Go ahead, all you photographers, freelancers and self employed creative types: watch this video and laugh. Then, you have my permission to cry.
It’s great that someone actually took the time to make this video. I applaud them, although I have no idea how the any of the actors kept a straight face while making it. It’s totally over the top and yet it rings so true. It’s also a bit cathartic to watch because it reminds us that we’re not alone. We hear this stuff from our clients and customers all the time. Unfortunately, there’s an element of artistic and creative work that will always be treated this way by some people in the business world.
Will we ever be able to completely change this perception and get treated with the respect that we deserve? I doubt it. However, though continued education, carefully worded contracts, effective negotiation before a job, and through the advice, advocacy and information that is provided by organizations like ASMP, we can at least arm ourselves with the right counter arguments to these kinds of statements.
Of course, not every client is like this. Some gladly pay for services rendered and don’t grumble, haggle or try to split hairs or nickel and dime their way through the entire negotiating process. If you have clients like that, reward them. Work extra hard for them. Shower them with affection and presents and consider writing them into your will, because those are the clients that you never want to lose. They’re worth more than gold. No, platinum.
For help dealing with the not-so-easy clients, make sure you read our posts on pricing photography that I and some of the other contributors write about here on The Photoletariat.
In the meantime, I’d love to hear some of the “best’ ones” that you’ve heard. Post them in the comment section below. It will be like therapy.
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Senior contributor Dan Bailey is a professional adventure, outdoor and travel photographer based in Anchorage, Alaska.
Controlling household or “practical” lighting within a scene is something we deal with all the time in the film industry.
To really set a scene appropriately, a cinematographer needs to be able to use light like a paintbrush. That’s why you need dimmer switches, which are the subject of this week’s Quick Take. [click to continue…]
When should you start charging for your photography? I say right now.
Let’s say you’re an amateur photographer who can take pretty good photos, or someone who is just on the verge of starting a freelance photography business. You’re not quite as good as the pros who have advanced skills and expensive equipment (yet), but you’re good enough that you get positive comments from friends, family and co-workers.
Most of the time when we hear the word outsourcing, we immediately think bad thoughts. In our current collective vocabulary, outsourcing usually equates to big companies who ship jobs overseas in order to find cheap labor. You know, things that are good for the bottom line but that harm our overall economy.
We don’t often equate outsourcing to anything that’s relevant to our photography, but the truth is that if you do it right, outsourcing can help you be a more efficient photographer and run a more successful business.
In the context of running a photo business, don’t think of outsourcing so much in the context of labor costs, instead think of it as a way to let go some of your daily, weekly and monthly tasks by passing them on to people and businesses who can do them for you. It’s not about money, it’s about time. OK, so in the end, it is about money, since time is money.
Get out your little idea notebook or boot up the brainstorming app on your iPad and think of some of the tasks you can let go. Believe me, I know that it’s not always easy to let that stuff away from us. We often want to be in control of the whole entity and personally oversee every single aspect of our business. Does that make us control freaks? Maybe, but that’s a discussion for another blog. Being in control of the entire business mechanism can make us inefficient. [click to continue…]
So you’ve been shooting for a few years. You’re on your second or third camera body by now, and you’ve acquired a handful of lenses, as well as a flash or two. Or three.
You’ve watched your skills and techniques improve to the point where you think that your work is equally as good as, or better than much of the work that you see published out in the world.
You lay awake at night wondering whether it would be a smart move to try and go pro, and what that would look like if you did.
As much energy as you might spend thinking about whether you want to try and take your photography to the next level, it pales in comparison to what this actually requires. Creating a successful photography business is a long term process that will continuously require a great deal of creativity, mental energy, and incredible perseverance.
Like any self employed venture, building a career as a freelance photographer requires a huge amount of risk, sacrifice, an open sense of adventure, a rock solid belief in yourself and, more than anything, the dedication to stick with it, even when it seems that you’re stumbling along and not getting ahead. [click to continue…]
There’s no question that photography is a very expensive profession to get tangled up in, especially when you’re just starting out and you have to make all those big capital investments. With that in mind, here are six ways that you can save money so that you don’t drive your freelance photo business into the ditch before it even gets off the ground.
1. Buy used camera gear: There’s always been a good market for used photo gear, but ever since the Great Recession, or whatever they call it, tons of great equipment has found its way onto eBay and Craigslist. Picking up a used version of the lens or camera body you want can save you hundreds of dollars. With today’s high tech bodies, I’d probably go for used lenses over cameras these days, but don’t rule out the option if you’re on a tight budget. Check out the B&H Photo and Video used equipment department for some potentially big savings.
Senior contributor Dan Bailey is a professional adventure, outdoor and travel photographer based in Anchorage, Alaska.
