I need a little help with this Idea, Is it good or bad?

[FITBMX]

What do you think of the "promotion" idea?

It's worth a try, but my gut feeling is that turn-out will be low. People tend look at "Free" with a bit of suspicion. My thought would be to try advertising for models. If you've got a 100+ people, one of them is a frustrated wanna-be model. You just need to find him/her.

That's why I was thinking of changing originally.

Gotcha, but that's puts us back to the "I paid, I expect results". How about splitting the difference? Do it as a charity fund-raiser? Team up with a local charity and offer to do this, and have people "pay" by donation. You get enough to cover costs & lunch, the rest goes to the charity. As we're getting close to Christmas, maybe shanghai a Santa and do a kids/pets w/ Santa?

That way you get: lots of practice, good karma points, good publicity, and a VERY low chance anyone will be too upset if their pictures aren't perfect because after all... it's for charity.

That's a great idea! I love it!

 

[imagemaker46]

The saddest part of this thread was the "I have NO friends to practice on"

 

[KmH]

If you know about Newton, then you looked me up!

I didn't have to 'look you up'.
I already knew where Burns is from driving from Tucson to Kansas City at least once a month for about 20 years.

 

[deeky]

I'll throw one more piece into the mix. You stated you are from a town of 180 people. That's a small town, and small towns are small. (Hang on, this is going somewhere.)

I've been around small towns. I've been at the church functions and the coffee shops. Everybody knows everybody's business in a small town. They may not be friends, but they know you. What do you want them to think and say, especially if you eventually (way down the road, even) want to start this as a business? They will always talk about 'that one time you already tried it'.

I wouldn't even market free shoots. Find anyone around town that you might know and ask them specifically to sit in. Offer them prints afterwards if you like. Just be careful about the first impression. I may sound critical now, but big picture you have to consider it.

 

[Designer]

Here's what I would do:

Start taking free photos of people's pets. That's right; pets. For free.

Set up a "booth" somewhere, like on main st, or wherever people go. Print up a sign that says; "pet photos done for free". Take whoever comes along to present a pet for a photograph. You keep on doing this until you get really good at photographing pets. I mean REALLY GOOD.

Eventually you will become known as the "pet photographer" around town. And you charge money for them.

Then something magical will happen: you will be asked...
ASKED!!!!! to take a photograph of a PERSON!!!!!

OMG!!!!

YES! "o.k. I'll take your picture, but I'm going to have to charge you the same as I do for pets."

OMG! You just made you first legitimate sale!

 

[FITBMX]

The saddest part of this thread was the "I have NO friends to practice on"

Yes I am a very sad case!

If you know about Newton, then you looked me up!

I didn't have to 'look you up'.
I already knew where Burns is from driving from Tucson to Kansas City at least once a month for about 20 years.

What a small world! I've had people that live in El Dorado (around 20 miles south) that don't know where Burns is!

I'll throw one more piece into the mix. You stated you are from a town of 180 people. That's a small town, and small towns are small. (Hang on, this is going somewhere.)

I've been around small towns. I've been at the church functions and the coffee shops. Everybody knows everybody's business in a small town. They may not be friends, but they know you. What do you want them to think and say, especially if you eventually (way down the road, even) want to start this as a business? They will always talk about 'that one time you already tried it'.

I wouldn't even market free shoots. Find anyone around town that you might know and ask them specifically to sit in. Offer them prints afterwards if you like. Just be careful about the first impression. I may sound critical now, but big picture you have to consider it.

I know exactly what you mean, everybody knows who I am. And few even know I am into photography, and I'm afraid that if I started this for free, no one will ever want to pay later. They will want to know why it was free the first time, and a $100 the next time.
Word of mouth is as fast as lighting around here, one mess up and you're done for good!
I may hold off on doing local shoots, and see if I can find someone in a nearby town.
Thanks for the input.

 

[FITBMX]

Here's what I would do:

Start taking free photos of people's pets. That's right; pets. For free.

Set up a "booth" somewhere, like on main st, or wherever people go. Print up a sign that says; "pet photos done for free". Take whoever comes along to present a pet for a photograph. You keep on doing this until you get really good at photographing pets. I mean REALLY GOOD.

Eventually you will become known as the "pet photographer" around town. And you charge money for them.

Then something magical will happen: you will be asked...
ASKED!!!!! to take a photograph of a PERSON!!!!!

OMG!!!!

YES! "o.k. I'll take your picture, but I'm going to have to charge you the same as I do for pets."

OMG! You just made you first legitimate sale!

I like it!!!

 

[beagle100]

The saddest part of this thread was the "I have NO friends to practice on"

it is sad but almost everyone has a pet who will pose for free
(food)

 

[desertrattm2r12]

I would tell folks I meet in your small community that you are going to shoot some environmental photos of the locals and you'll be at the center all day on a certain date. I'm talking about a farmer in his bib overalls, a waitress in her uniform, a truck driver with a beer belly in his too-short t-shirt advertising a local country band, and so on. You could tell them you would want to put the photos on the Internet showing fine local folks in their everyday clothes. That way they could see the photos. And if they wanted to purchase a copy or two you would offer some real decent rates. If you have a local newspaper they might run an article and help you get the word out. You might interest the Chamber of Commerce, too, if you have one.