photography business Archives - Page 3 of 5

Walking Your Photography Path

March 6, 2017

Finding Your Photography Path

It doesn’t matter whether you have a shop front photography or a studio on a main road, or you work out of your home, being a photography business coach I have discovered that there are 3 key points to making good money with your photography business.

Make Your Wall Art Shine

Selling only digital files will restrict your ability to maximise your sales and you will be unable to grow your business.

Understand that you will only sell what you show.

Having defined products also makes it easier for your customer to make their buying decisions.

When your client or potential client first walks into your studio their eyes should be drawn to beautiful large portraits on the walls.

This may seem obvious, but sometimes you may need to be reminded of this. You should regularly update your displays.

It’s important that you have on show larger wall décor in 24×30 size or above, rather than lots of smaller prints.

Don’t forget that your Wall Portraits should also have appropriate lighting on them to show off the quality, colour and textures, making them “jump off the walls.”

Track lighting in the ceiling, with the daylight balanced lights aimed at the wall portraits is a must have to achieve this. You want your portraits to be the brightest items in your studio.

Never have fluorescent lights around any area that you display your wall portraiture!

Avoid having 8×10’s or 5×7’s in frames sitting around, or even on your walls.

Smaller prints can be shown as Box Sets or Memory Boxes, with 10 or 20 matted images on archival art paper.

First Impressions Do Matter

Your potential client’s first impression is the lasting one, whether it is when they go to your website, speak to you on the phone, or go to your studio.

They are assessing whether they will spend any money with you and how much.

Creating a good first impression can sometimes take time, but always strive to be the best that you can be with your presentation and your knowledge of your products.

You could start by de-cluttering your studio. Is it messy? Framed prints sitting on the floor? Does the air smell a bit stale? Does the floor need a vacuuming? Are the windows clean? Do you dress appropriately? Do you have a deep knowledge of your products you can talk to your potential clients about?

Make Your Business Real

I have visited so many home businesses as my role as a photography business coach, and very few of them have had a sign outside their home to reassure me that I was at the right house.

Imagine your client arriving and wondering whether or not they are at the right house?

Their first impression isn’t one of trust, and certainty.

To make your business real, you must have signage. Can you imagine a book without a front cover? Well that’s your business if you do not have a sign with your logo on it, outside and inside your place of work.

How Much Should You Pay For A Photography Business Coach?

It is important that the coach that you select has been the owner of a successful photography business, and has “walked the walk.” This will give you the confidence to know that they know what it takes to be successful, and what it takes to create and grow your business.

Fees of a photography business coach will usually relate to the amount of experience that the coach has, not only in running a business, but how many years they have been coaching.

Like any form of expertise prices vary, and photography business coaching can cost from $250 for a single one hour consultation to the more intense twelve month photography business coaching priced up to over $12,000.

Some coaches charge a monthly fee, while others will come to your studio for a couple of days to provide you with the solutions to your problems.

Many photographers are part time coaches, and are offering coaching services on a more casual and unstructured basis.

A part time coach may charge for a short time program and you can expect fees of around $1,500-$3,000 for this type of short term guidance.

When selecting a coach, know what expectations and outcomes you are looking for.

Is your main problem Marketing, Workflow, Pricing, or do you simply need someone to motivate and drive you? Or a combination of all?

Remember that you don’t know what you don’t know, and a photography business coach should give you the knowledge that you lack to implement your business growth.

It is also important to find a photography business coach who you trust, who you can work with, and who is a good fit for you and your business.

Whatever coach you decide on, what you definitely should be looking for is a return on your investment.

The bottom line is that a good photography business coach will help, drive, and guide you to increase your turnover, maximise your profit, and give you the work/life balance that you are looking for.

And of course, don’t forget to get heaps of testimonials and referrals if possible.

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#berniegriffiths

Can You Do It?

February 23, 2017

I regularly read that our chances of success in the photography industry are very slim, and as a photography business coach I have seen many people begin a business and after a couple of years they have found it all too hard and found a “real job.”

