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LEADING PROSATWORK
PHILMAKANNA
Welcome 3
Welcome...
MAKING
MAKINGMONEY
MONEY
FROMPHOTOGRAPHY
Editorial
Whyyoushouldaimtoprofitfromyourphotos
For most of us hooked on photography as a hobby, there comes a point
when people tell you that you should do it for a living. Chances are your rst
instincts are riddled with self-doubt, then comes a turning point when youve
developed your skills and condence to a level that you start to think its the
next natural step. Unfortunately, for some it can be a long, tough journey
between this bout of determination and actually making photography a
full-time living, especially if you go about it the wrong way. But, do it the right
way and youll nd you can earn and learn along the way. Im sure everyone
can agree that theres nothing more appealing or motivating than the thought of being able
to do what you love and be paid well for the privilege. Some refer to it as living the dream
and while this Magbook has been compiled to help readers reach that goal, weve gone to
great lengths to ensure that we provide you with the reality of that dream, so you have all
the information you need for a strong start in a competitive industry. Over the last two years,
weve investigated the protability of different money-making routes so we can tell you, in
detail and with authority, the best ways to maximise prot and where to invest your time
and money for the biggest return. Weve also rigorously researched different areas of the
market and been given invaluable advice and insight from leading professionals, industry
and business experts on how you can make money and build a successful career. However,
dont lose sight of the real reason youre trying these new ventures: your love of photography
and the satisfaction of people liking your work enough to pay for it. Good luck!
CAROLINE WILKINSON, ASSISTANT EDITOR,
MAKING MONEY FROM PHOTOGRAPHY
Editorial contributors:
Advertising&Production
Publishing&Marketing
Contents
6 Introduction
10 Chooseyourfield
14 Buildingyourbusiness
35 Socialphotography
91 Profitableprojects
71 Essentialequipment
81 Jobsinphotography
105 Businessmatters
124 AdviceCentre
132
PAGES
OF EXPERT
ADVICE AND
INSIGHT
6 Introduction
WANT TOTURN
YOUR PICTURES
INTO PROFIT?
Are you serious about making money from your photographs or
contemplating turning pro? Then take your time, ensure youre well
prepared and dont rush into anything until youve got all the facts.
Here we provides you with the key factors you need to think about
Toreallymaximisethe
benefits,youneedtobe
preparedtoputinthe
timetodevelopyour
photographyskillsand
marketknowledge
money, so the opportunities are denitely
there to cash in on. Though to really
maximise the benets, you need to be
prepared to put in the time to develop your
photography skills and market knowledge
as well as sustain an unyielding
determination to improve and succeed.
Too often talented photographers struggle
to make money from their photography,
Keycontacts&resources
BusinessLink: For personalised, free
advice for how to set up a business, contact
Business Link: www.businesslink.gov.uk
TheTaxOffice:For advice on ling
your yearly tax return call O845 3000627
HMRevenue&Customs: To register
as newly self-employed: 0845 9154515
Companies House:To register your
business name or set up a limited company,
contact: www.companieshouse.gov.uk
Rights:For information on your rights
read the UK Photographers Rights Guide:
www.sirimo.co.uk/2009/05/14/
uk-photographers-rights-v2
Essentialread:The Freelance
Photographers Market Handbook 2012
8 Introduction
ISTOCK PHOTO
Youneedtothinkaboutthetypeofinsuranceyouneedforyourequipmentand
whetheryouneedpublicliabilityandprofessionalindemnityinsurancetoo
with a 100 penalty fee, and if you do not
register at all, and therefore neglect to pay
tax on your new earnings, chances are youll
pay a lot more than this in nes and
possibly even jail time. Well be covering
topics including registration options, types
of businesses you can own, tax and
write-offs in more detail in the Business
Matters section of this guide, But for the
moment, generally speaking, registering as
a sole trader is the way to go for most
photographers who are making a little extra
money, and semi-professionals. It requires
no registration fees, you keep all your prots
once theyre taxed as income and accounts
are fairly straightforward to keep. The only
downfall is that youll be personally liable for
any debt that your business runs up.
If youll be requiring business loans and a
fair bit of investment, you might want to keep
your business debt separate from your
personal nances by registering as a private
limited company. However, while this means
that if your business goes bust youre not
personally liable, it will open you up to
additional fees, requirements and
responsibilities, including registering with
Companies House. Finally, for those of you
Whichtypeofphotographerareyou?
This guide will prove essential to all levels of photographer, but relating yourself to one of the three
main types below will help you identify the information in the guide thats most relevant to you
ENTHUSIAST
ADVANCEDAMATEUR
SEMI PRO
ADVANCEDENTHUSIAST
10 Choosingyourfield
SHOOTING
FOR SUCCESS
With so many areas of photography to choose from, it can be difcult
to know where to invest your time, resources and energy for the best
chance of a return. We take a closer look at what areas of
photography offer you the best opportunities to earn money
VERY GOOD IMAGE that you capture has the potential to make you money, its just
a case of knowing how and where to sell it. By our reckoning, there are three main
areas that a photographer can make money from: services, products and stock.
Each one lends itself to some elds of photography more than others and, depending on
the types of images youre selling, has varying prot potential.
Services refers to commissions, whether its shooting a wedding, a portrait shoot, for a
newspaper or for the National Trust. Normally this will be a at fee, however, if its a
commercial shoot, its usually an hourly rate, normally amounting to between 500 and
1,000 a day. Services can also be extended to teaching photo courses, which hold huge
earning potential for those photographers with the experience and expertise to run them.
Products are where the money can really be made, especially in social photography, as
you may often nd that clients spend just as much if not more buying their images in
their various guises as they do on the actual shoot. For many photographers, such as
landscape, travel and ne-art photographers, selling images is their main source of
revenue, whether thats online, in stores or directly to customers. Stock is fairly selfexplanatory, but well be going into that in more depth over the next couple of pages.
The very rst thing you need to do is decide what eld of photography you want to
concentrate on. There are several areas of photography that are harder to get into than
others and suit full-time pros rather than enthusiasts. For instance commercial
photography, be it fashion, food, products or beauty, normally requires a few years
working as an assistant before getting to know the right people and tools for breaking into
the business. You could start learning the trade as a part-time assistant if youre willing to
wait even longer and probably not earn much money in the process. Photojournalism,
again, is a difcult job to get into by relying on commissions from newspapers and
magazines, but a good way of kick-starting this career is to fund your own assignment
and then pitch it to publications when you return. Other areas of interest might be lm
stills, press, beauty or corporate photography there are a lot of different avenues to
investigate, each with different types of rewards to be reaped.
Targetthepeoplewhopay
LEADING PROSATWORK
Choosingyourfield 11
PHILMAKANNA
ISTOCK PHOTO
Casestudies
AdamBurton
FULL-TIME LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHER
Adam Burton is one of the UKs leading
landscape photographers. Hes the author of
three photography books, with two more in
the pipeline for 2011, and his images have
graced the covers of more than 100
magazines, books and calendars. Hes the
kind of photographer who makes going pro
look easy: his images are of the highest
quality, he has a stream of commissions
from a wide range of commercial clients,
and, best of all; hes entirely self-taught.
Learning the nuts and bolts of
photography from reading magazines and
putting the techniques into practice, Adam
went from novice photographer to a leading
professional in under eight years but says
its still incredibly difcult to sustain an
income, especially from landscapes, as
theres so many people doing it. The best
route for me has been to try lots of different
things. While I still make money from stock,
its not as much as I did: now I sell pictures
through Getty for as low as 1.40. I produce
photography books, do tutoring, sell prints
through my website and license images for
various uses such as greeting cards,
calendars, brochures and books.
To make money from photography you
have to be exible, have plenty of clients and
lots of different revenue streams. You have
to be a good business person and really
efcient to help your business stand out
from the crowd. Building a good reputation
is important too as once you become
recognised as a good photographer, thats
when things start to get easier.
Atoughmarkettocrack
ADAM BURTON
Thereareafairfew
outdoorphotographers
whomanagetosustaina
full-timeincome,butits
nolongerfromonemain
sourcesuchasstock
LEADING PROSATWORK
Choosingyourfield 13
PHILMAKANNA
ISTOCK PHOTO
Takestockofyourimagebank
Microstockcanbeoneof
theeasiestwaystomake
money.Youmightonly
earn10pershotbutif
yousell1,000inayear
thatsafairbitofmoney
reach a huge audience, however they pay
less than the bigger agencies. As long as
your images pass the sites technical
requirements for image quality, Microstock
can be one of the easiest ways to make
money, especially if you have the volume,
You might only earn 1 per picture, but if
you sell 1,000 images a year thats a fair bit
of money in your pocket. One way you
could get involved with Getty Images is via
its Flickr Collection. Instead of submitting
images directly to Getty, click on the
Request to License link on your photo
page and Getty will assess your portfolio
for their collection. Its known for some
contributors to have earned thousands
through this partnership.
EARNINGPOTENTIAL:STOCKPHOTOS
BEGINNER ..........
Stock is easy to earn a little money from
ENTHUSIAST......
Its a good platform for selling pictures
SEMI-PRO...........
Wheretosellimagesonline
The internet has created a brilliant platform
for selling pictures, whether it be via stock
libraries, third-party websites such as Red
Bubble, eBay or your own website. There are
several companies that enable you to set up
a facility to sell your pictures through your
website, for instance, Clikpic and Livebooks.
Toppocket-moneytip
Try getting your photographs on the walls of
businesses such as galleries, cafs, banks
and ofces anywhere that could capture
the interest of your target market. You might
also want to try setting up a market stall or
selling greeting cards in a local art shop.
Read Protable Projects for more details.
14 Buildingyourbusiness
Everythingthata
photographergivesout
abouttheirbusiness
shouldbeofthehighest
qualitytoreflecttheir
serviceandpictures
photographers try to cram in as many
pictures as they can on their website, most
of which are average at best. If you use 12
or 14 fantastic images, people will think
you take every image like that.
When a client visits a website, says
Burton, they want to see your images, then
they look for your brand to assure them its
a quality, professional service. If theyre still
interested, this is when theyll move on to
read about you. Tell them a little about
yourself, but dont give them information
they dont need like the fact you have a dog
called Chipper and like cheese on toast.
Keep it strictly business, relating
everything back to why they might want to
hire you. If you struggle with this side of
the website, consider hiring a copywriter to
do it for you. Finally, make it easy for them
to contact you and make sure the website
is search engine-friendly, as its your
number one marketing tool.
We often get clients who want to charge
1,500 for a wedding but spend 200 on a
website, and they cannot do it it doesnt
work as it doesnt reect the quality thats
Whatmakesagoodbrand?
LEADING PROSATWORK
Buildingyourbusiness 15
PHILMAKANNA
16 Buildingyourbusiness
WhatshouldIdo?
Beginner(25-50)
Enthusiast(100-300)
Ifyouwanttocreatealastingbrand,onethat
encouragespeopletolookatit,thenusestrongcolours
buttonethemdownwithmutedcolourstosetitoff
with really contrived names and we have to
force them to think what thats saying to a
potential client. Some names suit a
companys name more than others, for
instance you might be called Paul Pratt,
and Paul Pratt Photography isnt the best.
But if you use the middle name instead, it
becomes a more professional Paul Mark
Photography. Its all about what a name
conjures up in the mind of a client.
When choosing fonts for your brand,
you have to think about how it will look on
screen. Its not so important with your
logo, but with your website, there are a few
fonts you should stick to so its easy to
read, one of which is a strong Sans Serif.
With a logo, the biggest mistake I see is
people mix too many fonts: there shouldnt
be more than two really. Sometimes
people have four words with four fonts and
it jars. Its a case of stepping back from the
logo and asking yourself, like you would
with a picture, is it balanced right, is it
pleasing? For colours, you should avoid
Semi-proandprofessional
(500severalthousand)
LEADING PROSATWORK
Buildingyourbusiness 17
PHILMAKANNA
Marketing tips
Getting people talking about your photography is the easiest, cheapest and most efcient way of
promoting your business. We give you some advice on the best ways of getting your business noticed
Besocial
Haveanonlinepresence
Getfreeexposure
Ifyoureseriousabout
developingyourbusiness,
createayearsmarketing
plan,doingsomething
neweachmonthto
expandyourcontactbase
ask for a credit for instant exposure. If
youre a wedding photographer, think
about all those brides-to-be and mothers
youre showing your images to. Look at
local magazines too, such as Hertfordshire
Life, to see if theres any content you can
contribute. Having your images published
also gives you instant credibility, its like
winning a competition. There are endless
magazines in the market from gardening
and travel to hiking and country living, just
take a visit to your local newsagent and sift
through the shelves. Research the
magazine thoroughly and pick the pictures
that best suit their content, then submit
them to the Features Editor in the form of a
contact sheet, with details of who you are
and what you want. Once youve been
published, shout about it: add it to your
blog, Twitter and Facebook!
Getyourworkseen
Keepintouch
Marketyourself
You are your best marketing tool, so you
need to sell yourself just as much as your
talents as a photographer. Remember
that people buy people, if they like your
attitude and feel comfortable around you,
chances are theyll hire you. Make sure
you know your business, be presentable,
personable and professional as well as
exible to your clients needs. Even if
youre not 100% satised with your work,
dont let anyone else know that. Pick only
the images you love to put in your
portfolio; being proud of the selection will
make selling your images much easier.
Clients will pick up on your attitude
towards your work, so make sure its
positive. As you market yourself more,
youll hopefully draw attention to your
work but it wont all be positive. Dont let
feedback knock your condence or take it
too personally, everyone will have an
opinion, but do keep an open mind to
ways you can improve too.
18 Buildingyourbusiness
HOW TO CREATE
YOUR OWN LOGO
IN PHOTOSHOP
If youre looking for a simple logo to promote your part-time
enterprise, theres no need to pay for a professional designer.
