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05/26/2006 12:54:56 AM · #1 |
Well guys, it's official. I am now a full-fledged, self employed, small business owning, photographer. I quit my job a week ago and am moving out of my house this weekend to set up a base camp for my new business; Caleb Kimbrough Photography (catchy isn't it?)
I'm going to be spending the next month or two getting everything situated for owning a business; taxes (ugh..), equipment, clients...and my new website whenever I get around to it. It's going to be really hard work...but I think it will be worth it in the end.
I thought it would be a fun idea to make a thread and keep you guys updated on the day-to-day life of myself and my business....for entertainment :P
Anywho...heres what my business plan is looking like right now (even though I havn't even started to write up my real plan, this is all just form my mind); Caleb Kimbrough Photography is going to specialize in special needs/handicapped/disabled portrait photography, as well as out-of-the-box portraits, family portraits, senior portraits, event photos, and whenever I get the nerve....weddings. Where as most photographers around this part of the country charge a very nominal sitting fee...but charge rediculously high amounts for prints; I will be the opposite...I am charging a decently high priced sitting fee, $400 for individual portraits which includes as much on location shooting as needed (up to 10 hours)...as well as the time taken to edit each individual picture. But when it comes to prints; I will be selling them for the price that I can get them for plus a 20% handling fee. This way I actually charge for the work that I do....and the customer can get more prints than they could ever want, because afterall...the photographs are the things that really matter here.
I'm going to be doing "out-of-the-box" portraits....you know, each photo will actually be a work of art, not just a "normal" senior portrait. There are only about four or five other photographers within 100 miles that do senior portraits....so the market isn't that flooded, and I think I'll be able to carve out a niche for myself. Plus I live in a college town...so there are always thousands of people graduating each and every semester...
Alright...now that you know my gameplan..let's get to "The Sage";
Yesterday was my first assignment for myself. I had a shoot with five disabled/handicapped guys that live in a local housing system called "Big Lakes" My brother used to work for them taking care of the clients...and he is now dating one of the girls that runs one of the houses here in town and that's how I got the job.
So...we originally planned on meeting at a Park at 4:30pm but she called me and re-scheduled for 6:00pm because it was sweatingly hot out. OK...no big deal. I left my house at 5:40 so I would have enough time to swing by a gas station and pick up a Mountain Dew. I made sure to check all my gear before I left. I had everything I needed; Camera, Flash, and Lightphere (god bless the lightsphere...) I got to the park on time...about five minutes early, and saw their van parked in the lot. I meet up with the head lady and she pays me in cash, upfront....which was really nice. So we get all situated and we get the five clients moved into a nice shady area with some trees being them...perfect for some portraits. BUT WAIT!!! I go to turn on my camera and nothing happens, "oh crap" I think to myself. Yes....I forgot to take the battery out of my charger before I left the house...DOH! So I have to run home and get my battery...but luckily I only lived five minutes away.
After I get back and get everything situated the rest of the evening goes smooth. The guys were a little hard to do portraits of...all five were in wheelchairs and only a couple of them could actually talk. But they all had a very specific personality that I wanted to try and capture....it was an absolute blast taking pictures of them. It also helped that there were three gaurdians out there that knew what they were doing...
After the shoot, which lasted about an hour and a half and invloved only two locations, I was talking with a couple of the guardians about photography. One of them offered me a job taking pictures at her engagement party...and the other one was the head of another "Big Lakes" house and offered me a job to do portraits for his clients as well. And right after I left the shoot I got a call from someone else that wanted me to do some family portraits for fathers day...
....looks like this whole "self employed" thing might not be so bad afterall. I guess the next few months will either make or break my business. Wish me luck!
Make sure to check back with this thread for updates on "The Saga" I'll try and keep it updated weekly with the goings on of my photography life...heck, maybe I'll publish a book with all my posts in it someday:P
Here is my first shot from yesterday;
I'll post some more of the shots later on tommorow (I still have a lot of editing to do....)
Caleb |
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05/26/2006 01:00:19 AM · #2 |
Hey....a huge congrats. It's a big scary world out there...but if you are game to take the plunge...then it is all worth it. Doing something you love for a living is the next best thing to heavan...how many people can honestly say they love their job...!
I had an 18 year old turn to me a while back...and she said "You are living my dream".
I turned to her and said "No, I am living MY dream!"
She was 18 and had given up on doing what she wanted. Don't ever give up...live it!
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05/26/2006 01:00:23 AM · #3 |
Originally posted by stare_at_the_sun:
Where as most photographers around this part of the country charge a very nominal sitting fee...but charge rediculously high amounts for prints; I will be the opposite...I am charging a decently high priced sitting fee, $400 for individual portraits which includes as much on location shooting as needed (up to 10 hours)...as well as the time taken to edit each individual picture. But when it comes to prints; I will be selling them for the price that I can get them for plus a 20% handling fee. This way I actually charge for the work that I do....and the customer can get more prints than they could ever want, because afterall...the photographs are the things that really matter here.
Caleb |
If you're going to do that you might as well give them the CD (editied) that way you don't have to do the running around. Not worth it in my opinion. GOOD LUCK!!! :0D |
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05/26/2006 01:08:09 AM · #4 |
Good Luck Caleb. It will be interesting to hear about your new business.
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05/26/2006 01:08:29 AM · #5 |
Thanks guys....I can honestly say that I owe everything I have learned to this website :P
Judi...this is my dream..well, close...I want to be a fashion photographer...but that's a few years off I think ;)
Wonderbread; I don't have to do much work to get prints. What I do is upload the photos to a secure folder on my website and have the clients pick out which ones they want and how many...then I just hit order the prints and drop them off the the clients. But I think I may offer the option of just giving poeple the photos on cd...that's a pretty good idea. |
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05/26/2006 01:14:00 AM · #6 |
| Congratulations to you! It sounds like you're off to a great start!! I'll be interested to see how your business grows in the coming months! |
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05/26/2006 05:17:06 AM · #7 |
| Huge congrats to you. Good luck. |
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05/26/2006 05:19:33 AM · #8 |
Sounds like you have a good business plan. Finding a niche is good. Keep up the good work!
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05/26/2006 06:20:36 AM · #9 |
Congrats Caleb.....sounds like you're off to a great start! Looking forward to seeing more shots from your shoot.
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05/26/2006 03:26:09 PM · #10 |
Thanks for the support guys....if anyone has experience in what I am trying to do and you want to give me advice then go for it...I need all I can get:P
Caleb |
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05/26/2006 03:29:38 PM · #11 |
Originally posted by stare_at_the_sun:
Thanks for the support guys....if anyone has experience in what I am trying to do and you want to give me advice then go for it...I need all I can get:P
Caleb |
Models are mean... LOL...that's my advice. Hey Celeb, you have the talent and you seem to have the drive. I think you will do well. Go get 'em kid.
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