Ideas getting busier, I need help :(

[shellie]

I had attempted to post some images in the beginning of this thread but it didn't work. The wedding wasn't a very "elegant" wedding so to speak it was a rush put together ordeal. You guys just want to see if I used my flash, don't you? Jk!

 

[MTVision]

You have to host your pictures through another site like flickr.com. It's pretty easy if you upload some pics to flickr then go to the share button - grab the link make sites it's the bbcode then copy and paste here.

I don't care if you used your flash or not! . Some people can be brutal during cc but it helps to get feedback - good and bad. Plus as mishele pointed out you handle criticism with grace!

 

[boomersooner02000]

I was wondering if anyone knows if there are any special permits you need for being a photographer, like city and county. I have looked and not found solid answers. Thanks.

This is where you need to go to get your answers. I am in OK as well and have been doing a lot of research on behalf of my wife who is attempting to start her own photography business. State Business Registration System » Oklahoma Department of Commerce Any questions let me know.

 

[ManhattanShutterBug]

To me sounds like you have no idea business wise what you are doing. Learn the business aspect, it's very important. Get insurance and make sure you do your taxes. Also you charge WAAAAAY to cheap. Anyways like I said learn the business side and raise your prices. If you start out cheap and then raise your prices people will expect your cheaper prices. Especially if you do referrals. Mrs.X will tell Mrs.Y she got a family shoot 6 months ago for $50 and then when you tell Mrs.Y it's now $100 she wont be happy. Anyways best of luck!

 

[Patrice]

To me sounds like you have no idea business wise what you are doing. Learn the business aspect, it's very important. Get insurance and make sure you do your taxes. Also you charge WAAAAAY to cheap. Anyways like I said learn the business side and raise your prices. If you start out cheap and then raise your prices people will expect your cheaper prices. Especially if you do referrals. Mrs.X will tell Mrs.Y she got a family shoot 6 months ago for $50 and then when you tell Mrs.Y it's now $100 she wont be happy. Anyways best of luck!

Not to be too much of an a$$ here, but all of this has been covered in previous responses. No need to keep beating on this lady with the same stick.

 

[ManhattanShutterBug]

Not to be too much of an a$$ here, but all of this has been covered in previous responses. No need to keep beating on this lady with the same stick.

Well I apologize for repeating, I didnt read through the 5 pages of responses. Nobody is "beating on" her, just giving her my 2 cents........

 

[KmH]

...I didnt read through the 5 pages of responses. Nobody is "beating on" her, just giving her my 2 cents........

Which was a big mistake (and a pretty lame excuse), since you then couldn't know you were "beating on" her, and that your 2 cents actually had zero value.

 

[shellie]

I have raised my prices! I took the plunge and did it even tho it was scary! I got with my clients that I'm doing baby pictures until age one for and told them I would honor the current prices until their child reaches age one, so hopefully not to lose them. I may come off sounding dumb for asking questions that you already know the answers but Im asking so I'll know the answers too. I have made lots of calls and read thru many websites and have had trouble getting accurate answers. Since some of you have been here I came to you to lead me in the correct direction instead of wandering aimlessly thru all the avenues of information. I never claimed to be a business major and yes I'm having a rough start. Thanks for the continued support from those of you who are genuinely helping me. Same remains for those of you who leave less than helpful comments, may you never be in my position. I have learned so many things to better myself and I am proud of the progress I made. I didn't realize how much information I didn't have before I came to this website. I have also decided to keep my "tacky" pink in my logo. I have a brand new logo and the pink is representative of my personality and style. If some one chooses not to hire me to take pictures for them because my name reads in pink I'm fine with that. I like pink, so harass on. I'm sure there are other posts I'm forgetting to reply to, sorry. I am also working on getting my website in shape and putting the professional feel to it. thanks again everyone!

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

I never claimed to be a business major and yes I'm having a rough start.

Yeah, I was an art major. Never, ever, thought I would have my own business.

Starting out is rough. You quickly learn about things you didn't consider. Business stuff will start clicking.

