Amateur getting ready to jump into paid work? Read this...

[dfwlens]

One of the better web resources on determining how to price yourself. Excerpt from the book "Focus on Profit."


http://www.glamour1.com/forums/view....z_photography1

[Elsaspet]

Originally Posted by dfwlens

One of the better web resources on determining how to price yourself. Excerpt from the book "Focus on Profit."


http://www.glamour1.com/forums/view....z_photography1

Forget about the book. It would be great if we all had the same current abilty, resources, and structure.
It's a nice dream.
Quit reading books and start looking at people in your area doing the same job. Judge your current talent against theirs and price yourself below that if you are starting out.
Build your portfolio. You won't go anywhere without one.

[LWimages]

Amen to that.
Portfolio, portfolio, portfolio...
People want to see what you've done and what you can do.

[LadyShutterBug]

and amen again.

you can be pricey and marketing to the high heavens, but if you have no experience no one is going ot pay you.

[dfwlens]

LOL>>>> this is the only forum Ive seen where photogs havent recommended that anyone who doesnt follow this business model be burned at the stake for heresy and conspiracy to destroy the universe.

As for me, I am not a pro and care not to be one. I would love to see a book as detailed as that one that incorporates the widsom of those here!

So perhaps I should add the disclaimer that any opinions I have are akin to taking marriage advice from a divorced person...

[LadyShutterBug]

it's nice to have a business plan and all.. but my business plan was to service the infant/maternity/toddlers/children market. guess what? 80% of my income is from weddings. i'm glad i didn't follow my business plan.

a business is like a relationship.

you have to be committed through good and bad (richer and poorer).
you have to put a lot of yourself into it to see a good result.
you shouldn't get into something that isn't right for you.
don't take on the responsibility if you arne't ready for it.
don't cheat on the business-- be ready to put your whole self into it.

and you shouldn't plan your path and close yourself off to change or deviation from the original plan-- you have to grow with your business, go i directions that are good for your sould and the business as well.

[Outlaw]

I will also speak blasphemy and agree with Cindy, based upon my own professional experience, but I will also say that I recently learned that the time does come when you have to extend your understanding of the mechanics of your business beyond market comparisons and into the realm of businesses planning and data analysis.

I have always been a part-time photographer. I live in a rural area that I honestly do not feel could support a full-time photographer. I won't even consider going full-time until I feel my existing client base could support the move. For now, and for about five years, I have worked at my day job 40 hours a week and "invested" other time into developing my business.

For those five years, I've always gone the market-comparison route. Never considered my expenses or overhead, never considered my personal time invested, never considered the time involved in doing a job - just what others charged, and how much I profited. The way I viewed it, regardless of how much time I spent on a job, if I made enough money to buy my next Playstation 2 game, I was perfectly happy.

Now let me say this loudly - so long as you are not low-balling your market (doing the same quality work as others in your market while charging notably less), I do not see anything wrong with this relaxed business model. Two photographers doing the same quality work and charging the same prices may have two completely different business models and profit margins; both of which are back-end concerns that affect their own bottom lines, but not the market itself.

That said, any pricing schedule that does not involve good data analysis and business planning is, as the author of the book writes of most client photography budgets, "derived by no more scientific or fiscally prudent a method than to hold one finger up to the wind."

This year I have invested the time and made the commitment to better understand the numbers of my business, even though just part-time, to be able to plan and create goals for taking my business to the next level. With five years of part-time numbers to work with, I have enough good data to see where my money is coming from, what my most lucrative markets are, where I'm overspending on expenses, and feel I have a good idea why I'm not doing more business than I am. This analysis in mind, I developed a simple but solid business plan (which is just as valid a goal for part-time as full-time photographers) that has given me revenue, spending, and salary goals for the year.

Thanks to taking this step, even if I only earn the same revenue this year as I did in 2006, I am on course to put far more money into my own pocket while still developing growth strategies for my business.

Do not fully discount the value of good photo business books, but know that you have to take their advice and practices and apply them as needed as your business grows and you decide to "take the next step." Focus On Profit is a very advanced book, heavily aimed at commercial/advertising/corporate photographers. Most "start your own photography business" books are aimed at people who want to accrue venture capital, open studios (even home studios) and begin the race at full-throttle. These don't necessarily speak well to the developing amateur or part-time professional. There are always new things to be learned from these books, but if you're not there yet with your photography or your business model, you have to learn to pick apart the information provided and apply it as needed as you go along.

One book that has helped me a great deal is "How to Start a Home-Based Photography Business," published by Globe Pequot. The author tells his story of how he started out as a part-time photog and grew his business into a full-time studio. I really enjoy his focus on community-involvement, fiscal and industry responsibility, and learn-as-you-go practices.

Having taken my business acumen and attention to another level this year, I have never been more excited to be involved in professional photography. The purpose of any growth as a professional photographer, I feel, should be to improve your artistic, creative, and technical ability while maintaining practices that do not damage the market you are working to enter. A focus on passion and responsibility will always reap rewards, as individuals and as an industry, no matter what level your business is at.

[my3peas]

Thanks for all the insight!

[LWimages]

This is quite funny, personally, as I do the EXACT same thing (just different platform - XBox original & 360).

I never considered myself as a professional photographer, nor do I want to be one at this time. With a wife and a daughter and mortgage, I just need a bit extra income to support my habit to buy my next 360 games.

Originally Posted by Outlaw

For those five years, I've always gone the market-comparison route. Never considered my expenses or overhead, never considered my personal time invested, never considered the time involved in doing a job - just what others charged, and how much I profited. The way I viewed it, regardless of how much time I spent on a job, if I made enough money to buy my next Playstation 2 game, I was perfectly happy.

[Outlaw]

Originally Posted by louis24x7

This is quite funny, personally, as I do the EXACT same thing (just different platform - XBox original & 360).

I never considered myself as a professional photographer, nor do I want to be one at this time. With a wife and a daughter and mortgage, I just need a bit extra income to support my habit to buy my next 360 games.

Amen to that, and like I said, nothing wrong with it at all. I would love get a 360, but I don't have the internet at home, so I'm waiting for some broadband access so I can enjoy the wonders of Live. My wife is pressuring me for a Wii, though, so we'll see.