Follow our tips for creating your own branded logo
NCE YOUVE come up with ideas for your companys identity, including its name,
a logo, perhaps a slogan too, and some key words that dene your business, its
time to put these ideas into action. For the purpose of this step-by-step well use
the name, Caroline Ann, and the word Photography to give the logo context. But before
you start designing yours, here are a few things you should bear in mind
Keep ItSimple: Unless youre a wiz with Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator,
its best to keep your logo clean and clear: leave the complex designs, images and
illustrations to the design pros and concentrate on the text.
Dont opt forstyle oversubstance: Experiment with different fonts, font sizes,
colours and the positioning of words, nding a balance between readability and a style
that gives clients the right impression about you and your business.
Test if youre using the right font: Ask a friend to say the rst thing that comes to
mind when they see your logo: if its child-like, and youre going for professional, or vice
versa, then you know youre on the wrong track and giving clients the wrong impression.
Give the companys name prominence: Make sure the important parts of the logo
are bigger and better than the less important words, for instance Photography shouldnt
overpower the companys name, in this case Caroline Ann.
Avoid gimmicks: If you double-click on a text layer in the Layers palette, it will open a
Layer Style dialogue box that offers loads of style options such as adding shadows, bevels
and embossing. These can easily be overdone, making your logo look cheap and
amateurish so best to steer clear. The same with the Warp Text too in the top toolbar.
1)Createyourcanvas
2)Workondifferentlayers
3)Pickyourfont
LEADING PROSATWORK
Buildingyourbusiness 19
PHILMAKANNA
Whatworks?
Here are some examples of type to use
and what type to avoid:
4)Getmorecreative
5)Saveforprintandweb
20 Buildingyourbusiness
INVESTINTHEWEB
You may be a fantastic photographer, but if no one sees your pictures, how will you ever get noticed?
Having a website presents your photography to the world and is easier and more affordable than ever!
Whyhaveawebsite?
MADETEMPLATE
1 READY
FAST&AFFORDABLEWEBSITES
Settingupyourownwebsite
ENTHUSIAST.........
Checkoutthefollowing...
CLIKPIC: WWW.CLIKPIC.COM:
AMAZING INTERNET:
WWW.AMAZINGINTERNET.COM
FOLIOPIC: WWW.FOLIOPIC.COM
LEADING PROSATWORK
Buildingyourbusiness 21
PHILMAKANNA
Timetrial:ThreehourstocreateawebsiteusingClikpic
Daniel Lezano takes up Clikpics free trial offer
to see how easy it is to set up a website.
1)Add w
ords
2)Upload
images
3)Check
it works
4)Websi
te ready!
22 Buildingyourbusiness
2 BESPOKEWEBSITE
UNIQUEBUTEXPENSIVE
WEBSITECREATIONSOFTWARE
CREATION SOFTWARE
3 WEBSITE
MOSTINVOLVEDOPTION
Verdict
ENTHUSIAST.........
Checkoutthefollowing...
Checkoutthefollowing...
AMAZING INTERNET:
WWW.AMAZINGINTERNET.COM
PHOTOGRAPHYWEBSITEDESIGN.CO.UK
Toptendos&donts
Jargonbuster
Domainname:The web address people will
typein,eg:www.joebloggsphotography.com.
Emailforwarding:A facility that allows any
messages typed into your website to be
forwarded by email to you.
Flash: Software used to create sophisticated
animated graphics for websites.
Hosting:Your website and all the elements
within it, such as the images, will need to be
stored on a computer known as the host. If
youre uploading lots of high-res images,
ensure your website host offers a package
with a suitably large capacity 2GB should
be the minimum.
HTML:The code used to construct websites.
SEO(SearchEngineOptimisation):A
mechanism that raises your website up in
Googles rankings vital if your business
relies on your website being seen
Template:The core design of your website,
although its often customisable.
LEADING PROSATWORK
Buildingyourbusiness 23
PHILMAKANNA
Makesureyourwebsiteisseenbyalltherightpeoplebyfollowingthesesimplesteps...
Domainnameandhosting
Two important considerations when preparing
to have your own website are what it will be
called (domain name) and who you have to
host it (web hosting company). Think carefully
about what name you give your website. Most
photographers use their name, with the word
photography or something similar after it.
Spend a little time working out some options.
As well as what comes before the dot, you need
to think about what comes after: do you want
.co.uk, .org, .com or one of several other
options? Wed suggest you buy both .co.uk and
.com for your website. You can discover if your
choice of domain name is free using one of the
web hosting websites listed below. Expect to
pay around 4 a year for a .co.uk domain and
10 per year for a .com. Youll need a company
to host your website and while you may opt to
go with the same company that designed your
website, make sure you can take your domain
name with you when you leave. Most hosting
companies provide you with options to choose
the amount of web space you require, a
number of email addresses, decent mailbox
capacity and 24/7 web support. Weve listed a
selection of the most popular below, visit their
websites for details of the packages they offer.
1&1: www.1and1.co.uk
The Image File: www.theimagele.com
Fasthosts: www.fasthosts.co.uk
Webfusion: www.webfusion.co.uk
Search EngineOptimisation(SEO)
If you want your website to be seen by as many
people as possible, you need to spend time
improving your SEO. Its a mechanism that can
help your website appear higher up the rankings
of Google and other search engines. You can pay
rms specialising in SEO, but wed suggest you
give it a go yourself rst by following our tips:
Use keywords (words that people might use when
searching for your site or images) to each page.
Check their searchability on Google Adwords.
And use the most important words rst.
Install Google Analytics on your site so you can
track how it is performing in searches, monitor
your websites trafc and where viewers are
coming from. It can be particularly useful if you
want to know how effective your marketing is.
Add your business to Google Places.
Make sure you include descriptive text on your
website about your services and products for
search engines to index.
Use descriptive page titles for the top of your web
browser using keywords youd expect people to
search with, along with your name. Eg: Beautiful
portrait photography, Peterborough | Joe Bloggs.
Use HTML on your site rather than Flash Google
is much better at recognising HTML or at least
have a HTML mirror site.
Maintain a blog regularly to generate trafc to
your site and new searchable content.
Get as many reputable websites to post links back
to your website to improve trafc.
24 Buildingyourbusiness
BOOST BUSINESS
WITH SOCIAL MEDIA
Understanding social networking and using it to your advantage can be of huge benet to your business.
So love it or loathe it, online social networking is here to stay and we say if you cant beat it why not join it?
Twittertoptips
1) Follow the top Twitter users or big names
in photography to watch how they use
Twitter and the type of content they post.
2) To get the most from Twitter you need to
be an active member. The more people you
help, the more interesting resources you
post for your followers and the more you
contribute to conversations, the more other
members will help you. Before you bombard
followers with updates about your latest
shoots and expect them to take notice,
establish yourself as a valued member.
3) Join Google Analytics for free to monitor
your success at driving trafc from Twitter
to your blog or website. You could also join
TwitterCounter (at a cost) to keep track of
how many new followers you get daily.
UsefulTwitterresources
Bit.ly Lets you shorten your URLs (links) to
cut down the characters for your tweets.
TweetPhoto.comorTwitPic.com
Use these to share your photos on Twitter.
TweetReach.comSee how many Twitter
members saw your post and shared it.
Twitterfeed.com Feed Twitter with posts
from your blog, Facebook page or any other
networking site with an RSS feed.
WeFollow.com Find out the top people to
follow in photography in terms of inuence
and their number of followers.
LEADING PROSATWORK
Buildingyourbusiness 25
PHILMAKANNA
ISTOCK PHOTO
Keepontopoftweets
Q&A:GettingthemostfromTwitter
Alittle birdietellsmetojoinTwitter,
but whatisitandhowdoesitwork?
In short, its a mini blog, or microblog as its
known by IT experts. Its a form of social
messaging centred around you posting (or
tweeting) comments, updates about your
business or personal life in no more than 140
characters for your followers (people who
subscribe to your updates) to read. Its purpose
is different for different people. Some use it to
keep in touch with friends and family, the media
use it to keep the public informed by reporting
news, while writers and photographers use it as
a business and marketing tool to build up a fan
base and industry connections.
How oftenshouldI useTwitter?
Its best if you get involved with Twitter as much
as you can, and not just to post about yourself.
Its all about building relationships and you can
only do this by staying connected, therefore
try to tweet at least two or three times a day
but make sure its something of value to your
followers, not just that you had eggs for
breakfast. Unless someone is looking for your
tweets, chances are they will quite quickly get
buried under all the other updates they receive
from the other people they follow, so it helps to
constantly put up fresh content.
Can Iusethesameaccountfor
personaltweetsandbusiness
updates? Its good to show some personality
in your tweets but you need to tweet content
thats valuable, and not just about your personal
life, to keep followers interested. The exception
would be if youre a high-ying, living the dream
photographer with stories that everyone wants
to read. If thats the case though, chances are
you wouldnt be reading this article!
26 Buildingyourbusiness
Facebook
ISTOCK PHOTO
WhyuseFacebook?
Why marketing your business through
Facebook can have huge benets:
There are 700 million active users on
Facebook, with 50% logging in daily.
The average user has 130 friends.
700 billion minutes per month are spent
on Facebook.
The average user is connected to 80
community pages, groups and events.
Entrepreneurs and developers from more
than 190 countries build their business with
a Facebook platform.
ISTOCK PHOTO
Nowmorethaneverpeoplerefertotheirsocial
networksforrecommendationsandclientsshareyour
workandtheirexperienceswiththeironlinenetwork
And if you cant nd the right group for you,
create your own.
When getting established, you cant rely on
editors to publish your work or for big
commissions to come your way, so you need
to nd ways of self-publishing your work.
Facebook is one way of doing this and can act
as an avenue that sends people to your blog.
There have also been instances when
photographers, pros and amateurs alike, have
found that by posting their images of
newsworthy events on sites like Facebook or
Flickr, they can get picked up by the press
because theyve gone viral.
As with Twitter, the key to promoting your
work via Facebook is to understand the
community youre targeting and what
motivates them to connect with you. Once
you know that, you can work on engaging with
them and building relationships and an
awareness of your work. While you could do
this from your personal prole page,
eventually you might start to struggle as you
attract more business contacts and it
becomes difcult to maintain relationships
with friends while still appearing professional.
In 2010, Facebook launched a page for
businesses called Fan Page specically so
that brands could promote themselves for
free. It was a fortunate move for
photographers as it meant you could try to
distance the personal from the professional.
LEADING PROSATWORK
Buildingyourbusiness 27
PHILMAKANNA
ISTOCK PHOTO
HowdoIgetacustomURL?
By default, Facebook assigns a long,
complicated string of numbers and letters
to your Fan Page URL, which isnt ideal if
you want to direct trafc to your site. To get
around this you can create a custom, or
branded, URL for your page such as
facebook.com/your business name. Firstly
verify your account. Then you need to get 25
different fans to click Like on your page, and
you will be eligible for a branded URL. This
should be fairly easy to do, especially if
youve got a prole page, as you could get
25 friends and family members to do it for
you. Now go to www.facebook.com/
username and apply for your URL.
Socialmedia:Usefulresources
TweetDeck.com If you work with more
than one site, this tool will help organise
your activity on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn
etc to make it easier to handle.
TwitterApp Automatically loads your
tweets to your Facebook status.
Seesmic.com Make your life easier by
managing all your social networking from
one place, your desktop or mobile device.
Andtherest...
Beware:Protectyourimages!
Theres always a down side to every up side
and while social media has its benets,
posting your images to these sites isnt
without risks. Most predominantly its the
potential for misuse of your photos. The
best way to limit this risk is to resize them to
72dpi and 700 pixels on the longest side,
with a watermark logo. It might not stop
someone stealing them, but its an effective
deterrent and it means you know that even
if the image was stolen it could never end up
on a billboard. Another option is to link the
images in your post directly to your own
website instead of uploading photos to the
Facebook or Twitter site.
28 Buildingyourbusiness
Casestudy:LindsayAdler
Lindsay Adler is an NYC-based fashion and portrait photographer, and author of The Linked
Photographers Guide to Online Marketing and Social Media. Caroline Wilkinson nds out
about the impact social media has had on her business and the pitfalls to watch out for
LEADING PROSATWORK
Buildingyourbusiness 29
PHILMAKANNA
LINDSAY ADLER
WithinsixweeksIhadmorebusinessthanIcouldhandleasIhadreached
outtopeopleintheareaandgiventhemsomethingtheydliketotalkabout
YouTube. Ive had people contact me
because they found a behind-the-scenes
video to one of my shoots, an introduction
to a class I was teaching or a gallery
showing something I did. Its putting extra
content out there. You dont have to spend
ages on it, but YouTube is highly linkable
and people really like videos and also like
to share them with friends and family. If
youre in the videos it also helps people
connect with you, as they can watch you
talk and put a face to your business.
The most important part of your social
media is your blog because it is a way to
show your personality and that youre
consistently producing high-quality work.
You should be sharing stories about your
work, successful shoots, something people
can interact with. If theyre looking at your
photos on Facebook their interest can get
diverted to another page or if someone
posts a comment, but if you get them to
your blog theyre exposed to your branded
identity. Theyre able to experience your
brand and your photos the way you want
them to without distraction. There are
many other reasons why a blog is
important, but its a great way to
communicate your brand.
If youre going to create content for your
blog, share a resource that someone would
want. For instance, as a wedding
30 Buildingyourbusiness
BLOGS: STEPS
TO SUCCESS
Learn the basics of blogging to give your business the best
chance of success by providing yourself with a platform to
be loud and proud about your latest news and images
Emailmarketing
A blog is great for delivering information and
showcasing your latest photography, but
youre relying on your audience to take the
time to visit your blog or to react to your
updates on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn to
see it. One way around this is to invest in
email marketing, which enables you to send
the content directly to your contacts. By
packaging up your blog posts and sending
them via email, you can keep old clients
abreast of your new work and push yourself
in front of potential new clients, too. Its often
not a free service, and takes time to
construct, so its worth doing right, otherwise
you risk your investment heading to the
trash. It sounds obvious, but the best way to
get someone to read it is to give them
something they want to read by tailoring the
content to their interests.
