Hi Michael,
I like your story and it's exciting to find a good market for your photography. Kudos for the initiative. One needs to exploit every opportunity and also listen to the experts, such as your daughter!
This was the long memorial day weekend with folks visiting family, barbecues and catching up on Z's. So don't think the lack of comment reflects anything but that. For every 20 views, there's only one comment. Think of how many pictures you yourself look at but you haven't commented on, for example Bart and Cem's pictures from the old Village!
I like what you are doing. Just be careful about the shadows and of course have a parent with you. Little kids can sometimes misunderstand a direction, glance or question and it's best to be cautious and protective. But, of course you already know that.
Who is doing the printing? You give then a file or you have them posted and they order with a printing company doing the delivery.
Good luck and share more!
Asher
Very true about the views, and comments, you know how sensitive a artist can be
.
It has taken about 5 years to get the Studio to support us. To that degree we have become quite good at certain thing, and the ability to create a market has been a blessing.
What I do is:
I have spokes persons that are current customers, or are super popular, that have portfolio albums, of themselves, when they get a lead I go to the parents, via the phone and invite the perspective model and their parent (s) to my studio (my home), big red flag, photographer male, big red flag, so to know this as I would if my daughter asked me if she could get photos done, (are you crazy!) "no way!" "Would you talk to him at least?" "oh yeah I wanna talk to him...." This is a standard response.
Just as in a critique, or when showing your life's work to someone, you can't take protecting your family personal, I had a big huge truck driver come with his daughter in fact this girl, and he was so sure I was some kinda scum! But the fact is I am not a predator, I am a photographer, from the moment you walk in. This is a studio where my daughter and I happen to life. I have a huge entry hall, with with nine different 30 x 40's beautifully assembled, as the client walks in to their Right is the first shooting bay, the main bay, there is 50k plus in equipment, backdrops, lights......
Then the tour continues into the family room and dinning room, where another 8 or more large canvases, paintings (painter X, then printed, stretched, and hand painted gesso, these sell from $1,500 - $3,500, depending), This is where the large format printers are, an Epson 7800, and a Epson 4800, along with a two tower, raid arrayed processors, double screen monitor, one of which is the Wacom Cintqu 22".
This is where the attitude better stop, I have no problem telling a parent to be careful is one thing, but for me to have to wear a black eye for all the crimes that have been committed by a GWC (guy with camera) (s), is quite another. I don't say it with an attitude, but by this time if I haven't established myself as a true professional, and there is still a concern, I again reiterate that at no time can your daughter or son be alone with me, you must be with them at all times.....
I will save the sale speech and cut to the chase... I explain then and there that before we go any further I need to decide if I want to work with this prospect... I have turned clients down I am charging $575.00 with makeup artist, 2 looks a glam and fantasy, and a fully edited CD with my logo and the MUA, full resolution and internet resolution, this is a lot of money and before they spend a nickle we are doing a test shoot, the model needs to be looking good, and ready to shoot, I ask them a few questions and get them to strike at least 3 easy poses, if they can't do that and be comfortable they will hate the photo shoot, tell everyone I stink instead of the truth, and they make lousy spokes persons, if they work here the sale is assured and I will spare you the details...
Thank you Asher
Michael-k
