Wow, there is some awesome information flying around here. The thoughts of many of you are right on. Not to say the others are democrats, just not as right.
I have to tell all of you that you should read Ed Shapiro's post. Ed is so right you cannot believe it. Raising a family and supporting employees is what the goal of your studio should be if you want to be a PRO.
Those of you who are out there arguing with my thoughts should pay attention. This is not about making a little extra money. If you were charging $4 per print and selling a hundred prints per month for $400, imagine selling the same hundred prints and making $2,000. Now that is a little extra income.
Just because you work out of your home doesn't mean you should go broke giving away photography. If you feel good when someone spends $10 on an 8x10 you sold them, imagine how you will feel selling the same 8x10 for $100.
Now that is a Rocky Mountain High, not the brokeback low.
I have made comments below each person I am responding to. One person I didn't quote here is Waple and Waple said " You have to realize that not all photos are put online to be sold at a profit, and not everyone is claiming to be a pro." Well Waple I have to disagree with you. If you are putting photos up online with pricing attached, and your website says "Alliz Dog Studio" or "Professional Photographer" then you are claiming to be a Professional Photographer. An amateur photographer doesn't have a website named "STUDIO". Read Waple's post. I will respond to it later.
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Originally Posted by ladyphotog
I couldn't agree more. There are plenty of people that still believe that you get what you pay for. My customers expect the best and will pay for it. All of you should have your customers thinking that way.
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Amen! You know what I am talking about. Have some Karma! Nice to hear from you!
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Originally Posted by brian.austin
All right already. We get the point. Yelling the same thing 10 times in a row doesn't mean we missed it the first 9 times or that it's 10 times more likely to happen.
Just a note on the $1,500 transparency vs giving away digital files: do you really think someone willing to pay $1,500 for a slide is going to look at the work of a giveway as the same level of photography? I really think you're talking about two different levels of client here. The person looking for a free giveway isn't even in your $1,500/slide market, imo. In other words, that person was never going to be your customer to begin with.
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Brian,
I love ya buddy. You have some of the best posts around.
I am not yelling the same things 10 times in a row. I am yelling it a 1,000 times or a million times because some people still don't get it. BTW I am not the only one yelling it. I am seeing people like Ed, Jimmyz and ladyphotog, who really know what it is about. It is great to talk about but doing it for 25 years or 50 years like Ed, that is what it is about.
About the $1500 giveaway. Yep, same thing. It started a couple of years ago and none of the Pros would giveaway their wedding files. Now every couple calls and wants the digital files included in $300.00 weddings. They don't know a damned thing about printing them or saving them or what to do with them, but they know they want them. NO WAY! People giving the stuff away has started a land slide and we have to slow it down. If we say no problem it is just this one time we are sadly mistaken.
If you want to be proud of what you are doing step up and be a pro!
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Originally Posted by 00silvergt
Wow, you can almost separate the full time pro's from the part-timers, just by their comments. my worthless entry:
Since we are focused on pricing and not really nitpicking quality, let's look at this example:
The Picture People. Free sitting fees. Prints are $18 for 1 8 x 10 or 2 5 X 7 or 8 wallets. So total cost of getting little Johnny's picture is $18 + tax. ( The Picture People - Products: Sizes & Prices)
How do you compete with that? If you do as Rodeoshooter says, (No offense, bud, you know, I got nutin' but love for you homie, not brokeback mountain love though  ) you will have one customer per year, one that didn't know to go to the mall.
(some cut by Rodeoshooter). |
00silvergt,
Great job of noticing who is saying what.
Have some Karma.
I offer a special on Tuesdays for children. $75 for the session and some prints. Only on Tuesdays and only for children under 12. People come in for it and comment on how nice it is not to be rushed like the malls. I spoke to my lab and they give me a break on the Terrific Tuesdays. These same clients will come back for Family and Seniors. When there is something special, my name is out front. Price is only one aspect of what we are dealing with and sometime in the future we will talk about the rest.
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Originally Posted by 00silvergt
I also see it this way, before the Dot Gones, I was contracted on the side doing computer consulting since I was 11 years old. When I reached 18-19, I started to raise my pricing from ~7-8 an hour to ~20-30 an hour. Before the Geek squads, etc. I was charging $350 an hour for any client that needed my assistance, at my pinnacle, right before the bust.
However, I still charge $350 an hour, but I only have a few selected clients, ones that I've earned their trust, etc. and understand exactly what they are paying for. Not some kid who thinks they know what to do and sit there and guess all day on their computers or worst; mess it up.
If someone needed my assistance, I quote them my price and then I tell them to look at what the Geek Squad can do for them. If the Geek Squad can not help them, then come call me.
So I guess this applies here as well. If you are confident and have a strong client base, ones that won't dare go to a cheap studio, e.g. the Picture People, then by all means charge what your heart allows and what your client is willing to pay. However, you have to resign to the fact that unless you tailor your pricing to the audience, you will not gain the volume. (Cut to conserve space by Rodeoshooter)
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You are right. I had a wedding client who happens to be my friend's daughter, email me from San Jose. She said she had spoken with a photographer here who was really good but was expensive. She asked if I would send her some prices for weddings. I sent the price list via email and she responded that my price list with a Twenty Two Thousand wedding package was a lot more expensive than the other photographer.
I emailed back and told her I had never heard of the wedding photographer she was talking about, but that I wasn't surprised about the $20,000.00 difference in our top packages. I then told her I was busy on the day she wanted to get married and that she would have to look else where.
I am sure I will be going fishing somewhere that day!
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Originally Posted by Ed Shapiro
What I am going to write is not gonna be liked by a lot of people around here but I’m gonna write it anyway. If it helps one or two folks who are aspiring to a career in professional photography I will be pleased.
I have made my living as a professional photographer for the past 50 years- we (my lovely wife and I) have fed, sheltered, raised and educated our children, provide ourselves and our kids with a decent lifestyle, drove safe and decent cars, helped and participated in our community and had a lot of fun along with a lot of long days and hard work.
(Center removed please read Ed's full statement)
Like all successful businesses you have to consider uniqueness, inventiveness, public relations and advertising efforts, presentation, marketing strategies and continual change and improvement. All of this must be reflected in your prices.
Ed
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Ed,
Sir, I liked what you said a couple of days ago on another thread. I am a big fan of yours'. You have made so many eloquent and TRUE statements here. I am over whelmed with the quantity and profoundness of your comments. I cannot add to your statements other than to say, I am PROUD to be a member of the same Profession as you.
God Bless you Ed. I would be honored to call you a friend anytime!