Good for you for taking the price leap. I hope it serves you well!

 

[KmH]

For a business signature what you like is pretty much pointless.

All that counts is what is effective at branding your business to prospective clients.

You don't actually need a logo for a local, or even regional small business.

Logo design is a fairly specialized specialty in the graphic arts world. If your new logo is something you designed yourself, unless you have graphic arts training it's not likely it's going to be effective.

Did you use a vector graphics application to do the design?

 

[dnavarrojr]

When things start getting tight, I look at other sources... Pet Photography (much easier now that I have a studio), Mini-sessions at a local attraction (park or lake, usually). I get my clients to shill for me ("Hi Jane, this is Dave from Topeka Design. {Blah blah, small talk}. Hey, the reason I called is because I noticed it's about that time of the year for your family photos and I was wondering if you'd be interested in getting you next session for free, including prints. Invite your family and friends over, hold a little party at your house and we'll shoot there. I'll give you 10% off your photo package for every package I sell. So if I sell 10 packages, yours is completely free. And I'll give you an additional $50 print credit for every package sold after the first 10.")

Also, I'm usually 1 or two holidays ahead. So right now we're shooting Christmas sessions. In November we'll start shooting Valentines sessions (we promote our Valentine sessions during the Christmas holiday shopping season).

 

[orljustin]

How about a link to this logo? I can't find the website link anywhere... Just the main photo.net page: Shellie Latham - Photographer Biography, Photography - photo.net

BTW, if you're trying to attract clients, you may want to revise this:
" I'm a sinlge mom of two great kids. I'm not profssionally trained, I've never taken classes or been to a school for photography. I am completley amature. I work with what I have readily available. I've not traveled to great destinations either. I would love nothing more than to make a living out of my work but I just don't have the clients. I'm not in it for money. I love to take pretty pictures. I have the most fun when I sit behind my computer and play with all my work. My area is fairly small and there is already a couple studio's in the area and I'm not a very competitive person. I mostly do Senior pictures i like to be able to offer them to my friends and family who can't afford the outrageous prices that our local's cost. I don't know it just makes me feel beter some how. I'm not really much into landscapes and the like. Some of the pictures I have uploaded to this site were taken with a camera that cost about $80 bucks from good 'ol wal mart. I upgraded to a newer bigger camera and really dislike it I should have stuck with a Canon but I thought I'd at least give it a try. Well that's all I got for now feel free to e-mail me I like all the interaction I get from this website, so thanks a bunch."

 

[shellie]

I forgot about that photo.net bio!! Thanks. I'll change that. That's several years old. New website is under major construction but the web address is lathamphotos.com. Thanks for reminding me about that bio! I just got done editing the wedding pics last night and I'll be working on getting them up soon.

 

[vtf]

If you could network with other photogs and be a second shooter for weddings and events, this will give you some experience and contacts. They could also get referrals from your studio business for maybe some referral income. Weddings around here start at $1000 for eight hour event, do 2 and your work is at home the rest of the week with your kids editing the images. Fall and winter are slow months so either take your vacation time or supplement your income with a second job or Christmas shoots dnavarrojr mentioned. Do event photgraphy during Christmas parties. Also for a free medium in most areas Craigslist is a viable option for directing potential customers to your websites and Facebook page, its free traffic and can't hurt, just keep your prices high enough to support you, don't get into the $25 photo shoot war. Good Luck.

 

[SayGee]

Hi Shellie, Im brand new here and posted for the first time today.

Bitter Jeweler was kind enough to reply to my post simply by linking to yours.

As its 2:38 in the morning and my eyes are burning from exhaustion, I have to call it a night very soon -but will be re-reading the wisdom shared in the responses to your post here.

For now, however, I just wanted to say that I hope things are going well for you and based on your initial post here, we have some things in common other than passion for photography.

I, too, am a single mother and am hoping my passion for photography leads to a successful businesss (sole income source) after having been SAHM for a whole lotta years. You're a bit ahead of me in the start-up process, but your post made me feel not so alone.