What are your thoughts

[ricktas]

There are also a lot of 'photographers' on FB who campaign for likes. ie "Like my page and if I reach 1000 likes, I will be giving away a free print from any of my photos, tell all your friends to like me too!". People are using a social networking (viral marketing?) website as a business networking one.

For good quality professional photographers, facebook can offer a great marketing tool to get new clients, if used well. After all people on FB announce their engagements etc on the site. There is a market there. Just yesterday I was sent a wedding invitation..via facebook. No more high quality printed invitations= money saved to spend more on a quality wedding photographer (no not me), I am going as a guest.

But over-supply, especially at the cheap end of the market, often by photographers who do not have the skills to really be calling themselves photographers, is going to see none of them become profitable businesses. They use FB cause it is FREE. Unlike putting an ad on radio, in the local paper etc.

Just cause you have lots of 'likes' doesn't mean you are a good photographer.

Re prints and digital files:

Depends on the skill of the person buying the photos. I would happily take digital files and edit them myself (I would want the RAW files).

Someone with a teenage kid doing graphics design etc at school. "Oh mum, can you just get the files, I am learning about processing photos at school and I could do em". Could be an influence on the client.

'but the photos are for use on our website only, we don't need prints'

There are untold reasons why one person wants files and another wants prints. Neither are wrong or right, and I think any photographer who does not listen to the client and have a pricing plan for both options, is selling themselves short, and losing business. Why limit your business, when your clients want something that you can deliver?

[peterb666]

These days with digital photo frames so common it would seem strange to turn your nose up at supplying files on CD or DVD. Many people now only share via email so supplying reduced size images for sending or printing to 6x4 is a good strategy. You can keep higher res images for extra value work including high quality printing. You can get a good 6x4 print from a 2mp print (even if the "ex-sperts" tell you otherwise).

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

[arthurking83]

These days with digital photo frames so common .....

LOL!

That's what I got my mum for Christmas last year

Just so much easier now for me to load her images onto this device and for her to view them like this ... the finger prints wipe off easily enough

The frame's ability to display images is woeful, but for someone like my mum who doesn't understand the concept of quality prints .. it's perfect.

[NikonNellie]

I have JUST started a little side business with my photography. I don't want it to become too large as I have a steady job that I really love. So far I have had six jobs and I have presented all those clients with a CD of 50 images. I offer to have prints done through a lab as well as offering the CD option but they have all opted for the CD. I present the CD's with a nicely designed label and cover featuring one or two of the images and the family/child's name on the cover and label. I advise the clients that I own the copyright of the images and that they are not to be used on FaceBook without my permission and I get them to sign a form stating that fact. I always include some low res images with my logo on them for FB in their CD package. I advise the clients that if they want good quality prints to use a professional lab and not to use Harvey Norman etc, as the quality of the inks and papers isn't as good and they might experience fading with their prints.
I charge $250 for the session, processing and the CD.....I know I am probably too cheap at the moment but I am just starting out and I want to gradually build it up and then charge a more appropriate fee. I haven't had any complaints yet!
The CD thing really works for me as I can have the labels printed at the school I work. It is much more convenient for me to do it this way rather than sending away for prints. I always advise clients that I am only an amateur photographer at this stage but I always try and be as professional as I can when dealing with them.
I have opened a FB business page but I only have 10 likes so far ......I am so not into the FB thing but I could see that it is a very strong marketing tool, so I decided to have one, along with a webpage and a blog.

[Scotty72]

There's a meeting on Sat?

As for business success being solely based on profit: what a sad statement.

We are seeing this slash and burn mentality all too often in Aus business.

Social dividend?

[Scotty72]

Oh,

Danielle, if I like your photo - thing, will I get mega-spammed?

[Redgum]

Interesting. I would say success in BUSINESS is about how much money you make. Success in photography as a professional not necessarily so. Did Ansel Adams end up with a heap of money? Annie Leibovitz is very successful, but went bankrupt. I think success can be assessed in many ways, not just monetary.

I suppose it's a bit OT but from that statement we can assume Ansel and Annie were successful but not professional?
My remark was in the context that people visiting this particular forum (photography business) would like to turn professional and make money. As many have said, worrying about Facebook "likes" is of little consequence and not a yardstick for good business or good photography.

