New direction

So, this blog has mostly been about rantings and ravings.  Since my last post, eons ago, I have let go of several things and embraced different things.  To put it plainly, I've given up the whining. 

The name of the blog intrigues me and is pulling me to blog in a new direction.  While I believe we grow and change and cyberworld sites such as FB and Blogger make it easy to "erase" the past (to some degree) I've decided to keep the 15 original post already here that deal with my studio. 

But the New Directions of "The Path Less Traveled" is going to be about my journey of faith and other such topics as I feel inclined to enter them.  In other words, if I feel the need to blog, I will.

So this first blog on this First Day of Winter is a copy from my Facebook post a couple days ago.  It's not about me, but it is my story and as good a place as any to start a New Direction.

August 3rd, 1994. We all cope differently and if it weren't for being in a totally wonderful place in my life and marriage, I wouldn't be able to post this. Eighteen years ago, the man I was married to, my husband of 5 years, was killed on a motorcycle, in a "motocycle accident", that for some reason, got way too much "air" time. It was the worst day of my life, the world refused to stand still... for my grief...my. grief. I blamed everyone, the motorcycle manufactures, how dare you make something so deadly. The helmut company, how could you make something that can't protect. God, how could you do this too me, it should be my choice if my marriage is to end. I was blamed, I didn't love him enough, so he died. "What if" was blamed, what if he had cancer and this was God's way of protecting him. You know what? It wasn't the motorcycle, the motorcycle company, the helmut company, the helmut. It wasn't the lack of love, an unknown illness. It wasn't God...He never left my side. When we start playing the "Blame Game" and pointing fingers, we lose focus of what is really important in life. Stop pointing fingers, start parenting, being a neighbor, be a friend (even when you don't like that person), be a teacher to your children, a role model for those around you. Don't believe everything the media reports, Facebook posts and someone blogs about, instead search your own soul for morals and values and re-evaluate them. Say "no" to your kids (they will survive). Forgive (it doesn't mean forget). As we approach the end of the Myan calendar (I'm kidding!) As we move closer to Christmas, say a prayer for healing and peace for the families from last Friday's tragedy and all families who have lost loved ones. Celebrate your family and spread the JOY that we selfishly keep to ourself because we think the timing is not right. As my mom used to tell me, don't point, because you have 3 fingers are point back at you. Merry Christmas.

The degree

I just read (or for today's world) mostly scanned the better part of an article whether having a photography degree is worth it or not.

As a photographer with a degree, and having done a lot of soul searching over the last few months, I'm sad to say, "no" it's not worth it.

Would I change the fact I have it?  Absolutely not!

Would I change the fact I drove my husband nuts for 48 hours 20 years later over my Certification exam.  OMG, NO!

I have a degree in portrait photography from the Ohio Institute of Photography and Technology, now Kaplan college.  My framed diploma says December 20th, 1996.  It was an awesome 2 years that a tragedy in my life helped pay for.  I do not regret it.  I do regret the commercials asking if you would like a career in the exciting world of photography.  Exciting world = work for someone else, willing to travel, work hard and learn how to do it the right way in the real world.  I have some regrets...

I have a diploma that says  I graduated from Edison State Community College with a degree in Business Management May 1994.  That one took 7 years and was my answer to my parent's not supporting a degree in photography....maybe our parents know something we don't.

No, I do not regret the photography degree.

What I regret is that I burned out those 2 years at school and let my camera sit for almost 3 years as a professional.  When my daughter was born in 1997, I took lots and lots and lots of mommy pics of her...THEY DID NOT INSPIRE ME TO BE A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER!  THAT WAS ALREDY THERE!  It did not make me want to pursue a business in photography, yet.  It was almost 3 years later before I would decided it was time  By then I had a 10 year old, 3 year old, 2 year old and 1 year old.  I didn't have time...I didnt' have time! 12 years later, I have time along with every other mom and dad who think it's a fast buck to offer a cd full of photos or charge a dollar more than what they paid for the print. Twelve years later, it's about sitting on your butt in front of the computer only meeting the client to take the pictures in their backyard or local park in full sunlight.   I can't do that.  I'm about creating a portrait, not 500 in a 3 hour session AND having my grocery bill paid for the week.

