Why Does Pro Photography Cost So Much?

I've posted before here, here and here about why we charge what we do, but I thought it was worth adding a section specifically about bespoke studio work. This is inspired by another blog I read. Have a read yourself here if you fancy it!

Everyone has a digital camera these days and it's getting easier and easier for anyone to produce reasonable quality photos with little or no experience. You can pop down to Max Spielman or even Tesco and get them printed for less than a quid. Or get the right website at the right time and all you pay is the postage! Which is why people are often forcing me to justify charging upwards of £15 for a single print...

It comes down to a few factors which can basically be split into 5 categories: time, equipment, premises, advertising and expertise.

Time
There is a lot of time and effort that goes into a shoot that most people don't realise...

• Booking the shoot: 15 - 30 minutes - chatting with the customer, answering questions, filling in the calendar
• Shoot preparation: 15 - 30 minutes - tidying, putting the heating on in advance, checking equipment, switching on, etc...
• The shoot itself: 1 - 2 hours
• Clearing up afterwards: 15 minutes
• Uploading photos from cards: 15 minutes
• Editing the photos and creating a slideshow for the client to view: 2 - 3 hours
• Sitting with the client to view their images: 30 minutes - 2 hours
• Finalising and ordering prints: 30 minutes - 1 hour
• Ordering handmade frames: 1 hour
• Delivering photos when required: 1 hour

OK, these are approximate times, but a single shoot can take anywhere between 6 and 11 hours to complete! And that doesn't take into account difficult customers...

Equipment
A professional photographer won't be using an iPhone. Not for taking photos anyway. They also won't be using a £250 point and click camera from Jessops.  They'll be using a dSLR which is likely to cost upwards of £1,000. They'll also have a selection of lenses costing at least £500 each. A good set of studio lights will set you back upwards of £2,500. There'll be a computer that won't be cheap and a genuine copy of Photoshop costs in excess of £700! Then there's the smaller things like background papers, props and reflectors. All of this needs servicing and/or repairing every now and again. Not to mention insurance costs...

Professionals will also not get their photos printed at Tesco! They will use pro labs which are infinitely better quality. They are also a lot more expensive...

Unfortunately, as a business owner I have to pass these costs onto you, the customer.

Premises
I may have mentioned it before but I have a studio. I think it adds an extra special something to the whole process and lets me take photos that amateurs or pros without studio space can't take. It's the style and method of photography I've chosen and it's why my clients come to me rather than anyone else. That all costs (a lot of) money though. I have rent, electricity, phone, broadband, water, business rates, and insurance to pay. And again, this has to be passed onto the customer...

Advertising
I do a lot of advertising, online and in the real world. The online stuff is mostly free but can be very time consuming. The offline advertising can be very expensive. Wedding fairs can be upwards of £100, leaflets are £50 a batch, newspaper or magazine adverts can be anywhere between £200 and £600 and networking can cost £1,000 a year! And all of this has to be done on an ongoing basis...

Expertise
This one is a little harder to quantify. I have studied, been on courses and gained years of experience. Over my time I have developed a particular style which is unique to me. I think that's something worth paying for!

And let's not forget I'm doing this for a living! Yes I enjoy it, but I still need to make a profit from what I do...

So next time you're paying for some photos and wondering why a small piece of paper costs £15, please try and bear some of this in mind.

Successful Networking

I wrote a while ago (here) about the various networking groups in the area and since then I've got myself a bit hooked! So I thought I'd give you my top tips to successful networking.

Avoid the Farmyard
Pardon???  What I mean is, try to avoid being rabbits, sheep and cockerels. You've seen the types...
- Rabbits (particularly the ones caught in headlights) will walk into a room and look terrified. They don't know anyone, don't have a lot of confidence and won't start a conversation with anyone. Not great for networking. Try not to be a rabbit but if you see one, go and introduce yourself.
- Sheep are followers. They also stick together. They'll walk into a room, spot someone they know and head straight over. That's not really broadening your horizons is it? Get out of your comfort zone and speak to someone new. Maybe a rabbit?
- Cockerels make a lot of noise. They walk into a room, pick the closest person and set their mouth to transmit. They'll tell you everything you need to know about them and a whole load of stuff you don't need to know as well. They will immediately sell sell sell. You're lucky if they ask you name let alone what you do. Do not be this person!