The photography businesses failure rate is very high according to some statistics and Jodie Otte of Black Horse Studio in a recent article said that 95% will fail.

The stats of course don’t reveal the truth and the reality about what is really going on for photographers who want to have a successful photography business.

There is a lot more involved in the “behind the scenes” truth about the lonely, emotional rollercoaster ride of creating and building a successful photography business that most business owners go through.

Success is an exciting unpredictable journey, and part of the journey (including my own) can be filled with bad decisions and mistakes, lost money and often days of feeling worthless, and unloved.

As a photography business coach I believe that the decision to build a photography businesses, is a tough and courageous one. It can also be one of the few decisions in a photographer’s life that can fundamentally grow you as a person.

A photographer’s journey is generally filled with a mixture of positive and negative emotions, and here are a few of them that a photographer may encounter in their business life.

Excitement. The time you have been dreaming and working towards has finally arrived. The doors of your photography business are opening, the website for your new business is live and you launch into the unknown world of business.

You love taking photographs and starting your own photography business is your dream. You’re excited, as you visualise the floods of Newborns, Families, etc coming through the door. You are nervous, but you feel that your business will be a sure fire hit.

You have confidence and you just know that you have made the right decision.

When you start to get the first customers in front of your camera you experience a great overwhelming feeling of satisfaction.

You just know that you have made the right decision to “go it alone” even though a lot of family and friends thought you were crazy to do so!

Happiness. You are doing well, so you pay off your credit card, your business is finally in the black, and you are happy. You have achieved your goal of creating a profitable business and who you have become is a different person from who you were just three short years earlier.

Disappointment. After a while busyness becomes a trickle of low paying customers and reality hits you. Your excitement has been replaced by disappointment and a lot of questions. Why did they not book? Did I get this wrong? Have I set my prices too high? Was I too optimistic in my expectations? How am I going to get more sales? Is this really for me?

Fear. You can reach a point where you think that business is not as black and white as you thought it was. You have one or two bad customer experiences and doubt fills you mind. You knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but because your photography was good, you felt that people would happily pay for it.

You begin to doubt that you are not “good enough” to have a business.

Some poor sales weeks may drag into months and when the sales stay flat, and your initial disappointment begins to turn into fear. Fear that you’re not covering your costs, fear that you’re going backwards not forwards, and fear that this photography business that you have created, is looking more like a death sentence rather than a ticket to wealth, happiness and freedom. You don’t realise it at first but this fear can be helpful, as this fear is important, and it may be a galvanising force to find an inner strength and belief. Many photographers give up right here, when success could be just around the corner.

Inner Strength. Suddenly something changes, in your mindset and you decide to face the facts. You decide to stop avoiding the truth of your bad situation and you decide to confront the mess you’re in. Instead of repeating the same marketing strategies you used previously, that are now not working you start to implement new strategies. You start putting yourself on the front line and you even start asking for help. You make a decision to learn everything that you can about strategic marketing and selling.

You may even hire a photography business coach to accelerate your growth.

I am sure many of you reading this will be shaking your heads up and down and agreeing that you have been through some, if not all of the emotions above and more.

Understand that Success is not an event, it is a journey.

Sometimes we need failures at some part of the journey to drive us forward.

Here are some of Donald Trumps massive failures. http://time.com/4343030/donald-trump-failures/

I hope your passion and drive will create the photography business that you had hoped for.

Be your own person, believe in yourself, get help, stay positive and walk proudly to achieving your goals.

This life is not a dress rehearsal.

Go for it.

You were born to succeed !

photography business coach

Bernie Griffiths

Are Your Underselling Yourself?

February 7, 2017

Are You Too Cheap?

Working out pricing for a photography business can be a difficult thing to do.

There is heaps of online advice, and of course your photography friends always like to give you their opinion.

Here is an email I came across last week from Amy Fraughton from Photo Business Tools.

“I talk to photographers literally every working day of the month, and the one common thread that always comes up is their pricing…

And so in case we haven’t talked yet, the answer is YES, you are priced too low…

And not just because you have to figure in your expenses.

