Deep or Wide?

[by Charles Gupton]

The primary business of every business – be it banking, plumbing, restaurant or photography – is the work of acquiring and retaining customers. No buyers, no sales, no business.

To that end, most business owners use the strategy of casting their nets in more directions in an attempt to draw in practically anyone who can fog a mirror as a potential customer. The idea is that the broader the foundation on which one builds, the more likely the business will withstand destructive economic winds.

Diversity of client base can be healthy. If you’ve ever had all your business eggs in one or two industry baskets and experienced the fallout from their decline, you’re wise to broaden your customer base to some degree. But there’s a difference in having a variety of clients to serve and chasing after too many people. The difference comes in driving the significant relationships deeper rather than adding more names onto your contact list.

As you have probably heard numerous times, all things being relatively equal, people do business with those they know, like and trust. When business owners cast out in too many directions for too many people, they not only don’t get to know their potential clients, those people have no reason to get to know what is distinctive about the business approaching them. It requires time to get to know someone, much less develop a like and trust of that person.

Although it may not seem intuitive, driving fewer relationships deeper rather than having a multitude that live on the surface is a far better long term strategy for business growth.

TEGWAR anyone?

[by Sean Kernan]

Remember this game? It stands for The Exciting Game Without Any Rules, and it’s a card game that is played by a number of sharps and one patsy.

The way it works is that a few basic poker-like rules are put out and the game starts. At some point the patsy thinks he has won a hand. But then it is explained to him that there is actually an exception to the rule by which he thinks he won.

So if he comes up with two pair and goes to claim the pot, it is pointed out that if three of the cards are black and one is red, then the two-colored pair doesn’t count and it also negates the other pair. That kind of thing.

The fun—if you think that tormenting innocents is fun—lies in the making up of increasingly baroque rules and watching the growing confusion of the patsy player. The most successful outcome is when the patsy never gets what is happening. The worst would be if they did get it and went postal.

You get the idea, Now tell me, doesn’t this feel like some of the projects we do for clients? I’ve certainly had jobs in which I feel I’m being gamed in this way. But when it happens, none of the other players are actually in on it. In fact, they are as confused as I am but they don’t want to admit it.

So it becomes a special skill to get people to be definitive, to fix their positions—for them as well as for you—and to collate all the different and often conflicting agendas and put something out there that everyone can sign off on.

It can feel like you’re in a special corner of hell when this happens, but really it is part of the job. And by being the one with feet on the ground, you serve your clients by just getting them clear enough to get work done. You can’t bill for it, but the clarity you bring to a situation can be one of the reasons that people come back to you.

You Probably Didn’t Know, but …

[by Jim Cavanaugh]

I can’t tell you how many of my photographs I have seen used without a license or permission from me. When I find one or more of my images infringed I take immediate action. My first step is to contact the company or person in writing. I lightheartedly call this letter “You probably didn’t know, but”.

The tone of the letter is professional and frank, not stern or threatening. If someone liked my image enough to use it, they may be a potential new client. While I intend to be paid, I don’t want to promote unwarranted conflict.

I let them know that I am the owner of the copyrighted images, that the copyrights are registered with the United States Copyright Office and that they have been used by them without permission. I enclose a copy of the infringed work. I also state that I am giving them the benefit of the doubt and understand they may have not known that they needed to get permission and pay a fee to use my image.

Along with the letter, I enclose an invoice for the use or uses I have discovered. I tell them that I will grant them a “retroactive license’ upon payment of the fee that they would have paid had they contacted me for a license. However, I also clearly state that they must pay the invoice within 10 days and also disclose any and all other uses of my images they may have made. I caution them that if they fail to pay, or fail to disclose other uses I discover later, then I will consider the infringement “willful” and seek full damages allowed under the United States Copyright Act.

In almost every case, this professional, frank approach has brought quick settlement, and in some cases, new clients.

Creative Convergence: What is it? And what does it mean to your business?

[by Carolyn Potts]

When the FCC debates are over and we figure out how to fund universal access to broadband, and it becomes as common as phone access, the demand for digital content will increase exponentially. There will be more media being consumed on more devices than we have now (or can yet imagine).

