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The #1 Myth That’s Holding You Back

If I asked you what is holding you back from creating the photography business of your dreams, what would you say?

I’m willing to bet it’s related to the one myth that holds every photographer back at some point in his or her career.

I know, you might say a variety of things – I have people email me all the time with different comments and questions.

Some say they simply can’t find clients in these hard economic times.

Some say they don’t have all the pieces to put together a business.

Some say they don’t have the time to dedicate to do all the things they want to do.

But no matter what people say or how they say it, it all comes down to one thing. The one myth that will hold you back and keep you from being the success you are truly meant to be.

I need to “give” away my photography services and not charge what I’m truly worth.

Yep, I hear it all the time. They may say it in different ways, but that’s truly what they mean.

Have you ever been held back by this myth?

The 1 Myth Thats Holding You Back As A Photographer

Have you ever said:

“Photography is easy – how can I charge for something that people do all the time. Everyone has a camera. Why is my work better than theirs?”

I agree. Photography is easy. Anyone can find a camera, see something they want to capture, and press the button to freeze the moment. The art comes in creating something different that the average person can’t create.

A photographer understands there are many ways to capture an image, but only a few that will make the viewer say “WOW”. They look for the WOW in everything they do. They leave nothing to chance. They take images that most can’t. Because they know how to look beyond what most people see, and capture a whole lot more.

That’s the art form. And that’s what people get paid for. They create an experience that they can’t recreate themselves; that very few can capture.

And they aren’t afraid to charge what that experience is worth.

Or how about:

“I used to charge more 5 (10, 15, 20) years ago. But the market has changed. I can’t get what I used to. I have to lower my sales just to keep up with the new players in the industry.”

Have times change? You bet.

But that doesn’t mean photography has changed. In fact I would argue that there is more demand for photography today than there has been at any other period of time.

Yet that doesn’t mean its business as usual. You can’t “do what you’ve always done” and expect to get paid the same for it. You have to look at things differently. You have to offer things differently. You have to give people what they demand.

And when you tie it all together, you can most certainly make what you did 5, 10, 15 or even 20 year ago … and more.

Or maybe that’s not you. Maybe you’ve thought:

“I would be thought of as greedy if I charged a whole lot more than what someone can print a picture for at “insert your favorite big box store here”.”

Does anyone think you’re greedy if you have a roof over your head, clothes on your back, and food on the table? Nope, I don’t think so. We live in a society that is way beyond “existence” mode.

We live in communities where the basic necessities are a given. They are the norm. We expect people to be well fed, have clothes on their backs, and live in a place that is acceptable to them.

If you have a job, is it greedy expecting a salary? Is it greedy wanting to give your family everything they need and desire?

Then why is it greedy expecting a healthy living from photography?

Photography is a whole lot more than printing an 8×10 at Walmart. Yes, I’ll agree, some “photographers” attempt to do that. And that’s why they are held back.

But if you treat photography as an art form – not simply a business – you create an experience they can never get using their iPhones and Androids.

You offer professional products – not merely an 8×10 that could be printed at Walmart.

You offer albums only a professional has access to.

You offer unique sizes, styles and options your audience has never seen before.

You go the extra mile and do what very few don’t.

And once you do this – once you feel the difference – you’ll quickly realize you are worth everything you charge … and more.

Filed Under: Get Clients Tagged With: Myth That’s Holding You Back, Photographer, Photography Business

What Is A Photographer’s True Competitive Edge?

by Virtual Photography Leave a Comment

Digital cameras of today are sophisticated, easy to use … and everywhere. Whether you use an iPhone and an app, or your Canon EOS 5D with a full array of lenses, anyone with a digital camera and a computer can establish themselves as a photographer willing to be hired to shoot for a fee.

Yes, these wannabes may lack classical training in lighting and posing, but clients trying to stretch their budgets often see them as a viable option.

And so the pricing wars begin.

The reality of it is photography isn’t a product based industry; it is and always will be a service based industry.

Someone may tell you a photograph is a photograph – and the pricing should be comparable from place to place. But if you hear that from a potential customer, they don’t understand the nuances of photography. That isn’t his or her fault. It’s ours as photographers. And in order to create a full fledged, full time, six figure business, you must understand this and build your business into the service business it should be.