I've been watching Revolution on Monday nights.  The second episode really struck me (the whole show strikes me as not quite right) but the second episode especially.  One of the characters carries a cell phone around that has not worked for 10 years?  The day the power went away.  She said she had the only photos of her children' she hadn't see in all that time on that phone.  My first thought was "wow"  it's real, we really are a digital world.  We put the images on our phone, our ipad, ipod, tablet, laptop assume that's where they will stay for eternity....

This is where photography is...a cluster of pixels safe by faith in technology.

Is a degree important?

Ironically my graduating class was taught how to interview for a JOB working FOR someone else.
We were told you take whatever work comes along to survive, then when you can pay the bills, you do the work you want.

Hello out there.....do you feel the least bit guilty?

That's what I thought.

Using photo software

Wow, 2 in 1 day.  The severe headache from this morning has subsided to a dull throb.  Love spring time in Ohio.

After I wrote the previous blog, I found an email from a fave wedding photography team.  They shared how to do actions in Lightroom V4, unfortunately, I still use v2.  But I'm a quick study.  As I was looking at the images taken of my daughter, I knew that though they were acceptable right from the camera for the blog post, they needed a little work for print.  Now, I do not mean they needed fixed.  My camera and light meter are apparently not calibrated and I'm sure my monitor needs re-calibrated, I can not remember if it was done this week or not, so probably not.

The image are over exposed slightly, not a lot, but the highlight side is more than I really wanted.  It's over exposed.

Watching the video by the wedding team, It made me take a more objective view of the images I had taken...they are a lot over exposed.  The and my ratio is closer to 4:1 than 3:1.  For portraits I prefer 3:1....I like shadow/highlight and that soft wrap of light I get when I use a lower ratio.

After a few minutes of playing in Lightroom, I had a nice preset for my studio work that put the highlights in place, showing the detail of the face that was getting lost in the over exposure....apparently not much over exposure because the freckles are all there!  I brought the shadow side out a little more without getting funny color looking....seems to happen with underexposed, it's trying to fill in pixel info that does not exist...so shadows weren't overly underexposed.  No funny colors, no pixels filling in lost info, no dayglow highlights.  Just nice.

Then they talked about adding grain!  I LOVE FILM.  I can't add grain with LR2, but I can in CS4.  It was just a matter of playing around.  OMG, that reminds me, I LOVE well exposed black and white images....So with an image that is now ready for print, I can take it to CS4 and change it to black and white.
A correctly exposed black and white with details in the highlight as well as the shadows.  Add a little grain and it's ready for the lab.

I love when I learn something new!

No education required

I'm going to be fair with this blog post.  It wasn't very nice the way it sat in my drafts, but I feel that there are photographers out there really trying....but there is a difference and I'm going to share that today.

This was HARD for me to do...and no, even the professional image is not perfect, but the difference is mega!

So, you think you take nice pictures,? Or so you've been told.  Someone,or you bought a nice expensive camera from Walmart, the $600 camera.  And you bought a few backgrounds off Ebay, bought some of those fancy lights on stands with an umbrella or you are "all natural" light.  You're set!  How hard can it be, you already take nice pictures....

This is where it gets hard for me, maybe me 20 years ago?  Before hours and hours of books, practice, education, more practice and lots of experience.

In ALL fairness, all the equipment, lighting etc is exactly the same in both images.  Same camera, same light (just one in both), same pose - kinda. And exactly the same distance off the background.  I'll explain the differences at the end.  I should mention, I had to learn to use a lightmeter and do not know how to use A or P in the studio, so these are metered using M.

So, you are hiring a photographer or you are ready to go into business, you can have/do this,

Cute, that's my daughter.

