OMG I am Shocked

[ItzBitzHair]

I have a photo of one of our AAU Players just standing there with her hands on her hip's and how about her mom odered over 40.00 of items for her...

And is 40.00 my profit not counting the entire order.

That amazing to me.

What is the average for orders on parent's photos.

Is there an average.. OR do most people buy once and thats is..


please advise

[corythosaurus]

This varies market to market, sport to sport, parent to parent.

Congrats on the sale.

[Anderson-Photography]

Definitely does vary. Many times I don't get an order until the season is over and after a parent, significant other, etc., goes through an entire season of photos. I can then get an order easily over $100. Other times, when the photos I shoot for newspapers get printed each week, many times that specific photo will be purcahsed and I'll get an order for $15.

[Mike R]

It's interesting how things vary. I have only sold one of the prints that was published in the local paper. Maybe in my area they're framing and hanging the newspaper page.

I had one parent buy a 4x6 of EVERY shot I had of her son form his senior year playing HS football. She bought over 200 pictures. Even shots where he was in the background and not clear. Excluding that rarity, I have orders for $10 and as high as $280. Most orders fall between $28 and $60.

Think about offering slides shows for the teams annual banquets. Get a program like Prow Show Gold for under $70 and the shows are very easy to put together and very profitable. Just remember that you'll need a notebook PC , projector and screen. Most places where I had presented a show already had a screen set up for me, so mine stayed in the car. One place even offered a projector but you need to be prepared.

[Anderson-Photography]

[quote=Mike R;5334316]It's interesting how things vary. I have only sold one of the prints that was published in the local paper. Maybe in my area they're framing and hanging the newspaper page.

How true! I do hear of that happening quite a lot.

[Paul S]

It's interesting how things vary. I have only sold one of the prints that was published in the local paper. Maybe in my area they're framing and hanging the newspaper page.

I had one parent buy a 4x6 of EVERY shot I had of her son form his senior year playing HS football. She bought over 200 pictures. Even shots where he was in the background and not clear. Excluding that rarity, I have orders for $10 and as high as $280. Most orders fall between $28 and $60.

Think about offering slides shows for the teams annual banquets. Get a program like Prow Show Gold for under $70 and the shows are very easy to put together and very profitable. Just remember that you'll need a notebook PC , projector and screen. Most places where I had presented a show already had a screen set up for me, so mine stayed in the car. One place even offered a projector but you need to be prepared.

Not to steal the thread - Slide shows !! I have made a few using MS photostory.
I was wondering if there is something better out there?

BTW Photostory is Free from microsoft

[Mike R]

Not to steal the thread - Slide shows !! I have made a few using MS photostory.
I was wondering if there is something better out there?

BTW Photostory is Free from microsoft

It's hard to beat Prow Show Gold. You can download a trial of it.

Did you get to the New Fairfield/Oxford game?

[Paul S]

It's hard to beat Prow Show Gold. You can download a trial of it.

Did you get to the New Fairfield/Oxford game?

Hi Mike, Not sure why but the local sports editor rarely uses any of my JV photos so I don't take them often. Will Oxford have a Varsity next year ?
BTW the school asked me to shoot there fashion show on Thursday night. I'm thinking that would be fun using the AB 800 in the gym :D Then I look at the calender - I'm already booked :cry: Well maybe next year.

Paul

[Tumeg]

Congrats! I will be amazed when I finally sell some photos... haha
my friend gets on average $80 from each parent at equestrian events, pretty good cash!

[Kiddo]

It's amazing what parents will spend on photos of their kids playing sports!! Trader cards, magazine covers!! Action photos...... They go nuts over anything that you can offer to them!!! I've had one parent spend over $200 just on posed shots of her two kids!! That's not including what she spent on action photos!!! LOL!!

[Mike R]

Hi Mike, Not sure why but the local sports editor rarely uses any of my JV photos so I don't take them often. Will Oxford have a Varsity next year ?
BTW the school asked me to shoot there fashion show on Thursday night. I'm thinking that would be fun using the AB 800 in the gym :D Then I look at the calender - I'm already booked :cry: Well maybe next year.

Paul

The local papers don't seem to want to give coverage to the JV teams. It's as if they only look at the varsity level as being worth the space in the paper. Oxford is a new school with only 2 grades this year so they give us some space on occasion. But they won't send someone to cover the game. I've been fortunate enough that in the past, they use what I send them. Too bad they only pay when the call me to cover something.