Emailserviceproviders
Analyse that
MailChimp [mailchimp.com]
VerticalResponse
[www.verticalresponse.com]
DotMailer [www.dotmailer.co.uk]
Vistaprint [www.vistaprint.co.uk]
Ourtipsforemailmarketing
Keep your marketing message consistent
by designing the newsletter the same as
your website and other branded material.
Use your business name in the Subject
eld so its easily identiable.
Avoid sending the email Mondays or
Fridays as its likely to be given less
attention than if it was sent midweek.
Send the email monthly or bi-monthly
to keep your audience engaged.
Have someone proofread your newsletter
and test all the links before sending it you
dont want your rst impression to be poor.
LEADING PROSATWORK
Buildingyourbusiness 31
PHILMAKANNA
ISTOCK PHOTO
Blogplatforms
You dont need to pay for a custom blog or
know how to communicate in HTML to have a
brilliant blog these days. Of course, paying a
little extra or having that technical knowledge
can make your operation slicker, but its not
essential, especially when youre rst starting
out. With quite a few free blog services
available, its worth taking the time to
investigate the different options, to nd out
what they do and dont offer, and what free
really means. Do make sure that, whichever
service provider you go with, you have the
features to develop a good design, build a
community and communicate your brand and
work effectively. Here are a few we feel are
worth looking at: most are free, while a few
require a monthly subscription.
WordPress/www.wordpress.com
This is one of the most widely used blogging
platforms. For basic templates, its free to use,
but with the option of payable upgrades, you
can install various plug-ins to extend the blogs
functionality, widgets and customise the blog
to suit your content. It has an easy-to-follow
set-up and interface to make managing and
updating your blog a breeze, but you cant use
your domain name.
Blogger /www.blogger.com
One of the rst blogging services to be launched
in 1999, Blogger now owned by Google is free
to use, but requires you to create a Google
account. Its a basic blog with limited
customisation capabilities compared with other
platforms, but as its connected to Google, it ties
in well with other Google products, such as
Google Adwords.
TypePad /www.typepad.com
An easy-to-use blogging service that can be
connected with your LinkedIn prole so your
professional contacts get regular automatic
updates of your posts. You get similar benets
to WordPress, such as widgets for your
Facebook and Twitter account, customisable
design and templates, and an easy-to-manage
interface. You also have the ability to view
statistics that help you monitor where your
readers are coming from and their activity,
as well as a customer support team of expert
bloggers waiting to answer any of your
questions and provide help when needed.
A free trial is available, otherwise membership
starts from 5.43/$8.95 a month.
FotoJournal/www.myfotojournal.com
Although specically designed with professional
photographers in mind, FotoJournal is a new
blogging service, so only currently offers a handful
of designs to pick from. Like most services, it can
link to your Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and other
social networking sites with ease. The downside is
if you want some of the more advanced features,
like Google Analytics, more storage or Priority
Support services, you have to be willing to pay for
the privilege (up to 9.70/$16 a month).
Tumblr /www.tumblr.com
Featuring an abundance of customisable
design templates, youre sure to nd something
to t your style and brand. If you have HTML
know-how, you can even formulate your own
design. Tumblr is one platform that has social
and mobile networking nailed: you can blog
using an iPhone app or even via email, you can
automatically update your Twitter when you
post and publish to Facebook and, best of all,
its free to use.
WordPress(self-install)/
www.wordpress.org
If you host your own server, you can download the
WordPress software and install it yourself so you
can use your own domain name and enhance your
SEO. This requires some technical knowledge.
32 Buildingyourbusiness
www.larajade.co.uk/blog
A british-born, 22-year-old fashion and advertising
photographer, now residing in New York City, Lara Jade
uses her blog to provide her international followers
with an insight into her work and life as a photographer
in the Big Apple. Since establishing her business at the
young age of 17, Lara has built a solid social media
network thats now bursting with millions of other
photographers and artists who follow her work as a
source of inspiration.
Lara shares with us why she thinks blogging has
played such a large part in her social media success:
It keeps my followers interested and gives me a
platform to immediately show new content and
behind-the-scenes images of my shoots and training
days. For me, blogging provides followers with insight
into the life and work of photographers, enabling them
to connect with the person not just the
photographers product.
LARA JADE
LaraJade
LARAS TIP:Keepthedesignofyourblog
consistentwithyourwebsiteandlinkittoyour
Twitter,FacebookandLinkedInaccountsto
maximisemarketingpotential.Bloggingisan
excellentwaytodevelopinterestinyourwork.
Offerfollowersaninsightbyposting
behind-the-scenesimagesandreports.
www.brettharknessphotography.com
Social and commercial photographer Brett
Harkness recently relaunched his website having
had his portfolio site converted into a blog-site,
replacing many of his image galleries with blogs,
thanks to design rm Flosites. Heres what Brett had
to say about his change of approach: I used to
update my website twice a year, but Id update my
blogs four times a week, so it seemed logical to use
this platform instead of the usual gallery, which we
now feel is a little old hat. People are now used to
working with blogs and having relevant and current
information instantly accessible. So we have a
wedding and lifestyle blog-site, a training blog-site
and galleries only for our commercial, fashion and
travel work. Since relaunching our site, our trafc
has doubled. As soon as we blog about a wedding,
we link the blog to the venue of the shoot, they link
back to us, we put a link to the blog post on
Facebook and Twitter its all driving trafc to it. If
someone rings us asking to see images from a
certain venue, we only need to send them the link to
that blog post and its on their desktop. Ive designed
a couple of blogs before and wanted to jump out the
window, so, for this one, I knew exactly what I
wanted, but asked Flosite to design it as it was
quite technical and part of an extensive
refurbishment of the site.
BRETTS TIP:Dontputtoomuchontheblogat
once:limitittotenpictures.Iveseenblogswhere
theyveposted30-40picturesshowingthebest
ofthewedding,butitleavesnosurprisesforthe
clients.Keepitupdatedbecauseifpeoplevisita
blogtoseeitsnotbeenupdatedforamonth,itputs
themoffitalsohelpsyourGoogleranking.Make
sureyourenameyourimageswithyournameand
theplacetheygotmarriednotthecouplesname
(egJoe&Jane2011.jpg),asithelpssearchengines.
BRETT HARKNESS
BrettHarkness
LEADING PROSATWORK
Buildingyourbusiness 33
PHILMAKANNA
KaranKapoor
www.karankapoor.com
Advertising photographer Karan Kapoor is
new to blogging this year, but he has already
seen his website trafc almost treble as a
result. I can use it to post information about
my shoots and images that wont necessarily
make it into my portfolio. For instance, if Im
abroad doing a shoot, I might post one
picture with a caption saying: Im in
Barcelona shooting for X, what an
experience!, or I might post a more
extensive story with a selection of images
from a shoot. People in the imaging
business like to see what photographers
have been doing. I try to post at least once
every month and I also use sites like LinkedIn
and Behance.net its quite phenomenal how
many hits I get on my blog from contacts
reading my updates on these sites.
I try to keep my posts business-related, such
as awards and latest photography projects,
personal and commissioned.
Blogplatforms
While its not essential for you to have a
bespoke blog, Nige Burton, director of design
company Freebird, gives us his views and
advice for managing a photo blog.
Having a professionally designed blog is as
important as having a professionally designed
website if your customers are to take you
seriously. A blog is a great way to keep in touch
with existing clients as well as attracting
searches for potential new ones. Its always
best to design something bespoke but then
integrate it with a tried-and-trusted platform
like WordPress, as its designed to be easy to
use and has built-in SEO advantages.
Its vital, if you go down the route of having
a blog that you keep it regularly updated. Id
recommend a minimum of once a week, but
more if possible. Theres nothing worse than
your clients looking at a blog that hasnt been
updated for six months. Diarising this for the
same time every week often works and is as
important as anything else that makes it into
your schedule. A blog post doesnt have to be
long, but a few paragraphs of sharply written,
relevant copy are worth their weight in gold.
Remember what people are expecting from
a photography business, and keep it
image-heavy but with some order, and feature
only your absolute best work. Make sure it
remains completely corporate and within your
established brand. Remember: a blog for
business is not the same as a blog for pleasure,
and your audiences will be quite different. Mix
them up at your peril.
KARAN KAPOOR
KARANS TIP:Keepyourblogpostsshort
andrelevanttoyourreaders.Thinkabout
whatyouraudiencewillwanttoread.
Postingreviewsofphotographygearisgreat
foryourphotographerfollowersandmight
meantheyshareyourpostwithothers,but
makesureyouaccompanyitwithbeautiful
imagesfromtheshoot.Yourprospective
clientswontbeinterestedinthespecsofa
pieceofkit,buttheywillbeinterestedin
seeingtheworkyouvecreatedwithit.
LEADING PROSATWORK
Socialphotography 35
PHILMAKANNA
SOCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY
Learn all you need to know about running a portrait or wedding photography business
36 Socialphotography
ITS TIME TO
ACT LIKE A PRO
You dont have to be a pro to act like one. We take a closer look at
how some of the most successful UK social photographers conduct
business and build their reputation alongside their bank balances
DottheIsandcrosstheTs
LEADING PROSATWORK
Socialphotography 37
PHILMAKANNA
BRETT HARKNESS PHOTOGRAPHY
Yourreputationisyourtickettohigherearnings,
but itsalsofragileandeasilytainted,soyouneed
toofferhigh-qualityserviceconsistently
you never know what might happen in the
future, and good friends should
understand that business is business.
While the photographer owns all copyright,
often clients will want to know whether
they can get their images on disk. Detailing
the copyright in the T&Cs means you can
stipulate their terms of use, including
making them aware that you can use the
images for your marketing material.
However, if you plan to submit images to
magazines, be courteous and ask them for
their permission anyway. If you do give
images on disk, Esther Ling advises
putting a clause in the contract that
stipulates that they can print the images
for personal use but they cannot resell
38 Socialphotography
Professionalpractice
Post-shootprotocol
Toptentips
1)Its all too easy nowadays to conduct
business by email but dont! Pick up the
phone or arrange to meet with the client as it
will help build a better relationship.
2) Dont leave anything to chance. Prepare
thoroughly by taking time to get to know
your clients and what it is that they want.
3)Happy clients lead to future clients.
By delivering the best service you can and
exceeding their expectations, youre setting
yourself up for referrals.
4)When you arrange to meet your clients for
a chat or viewing, make sure the venue is
comfortable yet professional. If its at your
home or studio, ply them with tea, coffee and
biscuits. If its a wedding viewing, round off
their experience with glasses of champagne.
5) Always be early to a shoot and
generous with your time.
6) Aim to under-promise and over-deliver.
7) Always carry business cards with you
everywhere you go.
8) Invest in promotional material like
brochures and branded folders for your
booking form and contracts.
9) Be business-like but also open and
approachable so your clients feel relaxed
and comfortable during the shoot.
10) Always conduct yourself professionally,
whether youre with friends or other
photographers, as you never really know
who youre talking to.
LEADING PROSATWORK
Socialphotography 39
PHILMAKANNA
BRETT HARKNESS PHOTOGRAPHY
Thecustomerserviceshouldntendoncetheshootsfinishedorwhentheyve
receivedtheirbeautifullypresentedproducts.Maintainingtherelationshipiscrucial
the time or would they like a coffee table
book thats suited to being on show? Tell
them what covers wear better than others
and what sizes suit their types of images.
The customer service shouldnt end
once the shoots nished or when theyve
received their beautifully presented
products. Maintaining the relationship is
crucial to get referrals and repeated
business. Esther Ling sends her clients
anniversary and birthday cards to
40 Socialphotography
HOW TO PROFITFROM
PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY
Looking for a new career and love taking portraits of friends and family? Perhaps contemporary portrait
photography is the way to go. Find out how to start up and run a successful lifestyle photography
business with our realistic and expert advice from some of the countrys leading professionals
Youregoingtohaveto
producesomethingthats
gotthewowfactorif
youretogettheclientsin
withoutgivingeverything
awayondisk
Talking about what it takes to make it
in this business, portrait photographer
Frazer Visser, from Hamilton Studios in
East Grinstead, West Sussex, makes an
elementary but often neglected point:
Whats fundamental to every portrait
photography business is consistently good
photography, whether youre presented
with a screaming newborn or a family of
20, three difcult children and a dog. You
have to constantly deliver high standards.
The client knows whatever they bring to
us, however grotty the children are, we will
rise to the challenge and deliver
consistently good pictures. If theyve loved
a large canvas print on their friends walls,
then they know that we will produce
photography equally as good for them.
They come in knowing what theyre going
to get; that condence keeps the clients
coming back and the referrals coming in.
A large part of lifestyle portraiture relies
on the professional friendships you forge
with the clients. To get great images, they
need to be happy and relaxed. Its so
important that you get along. You can start
building that relationship at the time of
booking by having a chat with them about
their lifestyle and what they want from the
LEADING PROSATWORK
Socialphotography 41
PHILMAKANNA
BRETT HARKNESS/ WWW.BRETTHARKNESSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
42 Socialphotography
Spendtimejustobservingtheireverydayinteractionsaroundthehousetogetthem
comfortablewiththecamera,thenmovethemsomewheremoreunusualtothem
BRETT HARKNESS
ESTHER LING
ESTHER LING
LEADING PROSATWORK
Socialphotography 43
PHILMAKANNA
Professionaladviceandhandyhintsonhowtotackleyourthreekeyclients...
BRETT HARKNESS
ESTHER LING
BRETT HARKNESS
44 Socialphotography
Becomeastudio-basedphotographer
Working from a studio is a different business from being on location. Here we provide insight and
advice on ways to make a studio-based business work and how to use it to produce perfect portraits
LEADING PROSATWORK
Socialphotography 45
PHILMAKANNA
BRETT HARKNESS
Theessentialkitlist
Standardequipment
Studio equipment
Youcanplaypeek-a-boobehindthecamera,usetickle
sticks,havetoysfallingoffyourheadorbubblespopping
onyournoseanythingtogettheirattention
you can to do that encourage them to look
at you and get the right expressions. For
instance, with a young baby, you need to
get in very close to them, as they cant see
far, and lock eye contact with them to get
their attention. As they get older you can
play peek-a-boo behind the camera, use
tickle sticks, have toys falling off your head
or have bubbles popping on your nose
do anything that gets their attention. If you
had the camera to your eye the whole time,
you wouldnt be able to interact with the
client very well, while this way you can play
with them while remotely taking the shot.