"What a cutie, but I could have done that at home in front of the fireplace using my husbands point and shoot" 

Or

You can hire a professional who has experience.  Or learn before you hang out your shingle and start charging or calling yourself a professional photographer or photographer for hire.

What a great tween portrait! 

"OMG, grab the tissue, I'm going to cry...I LOVE it" 

Remember, exact same light, camera, soft box, meter, background, kid, camera setting, etc. Even the crop is the same.  Heck, I didn't even move the tripod (yes, I use one of those)

So, you say "All you did was turn her to the side."
... in a Contra Pose.  I also moved the light to create a loop light form, turned her head to create Short lighting and that Loop.  Put the weight on the correct foot, pulled down her sleeves, created a catchlight in the 11 o'clock position, used a 3:1 ratio to create depth.
AND NO PHOTOSHOP.
 No photoshop was used on this image except to put the logo in the corner.  Is it perfect?  No, her eyes are on the same plane.  She's 12, she's my kid, sometimes you do get what you can, but if you know what you are doing, it's easier to get most of it right....in the camera and camera room.  And present a professional portrait that would look awesome printed 20x24 framed and hanging over the fireplace.

"Why yes, I will take that printed as a 20x24 framed....will you come hang it for me?"

Yes I will!  

And did I mention, no photoshop, no enhancing, no fixing, no making it better and OMG, no fake background pasted in. The focus is dead on (I'd be happy to show you on my 90" projection screen), the expression is great, I'm even good with the perspective.

Oh, what the heck, here's the eyes....

As a professional photographer who can create portraits like the second one you can charge accordingly and actually have time to spend with your family since you didnt' spend all your time in photoshop adding actions, borders or overlays to make it look cool or "fix it".   No need, it already is.

Cool.

And yes, I absolutely use photoshop to enhance a photo, just like I would have in the darkroom on film. Enhance, not fix.

Oh, don't forget in the state of Ohio if you are selling something to someone, even at your cost, you are in business and need a business license and you need to collect sales tax....cheaters suck. (JMO)

Lately I have been accused of not being very couth in how I express my opinions.  But, if it's good enough to do as a hobby and collect some money on the side, isnt' it good enough to do as a legal business and do the right way?  I thought so.

 You can check out her other poses on my Facebook page.

Whiney Wednesday

Good morning and welcome to my Whiney Wednesday blog post (which I have affectionally come to call today).
First, I have to point out, Blogger changed things over the last week, since I blog weekly here, I know it was in the last week.  Not that I'm opposed to change, but it's a shock and now I'm learning something new, to navigate the new blogger.

I've been blogging for almost 3 months, wow this will be blog post 11 (there is one draft that I need to finish and post).  These 3 months of blogging have been the best therapy ever!  The changes and understanding of my own business as a studio and as a business owner have been awesome!  I can only hope other photographers who read this blog have benefitted as well.

I know the blog gets read, it doesn't get comments left, but I get questions and comments about it all the time by people who could be potential customers--local people, real people, not someone in Asia.
They get it.
I'm not preaching to the choir!
How awesome!

This blog has changed the way I see my business.  I don't feel bad about my prices anymore (or too much) I completely understand what I have been raving and ranting about and with what I thought I was comfortable with.  Pricing to make a living.
I wasn't.
Priced to make a living, or comfortable with the idea.
I am much more comfortable with it now....it's still scary and my husband does somewhat disagree, but he gets it more and more.  Food costs money, pictures cost money to print....somewhere there has to be a mark up so both can be covered, plus I like new shoes too, just not enough to give away the digital files....ever!

So three months of therapy in the guise of ranting and raving and it hasn't cost me one dime.
I spent enough of those last year through some expensive business coaching online....the book is less expensive.
For my pro photographer readers, you can find it below.