Hey, I don't have strobes (other than my 580EX) but I'm available Thursday night.:lol: I only have a game at 3:45 in Monroe

[Zansho]

I shot a group of cheerleaders not too long ago, and averaged about $50.00 per parent, with around 30 cheerleaders present. It's like shooting fish in a barrel especially if you have a laptop or a projector showing the proofs.

[corythosaurus]

Not to steal the thread - Slide shows !! I have made a few using MS photostory.
I was wondering if there is something better out there?

BTW Photostory is Free from microsoftWindows Movie Maker is free and easy. Photos, video, audio with transitions and effects all there.

[ItzBitzHair]

wow that is good cash how does he market himself. That is what I need to work on. I was to get both teams not just mine... I also need more pix opp's i will maybe need to walk around also. So much to learn So little time.


Congrats! I will be amazed when I finally sell some photos... haha
my friend gets on average $80 from each parent at equestrian events, pretty good cash!

[ItzBitzHair]

What do you use to shoow the photo's on your laptop. Is there a program that will do a slile show of the photo's on your laptop.

I shot a group of cheerleaders not too long ago, and averaged about $50.00 per parent, with around 30 cheerleaders present. It's like shooting fish in a barrel especially if you have a laptop or a projector showing the proofs.

[ItzBitzHair]

have you guys ever just showed up to an event without being paid to cover it and made good money from photo's you shoot

[Mike R]

have you guys ever just showed up to an event without being paid to cover it and made good money from photo's you shoot
If you're invited and they help market you,by letting the participants know and listing you in the program,aalong with other things,The answer is yes. You really can't just show up at a major event and expect to be allowed on the floor. In my area most of the event holders expect some type of kickback since you'll be making money off of it. The key to making good money is letting people know about you. I'm fortunate that the cheerleading event I covered at a university told me that they didn't expect part of the proceeds, They threw out last years photog and saw what I did elsewhere so asked me to help them out. Last years photog gave them a portion of the proceeds.

I cover two high schools. There is one that I give a kickback to because I live in the town and want to support the towns first HS. The other town had offered to pay me a small fee just to show up at the games, I declined and sales are very good. Keep in mind that most teams are small and print sales are somewhat limited. At this school, the parent clubs from each team that I cover, buy enlargements of the seniors on the team to give to them at the annual banquet. They also purchase slide shows from me to present at the banquets. They are very profitable.

I have started giving the visiting team my card. It has led to additional sales, and next week I get an answer to whether I picked up a third school because of it. You need to get your name out. I'm going to start using an idea from another POTN member. That is to wear shirts with my website printed across the back.

[ItzBitzHair]

i am ordering t-shirts also.


If you're invited and they help market you,by letting the participants know and listing you in the program,aalong with other things,The answer is yes. You really can't just show up at a major event and expect to be allowed on the floor. In my area most of the event holders expect some type of kickback since you'll be making money off of it. The key to making good money is letting people know about you. I'm fortunate that the cheerleading event I covered at a university told me that they didn't expect part of the proceeds, They threw out last years photog and saw what I did elsewhere so asked me to help them out. Last years photog gave them a portion of the proceeds.

I cover two high schools. There is one that I give a kickback to because I live in the town and want to support the towns first HS. The other town had offered to pay me a small fee just to show up at the games, I declined and sales are very good. Keep in mind that most teams are small and print sales are somewhat limited. At this school, the parent clubs from each team that I cover, buy enlargements of the seniors on the team to give to them at the annual banquet. They also purchase slide shows from me to present at the banquets. They are very profitable.

I have started giving the visiting team my card. It has led to additional sales, and next week I get an answer to whether I picked up a third school because of it. You need to get your name out. I'm going to start using an idea from another POTN member. That is to wear shirts with my website printed across the back.

[butcha27]

I had one obsessed Mom buy 16 prints of her son at $15 a pop last season, I'll be making sure I get more of him this year!

[BCRose]

I agree, it varies. You often get a surprise from parents that order several copies for family & friends.

I have had success with offering graphics on the prints that I do in PhotoShop. Usually the players name, team name etc. and team colours. I charge $50 for an 8x10. I just sold 20 copies of one image for a hockey tournament.