Not just because you want to value your time more.

One of the biggest reasons you need to raise your prices, is because your prices are telling your clients you are not that good… and in some cases, that you really stink!

I always use this comparison – if you went to buy a pair of jeans and there were 2 stores right next to each other that sold similar jeans, but one was priced at $20 and the other at $250, what would you think about the $250 pair of jeans?

They are definitely the jeans everyone wants to buy.

They are better quality.

They will last longer.

They will make you look amazing.

But do we really know if the thread is thicker, the fabric stronger? No, but we assume so because of the price.

It’s the same with everything from ketchup to diamonds… the price tells us whether it’s good or faulty.

I don’t know about you, but I want my clients to know my pictures are good. In fact, amazing!

If you are priced too low right now, I promise there are clients out there looking for a photographer in a higher price range, but when they see your prices, they don’t call you because it’s too low, and your low price is telling them you don’t have good work, don’t have good products, and your customer service is lacking.

So… be brutally honest with yourself… what are your prices telling your potential clients?

Are they telling them you are amazing?

Are they telling them you are so so?

Or are they telling them that you kinda stink?

It’s quite possible that your low prices are actually deflecting your ideal client…

It’s time to change that.

Make sure your prices are telling your clients that they are going to get amazing products with an amazing service!

And start attracting the right clients!”

What About Alternative Pricing?

There are a lot of good points in Amy’s article.

BUT, in my opinion as a photography business coach, it is not just about simply raising your prices.

In my role as a photography business coach, the photographers that I coach come from various levels of expertise, quality and experience, and so after a lot of “test and measure,” I have devised three different price structures, and we select the structure that suits the photographer the best.

Structure one is what I consider the “old way” and is based on the primary premise of selling various sizes of images. This is a simple structure that does restrict high sales, and is used by the majority of photographers in the marketplace. Expect your average sale to be around $600 with this price list.

My second structure is based on having four collections as it’s base, which gives the client a choice of prints and files, with additional extras like wall art, print boxes, and digital file collections also available. Average sales are generally $1,000 plus.

The third price structure is for a higher end photographer who looks for an average sale of $2,500 plus.The emphasis here is on wall art in all of it’s forms…canvas, acrylic, matted and framed, etc. To encourage high sales it also has a bonus gift incentive that gives the client a high perceived value gift if they purchase two or more of the higher priced items. This price list structure has led to two of my clients doing individual sales of over $9,000 in the past week.

When you revisit your pricing try and think a little more strategically and see if you can can come up with a structure it to encourage your customers to purchase more.

Need help? Feel free to email me ….info@aswpp.com.au

Changing Photographers Lives

“I just wanted to say a huge thank you for all your help this year.

We had another record month for December with 32 sessions booked in for next year.

I also wanted to tell you, I used your suggestion of a baby plan with newborn clients. I charged them $25 to add a 6 month and 1 year session after doing the newborn session. One family today came in and spent $3,090 for the 6 month session, so it is definitely working.” Kate & Chris Beuchner Uber Photography

http://www.berniegriffiths.com

Photography Business Coach

Photography Business Coach Advice

January 23, 2017

Marketing For Portrait Photographers Podcast by Photography Business Coach

Advice from a photography business coach on Sprouting Photographer

Summary of Discussion Topics:

Your business, and any business needs customers.

The important difference between marketing strategy and implementation.

It’s okay to make mistakes in marketing – don’t overanalyze.

It all boils down to lead generation and nurturing leads through the buying cycle.

Why you need to learn copywriting, and automate your content through the buying cycle.

Testing and measuring everything about your marketing – and what to keep track of.

Making sure all aspects of your business are realistic, including pricing and expectations.

The power of Facebook as an inexpensive marketing tool.

How to design an effective Facebook marketing ad campaign.

What to do with cold leads to warm them up to buy.

There is no right or wrong with marketing, just keep trying and keep learning.

Maintaining professionalism and avoiding the ‘bait & switch’ style of marketing.

The secret to marketing – get out there and market!