[CHardy]

Did you know that you can rent likers on facebook? Much like the old "rent -a- crowd" . I suspect that some of the people on facebook utilize this form of promotion.

[Kym]

Annie made millions - literally! and due to very poor business management skills (and probably personal financial management) blew the lot.
So, as with any business, you must get the basics right.

[photomike666]

The long and short of this, is that it terrible easy to get a reasonable picture these days.

A reasonably cheap camera can focus well, expose well and give high quality images. Post processing is easy and anyone can create something that looks 'good' to the general public.

When cameras used film, and could not decide when to shoot based on focus and smile photography was left to those skilled.

Now, really good photography is based on creativity, understanding composition and light control. Professional photography has lost some of the bread & butter jobs and so less people can make a true living from the art. However, those with a good eye and the ability to 'capture the moment' will shine out above the mire.

[Danielle10]

Oh,

Danielle, if I like your photo - thing, will I get mega-spammed?

Lol not much!
Just kidding

[Longshots]

Umm I deliver the majority of my work to my clients on cd or dvd - so does this make me a bad photographer ?

[ricktas]

With all the rumours of FB going public, and that business pages etc, might end up being a subscription service(ie pay for your business page on FB), it will be interesting to see how many of these photography 'businesses' suddenly disappear from FB if they have to pay to advertise on the site.

Interesting times ahead for FB and how it is being used.

[William W]

Umm I deliver the majority of my work to my clients on cd or dvd - so does this make me a bad photographer ?

It depends: do you post it or hand deliver?

[William W]

Interesting times ahead for FB and how it is being used.

Remember Geocites, Myspace, Blogger etc . . .
Remember 8Track, Cassettes, minidisc . . .

Both are an evolution – the difference being is that many “business people” who jump into the marketing for “free” don’t realize that for “free” there is actually a cost.

And that similar cost, will eventually (soon) be realized.
The same as if they bought a truckload of 8Track players, just because they are now, cheap.

WW

[Dan Cripps]

Annie Leibovitz is very successful, but went bankrupt.

That says more about her success at financial management. Annie made PLENTY of money through photography. She just didn't know how to deal with it.

[Aussie Battler]

Business - any business - is tough, have no illusions.

There are plenty of people out there who are very successful both money wise and from the personal satisfaction they gain from what they do and ain't famous. Fame don't equal dollars or happiness.

I'm with Redgum - "Show me the money".

[ricktas]

That says more about her success at financial management. Annie made PLENTY of money through photography. She just didn't know how to deal with it.

Agree, but the point was that success should not be judged on financials alone, as my reply you quoted was a response to another post "Success in photography (as a professional) is judged by the amount of money you make."

[srowlandson]

I read on facebook over and over again about "photographers" aka mum has a a dslr now and is a professional family/baby photographer... Sorry lol
Having a special on at the moment.
Eg: $90 for up to 50 digitally enhanced images on a disc to print at your leisure.

I personally hate the idea of burning a disc and giving it to a client mainly because if they have photos printed at Harvey Norman or big w etc the print quality is absolutely terrible. I would not like my name associated with poor prints.

I would prefer to give prints that i have printed at a pro lab than a disc burnt at home- its just tacky

What do u think
Ps sorry if I have rubbed anyone up the wrong way, just my pet hate

Let's be honest, someone paying $90 for 50 images isn't really interested in high quality prints. They probably want the images to whack em on Facebook and possibly get a print done at HN.

I think this day and age, more and more people are not interested in prints. I think, like film, the days of prints are numbered.

You need to 'sell' the benefits of prints and photo books, the fact you can still view them in 50 years vs digital files that can be simply lost and become obsolete.

Most people can't justify the cost... They prefer the cheap show that look 'good' to them to show their friends and family on Facebook.

[Danielle10]

Umm I deliver the majority of my work to my clients on cd or dvd - so does this make me a bad photographer ?

Not at all, I know that your work is fantastic. The point I'm making is there is one lady I kind of know through a friend (who i originally posted about) the images are really bad and some of them just tasteless.
Some are blurry (sorry most)
Kind of makes me think well of she can do it why can't I? I'm more into live bands anyway, but feel I couldn't charge someone as I'm not a professional... Maybe I will start to offer photo shoots and charge people. I just don't feel I'm that great at it. Oh well, u never know what people want do you?