So I will continue to vent, rant and rave (both in a good way and bad) about life as it is.  Trying to make a living doing something I love.  Something I have wanted to do forever (15 years old is forever when you are my age).
Maybe it's time to put it in full gear, I know a couple extremely successful photographers around me who are making it.  There's room for one more
Successful is a personal term....everyone's idea of success is different.
Making it is also a personal term, and I see them living off their business, that is both successful and making it in my world.
Here's one more ready for a piece of the pie....Welcome to me and my studio!


That book I mentioned.  Written by Sarah Petty.  "Worth Every Penny" went on sale yesterday.  I received a surprise copy in the mail yesterday.  UPS deliveries are always exciting, they mean pictures to deliver.  Surprise UPS deliveries with my name are especially exciting!

Depending on friends and family

I don't.  I know we start out depending on friends to help build up a portfolio, but the cheaper you are and the more you give away; it just defines you and your business.  I never left the area I grew up in, I had a small graduating class, you'd think small town, people would support each other, nope.  Now, if you give it away, probably.   But, it does hurt to see people who were friends in high school, class mates etc, take their kids someplace else for their senior pictures, I won't lie, it hurts.   Now, if my work sucked, if I hadn't earned that Certification, if I was a nasty uncaring person, well, I wouldn't care.  But I do care.   I also know that to the majority of the population, it's just a picture and the cheaper they can get it the better...doesn't even have to be good.  I just remind myself, you just got what you paid for.  But, someone out there is going to appreciate a good professional portrait created just for them and about them.  Those are the people in my business who really matter.


So, as I grow even thicker skinned, I remember, I own a business, it's not a hobby and as a business owner, I can actually pick who I want to do business with.  I do it by pricing myself to make a living and offering customer service that is all about my customers.  So, while that CD and online pics look great now, I'll let you explain to your kids why there aren't any portraits of them to show their kids or share at the 25 year class reunion walk down memory lane.

"P" is for....

You know, that little "P" on the dial of your camera (Creative control dial).  The one between the square and TV on my Canon 10D. (yeah, I shoot the old stuff....still looks incredible - so that blows the camera theory out of the water)

Back to the letter "P".  Now, I'm not here to bash anyone, I'm here to educate...e d u c a t e.  I recently read that several photographers on a professional page, thought the "P" stood for Portrait mode or Professional mode.  Were they serious?  I don't have a clue, but they appeared to be serious or at the very least, confused.   It came from reading that someone decided it stood for Passion, as in Photography is my Passion.  -  I'm so not going there in this blog post.

Honestly, I forget it exists, probably because my Big Girl camera I use in the studio does not have a letter "P" As a matter of fact it doesn't have a control dial at all. {gasp, but Kelly how can you take pictures without the letter "P"?}

The letter M.









"P" on the creative dial of your camera stands for "Programmable"  It lets you make a couple decisions and change a few things the camera has decided for you based on light and lens choices.  It may let you change  aperture or shutter speed.  But not both at once as in "M", but more than in "A" which gives you no control.  Basically, if you are a professional aspiring professional, charging at all, "P" stands for "Poor Choice"

How did I learn this?  That big fat book that came with 2 of my 3 used cameras.  And a class in digital photography from a real college, not a "workshop" online where you are charged outrageous amounts of money and never even get to raise your hand for q&a.  I paid less to learn the switch to digital than most of you did online through these "workshops" with "professional photographers" who no longer take picture or have been a "photographer" for 6 months.  The big names, I pay for, they count towards continued education for my CPP.  But again, that's another blog.

So, what have we learned?  If you are calling yourself an aspiring professional photographer or professional photographers, there is no room for "P" on your cmaera.   It's like using A (or that little green square on the Canon 10 and 20d).  Take a sharpie and black them out!  I don't care if you are just staring out.  Learn to do it the right way, then you can occasionally use "P" for your children's birthdays "P"arties.  If you are a novice, just take pics of your kids for your own personal use, that "P" can most definitely stand for "P"ersonal.