Content convergence necessitates collaboration with more creative staffers as well as more content suppliers. Production meetings have to occur far
earlier on the ad production calendar to effectively plan for assets displaying on platforms that weren’t even around last year.

Digital design departments, print production, broadcast, and interactive gaming strategists are all now sitting around the same conference room
table when planning a campaign execution.

Historically, when there was a huge TV production-especially if there was a celebrity with limited availability- a still photographer was brought on to shoot for the print campaign during the same TV spot production. The business model of “double dipping” to save production dollars has been around for a while-but with two separate crews shooting. Now “double-dipping” has to extend to multiple platforms-not just TV and print. Art directors who understand the tech nuances of all media are the ones whose jobs are safe.  So, too, are the smart photographers who embrace multiple platforms; they’ll be in the best position to work with those new-era art directors during this image-making evolution.

As technology gets better and cheaper, only those with the best command of the dual-purpose equipment will be on the agency’s preferred vendors list.  It makes no economic sense to a client not to use one resource to tell their brand story if it’s economically and creatively feasible. If there’s an image-maker (or team) who can deliver the media assets that will reproduce well in both print and multimedia.. why wouldn’t they prefer them?

Right now, at major ad agencies it’s still the broadcast production departments that control motion projects. Art buyers and creative directors with extensive print experience, source their favorite photographer when there’s a print component that needs to be covered during a big film production. They look for someone who can play well with others and not get in the way of the bigger-dollar film shoot.

On smaller projects, such as web projects,  the print department is not currently in the position to tell broadcast to use a photographer for those elements of the ad campaign; broadcast currently pulls those assets from the TV shoot to give to interactive department. It’s more of a courtesy for the production company to provide those assets.

But as technology gets faster and cheaper and the economy remains anemic, economic forces will cause new departments and job responsibilities within ad agencies to form. At some major agencies art buyers are already called producers.  A production undertaking that now seems impossible to produce (due to the high cost of equipment and necessary technical know-how), will eventually be able to be feasibly produced by thousands of suppliers. Consider what happened to retouching…anyone reading this remember SciTex?

When that time comes, it will only be the depth and breadth of your creative solutions; the strength of your business relationships; and your ability to collaborate, that will get you on the agency short list of image makers called on to produce their client’s brand story.

New Technology = New Opportunity

[by Rosh Sillars]

Using new technology, photographers can test drive and implement new business models. One such way is the selling stock or print images directly to buyers without meeting in person, the assistance of agents or agencies.

Sites such as PhotoShelter offer great image display options and delivery systems that make it easy for Web site visitors to purchase your photography. You can set up a private gallery that gives buyers the opportunity to purchase prints and products based on their schedule.  A custom stock library of photographs can be created for your clients to download as needed.

If you want an e-commerce solution, but don’t want customers to leave your site, Fotomoto is a good option. Visitors can view your images on your Web site or blog and  purchase them without leaving the page. All you need to do is install a little bit of code or a plug-in to make your site capable of handling sales transactions.

Imagine placing a simple QR bar code next to your beautiful photographs on display in a coffee shop. (Create a QR code at qrcode.kaywa.com.) Customers in the coffee shop, who have smart phones and are interested in your photograph, can take a picture of the bar code using a special phone application that displays  the purchase information on their phone screen.  Purchase information  may include a Web site address that might offer one of the above options for instant purchase of the image.

I’m not suggesting that the above technologies are right for everyone. New technology develops at a fast pace; I recommend you use your imagination and plan out a new business model that would work best for you and your customers.  You might be surprised at what is possible.

Ideas are Welcome

[by Leslie Burns]

The business, as if you didn’t know, is changing and that means that your business model needs to change as well. This is true for all sorts of creative-based businesses so at least photographers can know they are not alone. The impact of the shifting technologies has, in a very, very short period of time, rendered “traditional” business models in some ways quite defunct.

Now there are uses we could never have dreamed of 10 years ago, and more being invented every day. The good news is that many of these new uses are much more trackable and, thus, calculable… at least in theory.

