The Promotion Planning Wheel & Your Promotional Planning Calendar

Here is what you need to layout your business' Promotional Planning Calendar for 2015...and every year thereafter:

1) Promotional Planning Wheel - before Kodak ran into to financial difficulties, they used to give professional photographers a LOT of support: Studio Light Magazine, The Toolbox (a set of promotional planning ideas and tools), ad slicks, ad campaigns, and more. Sadly, as the number of professional photographers dropped...and Kodak's own fortunes slipped...this support dwindled. 

This was a great tool created for the Times of Your Life promotion. You simply set SALE arrow on the date you want your promotion to begin; the other arrows will indicate your dates to PLAN and then LAUNCH. I doubt Kodak has any of these on hand...it is nearly 35 years old. But you could give it a shot: it is item P3-708A. I have scanned mine and reproduced it here. If Kodak no longer has them, you could print two copies, laminate the two wheels, and connect them with a brass fastener (AKA "split pin") that would allow the inner wheel to rotate.

2) Wall Calendar - I never paid for one...I received one every year from the fine folks at Shore Color Lab in Munster, IN. Unfortunately, like many small labs, Shore Color has closed. You will have to purchase one at an office supply store. Buy the biggest one you have room for. You will write ALL STAGES of your promotions on here (Plan, Promote, Launch, Results). You will also make note of your event dates (proms, reunions, sports, weddings, etc.) and your TOTAL sales for the month.

I would suggest if you have just one, use a paper calendar. If you have room for two, I would use a dry erase calendar as well. Why two? The dry erase calendar is easier to change if something gums up the works (print materials get delayed, your previous promotion is running into your next promotion, etc.). The paper calendar gives you a permanent record of your promotions, your sales, and your events so you don't have to start from square one each year. You can also see which promotions were good, and which ones may need to be replaced. It also acts as a reminder so you can try to rebook those events for the upcoming year, and lets you compare your wedding bookings...if you do those.

"But I keep my events on my computer's studio program!" Okay, here's what you do: you take that computer, and the studio program, and place it gently where the sun doesn't shine. If your machine tanks, or the program becomes corrupted, or the planets are not in perfect alignment, this information goes buh-bye! And you are what's commonly known as screwed, blued, tattooed...and most likely, sued. Take it from me: as much as I love technology, sometimes old school is best. If you still want to use that studio program, swell. Just have a backup. No one over all the years I was in business could ever convince me to stop using an appointment book. Yes, I had a custom made Xenix studio program that did ALL of that...that they failed to tell me would stop working after 1999. Five thousand dollars flushed down the toilet. Ah, well...I used it for nearly 11 years, so I spent less than $500 a year for the program. Can you tell I'm trying to convince myself?

3) Fine Point Colored Markers - RED to mark the plan date; GREEN for the start date; BLUE for the sales date; BLACK for the gross sales/ORANGE for the net.

Now...RIGHT NOW is when you want to start creating this calendar. Next time I will give you a list of promotions that I used. Many of them ran UNCHANGED for over 25 years! Until next time, may all your highlights read 245, all your shadows read 7, and all of your PHOTOGRAPHY be For INCOME! Happy Thanksgiving!

Three Easy Promotions You Can Get up & Running Right Now...

Summer's gone and like every year, I promised myself more days sitting in the shade and less days working. And like every year, it doesn't happen. Oh well, such is life. For those of you doing weddings or senior portraits for income, you've noticed a severe and sudden drop off in business, and this is why I have been talking about your Promotional Calendar.

The Promotional Calendar helps to prevent huge peaks and deep valleys in your cash flow. I received an email that said, "Ok, Steve...I'm with you. But I still have the last 3 months of the year, and buddy I need to see some income NOW!" Well, the title of the Blog IS "Photography For Income," so let's see if we can help this gentleman (and you) earn a little income.

The 1st promotion you could do right now is the Halloween promotion. It can be operated in one of several ways:

1. Charity Promotion
2. Studio Promotion
3. Shopping Center Promotion
4. Day Care/Pre-School Promotion

As a Charity Promotion, you partner with a local charity. The charity covers the advertising costs. Many times a charity will get in-kind donations from media; other times they will receive a discount or a "match" ($10 free time for every $10 spent). You agree to split the proceeds from the promotion 50/50 with the charity. 

You might offer two different packages: 1 5x7/4 wallets for $9.95 or 2 5x7/8 wallets for $12 for example. You shoot it like a prom: 1 exposure, unless there is a blink. You can buy the first package from many labs for about $1.00; the second for about $1.85. The price is low because the lab is printing files all photographed under the same lighting conditions. I would suggest you add $2 per subject over two...otherwise, people will bring their nieces, nephews and cousins to put 12 kids in a 10 buck photo.

You can do this in your studio or at a shopping center (if they permit it) or the offices of the Charity if they are not in an out-of-the way location. Make a simple set: a couple of hay bales, dried cornstalks with Indian corn in them as a background and some carved pumpkins. Carve the largest pumpkin to read "Halloween 2014". Inside this pumpkin, place a small strobe with a built in slave-eye that has a yellow filter over the flash head. Be sure to set your aperture as to not overpower this small flash.

You'll get your best response at a shopping mall or enclosed strip mall. You could see up to 200 buyers. If your average sale is $11, subtract $2 for overhead per exposure - $1800. You give the charity $900, you keep $900, and everybody is very happy.

