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06/20/2007 10:59:19 AM · #1 |
So I'm happy to say that our business has grown beyond our wildest expectations the last few years. So much to the point that we are starting to think about expanding the wedding side but I'm not really sure about the logistics of some of it. I'm curious how some of you have handled similar situation in your own growth.
Right now we are a husband & wife shooting team with only the 2 of us. We shoot all of the weddings together. One of the reasons we have been so successful is because we can give very high-quality and interesting/alternative images, because of this I have been leery about hiring another photographer. The artistic side is very important to me and I definitely don't want to sacrifice quality to the client. How do you go about hiring someone that you can really trust and still give a similar vision/style of the event without completely changing your marketing strategy? One idea we had was to hire someone to shoot a specific location (we are in negotiations with several popular ceremony/reception locations to become their preferred photographer) I'm sure we could give them plenty of work that way and they could become specialized for that location. I have also considered using someone to take just our shorter time frame weddings and just shooting the larger ones ourselves. It still leaves the artistic issues though.
Another question is the post-processing. I'm sure if we add photographers I won't have time to process every event myself. Are you hiring someone to just handle processing or having the photographers handling their own events? I'm just curious of the pros & cons on the different options.
I appreciate any info, if there is any other advise to offer that is wonderful as well. I guess if there is anyone in the Kansas City area that has some wedding experience and interested in some consistent work should get in touch with me too.
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06/20/2007 11:21:41 AM · #2 |
Sounds like we're a similar setup to yourselves. I think I'd find it hard if I had to hire someone else.  -bec- and I are very different in how we do things but I think our styles work together. Would be difficult to find someone to 'fit in' so to speak. Hope you find the right option.
We have spoken to a lot of local photographers around our way and I'm amazed at how many give the processing to someone else to do and they just take the photos. I don't think I could let someone else interpret what I take. Again, with Bec and I we don't really work on each others photos at all very often. Only if we have to.
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06/20/2007 11:31:20 AM · #3 |
hmmmmm.....
edit: sending you an e-mail.
Message edited by author 2007-06-20 11:36:57. |
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06/20/2007 11:40:10 AM · #4 |
if continuity is the issue, process the images yourself. To me, my images look like my work because of the processing. I had an assistant shoot with me that I had never worked with before and I did all the processing. Once I had the final images grouped together, I couldn't tell what I shot and what he shot. I had to pick through his images a bit more to find what I was looking for in a negative, but it really was the processing that gave the final product its continuity.
Personally, I would hire a photographer before I hired someone to do all the processing.
Just my opinion.
JM
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06/20/2007 11:43:37 AM · #5 |
I haven't done it in photography, but I did do it in a creative industry...
I'm a freelance artist now, but at one time I had a company with seven employees and several sub-contractors - we did animation, motion graphics, CDROM, and web development.
Here's what I learned...
Even when you have the BEST guy working for your company, I mean the best (took me seven years to find this guy) your quality will drop. Nobody will have the same passion, desire to serve the client, vision, and other magic stuff that you do. It's that simple. If they did they'd be out competing with you.
So you have to build systems - this has to be done this way, that do it that way, fill out this form so I can check up on you, make this many phone calls, fill out this form so I can check up on you... etc.
I was so busy running the systems, watching really good employees do just enough to not get fired, then ask for a raise (no going the extra mile with most employees, that's for sure!), that I couldn't do what I loved most - create.
So I fired them all, all my kids got new desks for their bedrooms, and I went freelance again. Making the same amount, but doing what I want.
My solution to your problem of too much business is raise your rates. That will keep you just as busy, but making more money. Worked for me. :-) |
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06/20/2007 11:53:02 AM · #6 |
| Thanks Doug. I guess that's what I'm afraid of happening. We are actually in the process of doubling most of our rates and it dosn't seem to be slowing people down, but that's a good problem to have. |
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06/20/2007 12:31:47 PM · #7 |
| a local photographer here (Frances Litman) uses 2 students from my school for her editing, and they make her work good, I'd have to say most of her shots aren't impressive but my 2 friends go and edit them and there freaking awesome with photoshop, its just sad how much she charges then pays them so little ( like $10/hr CDN) |
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06/20/2007 12:39:02 PM · #8 |
Pay is always negociable. If they aren't getting a fair rate its their own fault for letting someone pay them so poorly. All it takes is for them to voice their opinion on the matter. If their work is better than the next guys the employer will raise their rate. If the employer finds your friends to be expendable than he will let them go or they can take what he pays them. Its completely up to your friends on how this situation plays out.
All they need to do is schedule a meeting and say they feel that their work is worth $xxx/hour based on quality and mark up to final product.
If pay sucks that bad and is non negociable they can always quit. |
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