Photographers’ clients, especially in advertising and design, are going through the same upheaval. They don’t know how to price their own services these days! I recently contacted some very old friends who are now in management positions in the advertising and interactive design industries. I asked them how their companies were billing clients now. They said that the days of marking up media and outsourced services like photography were gone, that the cost consultants were killers for them as well as their vendors, and that what they are replacing their old models with, well, they’re trying all sorts of everything… and seeing what sticks. They’re taking risks by taking less up-front but getting cuts of the sales, or they negotiate bonuses for when consumers interact with the media at a certain level (that’s the tracking thing I mentioned earlier)… they’re looking for solutions.

In other words, your clients are in the same boat as you. They are trying to balance the demands of their clients (and, often, their own shareholders) to keep costs down and to give more for less. At the same time, they need to make a profit and provide high quality products/services.

I think this means opportunity. Now is the time for photographers (and illustrators and freelance copywriters, etc.) to collaborate with their clients to find equitable pricing systems that can evolve with the technology. Maybe it means taking risks with your clients, as partners, like by billing less up-front and agreeing to a percentage, like my friends mentioned. Maybe it means evolving some sort of price per end-user interaction– although again that will mean getting paid over time. I don’t have answers… no one does. But we’re smart, let’s come up with possibilities.

Collaborating

[by Gail Mooney]

I talk to a lot of photographers these days when giving seminars on video. One thing I’ve been hearing a lot lately is that many photographers are collaborating with other creatives to expand their businesses and offer their clients more services.

Certainly one area still photographers are collaborating is in video production. Some have partnered with sound mixers, some with editors and some have set up production companies, positioning themselves as producers or directors and collaborating with all of the above.

Video production is all about collaboration because of the different roles and skill sets involved – camera operator, sound mixer, editor and scriptwriter. Coming from a still photography background, when I started shooting video, I set up a new business model as well. I was accustomed to owning my work as well as making all the creative decisions so I knew that I would need to position myself on the top rung of the ladder – as a video producer – if I wanted to maintain ownership and creative control. I also knew I either needed to learn new skills or collaborate with others that already had them – or both.

Still photographers by nature are extremely independent creatures and many times want to control everything – to a fault. The photographers that I have met recently who are thriving are the ones who have built new business models. They have built business models based on collaboration. One still shooter I spoke with not only has partnered with a professional videographer but has also started a photographic consortium made up of photographers who had served in the military. He targets clients who may benefit by hiring shooters with a military background.

Stop and think about the people you know right now who you can network with. Instead of being fearful of your competition – collaborate with the ones who may bring different strengths to your business and turn it into a win-win-win for you, your partners and your clients.

It’s Not You – It’s the Economy

[by Judy Herrmann]

This past January, my studio celebrated our 21st business anniversary.  In that time our business has survived 4 recessions and soot damage that destroyed literally everything we owned.  With all that history, all those experiences, I can honestly say that in 21 years of working as a full-time self-employed photographer, this last one has been the hardest.

As I travel around the country talking to photographers, I meet so many brilliantly creative business people and artists who are struggling like they’ve never struggled before.  Even as it breaks my heart to see so many people hurting, I believe we can all take some comfort in the fact that we’re not alone.  It’s not you. It’s not your work. It’s not your failing. It’s not your fault.

This is no ordinary recession – like it or not, we’re living through a game-changer.  In previous recessions, as one door closed, other doors opened.  New doors are still opening but they aren’t where they used to be.  To find them, we have to look farther and keep a more open mind.

It’s time to focus on creating value – to broaden your skill set and seek creatively satisfying work in areas with greater market demand and less competition. Explore new technologies, join with others to cut costs and expand offerings, figure out what your clients believe their problems are and find ways to help them solve them.

Your Computer: A low paid, yet highly productive assistant

[by Jay Kinghorn]

What if you could pay your best assistant $1.87 per hour to process your images for you? Consider this: A fully loaded, new MacPro with a stunning Eizo monitor, pro-rated over the three-year life of the equipment costs you less than two bucks an hour.