This same promotion can be operated in your studio, but you will see fewer people. If you need to keep as much cash as possible, check with your local shopping center or department store (if you still have one) and offer them 20% of the gate. The last option is to approach day cares and nursery schools and photograph on costume day. You should be able to photograph several schools during the week of Halloween. 

The next promotion is "Fall Color Families," or "Fall is Family Time." You do outdoor portraits with the Fall colors really popping. This one you will have to get going right now, today. If you do not have a good outdoor at your studio, have the sessions at a local park. For these sessions, I would do a variety of portrait studies. Have a low price offer to get the appointments, such as portrait session plus an 11x14 portrait for $49.95 or something similar. People will want gift size portraits, so put those on special, too...about $2 off the regular price. You don't need to deeply discount these: they already got their discount on the original package and session. When you advertise it, simply say, "GIFT SIZES ON SPECIAL, TOO!"

Be sure to do "breakdowns" of the family relationships: the entire family, just mom, just dad, mom and dad together, mom with the girls, mom with the boys, dad with the girls, dad with the boys, and most importantly, just the kids together without mom and dad. Can they bring pets? You bet! This is a very good promotion.

Finally, you can have the Veteran's Day promotion. Veteran's Day is Tuesday, November 11 in 2014. I live in Michigan, and there is still plenty of fall color and good weather for family portraits. A LOT of people get Veteran's Day off, so it is a perfect time to get the family together. Drop the hint that Christmas is just 6 weeks away, and portraits are the gift that only YOU can give. They are always the right size, and they will never get the same portrait from someone else!

The photo above shows where I took my family portraits. This photograph was taken the end of September, so the color is just ramping up in lower Michigan. DO NOT RAKE YOUR LEAVES UNTIL THIS SPECIAL IS OVER! People LOVED all the colors on the ground and in the background. Have a place where you can photograph indoors as well, because some people will not want them outdoors. It also helps if the weather isn't great. Again, if you don't have a place at your studio, hit the park. Collect leaves in bags from your home in case the park has already sucked them all up!

Again, I normally used a session plus 11x14 offer for around $59. I also took sessions the Saturday and Monday BEFORE Veteran's Day. Again, be sure you do breakdowns of the family relationships. My best year brought 37 families during the promotion, with a sales average of just a little over $225. After costs, advertising, processing, I got to keep nearly $7000 of the $8325 we grossed, and I was happy with that. It was a lot harder to make that kind of markup in the film days!

So there you go: three quick Fall promotions that can make you some quick cash right now. Who says you can't do Photography For Income? Sure as heck not me! You could very easily see anywhere between $8000 -$15,000 in gross sales from these 3 little promotions. Next time, more on the Promotional Calendar. Make all your exposures count!

Thinking About Your Promotional Calendar

Here is a question I received from T.Q. in Minnesota: "I am just getting started doing Photography for Income. I am a hot mess when it comes to planning. I get busy, then things cool down and I think that I should have some kind of promotion, but then it is too late! I need some cash coming in and there's no business to be found...HELP"

I laughed to myself as I read this, because I was EXACTLY like this when I started in business. Then Kodak - back when they used to think professional photographers were important to their business - came out with "The Toolbox." It was basically some promotions and some user testimonials, but the real GEM was the Promotional Calendar. When I discovered this, you would have thought I had found the Holy Grail...it was genius!

I am going to give you a stripped down version here:

1. Buy a LARGE wall calendar with all 12 months on it. These are available for 2015 at office supply stores now. A dry erase model is best. You want 4 different colors: Black, Red, Green, Blue

2. Next, think about what promotions you will have for the upcoming year; perhaps:

January - Continue Home for the Holiday Special; Snow Days Special
February - Valentine Special; Kiddie Kontest
March - High School Senior (HSS) Reorder Special; Spring & Summer sports
April - Spring Special; HSS Ambassador/Model Program; Proms & Dances
May - Continue Spring Special
June - Moms & Memories; World's Greatest Dad
July - Red, White & Blue Children's Special, Your Best HSS
August - SCHOOL STARTS SOON/TIME'S RUNNING OUT SPECIAL for HSS
September - $1 Session fee special for HSS weekdays between 9 AM and 2 PM
October - Preschools; Fall Family Special; It's Not Too Late to Start thinking CHRISTMAS!
November - Veterans' Day Family Special; Christmas Special
December - Home for the Holidays Special

3. Now, think about how you want to promote these specials:

Direct mail - Newsletter
Direct mail - Color post card
Direct mail - two or three color post card
Direct mail - fliers
Fliers handed out at the studio or placed in each order
FlIers handed out in high traffic areas
Displays
Sandwich board (employee or temp wears a Sandwich board and visits high traffic areas)
Bird dogs
Door Hangers
School Newspapers and/or radio stations
Networking
Radio
TV
Social Media
YouTube
Your Web Site
Email your customer list
Local Newspaper
Billboards

4. If you want to run a promo in January, you have to start planning it in October. Yeah, I hear some of you now: "OMG, that's too early, I'm busy, wah, wah, wah..." If you want to get off the income roller coaster, this is how it gets done. It takes discipline. You have to have enough lead time for design, printing, mailing, etc. Trust me: if you decide on December 2nd to do a Christmas special, you are wasting your time.

5. In the month you plan to have the promotion, write it down in GREEN (for go). If the promotion is going to last one week, write the name across that week.

