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09/27/2005 12:23:27 AM · #76 |
Hi Chris, just fixed the link here
Message edited by author 2005-09-27 00:23:45. |
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09/27/2005 12:44:58 AM · #77 |
Sorry...
Should have posted this link as well:
Studio for sale
Cheers, Me.
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09/27/2005 12:59:06 AM · #78 |
Originally posted by deapee:
I'd have to say he's probably right. It might not be hard for Joe Whoever who has been in the business as a pro photog for 20 years to get clients on a word-of-mouth basis, but it's getting harder to break into the industry.
You aren't going to get a job at the paper unless you want to work for free -- because there are 20 other people in your area that will do it for free just for experience.
Try charging a decent price for a wedding, and they'll try and talk you down. Don't forget...everyone has a brother, cousin, uncle, sister, or someone who knows someone with that nice, shiny new canon rebel or nikon d70. Think about it. There used to be one option, but now with the general weekend-warriors shooting with 8MP digital SLR cameras, half-decent glass, and the same flashes that the pros use, everyone's willing to give them a shot.
That's just the way it is. |
this is so incredibly wrong. Do you really think that a newspaper that makes it's money off of advertising is going to hire some shmuck with a nice camera but no talent? Do you think they'll keep their advertisers for long if the average anybody on the street doesn't look twice at the newspaper cause there isn't an interesting image to grab their attention? Do you think there might be a reason that newspapers have a cover photo? I worked as a salaried photographer for a newspaper for 4+ years, and believe me, They weren't about to can me or any of the other shooters so they could get some free photos from someone who just wants some experience.
And about weddings, Well, I've personally booked over 40 weddings in 2005, and already have 10 booked for 2006, with 3 more contracts coming my way in the next week. And I make a pretty decent living at it, because most couples realize that their "brother, cousin, uncle, sister, or someone who knows someone with that nice, shiny new canon rebel or nikon d70" is just that, someone with a nice new camera... Anyone can buy a nice expensive camera, and it has always been that way.
A professional provides a consistant service, and that's why pro photographers aren't going anywhere.
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09/27/2005 02:34:43 PM · #79 |
Tim & Chris lateral thinking at its best well done.
Chris you are right I did not just stumble on dpc but no I have not changed my I.D.
You are correct in many of your assumptions.
Yes it was brash and foolhardy to tar all of you with the same brush.
Yes it is difficult to get money from the tourist stone but I am glad we diversified from general photography or I like many other previous studios would be working from home or retired. The work is far harder than general photography due to the time required in dressing people and satisfying their costume requirements. It is also dearer to provide costumes sets and props. However people cannot differentiate between a fun photo and a photographic portrait session when it comes down to pricing and always want the cost to be the same.
Yes copyright is an issue especially when tourist take photos home (worlwide) and choose to copy the work. This has resulted over the last couple of years in a considerable loss of revenue.
We are now one of two high street studios left on the Island and work closely with other photographers on the island home based or otherwise.
We also have students work with us from the local high schools and help give them a basis on photography.
No the Island does not have a lot of arty types but more cafe and gift shop type people being a tourist island. This with a high level of unemployment and retired people does cause a problem with the demographics and income available and is the prime reason for our problems rather than hopefully a lack of skills.
I am closing the studio this week September 30th.I have been offered an opportunity to relocate our studios to new premises at one of the large tourist attractions on the island. With I may add a considerable saving on overheads ,an offer I am seriously considering.
Doe anyone know anything about photographing horses?
As of October 5th our studio is on television as part of a dating series.
So you can see I have tried again and again to get full coverage and grow the business. Some times it just gets harder and harder. But thankfully I am not a quitter. If I were I would not be here today as a photographer or a person. I was fortunate enough to survive non-Hodgkin̢۪s lymphoma and am still in remission 7 years later.
The island Council etc along with the ferry companies as you saw in the article does not help the situation for island businesses.
I still enjoy photography both at and out of work and have had a lot of fun with it as well as having met many lovely people over the years. Hopefully making them smile more than just the once in a photograph.