It is tempting to save money by delaying the purchase of a new computer, monitor or software upgrade. However, in the long run, the productivity costs of waiting for files to process or making an extra round of prints because the color isn’t right, far exceeds the cost of having the right equipment.

Once you have the right equipment, the next step is putting it to work for you. What steps in your workflow can be automated using Photoshop Actions or presets in Lightroom or Aperture? I’ll bet there are more than you think. Automating even small steps makes you more efficient, minimizes errors and allows you to focus on the creative areas of your image processing. Do the skin tones look right? Does the light need to be warmer? These are the questions you should be asking.

The repetitive, mind-numbing tasks like resizing images for a client; that’s work for your electronic assistant.

Learn to Edit

[by Gail Mooney]

Even if you hire a professional editor to bring polish to your video. Editing your own material makes you a better shooter. You quickly realize what you should have shot.

Beyond the Routine Back Up

[by Judy Herrmann]

Everyone reading this blog should already be backing up their data regularly.  If not, or if you’re not sure how to set that up, check out dpBestflow’s section on back ups.

An equally valuable CYA habit is to create a bootable back up drive.  Bootable back ups include a pristine copy of your OS and applications.  If your OS gets corrupted or your primary hard drive fails, you can boot off the back up drive, keep working and deal with the problematic drive at your convenience.  You can even boot someone else’s computer off your drive and keep working with minimal downtime.

You can purchase a “bootable external drive” which comes with its own cloning software or create your own.  For the DIY route, you’ll need cloning software – Super Duper!  and Carbon Copy Cloner for the Mac or Acronis TrueImage for PCs – and the right kind of drive.  Power PC based Macs require a Firewire drive with an Oxford-based Firewire Bridge set – Oxford compatible chipsets won’t work.  OWC, WiebeTech, Lacie and Maxtor Firewire drives should be a safe choice.  Intel Based Macs can boot off Firewire or USB 2.  Windows machines require USB 2.

At a minimum, put your OS and key applications onto your bootable clone.  This will let you boot up your computer and keep working.  Depending on your computer’s requirements, you may be able to use a thumb drive, iPod or even your cell phone’s memory card.  This approach is particularly useful for location photographers who don’t want to lug any extra weight around.

For extra safety, create a bootable mirror or shadow drive that includes a complete clone of everything on your primary hard drive – your OS, applications, personal settings, actions, presets, font library, etc.  You can even include any current projects that you’d want immediate access to if your hard drive failed.

Most computers from 2007 to present can boot off an external drive with no problems.  If your computer is circa 2006 or earlier, check to make sure that the BIOS (basic input/output system: the firmware that initializes system devices and launches the OS) is capable of pointing to an external drive.  If not, you may be able to upgrade the firmware to a version that supports an external boot.

Use Metadata Templates to Add Bulk Metadata

[by Peter Krogh]

It’s important to tag your images with copyright and contact information, as well as information about the subject matter of the photos. The best way to do that is to use metadata templates when you first download the photos. Learn about how to make and use metadata templates at dpBestflow.org.

Making Copyright Part of Your Workflow

[by Jim Cavanaugh]

Photographers often cite one of the barriers to regular copyright registration is assembling the submission of images. In the old film days, it was a significant challenge to get physical copies of all your work in an acceptable form for registration.

In today’s digital world it is much easier to assemble a registration, especially if you’re taking advantage of the Copyright Office’s electronic registration or eCO. All that is required for the majority of submissions is a small j-peg copy of each image you would like to register.

Creating these j-peg images as part of your regular assignment workflow will make timely registration much easier. Most Image processing software’s common automation features can be used on large numbers of RAW files or other formats to create the smaller j-peg files.

Here is what I do. On each assignment, I create a web gallery for my clients to review using Adobe Bridge CS4. This web gallery is created from the edited raw files that have had global color and exposure corrections made. Once the gallery is created, I simply copy the j-peg files from the web gallery folder (Resourcses-Images-Large) into my copyright registration folder. At the end of each month, I register all of the images in the copyright folder.

A special note, creating the flash based web galleries in Bridge CS4 deletes all metadata from the j-peg files. I have a copyright registration metadata template with my contact and copyright information that I apply to all of the images.