For  my local readers, I will be teaching a photography class at the AB Graham Center April 28th at 10am.  It will be followed up with a workshop learning to use your digital camera, advanced point and shoot to dslr, sometime in the summer.  If it has a camera with a shutter, I can teach you to use it....and the camera's book will be required. I will also teach you how to use "TV" and "AV".  This class is for people who just want to learn to take better pictures and use all those controls, it is not a professional class and absolutely not geared for those who are aspiring to be professional photographers.  I am not qualified to teach a class like that....yet.   But the rest of you, I do hope you will join me.  The class is $15, the workshop will be more.  The money helps the AB Graham keep it's doors open to the public.

Oh, BTW, If "P" stands for "Poor choice Mode", then "A" stands for "Amateur  Mode".  But "M" stands for Master Mode....kind of like, you are what you eat.

A picture is forever

And probably ever, on a CD if you go to a 24.95 CD photographer.  How can she guarantee that CD will open 6 mos from now let alone 18 years when your daughter is graduating from high school.  She can't, no one can.  I know it sounds good, it sounds great!  75-100 professional digital images of your 1 year old daughter and you get to keep every single image!  The first problem with this is the fact that NO professional photographer in her right mind would charge $25 for a CD full of retouched images, or even un-retouched images.  So, that right there should be a red flag.  And NO professional Photographer is going to let go of every single images on a CD unless they are desperate and have little respect for their work.

So, there's 3 strikes.

1. Can't guranatee it will open at any time in the future, forever (unlike a print that will last forever if printed through a pro lab on archival paper)
2. No respect for her work
3. No respect for you.

Remember, there are 3 choices, Fast, Cheap and Good.  The catch is, you can only pick two.  I.E. You want good pictures done in 3 days.  It's going to be Expensive.  Want a cheap CD to take to Walmart?  Want them to look like you spent 1000's?  Well, good luck with that, but I can guarantee, it's going to take forever to get that CD back from the photographer.  

Fast, Cheap, Good.  Your choice, but only 2.   And if you are a CD photographer and not charging correctly, at least have the decency to state this is a hobby and if a contact wants a professional portrait session,  recommend contacting a professional photographer.  I know professional photogrpahers who will sell you a CD of images to keep and print where you want, but they are going to charge accordingly and treat you like you just walked out with a 30x40 marquis framed print in that little tiny CD case.

Cheap Weddings

I spend too much time on Facebook.  I know I do and I know I shouldn't.  I've got it down to about 20-30 minutes in the morning.  Probably 15 too many.  I have my fave FB group pages I have to visit and today I found a great article that I just have to keep and share.  Actually the whole blog is great!  I have followed David Grupa for a couple months from FB and have to say, great photographer, great insights and great advice on the FB group I belong and now his blog I found, Camp David.  The article that caught my attention today was from earlier in the year.  Now I'm going back and reading all of them.

If you think my blog posts are screwy and whiny, let me just say, I'm living it in the real world.

Enjoy this...
http://www.campdavidphoto.blogspot.com/2012/01/dont-you-love-criagslist.html

Have a great weekend.  

The photo that keeps on giving....

Ahhh, commercial/business photography.  Right up there with event (excluding weddings) and sports.  What I mean is it's expected to be cheap cheap cheap.  Why?

Here's the deal.  I do business head shots, I've done commercial including for a company in CA...yes, the California.  I've done events.  They all require I know what the heck I am doing.  Why should they cost less than what I would charge for a portrait session?  Which also requires I know what the heck I am doing....I am not a noob.

Ok, events not counted since, as with sports team photos, it's in quantity...and another blog post.

But for commercial/model/business head shots...it's about YOU and you making money.  You, as in the person I am photographing or who's product I am making look, so "I gotta have that!"

But most business owners feel (I did not say all) that this service should be cheap, as in $29.95.  Do we really need to refer to past posts here?

What does the client really get out of that image?

1. A professional photo of themselves for professional use.

That means...