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09/27/2005 03:44:00 PM · #80 |
Originally posted by bellyup:
But thankfully I am not a quitter. |
Which is why you come on here with the nick "bellyup", and start your first post saying you're closing your studio because you can't compete with "weak end toy soldiers"? :)
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09/27/2005 04:04:55 PM · #81 |
Originally posted by ericlimon:
A professional provides a consistant service, and that's why pro photographers aren't going anywhere. |
\
man I so agree. There's always people out there that can buy professional equipment. I'm sure 5 years ago there was that uncle or whoever with a nice shiny f5 at the wedding. Who cares!? Photography is a widely used medium and a staple of media. Alot's gonna have to dissapear for professional photography to dissapear.
Maybe shutterstock is giving people the idea that they're professionals or something. Business is changing, but the profession isn't going anywhere.
Message edited by author 2005-09-27 16:05:42. |
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09/27/2005 04:14:29 PM · #82 |
But thankfully I am not a quitter.
maybe I was being philosophical on a bad day?
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09/27/2005 04:50:00 PM · #83 |
Originally posted by bellyup:
But thankfully I am not a quitter.
maybe I was being philosophical on a bad day? |
Keith I do feel for you and your business.
I strongly believe that the impact of new technology (DSLR) is going to effect a lot more professional photograpers then we may realise.
One area of this thread that has not been mentioned and is probably the most significant impact on professionals is the stock image market.
It is a fundamental of all commerce, supply and demand ratio. The stock image market has been flooded with cheaper images that has allowed the purchases of stock images to be gain more purchasing power which at the same time causes a shift in the market.
This is my take on things coming from a business background but to say that professional photography is dying is probably an overstatement but it is wounded and will continue a long slow process of decline. |
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09/27/2005 05:35:16 PM · #84 |
Good thread!
I think that we'll see fewer PROs, but those who remain are more PRO. :-)
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09/30/2005 12:13:16 PM · #85 |
Originally posted by rscorp:
One of the problems right now is that a lot of people that go out and buy dSLR's suddenly assume they are photographers. |
i can relate to that, just had some photos sent to me for using on a website i'm designing, and they were really, really badly exposed and out of focus.. the camera? looking @ the meta it was a 20D, on ISO 400 @ 1/60 and they used the flash!
but i managed to save them with some tight cropping, sharpening, and a couple of adjustment levels, inc. turning them B+W |
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06/23/2011 04:51:15 PM · #86 |
I think the public is becoming desensitized to professional photography, both portraits and weddings. This is because we are being hit with discounting of every product known to man through Groupon on down to email blasting. With the advent of the internet, we see tens of thousands of images each year. So much so that it's hard to inspire the public to pursue something that is becoming a commodity readily available everywhere for any price. I have been a portrait photographer on the high end for 28 years. Because I do high quality work and have a positive reputation, I am still profitable. But its much harder then before to produce the same amount of interested clients and getting them to pay retail. You must have some sort of discounting to be able to make sales, period. As they say, no one pays retail anymore, why should you. I have a studio but I probably will close it down and go to peoples homes because the future is dimming on my industry as a viable career choice. I am one of the lucky ones who got in the glory days in the early 80's, made a lot of money and saved/invested it. I can afford to retire now and keep my present lifestyle until I die.
There is money to be made but one has to be willing to adapt to marketing harder, doing more clients for less profit. This is especially true if you have overhead fixed costs and employees to pay. Working on your own with less overhead can provide you with more profit after costs, you just have to get used to doing more of the work on your own without paid help. No griping here as photography has been wonderful to me. I expect I will find a new niche in it once I get rid of the studio, employees and the monthly lease. Good luck to all of you who are still fighting for your piece of the pie. Change will provide opportunities but the easy money left with Kodak film. Today everyone thinks their a pro. Its all about agreement of what is good and what is good enough. |
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06/23/2011 05:11:37 PM · #87 |
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06/23/2011 05:20:25 PM · #88 |
| It's funny, I saw this thread pop up on the front page and was into the second page before I realized the posts were from 6 years ago. But, every word was still valid and it's clear that the industry is still going through dramatic change. |
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06/23/2011 06:45:20 PM · #89 |
Originally posted by From 2005:
Originally posted by keegbow:
Video technology is moving ahead in leaps and bounds and it only stands to reason that we will have high res and quality stills from video soon or a hybrid DSLR camera capable of shooting high resolution short burst of video for stills.