6. Three months PRIOR to the promotion, write the promo name with PLANNING in front of it, such as PLANNING Kiddie Kontest. Write this in RED for the number of days it will take to plan and create the media you plan to use.

7. Two months before the promotion, write PRODUCTION OF Kiddie Kontest; write this in BLUE. Include your day of mailing if using direct mail and circle it. Remember if you are using bulk mail (now called Presort Standard or Standard Mail), the post office may hold this mail up to THREE DAYS before delivering it. Build this into your mailing time. If you do several mailings per year, you'll want to purchase a Bulk Mail Permit. If you are new to this, you may want to hire a mailing company to do it for you. Even most small towns have a mailing service.

8. If you are not sure if Standard Mail is right for you, you might consider EDDM (Every Door Direct Mail). This lets you reach customers in targeted neighborhoods without having to provide names or street addresses, and no permit is required! Ask your local Post Office for details on EDDM-retail or EDDM-BMEU options. A lot of photographers overlook this service!

9. To be considered successful, you promotion should bring in at least 8 times the cost of promotion. If it costs you $500 to advertise your Kiddie Kontest, it should bring in at least $4000 in gross receipts.This is another way to say the cost of Promotion was 20%. As you get more skilled at this, you can try for your cost of Promotion to be 10%.

"This is great, but where do I learn more about the promotions?"

You'll want to get on my mailing list to be among the first to get my book, "PROMOTIONS: How Photography for Income is Done."  Send an email to steve@bohne.com.

Until next time...may all of your PHOTOGRAPHY be FOR INCOME.

Making a Sales Presentation? Don't Make These Mistakes!

Lord have mercy, where did the summer go! The leaves are turning color, falling off the trees, and messing up my 2.5 acres...which I now have to clean up! Fall often means quoting church directories, school directories, school and/or sports photography for next year (yep, it is normally done this far in advance), and other photography events...All prime candidates for Photography for Income.

As photographers, we don't normally have to have real sharp presentation skills, but when you are doing Photography for Income, the time may come where you have to put them into play.Years ago, I was doing a presentation for a church. We were pitching a church directory.

There was a photographer from a local studio, and a representative from a national church directory chain. The local guy stumbled and bumbled...he was CLEARLY out of his comfort zone. The guy from the chain outfit was slick and polished. He went through his presentation smoothly. 

Amazingly, BOTH presentations were very close in content! 

1. Who is "Our Studio?"Company and what is our history?

2. Overview of Our Studio Products and Services.

3. What Your Church's needs are.

4. The solution and how Our Studio can help Your Church.

5. Display of portrait samples.

6. How Our Studio will deliver results.

7. The support Your Church will receive

8. How we will manage your account

9. How Our Studio Innovates! (the future of Our Studio & Your Church)

10. Benefits of working with Our Studio.

11. How we will launch Your Church Directory:

• Program and launch planning.
• Recruiting congregants as appointment setters.
• Scheduling portrait sessions, photography, and sales
• Target Delivery Date.
• How Our Studio will deliver portraits to Your Church.

12. Your Church's feedback and results

13. Our Studio will now open this to Your Church for Q&A

What a snorefest! The board making the decision was bored just 10 minutes into the thing (no pun intended, by the way). Here's why: they didn't give a rat's ass about the first NINE topics of discussion! What they WERE interested in were items 10 through 13...and I am being kind by including #12.

Here is what needed to be done: they needed to focus on the prospect’s issues and concerns (and their studio history sure as hell isn't one of them!). So why didn't these people speak directly to the prospect’s concerns? Well I am only guessing, but I would guess that they felt the still had to sell the church on their company, and by talking about their company they would sell the church on their business and eliminate any nagging concerns the church board had..

I have yet to encounter an executive team or decision making board who was interested in a person’s company--decision-makers don’t care! All they want to know is:

1. That you understand their problem/concern (or want/need/desire), and

2. How you can help them resolve that issue.

I walked in and said, "Wow! You asked for a drink of water and you got Niagara Falls! (chuckles and guffaws). Look, you know who I am, you know what I do, and you know I am the best at doing it. I am going to get your church directory appointments set in one week using volunteers from the church. I will photograph all 600 families in one week. That's right, one week, not three like the people before me stated. The photography will be finished before October 15th, the viewing and sales done before Halloween, and the finished portraits delivered before Thanksgiving. 

"Your finished directories will be delivered before Valentine's Day, barring any unforeseen events such as mechanical breakdown or labor disputes...I have no control over those, so I'd be lying to you if I said I could guarantee it 100%. Now does anyone here have any questions, or do you just want to authorize my studio to get this going? (again chuckles and guffaws)

"Why are you laughing? You want to stretch this thing out until Memorial Day with these people, or do you want things done right, done right the first time, and done right now? Does anyone have any questions?"

I answered 4 questions. After that, it took 7 minutes for the board to make a decision.

Afterwards, the guy from the big chain outfit offered me a fairly decent amount of money to come work for the place he worked for. "Thanks, but no thanks...travel 44 weeks out of the year doesn't appeal to me."

The other studio owner didn't talk to me--he was pissed. It didn't matter...his studio didn't make it to prom time the following spring.

Look, the next time you have a sales presentation - or even a sales call - invest some time finding out what your prospect wants and focus your efforts on those things. Skip the yadda, yadda, yadda about your company and tell them exactly how you will help the prospect achieve their objectives.

This approach saves time and really sets you apart from you competition. Not only that, but you will never hear someone complain that you took two hours to explain what could have been done in fifteen minutes. And if you are doing Photography for Income, that is a big plus.

