What type of events you guys shoot to sell on zen?

[jimd118]

I am thinking of getting into using zenfolio to start selling some images. My idea is to go to some events such as skateboarding, racing and so on, pass out my cards with my zenfolio site to sell them. I mountain bike and a few places I have seen guys that have done this and then post their link and people can buy their images.
How many have done this sort of thing? What response did you get? What do you typically price prints like these? And finally what events do you have the best luck with doing this?

Thanks,

Jim

[tmalone893]

I have had a Zenfolio site for about two month now. I just made back my $100 fee today.:D Not a real big deal for most but I'm happy about it.

I shoot mainly youth sports and pass out my cards after the games. I think fees vary by location but I get the follow:

4x6 - $3

5x7 - $5

8x10 - $10

Some may say this is too low but this is where I felt I needed to be. Zenfolio is a breeze to use. Good luck.

[Heatseeker99]

I have had a Zenfolio site for about two month now. I just made back my $100 fee today.:D Not a real big deal for most but I'm happy about it.

I shoot mainly youth sports and pass out my cards after the games. I think fees vary by location but I get the follow:

4x6 - $3

5x7 - $5

8x10 - $10

Some may say this is too low but this is where I felt I needed to be. Zenfolio is a breeze to use. Good luck.I think you'd be better off going $8 for 5x7 & $10 for 8x10 and not offering 4x6. Your smaller prints need to be the worst deal not the best, and value for money should increase with print size. Just my .02

[jimd118]

cool, what other events and things are you guys shooting? Its winter here in ohio so nothing outdoors is going on i got to think of some indoor stuff to shoot.

[Mike R]

cool, what other events and things are you guys shooting? Its winter here in ohio so nothing outdoors is going on i got to think of some indoor stuff to shoot.
volleyball,basketball,wrestling, Indoor Track,swimming along with any event on a stage.

[AzzKicker]

I sell H.S Sports. Football season is my biggest profit so I'm now doing basketball and sales have dropped :(

[SoundsGood]

Great question. Gotta get in on this one..

[Dermit]

I shoot H.S. sports (football, swim, soccer, etc.) and also shoot theater. I find that most parents that order are doing so for scrapbooking purposes and not for wall hangers (mostly). Therefore 90% of my sales is in the 4x6 range. I sold 250 prints in December (with Exposure Manager) and of the 250 about 225 were 4x6s. Because I know my target market is the parents (mom usually) and that they want a lot of different images of their kid and mainly for photo album/scrap book I know that 4x6 is the most likely print to be ordered. I also know that if you do not get people to order soon after the event they will likely not order. So my 4x6 price is normally $5 a piece. But, for 48 hours after I post an event I offer $2 on 4x6 but only on orders of 20 or more. This way I usually get a minimum order of $40 and people typically order quickly before the sale expires. Then I keep my larger prints my normal price, and do get an occassional order for those. My 5x7 is $10 and 8x10 is $25.

[SoundsGood]

4x6 - $3
5x7 - $5
8x10 - $10

I think you'd be better off going $8 for 5x7 & $10 for 8x10 and not offering 4x6.

So my 4x6 price is normally $5 a piece. ... My 5x7 is $10 and 8x10 is $25.

This is good stuff...

1. I'd love to know what others here charge for their Zenfolio prints.

2. On a sidenote, how do you guys have your pricing structure set up? Do you use a "Pricing Formula" (if so, what do you use?) or do you manually set up each price?

3. Anyone ever sell other stuff besides prints? (coffee mugs, t-shirts, whatever)

Thanks! :)

[tmalone893]

This is good stuff...

1. I'd love to know what others here charge for their Zenfolio prints.

2. On a sidenote, how do you guys have your pricing structure set up? Do you use a "Pricing Formula" (if so, what do you use?) or do you manually set up each price?

3. Anyone ever sell other stuff besides prints? (coffee mugs, t-shirts, whatever)

Thanks! :)

The 4x6, 5x7, and 8x10 are a set price.
The others stuff I use the price formula on a 50% increase.
I haven't sold anything other than pictures at this time.

[MattMoore]

Any event you can get permission to cover and retain the rights too is open game.

I once was contracted to cover a marathon by a larger photography company.

I was told how to set my camera and compose my positions shot by the on-site rep....then I was rated a 2 out of 5 on my compostion by who ever reviewed my shots (even though I was specifically instructed to compose all shots in that manner). Unfortunately my explanation for the poor composition fell on deaf ears and I'll probably never be hired to shot for that company again. Thats when I decided to just cover events on my own & sell them on my own (and they were overcharging the runners WAY too much anyhow, so morally it was a good thing that they won't rehire me).