1. They can use it just about anywhere, a business card, a yard sign, a billboard, a website, Facebook, Twitter, brochures, commercials?, 

See, every time that image is shown several things are happening.  A potential customer is seeing it a deciding if they want to work with you and can trust and even want the service you are offering.  If you are a lawyer, they are going "yeah, they look tough, they can win this case for me"  A stylist, "wow I love her hair, I want her to do mine" (I know stylists don't cut their own hair, but it's about looks) A Realtor, "she looks friendly, outgoing and I bet she can find/sell my home in no time!"  Etc.

In short, every time a potential client finds your business and sees your professional image, they are potential income.  Every single time whether it's 200 times a day or 200 times a month.  That is the potential for a sale over and over and over.  

The photographer made $29.95 one time. Once. Why should professional head shots be so cheap?  They shouldn't.  The photographer is putting in time, equipment, experience.   So at the very least...PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS...you need to figure how much time you have in this job.  The phone call, the session, the retouching ( cause you are not going to let the professional image leave your hands unretouched....are you?), cropping, resizing (you are not going to give them the copyright are you?  Hint, no, you are not) Sending prepping the file for CD or email AND getting the Limited Usage License Release ready.  Personally, if I took 5 images I'm going to have at least an hour to an hour and a half.  Start to finish.  Plus the wait while the client decides which image they want to show the world and can you retouch them back to their 20's.  It happens.  So, you just made less than $30/hour.  Hope that covered your business insurance and made you happy.  I charge $125 and believe me, I'm told it's too much. But I've been told $50 is too much too.  Which means $29.95 is too much also. There is no happy here, I charge what my time is worth.

Oh, and I've even offered to barter for business pics, even that was too much!  So, in the end, while I offer business headshots, create a great professional image for you representing your business and your livelihood, I refuse to eat Mac and Cheese to do it.  

Includes copyright release...

so you can have your images printed anywhere you want.

Really?  You would give up the copyright for your images.  You would give up all the work PPA and a lot of professional photographer fight for you to keep?  Really!?

No, you do not want to give up your copyright, sell your copyright, in exchange for your copyright etc.  No.
Why?

First, if you let someone else take the rights to the images you created, you can no longer use those images or claim them as your own.  Pretty straight forward and in simple terms, although, I'm sure it's a lot more complicated than that.

So, you are doing it the easy way cause that makes you more money and everyone wants the digital files....I so get it.  You just gave away 40 images fully retouched and a 2 hour sessions with a 4 year old and her 2 year old brother.  They were cute and acted their age.  It was a successful shoot.  You gave mom the CD with the images and a paper saying she could take them anywhere to have them printed.  Or you told her she had full copyright, she now owns the images.

First, what did you make off this?  You know, how much money did you make....got back to the very first blog, I'll wait.

So, you charged Mom $199 for all those files and images.  You made $199, before you paid your overhead.  Oh, no overhead?  Your husband pays for all that?  Ok then.

You will never make another dime off those files.  You don't own them anymore.  You can't use them for advertising, the model release (did you get one of those?) says they are your's to use for advertising, but not if you gave away the copyright!

Now Mom, on the other hand, has it made.  She can enter that image in any contest, send it to any card company, have billboards made up of it to promote her new photography business, er, um, her new hair accessory business.  She owns the rights to those images!  She can make 1000's off them.  You made, how much?

Worse than this is when someone says, you take these high profile pics and we will pay you, $20/hour and you will get "exposure".  Oh, you have to give us the rights to the images.  This one just makes my blood boil!  You will never ever get your name out there or get exposure doing this.  At least not in a good way.  You will always be known as the photographer who will do it for nothing.  You be pulling your hair out and stomping around going "why!?"

"But Kelly, what if someone offered me a lot of money for the copyright?"  Well, your definition of "a lot of money" and mine are very different.  What is a "lot of money"?  I have a mortgage I'd like paid off, but I'm sure a business or even a talented individual could make a lot more off my image than the mortgage of my house.  Did I mention, because I will now, I never ever sell my copyright, ever!