Until next time!

#9 - Ten Things You Should NEVER Say to a Photographer...

Number Nine:

"I need a photograph for a magazine article (or book cover/press release/President's Wall/ etc). I know you had some extras of my last session. Can you just send one over to the newspaper. You already have it made...why do I have to pay?

 It is AMAZING how many people think I'm in business to make friends. In fact a lady told me that just a few years ago.

I had taken her portrait for the local hospital. She was elected president of the Ladies Auxiliary, and the hospital paid for her session. I made images in black and white and color, which we of course tried to sell to her. She declined.

A few months later, she needed a photograph for another use, and called and said the above just about verbatim. When I told her there was a charge she was incredulous! I told her, "You know, Lydia, this is how I make my living."

Her heated reply? "Well it certainly isn't to make friends! There are some very important people waiting for that picture, so you had better send it out today. Send it by Express Mail so it gets there overnight!"

Whoa! This takes MAJOR cahones: you not only insist I give you the picture for free, you also expect me to send it via Express Mail at my expense. Unbelievable!!

I informed her that I would be glad to do so once I had the price of the portrait PLUS the cost of mailing via Express Mail in my hand. She haughtily refused and said that she would complain to the hospital and I would NEVER do business there again.

This attitude is not held just by your regular customers. I have businesses and PR firms ask me for the same thing. The answer is always the same: no dough, no photo.

Look, you don't owe anyone free photographs, ESPECIALLY if you are doing Photography for Income! Stand your ground and get paid what you are due. See you next time!!

#8 - Ten Things You Should NEVER Say to a Photographer...

NUMBER 8:

"Hey, mom! Look at that picture of Jenny...it looks just like the one you downloaded and put in the family room!"

I used to have a booth at the county fair, and I actually heard this comment while I was manning my booth. The customer who did the illegal download told me her daughter's portraits were "terrible." This is the reason she gave for not placing a very big order.

I had a friend who was talking to me at the time, and I told the copyright infringer, "This person is a witness that you have committed copyright infringement. This is punishable by a $10,000 criminal penalty plus damages. Would you like to settle this out of court, or go to court?"

As it turns out her husband WAS an attorney, and she told me, "_ _ _ _ you, my husband IS an attorney and you can just go _ _ _ _ yourself!" Wow! And to think she kisses her kids with that mouth!

It seems that she went home and told her husband...who called me and started to tell me that they were "innocent infringers." I stopped him and said, "Mr. Customer...you are an ATTORNEY! No court is going to swallow that story, and you and I both know it.

He wondered if we could come to an "agreement." You see, as an officer of the court, committing copyright infringement is not looked on kindly by the court. It's the kind thing that can get a lawyer reprimanded, censured, or even disbarred in extreme cases.

This is why you need to register your copyright. If your image is not registered, you can't get spit for someone illegally copying your work. You can do it yourself, or you can use LegalZoom. You gotta get paid! After all, you ARE doing Photography for Income, aren't you? Til next time!

#6 & #7: Ten Things You Should NEVER Say to a Photographer...

NUMBER SIX: "You charge HOW MUCH? Just to push a button?"

NUMBER SEVEN: "FIFTY DOLLARS FOR A PIECE OF PAPER!!??"

Don't you just love being a professional photographer? It's great isn't it? Now I have to admit with number six, it is getting to be harder to defend. When I was a film photographer - using RZ-67 and Hasselblad cameras - there was a lot more than just pushing a button. I had to focus, determine exposure, etc.

Today, the general populace uses the same equipment we do in many cases, and in their eyes it IS just pushing a button. The camera does pretty much take care of the rest. Having said that, there is still the matter of composition and posing, not to mention the post production work.

When a customer says this to me, I always reply, "I wish that was all there was to it. But there is a lot of work that takes place AFTER I have made the initial image. And I do have a substantial investment in education, equipment, etc. So I do try to make a profit as a matter of customer service. You see, if I cannot stay in business, I won't be here the next time you need or want a great photograph taken. That's important, wouldn't you agree?"

That pretty much takes care of the matter.

Number seven is very easy to answer. Whenever someone says that to me, I take the 8x10 and place it on the table so only the white back of the photograph is showing. I then say, "That is a $50 piece of paper." I then flip it over to show the image of their family, baby, senior, bride, etc. and say, "It's the image on THIS side that makes it worth $50. I think your family (baby, senior, bride) is worth at LEAST fifty dollars... [PAUSE] don't you?" I then I don't say another word.

I once had a guy come in and tell me, "$50 for an 8x10 is outrageous. I do some photography, and I know what an 8x10 costs!"

I didn't issue any rebuttal at that moment. I said, "I understand how you feel. What do you do?"

He said, "I have a trenching business. We do trenching so you can lay pipe, cable, etc."

I asked, "I need a 10' trench at my house. I want to run power from my home electrical box to my new garage. How much will that cost me?" He replied that it would be about $125. My reply was, "You charge $125 to dig a hole!? It doesn't even cost you anything! Talk about outrageous."

He was hot right now. "You don't know my expenses. I have equipment, wages, insurance, overhead!"

My simple reply was, "And I don't?" And that was all I said. His wife said, "I'll take it from here."

I continued to be his family's photographer for many years...but he was still always a cheap so-and-so, even though he lived in a huge home and always drove a Hummer or Escalade. Ain't it always the way?