What Is A Photographer’s True Competitive Edge

Start with your photography

The problem does arise from the photography itself. What makes you different from the wannabes? Does your work stand apart? Or is it easy to confuse your work with everyone else out there?

If you want to make this your true profession and you are wanting to grow into a six figure photography business, your work has to stand apart. You have to understand posing and lighting. You must create truly professional images. Practice, practice, practice. Attend seminars by people that are already making six figures in their prospective fields. Head to judging contests to learn what master photographers are looking for in images.

Then use this to make your photography stand apart from the competition. You can also use your knowledge to make others aware of what they should be looking for. Point to an image with a telephone pole coming out of a clients head once, and a potential client will know exactly how to look for composition as she heads off to visit other prospective photographers.

Change your marketing and sales

A potential client doesn’t know what to look for until you tell her. Arm her with questions.

Does the photographer have liability insurance?

Does the photographer have backup equipment?

How many images does the photographer take at the wedding?

Whatever questions you present, explain your answers in detail and why it matters to her. If she’s armed with the knowledge you have something that other photographers don’t, chances are she’ll be back with a check in hand when she can’t find the customer service level anywhere else out there.

Use stories to teach

Doesn’t the idea of a general photographer sound great? You can visit them for your wedding, have your baby’s portrait created, and have them photograph the new earrings you’ve fashioned for the brochure you’re designing for your new business.

That’s how many people view the photography world. Flip that around and make them think differently.

Would you really want a cardiologist answering a question about a mole on your back? Or a plastic surgeon helping you with a sore throat?

People specialize to become good at what they do. And as a photographer, there is an extreme difference between shooting a pair of earrings for a brochure, and following a bride and groom around for the day of their wedding.

Yet many consumers don’t understand that. Use a story – just like the one I described about the medical field – to get your prospects to understand the differences.

Maintain your pricing

Finally, don’t be seduced into lowering your pricing in order to get jobs. If something isn’t in your arena, or a client wants you but “can’t” afford you, the decision should be on them – not you. Your time is too valuable to spend accommodating the penny pinchers that don’t realize your true potential.

Let them head out and go with the wannabes to save money. Let them be disappointed in the overall service they received. And allow them to help you by providing stories to their friends – stories that will push them towards you with the lessons they learned.

Filed Under: Get Clients Tagged With: Competitive Edge, get clients, Photographer, Photography Business

The 2 Secret Ingredients Any Photographer Can Use To Print Money Every Day

by Virtual Photography 4 Comments

I bet you know a person like this.

Everything she touches turns to gold. When she starts a new project, it’s an instant success. She brings in more cash in a day then you’ve made in months. She celebrates by buying herself little “trinkets” – a new Rolex watch or a red Audi TT.

What makes her so successful? Is it luck? Is it skill? And how can we “drink” in whatever she does so we have a little of it ourselves?

While she may seem lucky from our perspective, she has something that very few people figure out. She controls her actions – and she does so very well.

What? I know, you’re probably wondering what action has to do with it. Here is why it is relevant.

Everyone wants money. And that’s where most people put their focus. They hate their job so they decide to start a photography business on the side to bring in their current income level. They focus in on that dollar number and they do everything they can to bring in that amount of money.

Now you’re thinking:

“Not me. I just love photography and I’m willing to shoot anyone who wants a portrait. Money isn’t the object. I need it to pay the bills, but I’m willing to take anyone as a client and do so regularly to make what I need.”

If this is you, what is the ultimate purpose of every client you bring in? Yes, you’re willing to take in anyone and everyone, but ultimately if you are in business, it is to bring in money. You have to have money to survive, and therefore you have to focus on the numbers at some point in order to bring in enough clients to pay the bills.

Your action isn’t in taking on a certain client. Your action is focused on the end result, which is ultimately bringing in money.

If you owe $1000 at the end of the month, and the only way you will make those payments is to bring enough business in, you aren’t focused in on the clients – you’re focused in on the money. If someone calls and asks for a modeling portfolio, even if you have never done one before, and they offer you a couple hundred to do it, you’re likely to take it, just to meet that $1000 goal. Secret Ingredients Any Photographer Can Use To Print Money Every Day

That’s the difference between your very successful friend … and you.

Your very successful friend understands action. She understands if she puts action on the most important thing in her business, it will bring her in business tenfold. So she does two things and she does those things very well.