[jimd118]

Cool, I also thought about stuff like maybe karate events and skateboarding. Anyone do anything not mentioned? How do you go about getting your site out there as well? Just pass out cards at the event, hang fliers?

[n1as]

I shoot my local HS sports. I give images to the Yearbook folks. That charity act earned me the right to be at every game, music concert, theater event, etc. I take pictures and put them on Zenfolio. Sales trickle in and I make a small profit. The biggest success has been by developing relationships with the school, the sports director, the YB director, the music directors. They all love me and are very happy to have me around.

I was asked to photograph an AAU basketball tournament. I did so, and passed out business cards to each of the coaches. Their reception was very cold and sales from that event were near zero. I think they saw me only as someone trying to take money from the. In contrast, in my local school, I'm seen as someone who takes great pics (their words) and provides them for students, faculty, parents to see and enjoy.

The real payback will come in future years when all the HS kids become young adults, get married and need a wedding photog.

[Mike R]

This is good stuff...

1. I'd love to know what others here charge for their Zenfolio prints.

2. On a sidenote, how do you guys have your pricing structure set up? Do you use a "Pricing Formula" (if so, what do you use?) or do you manually set up each price?

3. Anyone ever sell other stuff besides prints? (coffee mugs, t-shirts, whatever)

Thanks! :)
It was suggested on here that I should offer 4x6 prints and I now offer 2 for $8.00. They sell well.

I have sold Mugs, T Shirts, Key Tags, Photo buttons. The mugs are the most popular and I only offer the key tags because I was asked to,I cannot mark them up much from what I pay. Other things that sell are digital memory mates and posters.

[Mike414]

I shoot H.S. sports (football, swim, soccer, etc.) and also shoot theater. I find that most parents that order are doing so for scrapbooking purposes and not for wall hangers (mostly). Therefore 90% of my sales is in the 4x6 range. I sold 250 prints in December (with Exposure Manager) and of the 250 about 225 were 4x6s. Because I know my target market is the parents (mom usually) and that they want a lot of different images of their kid and mainly for photo album/scrap book I know that 4x6 is the most likely print to be ordered. I also know that if you do not get people to order soon after the event they will likely not order. So my 4x6 price is normally $5 a piece. But, for 48 hours after I post an event I offer $2 on 4x6 but only on orders of 20 or more. This way I usually get a minimum order of $40 and people typically order quickly before the sale expires. Then I keep my larger prints my normal price, and do get an occassional order for those. My 5x7 is $10 and 8x10 is $25.

Do you guys ever delete the pictures after a period of time ?

I mean, whats the point of keeping the pictures on the site if chances are people wont order if they didnt order right after the event.


Mike.

[Mike R]

Do you guys ever delete the pictures after a period of time ?

I mean, whats the point of keeping the pictures on the site if chances are people won't order if they didnt order right after the event.


Mike.

I keep the photos on line until late August. In June, I post a notice that says all photos will be removed on August 15 to get ready for the new school year.

Even after deleting them, I received a few calls.

The only shots I did't remove were of football coaches. It turned out that a well respected and admired coach is retiering this year. I have sold shots from that gallery that were taken in 2007.

At the very least, leave them up until a couple of weeks after the season end.

[jimd118]

Do you guys contact anyone from the places you shoot first or just go shoot and pass out cards?

[WillMass]

Do you guys contact anyone from the places you shoot first or just go shoot and pass out cards?

You should always clear it with the sanctioning body. They may already have a relationship with an event photographer.

Besides, not asking permission to make money from an organization's event without their permission is just plain rude, and could land you in hot water.

[Mike R]

Do you guys contact anyone from the places you shoot first or just go shoot and pass out cards?

Always contact them. You never know what arrangements they may have with someone else. If you are told to leave, you ruin you chance of ever getting the job. At one school, I started with the football team calling me (referral from someone in another town). they then told other teams about me and I now shoot for 6 teams at the school, some of which had used another photographer.
Try to get at least one team. Then you may get more just from word of mouth and no advertising. It can get very political, and become a "who you know" game. Don't fall into it. I have been fortunate that I didn't know any of the parents making the decisions and no one could complain about favoritism.
Don't talk bad about the competition, let you photos speak for you.