Listen to the full podcast on Sprouting Photographer http://www.sproutingphotographer.com/197

photography business coach

ACCOUNTABLE – MEASURABLE – PROVEN

http://www.berniegriffiths.com Enquiries….info@aswpp.com.au Bernie +61418509228

photography business coach Bernie Griffiths

Wasn’t It Good?

December 29, 2016

Wasn’t It Good?

What an amazing year 2016 has proven to be.

As a Photography Business Coach I haven’t seen so much growth in the photography industry for many years.

So many personal business records were broken with my clients.

One photographer had more turnover for the last six months of the year than the whole of the previous financial year! That is amazing Fi.

Many of my clients recorded at least one record sales month, Kate and John to name a couple, while many achieved record individual portrait sales, the highest being an amazing $30,000? Well done Murielle.

Three clients are creating new studios. One has almost finished converting a stand-alone two storey building that was once a Chinese restaurant, into a striking, contemporary dual studio set up. Very exciting Nick.

Belinda is converting their garage at home into a great studio/sales area facility, while Sandra, who after many years of working out of home, is re-fitting and totally renovating a shop in a vibrant outer Victorian suburb, into her dream studio.

National Family Portrait Month proved to be an amazing success, by not only raising over $30,000 for the nominated charity, but also in creating over 600 photography sessions for participating photographers.

One studio alone created over $40,000 in sales from NFPM sessions. Good work Heath!

Facebook has been the King of Marketing, with hundreds of thousands of turnover created for my clients using my suggested simple Facebook strategies.

This from a UK based studio owner about a Facebook Marketing podcast I did with Photobizx.com.. about being a Photography Business Coach.

Business growth is the name of the game, and that should be the total focus in the upcoming months for your photography busness.

Don’t kid yourself. If your business isn’t growing in some way, shape or form, then it is dying!

Achieving growth takes dedication, time, doing a few things outside of your comfort zone, and knowing what to do.

As a Photography Business Coach I was kept super busy conducting over 750 Skype sessions with photographers, presenting many seminars, and creating thousands of dollars for my photography clients.

Certain words and phrases not to be used next years should include “I haven’t got time”, “can’t”, “I can’t afford it”, “I thought that”, “it’s too hard”, and “I assume”.

These should be replaced with “test and measure”, “ok, let’s do it”, “I love doing new things,” “I love the business side of things”, “I love Marketing”, and “I cannot fail if I try my best to grow my business every day.”

My philosophy for business has always been “ If It Is To Be…..Then It Is Up To Me.”

Changing Photographers Lives

“I just wanted to say a huge thank you for all your help this year.

We had another record month for December with 32 sessions booked in for next year.

I also wanted to tell you, I used your suggestion of a baby plan with newborn clients. I charged them $25 to add a 6 month and 1 year session after doing the newborn session. One family today came in and spent $3,090 for the 6 month session, so it is definitely working.” Kate & Chris Beuchner Uber Photography

http://www.berniegriffiths.com Photography Business Coach

Enquiries….info@aswpp.com.au Bernie +61418509228

Photography Business Coach

Choosing The Right Photography Products For Your Business

November 28, 2016

With so many different photography products out in the market place, it can be very hard to know what products you should sell.

Which ones are right for you?

When I talk about products I mean canvas, frames, print boxes, acrylics, albums, USB cases, etc, etc.

The majority of your clients don’t really have any idea of what they want, at least until they have seen their photographs.

They may have some idea of what they think they want, but the reality is, they generally don’t know what is available.

When a potential client asks, “What do you charge for an 8×10?”, or “How much are all the digital files?” they aren’t really asking what you charge for an 8×10, or how cheap your digital files are, but more likely they are telling you that they need more information about your products.

So when asked that question you can introduce them to your product range, and discuss their benefits.

Some clients will want a lot of small prints, some will want acrylic wall prints, some will want framed prints, and some will want canvas, while some will want digital files.

I remember when my studio used to do bucket loads of weddings and I had about ten different album covers on offer. I grew tired of spending so much time in selecting an album cover with couples, so I approached my supplier and asked what album cover colour they sold the most.

