I'm in!!

danalec99 · Jun 30, 2006

Sharkbait said:
Couple of follow-up questions, if you don't mind... Feel free to PM or email if you don't want to answer in the public forum...or tell me to sod off if you don't want to divulge.

hehe...There is nothing to hide John. I'll respond to you here.

Sharkbait said:
What drew you to the wpja, and what benefits do you hope to get out of membership? Is it just more letters to put on your business cards, or do you expect increased bookings, etc.? I've thought about re-submitting my site and trying to get in again, but it's relatively expensive (for someone that gets antsy about dropping $50 on a new CF card, $180 a year (or has that changed too?) is pretty steep).

WPJA is a awesome filter. There is a market out there who are looking for a pj wedding photographer and when they run a search for a 'wedding photojournalist', WPJA is the first hit. If this is the market that one would want to cater to, why not be part of this ultimate 'directory', if I may?

Regarding the cost, apart from the state/out-of-country listing fees, the annual fee is USD240 now. Now before you roll your eyes

- in other words, just 20 bucks a month. How can that investment be steep? Don't we spend more than that each month or should I say week, for personal indulgances? Plus, you get the money back with just one booking.
Joe Buissink gets his business through word of mouth. Since we are not Buissink (I should add, at the moment

), we need to promote what we do. And the money that we spend for promotion is actually an investment to the business - imo a much valuable investment than the camera gear.

Sharkbait said:
Question about your site...I assume it was done professionally for you? Ballpark how expensive was it? And how easy is it to update, being that it's a flash site? Do you have to go back to your designer every time you want to add some new photos?

BluDomain it is. And it was only US$800. That rate is nothing. While I was shopping for a website, the sites that I liked were priced at 4k and above. And I couldn't afford it at the moment. The only catch is that this a generic interface. My neighbor could have the same interface tomorrow. But we have the control over font type, font colour background colour, music etc. Coupled with that, hopefully, the work will set you apart from people with the same interface. Once I get more business, I will, without a doubt, have a custom-made site.
They give you an admin control panel from where even Molly could add/edit the content.

Hope this helps!

ShelleySnapz · Jun 30, 2006

How awesome is that! Congrats!!

danalec99 · Jun 30, 2006

You all are too kind. Thank you!

karissa · Jun 30, 2006

Gratz!

Sharkbait · Jun 30, 2006

danalec99 said:
hehe...There is nothing to hide John. I'll respond to you here.
WPJA is a awesome filter. There is a market out there who are looking for a pj wedding photographer and when they run a search for a 'wedding photojournalist', WPJA is the first hit. If this is the market that one would want to cater to, why not be part of this ultimate 'directory', if I may?

Regarding the cost, apart from the state/out-of-country listing fees, the annual fee is USD240 now. Now before you roll your eyes - in other words, just 20 bucks a month. How can that investment be steep? Don't we spend more than that each month or should I say week, for personal indulgances? Plus, you get the money back with just one booking.
Joe Buissink gets his business through word of mouth. Since we are not Buissink (I should add, at the moment ), we need to promote what we do. And the money that we spend for promotion is actually an investment to the business - imo a much valuable investment than the camera gear.

True, true. Looking at it from that perspective, I can definitely see the point. Honestly, I've just heard mixed reviews of wpja membership. Mostly good experiences, but a few members get zilch in contacts through them. (though I think those members are in heavily saturated markets, which skews things a bit). Anyway, again thinking about another of your points, I may wait and see how '07 starts shaping up. We booked 35 weddings for '06 based solely on word of mouth. But with a price jump for us in 07...I dunno...too many factors to weigh in at the moment. But we've got 3 already for 07 and had another meeting yesterday, so we'll see.

BluDomain it is. And it was only US$800. That rate is nothing. While I was shopping for a website, the sites that I liked were priced at 4k and above. And I couldn't afford it at the moment. The only catch is that this a generic interface. My neighbor could have the same interface tomorrow. But we have the control over font type, font colour background colour, music etc. Coupled with that, hopefully, the work will set you apart from people with the same interface. Once I get more business, I will, without a doubt, have a custom-made site.
They give you an admin control panel from where even Molly could add/edit the content.

Hope this helps!

That's cool. I bought a flash based template online awhile back and have been slowly but surely teaching myself flash, but it's a beast...change one thing and it affects the whole rest of the site. :| And these templates are incredibly complex...gives me new respect for pro designers!

Unimaxium · Jun 30, 2006

Ooh looky, there's his name in the list of members on the site

Congrats Dan!

Of course, you know it was that image of me from new york that made them want to admit you :eyebrows:

MommyOf4Boys · Jun 30, 2006

danalec99 said:
Sure thing!! First let's see those B&H/Leica gift cards!!

Ohh am i sensing a bribery here? LOL ok ok..$10 to each place LOL!

danalec99 · Jul 1, 2006

Sky, yeah it was your shot that moved them.

Sharkbait said:
We booked 35 weddings for '06 based solely on word of mouth. But with a price jump for us in 07...I dunno...too many factors to weigh in at the moment.

That's great! But don't hesitate to raise your prices every often. it might temporarily affect the traffic, but at the end of the day you get to do less for more and with the new-found free time, you can you can do more stuff, other than weddings. I've always sensed your passion in your aquarium shots (I can't find all those stunning shots in your site anymore). Maybe focusing on it a bit more could you get you in a much more lucrative commercial field. It would be something that you'd (I assume) love doing.

markc · Jul 1, 2006

danalec99 said:
Sky, yeah it was your shot that moved them.

Which they were happy about, because the fiber wasn't doing the trick.

elsaspet · Jul 2, 2006

Whoooohooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congrats my brother!!!!!! :lovey:

:mrgreen: :thumbup:

Sharkbait, it's a great place. All my business comes from there.

Dan, can you believe? I get to help on a wedding that Huy and Amy Deputy are doing on the 15th. I'm terrified.:meh:

YOU GO MISTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You are gonna LOVE it there. Go Dan Go!!!!!!!!!!!!:hugs: :hugs: :hugs: :hugs:

elsaspet · Jul 2, 2006

Oh, and don't forget the contest. It opened yesterday. Put at least two up.

danalec99 · Jul 2, 2006

Thanks Cindy!!

elsaspet said:
Dan, can you believe? I get to help on a wedding that Huy and Amy Deputy are doing on the 15th. I'm terrified.:meh:

Niiiiice!! :thumbup:. There are quite a bunch of talented pj's in/around Dallas. I've always loved Huy's control with the flash. You will soak in a lot from them!