The more children you have in the
picture, the more difcult it can be and its
Toptips
Toptenmarketingtips:
Forget advertising, give yourself a jump-start by
adding some of these cost-effective marketing
methods into the mix:
1) Offer your customers an incentive for
referrals such as a free print from their last
shoot for every new customer they refer to you.
2) Sell products, not a disk. By controlling how
your images are presented youre controlling
how youre marketing yourself. Consider your
clients home as your gallery and youll be
surprised at how many customers you get from
seeing your work on someone elses wall.
3) Join local business networking groups. You
never know whom you might meet: an owner of
a play centre or a childrens clothing store
perhaps, or even other photographers. Creating
these business links can be invaluable, as not
only can you pick up new leads such as so and
so has had a new baby or is pregnant, but you
could offer to shoot marketing material for these
46 Socialphotography
Toptips
Never give copyright to your clients. If you
sell prints, you need to make it clear in your
terms and conditions on your website that
your clients are not allowed to duplicate any
prints they buy from you. Never give them
copyright, otherwise you wont be able to
use any of the images for your marketing
purposes and you can miss out on future
sales. Its also a good idea to keep their
images backed-up for at least a year in case
they contact you wanting to buy more.
Peoplewantportraitsforalotofdifferentreasons,
sometimesitsarecordforthefamily,othertimesitsa
specialoccasionandsometimesitsforgrandparents
Yourpre-businesschecklist
Before you set up shop, here are a few things to
consider doing to give yourself a strong start:
1) Create a business plan and open a business
bank account (see p106 for more details).
2) It sounds obvious, but make sure you have
enough funds, or a second income, to support
yourself while the business is growing. Contact
a nancial planner or your bank for advice on
small business loans if needed.
3) Build a strong portrait portfolio using friends,
family and test shoots.
4) Branding: Come up with your name and
design yourself (or commission) a logo that
reects the quality of your work and the
personality of your business.
5) Website: This is your number one marketing
LEADING PROSATWORK
Socialphotography 47
PHILMAKANNA
Like most artisans, photographers struggle when it comes to selling their work.
We offer you some advice on how to make a prot a less painful process
BRETT HARKNESS
Suggestedsuppliers
Folio Albums
www.folioalbums.com
Kaleidoscope Framing
www. frames4photographers.com
Loxley Colour
www.loxleycolour.com
OneVision
www.onevisionimaging.com
Queensberry
www.queensberry.com
Mastertheproducts,pricingandprofit
48 Socialphotography
MAKE MONEY
FROM WEDDINGS
In this comprehensive guide about wedding photography, explore
your style and the basics of the business, learn the essentials of
marketing and pricing and how to keep ahead of the competition
EDDING PHOTOGRAPHY is an
easy way to make a fortune,
right? Wrong. Unfortunately
this is the all-too-common, nonchalant
misconception that many photographers
have, and it often results at best in a
business that struggles to get off the
ground, and at worst some very unhappy
clients and disastrous wedding
photographs. Were not saying that
wedding photography isnt protable, it
certainly can be, or that its extremely
difcult. The fact is though that its not
contrary to popular belief something that
just anybody with a half-decent DSLR and
a couple of lenses can do well. In this major
section, well be equipping you with
everything you need to know about
wedding photography, from how to get
started, securing clients and conducting
wedding shoots, to post-production,
workow and album design. All that we
hope is that by the end of it, if you still want
to give weddings a go, you approach it with
the right conscientious attitude and the
respect that it and your clients deserve.
Few great wedding photographers will
say they do it just for the money, as frankly
the moneys not enough to relieve the
pressure of knowing you only have one
shot at capturing a couples special day.
Wedding photography is a passion, a huge
responsibility and commitment, though
its also very rewarding. Theres such
satisfaction in seeing a couple overjoyed
with their pictures, and knowing that theyll
be treasuring your work for a lifetime. It
gives people so much pleasure, which is
probably one reason why so many
photographers dont mind doing weddings
for free at least initially.
Findingyourfooting
Fewgreatwedding
photographerssaythey
doitjustforthemoney,
asfranklythemoneys
notenoughtorelievethe
pressureofonlyhaving
oneshotatcapturing
thespecialday
throughout everything you do and your
marketing material, as this is what helps
you look like a professional, even if youre a
weekend wedding photographer.
If youre going to spend money on
anything though, you should look to invest
in a decent website because as a social
photographer, this is your shop window.
Clients will make a decision whether to
contact you within seconds based on how
professional, sleek and functional your
website is and how your online portfolio
looks. Bland template websites simply
wont cut it in this industry. The website
should reect your brand and style as a
photographer, but you dont need to invest
in an expensive custom website.
Companies like Bludomain, Clikpic,
LEADING PROSATWORK
Socialphotography 49
PHILMAKANNA
ASPIRE PHOTOGRAPHY TRAINING
50 Socialphotography
Howmuchshouldyoucharge?
Findingyourpricecomesdowntoalotofvariables:youneed
tobecompetitiveinthelocalmarketandfigureouthowmuch
youneedtoearntobeprofitableotherwisewhatsthepoint?
Whatshouldyoudoifa
friendasksyoutoshoot
theirwedding?
Manage their expectations Ask them to
show you images that they like and be
honest with yourself, and them, as to
whether you can produce pictures of a
similar quality. If you dont feel youre up to
the task, tell them but offer to be a second
photographer on the day. This way you dont
take the risk, they get extra images for free
and you have a chance to gain some
experience and pictures for your portfolio.
Prepare, prepare, prepare Arrange a
pre-wedding shoot with the couple so you
both feel comfortable on the day knowing
what to expect from one another. Scout out
the wedding and reception venue in advance
for backgrounds and natural light.
Be equipped Read our section on wedding
kit to nd out what gear you need to rent or
buy for your experience level.
Get a shot list Have them write you a list of
essential pictures and use it as a reference
on the day. Theres nothing worse than
realising too late that you didnt get a picture
of the happy couple with grandma or a
full-length picture of the bride in her dress.
Learn about lighting Most wedding
photographers rely on natural light for their
shots, avoiding direct sunlight for the risk of
bleaching details in the dress, ruining
pictures with deep shadows and squinting
subjects. So, learning how to control and
diffuse natural light is essential. In case you
have to use direct sunlight, or theres a lack
of natural light, you also need to know how to
use ll-in, bounce or off-camera ash.
Enlist help Ask a friend, your partner, or a
member of the wedding party (ideally an
usher or best man) to help to organise the
groups and to hold reectors when needed.
Having someone there to do crowd control is
also an asset, this way when youre
photographing the bride and groom there
isnt a hoard of guest paparazzi distracting
them from looking at your camera.
Play it safe Set your camera to Raw and
aperture-priority mode. Youll have greater
exibility and scope for recovery later in
post-production if you get the exposure
slightly wrong than if you were to use JPEG.
Working in a fully- or semi-automatic mode,
also enables you to focus on interacting with
guests and capturing spontaneous moments
that youll miss ddling with settings.
Be directive but not disruptive As the
photographer, its your responsibility to get
beautiful pictures that capture the day
without interfering. For most of the day the
photographer should be a y on the wall,
rarely seen or heard, so set your camera to
Quiet mode if you can and draw out the inner
photojournalist. The more guests are aware
of you, the less likely youll capture
spontaneous moments and natural
expressions. But when it comes to the
couples and group shoots, its your time to
take control. Dont be afraid to be bossy but
also keep the atmosphere light and relaxed
so you can re through the shots while
keeping everyones spirits high.
Business cards Most new work comes
from word of mouth and referrals, so make
sure you go equipped with business cards.
LEADING PROSATWORK
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PHILMAKANNA
Potential clients judge your worth on the quality of your photography, so a decent portfolio is crucial.
We explore the right and wrong ways to create and showcase your portfolio to maximise sales
Keepingyourportfolio
freshandcurrentisreally
importantforstaying
aheadofthecompetition,
asispushingyour
photographyskillswith
testphotoshoots
approaching the management to ask if you
can use the grounds for the test shoot in
exchange for some of the images of the
venue is a good way in, claims Stuart. Do
the same for a hair stylist, make-up artist,
attractive friends who you can use as
models, and a local bridal store for a dress
loan, and youve got yourself the makings
of a test shoot. As everybody will be giving
their time and services for free, make sure
you reciprocate with images of their
contributions, for instance close-ups of the
owers and dress, or beautiful portraits for
the model and make-up artist. Its a really
good opportunity to build relationships
with local suppliers, get your images on
other businesss websites and it gives you
something to blog about as well, which can
be really benecial according to Stuart.
A blog is a really useful marketing tool, for
instance, if someones getting married at a
particular venue and youve just blogged
about a test shoot youve just taken there,
theres a good chance that when they type
it in that the search engines will pick it up.
Test shoots are an opportunity to use
unusual locations or places you wouldnt
be able to get to on a wedding day like
Getprofessionalhelp
By joining professional associations like
the Society of Wedding and Portrait
Photographers (SWPP), you can access a
wide range of professional advice and
contacts in the industry that can help you
organise test shoots. The SWPP also offer
its members a mentoring programme,
whereby you can receive training and
one-to-one appraisals of your work with
advice to help you progress. (For more
information email: [email protected]).
There are also a few wedding photography
courses on the market that can help you
supplement your portfolio while you train.
They organise the test shoot for you so it
looks stylised and authentic, but you will
often have to share the shoot with other
photographers too. Its a good option if
you want the professional training, but
your shouldnt rely on just these images
for your portfolio as it wont be an
accurate reection of your ability to shoot
a wedding. Wed recommend you consider
courses by Brett Harkness Photography
and Aspire Photography Training.
Howtobuildyourweddingportfolio
52 Socialphotography
Trashthedress
Another way to make your portfolio look
contemporary, and to earn a little more
money, is to offer clients a post-wedding
shoot. A few years ago an American
concept called Trash the Dress crossed
the Atlantic, causing a bit of a stir. Brides
were swimming in the sea, walking on
railway lines and being posed on
haystacks and in gritty urban scenes,
producing some really edgy editorial-style
images. It was an intriguing idea, but
there was something about potentially
ruining a stunning 1,000 dress that
didnt quite catch on in the UK. But the
idea of taking the couple to an unusual or
photogenic location, for a more stylised
and creative approach, will only ever be a
hit after all what bride wouldnt want
images of her in her wedding dress that
look like they could be straight out of a
bridal glossy. Even though theres no need
to risk ruining their treasured dress,
assess their attitude as you may nd
theyre willing to be more adventurous
than you think they are.
LEADING PROSATWORK
Socialphotography 53
PHILMAKANNA
STUART COOPER PHOTOGRAPHY
ASPIRE PHOTOGRAPHY TRAINING
Sell,sell,sell
Be bold. Your portfolio is your strongest
promotional tool and it should be treated as
so. Show it off to everybody and anybody to
generate buzz around your work. Have your
portfolio accessible online via your website,
but also consider getting a selection of your
signature images printed in a portfolio book
to show clients exactly what type of wedding
photographer you are and the standard they
can expect. You can order a beautiful
portfolio from the likes of Blurb, Sim2000,
Loxley Colour and Everleaf.
Reccethelocationbeforetheshoottofindthebest
spotsfornaturallightandtoplanwhereyouneed
tobeatdifferenttimesofdaytogetthebestlight
couple looking at each other or off camera,
laughing together in between staged shots,
or from a viewpoint that makes it look as if
youre observing them from a distance, as
this can create candid-looking images. Its
also worth asking a local photographer if
you could be a second shooter or
approach a friend whos getting married to
see if you can take some shots on the day
too: as you wont be the main
photographer your images will naturally
look voyeuristic. Or, if youre a little bolder,
drop in on a registry ofce armed with
some business cards and catch the brides
and grooms and their guests as they
54 Socialphotography
WORKING A
WEDDING
Getallyourkittogether
thenightbeforebecause
inevitablyyoullbeina
rushthemorningofand
tendtoforgetthings.Make
sureallyourlensesare
clean,memorycardsare
clearandbatteriesare
charged EstherLing
Toptip
Alwaysthinkwhatif?...
Questionstoasktheclient...
Whats the schedule for the day?
How many people in the wedding party?
How many people at the ceremony and
then at the reception?
Where and when are you getting married
and is the ceremony in the same location as
the reception?
Are you planning any surprises for the
guests or individuals?
Are you planning any surprises for each
other? (Ask them each privately)
What have you spent the most amount of
money on and is there anything particularly
sentimental?
Who are the essential people you want
photographed and photographed with?
What is it about the venue that you love?
(So you know to get photographs of it)
How are you both arriving to ceremony/
reception? (Youll need to approach
photographing a horse and carriage
differently to a classic car)
Who is giving the bride away?
LEADING PROSATWORK
Socialphotography 55
PHILMAKANNA
ISTOCKPHOTO
Writedownwhoeveryoneinthebridalpartyisandtheessentialshotsonpostcards
soyoucanrefertoitduringtheday.Itsusefultoincludeanynotesonthedaytoo,such
asiftherearemembersofthefamilywhoshouldntbestoodnexttoeachotherinthe
groupshots,aswithsomuchgoingonitseasytoforgetontheday StuartCooper
Yourtodolistbeforeanyweddingday
Visit the ceremony and reception venues at a
similar time of day as theyll be used for the
wedding to scout out the best lighting and
backdrops. Look for big windows for natural
light and areas of open shade that you could
use for the group and bridal couple shots.
Check what the venues selling factors are,
perhaps they have a grand staircase, a lakeside
jetty or character features that attracted the
couple, which you can use for photographs. If
the venue is very basic, concentrate on nding
uncluttered backdrops and areas of soft natural
light like windows or even doorways so you can
use the interior as a dark background.
If the couple want a group shot with all the
wedding guests, nd out if theres a place in the
venue that can give you a high vantage point
like a balcony or open window over an area
outdoors. If they dont, you know you may need
to come equipped with a stepladder.