I was surprised when they told me it was black, but I changed all my samples to black, and you guessed it, everyone chose it.

I did the same for my frames, and again everyone bought black frames. Alternative colours were available if anyone asked (which they rarely did) but I offered them at a more expensive price, which always led the customers happily back to black.

The first step for a photographer choosing products for their business is to know what products are out there in the marketplace.

The second is to ask a lot of questions of the suppliers about those products, so that they are best able to match their clients’ needs.

Choose products that are in demand, but add your own little branding touches, like wrapping your own personalised ribbon around them, or having your logo embossed in a prominent place.

Keep in mind that your products should suit your positioning in the marketplace.

Choose your products to suit your sales and to maximise your profit and introduce new products regularly and see what your customers like.

Select products that your customers like and buy, rather than what you like.

For more info on products and pricing contact Bernie ….info@aswpp.com.au or http://www.berniegriffiths.com

photographybusinesscoach bernie griffiths

Choosing The Right Photography Products For Your Business

Photographing New Born Babies.

October 31, 2016

Who Doesn’t Love A New Born Baby?

Over the last few years, newborn photography has become the “go to” genre for photographers around the world.

There are a million videos, tutorials, ebooks, guides and books on how to photograph these “slippery little suckers”.

The best one I have found is “Over 100 of the Best Newborn Baby Tutorials”.

Nowhere In all of my research on photographing newborns, do I see any one talk about shooting for maximizing sales.

The focus is always on how to photograph the baby.

Now to maximise our sales, we need to photograph the baby with any siblings, its parents, and its grandparents.

Becoming a proud grandparent myself just six weeks ago, to a beautiful grand daughter, Wendy and I would have loved to have some great professional photographs with the new baby.

We would have loved the photographs to be taken in our home, so that we would not have to had venture out into Melbourne’s freezing weather.

Our son and daughter-in-law would have preferred this also, as new busy parents they would not have had to pack the baby, along with clothes and bottles etc.

How easy for us all to have the photography session in the comfort and warmth of our own home.

We could have supplied any props so the photographer would not need “organically dyed newborn cheesecloth wraps” etc.

Doing a newborn session in new parents homes just makes sense, and has many benefits for the client, and the great benefit for the photographer of course is in maximising the sales.

I have some of the photographers that I am coaching doing this and they are having a lot of success.

So next time you book in a newborn shoot, just encourage the baby’s parents to bring

along the grandparents for part of the shoot.

Your bank account will thank you.

photography business coach http://www.berniegriffiths.com

15 Statements Poor Photographers Say that Rich Photographers Do Not!

October 31, 2016

Great article by Bradford Rowley.

Bradford Rowley is perhaps the most expensive portrait photographer in the United States with an impressive list of prominent clientele. He operates studios in New York, California and on world famous Worth Avenue in Palm Beach. He has made over 20 million dollars from selling portraits. He has taught photographers from more than 40 countries. He currently resides in Connecticut with his wife and youngest child.

15 Statements Poor Photographers Say that Rich Photographers Do Not!

Below is a list of comments I have heard from photographers over the years and especially lately that I find toxic for success and a contrast to what I hear from people I mastermind with.

As in all of my articles, when I point out something wrong, I also give a solution or the flip side which I believe points in the direction of success….

Phrases Poor Photographers Say:

Cheap photographers are ruining the industry.
I am in it for the art not the money.
I’m going to spend my money to buy the latest equipment.
It’s impossible to get rich in photography.
People will never spend that amount of money.
Clients don’t see my worth.
My clients insist on getting their images on a CD.
There should be some protection like professional licensing for our industry.
I hate selling.
I am up till 2 a.m. working on Photoshop.
You can’t make the same amount of money in photography that you could 15 years ago.
We are in a recession right now.
All the photographers I know say business is down.
I just hope I can last a little bit longer in this industry until I retire.
I don’t trust anyone in my business but me.