Again, never argue with a customer. Just lay out your case, be quiet, and smile. It's the best way if you are doing Photography for Income. Til Next Time!

#5 - Ten Things You Should NEVER Say to a Photographer...

NUMBER FIVE:
"Hey, could you do this photograph for our event/fundraiser/brochure/etc. for free? It would be excellent advertising for you...word of mouth advertising is the best, you know!"

If you are brand new (or fairly new) to doing Photography for Income, be on the look out for this one. Many people and/or companies actively look for new photographers for jobs. They then play to the newbee's lack of experience: "Hey, you need to get the word out...this will be great for your business!"

And the new photographer thinks, "Yeah, maybe he's right!" and does the job free. Big mistake. There are three basic problems with this move:

Number one, often you will not get the photo credit--too late to do anything about it.

Number two, very few people pay attention to who provided what in the program. They don't take them home and use them as a resource guide.

Number Three, think about this: most JayCee events are sausage fests. By that I mean it's all men. Who is the number one buyer of portraits and wedding photography? It sure as hell isn't a member of the JayCees. His wife is a different matter. So if the request is by the Opera Society, and you want to do a little networking with that crowd, it might be worth it.

You cannot eat photo credits. It is OK to do a job for a cause you believe in. But if the greater Slobsville JayCees come to you and pitch you on the fact they will list you in their program and give you a photo credit, I'd tell them "Thanks but no thanks" UNLESS you really feel this job would give you valuable experience that you do not already have.

If someone asks you to donate a portrait for a fundraiser, do so ONLY if the following is agreed to by the group:

1) You are the ONLY photographer in the auction;
2) A member of the group reads a short bio that you have written, then tells the crowd what the item is that is being auctioned and the value, and then introduces you; and
3) YOU do the auctioning of the portrait.

You want VISIBILTY! You want people to know who YOU are. You do not have to be a great auctioneer. This isn't a farm auction, it is a charity auction. Two other things:

1) Don't auction an 8x10, you cheap bastard! I see this all the time and it makes my teeth grind. Give a 20x24 on canvas. They'll buy the gift sizes--be smart about it for Bozo's sake!

2) Dress up! For the love of Mike, don't go in t-shirt and jeans. Wear a suit. If the affair is black tie, rent a tux. Women: this event is perfect for that little black dress that's hanging in the closet that you always complain you never get to wear.

Sometimes you see women wearing a man's tux to an event. Here's a tip: don't! 8 out of 10 women end up looking like a dyke, and I've heard men AND women in the audience make comments to same.  Sorry, it's the truth. Understand, I'm not slamming homosexuals in any way, shape or form. If this is for a fundraiser for gay and lesbian rights, go for it. Otherwise forget it, unless you look like - and are built like - Carmen Electra, Megan Fox or Halle Berry.

I think three fourths of the population thinks photographers and artists are "funny" to begin with, and there's no reason to add to their perception. I would never suggest that a person hide their true self. If you can't be true to yourself, how can you be true to your customers or your craft?

If you are gay, then you have to pay special attention to your appearance. It may not be fair, but it is a fact of doing business in mainstream America today. This means no wallets in the back pocket of bib overalls for women and men, please...no feather boas. Keep the swishy look for your Friday nights at The Manhole, okay?

Bottom line: you can dress anyway you want to in your business...as long as you are willing to accept the consequences.

To recap: Make it a rule to make donations ONLY if it lets you increase your visibility in a physical way (such as being in attendance at the event). After all, this is Photography for Income. Til next time!

#4 of Ten Things You Should NEVER Say to a Photographer...

NUMBER FOUR:

"Is this all you do? You don't have a real job?"

This will ordinarily been said to you by either:
A) a relative, or
B) some schlub that makes half the money you make

I had a guy tending bar at a wedding ask me what I did during the week. I told him the truth: "I take pictures."

"No sh*t! Really? Well you probably don't make much money playing around with a camera."

Okay, I took it for as long as I could, and figured this douchebag was not going to be a customer of mine. I asked him, "Hey, what are you driving?" He was driving a 10 year old beater.

"Well. I drive a Cadillac Seville. A new one. Not leased. How much do you make a year?"

He replied, "I have my regular job, then I tend bar at parties like this nights and weekends. I make thirty grand a year buddy!"

I told him, "Wow, that's pretty good. I made that much, too...IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER! So to answer your question, yeah, I make that much money playing around with a camera...dumb ass!"

When the dude told me, "You're full of horsesh*t," the guy helping him tend bar - who was actually a customer of mine - told him, "Hey, this guy is the best in town. He has three studios. He makes more money by mistake than you make on purpose, so I'd shut my mouth if I were you."

The guy kept shooting off his mouth, making comments that I was "stealing my pay," and the like. Remember Steve's number one rule of life: "There are far more horses' asses than there are horses!"

Now if you are not making a ton of money as a photographer, that's okay. There are different levels of everything. I made good money for me, but I didn't get close to what guys like Gary Jentoft or the late Monte Zucker made. So it's all relative.

That being said, don't ever apologize for earning money from your photography. You have a skill, you should get paid for it. After all, it is Photography for Income! Til next time!

#3 of Ten Things You Should NEVER Say to a Photographer...

Wow, it's August already...didn't the kids just get out of school last week? Well, it seems like it anyway. Here's hoping all of you high school senior shooters have had a great season -- and with the economy coming back, great orders as well. After all, it's all about Photography for Income!