If its a church wedding, arrange to meet the
vicar to discuss any restrictions on
photography. Sometimes you wont be allowed
to use ash during the ceremony or at specic
times, like the exchanging of vows. The vicar
56 Socialphotography
Createadetailedscheduleoftheday
Every wedding is different and should be treated as such, but by preparing for each one the way we
advise you to, youll be setting yourself up for success and reduce any of your wedding-day stress
ESTHER LING
ESTHER LING
Pre-weddingshoots
STUART COOPER
LEADING PROSATWORK
Socialphotography 57
PHILMAKANNA
Keepiteasy:useone
lensandareflector.
Leaveflashforthe
weddingday
BrettHarkness
Toptips
Before or after the shoot, take the couple
somewhere they can relax over a cup of
coffee like your studio if you have one or
a quiet but chic cafe or bar. Somewhere you
can chat without being interrupted. Use this
time to recap on the plans for their wedding
day. Run through your list of questions to
nd out whos who in the family, if theres
any family members you need to get pictures
of or family situations you need to be aware
of, like new partners, divorced parents or
widowed grandparents. Do the pre-wedding
shoot at least three months before the
wedding day, leaving plenty of time to
provide them with framed prints or a
signature board and for you to prepare for
any wedding day changes that may have
happened since your last meeting.
58 Socialphotography
ESTHER LING
Putbrandedvouchersinjewellersandfloristsforafreeengagementshootand
printsasanincentivefornewbridesandgroomstotestyououtasaphotographer.
Chancesaretheyllbookyouoffthebackofit BjornThomassen
While your competition only offers one type of pre-wedding shoot, why not buck the trend by offering
more variety for your clients and catering to the brides saucier side as well as their more traditional
HILE AN ENGAGEMENT
shoot is about getting to
know the bridal couple,
professional photographer Bjorn
Thomassen also offers pre-bridal shoots
for just the bride. He turns the brides
trial for hair and make-up in to a private,
stylised photoshoot where she puts on
her dress to preview how it all looks on
camera before the big day. Sometimes
its done in a studio, others on location
or in a rented space. Its a great
opportunity to cultivate a relationship
with the bride and has proved so
popular that we built it in to our
packages as a selling point, says Bjorn.
More and more brides are also
interested in doing boudoir or ne-art
nude sessions before or after the
wedding to give to their new husband on
their wedding day or as an anniversary
present. This seductive yet tasteful style
of photography is becoming increasingly
popular and very protable for wedding
photographers, but for such intimate
images brides often prefer to use a
female photographer. So, if youre male
Boudoirandpre-bridalphotographyshoots
LEADING PROSATWORK
Socialphotography 59
PHILMAKANNA
Gettingready
Camerasettingsandtechniques
Set your camera to shoot Raw + JPEG to give
you more exibility when it comes to
developing your images later. If your DSLR has
a dual card slot, instead of using the second
memory card to store images that overow
from the rst, use it as a back-up in case your
rst card fails. Set the back-up card to store
only JPEGs so it wont ll up as fast and if you
use a larger memory card, like a 16GB, you
probably wont need to change it during the
day. For the memory cards that hold the Raw
les, dont use bigger than 8GB. You may need
to switch the memory cards a few times during
the day but it means youre not storing all your
Raw les on one large capacity card, which if it
becomes corrupted could mean you losing
some or all of your images.
What exposure mode should you use? Some
pro photographers argue that if you cannot
shoot in manual, dont do weddings. But, then
again, very successful photographers like Brett
Harkness use program mode and manually
adjust the exposure compensation for more
control. Its whatever youre comfortable using
but dont rely solely on the camera, digital
technology is there to help you but you need to
know how to take control if you have to in case
Thefundamentalsofaweddingdayshoot
60 Socialphotography
BRETT HARKNESS
BRETT HARKNESS
STUART COOPER
BRETT HARKNESS
STUART COOPER
STUART COOPER
Theceremony
Bridalportraits
Toptips
Dont forget to photograph the details: shoes,
rings, owers, centrepieces and cufinks
they help depict the day.
Dont be afraid of taking control of the shoot
and directing people in to the best light. Its
your responsibility to get good images.
Shoot to sell: Capture images from different
angles so the bridal couple are spoilt for
choice and have to buy them all.
Always get a photo of the whole venue to
help set the scene in the album.
LEADING PROSATWORK
Socialphotography 61
PHILMAKANNA
BRETT HARKNESS P
Weddingpartyandgroups
BRETT HARKNESS
Proinsight
ESTHER LING
BrettHarkness Photography:
People often ask us how long do you
need for pictures? and the truth is we
dont need any time really and thats why
we get the clients that we do. The more
time to allocate to pictures, the less likely
you are to move up the social scale.
People who have money dont want to be
bothered but still want the imagery, so we
rarely schedule in shots. When Im at the
brides house, for instance, we dont
interfere but well keep them on track.
If its a winter wedding well try to get
pictures of the bride at the house while we
still have a bit of daylight. If its a summer
wedding there wont be any posing until
later in the afternoon when the lights
softer. Often the rst time I speak to the
bride and groom is when theyre coming
out of the church and Im congratulating
them. We dont pose the bride in the car,
do pictures of her and her dad or the
signing of the register, unless theyre
documentary. We grab shots when we
can, even if that means pulling the bride
aside for a few shots as shes on the way
to the toilet. The group shots and the
couple pictures are usually the only time
well ask for 20 minutes of pictures, which
is often organised at the pre-wedding
shoot. At one of our last weddings we had
15 minutes to do the couples shots, the
bridal party and all the family shots. With
the group shots whether you meticulously
pose people or place them straight in a
line, weve found it doesnt make a
difference to what sells. So Id rather
spend my time photographing the bridal
party and the wedding couple creatively.
Professionaldevelopment
STUART COOPER
Speechesandreception
Toptip
To avoid making guests wait at the ceremony
venue, propose to the couple that you do the
group shots at the reception venue, if
appropriate. Everyone will be more relaxed
once theyve got a drink in their hand. It also
gives you an opportunity to whisk the couple
away for their 20-minute photo shoot
without them worrying that their guests
arent entertained.
62 Socialphotography
WORKFLOW &
WEDDING ALBUMS
With the wedding day over, its time for the real work to begin. As time is money, in this nal section of our
guide to wedding photography, learn how to shave hours off post-production without compromising on
quality as we share the secrets for an efcient workow and show you how to tackle album design
Improveyourworkflow
Dontforgetthemetadata
When you import your pictures from your
memory card, depending on the software
youre using, you have the option of entering
in basic metadata, even if its just your name
and copyright details. You may also nd it
helpful to input the same keywords to all the
pictures as a batch, like the name of the
bride and groom, the name of the wedding
venue, and the wedding date in case you
need to search for the les later.
LEADING PROSATWORK
Socialphotography 63
PHILMAKANNA
Takethreeorfoursuccessivegroupshotsasyoureguaranteedthatsomeone
differentisblinkingineachone.Saveallofthemduringyoureditingprocess
soyoucancloneeyesbackintoformonefinalimage EstherLing
reject and press U to make them
disappear. At each stage it gets easier to
determine which images are keepers and
which should be disregarded. Instead of
keeping variations of images, pick one
image with impact to show the client.
Aim for 200-300 pictures for a six- or
eight-hour wedding.
Edit: Run through the remaining pictures
and batch-edit images to correct the White
Balance, exposure, tone, contrast and
colour if they were all taken in similar
conditions and with similar settings. Next
address each image individually and make
any further basic adjustments. Hopefully
youve used the correct settings and got
most of it right in-camera, otherwise this
can be a very long and laborious task.
Once youre done, export them in to a
folder called Colour as JPEGs. Now inside
the clients folder are two les: Camera
Raw and Colour. Then run through the Raw
ShootinJPEG?
If, like pro photographer Brett Harkness,
youre condent and competent enough to
shoot in JPEG instead of Raw, you could
make your workow even simpler by cutting
out any Raw conversions. Once youve
downloaded the images, select the pictures
you want to show the client and then simply
batch-edit the low-res versions. The only
high-res pictures that Brett Harkness works
on are those purchased for the album or
separately. When our couple sees the
images for the rst time on a slideshow the
quality of viewing is quite low, so we dont
need a high-res image, explains Kristie
Harkness, If I have 2,000 images and each
of them is 20MB and I have ve clients
slideshows to edit, my computer would
probably combust! We batch process the
low-res images for the slideshow but once
theyve picked the picture they want to buy,
we process each high-res le individually.
64 Socialphotography
ConvertyourRawfilesintoDNGfiles(digitalnegatives),asintenyears
timesoftwaremightnotreadcamera-specificRawfiles StuartCooper
your next wedding. Once youve nished
editing all the pictures in Lightroom,
export them as JPEGs to a new folder
called Edited, which is what will be used for
the clients viewing and prints. Also, save
the images youve worked on in Photoshop
to the same folder.
Create: Next build the slideshow, ordering
the pictures to show the ow of the day.
While we dont recommend you saturating
your slideshow with duplicate images with
different treatments, you could crop into
an image differently and place it miles
apart in the slideshow without the client
recognising the similarities. You may nd
by doing this they buy both. Burn the
slideshow to DVD and save the slideshow
in the clients folder in case they want
access to it later. Make sure the clients
folder, which should now contain three
folders and a slideshow, is backed up to at
least two external hard drives, if not three.
Upload pictures: Before you nish off the
wedding, create a nal folder containing all
the edited JPEGs that youve batch
processed to make them web-friendly.
Load a small selection on to your blog and
all the pictures on to your clients proong
gallery on your website.
Anefficientworkflow
Batch processing and Actions can save a lot of
time, whether its to resize, convert Raw to
JPEG or apply your signature creative effect.
Instead of repeating the same steps for every
image, you can save hours by applying a
number of adjustments to your images with
one click of your mouse. You can create your
own action (see below) or download a selection
for free or for a small cost online. Check out
Totally Rad Actions, Jeff Ascough, Red Leaf
Studios and LilyBlue for some amazing actions
used by many professionals.
Howtorecord your own
ActioninAdobePhotoshop
Pick the image you want to edit and practise
the technique until you know exactly how you
want the effect applied.
Once youre condent in the process, revert
back to the original image, and go to Windows>
Actions to open the Action control panel.
To create a new action either click on the
New Action button at the bottom of the Action
panel or click on the small tab in the top right
corner to access the drop-down menu. Youll
nd New Action is the second option down.
Give the Action a name to match the
technique (for instance high-contrast black &
white), select a colour to highlight the actions
LEADING PROSATWORK
Socialphotography 65
PHILMAKANNA
Howshouldyouup-sellformaximumprofit?
The nal viewing where the client selects their wedding pictures is a special time as they relive their
big day, and it can be an opportunity to increase prots. Find out how to make it work for both of you
BRETT HARKNESS
Werecommend...
For professional printing products, check
out Kaleidoscope Framing, Loxley Colour,
OneVision and Ultimar. Each of them
require you to become a professional
member before youre given access to
trade prices and services. While Luminati
and WhiteWall also deal with the public,
they offer a variety of affordable and
quality products such as acrylic frames
and canvas prints that also may be worth
considering for your offering.
66 Socialphotography
FOLIO ALBUMS
Lookatotherpeoples
albumsforinspirationto
findthestylesyoudont
like.Youcantplease
everyone,sofindtheright
typeofalbumanddesign
toreflectyourtastesand
styleofphotography
EstherLing
Weddingalbums
LEADING PROSATWORK
Socialphotography 67
PHILMAKANNA
Toptipsfordesigninganalbum
Albumcompanies
Queensberry
Starter pack: 250 + VAT and includes
swatch book, page sampler, a little digital
copy album, 30% off three studio display
albums with free printing and design
services on your rst album
Free design software: Photojunction
Bespoke in-house design: Charges per
image but for a typical album would be from
100 + VAT
Website: www.queensberry.com
Folio Albums
Starter pack: Cover swatches from 10 and
a 25% discount on all studio sample albums
Free design software: No but recommends
Photoshop, InDesign or Photojunction
Bespoke in-house design: From 149
Website: www.folioalbums.com
Graphistudio
Starter pack: Free and includes one main
book (any size and cover), one 20x30cm and
four 10x13cm parent books and a calendar
Free design software: Graphisoftware
Bespoke in-house design: 1.80 per page
Website: www.graphistudio.com
Sim2000Imaging
Starter pack: From 209 and includes one
album, A5-sized parent books, two A6-size
soft and two hard-backed books. There are
three different levels of starter packs,
varying in content and cost, to choose from
Free design software: SimWare
Bespoke in-house design: From 240
Website: www.sim2000imaging.com
Loxley Colour
Starter pack: A 40% discount on sample
albums from the range of your choice
Free design software: Loxley Design Pro and
Roes (Remote Order Entry System)
Bespoke in-house design: From 50
Website: www.loxleycolour.com
Bespoke Photobooks
Starter pack: From 85 and includes three
albums of various sizes and a swatch pack
Free design software: No but recommends
Photoshop or InDesign
Bespoke in-house design: From 30
Website: www.bespokephotobooks.com
BookedImages
Starter pack: From 229 and includes one
Large Book and one Little Book. There are
three levels of starter packs including
additional products that youre able to
amend to suit your needs
Free design software: Booked Compose
Bespoke in-house design: From 60
Website: www.bookedimages.com
Analternativetoalbums
Some photographers have found that
they can save a fortune by not having a
studio sample album but by
emphasising to their clients that every
album is bespoke. Instead they show
clients album layouts on their laptop or
iPad to give them a feel for what one
looks like and rely on swatch books and
page samplers. If you prefer to opt for
sample albums, as they are a great way
to show prospective clients your work,
dont use a selection of pictures from
various weddings, feature one wedding
from start to nish for more impact.
LEADING PROSATWORK
Socialphotography 69
PHILMAKANNA
Getapproval
Once youve designed the album, its a good
idea to have the client approve the layout
before sending it to the printers. You could
do this face-to-face at their home or in your
studio, or use an online proong tool like
AlbumExposure (Albumexposure.com).