Phrases Rich Photographers Say:

I run my studio as a business.
I carefully spend my money on marketing that brings in massive amounts of clients.
The photography business is one of the best kept secrets there is.
I differentiate myself so entirely from cheap photographers that they have no affect on me.
Photographers can make more money than physicians if they are savvy.
Spending at least a few thousand dollars on a piece of art which is a representation of that which is most precious to people is a very reasonable expectation.
I carefully brand myself in a very calculated way which helps me command top dollar.
I never let any portrait leave my studio which isn’t finished in the most exquisite way and with full artistry. My clients understand and respect me more because of it.
Because I make an amazing living, I can afford to enjoy my love of photography on vacations all over the world.
I assume 100% responsibility for my success as well as my failures.
My work immediately communicates professional.
I feel passionate about my work and relish the opportunity to sell it.
I hire specialist to assist me in production so I can spend time expanding my business and taking it to the next level.
With all the new technologies, there has never been an easier time to make money in photography.
If there is a recession, I won’t participate in it.
I surround myself with positive and successful individuals.
I want to make as much as I can from my profession to provide an amazing life for my family and to be able to make a difference by donating to worthy causes. The world is a better place because of my success and the amazing heirlooms I provide my clients.

http://www.berniegriffiths.com

http://www.berniegriffithsbusinesscoach.com.au

The Millionaire Photographer

October 7, 2016

The Millionaire Photographer

I am an admirer of Bradford Rowney, known as The Millionaire Photographer.

Like myself he has turned over millions of dollars in his photography studio.

Below is an extract from his recent blog post, all of which I agree with, but I would like to add a couple of things.

After having a successful wedding/portrait studio for over 40 years, and now being a full time Photography Business Coach for over the past five years, there is one thing that I have learned.

Every photographer is different!

They have different backgrounds, different photography skill levels, different everyday lives, different family and friends, different wants and needs, different personalities, they live in different parts of the world, with different cultures, and different communities.

But they do have one thing in common.

They all love photography!

Those wishing to take their business to higher levels, generally don’t like as much the business side of things….Marketing, Selling, Bookwork, Social Media etc.

This is where a Business Coach comes in, to help the photographer to understand, implement, and learn to enjoy the business side of things.

Personally, I have always loved the business side of things more than the photography.

I loved the challenge of having my own photography business and all of the rewards that it has brought me, and now the challenges of being the best Photography Business Coach that I can be.

From Bradley Rowney’s Blog……http://www.milliondollarphotographer.com/dont-hire-a-photography.html

Don’t Hire a Photography Business Coach Until You Do This!

“There is an old saying: “Those who can, do, and those who can’t, teach.”

This certainly isn’t true in every case – there are some amazing teachers out there (for example, Tony Robbins) – but with so many photographers turned teachers, it does make you wonder if this statement is true in at least some cases. In fact, I often get this accusation made against me.

Some say I must be teaching because I can’t make it in my business anymore (I’ll answer that one throughout the article).

Having a business coach is important. One could even say it is essential. Whether it’s Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods, virtually every person who has dominated their field has had some form of coaching.

But with all the choices, especially where photographers turned teachers are concerned, how do you decide who will give you the most explosive results for your money and time?

Below are four things you can do to help protect yourself and make sure you are truly getting someone who is an expert at getting results, who actually walks the talk, not someone who is just a well-known name in the industry (which happens all too often).

If you are hiring one of the 17,500 coaches outside the photography industry and they have a proven track record for results, no problem.

If, however, it is someone inside the industry who advertises themselves as having a successful photography business and is using this claim as their credentials for teaching you and sharing their secrets, these steps will help you learn if they are truly running a successful business that also offers teaching, or if they are making most of their money from teaching while merely creating the illusion of a successful business.

Google the photographer/teacher.

What comes up first? Is it their photography studio, or is it all about teaching photographers and educational materials for sale?

If it’s the latter, be careful. If their website is mainly geared to photographers, that is a big hint that they make the majority (if not all) of their money from teaching, not photography.

Again, this is fine if it’s how they represent themselves, but if they represent themselves as having a successful photography business as their credentials for teaching, then be careful.

