Phuong My Spring 2012

I love the hair and makeup in this collection and am thinking of using this in a future shoot.

Phoung, 2011, Phuong My Spring 2012 Made-To-Order Collection, Fashion Gone Rogue, viewed 18 October 2011, <http://fashiongonerogue.com/phuong-spring-2012-madetoorder-collection/#more-6780>

In Company of Light

This is the shoot I did for Kurv magazine. It is titled "In Company of Light".

 

 

 

 

 

I'm pretty happy with the shoot. I'm not sure that it has the 'edge' I'm after and I think that's a combination of things but I'm leaning towards the fact I didn't invoke the best performance from my model. I think this is an experience thing and maybe a little of doubt in my mind whether I was heading in the right direction with this shoot.

Ben Kopilow (Client Consultation)

All contact is to get them in the door.

Email to get a call, phone call to get a face to face meeting.

Ensure you have a comfortable phone space with notepad, pen and reminder sheet with things to say.

Tell them you will answer all questions then Shut up.

If they ask for a price first, give them a redirect question: ‘I’d love to give you a pricing but first tell me a little about the wedding’.

Ask if they have a budget,

Mention your starting price,

Ask how this fits in with their budget,

Ask for a meeting, if they ask to check with their other half get them to schedule something in now with the ability to change it anytime.

Text a reminder of appointment on due date.

If they make no commitment to for a face to face ask if you can follow up in a week.

If you can’t meet at home/studio then meet at high end venue. Create a comfortable environment for the client. Client wants to see the real you.

Dress at a level your clients aspire to, can they see you fitting in at your wedding?

Don’t offer the clients any fancy refreshments, just water at this stage.

Sales consultation:

Set expectations; explain the purpose of the meeting.

Get them to know you and your work. Get to know them.

Your number one selling tool is your passion, just don’t write it down. Show them that you love what you do.

When they respect you as an artist and a professional they will want to work with you.

The first half of the meeting :

Establish raport.

Questions about the wedding, relationship, work, hobbies. Be genuine. Ask a few questions them shut up, let them talk.

Ask what their perfect wedding album would look like. Would it have a lot of photojournalism images?, lots of detail shots? Show them an album that reflects their needs.

Observe them and their body language, romantic, relaxed, fussy?

Be a resourse, the more you provide, the less price matters.

Don’t show slide shows.

Focus on album sales

Never make excuses for your work. Talk about your work. Talk about successes, how you overcame problems.

Point out your style. Point out images that fit their style. If they ask what makes you unique tell them. Don’t just say you shoot what they want.

Ask how the albums fit in with their ideal album. Explain prices clearly. Explain delivery process. Ask how the prices fit in with their expectations.

Never pencil in a date. Ball is in their court, they can book you if they want. Leave them alone to discuss options. Ask if they would like you to draw up a contract. If not can you follow up in a weeks time.

Don’t negotiate until they are ready to book.

Ask for their offer/suggestion first. Ask: ‘what are you looking for’ then shut up.

Once a position is made, he who speaks next loses.

Negotiated offer only good for that conversation, once they leave the offer is revoked.

Ben Kopilow (Giving Up Your Day Job)

Secrets to a Successful Career in Wedding Photography

Ben Kopilow has positioned himself at the high end of the Canberra Wedding Photography scene with a turnover of around $260,000 in 2011 shooting 32 wedding.

Ben didn’t start there though; his entry into professional wedding photography in 2007 saw him shoot 55 wedding at $3600 each. Seeing the need to reduce his workload and maximise his return he gradually restructured his product and prices to where he is now.

If you shoot 50 weddings a year at $1200 each your turnover would be $60,000. Take $500 for expenses per wedding and you are left with an income of $35,000 per year.

When working out your prices, factor in your business bottom line; include expenses from camera wear, insurance, electricity, consultation, fuel, clothing etc.

Ben’s change in pricing and hence lifestyle:

YEAR	No. of Weddings	Avg Price / Wedding	Yearly turnover
2007	55	$3600	$198000
2008	50	$4200	$210000
2009	45	$5000	$225000
2010	39	$6300	$245000
2011	32	$8000	$256000

Ben talked about album sales and how he charges per page rather than per album, this way there is no perceived limit to what the customer can purchase. As an example he had a client who purchased a $2500 wedding then went on to spend $4500 on the album.

Need to have sample albums and prints.

Never limit what the customer can buy.

Educate the client before they select there package. If your business is run on album sales then educate them that an album is the presentation method for your photos. It is the reason you are having a photographer at the wedding, to have a great album.

Value is not in physical products but the service, the attention to details and the quality of the memories.

Ben’s old price list:

$2500 - Staff photographer

$3500 – Staff photographer or Ben off season

$5700 – Ben with basic album (negs extra)

$8500 – Ben with album (negs extra)

$12950 – Ben, album and negs.

Ben’s new price list:

$5700 – artistic fee

$1500 – Negs

$$ - albums, prints etc

The best way to differentiate yourself is to own an attribute ie. Affordable, free negs, style, second shooter, all day coverage, passionate.

People pay more for experience.

If you differentiate with service then give them an experience they won’t forget.

People prefer to deal with experts rather than jack of all trades.

Ben lists in his awards a ‘best husband award’. This gives him a human element and shows that he is compassionate, caring and a family man.

The biggest tip from Ben was to believe in yourself and your worth.

 

Kopilow, B 2011, Fusion Photography Blog, Fusion Photography, Viewed 11 October 2011, <http://www.fusionphotography.biz/blog/>