Ideas getting busier, I need help :(

[shellie]

I have a small studio space and make myself available for on location shoots. I have done newspaper ads, have an active facebook page, constantly posting specials, left flyers all over town and near by towns along with stacks of business cards, offer referrals to existing customers. I do not have the luxury of going to the bank to get a business loan to do all the advertising so I'm extremely limited on funds. Every one of my clients so far have raved about my work, no unhappy customers yet (knock on wood). I also get told how "cheap" I am in comparison. I live in a fairly small town, only around 20k residents. I charge a $50 session fee, which includes an hour of shooting time. I don't charge extra for clothing changes or any of that stuff. I give a $25 credit on the first order, another incentive to get more clients. I still make about $40-45 because even tho they save $25 on an order it doesn't cost me that much to print but from the customers point of view they are getting a half price session fee. I don't offer a CD at this time because I depend on the earnings from selling prints. My prints are very affordable tho. A couple examples: 8x10-$10, 11x14-$20 and so on. I know this is a lot to read but I will be so grateful to any suggestions you may have. There are so many "photographers" out there now because it seems like everyone who picks up a camera automatically becomes a professional photographer. Please help me!! My plan was to be a photographer as my sole source of income. I am a single mom so I'm going at this alone, so to speak. I am getting pretty nervous if maybe this is a crazy idea that isn't goin to work. I have been open since March '11. I know that isn't long. I've made close to $1000 a month for April, May, June, July and August. But so far this month I haven't done a single shoot!! PLEASE HELP ME

lathamphotos.com is my website if anyone would like to see my work
facebook.com/lathamphotos if you want to add me to your facebook!

And again, thanks so so much!!

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

$1000 a month? After expenses like liability insurance, taxes, etc?

 

[shellie]

No just $1000. Right now i am only paying for rent and utilities. Rent alone is $450.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Oh, you are renting a studio, and you don't have liability insurance?

You need to drastically raise your prices, and get yourself out of the Facebook Photographer bracket.

At your current rates you will never turn much profit, or you will have to work your ass off to do so, and that is a bad place to be.

 

[shellie]

It's a small area and there are so I'm not sure raising my prices this early in the game would help me out. I have the facebook page, what did you mean about the photographer bracket? I get so discouraged when I look at another local when seems super busy and then I look at thier work and I'm shocked that it actually passes for photography. I will never criticize some one to pretend I am awesome, so I don't want to sound like I'm just cutting some one down.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Facebook Photographer = buy a camera, make a logo, call it a business and charge $25 sitting fee, and offer $10 prints.

You are working in a bracket flooded with competition for the bottom dollar.

Up your quality, up your prices. Make money.

Start posting images here for critique. Absorb and think about the critiques you receive whether you agree or not.

Start learning to use supplemental lighting. That right there will put you above half of your competition.

 

[Overread]

Consider this - if you work at building up your market now based on low prices and then decide to increase your prices to represent a more healthy business and to cover your expenses (which which insurance and the like will likely increase) and provide a profit; then you'll hit a problem.

The problem will be that all the people you are currently networking with at the low price will be referring you based on your low prices; once you up your game and your prices to a more serious stake you'll lose all those previous clients and their referrals - in short you have to start all over again with building up your customer and user base. Might as well roll out a quality product with a properly budgeted costs now and get started building your proper market base; you can always use discounts and special events to reduce your charges to attract sales for a short time; but keep the prices at a sane amount.

Furthermore as Bitter says, if you work the budget line you'll always have flooded competition and really have to work super hard to turn a low profit from the company.

 

[manaheim]

What they said. Totally agree.

 

[KmH]

In all honesty, sustaining a retail photography business requires an average sale of about $1000. Monthly revenue needs to be at about $10,000 a month to have income of about $25,000 - $30,000 a year.

Your home page says, "Specializing in Quality & Afforability!" and affordability is not even spelled correctly. That's not a good way to make a first impression.
Sell the quality of your work and sell YOURSELF. Quit talking about AFFORDABILITY!

Studio photography is a luxury item, and should be priced as such.

Your cost of doing business (CODB) includes a lot more than just the rent and utilities on the studio space. Running and sustaining any type of retail business requires business, marketing, and sales acumen.
About 1/3 of your total revenue should be going to just state and federal taxes.
When you proof online, they don't need to buy prints from you, because they can just steal the images off the Internet. Proof in person so you can guage the emotional attachment they have to a photo so you can upsell.
Do you have product samples ther in the studio to show clients?

Watch this YouTube video about What To Charge:

 

[shellie]

I am fairly knowledgeable and learning every day but, what is supplemental lighting? I have sutdio lights if that what you mean. I am pretty certain I am in that flooded bracket you mentioned. I bet in my area code alone there are hundreds. Where/how do I post images for critique? I print thru AdoramaPix right now. I'm happy with their quality. Thank you so much for your help!

 

[shellie]

Right now the way I have my prints prices I earn roughly 85% of the price. I think that if I were busier my prices would work for me, I think. My plan was to have a gradual price increase, say once a year go up by a few dollars. One other problem I hace run into is that most of the competition, who are largely amatures at best, will have a $25 session fee that includes a CD with 25 images on it (example). One common thing I have noticed with all these, as Bitter perfectly called it, Facebook Photographers is they are all married and the photography is solely a hobby. They do not depend on it as their income to support a family. I am not trying to criticize so please don't attack me. I am thankful for all the post.

 

[shellie]

Thanks for catching the typo. I just missed it. In my area to even dream of a client, much less every client spending any where near $1000 is just a pipe dream. Since you visited my page do you think the work is good? I get better with every shoot because I alway learn something new. Thanks fro taking the time to comment and I will look at the video.

 

[shellie]

Some how I didn't see the other half of the txt on your reply. I do online proofing but I have a logo accross the image to try and aviod the stealing, this is ok?? I do have some samples in the studio. I have a few prints and a few other things like a matted image, metallic finish and die cut wallets. On the wall I have exapmles of a couple babies, seniors, and a few others. I do what I can as I can. When I have extra money for those things I do them. It's cheap enough to print but the you have to but the frames which can get high.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

I am fairly knowledgeable and learning every day but, what is supplemental lighting? I have sutdio lights if that what you mean. I am pretty certain I am in that flooded bracket you mentioned. I bet in my area code alone there are hundreds. Where/how do I post images for critique? I print thru AdoramaPix right now. I'm happy with their quality. Thank you so much for your help!

Post pictures here for critique. Tons of knowledgable people here in your field.

Yeah, I thought later my comment would be confusing. Off camera flash for your outdoor shots. Lots of under exposed faces in the images on your website (outdoors).

 

[shellie]

I have a speedlite flash and I will admit I am not good with that thing! I tried to get help but all the did was say "this does this, this does this" I avoid indoor weddings and the like because I am afraid to screw up someones wedding pictures because I don't know how to work my flash well.