1. Focus in on one client

2. Take action to bring that one client in

Rinse and repeat. Again and again.

If she is a wedding photographer, all she looks at finding are wedding clients. And not just any wedding client; a client that meets her specific requirements. She refines that target client again and again until she speaks to that one client so specifically, they hire her on the spot.

If a modeling client calls in, she says no. Even if she is short a few hundred dollars towards her goal. She knows that modeling client will cause her stress, and she won’t perform at her optimal level. Instead of spending hours with the modeling client, she spends the time honing in on a new wedding client. She’ll find that one client. And she will book her. Guaranteed … that’s how she became so successful in the first place.

She does this enough she no longer worries about money. Business isn’t hard to find; it pours into her every day. She’s recognized for what she does. And people think she’s lucky.

And she agrees. She just knows the secret.

Filed Under: Get Clients Tagged With: get new clients, make money, Photographer, Print Money, Secret Ingredients

11 Mistakes To Avoid As A Small Business Owner

by Virtual Photography Leave a Comment

I recently wrote a post 13 Ways To Make Sure 2013 Doesn’t Suck For Your Photography Business. I’ve been doing a lot internal planning with my own business for 2013, and I used that post as a trigger for all of you to start thinking about what you want the New Year to bring into your own lives. In order to stick with that theme, I’ve decided to run a “13 Days Of Photography” feature throughout December to help provide you with a ton of ideas and tips on things you can do for your own business starting on January 1st. Here is 11…

As an entrepreneur for close to 20 years, I’ve had my ups and downs. I’ve built three successful businesses, had my share of start up problems, and celebrated many accomplishments. I’ve learned many things along the way. And in many cases, you can learn just as much from the negative side of things as you can the positive. Here are 11 mistakes to avoid as you are building your own photography studio.

1. Stop Dreaming and Start Doing

It’s easy to get caught up in the dreams of “someday”. Yet the more you dream, the less you’ll do. You can’t own a million dollar business or be a recognized photographer if you don’t take the first step.

2. Let Learning Delay Action

If you want to be a photographer, you’ve probably studied photography from a variety of sources. Whether formal training through a college or university, or self learning through books and videos, if you’ve reached the point where you want to turn it into a business, you have the skills to get started. Its only refinement that stands in your way of becoming great.

3. Overthink Qualifications

“But I don’t have a degree” or “I’m not a certified photographer”. If you’ve ever used “but” or “I’m not”, you are looking to closely at what you don’t have instead of focusing in on the skills you do have.

4. Avoid Failure

Nobody likes to fail – that’s human nature. But a good small business owner realizes there is no way around failure – to try something new means you’re going to fail along the way. Failure is good – even an epic failure gives you something to learn from . Do it, learn from it, and move on. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Business Tagged With: Mistakes To Avoid, Photographer, Photography Business, Small Buisness Owner

7 Myths About Becoming An Artist Late In Life

by Virtual Photography 2 Comments

At some point in your life, you’ll look at the life you’ve created and want something more. It may be as you graduate from college and decide your degree isn’t the path you want to take. It may be in your 30’s as you start your family and want to stay home with the kids. It may be in your 60’s as you retire and find yourself with more time on your hands. In any case, starting over can be a good thing when it comes to being creative and finding your inner artist.

Yet for many, the idea of finding your inner artist at a late age can be intimidating. Here are a few myths and what you can do to move beyond them.

Myth #1 You Have To Have Formal Training To Be A Great Photographer

I recently read a book Between The Lines by author Jodi Picoult and her middle school aged daughter Samantha Van Leer. In her note at the beginning of the book, she gives stories about how her daughter at a young age became a storyteller, and even began to write stories down as early as first grade. She states:

You are either born a storyteller or not, and my daughter – at age seven – seemed to have an intrinsic sense of how to craft literary tension.

Yes, artists can refine, they can learn, they can improve, and they can become better at what they do. But somewhere deep down inside, becoming an artist is inside our souls. Whether we choose to let it out at fifteen or sixty-five doesn’t change our potential. It merely changes the way we approach it and what we choose to do with it.