NUMBER THREE:

"Wow, your work has really improved...you've gotten a LOT better since the last time I saw your photographs!"

Now ordinarily, this is not an affront if it is said IN PRIVATE by one pro to another, or one amateur to another, or from a pro to an amateur or semi-pro. However...

This was said to me by an AMATEUR photographer as he stood in the reception room of my department store studio...AND THERE WERE CUSTOMERS THERE! This sawed off little snit shall remain nameless (but his initials are R*my R*squill*).

What did I say? I croaked out a, "Gee, thank you very much!" while my wife held me by the arms to keep from choking him to death on the spot. Hey, it gets better...

While he was there he overheard me talking to a part time photographer who had stopped doing weddings and was selling a Hasselblad camera. This fine Filipino "friend" promptly left my studio and called the photographer, offering him $100 more than the price we had settled on.

I'm long over it now, but for a period of several days, I plotted his grisly murder. Just kidding [kind of].

This is not limited to photographers. I had a woman who wanted my retouching business. She came into the same studio, stood in the same reception room (no, not on the same day) and criticised the retouching on one of my portrait samples...IN FRONT OF CUSTOMERS! This work was done by an artist who was in high demand and had won many awards for her competition entries. To make matters worse, this retoucher was distantly related to me! At least she did apologize and I gave her some work for a few years.

A word to all of you clueless wannabees out there: if you are not a professional photographer, you really have no place critiquing one ESPECIALLY IN PUBLIC! If you DO feel the urge, have the person standing next to you reach over and squeeze your ballsack as hard as they can as a reminder to keep your comments to yourself.

In most cases it is like a Kindergarten teacher critiquing a university professor.

I know it's hot but keep your cool, dear shooters. Remember, it's Photography for Income! See ya real soon! Why? BECAUSE WE LIKE YA! Check back in a week or so for #4.

# 2 of Ten Things You Should NEVER Say to a Photographer...

Well, we're back with another installment of Ten Things You Should NEVER Say to a Photographer.

NUMBER TWO:
"Hey, what's your best price on a 20x24...I know you can't be serious asking $400!"

If you do Photography for Income for any period of time, you will hear this regularly. My normal reply to this was, "I'm sorry, you're in the wrong place...the garage sale is the next street over!" Then I would look at the person and smile broadly. Most would get a little chagrined, then laugh it off.

On a very RARE occasion, you would get the dipstick that would say, "Come on, really, what can I buy this for? I mean, nobody pays that price, it's outrageous--it's not worth that!"

My reply was respectful: "Sir, the price is not only fair, it is very reasonable. It must be, because I have people who enter my studio every single day and pay that price willingly. They pay that because it is a photograph of their family, which to them, at least, is priceless. So I am going to respectfully disagree. I feel your family is worth every nickle of that and more. I'm pretty sure you feel the same way, too [PAUSE]...right?"

Then I didn't say a thing. If the guy was there with his wife, she normally turned to him and said, "Yes, dear...you DO think our family is worth that, DON'T YOU?" This was usually accompanied by a look that could freeze Hell in an instant. The guy would normally mumble something and say, "Why yes, of course I do." Then a check was written.

Please take note, especially you new comers to Photography for Income: I never argue with the customer. Nothing is to be gained by arguing. "A mind changed against its will is a mind that remains unchanged still" I think the quote goes. Simply state your case and be quiet.

I want to take a moment and give a plug for a Kindle book available now. I used to do craft shows and thought maybe in my retirement in 50 or 60 years I would like to do that again.I recently read "How to Turn Your Crafts Into Cash - Fire Your Boss and do What You Love. Written by Peter Draggon, it was loaded with great information! It was fun to read, too.

You do not need to own a Kindle to read a Kindle Book: Amazon has a free PC Reader you can download.  Pick it up here for the giveaway price of $2.99: http://tinyurl.com/peo96zg

That's it for this time on Photography for Income. Check back soon!

Canon New Repair Policy Worrisome?

Sorry to be so long between posts: I have a 4½ year old granddaughter who is affectionately known as "The Princess." And The Princess insisted on having a special room just for her at Grandma's castle. She said, "The next time I come here, I want it to be done, I want it to be pink, and I want it to be perfect!" So Papa was busy constructing The Princess' domain.

To all of my xBox friends, I PROMISE MrPicture will back on soon to help to kill the bad guys and talk smack to our opponents! Anyway, back to Photography for Income:

At the PhotoPlus Expo held at the Javitz Center in NYC, the Teamsters distributed leaflets and held banners protesting Canon's new repair policy. In the past, photographers in NYC could drop their cameras at local repair shops and often get same day or next day turnaround. But that is over: Canon now has customers ship their equipment to out of state facilities. And that can lead to long wait times.

In contrast, Nikon retains its 20 authorized repair shops across the US...including NYC.

Now to be sure, Teamsters Local 210 is upset because this move hurts its members, who are the repairmen. It is destroying local, skilled repair techs' jobs. To add insult to injury, Canon provides a much higher standard of customer service. The Teamsters have employed numbers of photographers to demand that Canon rescind this policy and restore access to independent authorized local repair service.

Here's the thing: if you are doing Photography for Income, this should not be a concern. Why? Because if you don't have at LEAST two bodies and at LEAST two lenses and at LEAST two flash units, you shouldn't be doing Photography for Income.

By not investing in your business, you put your customer at risk, AND your reputation at risk. A good reputation takes a long time to create...and just one bad experience to destroy. Make sure you are doing it the right way.

