ugh....

[ChristopherCoy]

Seriously?!?


Photography Session Simple Serendipity


Photography Session Simple Serendipity - $100 (Keller NRH Southlake)

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Date: 2010-10-10, 4:18PM CDT
Reply to: sale-eae5c-1999172739@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]

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Simple Serendipity Photography is setting up 1 hour photo shoots for $100, photos edited and placed on a CD, and you receive all copyrights to print as you wish.

This is great for engagements, high school or college seniors, family photos, children, and even a family photo for greetings!!

You can pick a public park or location for the photography shoot in the local area, travel extra.
Photo session on Saturday afternoon OR Sunday afternoon.

examples of my work at:
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[TxLerman]

You cannot receive quality work product for only $100. If I had to speculate, the advertiser is someone that has a cheap digital camera, needs fast cash, and is not planning on making this a career.

[thehatguy]

Remember... you get what you pay for.

[ChristopherCoy]

Originally Posted by TxLerman

You cannot receive quality work product for only $100. If I had to speculate, the advertiser is someone that has a cheap digital camera, needs fast cash, and is not planning on making this a career.

Well thats obvious! From the looks of the FB page, they've shot on kid, one couple, and one family, and they're now a professional.... and they've booked 75 people in ONE WEEK! YAY!!


It just struck a nerve because even though I set up shop, I've been sitting here watching training videos for 12 hours straight trying to learn more, and here they are 'in business' with a bunch of CRAP.

[ChristopherCoy]

Originally Posted by thehatguy

Remember... you get what you pay for.

Right! The sad part is the 'clients' could better spend that $100 at Best Buy on a digital camera of their own....

[KenJulio]

Worth the read... zarias.com :: The blog of editorial photographer Zack Arias Cheap Photographers Only Kill Themselves, Not The Industry.

So, I have to ask, lets say you pay for all this training, know the ins and outs of your gear, does it make you a pro, no. At which point do you consider your work worth $500 for a sitting fee?

People have budgets, people have opinions, businesses have markets. Are you worried their prices and work is on par with yours? Your portfolio should help your future clients decide between the 2 of you.

I'll add...

What's worse, them having a free session to where they can gain a potential client and you lose them, or them charging $100 for their work and their work scaring them away?

[J Eddington]

Life is not fair. Get over it! :)
I have decided not to worry about what another person is doing, but do my best, treat my clients fairly and build a business built on repeat/referral clients who appreciate quality and customer service. Not some fly by night person who won't service their family.

[joedanger11]

in their defense, i didn't see where they claimed to be a professional.

i'm starting out like that too.. although I wouldn't do a shoot for $100.

[kayumangi]

Well when I started I shot a fam portrait for $80 with disk I should've known better because the referrals I got from them were also expecting the same which I ended up turning down.

Like what Zach Arias said, every person has a market and that cheap photographers isn't killing the industry they're killing themselves and I can attest to that.

[dryicerx]

Kind of pretentious to down play this guy, don't you think?

So what if he's offering to take sub par photos at cheap prices, that's up to him and totally up to his customers to decide. His equipment, his skills (even if their non existent), his prices, and his way of doing things.

Sure they may be over stepping the turf of photographers who have invested a lot more in training/skills (but then again, if someone without any skill with minimal equipment can make a 'pro' photographer nervous, then I kind of wonder how much that investment is really worth).

[Jim Victory]

Chris why concern yourself about what someone else is doing. If you spend the time and effort to develope your skills and business then your work should speak for itself and what someone else is doing shouldn't have an impact on you.

If it does then you need to take a long hard look in the mirror.

[doctahjones]

Originally Posted by ken74

Worth the read... zarias.com :: The blog of editorial photographer Zack Arias Cheap Photographers Only Kill Themselves, Not The Industry.

that's a great read.

[ChristopherCoy]

Originally Posted by J Eddington

I have decided not to worry about what another person is doing...

To a certain degree I have done the same. I've also quit making it a point to get critique on my images. If its given I accept it, but I dont seek it out much anymore. I've also quit looking at websites, blogs, and facebook pages of others. Thats just more time that I am wasting, by NOT concentraiting on my own skill.

Originally Posted by dryicerx

Kind of pretentious to down play this guy, don't you think?

Not any more pretentious than the multitude of discussions about the $500 wedding photographer. How many of those do we have, and how often do they come up?

Originally Posted by Jim Victory

Chris why concern yourself about what someone else is doing... If it does then you need to take a long hard look in the mirror.

I'm not concerned with what someone else is doing. I dont sit around and dwell on the fact that there are 'use car salemen' in every industry. I was actually searching craigslist for used c-stands when I ran across this one, and at the particular time that I ran across it, it simply struck a nerve. After a night of sleep, I realize that I probably should have simply hit the 'back' button, or 'delete' button, and overlooked the post, and this thread.

Originally Posted by ken74

Worth the read... zarias.com :: The blog of editorial photographer Zack Arias Cheap Photographers Only Kill Themselves, Not The Industry.

I read this last night before I went to bed, so I stirred over it until I fell asleep. This was truly a GREAT read, and definitely influences a point of view. I suppose next time I run across one of these ad's I'll remember this article, and have something different to say/think.

[ChristopherCoy]

Originally Posted by ken74

So, I have to ask, lets say you pay for all this training, know the ins and outs of your gear, does it make you a pro, no. At which point do you consider your work worth $500 for a sitting fee?

Good point.

[dryicerx]

Originally Posted by ChristopherCoy

To a certain degree I have done the same. I've also quit making it a point to get critique on my images. If its given I accept it, but I dont seek it out much anymore. I've also quit looking at websites, blogs, and facebook pages of others. Thats just more time that I am wasting, by NOT concentraiting on my own skill.

And yet, here you are, looking at (even more, posting about and judging) a random craigslist photographer.

Originally Posted by ChristopherCoy

Not any more pretentious than the multitude of discussions about the $500 wedding photographer. How many of those do we have, and how often do they come up?.

Sure, sure... just because other people act like it, you should too.