Myth #2 You Have To Quit Your Job To Be A Real Artist

Many, many people young and old start out on a part time basis. In some cases it’s for fun. In some cases it turns into a part time income. And in some cases, it eventually turns into something more. The purpose of becoming an artist is to fulfill something inside you that wants to let your creativity out. That can take any form you desire. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fine Art Photography Tagged With: Myths About Becoming An Artist Late In Life, Photographer

Workflow Resource – Give Image Finder A Try

by Virtual Photography 1 Comment

On any given day, do you have a gazillion things running past you, and just as many windows opened up on your computer? I know I do.

So when you start in on a new client, or have someone call up with questions on images, your mind quickly scrambles to come up with where the image files are located and how to find them quickly.

You may want to try Fundy Image Finder – a brand new tool that makes finding and pulling images quick and easy. Its not a sophisticated program; just a simple workflow utility to help photographers pull images for print and album orders in the most efficient way possible.

(And best of all, its 100% free – so you have to go download it now!)

What it is

A simple tool for quickly finding a batch of images.

Why it rocks

Ever have a print or album order with a list of images you have to find? We’ve made the job of finding them fast and snappy! Image Finder was designed to do one very specific task, and do it well. Like the name of the product, it finds images. That’s it.

How it works

Cut and paste a list of image files into the finder window, and hit go. It will search a folder and/or subfolders for the images and bring them up in the queue. From there, you can open the files up in Photoshop or quickly create copies for editing. That’s it! It just takes a simple step in your workflow and makes it lightning fast. Watch this video to see just how fast it is.

How much is it?

Brace yourself. It’s FREE. Yeah, how cool is that? Fundy Software is all about making the Photographer’s workflow faster and easier. This was such a simple tool to develop we were amazed nobody had made it yet, so we busted it out and are making it available completely free.

Grab your copy of it here.

Filed Under: Production Resources Tagged With: fundy, image finder, Photographer, Photography Studio, resource, Workflow

Perfect Gifts For The Photographer In Your Life

by Virtual Photography Leave a Comment

When you’re a photographer, you wind up with gifts that are somehow always related to the business. And while you’re tree can only hold so many cameras and miniature photographers, there are some really cool things that you’ll be moving to the top of your wish list this year.

Phone Lenses

What’s the one thing missing from your camera phone? The ability to have multiple lenses for every situation. Not any more, thanks to this series of lenses, Choose from fisheye, macro/wide angle and telephoto lenses – or get the series and save, plus free shipping.

iPhone Lens Dial

Like the idea of different lenses for your iPhone, but don’t want to carry all of them with you? Check out the iPhone Lens Dial. Now their conveniently in place and ready for any situation.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Just For Fun Tagged With: camera, gifts, holiday, Photographer, presents

The Biggest Assumption About Marketing – Are You Guilty?

by Virtual Photography 5 Comments

What is the first rule of thumb when it comes to marketing your photography?

Never, ever assume anything about anything. Ever.

Because the moment you assume someone knows something, chances are you’ll get your marketing all wrong. Because its almost never true.

Here’s why.

You’ve been dreaming about being a photographer for years. You might even have a strong business, and have been photographing clients for years. But as you live and breathe photography, it becomes a part of who you are. You think in shutter speeds and aperture settings. You look at the world through an imaginary lens – all the time. And you constantly look at how you can gain new clients by the marketing materials you produce.

But your prospects and customers haven’t. They don’t work in your office. They don’t read photography magazines. And chances are they haven’t thought much about the art of photography. She has other priorities. She’s living in her own world 24 hours a day, and that world probably doesn’t involve a lot of research in photography.

Until she’s ready for your services. Then she starts her investigation. But even at that level, every prospect will have a different way of doing things. Some will spend hours researching online. Some will be happy with a flyer they’ve received in the mail.

Which means some will be better educated than others. But the problem is you don’t know which is which. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Customer Service Tagged With: customer service, finding clients, get customers, Photographer, Photography, The Biggest Assumption About Marketing

The #1 Myth That’s Holding You Back

“Photography is easy – how can I charge for something that people do all the time. Everyone has a camera. Why is my work better than theirs?”

“I used to charge more 5 (10, 15, 20) years ago. But the market has changed. I can’t get what I used to. I have to lower my sales just to keep up with the new players in the industry.”

“I would be thought of as greedy if I charged a whole lot more than what someone can print a picture for at “insert your favorite big box store here”.”