible and the only way I can do that is to understand your wants and needs. That means I have to work with you, understand the problems you have and help you find solutions that solve those problems.
Questions To Ask Before Hiring A Photographer
At some point everyone hires a photographer or knows someone who will. In many cases it is a portrait or wedding photographer. At other times you may need a photographer to shoot images for anything from real estate to advertising. So how do you know which one is right for your needs?
Most people start out by asking friends, family members or colleagues. You are looking for references and that is the first question you should ask. Does he/she have references? Every professional should have references, especially photographers. But let’s be honest, if you ask me for references I am not going to give you a clients name where we didn’t get along. I am going to give you 3 – 5 names that I think were my best combination of results and compatibility. I want to put my best impression out there after all.
Questions? What About Answers?
Answers. Hmm… Seems like many people have nothing but questions anymore. What about answers? You would think that with the internet and sites like About.com, Answers.com and of course Google, answers would be easier to find. If answers were so easy to find why are there sites like Question.com?
(Click the image to view larger) [SinglePic not found]I certainly don’t have all the answers. If I did I surely wouldn’t be sitting here writing this! But I do know a thing or two especially about photography. I can tell you how to take a picture, what f-stop to use, what lens might be best for a certain situation and what lighting to use. But if you could make the image that you need you wouldn’t be reading this would you? Or maybe you can but you just don’t have time. Time, it is a four letter word. But I digress.