As always, your comments are welcome.

Jenny Januszewski: Actress turned Headshot Specialist...and More!

I have known Jenny Januszewski—and her parents—for over 20 years. Jenny has been in films and performed on the stage as an actor, and has been a model.

It seems all people blessed with creative talent possess a kind of “wanderlust” when it comes to creativity. Jenny branched out into film and photography. I thought her story may be relevant to many of my readers, so I asked her if I could interview her via email, and she agreed. The content of that interview follows:

Tell us a little bit about your background (when/where born, school, family, education, career, interests, etc.):

I was born in Vietnam and raised on a farm in Michigan by my awesome parents, Nick and Jane Januszewski. Eventually, I attended high school at Lumen Christi in Jackson, MI, where I took my first formal photography and darkroom classes. After that, I went on to Chicago to work on the stage and in front of the camera---I worked as a model and actress. Now, I’ve combined all of my experiences to pursue the career track I’m currently on. I direct films. My current feature film is in post production and is called The Boogeyman. It’s based upon a short story by Stephen King. Website is www.TheBoogeymanFilm.com . I also am working as a headshot photographer, taking photos of actors. My website for that is www.KickAssHeadshots.com .

When did you develop an interest in photography?

I’ve always been into visual arts and expressing myself through them. But photography came into play when I realized the darkroom was a really fun place to escape during lunchtime. I was a shy geek without friends in school. [Ha! I have a hard time believing that!] So, the option was to either sit in the lunchroom alone or to play in the darkroom. Photography was the obvious winner.

What gave you the idea to get started in what you are doing currently?

Every photographer has their own “gift.” Mine is to make people comfortable and help them bring out the emotion they wish to share in the photograph. I don’t think of my headshot sessions simply as photography sessions. Its very much “headshot therapy.” Film and TV actors are often fearful of a still camera because they can’t move out of an unflattering look or a state of vulnerability that they may find uncomfortable. I’m good at easing that and so, I decided to focus on working with actors doing headshots.

Do you have partners, assistants, etc. or are you strictly a woman show?

Sometimes I have an assistant. But usually, it’s just the actor and me. I find people are more their true selves when they don’t have a ton of people staring at them. However, in June, I have 15 clients scheduled in two days. I’ll need to bring my assistant for that one.

What kind of investment did it take for you to get started?

I started with a Canon 5D (not the Mark II) and an 85mm 1.2 USM lens. If you include that along with the software to edit and store photos as well as blank DVDs, etc. you’re looking at a startup cost of around $9-$11k. You can EASILY start for much less. If you’re not competing in LA, Chicago or NYC, you can get away with something like a refurbished Canon Rebel or even a refurbished Canon 7D.

What do you use in the way of equipment?

Camera Body/bodies (brand/model): Canon 5D. I chose the 5D rather than the 7D because of the format. It was about $3k. However, this one is now discontinued. Now, it would be the Mark II that people would get.

Lens/Lenses: Canon 85mm f1.2 USM (About $2,049 plus tax and insurance)

Electronic Flash Make/Model - how many (if used): Sunshine is my flashbulb

Background(s) used (were these purchased or made yourself?): I like to just shoot people out and about in alleys, doorways, etc.

Other Items: Bags, various filters, extra memory cards, extra battery and battery charger, card readers, reflectors, clips, DVDs, marketing materials, etc.

What equipment would you like to have that you do not currently own?

I would absolutely love a big lighting package that I could use for both photography and filming. I’d also like more lenses.

How do you package and sell your service?

I offer actors a headshot session for about $400-$500. It includes 4-5 looks (e.g. changes of clothing); a DVD of their images un-retouched; and an online link to their session so they can mark their favorites and forward the lists to their agents or manager. If they’re a student, I often do packages at a lower cost if they can get a few friends to shoot the same day. For the LA/NYC market, my price is on the very low end.

Who owns the Copyright?

If I take their photo, they can do what they want with it after they pay for the session. We equally own the rights to use the photos. I’ve even gone online to read an article about an actor and saw that they used a photo I took. That was pretty cool.

How do you develop new poses, lighting, etc.?

Honestly, I just play it by ear and see how each person works best.

How do you market and advertise your service?

I used to list in photography books and make fliers to leave at various audition houses. But now, I just go by word of mouth. Most of my clients are friends of friends or friends of past clients. I do have a website: www.KickAssHeadshots.com for my photography and www.JennyJanuszewski.com for my film directing.

Do you do any photography OTHER than headshots?

Yes, I am a film director

Do you use any companies to help market your business (web design, Constant Contact email marketing, etc.)?

 Nope

Do you have a goal or target ($$ earned, multiple locations, etc.)?

My monetary goal is just to pay my bills and make enough to help support my film directing. It’s always nice to have about 5 clients a month. But the market is driven by what’s going on in the film/TV world and what part of the season it is. So, some months are dry and others, it’s pouring actors and actresses.

What problems or challenges—if any--have you encountered along the way (difficulties; equipment problems; discrimination based on gender, race, occupation, body type; finances; etc.)?

The economy really hit the actors hard. A lot of them lost their day jobs and just don’t have the funds for new photos. Plus, everyone with a digital camera thinks they’re a professional photographer now. The market gets saturated. But it’s not that easy. I own a pair of ballet shoes----I suck at dancing. Photography is for everyone but not everyone is a professional photographer.