One thing I would like to suggest. If there are any State or Provincial or even National championships happening in your area in ANY sport do your best to get these contracts. I have shot two Provincial championships in the past 6 months and the sales from these are very lucrative. If you can imagine 20 teams of 20 kids converging for a 4 or 5 day sports event you can see how many opportunities you have.

I set up galleries on my web site of each team plus opening and closing ceremonies and make sure the coaches packages have all the info. I also have a postcard in each of the players packages and to give them a sample of what I have been shooting I have a 20" lcd set up with slide show running continuously of the best shots from the previous day.

This works best if you hire a second photog because depending on the sport there may be more than one game being played at the same time. And after 20 games in three days you tend to get lazy :)

This is a fast paced stressful thing to do with late hours processing and uploading images each night but you will see sales from day one already being placed on day two from parents and friends that could not make it to the games but have been told about the website. As an example: I recently shot the BC Midget Hockey Championsips that had only 7 teams but by the end of the month there was over 40,000 views of the images on my site and I was very pleased with sales.

here is a sample of the 8x10 lay outs I sell for $50, very easy to do. I use this same template for individual collages and action shots as well and just change the text and colours for each team.

[Zansho]

Nicely done! I wonder if I should be doing this part time in addition to my weddings. With the right setup, it can be pretty lucrative.

[BCRose]

Nicely done! I wonder if I should be doing this part time in addition to my weddings. With the right setup, it can be pretty lucrative.

The difference is that with weddings you are paid upfront for your services and typically do not sell many prints after. With this you are not paid upfront but sell many more prints.

[Gottria]

Problem I'm running into is that parents want prints right now and will spend to have it NOW. I can't provide on-site printing. I do have the pictures available for web viewing that same day or the next, so far only one order. Or maybe I just suck :) A lot of parents, including our own teams parents say they are waiting till the end of the season to order because they want to choose from them all to see what's the best.

I need to figure out how to make these Sports Collage things.

[BCRose]

Gottria:

Sales from regular season games are never very good. There needs to be an event of some sort to make it special. Practice your skills during these regular season games, get in good with staff, coaches, parents etc, give out some 5x7's at the games from your previous days shoots...stuff like that. Then during the playoffs, championship games etc. you offer the action pictures and collages.

PhotoShop templates are quite easy if you are familiar with layers...find a tutorial online (there are thousands) and you will be on your way. This one below took 15 minutes and I used it with at least 100 different photos at $50 each. The top image is 8x10 the bottom one is 11x14. Same template.

[Gottria]

Sales suck during the season, I agree. This is my first year and have been somewhat happy, I'm meeting a lot of new people and giving free pics to the 2 leagues here in town In return I can shoot the games inside the fences on the field. And when playoffs and the tournaments come to town I'm the only photographer allowed to shoot. I may have to get a friend to help out, but thats what friends are for.

I know you get a lot of sales with on-site printing, but having a photo booth setup with a slideshow running with a large monitor, flyers, and business cards out should help.

[BCRose]

I know you get a lot of sales with on-site printing, but having a photo booth setup with a slideshow running with a large monitor, flyers, and business cards out should help.

I don't do onsite sales either...very expensive to get set up and expensive to operate as you would need an assistant you trusted running the printing show while you shot photos.

[tim]

Print orders vary seemingly at random, even for weddings. I sometimes don't sell any prints whatsoever from a wedding, other than in an album, other times I can sell $2000 worth of prints. I have a minimum order of $50 so I don't have to mess around with small orders.

[BCRose]

Speaking of weddings and onsite printing, I was a guest at one last fall where the photographer had a photo booth set up, just a plain BG with a couple of lights. He had a second photographer taking pics of any guests who were interested. The cool thing about it was he was shooting tethered to a laptop and printing the images to a very fast little printer that did an awesome job...I think it was a Sony but not sure. But you got your pic in 30 seconds.

He was selling 8x10's for $20 and 5x7's for $10. I am willing to bet he did a minimum of $5000 in sales from the booth that day. And that had nothing to do with the actual wedding pictures he was taking.

So onsite printing can be very lucrative with the right set up, but for sports action you are going to need a bit more complicated work flow to get them out. I would have the previous days pics running on a slideshow and let people buy those, very difficult to be handing off cards to your assistant through out the day so they can be printed...I don't trust anyone with the cards before I get them backed up!