Q&A with A&J!!!
We're going to have a Q&A over the weekend and we thought we'd offer up a few topics.When I mentor photographers through SMS, we talk about schedules A LOT. We spend time figuring out how to give them a life back. So I always think SCHEDULES is a great topic.
Another thing that comes up is what I ask clients at CONSULTATIONS.
So what do you need help with???
Let the Q&A begin - any thing you want to know just ask!
We'll keep this going until Sunday night!
Talk to me :)
Allison
I'm working on a budget right now and I would be interested in what other photographers budget for and how much (percentage of their expected income). I know not every situation is going to be the same, but just something for me to gage myself on. Like right now I know my rent and utilities is going to have to be budgeted at 30% of my income. But what about advertising, marketing, office supplies, new equipment. Would be interesting to see if anyone has the answer to this.
Hi Allison! What I need help with is learning how to communicate more about posing with my clients during a session. They seem to want more direction than I am giving at this time, and I would love to know what methods you use to help your clients feel that they are "doing it right". Some people just pose naturally, but some really want that direction... P.S. I'm a H.S. Senior Photographer :)
Jenni - you're first :)
I see you are a PPA member and thank goodness because ALL of your answers are on their site.
You'll find a detail PDF on the Benchmark results that tells you exactly what %'s should be on everything from General Expenses to Owner's Compensation.
Login and go here:
http://www.ppa.com/articles/295/Benchmark-Reports-Report-of-Findings-Detailed-Tables.php
You are so smart to be thinking about this. Many studios undercut the competition by charging less when in all actuality they are PAYING their clients to buy their work because they don't really understand the full costs of running a business. Once they are in this type of situation, it's really really hard to get out of it. So awesome work on planning a budget.
The Benchmark Survey and the PPA Business Handbook are like the "golden tools" and should be referenced when making decisions. Such a great benefit of PPA membership. You'll find both here:
http://www.ppa.com/benchmark/
Have you ever attended an SMS Workshop? If not, we highly recommend it . We did this in 2006 and it changed our business. Here is a link for that as well.
http://www.ppa.com/studio-management-services/
Let me know if this answers any of your questions and if you have more!
Thanks for asking Jenni!!!
Allison
Hey Kristin!
Ok - this is what I do:
I watch them before I ever pick up my camera.
I take notice of what they are doing when they are most comfortable, and I remind them of that. And then I make them copy me - I show them what looks good and what doesn't on my body even if it's a guy.
HS girls always want to place their hands on their hips in the wrong place. They do it too low and cut the length of their legs in half! But it's what they "think" they are supposed to do.
Keep the conversation going when you are shooting so you never let them have a moment of "uncomfortable - what do I do now."
FOR ME: I try not to make them do anything they wouldn't do in real life. At least that's my style. There are many successful photographers that pose a lot harder than I do - but that's just not my shooting style. You'll never see an image of a girl with her hands over her head. It's a little too sexual for a 17 year old - AGAIN - this is just my opinion not the HAVE TO - it's just the set of rules I go by for me.
I'm trying to make sure I create images that my kids and their parents love so here in the south there has to be a happy medium.
Keep your eyes in magazines that teenagers look at as well as more the norm catalogs or stores. JCREW, Gap, not Abercrombie - bc their models don't have anything on most of the time. General magazines like Real Simple, Martha Stewart - think about it - they all have portrait work in them.
Come to a session with a group of poses in mind before it even starts. Take into account the body type of your subject and work out ideas before hand.
Let me know if this makes you have more specific questions! I'll be happy to answer them :)
Thanks Kristin!!!
Allison
Where are the important questions:
What is Jeff REALLY like?
What does Jeff like for breakfast?
Is 3 really the magic number?
Did Jeff really jump over the hood of a car?
I heard Jeff actually saw Elvis in concert when he was 6!
Will there be another Superman movie?
What is Lyncanthropy? And can I get it from kissing?
Why does Lois Lane not realize Clark is Superman? Glasses are really that good a disguise??
What kind of hair product does Jeff use?
You left that one off!! :-)
Do you have a set amount of images that you plan on capturing during a session or does it depend on the session and how well it is going? Senior, family, child, mainly.
Also, after your session is complete, what information do you provide to your client at that time, either verbal or written? If you provide a portrait contract, what do you include in it?
Thank you Allison, all great ideas! :) Especially love keeping in mind what I wouldn't do myself! That is a very good point :)
Thank you again so much; I'm going to print this and keep it for future reference!
Here are some questions for those of you starting out on the road of self employment:
~ Do you have a business license?
~ Are you paying Sales Tax?
~ Do you have a business liability insurance policy in place?
~ Did you create a separate business checking account and using it for business?
~ What software are you going to use to track expenses, cost of sale, orders, etc.?
~ Who designed your logo? Does it reflect what you
~ Did you create a blog?
~ Are you planning on using twitter / facebook?
~ Did you buy the right equipment?
~ Do you have legal rights to play that song on your site?
~ How much debt are you willing to take on?
~ Did you create a budget? Estimated income?
~ How long are you willing to stick with it, before giving up?
~ Are you ready for not having a steady income?
~ Does your email have the same URL as your websites URL?
~ Does the name of your business REALLY reflect what you want to shoot?
~ How do you plan to sale your work?
~ If you are running a home based studio are you zoned for that?
