Business Tips and Tricks? Pretty Please??

So I need to step up my photography a notch or three. I have been doing this on the side for a while and I will be moving to Montreal very soon. Upon arrival, I would very much like to hit-the-ground-running with my photography business. Currently, I'm shooting sports and portraits mostly, but not much for money. I want to start getting more involved on the business side of photography. Are there any people with some good business experience that can give me (and the other readers) some pointers?


Currently, I shoot with a Canon 7D, EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM, EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L USM, EF 50mm f/1.4 USM, Tamron 60mm f/2 Macro, and I'm in the process of purchasing a Zeiss ZE 85mm f/1.4. I also have a 430EXII Speedlite. I'm looking at purchasing (very soon I hope) the 580EXII Speedlite in addition to my current one, and also a new main body (my 7D would become my second body). This new body I REALLY want to be full-frame... and I'm thinking the next full-frame camera to be released is what I'll buy. I don't care for the AF on the 5DMkII and the 1Ds is too expensive for me right now.


Other than gear, what sorts of things do you recommend? Below I'll list some questions, and I'd love to hear your "open talk" input, or you can simply answer with the question # and then your answer. Thanks everyone! :)


1) What are the best ways to market the business? (best meaning most effective and also least expensive... online social networking, free gigs, putting business cards everywhere, flyers etc...)


2) I'm not currently a "wedding photographer" but am thinking of taking them on, at least at the beginning, to get a jump-start and get my name out. Are there other alternatives to this and if not, and I go with wedding photography in the beginning, are there other specialized things I might need? (Epson media-card reader for storage/backup, addition speedlites and/or special diffusers, external battery packs for the 580EXII, etc...)


3) I'd love to do some high-key portraits but I don't [and won't] have a studio. Is there a good way to get some portable lights and a small backdrop (all rather portable) to be able to do this on location?


4) What are your thoughts on business groups such as BNI and Chamber of Commerce? Would other groups be more appropriate or is it a waste of time?


5) How much money should I spend upfront on new equipment, business cards, marketing, etc... Is is smart to take out a business loan with a business plan and go that route, or continue to just go with what I have and try to make it work (even if it's slower to succeed?)


6) I have the EF 50mm f/1.4 and I'm QUITE happy with it. I'm thinking, though, that the EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM would be more ideal, and I think that is what most wedding photographers use (Jasmine Star for just one example). I'm wondering if you think the image quality is really that much better on that lens, and if 1/3 of a stop is really that much faster. I've read several reviews, and also rented the 50mm f/1.2 on several occasions, and I'm not sure that there's a HUGE difference. Do you think there is enough to justify the purchase though? Any other lenses I should get to replace my current ones or just have in addition? Ideally, I'd like to have as few pieces of gear as possible, and do as much natural-light work as possible also. But I know that to some extent, that all isn't possible.


7) What are some real fun little gimmicks, niches, or clever thoughts to approaching marketing and business-networking that aren't very obvious. My companies name is FRESH Photography, and I want it to have that "airy" and sort of "freshness" to it. That's why there are flowers/plants on my portfolio page. I'm wondering if there is a nice way to use this name to my advantage.


8) Do you have thoughts on doing business in another country when I'm "supposed" to be doing so? Eventually, if we can settle down there, I would like to make my business in Canada official, but I'm feeling like for the time-being, I might have to keep it under-the-table.


ANY THOUGHTS YOU HAVE ON THESE ISSUES WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED! BELOW ARE MY WEBSITES IF YOU'RE CURIOUS, THANKS!


www.freshphotography.us


freshphotoblog.wordpress.com

Are you based in Hawaii at the moment? I've gotta say, it makes me sad to see you leave such a beautiful location haha.


I really like your portfolio, but if there's one thing my very first impression was that it was very "cluttered". There were all different types of photos all combined into one box. I'd like to see it separated into smaller categories (Weddings, Portraits, Landscape, Architecture, etc etc). This will probably fall under your 'marketing' question.


Editorial and Lifestyle portraits are my areas of interest. So when I'm rapidly looking through portfolios I like to click on 'Portraits' and have that be the only thing I see (Those looking for engagement photos probably aren't interested in insect macro shots). Having other photos I feel can be distracting and can take away from seeing your particular shooting style in each category.


But I really like all of your photos! I'm sure you'll do great in Canada! [:D]

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Originally Posted by Jordan

5) How much money should I spend upfront on new equipment, business cards, marketing, etc... Is is smart to take out a business loan with a business plan and go that route, or continue to just go with what I have and try to make it work (even if it's slower to succeed?)

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Keep in mind I am not a pro photographer. This is just myperspective with a buisness enterprise in general:


On equipment none, equipment does the work it doesn't get the job. Equipment is a need to do the work. If the work is there and you have to get a piece of equipment and it will pay for itself, then look at acquiring it. If you need specialty equipment look at renting. In my trade if I have to rent a tool for three months, I should have bought it. But thats a dollar thing, rent vs purchase vs how much you use it. But keep the overhead down.


