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.