But, you said you sell digital files.  Yes, I do.  I sell digital files of the images my client purchased of prints.  I will give them a digital file if they spend "a lot" of money with me....like $2000 or more.  I will give clients a digital file of every image you purchased as a print in that case.  But, they will not get the copyright.  Instead, they will get a print release.  It will let them take those files anywhere and have them printed up to an 8x12.  Or in the case of a big print order, they will get a full resolution file, printable billboard size.

Here's the catch, they cannot alter the images in anyway or make money off them in anyway, or claim them as their own work.  Why?  Because I own the copyright.  I'm here to create a lifelong beautiful keepsake of each family for their home and future generations, whether an album or wall print.  I am not here so someone can make a living or mock the art I created with my experience, talent and education.   Commercial photography is a little different, but I can address that too.  However, I never ever give up my copyright.  Ever!

So, what am I saying to you fellow photographers?  Respect the industry, the art and yourself.  While it's  mostly learn as you go, there are those out there who have lessons we need to learn from, Annie Leibovitz is a good one.

Wait, look, 2 blogs in 1 week.  It's early in the day, and I'm emptying my brain before I get my day going...helps me focus better.

Coming up...Model release, Commercial Photograpy, and the difference between professional and "I got a new camera" photographers, with photos.

Enjoy your week.

I really should blog today...

But the idea of this blog is to let me vent.  I vent several ways.  Here :), to my husband who is not very appreciative of it, and in my head.  Actually I will run several possible blogs through my head as I'm going through menial chores around the house.  My brain never shuts down.  Over the last week, I must have gone through 3 or 4 blogs.  Apparently it's enough.  Maybe it's the beautiful weather, but I have nothing to vent over.  Well, that's not true, I'm managing the things I cannot change by being very productive.

So a productive morning in my studio and office and now a productive afternoon on my house, so I can spend an enjoyable evening with my family enjoying this gorgeous spring weather.

I'm still going to address copyright issues, I have a lot to say about that, just not on this lovely day.

I am a BMW...

Not a Ford....or a used Ford at that.

It becomes frustrating when I'm told that the standard for a product or service in my industry is a certain price in my area.  That's great.  I'm sure the BMW is a standard price in my area so every can afford one.  No, I'm pretty sure that is wrong, but I could be wrong, maybe BMW runs specials and gives away free keys every now and then.

No, I'm sure I'm right.  A BMW isn't something you go out and buy on a whim, you are probably going to keep it, drive it , enjoy it and you do love the luxury of the experience as much as the car.

My photography business is like that BMW.  It's a luxury.  It's priced to be a luxury because it comes with exceptional customer service.  A high end quality product that is either #1) made locally or #2) if  I can't get it locally, made in Ohio or #3) if made in Ohio just isn't possible, it's made in the USA.  I care about every single item that leaves my studio.  And there are times that I am just not happy with the product when it comes in the door, (you never knew this until now) but there have been times I have an item re-made...at my expense, just to meet my own quality control standards.   Believe me, the chain store studio that is not in business to be a portrait studio is going to give you all kinds of grief to do this with their printed where ever product.

Sad thing is, I'm not priced at luxury.  I'm priced to for middle income.  I'm priced so that even I can afford me. And even that is, I'm told by one phone call after another, too high.  And no, I don't run specials...I'm not Walmart.  This also means I am at best a mid priced SUV, not exactly a luxury.

I've already posted the difference between a paid hobby and a business to make a living.  It's just so frustrating, I spent hours figuring what it costs me to run a business, figuring every single penny that leaves my home as a family and how much at a bare minimum I have to make to feed my children and keep them in a house.  And I'm told it's too much.   But, I'm not going there again.