Some album design softwares, like
Photojunction, enable you to export your
album as a slideshow or Quicktime le to
email to your clients. While by involving your
clients in the design process you risk
dragging out the production time and maybe
interfering with the workow of your other
weddings, wed still advise that you have
your clients proof the album layout until you
build up the design experience and portfolio
of albums to show clients what theyll be
getting in advance. A redesign and reprint of
an album if the client isnt happy with it
could devour your prots.
LEADING PROSATWORK
Essentialequipment 71
PHILMAKANNA
Corekittocarry
IMAGESENSOR
CLEANINGKIT
In the unlikely event of dust
settling on a sensor, keep a kit
handy to quickly clean it. Check out Green
Clean and Arctic Buttery products.
MEMORYCARDS
Opt for fast cards from reliable
brands like Lexar, SanDisk,
Kingston and Panasonic. SD
users look for Class 6 or faster SD cards or
CompactFlash of at least 233x or faster. Buy
the best you can afford.
CARDSTORAGE
Use a case for safe storage of
cards. Keep unused cards facing
upwards and used cards facing
downwards. Check out the Lowepro Pixelpak
and Gepe CardSafe.
MICROFIBRECLOTH
Always carry a lens cloth. The
most convenient is the 6
Spudtz pouch, which clips to
your bag or belt. Its also 18% grey, ideal for
custom White Balance in tricky lighting.
STEPLADDER
This optional extra is useful for
shooting group shots or unusual
perspectives.
Contacts
Ansmann
www.ansmannenergy.co.uk
Billingham
www.johnsons-photopia.co.uk
Giottos
Op/Tech
Slik
www.aghead.co.uk
www.newprouk.co.uk
www.intro2020.com
www.hama.co.uk
www.johnsons-photopia.co.uk
www.johnsons-photopia.co.uk
GreenClean
Hama
Canon
Hahnel
www.canon.co.uk
www.hahnel.ie
www.newprouk.co.uk
www.intertphotographic.com
Cullmann
Sigma
www.nikon.co.uk
BlackRapid
www.johnsons-photopia.co.uk
Nikon
www.daymen.co.uk
PocketWizard
Quantum
www.aghead.co.uk
www.sigma-imaging-uk.com
Spudtz
Sto-fen
www.newprouk.co.uk
Interfit
Rogue
CustomBrackets
Lastolite
Sandisk
Tamron
Epson
Lowepro
Sanyoeneloop
Thinktank
Seculine
Velbon
Sekonic
Westcott
www.aghead.co.uk
www.epson.co.uk
Expodisc
www.daymen.co.uk
Gepe
www.johnsons-photopia.co.uk
www.lastolite.com
www.daymen.co.uk
www.sandisk.com
www.daymen.co.uk
www.intro2020.com
www.manfrotto.co.uk
www.intro2020.com
www.intro2020.com
www.johnsons-photopia.co.uk
Manfrotto
Metz
Tamrac
www.intro2020.com
www.intro2020.com
www.snapperstuff.com
www.intro2020.com
www.johnsons-photopia.co.uk
72 Essentialequipment
Part-timeweddingphotographer
Youre a very good photographer and youd like to make money from shooting
weddings, but you have a full-time job that pays the bills, so at the moment,
shooting weddings is a secondary form of income. You most likely advertise
yourself as a wedding photographer, mainly for local work, with the majority of
the weddings you shoot at weekends, although you may well take the odd day
off to shoot weekday weddings too. You fancy taking your photography further
and try to save money whenever possible to allow you to upgrade your kit.
Heres what we suggest you should be packing for the big day.
WHITEBALANCEAID
While your cameras Auto White Balance is
reliable, in tricky light, use a WB aid for
accurate colours otherwise a brides white
dress may have a colour cast. A grey card is
suitable, but a handier option is to hold an
ExpoDisc up to your lens and take a quick
custom reading. A 77mm ExpoDisc costs 60.
FLASHSOFTBOX
A softbox is popular for portraits as it gives a attering light.
Versions available for ashguns include Lastolites Ezybox
range, which attaches in mere seconds and comes in various
sizes, including the 55 Ezybox Speed-Lite Mini (22x22cm)
shown here. Elementals Flashgun Softbox (50x50cm) is
another good buy. Attach the ashguns on to lighting stands
such as the 30 Intert Cor750 via a dedicated mount, such
as the 25 Cullmann CB2 ball & socket head shown here, and
youre able to control the angle of the ash.
WIRELESSFLASHSYSTEM
An increasing number of wedding photographers are taking
advantage of wireless ash systems to shoot ever more
creative ash exposures during the day as well as at night.
Canon and Nikon have their own dedicated systems
compatible with selective DSLRs and ashguns, but theyre
expensive. Instead, wed suggest you look at using
independent-brand wireless triggers that will work with
almost all models of ash. Hahnel offers the 50 RF Combi,
Intert has the 95 Titan-Pro transceiver, while PocketWizard,
market leaders in wireless triggers, have the excellent 200
FlexTT5 transceiver and 180 MiniTT1 transmitter.
GRIPREFLECTOR
The most useful collapsible reector you can
use, especially when working alone, is the
grip-type. A handle allows you (or an
assistant) to angle a reector with ease.
Lastolite makes a number of TriGrip reectors
(and diffusers) in various sizes and colours,
wed recommend the 60 75cm silver/white
reector as the best rst choice. Alternatively
buy the 90 TriFlip set, which allows you to
slip on various colours including the
highly-efcient Sunre shown here.
GADGETBAG
You need a bag that has good capacity, is
comfortable to carry and is fast to access.
While a backpack is a fair option, youre
better off looking at shoulder bags. The
Lowepro Classied series, with its easy
access zip, is ideal. The Classied 250AW
shown here costs 120 and holds ample kit,
with smaller or larger versions available.
Tamracs 90 Pro 12 is another great option.
MID RANGE
STANDARDZOOM
Invest in a decent quality
standard zoom from one
of the independents like
Sigma, Tamron or Tokina
and youll see signicant
improvement in image
quality. This type of lens is
ideal for group shots,
scene setters and working
in tight environments. The
faster maximum aperture
allows for handheld
photography in most
general situations as well
as creative use of shallow
depth-of-eld. The 350
Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4
DC Macro OS HSM and
350 Tamron SP AF
17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II VC
are excellent, well-priced
options that should be on
your shortlist.
LEADING PROSATWORK
Essentialequipment 73
PHILMAKANNA
FLASH,DIFFUSER&BRACKET
A highly-specied and powerful ash with a bounce head allows
you a greater scope of options as well as better coverage. Consider
the 220 Canon Speedlite 430EX II, 240 Nikon Speedlight
SB-600 or well specied independent ashguns like the 200
Metz 50 AF-1 shown here. Fit a diffuser panel like the 16 Sto-Fen
Omni-Bounce over the head to soften the light. An alternative is a
reector attachment for improved bounce-ash results, such as
the 35 Rogue Flashbender. If you only use a single ashgun,
youre better off mounting it on a bracket rather than the hotshoe
for better performance. Custom Brackets make a number of ash
brackets including the 70 Folding-S shown here. Just be sure you
also t the required mount and dedicated lead (not shown).
Inthebag...
MEMORYCARDS:5X8GB
Take at least ve
8GB cards to hold
the hundreds of
Raw and/or JPEG
images youll
shoot over the
course of the day.
MID RANGETELEPHOTOZOOM
TRIPOD&HEAD
Depending on your style of photography, you
may or may not use a tripod, but its worth
having one in your car boot just in case. Opt
for a solid mid-range model like the 100
Manfrotto 190ProB and a good head like the
60 Giottos MH1311 ball & socket.
BUDGETULTRA WIDEZOOM
Extend your shooting options further by
buying an ultra wide-angle lens. You probably
wont use it much, so one of the more
affordable lenses should do. Their very wide
eld of view makes it easier to shoot large
groups as well as dramatic church interiors
and other creative options. The 400 Sigma
10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM and 390
Tamron SP AF 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II LD are
more affordable than marque lenses but still
deliver very high-quality results.
SLINGCAMERASTRAP
Blacks Rapid R-Strap slings across the
shoulder and is built for speed, and is ideal
for having a camera at your side while
shooting with another. The 60 RS-W1B
version is designed specically for women.
MODULARSTORAGESYSTEM
The fastest way to get to kit is to take it out of
your gadget bag and on your person. Modular
systems do just that, with a belt or harness
holding pouches that can store lenses, lters,
cards or other accessories. Shown here from
Tamracs excellent Modular Accessory
System is the 20 MX5397 belt, 14 5385
Large Flash case and 15 5343 Lens Case Pro
100. Also look at Lowepros Street & Field
(shown over the page).
SPUDTZLENSCLOTH
Clip a 6 Spudtz to your belt or gadget bag so
you can clean optics with minimal delay.
50MMF/1.4STANDARDLENS
The 50mm f/1.8
is a capable lens,
but if you can
stretch the budget,
youll nd the
50mm f/1.4 offers
superior optics and
a near-magical fall-off in depth-of-eld
when used at maximum aperture. As
well as the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
and Nikon 50mm f/1.4G, you should
also consider Sigmas 30mm f/1.4 EX
DC HSM and 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM.
Its also worth noting that Tamrons
60mm f/2 Di II Macro doubles up as a
brilliant portrait lens too.
RECHARGEABLEBATTERIES
A pack of batteries
arent expensive,
its when youre
constantly having
to replace them
that the cost starts
to mount.
Rechargeable batteries are the best
option, as they can be used up to
around 1,000 times before needing
replacing. The best brands include
Ansmann and Sanyo Eneloop.
Although they may be slightly more
expensive to buy, youll make your
money back quickly.
74 Essentialequipment
Full-timeweddingphotographer
Shooting weddings is becoming (or has become) a serious form of
income for you. Being able to buy better quality equipment means youre
able to capture a greater range of images and deliver better results,
leading to lots of recommendations and further work. Investing some of
your earnings from wedding photography into kit will pay dividends and
gives potential customers a clear impression that you are dedicated to
your wedding photography business. Our outt covers a variety of options
for when youre shooting solo or with an assistant.
FASTTELEPHOTOZOOM
The 70-200mm f/2.8 is the telephoto of
choice for wedding professionals. Boasting
superb optical quality, fast AF and a wide
maximum aperture, it has everything a
portrait photographer working at speed
needs. Some even boast image stabilisation
to aid handholding in low-light. Every marque
brand has at least one in their range, as do
the major independent brands such as Sigma
and Tamron. We test popular 70-200mm
f/2.8 zooms over on the next page.
FLASHBROLLY
An alternative to the softbox is the brolly. The
Westcott Umbrella Flash Kit includes a stand,
vari-angle mount and a silver brolly, all for
70. Youll need a wireless trigger too, but its
a cost-effective option for studio-like portraits
from your ashgun.
PROWIRELESSFLASHSYSTEMS
Invest in a couple of top-end ashguns, such
as the 370 Canon Speedlite 580EX II or
Nikons 330 Speedlight SB900 and you
have a sophisticated ashgun set-up capable
of great results. Use a dedicated transmitter
like the 180 Canon ST-E2 or 230 Nikon
SU-800 for the ultimate in wireless control.
Or check out Pocket Wizards range of
sophisticated transmitters and transceivers.
TRIPOD
A sturdy tripod is required if its to hold a full-frame DSLR with the likes
of a 70-200mm f/2.8 attached. To keep the weight down, invest in a
carbon-bre model like the Manfrotto 240 055CXPRO3, 250 Slik Pro
714 CF II or the 210 Giottos MTL-8261B (shown here). A triggered ball &
socket head will let you adjust camera positions quickly and come highly
recommended. Manfrottos 120 327RC2 is one of the best.
FIVE IN ONEREFLECTORKIT
A silver/white reector is a
good basic option but
ve-in-one kits, while
heavier, provides a choice
of reective surfaces.
Check out the 35
Elemental 107cm kit or,
80 Lastolite Bottletop kit.
Westcotts 85 Photo
Basics Reector Kit,
shown here, comes
supplied with a stand
and bracket so you can leave your reector
set up but watch out for wind!
LEADING PROSATWORK
Essentialequipment 75
PHILMAKANNA
LIGHTMETER
Many photographers
get by quite happily
without them, but lots
of pros still swear by
ambient and ash
readings from a
handheld meter. The
140 Sekonic L-308s is
our favourite,
providing ease of use,
accuracy and reliability
at a very good price.
Inthebag...
MEMORYCARDS:6X8GB
FULLFRAMEDSLR
If you want to deliver the very best image
quality, then you cant do much better than
using a DSLR with a full frame sensor. The
larger size allows for sharper images with less
noise and offers better wide-angle coverage
too. While the difference in image quality over
the best APS-C sensors isnt massive due to
the quality of the latest APS-C sensors, youre
in a competitive market, so if you need your
images to be as good as the competitions,
you dont want to give them an edge in terms
of cameras. You dont need agship models:
the 1,700 Canon EOS 5D MkII or 1,700
Nikon D700 offer superb quality as well as an
excellent range of features.
FASTSTANDARDZOOM
The most popular lens for weddings is an
f/2.8 standard zoom. Covering wide-angle
through to short tele, this lens handles
everything from head and shoulder portraits
to group shots, as well as scene setters too.
Due to it being the primary lens, most pros
stick to using the marque lenses like the 950
Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L or 1,200 Nikon AF-S
24-70mm f/2.8G ED. If these are too
expensive, you should also look at the likes of
the 650 Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG IF
HSM and 380 Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di
LD as options too.
LOWEPROSTREET&FIELD
Lowepros Street & Field system offers an
extensive range of options, allowing you to
pick and mix pouches to your needs. Shown
here is the 23 Light Utility Belt, 28 Quick
Flex Pouch 75AW, 30 Utility Bag 100AW
and 25 Lens Exchange 200AW.
RECHARGEABLEFLASHPACK
If youre constantly using ash, its worth
looking into a rechargeable ash pack that
provides hundreds, if not thousands, of ash
bursts before needing recharging. Most slip
on a belt and offer far better recycling times
than standard AA batteries can manage.
