10D and now this ....

[JKenny]

I never thought it would be like this

It all happened so fast

I heard about it ... but it's just a myth ......

"Photographers are like Prostitutes
First they do it for fun
Then they do it for friends
Then they do it for money"

All it took was the fall soccer season.
In the beginning it was so much fun, all of it, from the prep before the game to actually taking the photos to the post processing.

I found later I was sharing with all my friends my results.

Then it happened - the last weekend of the season the requests came in and I went thought the whole process one more time But now at the end of this weekend - I have a big wad of cash in my hand.

I cant wait for the spring season :)

[Daytripper]

Good for you Jim. :-)

Are you going to share some pics?

Pete

[CyberDyneSystems]

Awesome!

Yoi have the tools,. you have the talent.

If you have the time, why not take the cash! :D

[openspace]

Hey! Now you can buy more gear. And take a write-off on your taxes. Yeah hoo! ;)

[sds4kst8]

Jim,

Just purchased a 10d last week and had hoped to spend the time from now until next spring figuring out just how to make some $$ with this camera.

Can you (or anyone else out there) offer any insight about ways to do this? I have experience shooting some sports, but am not sure how to get proof/contact sheets to potential customers.

Thanks.

Scott

[Motorsports Photo]

sds4kst8 wrote:
Can you (or anyone else out there) offer any insight about ways to do this? I have experience shooting some sports, but am not sure how to get proof/contact sheets to potential customers.


I use a sign-up sheet with a line for email addresses. Then I send a thumbnail sheet to the potential customer. They can pick and choose off the sheet. I have had a few that DIDNT have email, so I just printed out a sheet and sent it to them.

Since people want instant gratification, most of my sales are on the spot.

-Pete

[sds4kst8]

Motorsports Photo wrote:
sds4kst8 wrote:
Can you (or anyone else out there) offer any insight about ways to do this? I have experience shooting some sports, but am not sure how to get proof/contact sheets to potential customers.


I use a sign-up sheet with a line for email addresses. Then I send a thumbnail sheet to the potential customer. They can pick and choose off the sheet. I have had a few that DIDNT have email, so I just printed out a sheet and sent it to them.

Since people want instant gratification, most of my sales are on the spot.

-Pete



Pete,

Thanks for the tip, but can you offer a little more detail? I'm assuming that once you email the contact sheet they email back and tell you what they want. Then, what method do you use for them to make payment? I'm thinking I could make use of a PayPal account somehow, but would like to know how others do this.

You're right about the "instant gratification"...I'm even thinking about picking up one of those little HP 4x6 printers to make basic prints on the spot, then sell larger prints off-site.

Thanks.

[DigitDan]

Ain't it wonderful?? I started shooting local high school football games and musicals. The parents LOVE pictures of their children. I've made over $3,000 so far selling pictures of the kids!!

Dan in Phoenix

[Malaxos1]

Hi, my name is Dean and I am a photo whore. LOL, I have been into photography for a round 5 years or so. One day I found an Olympus C2500L in a pawnshop. After getting that thing I found myself taking photos of everything. Eventually I sold it and bought an E10. This camera was an amazing upgrade, with full auto mode I began to get creative and have joined a number of online photo groups. I also subscribed to a few photomags and took one course at a community college on wedding photography. Now I am getting hired for all sorts of events. I recently did a product shhot that will be FEATURED in Hot Rod Magazine. I have done quite a lot of portraits and weddings. I have wedding coming up in which the couple will be flying me from Portland to SanFrancisco. Not too bad, all of that in the past year. I am currently in the proccess of setting up a studio in my finished basement. Here is the key to everything; show your photos, get them out to the public. Do a few free shoots to get both experience and your photos out and into the hands of people. Also I was doing weddings for $350 and found that raising my price $500 was beneficial. People do believe that they get what they pay foe so by selling myself cheap, I sent a message that I was not any good. After my next few weddings I will be raising my prices again to $750. At this price I will still be the cheapest guy around. Who new that at 36 years old I would find myself doing what I am doing and loving it...Dean

[sds4kst8]

DigitDan wrote:
Ain't it wonderful?? I started shooting local high school football games and musicals. The parents LOVE pictures of their children. I've made over $3,000 so far selling pictures of the kids!!

Dan in Phoenix

Yet another happy customer! Ha!

Dan, clue some of us in on HOW you actually do this. What's the process of getting people to see the shots you've taken and how to they end up ordering? Taking the pics is the easy part, but I'm just not sure of the details of how to connect the parents with the pics.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

[Canuck]

openspace wrote:
Hey! Now you can buy more gear. And take a write-off on your taxes. Yeah hoo! ;)

How on earth do you do that? I'd love to be able to write off the kit I have (about $7000 worth). I could charge for the work I do. I have a few options that I could do this, for coworkers and portraits/familiy pics.

Cheers,
Canuck