My biggest complaint comes when people find out where I'm located.  I'm in the tip of Miami County.  It's beautiful here.  You can see forever.  I'm surrounded by lakes, preserves, parks, ponds and rivers, all within 10 to 15 miles.  Small communities with beautiful landscapes.  I'm 20-25 miles from the next biggest town any direction.  I'm perfectly located!  But, if you disagree, I'm happy to drive to you.  I have to charge for this.  It's not figured in my regular pricing.  I drive an SUV because I have a big family and big equipment if I'm bringing the studio to you....they like gas-the SUV, my kids like food.  I love my SUV.  So, I have to charge a travel fee to pack it all up and bring exceptional customer service to you.  Take it or leave it.  Sadly, I'm finding most leave it.  They want cheap, they want "good enough"  am I wrong?  Then prove it.

If you want a luxury, I'm going to deliver.  If you want so so, I'm happy to refer you to some good photographers who are willing to give you a cd of images and happily send you on your way.  They are good photographers, you will like the images, you will probably go back.  I hope those CD's open in 17 years when you decide you'd like a few prints for the graduation party.

Are you making a living or supporting a hobby?

Are you making a living or supporting a hobby?

Many people are under the impression that I do not offer digital files.  This couldn't be farther from the truth!  While I will not give them away, I do offer your complete session as  printable digital files that you are welcome to have printed any place of your choosing.

The catch?  How about a story first?

I started out as a film photographer, and not just at the end of the film days...I had to go back to school to learn to use a digital camera.  I also learned to process my own film and develop my own prints.   Ask any film photographer and many will tell you that they miss those days.   We created.  We were artists.   And we had to know what we were doing becuase there wasn't a photoshop to fix it in later.  The camera room was photoshop! or at least one part of photoshop, you'd be amazed what can be done while processing!  

But I do embrace change, not all at once and not abandoning all else to it.  I approach it cautiously, research it and make sure it is the best choice, becuase sometimes it causes more problems than it fixes.   I believe this to be very true for photography!  However, progress, onward and upward?  

I no longer own a film camera, at least none that work.  I havn't been in a darkroom in years, instead I use Lightroom, but I use it as a darkroom.  I miss the smells.

When I was a film photographer I was told never to sell the negatives.  Hmmm, as a digital photographer, I'm told to never sell the images. WAIT!  Now I'm told to sell the files or I'm old school and don't embrace change.  Progress?  More like, "I'm probably not that good, so to hide that fact, here's all 257 images I took then spent 40 hours fixing in photoshop".  (That's only about 10 minutes/image)  BTW, that person just made $2.30/hour.  40 hours in photoshop and 3 glorious hours taking your picture. 

So back to the original question....Are you making a living or supporting a hobby?

Whats the difference, huh?  Both can get paid...notice I said "get paid", not make money or a make a living.  I prefer to make money, helps me make a living....easier to buy $4/gallon gas AND pay my business insurance.  

So, while I do sell the digital images, I do have to make a living, that means you are not going to get them for less than say $1000.  You think that is too much?  If I sold you and every other potential customer all the digital images plus a session for let's say $99?--cause I have no idea the going rate on "here you go" is,  I would...

#1 have to work 79 hours/wk.   That means I would get paid $16.5/hour.  Not bad if you don't have to pay you own income tax, business insurance, health insurance AND buy groceries.

#2 have to do 13 sessions a week.  Each session takes close to 6 hours from first phone call to final pick up.  I don't know about you, but that sucks! 

So, while you can definitely find a cheaper photographer out there willing to work 79 hours a week doing 13 sessions a week to make less than $50k a year, they are only doing this as a hobby and don't care if those files open next year or not, they already got your $99 and bought a several new pairs of shoes with it.  :)

$50k?  And you thought photographer were rich?  WAIT!  Take 30% out of that for income tax.  Then figure in every penny you spend on living expenses.  Paying business insurance?  I hope so.  Internet, business phone, electric, pretty packaging, professional fees and dues...No how much did you really make?  

We'll talk Copyright next time.