A new adventure, I would put what I could afford in marketing and not take out any kind of loan. There are way to many ways to advertise that are free. Again, debt is overhead. You have no overhead now and that is to your advantage. If you finance equipment, you borrow money to advertise, you rent a studio its all overhead and if you don't get enough work you are feeding the overhead monster instead of making money with what little you do.


To sum up, stay away from debt if at all possible. Debt is a partner you take on that you have to feed and clothe and it produces nothing.


I am speaking just from a buisnessmans standpoint here, but I think this applies in all types of buisness. Especialy trades and services. Socialize, you would be supprised how many other photographers might be interested in someone coming and helping them out occasionaly. A little labor with someone else can go along way in spreadinggood will and building reputation.Friends and good associates push you their extra work, if they know you do good work. Of course if you do bad work even your friendsmay notrecommend you. This kind of pr will take you farther than most other types of advertising.


Thats my two cents

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jordan

Currently, I shoot with a Canon 7D, EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM, EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L USM, EF 50mm f/1.4 USM, Tamron 60mm f/2 Macro, and I'm in the process of purchasing a Zeiss ZE 85mm f/1.4. I also have a 430EXII Speedlite. I'm looking at purchasing (very soon I hope) the 580EXII Speedlite in addition to my current one, and also a new main body (my 7D would become my second body). This new body I REALLY want to be full-frame... and I'm thinking the next full-frame camera to be released is what I'll buy. I don't care for the AF on the 5DMkII and the 1Ds is too expensive for me right now.


1) What are the best ways to market the business? (best meaning most effective and also least expensive... online social networking, free gigs, putting business cards everywhere, flyers etc...)


2) I'm not currently a "wedding photographer" but am thinking of taking them on, at least at the beginning, to get a jump-start and get my name out. Are there other alternatives to this and if not, and I go with wedding photography in the beginning, are there other specialized things I might need? (Epson media-card reader for storage/backup, addition speedlites and/or special diffusers, external battery packs for the 580EXII, etc...)


3) I'd love to do some high-key portraits but I don't [and won't] have a studio. Is there a good way to get some portable lights and a small backdrop (all rather portable) to be able to do this on location?


4) What are your thoughts on business groups such as BNI and Chamber of Commerce? Would other groups be more appropriate or is it a waste of time?


5) How much money should I spend upfront on new equipment, business cards, marketing, etc... Is is smart to take out a business loan with a business plan and go that route, or continue to just go with what I have and try to make it work (even if it's slower to succeed?)


6) I have the EF 50mm f/1.4 and I'm QUITE happy with it. I'm thinking, though, that the EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM would be more ideal, and I think that is what most wedding photographers use (Jasmine Star for just one example). I'm wondering if you think the image quality is really that much better on that lens, and if 1/3 of a stop is really that much faster. I've read several reviews, and also rented the 50mm f/1.2 on several occasions, and I'm not sure that there's a HUGE difference. Do you think there is enough to justify the purchase though? Any other lenses I should get to replace my current ones or just have in addition? Ideally, I'd like to have as few pieces of gear as possible, and do as much natural-light work as possible also. But I know that to some extent, that all isn't possible.


8) Do you have thoughts on doing business in another country when I'm "supposed" to be doing so? Eventually, if we can settle down there, I would like to make my business in Canada official, but I'm feeling like for the time-being, I might have to keep it under-the-table.
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Go buy another 7D. Sell lenses if you must, but you owe it to your first client, your last client, and every single one between to have redundancy on your electronic components. It's not a question of if your camera will break, it's a question of when. Otherwise, pay no attention to the equipment you have now, unless something needs repair (in which case send it in today). If you don't know what equipment you need besides what you have, you don't need it and you shouldn't be buying it. My engagement photographer used a 50D, an 85/1.8, a 50/1.8, and I think she had a 35/2.0 in her bag; that's it. It's not about the equipment. My wedding photographer used two 5D2s, a 14/2.8, a 28-300, an Elinchrom Ranger on a Vagabond power unit, and his wife shot with a 40D and 70-200/2.8. Good equipment, but not outstanding per se. It's not about the equipment.


Don't even think of doing your business under-the-table. If your business isn't sustainable as a business, you have a flawed business plan and (in my opinion) it deserves to fail.


Don't even think of shooting weddings until you've served as a second shooter with someone else. Your clients deserve at least that, and you should hire a second shooter to help you (as well as two assistants, in my opinion) not only get shots but to have a second set of shots in case there's a problem with yours. If you're thinking you need a flash battery pack to be ready to shoot weddings, I don't think you're ready yet.


Choose a niche, one niche, go for it with all the energy you've got. If it's successful, try another niche with all that you've got, so you can diversify your work. Do not try to be all things photographic to all people, as you'll succeed for none.


Don't charge prices so low that you can't sustain your business. If you can't pay yourself at least a modest wage for the time involved, buy photographer's business insurance, operate your vehicle and your office/studio, and set some money aside for replacement gear, you aren't charging enough.


A local architecture photographer spoke at a local camera club meeting. He said he can bring home as much as $15k for a shoot. He does one thing, he does it well, and that's all he does. That's my advice to you.