Ask the photographer/teacher what percentage they make from teaching versus photography.

Ask the photographer/teacher to provide the names of people they have taught who have made significant increases as a result of their teachings.

Experience does not matter. Industry accolades and awards do not matter. The ONLY thing that matters is results!

Hiring a coach may be one of the best business decisions you can make.

The questions above are good ones to ask to make sure you are employing someone who has a proven track record of achieving great results for themselves, and who is able to translate their skills into helping you achieve great results for yourself!”

Put Up Your Hand

If you need help in your Photography Business don’t be afraid to put up your hand and ask for help.

Follow Bradford’s advice, and as he says…… Hiring a coach may be one of the best business decisions you can make.

Put up your hand if you need help. You don’t have to do it alone.

I only Coach “one on one,” and my coaching services start at just $130 a month.

info@berniegriffiths.com

http://www.berniegriffiths.com

http://www.berniegriffithsbusinesscoach.com.au

I Love You….But

September 23, 2016

During my 40 years of owning a studio I had amazing support and understanding from my wife with the long hours I spent in the business, the working on weekends, and the aggravation that I brought home on a regular basis, when business wasn’t going so well.

She worked tirelessly, bringing up our two kids, protecting me from anything bad, always having a great meal on the table when I arrived home late from the studio, and was my rock, when I felt like I was having a meltdown.

Running any small business isn’t easy.

We all know that.

Any small business owner needs support to help them through the hard times, and have someone to celebrate successes.

While I was truly blessed with the support I had in my business, as a photography business coach I understand that circumstances are not the same for everyone.

The article below is from a recent Design Aglow posting. http://www.designaglow.com

LETTER FROM A PHOTOGRAPHER: TO MY HUSBAND, BECAUSE I NEED YOUR SUPPORT FOR MY BUSINESS

“To my unsupportive husband,

I know you work so hard every day to support our family and I want you to know that I appreciate it.

I respect you, and your job, but sometimes I feel like I don’t get that same respect back. I know that society has taught us to believe that photography is not a “real job”, so I’m not blaming you for thinking that way.

But I am asking you to change the way you think.

My love of photography may have started out as a hobby, but I’m a professional photographer now.

And even though my job doesn’t require me to put on a suit and go to an office every day, it is a real job.

I value your opinion and as my husband, I need your support. I need you to believe in me.

Running a photography business isn’t easy.

I need to invest in equipment and invest in training.

I need to shoot in the evenings and on weekends sometimes.

I won’t make a lot of money in the beginning.

And I know it feels risky to invest our money in my photography, but I want you to know this isn’t just an expensive hobby that I’m going to get bored with in 6 months.

This is a business.

I know you see me working hard to grow my business.

I’ve learned how to create a website and I’ve learned how to shoot manual and how to pose and work with all sorts of clients, even newborns.

I have set up an efficient workflow, made a business plan and customized legal contracts and policies for my business.

I’m getting paid for my work and even though it’s not a lot of money just yet, I know I’m on the right track.

But when you make sarcastic comments about how I’m better at spending money on photography than making money doing photography, I feel irresponsible.

When you use air quotes when you talk about my “photography business”, I feel humiliated.

When you tell me we shouldn’t spend $700 for me to go to a workshop, I feel ashamed for mentioning it.

When you tell me I should “just cancel that session” so we can make other plans, I feel disrespected.

I work just as hard as you do every day.

Just because my job does not bring home a steady paycheck does not mean that it is any less important than yours.

I know that’s not easy to hear.

But it’s true.

And it’s the root of all our problems involving my new business. I need your respect. I need your trust. I need your support.

Without it, my business will never succeed.

Sincerely,

Your Wife, the professional photographer.

Letters From a Photographer is an original series by Design Aglow. Articles are meant to spark thought and conversation and be shared within our industry.”

I would welcome your comments…info@aswpp.com.au

CHANGING PHOTOGRAPHERS LIVES….FOR THE BETTER.

http://www.berniegriffiths.com

#Photography Business Coach

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