Long Distance PS - A VIABLE BUSINESS?

[nworbmit]

I am thinking of offering a Photoshop service to
Professional Photographers, Labs and Ad agencies In the bigger American markets - ok get this -
via the internet from Ohio.

Not a scanning service - but just PS compositing and cleanup -
dealing with existing digital files from scans or digital capture.

Is this possible?

Lets say, provided that I am very good at PS and reliable.
Would it be possible to provide such a service - long distance?

My questions are specifically.

Would you send your work out to someone you
can't meet with - in person - to do PS work?

When you hire someone to do PS work,
do like to guide them (edit by edit). Maybe stick them in the corner of your studio with their laptop while you are working on something else.

In some ways, the process of PS editing an image is kinda like shooting
and not like having film processed. It not a (drop it off and get it back) kinda
situation (in many cases).

So
Would "work-in progress' feedback via
jpegs or some sort of on-line revision scheme
be enough for you?

Do you know of any companies or individuals that are providing
such a REMOTE PS service for High End work?

Also

What is the going rate in your market for a really good Photoshop work?

I guess I looking for - IN GENERAL - is this type of work possible via internet (and fedex)

Thank you for responding

Tim Brown

[BOBinsane]

You sound like you're highly skilled. But it's going to take a lot of advertising and marketing skills to actually make this idea work. It's comparable to being a freelance graphics artist. The markets are extremely variable. But the type of people who want this kind of work done are probably already quite skilled at photography and wouldn't need this service.

I would like to see a website with examples or at least some examples of what you can do in this forum. But maybe there is a market for like say model photographers who want their models to look flawless etc... But don't take my advice too strictly, I'm just a poor 18 year old punk who's been trying to squeeze into various jobs and coming up with start out ideas for business, for quite a while. Experience will always win.

Yeah for high end work, I think you're going to have to work with raw images, but that's not impossible with broadband internet these days.

[IndyJeff]

Just my opinion but, I don't think it is all that workable. Ad agency's have production departments, most pro shooters have their own PS skills. Not to say it will not work but I think it will be a long uphill battle.


On the other hand, if you have higher than average PS skills, maybe look to the consumer market. There is a demand for photo restoration. You know, someone finds a picture framed up of uncle Fred in grandma's attic. A leak in the roof put some stains on it and lamp fell during an earthquaked broke the glassd which cut the photo. Thats why it was put in the attic. Now the nephew wants that photo to hang in his family room but in it's current condition it just won't do. You scan, or take a digital photo of it. Fix the tear, stamp out the rain marks and create a new photo of uncle Fred.
Roberts Camera had a guy doing this several years ago at their store. They charged $50 an hour with a minimum of one hour.

I think if you look more along the lines of consumer rather than pro you stand a better chance of making a go of it.

Good luck tho

[Pekka]

There seems to be plenty of retouching companies: http://www.kellysearch.com/us-product-67015.html

Do you have some special skills you can offer? Demos?

[w10d]

I would say a lot of 'high end' work is about a personal relationship, and that hasn't changed since the days of print film when a photographer would often visit the printer and stay with him whilst he made the prints. Either that or a relationship with a company (lab); it helps to know you can walk in the door and complain to someone when you're not satisfied with the results....

To make matters worse, the rates for high end retouching have been falling even faster than photographer's day rates! Many labs/individuals are happy to work out very low rates per image (instead of per hour), just to keep busy.

Sorry if that's not good news - I'd look to the consumer market right now, plenty of people buying digital cameras and no idea how to retouch.

[evilenglishman]

what you are talking about is freelace graphic design.
Everything you mentioned falls under this job description.
You might get accasional work from an agency but they generally have their own emplyees.
As for photographers, I doubt there is much of a market for this service. If a photographer is sending material to be published then the publication usually takes care of any retouching etc - there isn't any need for a middle man. The publication know what they want and they do it their own way.

[NILOLIGIST]

Hi,

I have seen a few ads for photographer's that need retoucher's to do work. You do have some photographers that are new to digital and they are not up to speed on PS. They do hire out for work. I did a search on Craig's List and found a few....

http://newyork.craigslist.org/cgi-bin/search?areaID=3&subAreaID=0&query=photo+retoucher& cat=jjj

Models and actors also hire retouchers if they want their photos to be enhnaced more than they are. If they do test prints the photographer might not do extensive retouching. There is a market for this type of work, how much is the questions. As for agencies, I would think they would do that in house. You might find some small magazines that might need that service. Again, there might not be a great need for it.

Good luck,

NiL,

[PhotosGuy]

On the other hand, if you have higher than average PS skills, maybe look to the consumer market. There is a demand for photo restoration.

Walgreens Drug Stores use a service that will restore a pic for about $35US. Not much room for a profit there, & their sample look excellent. I wouldn't consider doing it for that.

NILOLIGIST has an idea that shows promise, & it doesn't hurt to ask around.
Don't forget to make some business cards:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/PhotosGuy/Forum%20Junk/Bus-Cards_Demo_WEB_01.jpg

[Doug Rowan]

On OMP they had an article about Warren Gold who is the exclusive editor for all of Suze Randalls erotic images (I know, it might not be mainstream, but it is a HUGH business). Very interesting stuff, even if the topic isn't your cup of tea. Good information, complete with rollover images & step-by-step instructions. Here's the link: http://www.onemodelplace.com/newsletter_glamour_article2_intro.cfm