The Four “R”s of Pricing Photography

[by Richard Kelly]

The Four “R”s of Pricing Photography are Relationships, Rates, Rights and Reputation. One of the most valued benefits to my ASMP membership is the relationship I have with my fellow photographers. Not just the chapter meetings or the membership list serves, but real one on one relationships with my peers. I mostly interact with photographers in other markets who do similar work for similar sized clients. The ability to bounce ideas about project proposals and price has proved extremely valuable.

When you are entering an unfamiliar market it is important that you engage fellow ASMP members and other knowledgeable professionals working in that market to introduce you to their customs. It might be a good idea to assemble a business plan for this new market. Traditionally business plans are used to raise capital or get a loan. But they are useful for this exercise as well. For instance, if you are interested in architectural photography, what are the deliverables the client is expecting? What rights do they typically license and what is the range of rates that have historically been paid? Who are your target clients and who is your competition?

When it comes to licensing your copyrights for client projects it is important to research the most common licenses for the market you are working in. There are  major differences between pricing for commercial advertising, editorial and retail uses and even within those areas each photography specialty has unique rights requirements. Another important attribute is that you probably will be working in one of the many micro economies around the United States. Each of these has it’s own pricing factors to consider, which is another reminder that one size does not fit all.

Finally, We want to think that we are all created equal. But photography is a field built around marketing mythologies, unique artistic vision and professional reputation. I don’t have to tell you that there is a big difference between Richard Avedon and Richard Kelly. Especially when it comes to price.

Create a plan, learn the market, and build confidence in your abilities and most important build relationships with your marketing targets, your clients and your fellow ASMP member photographers. There is so much more to photography than pixels on a screen or ink reflecting light on paper.

ASMP Membership has its privileges.

One Project and Three Interpretations

[by Paul Bartholomew]

We deal with all kinds of potential clients and some give more information than others when it comes to projects they have in mind. We have the highly organized person who provides layouts, usage, digital specs and all sorts of very helpful information.  Then we have the person who calls and asks for your fees without giving much info at all.

Most of my experiences tend to be somewhat in between the two situations and I have noticed some interesting things based on what is provided and what I had to ask for. But what about the other photographers involved with the estimate?  What kind of questions are they asking and are they being told the same details?  Maybe, but don’t count on it.  The possibility of three photographers sending an estimate for the same project and coming up with different interpretations isn’t uncommon. We may actually be sending estimates for three different projects.

What can we do to minimize these situations and help ensure everyone in the process is getting the same specs?  Communication.  Ask about the other photographers involved and see what they may have asked about.  Be honest and say that you wish to provide an estimate based on the same information provided to others.  It’s only reasonable to ask such a question.  I’m an architectural photographer so I ask for a shot list, details about special features, usage and snapshots.  I also ask for a copy of the plans and any descriptions or presentation materials they may have about the project.  I’m also sure to check out the client’s website to see the level of work they commissioned in the past.  Learn about the client’s work and their marketing needs and direction.  The more you can gather the better off you will be, but try your best to get the same info as your competition.  We can’t assume.

Once the estimate/bid is sent be sure to follow-up and see what the situation is.  You still have room to negotiate and make adjustments if needed.  If the client likes your work they will try to make the project happen.  Being active and asking questions can only help the situation and show your professionalism.

As a Fine Artist You are Only Selling the Print

[by Thomas Werner]

Whether selling editioned or uneditioned prints at a gallery, store, or as an individual it is important to remember that when you set the price for your work you are only setting the price for an individual print. Mounting, matting, framing, laminating, shipping, or other expenses should be charged accordingly. This may seem like common sense, but we become so excited about selling our prints that “Sure I’ll put a mat on that for your” or “Sure I can mount that, no problem” slips out without our ever asking for additional funds or explaining the additional cost. This is bad business at best, and at worst undermines the value of your work.

So when someone asks you how much it costs to purchase your artwork, remember to quote them a price for an individual print, and to quote an additional amount for each additional request. Other businesses do it, and you should as well. Your art is a personal expression, but the sale of it is business and if you want to gain respect and turn your art into a revenue stream, it should be treated that way.

