I sent a note to a friend in the printing industry recently, asking about a quote for some business cards. He wrote back and noted “Be sure to tell me what you really want vs. just what you think you can afford.”
That line struck a chord with me as being very relevant to the photography industry as well. Photographers aren’t usually cheap (at least not the good ones), and when a client approaches us about some work they might only share part of their wishes because they’re afraid of how much the fees might be for the photoshoot, prints, or licensing that they really want. I often have a prospective ask about potential fees even before I’ve found out any real details of what they want.
Find out what the client really wants. Even if it’s something extravagant, work with them to come to an agreement that will provide the most value for their dollar while still offering reasonable compensation to the photographer. By listening to the client you’ll find out their wants. Often there are multiple ways to provide a solution that meets their wants but might be less complicated than originally envisioned. Don’t let pricing or fees be an initial limiting point in the conversation; why shut out potential options without exploration?
Last week I had a great time doing a commercial shoot for CubeSpace, a Portland business that offers areas for coworking, meetings, and events. The owners were looking for some new photos of their space both highlighting the facility as well as photos of people doing business. We ended up with a great set of photos; here are a few of my favorites:
Collaboration
Cubes
Eva and David (owners)Having professional photos that accurately depict one’s space is essential for materials such as brochures, flyers, and the web. Interested in a commercial photoshoot for your business? contact me and we can work out a custom arrangement to meet your needs.
I’m occasionally unpopular amongst certain photography circles because of my view on mass “prosumer” photography, Flickr, and the changing (disappearing) market for traditional stock photography. Earlier this week I got a bit of a flame in response to a blog comment, but that comment spurred me to think a bit about the situation and make some comparisons with another industry which has changed in recent years: software development.
In the last ten years or so, software companies have discovered that they can employ overseas contractors (often in India) for a fraction of the price of a U.S.-based employee. Positions which might have traditionally been filled with a high-cost employee at a Silicon Valley headquarters were subsequently offered to an offshore shop, either a third party or one specifically managed by the company. Lower costs of living and other factors contributed to a lower overall cost for the company in terms of salary and benefits.
The overseas movement in the software industry hasn’t been perfect. Many companies shifted operations offshore, only to then reign in some of that business back to the U.S. as they sought a balance in the workforce that provided the best bang for the buck.
What has that meant for the role of software developers in the United States? It means that some of the lower- and mid-level jobs have gone overseas. As offshore employees have gained the skills to create the same results at a lower cost, developers in the U.S. must adapt their skillset to remain viable. Those who keep up to date on current technologies and provide high-level design and architecture services have no problem with career growth, while those who remain stagnant or only focus on routine menial tasks risk that their job might be outsourced.
As the photography market changes, photographers are in a similar situation. Some of the “old standby” markets (such as stock photography) are going away or being replaced by new models. Buyers looking for a few stock photos can now use services such as Flickr to find material; that material might be available under Creative Commons licensing or they may contact the photographer directly. I’ve made several image sales to folks who discovered my work on Flickr and then licensed the image for commercial use.
Photographers need to adapt. The fact that an activity was once a viable way to make money does not mean that same activity will always be a money-maker. With the rise in availability of decent images available to the masses, professional photographers will need to distinguish themselves in quality, consistency, and value-added products above and beyond the traditional photo sale in order to set themselves apart from the new generation of image producers.