Quantum is the leading brand, offering
different packs with dedicated leads for all
major brands. The 420 Quantum Turbo SC
(Slim Compact) offers fast recycling times
(around 1.4 secs) and up to 400 bursts per
charge used with a hotshoe-type ash.
LARGEGADGETBAG
Youre carrying around a lot of kit so need a
bag thats comfortable and spacious. The
220 Billingham 335 exudes quality and style
and its brand suggests youre a successful
photographer. Fast access isnt its strong
point, but not such a problem if you wear belt
pouches. A more practical option used by
many wedding photographers is the Lowepro
Stealth Reporter. Designed with social and
press photography in mind, theyre spacious,
robust, comfortable and quick to get inside.
Different sizes are available, but wed
recommend the 120 D650AW.
PORTABLEPHOTOVIEWER
Back up your
images from each
card on to a
portable photo
viewer when you
get a free moment.
Brands such as
Vosonic and Archos make them, but
the P-series from Epson are the best.
They boast large sharp screens, fast
transfer rates and reliability. Our
favourite is the 450 160GB P-7000.
PREMIUMULTRAWIDE ANGLE
Full frame sensors
highlight the use of
inferior lenses, in
particular ultrawide zooms, so you
need to look at
buying a premium
ultra-wide. There are several strong
contenders to consider, including the
1,100 Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L and
1,300 Nikon AF-S 17-35mm f/2.8 ED.
REMOTERELEASE
Avoiding shake is
the usual reason
for using a remote,
but with weddings,
its also so you can
re the shutter
while keeping
direct eye contact while talking with
subjects, for more natural and relaxed
results. Check your instruction book
for compatibility if you opt for the
manufacturers remote. However, wed
strongly suggest you look at remotes
from Hama, Hahnel and Seculine, who
all make affordable dedicated releases.
FASTSTANDARD50MMLENS
Even though you
have a fast
standard zoom in
the outt, its still
worth having a
50mm f/1.4 to
hand, as its
maximum aperture can prove
extremely useful when shooting
creative effects or shooting handheld
in low light.
76 Essentialequipment
FAST
ZOOM
LENSES
BEST
BUY
HIGHLY
RATED
Tamron70-200mm
f/2.8DiLDMacro
Sigma70-200mm
f/2.8EXDGOSHSM
Handling
Handling
Features
Performance
Features
Performance
Verdict
Verdict
Handling
Features
Performance
Value
Handling
Features
Performance
Value
Overall
Overall
LEADING PROSATWORK
Essentialequipment 77
PHILMAKANNA
Overallverdict
BEST
BUY
BEST
BUY
NikonAF-S70-200mm
f/2.8GEDVRII
CanonEF70-200mm
f/2.8LISUSMII
Handling
Handling
Features
Performance
Verdict
Features
Performance
Verdict
Handling
Features
Performance
Value
Handling
Features
Performance
Value
Overall
Overall
78 Essentialequipment
Lighting aidsforportraits
Whetherworkingwithambientlightorshootinginastudiowithash,reectorsanddiffusersare
aninexpensiveandversatileaidtohelpmanipulatelight.Herearethemaintypestoconsider
CaliforniaSunbounce
Calumet
www.theashcentre.com
www.calumetphoto.co.uk
TranslucentwhiteZipDiscpanel
The circular diffuser at the heart of its
5-in-1 kit is available on its own too.
56cm 15; 81cm 26;
107cm 37; 130cm 46
Zigzaggold-silver/WhiteZipDisc
The gold-silver side combines gold and
silver for added warmth to the subject.
56cm 15; 81cm 26; 107cm 35
Silver/whiteZipDisc
The classic handheld reector.
Supplied with a zip case.
56cm 15; 81cm 26; 107cm 37
ZipDiscFour-colourcover
This four-colour (gold, white, silver
and black) sleeve cover can be used
on any round or oval reector.
56cm (22in) ZipDisc reversible: 14
81cm (32in) ZipDisc reversible: 22
107cm (42in) ZipDisc reversible: 32
SunSwatter (130x190cm)
-1/3 stop complete 235
SunSwatter (130x190cm)
-2/3 Stop complete 245
SunSwatter Giant (180x245cm)
-1/3 Stop complete 393
SunSwatter Giant (180x245cm)
-2/3Stop Complete 408
ZipDischolder
Calumet offers two telescopic holders
to keep your ZipDisc in place while
youre shooting without assistance.
Choose between the standard version
at 27 or, if youre shooting outdoors,
opt for the heavy-duty holder at 35.
Please note that if you visit Calumets
website, you may get a little confused
about the product descriptions, so if
youve any queries, phone their
customer service on 08706 030303.
LEADING PROSATWORK
Essentialequipment 79
PHILMAKANNA
Interfit
Lastolite
www.intertphotographic.com
www.lastolite.com
Softsun/white;silver/white
andsilver/gold:
Round, collapsible reectors available
in three nishes and four sizes
30cm 10; 56cm 16;
82cm 27; 107cm 37
5-in-1kits
These feature a translucent reector,
with a four-colour overlay sleeve
(gold, silver, black and white), supplied
in a zip-up bag. They are available in
three sizes as follows:
56cm 25: 82cm 36; 107cm 42
Easy Grip:
Interts Easy Grip
reector has a
thick handle for
one-handed use
and measures
90x60cm
(36x24in). It is
available in the
following colours:
sunlight/white; gold/silver; silver/white
and -stop translucent and costs 40.
Portrait Reflector Kit:
Intert's Portrait Reector Kit is
essentially three reector panels
attached to a frame that ts easily on a
lighting stand. Each 90x60cm
(36x24in) panel can be individually
positioned for improved lighting
control. The kit is supplied with one
silver/gold panel and two sunlight/
silver panels and costs 100.
The Large Flat Panel Reflector:
Studio-based photographers may be
interested in these large reector
panels, made for full-length portraits
and fashion shoots. The Large Flat
Panel Reector measures 89x178cm
(35x70in) and is supplied complete
with a stand and a rotating/tilting
bracket for using the panel vertically or
horizontally. Silver/gold and white/
black versions are available for 84.
Flexi-lite 5-in-1:
This stand-mounted
panel reector is
aimed at pros and can
be used handheld or
on location. The
aluminium frame has
a boon arm that can
be positioned at any
angle. Various kits are
available in medium
(100x150cm) or large
(150x200cm). The INT303
has a gold/silver/black/white
cover and costs 307.
ONSALE NOW!
Orderyourprintordigitalcopydirectfrommagbooks.comorcall08448440053
MagBookscoverarangeoftopics,fromITtoMotoring,andFitnesstoLifestyle
LEADING PROSATWORK
Jobsinphotography 81
PHILMAKANNA
JOBS IN PHOTOGRAPHY
Find out how to make money from landscapes, travel, wildlife and sports photography
82 Jobsinphotography
LANDSCAPE
PHOTOGRAPHY
If youre an outdoor photographer, sustaining an income from your
images is likely to be your dream. Find out how to make it come true
LEE FROST
Essentiallandscapekit
A wide-angle lens is a must-have for
shooting sweeping vistas. A traditional
28mm wide-angle lens is ne for
photographers with a full frame camera, but
most DSLR bodies have a smaller APS-C
sensor that increases the focal length by a
factor of around 1.5x, therefore, opt for a
wide-angle zoom covering a focal length of
around 17-35mm. A telezoom is useful for
cropping into the landscape.
Filters are important tools for landscape
photography too. It is best to invest in a
slot-in system, like the Cokin P or Lee Filter
system. A polariser is a must for saturating
colour and boosting blue skies and you will
need a set of graduated ND lters to balance
unevenly lit scenes. Invest in a good, sturdy
tripod and comfortable backpack to carry all
your landscape kit.
Potentialmarkets
Prints
Its common for landscape photographers to
sell prints of their most attractive images.
Not only is it satisfying to know that people
like your work sufciently to display it on their
walls, but it can make you some extra cash.
Selling prints can also prove a door opener for
other work or commissions in the future.
To give your prints an exclusive feel, it can be
worthwhile limiting the number you sell of each
view to a set amount and numbering and
signing them individually. Produce prints in
several sizes, and sell them mounted not
framed, as the majority of buyers will prefer to
frame to their own taste. Visit a few local
galleries, introduce yourself and show them a
selection of your work. If they are interested in
marketing your photography, they will advise
you with how much you can reasonably charge.
This can vary tremendously, but around
40-80 is not unreasonable for a quality,
mounted limited edition 15x10in or 18x12in
print. Naturally, they will take a commission of
the selling price, typically 15-25%. This still
leaves a decent prot margin on the cost of
printing and mounting your shot. You also
could rent a stall at a craft or art fair, although
this approach requires more time and money.
Magazines
There is a good variety of magazines that are
constantly on the lookout for quality scenic
images. Photographs that feature footpaths,
walkers or wooden stiles appeal to walking
magazines like Country Walking and TGO,, while
images with great technique suit photography
titles. But by far the biggest market is regional
magazines. Wherever you are based, there will be
titles dedicated to that county or region. Pop into
specic
your local newsagents and buy copies speci
c to
your area. Have a look at the style and quality of
the images and then make an initial approach.
Unless stated otherwise, send a polite, brief
introductory email with a list of the locations you
have available, along with an example of your
work and a link to your website. Once your images
are used regularly, you may nd that it later leads
to commissioned work.
Postcards
Millions of postcards are produced, sold and sent
every year and publishers add new scenes to their
range annually. They only sell for a few pence, so
the prot margin on them is relatively small.
Postcard publishers will normally offer a single
reproduction fee of around 50- 100 for pictures
they wish to use. This may not sound like much,
LEADING PROSATWORK
Jobsinphotography 83
PHILMAKANNA
LEE FROST
Insiderview
Lee
Frost
LANDSCAPE
PHOTOGRAPHER
Q)Howdidyougetstarted?
I was a typical hobbyist photographer in my
early teens and started submitting images to
magazines, getting published and earning a bit
of money from it. As I got myself known in
photography magazines, I started to get work
off the back of my submissions and eventually
began writing for the titles too, which is now a
part of how I make my living.
Q) Howprofitablearecalendars,
postcardsandgreetingcards?
Its always been a bit hit and miss. The fees you
get for postcards are never great and calendar
publishers that pay decent money prefer to
work with as few photographers as possible.
If youve got a really good library of images,
featuring wide coverage of the UK, you stand a
better chance of directly working with a
publisher. The images of mine that are used in
calendars, however, are mainly sourced
through picture libraries.
Q)Howdoyoumakeafull-timejoboutof
landscapephotography?
My income is split in to three categories: selling
photographs, whether that be prints, via picture
libraries or to magazines; writing photography
books and magazine features; and operating
photography tours and workshops. I dont think
theres any photographer in the UK at the
84 Jobsinphotography
SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY
Get to grips with what it takes to be a sports photographer and how to earn cash standing on the sideline
RICHARD PELHAM
RICHARD PELHAM
Essentialsportskit
Youll require more than just a
basic digital camera set-up to
consistently capture
frame-lling, action-packed
shots. Two DSLR bodies allow
you to swap from one focal
length to another quickly
without wasting valuable time
changing lenses. Pros rely on
fast optics, capable of being
used indoors or in poor light.
However, this type of kit isnt
cheap. Ideally, you will want a
good, versatile mixture of
focal lengths, boasting a fast,
maximum aperture of f/2.8.
At least one telephoto
upwards of 300mm is
required for shooting distant
action, while shorter focal
lengths like the
70-200mm are ideal for
closer action. A wide-angle
lens can also be useful,
producing visually strong,
unusual and intimate
sporting images in situations
where you are able to get
near to the action. A
monopod is the best
form of support, being
easier to manoeuvre than
a tripod. Youll often shoot
long bursts of images, so
you will need several large
capacity memory cards
and also a number of
charged batteries. To be
able to transmit images
from events, a laptop is
an essential tool for
todays professional.
Potentialmarkets
Stock agencies
One of the best ways to sell your images after
an event is to place them with an agency. There
are a few photo libraries specialising in action
images, but most of the main agencies, like the
Press Association, tend to have their own staff
photographers or are only prepared to market
the images of established professionals.
Agencies like Action Images will consider
speculative submissions as long as their
unusual; so dont waste their time or yours by
sending them anything but top-notch material.
Although agencies take a hefty commission
on sales (typically 50%), they are able to reach
worldwide markets that one person simply
cant. Obviously, images of big sporting events
or stars have greater commercial appeal and
be more marketable. Eye-catching or unusual
images will be highly saleable regardless of
where they were taken or of whom. However,
images like this may sell better on general
online agencies, like Alamy or Fotolibra.
Local papers
Selling images of local sporting events or
matches to the local weekly paper is one of the
most common routes into sports photography.
Depending on the size of the paper, they may
already have a staff photographer, but it is very
likely they also rely partly or fully on
freelancers. To demonstrate your ability,
approach the paper with examples of your work
and speak only to the person who assigns the
photographers. Presuming your work is
sufciently good enough, they may well be
prepared to give you an opportunity. This will
get you on the sidelines of xtures that,
otherwise, you wouldnt legitimately be able to
attend. The money may not be great at rst,
but the experience will be invaluable.
Regular assignments will give you the
opportunity to continue building your portfolio
and with time, you will be in a position to
progress to a regional daily paper and then,
who knows, a national daily
LEADING PROSATWORK
Jobsinphotography 85
PHILMAKANNA
NICK WOOD
Insiderview
Nick
Woods
SPORTS
PHOTOGRAPHER
Q)Whatsthestateoftheindustry?
A few years ago, large agencies such as Getty
Images went on a spree, buying up smaller
agencies to dominate the eld for most major
sports such as football. So, as these agencies
have a lot of the industry tied up with most
broadsheet papers and clubs making them
their rst port of call, it doesnt make nancial
sense to target high-prole sports or teams.
Q)Howcanphotographerslooktogetin
tosportsphotography?