Listen
Always. And carefully. People can tell if you're bored so be interested in what they're saying. Don't just go in hoping to sell. Sometimes networking can be good for cheaper or better suppliers, or just good advice. So listen to what other people have to say. You might just learn something!

Stand Out from the Crowd
OK, don't just be a cockerel and be the loudest, but try to be a bit different. Be the one people remember. In some groups there can be more than one person in a particular sector. Which one will people remember? Make sure it's you. I heard a story about a web designer who turned up to a group dressed as Spider Man!  You don't have to be that extreme though.  I've managed to (quite quickly) get a reputation as 'that photographer with the flowery shirts'.  That works well on 2 levels. First, they remember I'm a photographer. And second, they remember me rather than any other photographer. Of course it does mean I always need to have a flowery shirt!

Give it Time
Networking is about building relationships. You're unlikely to find huge repeat business (or much business at all) at your first meeting. It takes a while for people to get to know you as a person, like you and trust you. It's worth the wait though. Once you have someone's trust they are much more likely to recommend you to their friends. Often without having used you themselves.

Test Trading

It's time to come clean.  I have only just become official...  For the last 6 months I have been working on a Government scheme called test trading.

I lost my job in January (under circumstances I'd love to discuss but can't...) which was a bit of a shock but also a massive relief!  I'd aggonised for a couple of years about quitting and taking the plunge as a full time photographer.  Can I afford it?  What if I don't get the customers?  Will my house get repossessed?!?!  But that decision was made for me at the start of the year so I did it.  OK, not straight away...

With the help of eFactor I went and signed on and got myself onto the Test Trading scheme.  It allows you to continue receiving benefit while starting your own business.  It gives you a chance to see if being self employed is for you, if you're any good at what you do, if you can make any money doing it and generally if it's going to work. 

For the last 26 weeks I have had to check in fortnightly with my Business Adviser who checks what I've been up to and how much I've made (or lost!)  Any profit the business makes has to go into a jointly controlled bank account so I can't get my hands on it (hence still being able to sign on), but the money can be used to buy stock and equipment for the business.  Something I've made full use of!

So now the 26 weeks are up and I'm being let loose into the world on my own.  The profit in the account is now mine to use as I please.  I will still be using eFactor though.  Their advice, courses and networking events are excellent and free!

I need to say a massive thank you to eFactor and especially Judith Hancock who have given me more help and support than I could have hoped for.  I urge anyone who has a business idea or who finds themselves in the same situation as me to get in touch.

Networking

I don't know about you but I find it difficult to advertise.  I never really know how many people see the ad in the paper or read a leaflet through the door.  If the responses I get from the "where did you hear about me?" question it's not many.  I've found it a bit of a gamble at best.

So I started networking.  I was invited to the BNI, BoB, 4Networking, the BGG and the LBN.  I know...so many TLAs!  They all have a similar format but vary in price and what time of day they meet.  BNI is a great group but wasn't for me.  A bit expensive and far too early.  There's really only one 6.30 in a day...  I did join 4Networking, BGG and LBN though.

The BGG meets on a Friday morning at a fairly civilised 7.45.  We have breakfast, talk about ourselves for a minute each, listen to a 10 minute talk from one member (which is always really interesting) and pass referrals between members.  This is the most supportive of the groups I'm in.  You really get the sense that everyone is looking out for you and will do all they can to help.

The LBN is an evening group and I'm Chairman (for the next 6 months at least).  The format is fairly similar with a 1 minute round, a 10 minute slot and referrals.  It's a different mix of businesses at this one though so you get to talk to a wider variety of potential customers.  This is the most relaxed group I've ever been to.  Even with the laid back atmosphere we still get plenty of business from it with an average of around 10 referrals being passed each week.

4Networking is a bit different in that there are no referrals.  It's all about building relationships with people, making friendships and growing trust.  As a passport member you can also visit any club in the country meaning you can throw your net a bit wider and network up to 4 times a week if you have the time!  It's a bit more of a slow burner but this is the most fun group I'm in and the passport makes it a bit more varied.

I would really recommend networking as a cost effective method of promoting a new business.  It really is a good way of getting your name known to as many people as possible.  Don't expect big things in your first week, but put in the time and it'll be worth it.