Kathy Rappaport
pro member
Some of you know that I have recently opened my own studio and gallery - although still tweeking some things before I do full on advertising - so while I am working on the business and it's evolution, I am perfecting and testing pricing, shooting, products, labs, workflow etc.
I have a business plan written, and have funded this from savings and working in my other business. For almost 20 years, I have been a financial/accounting consultant to entrepreneurial businesses and I have to say that starting a business all over again in a field, as a hobby, that I have been dabbling in for 30 years is very exciting to me. I am prepared with all the things in place I have advised others to do - business plan, financing, budgeting etc.
But no matter how prepared, every day I find that there is some adjustment I need to make. For example, I went to a house with great window lighting to shoot a 4 month old. I only brought my 5d and three lenses that I was satisfied to have, a flash, memory and some props - a blanket with interesting texture and a boppy ( a donut shaped pillow) for having the baby in a position to get good facial shots. The images were what I wanted, but, I realized that I really want/needed two cameras for a shoot like that. I missed a few expressions - not really a big deal, but, I would have liked to have had a different lens and body available. I ran out of memory on one camera and I could have just reached for the 2nd one. I wanted a different focal length and could have just used both lenses on two bodies.
And there is the wish list: The same day I was shooting in my studio, and I changed backgrounds and found while working I would be very nice to have a background system in place to flip a switch to have multiples ready for shooting. There is a light panel system that I'd love to have and some grids for my softboxes and some new furniture for props and my list is quite long and probably will never be finished - there is always something but in the interest of trying to create some profit (it's a business now, not a hobby) we have to plan our purchases - it's not like a new outfit or pair of shoes.
So I am adjusting to a whole new career at age 52. And playing with kids and calming nervous brides is right up my alley. {sigh} Thank you, Asher, for all of your support and letting me share my new venture here. BTW, if you are in my shoes, I am also a Certified QuickBooks Consultant. I do have the business side of business nailed down.
So many facets to the business of photography. I'd love to chat with you about them.
I have a business plan written, and have funded this from savings and working in my other business. For almost 20 years, I have been a financial/accounting consultant to entrepreneurial businesses and I have to say that starting a business all over again in a field, as a hobby, that I have been dabbling in for 30 years is very exciting to me. I am prepared with all the things in place I have advised others to do - business plan, financing, budgeting etc.
But no matter how prepared, every day I find that there is some adjustment I need to make. For example, I went to a house with great window lighting to shoot a 4 month old. I only brought my 5d and three lenses that I was satisfied to have, a flash, memory and some props - a blanket with interesting texture and a boppy ( a donut shaped pillow) for having the baby in a position to get good facial shots. The images were what I wanted, but, I realized that I really want/needed two cameras for a shoot like that. I missed a few expressions - not really a big deal, but, I would have liked to have had a different lens and body available. I ran out of memory on one camera and I could have just reached for the 2nd one. I wanted a different focal length and could have just used both lenses on two bodies.
And there is the wish list: The same day I was shooting in my studio, and I changed backgrounds and found while working I would be very nice to have a background system in place to flip a switch to have multiples ready for shooting. There is a light panel system that I'd love to have and some grids for my softboxes and some new furniture for props and my list is quite long and probably will never be finished - there is always something but in the interest of trying to create some profit (it's a business now, not a hobby) we have to plan our purchases - it's not like a new outfit or pair of shoes.
So I am adjusting to a whole new career at age 52. And playing with kids and calming nervous brides is right up my alley. {sigh} Thank you, Asher, for all of your support and letting me share my new venture here. BTW, if you are in my shoes, I am also a Certified QuickBooks Consultant. I do have the business side of business nailed down.
So many facets to the business of photography. I'd love to chat with you about them.