~ What is your marketing plan?
~ What is your 1, 2, 5, 10 year plan?
Just some things to ruminate on.
Thanks Allison! I feel a bit silly now, because I had read a couple pages of the report the other day but didn't read any further. Thanks for pointing out there was more to it! Exactly what I needed. I think a SMS workshop might be in my future.
Totally HONEST answers:
Here are some questions for those of you starting out on the road of self employment:
~ Do you have a business license? I have an LLC, does that count as a license?
~ Are you paying Sales Tax? Yes! After I heard what you said when you were "Live with Dane" at IUSA I immediately got on that!
~ Do you have a business liability insurance policy in place? Not yet
~ Did you create a separate business checking account and using it for business? Yes :)
~ What software are you going to use to track expenses, cost of sale, orders, etc.? I expect to purchase Kevin Kubota's new software at WPPI.
~ Who designed your logo? Does it reflect what you Me, and I think it does, but I'm not sure it's trendy enough for my specialty.
~ Did you create a blog? Working on it... :-/
~ Are you planning on using twitter / facebook? Yes, very successful with the Facebook!
~ Did you buy the right equipment? Yep :)
~ Do you have legal rights to play that song on your site? Probably not...
~ How much debt are you willing to take on? Uh, not much, I try to break even.
~ Did you create a budget? Estimated income? No
~ How long are you willing to stick with it, before giving up? At least 5 years...
~ Are you ready for not having a steady income? Already been there ;)
~ Does your email have the same URL as your websites URL? Yep :)
~ Does the name of your business REALLY reflect what you want to shoot? No
~ How do you plan to sale your work? Word of mouth, fabulous images and great customer relations.
~ If you are running a home based studio are you zoned for that? n/a
~ What is your marketing plan? Google, Facebook, word of mouth, local Orthodontist office and other small businesses putting my name out there
~ What is your 1, 2, 5, 10 year plan? Don't have one yet!
Whew, there- I confessed! I feel much better now. :)
I have a meeting with SMS Monday, but maybe you can give me some insight on my situation. I run a higher end retail studio currently, but the owner is just that, an owner and knows nothing and shows no intertest in photography! (our software is either broken or out dated by atleast 4 years) Its really slow around here, not doing so well. I feel really under paid and held back here. I do have my own freelance company "ChiTownFoto" that gets more & more attention everyday. I have confidence that I could do very well on my own, but I also have no studio space of my own. My apartment is a bit too small and not in the location where my clients would be. Do you suggest taking out a loan? I know its said that starting in debt is not smart, but I feel I have no choice. Ill never be able to save enough money on the salary I make. Also I know its said to build a steady client base up, which I have to a point and I know people from the retail studio will definately follow me. Its just frustrating to me cause I know I can be happier on my own and make more money I just don't want to jump into the water till I know I can swim and maintain it! Any advice or direction would be greatly appreciated.
Hey Patrick,
So sorry I missed this. How did the meeting go? Was if for the current business you work for? Or for Chi-town? My first advice is not to take out a loan. My next advice is be very careful and make sure you do NOT burn bridges when you leave - that is just not a great way to start a business.
It's also a conflict of interest for you to be running a business underneath the studio you currently work for. Does the owner know you are doing this?
My advice would be to leave your job with a notice.
Get a part time job so you have the bills covered and build your photography business. You can't go on the mentality of "build it (take out a loan) and they will come" that's just not the smart way to start a business. I don't know what SMS told you, but I'd bet they told you not to leave. And I'm saying DON'T leave if you DON'T have another source of income. BUT find another source of income and then go.
Do you have your own equipment?
You can do this, you just need to make well thought out planned decisions. YOU CAN DO IT!
Please keep us posted!!!!!
A :)
HI, Thanks for the response. SMS did help a bit. My own company is ChiTownFoto, which I had prior to this studio I work at now. The owner knows and has known from the beginning that I have this other business. I do keep it separate. I have all my own equipment infact its what I use at this studio because there's very little of what is here or its outdated. Thats one of the frustrations about working here is the owner knows nothing of the photography industry nor shows any interest in it, just wants the $$$$. He's a super nice guy and I would never leave on bad terms or anything. Just wish he was more motivated in running his business. It's just they way this is going now, this will never be a long term job for me. I have so much more to offer and know I can do this on my own. SMS, pretty much said to start just offering location sessions and growing in that area until I have enough income coming in to slowly weed out my current job and go on my own. I try to incorporate marketing ideas I use for my self here at this studio, but Im always hitting brick walls with getting the owner on board which is just frustrating. However I am a stubborn trooper and never give up, I had a band that did very well for 5 years and everyone said that was impossible, so I do what I love and just am always trying to better myself from one day to the next no matter what is happening. I also know this takes time as well.
Allison,
I have loved photography for quite some time but have never sought to make it a business because of time and money constraints. My wife and I used to live in Southaven so I am familiar with your great work, but we have since moved to North Carolina, and I am looking at pursuing some other endeavors. If you were to give some simple steps, ideas or suggestions about starting a photography business, what would you say? I know this is general and very involved, so any simple advice would be appreciated. Are there any seminars you recommend? How do you start something from the ground up? How did you get clients when you started? How do you know what to charge or who to use to print your photos? I could go on and on. I'm just trying to get a general idea and decided if this is something I should even pursue. Thanks!