Recession-proof Pricing

[by Judy Herrmann]

This recession has hit photographers harder than any that I’ve lived through previously and many are working for lower fees than they’d ever consider accepting before.

Past experience has taught me that quoting lower fees during a recession makes it very difficult to bring those fees back to normal when the crisis ends.  Instead, look for ways to streamline costs or scale back the project to meet client budget requirements.

Non-monetary compensation can be an avenue worth exploring providing the client has something to offer that you really need.  Make sure any trades are based on exchanging equal value – you need to receive tangible benefit, not just promises.
If you feel you have no choice but to reduce your creative fee, don’t just quote a lower price.  Instead, communicate the full value of your fee, verbally and in your estimates and invoices, then extend a courtesy discount to bring the total where it needs to be.  The discount becomes an act of generosity – the tangible expression of your understanding that we’re all in this mess together – rather than a new definition of what your work is truly worth.

Get Powerful Info for Pricing Jobs

[by Blake Discher]

When a new potential client calls on the telephone, one of the first things I do is look up the caller’s website.

What I’m looking for are two things:  their level of design sophistication and how they’re currently using photography.  These two bits of information can give valuable clues to what sort of budget he or she might have for photography.

Lack of pleasing design and imagery might be a good indicator that I am talking with someone who has likely not historically spent money for higher end professional design or art.  It might mean they’re used to working with budgets that are small or doing the work in-house.

Ideally, the client’s website makes good use of color, makes use of an attractive font, and it’s navigation is intuitive.  It will also look as if it was created specifically for them instead of being made from a template.

Most of all, I’m trying to determine to what extent they use excellent photography.  Does it look as though they’ve done a lot of it in house using a point-and-shoot with no lighting?  Does it look professional? Do they credit the photographer?

This analysis takes just seconds and can be done during the initial part of the conversation.  If it appears they haven’t worked with a photographer of your skills, you’ll know you have to spend a lot of time talking about the value you bring to the project.  Put another way, you’ll need to convince them that you’re the correct person for the job and worth the money.

Remember, if you focus the conversation of price, the price will likely go down.  Instead, focus the conversation on value, what you can offer that everyone else cannot, the price will likely go up.

Good luck!

Social Media: Relax…

[by Thomas Werner]

Much has been made of social media and it’s importance in terms of building your market and creating greater visibility for yourself and your business. While I agree social media has become essential to a well-rounded marketing a program, I find the emphasis many have placed on this topic a little extreme.

While giving lectures I often hear people say they have been told to spend one hour a day on social media. That is an extraordinary amount of time to devote to what should become a consistent but casual interaction in which relationships are developed over the course of time. If you spend a couple of hours a week reaching out, creating new connections, and letting people know what you are doing via Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, you should find your network slowly growing and the benefits to yourself and your business growing as well.

Leave the five or seven hour a week to those who want to become online  “experts” in this field. Get out, create images, have lunch with an old client, find new ways to partner with an expanded network of creatives in your city.  Develop your marketing plan and relax when it comes to social media; grow your social network in a manner that you are comfortable with and your “friends” and “contacts” will be comfortable as well.

Successful Marketing is Not About You, It’s About Them

[by Rosh Sillars]

The truth is your prospects really don’t care about your great photographs, your excellent service, or how long you have been in business.

They want your photography to make them look good. They want to  experience your excellent service. They want to see what exciting images you can create for them now.

Everything you do is marketing. Every element that involves the client has a marketing aspect to it: when you answer the phone, when you show your images, and when you deliver the final product. Let others talk  about your great service. Your photography assignments need to revolve around a great customer experience that makes each one feel like the center of their universe. hero.

When advertising your work, make sure it shows your audience what you can do for them. Design your Web site with clients’ needs in mind, not your own greatness.

Only a select few can get away with playing the role of the aloof, narcissistic or eccentric photographer.  There are too many choices in the market place. This might be hard to swallow for some photographers. If you are going to make a living in an over-supplied industry, you must be able to deliver more than a pretty picture.  Working with you must be an experience that focuses on them.

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