This a very interesting report on the growth of digital cameras in Eastern Europe, have look at the DSLR market 264% increase !!
adobe profits
If I was a pro I would be very active in keeping up with technology and adapting my business to the "new world order" in photography. Many will fall but the best will remain. |
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I wrapped in quotes from 2005. Interesting since we now have DSLRs that take video. With the talk of Lytro you won't even need to focus.
I wonder if this thread will be brought up again in 5-6 years. What will happen? (Hopefully I'll have enough money to buy the latest from Canon.) |
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06/23/2011 07:42:22 PM · #90 |
EDIT!!!!!!!!!! LOL - cant believe I replied to a necrothread...
Message edited by author 2011-06-23 19:43:42. |
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06/23/2011 08:17:18 PM · #91 |
Originally posted by DrAchoo:
Zombie thread! |
Shoot it in the head!
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06/23/2011 08:53:38 PM · #92 |
At the risk of an inadvertent bump, this is a very wordy zombie who is badly in need of an editor.
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06/23/2011 09:21:21 PM · #93 |
Interestingly Nikon, Pentax, and Olympus, contrary to the opinion at the start of the thread, are still here. By some accounts Nikon has pulled ahead of Canon in sales.
On the other hand, the person who said that the death of pro photography is like the Post Office going out of business because of email, should see the financial state of the Post Office now..
On another note, how do the new members seem to manage to find the long dead threads?
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06/23/2011 11:47:35 PM · #94 |
Originally posted by ambaker:
On another note, how do the new members seem to manage to find the long dead threads? |
In the extended search field, the default starting date is 2002. |
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06/24/2011 12:58:19 AM · #95 |
Originally posted by GeneralE:
Originally posted by ambaker:
On another note, how do the new members seem to manage to find the long dead threads? |
In the extended search field, the default starting date is 2002. |
Google is more likely responsible.
Originally posted by Nullix:
I wonder if this thread will be brought up again in 5-6 years. What will happen? |
Won't matter to me cuz I'll be off flying around in my jet car by then. |
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06/24/2011 01:38:13 AM · #96 |
Hey guys, I wrote a blog post about this very thing. I would love for you to read it and let me know what you think.
Photo Market |
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06/24/2011 05:04:35 AM · #97 |
| I find these old threads interesting in some ways - like how he got it right that Canon are now the only make surviving, I mean who really even remembers those other makes, what were they, Nikon? Pentax? it feels like talking about the ark... ;op |
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06/24/2011 09:41:01 AM · #98 |
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06/24/2011 03:45:00 PM · #99 |
Originally posted by Art Roflmao:
Originally posted by GeneralE:
Originally posted by ambaker:
On another note, how do the new members seem to manage to find the long dead threads? |
In the extended search field, the default starting date is 2002. |
Google is more likely responsible. |
Or perhaps they are just following directions ...
Originally posted by DPC Forum Rules:
3. Search existing threads for a topic before starting a new one. |
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06/24/2011 04:14:42 PM · #100 |
Originally posted by GeneralE:
Originally posted by Art Roflmao:
Originally posted by GeneralE:
Originally posted by ambaker:
On another note, how do the new members seem to manage to find the long dead threads? |
In the extended search field, the default starting date is 2002. |
Google is more likely responsible. |
Or perhaps they are just following directions ...
Originally posted by DPC Forum Rules:
3. Search existing threads for a topic before starting a new one. |
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That would explain it... Only noobs follow directions. ;-)
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