Is this something others could do with a little effort, or do you feel you were uniquely positioned to do?

If you work hard at anything, you can make goals and reach them. However, to really stand out and give your client something in a way very few can, it’s something you are born with. Some people are born with an ability to play baseball like no other; for some, it’s math; for others, it’s areas of the arts. I don’t think this should ever discourage someone from pursing it if they are interested. However, the average person isn’t going to go out there, buy a camera, and have their work mistaken for Ansel Adams’.

What advice would you give to people who wish to pursue a similar endeavor?

I’d tell them to be patient and realize that working for yourself is harder than working for someone else; that they need to be realistic as to their goals and abilities---is this meant to be a profession or a hobby?; and to try shadowing another photographer or assist them for a few days. I handed my camera to an assistant once and they couldn’t deal with taking photos for more than 10 minutes. Just the physical stamina of staring at details through one eye in the sunlight is something some people have to work up to.

Could readers contact you for further information and/or advice?

Sure. My work email is WLDFilms@gmail.com

Are Weddings a Good Place to Earn an Income from Photography?

It seems the number one jumping off point for people to earn money is wedding photography. There are many reasons for this:

• People are still getting married; 
• There are many budgets from low to extravagant; 
• For some reason, photography is where people feel they can shave the budget. 

When it comes to a wedding, here is how it normally works: the engagement is announced and the champagne flows. The happy bride and her mom then set out to plan this event. It used to be called a once-in-a-lifetime event, but now it is more commonly referred to as a “starter marriage.” A budget is sketched out and given the okay by dad.

First, bride and mom go to find a dress. They find a gorgeous gown. It costs a little more money than the budget allowed for. Mom goes to dad and says, “I know we had $1200 allowed for the dress, but John, you just have to see your daughter in this dress…she is stunning. It’s only $1800 more than we planned for!” Mom shows dad the pix from her camera phone and he agrees…she is a vision. He wants his princess to be happy, and hey—it’s not like you do this every 72 days (unless your daughter is Kim Kardashian—and if she is, I weep for you)!

Next it’s on to the flowers. “Oh honey, I know we thought we could do the flowers for $2000, but we found the most beautiful centerpieces for the reception tables, and her bouquet was a little higher than we planned, but it will be so beautiful—only $6000 for everything—and they are giving us a complimentary bouquet to toss!” And dad agrees it’s not like she’s going to do this again in 72 days, so why not?

Now, this scene repeats itself with the invitation, the food, the reception hall, favors, music, etc. So when it comes time to hire a photographer—normally the last thing the typical bride takes care of--if the budget was $1200 and mom comes back and reports it is going to be $2000, dad goes ballistic. “No, absolutely not, there is no [expletive deleted] way! You girls went over budget on every single item. You need to pump the brakes--I am putting my foot down here!”

As a photographer, this is the reality that you are faced with: a majority of brides are much more concerned with the perception of friends and family than they are concerned with keeping—and reliving--the memories of the day. This is tricky: do you sell the bride on your price, or do you sell her on your abilities?

90% of the photographers who start out photographing weddings do so by cutting the price of established pros. This is not a good idea. Number one: you immediately alienate the working pros, and you may need them on your side in the future. Number two: you make it very difficult to increase your price where it needs to be down the road. So think long term: how do you want to be perceived in the future—the cheap photographer or the good photographer?

Next, do you have family support? Understand that weddings typically take place on Fridays and Saturdays (Jewish ceremonies will normally be Sundays). Will your spouse or significant other be okay with that? How about the kids’ sporting events or dance recitals—how many of those will you miss? How many evenings a week will you have to meet with prospects? How much of a financial expenditure will you have to make to market your services and get you equipment up to what is needed?

How are your skills? No, really. I don’t mean your mom thinks you are great and your instructor at the adult ed center says you are his most promising student…I mean are you really good?

Do you have the business knowledge that lets you know how to price your work in order to show a profit? You can’t believe the people who have told me, “The only cost I have is the CD I give to the bride. I charge $200, I am making $199.50 on every job!”

Yeah, right…

You have your time, your equipment, your knowledge. Do you clean your suit after every wedding (I sure hope so—they get gamey after 6-8 hours at a wedding in July). Do you advertise, or will you count on ESP to advertise your services. The person in the example above told me he averaged 2 hours meeting with the couple and 8 hours at the wedding. After figuring his overhead (conservatively about 35% if working from home) he most likely actually earned $60. A big whopping $6 per hour! Doesn’t look that good to me.

Finally, can you handle the pressure? Weddings are a fast paced and high pressure situation. The bride doesn’t want to hear that an important image was missed because of something outside your control…she just wants the picture, and that’s why she hired YOU instead of any clown with a camera. I have known photographers who had 20 years experience (or more) who confided to me, “You know, Steve, I hate to admit it but I still get nervous before a wedding!” Me? Nope. You do it for 35 years, it’s another day at the office. But I was doing photography every day…it is a completely different thing if you just do it one day a week and maybe just 2 days a month!

When you get your new phone book, look and see how many people who were advertising wedding photography last year are still in the book this year. The wedding photography business is a business of thirds:

• 1/3 of the people are just getting in to the business;
• 1/3 of the people are getting out of the business;
• 1/3 are there to stay.

Weddings can be a place where you can earn a fair income from photograph…just be sure you know what it really takes to do so. If you have a comment, by all means, send it to me! 

Til next time, may all your exposures be perfect!