It can be a vicious circle to begin with as to
attach yourself to an agency, you need a
portfolio of decent events. But its the clubs
(who can be very selective about their
photographers) and agencies that can get you
the accreditation or press pass you need for
these events. To help build a portfolio of
published work, start off by buying a copy of
your local papers over the next couple of weeks
and take note of what sports the editors cover.
Follow the events and send the images to the
editors each week. If your images are better
than what they already have, they may ask you
to cover more events. Also, look for third
division football teams as they will have less
restrictions on taking photographs, or for more
obscure events that might want exposure.
86 Jobsinphotography
WILDLIFE
PHOTOGRAPHY
Find out the truth about what lifes like working as a full-time wildlife
photographer and how you can make some money from your hobby
Essentialnaturekit
Wildlife snappers need more
kit than most. Two
DSLRs are preferable
and at least one long
telephoto lens of
300mm or more is a
must for shooting
birds and mammals.
A macro lens is also
important for shooting
insect and close-ups.
Several large capacity
cards will be needed.
A PSD (Portable
Storage Device) is also a
good investment for use in
the eld. A large camera
backpack is perfect for carrying
all your bulky kit comfortably when
walking long distances. Camouaged
clothing and a portable, collapsible
hide are important too.
Potentialmarkets
Calenders
Calendars are big business. Selling shots to
this market not only relies on the quality of your
photography, but also your ability to supply the
right type of material; images that look
seasonal will enhance their appeal. Do your
own market research by icking through
wildlife calendars currently on sale. If you feel
your images are a similar style and quality,
make a note of the publishers details and
check their website for submission details,
before you try contacting them via phone or
email. Follow their submission details to the
last letter. Calendars usually go on sale from
the previous spring onwards, so publishers are
working over a year in advance: many have
already made picture selections for their 2012
range. Photographers need to reect this in the
timing of their submissions. 80 is the
minimum fee you should expect for a calendar
image. This is for single reproduction only and
copyright remains with the photographer.
Normally the contract stipulates that you
cannot sell the picture to another calendar
publisher for a year, but you are free to continue
selling the images elsewhere. Look at The
Freelance Photographers Market Handbook
2012 (www.thebfp.com) for a list of publishers.
Stock Agencies
There are over 100 stock agencies in the
UK and several are nature specic. Picture libraries
will only accept photographers who can provide
images of a consistently high standard. Contracts
are very rare these days, but can be offered to
photographers who can supply several hundred
suitable images as an initial submission and can
continue to make regular submissions. If you are
unable to do this at this stage, consider an online
picture library like Alamy: www.alamy.com
Nature libraries are only after strong,
well-composed shots that are punchy and sharp.
Unusual shots, illustrating types of animal
behaviour, are often the most sought after.
Stock libraries will normally take around 50%
commission on images sold. This might sound
steep, but a good library will reach markets in the
UK and abroad that an individual wont. They can
also demand higher repro fees. However, it takes
time to get established and it may be a year or
more before you receive your rst sales report. A
decent, regular income is only possible if you have
thousands of images on le. There are several
good, specic natural history agencies and The
BFP handbook can also help you nd agencies.
Magazines
There is a surprisingly small amount of
magazines that are wildlife-orientated.
The biggest and best is BBC Wildlife. It is
illustrated throughout with stunning nature
shots, but the standard is high. Instead, a better
route might be to approach your regional
magazines, where you wont be competing
against such established photographers.
County titles are increasingly popular and
many have regular features on local wildlife. Its
a starting point and photos published with
them may open up other doors.
When submitting material, it is important to
remember that magazines often work several
months in advance. Editors will be on the
lookout for seasonal shots suitable for
publication in the issue they are currently
working on. Therefore, theres no point sending
autumnal images in October, when the editorial
team will already be working on winter issues.
It is often best to submit work a season in
advance so now is the time to sort through
your winter images, ready to submit in the next
few weeks. Confusing, eh?
LEADING PROSATWORK
Jobsinphotography 87
PHILMAKANNA
ROSS HODDINOTT
Insiderview
Ross
Hoddinott
WILDLIFE
PHOTOGRAPHER
Q)Howdidyougetstarted?
I started young. I must have been just ten years
old when I began shooting wildlife and knew
I wanted to be a professional by the age of 17.
I began by submitting images to the Showcase
and Portfolio pages of photo magazines. This
proved to be my entry route into professional
photography, and one I would recommend to
newcomers. I was also fortunate to win one or
two quite prestigious photo competitions, such
as the Veolia Environnement Young Wildlife
Photographer of the Year, which denitely
helped raise my prole.
Q) Howcanyoumakeafull-timejoboutof
wildlifephotography?
The harsh reality is that few people do. It is one
of the most popular and competitive genres of
photography and it is also probably one of the
lowest paid. The standard is fantastically high,
so only the very highest quality material will
sell. However, good images will always sell and
there is a large market for nature images in
magazines, books, calendars, greeting cards
and prints. Like me, most wildlife
photographers have to diversify in some way
too; either by shooting other subjects to
supplement their income, or by writing,
running workshops or giving talks.
Q) Howdifficultisittomakealivingfrom
wildlifephotography?
It is tricky there is no point pretending
otherwise. It can take many years to build a large
stock of images of a sufciently high quality that
will generate a decent, regular income. When I
started, the priority was to get contracted to a
good, dedicated agency that would market my
images. While it is still important to have work
with a picture library, reproduction fees have
plummeted. Im selling more images than ever
through agencies, but many of them are marketed
through sub-agents for micro fees, often less than
1! Its not all doom and gloom, though, there are
still good fees out there for the right material.
Q) Whattipscanyoushare?
Originality is important. While well-captured
animal portraits often sell, images that are
unusual, shot from a fresh perspective or
illustrating behaviour or less common species
have an enhanced chance. You have to be patient
and determined to photograph nature but you
have to be equally persistent when trying to
market the results. It can be worthwhile
specialising in order to achieve a reputation for a
type of photography.
Q) Whatmoneymakingopportunitiesare
therewithwildlifephotography?
Few wildlife photographers are employed; this
really is a freelance profession. I generate my
income from a mixture of agency sales and
personal sales selling directly to magazines and
publications that I have developed a relationship
with. There are opportunities to make money; you
just have to look for them. Target publishers
whom you feel your images would suit. Framed
88 Jobsinphotography
TRAVEL
PHOTOGRAPHY
Funding your travels via photography for many is a dream come true,
but how do you do it and what does it really involve to be a success?
Essentialtravelkit
When travelling you must keep your gear to
a minimum so keep asking the question Do I
really need this? The heavier your bag, the
more tired you will get as the day progresses
and it will become harder to decide which bit
of gear you want to use. Try putting only two
or three lenses and a camera in your bag for
the day. A wide-angle zoom like a 10-20mm,
17-55mm and a 55-200mm should cover
most situations. You could try a 70-200mm
f/2.8 with a tele-converter as an interesting
option but lenses with a f/5.6 aperture are
much smaller and lighter! Opt for imagestabilised lenses that allow handholding in
dim lighting conditions. If your budget
allows, try buying several 4GB cards. Extra
kit like a portable storage device to back-up
your images to, spare lenses or laptop can
be left in the hotel safe. Take a small,
lightweight tripod that ts in your suitcase! A
polariser and grey grads are essential lters.
Potentialmarkets
Calenders & postcards
Calendar companies are always looking out for
new and exciting images. Some calendar
concepts may be quite specic and local to one
area like the Yorkshire Dales, but others may be
open to images from all over. You should
concentrate on shooting one region well and
then start to branch out to new areas. Keep an
eye out for calendars when visiting a country,
you can sell to them too. Just write down their
contact details rather than lugging a load of
calendars around with you. Use the internet to
search for calendar companies in countries
youve visited and send them a CD with low-res
images and a contact sheet. If you create a
website using a company like www.clikpic.com
you can let potential art buyers view your
images in a professional and slick manner.
Postcard and greeting card companies
always want new shots. Buy a single postcard
from different publishing companies when out
and about. Use the card as a reference for
shooting new images and keep it for company
contact details on the back. Spend time looking
at different cards and see how yours compare.
Magazines
There are quite literally thousands of travel
shots being published in all kinds of magazines
in any given month. Dedicated travel
magazines are obvious but what about a
magazine aimed at walkers, car enthusiasts or
mens health? You will be surprised to learn
LEADING PROSATWORK
Jobsinphotography 89
PHILMAKANNA
TIREE DAWSON
Insiderview
Tony
West
TRAVEL
PHOTOGRAPHER
Q)Howdidyougetstarted?
I have a passion for travel, always have had,
and combined with an interest in photography
the two went hand in hand. I was in my early
twenties when I discovered there were people
interested in buying and publishing my images.
Q)Howdoyoumakeafull-timejoboutof
travelphotography?
I think you need to target a specialised market.
Taking your camera to a nice location and
peddling your wares on your return, well, those
days are gone. These days you need to think
who might be buying your photography, think
about the specialist subjects they want you to
cover and then target those markets before you
go. The subjects you may need to photograph
could be many and varied.
Q) Howdifficultisittomakealivingfrom
travelphotography?
I think its extremely difcult to make a living
out of just pure travel photography. So many
more people are into photography and the
quality is excellent. Companies use members
of staff who may be handy with a camera. In the
days of lm and larger formats, that work
would have gone to a professional
photographer. These days I nd myself hired to
shoot the key shots in a brochure: the cover,
chapter openers, that kind of thing.
Q) Whattipscanyoushare?
I trained in graphic design and was using a lot of
photography in my day-to-day work. I still do a lot
of business with advertising agencies and one
reasons I think my images get picked is because I
consider how text might be used on the picture or
areas on an image that a designer might want to
use. A lot of photographers dont think about
where text needs to go.
In fact, some of my pictures might look a little
bit out of balance, maybe with too much sky, but
thats because Ive shot it with a certain use in
mind. You might argue that its easy to create
areas for text through manipulation, but I believe
that a busy art editor in a busy production
department will choose an image that needs little
to no work doing to it, every time. Delivering to
brief and whats needed by the client to make
their job easier is very important.
Q) Wheredoyoufindyourtravel
photographyclients?
I target companies that I know will need
photography from somewhere other than where
they are based. An outdoor clothing manufacturer
in Holland, for example, is likely to want pictures
from outside of Holland. So I approach companies
like that with what I think is a good idea or
concept for a travel shoot for them.
Q) Howmuchcouldyoupotentiallyearn
fromtravelphotographyayear?
Thats a very difcult question to answer. You
need to take a long-term view when it comes to
income from travel photography, particularly if
stock is a big part of it. Sometimes you struggle to
cover your expenses, on others you earn
thousands by selling images to various
companies. I still make sales from a trip years
down the line.
Q) Giveussomeideaofthefinancial
investmentandreturn?
If I want to travel light, I take three workhorse
lenses: a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L
telephoto, a Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L
wide-angle and a Canon EF 50mm f/1.4. I use a
Canon EOS-1DS MkIII and an EOS 5D. Then
theres the accessories: ash, tripod, lters.
Travel costs and accommodation all add up too.
Youve got to cover all those costs before you
start to make any money. I try to set off on a trip
with enough potential sales lined up that at
least cover my expenses.
Q) Whatpercentageofyourworkinglifeis
spenttravellingandtakingphotographs?
For a two week trip, theres probably six to eight
weeks of planning and selling: making calls,
asking what a client is looking for, chasing
product samples to take on the trip,
researching the location, planning the itinerary.
And then theres all the market awareness
I need. I spend hours looking at what other
people are doing, whats selling, what works.
After the trip Ill need to spend hours editing
the pictures, sorting them for clients, maybe
doing a little bit of manipulation and by that
time, Im thinking about the next trip. In with all
that might be a couple of days a week shooting
local travel and tourism material.
Q) Whattypeofpersonalitydoyouneed
tobeatravelphotographer?
Ive come across introverted methodical types
who only shoot architecture and landscapes,
through to extroverts who are fantastic with
people. Im, hopefully, somewhere in the
middle but I dont think you need to be a
particular type of personality.
www.tonywestphoto.co.uk
ONSALE NOW!
Orderyourprintordigitalcopydirectfrommagbooks.comorcall08448440053
MagBookscoverarangeoftopics,fromITtoMotoring,andFitnesstoLifestyle
LEADING PROSATWORK
Profitableprojects 91
PHILMAKANNA
PROFITABLE PROJECTS
Help fund your photography passion by trying out some of our pocket-money ideas
92 Profitableprojects
Ifyouwanttomakealot
ofmoneyfromstock
photography,youhaveto
takeitseriously.Treatit
likeasecondhomeforyour
randomimages
lowest ISO you need.
We have many checks in the inspection
process with constant feedback, updates
and refresher sessions for our team of over
110 photography inspectors around the
world. This rigour has helped make our
collection stand out; designers know they
are buying quality.
Were inspecting just shy of 250,000
images a month right now and we accept
60-62% of those to sell. Of the les that
are rejected, more than 50% will be
resubmitted and accepted after the
member has xed the issues weve pointed
out to them.
We asked Tom Hind, European head of
content at Getty Images, what he thinks
sells. Youd be surprised! he says. We
cater for such a range of buyers that we
see a huge variety of imagery being
licensed. What works for an agency today
may be whats appropriate for a corporate
client tomorrow. For example, backlit
imagery was seen as fairly edgy a few
years ago and now its a much more
mainstream choice. We work with our
photographers to try and make sure
LEADING PROSATWORK
Profitableprojects 93
PHILMAKANNA
Stocklibrariestotry
Alamy: www.alamy.com
Fotolibra: www.fotolibra.com
GettyImages: www.gettyimages.com
iStockPhoto: www.istockphoto.com
Jupiterimages: www.jupiterimages.co.uk
ShutterStock: www.shutterstock.com
94 Profitableprojects
Breaking into the thriving greetings card industry is a tempting prospect for any photographer, and with
digital printing its easier than ever to dip a toe in the water. We show you how to get your images noticed
Withdigitalprinting,
publishersnolonger
havetogambleafortune
onlargeprintruns
beforetheycangetan
orderfromaretailer
pay a royalty, which on average for an
independent publisher is around 5%. It can
be a lot less for larger publishers though,
as youll normally be dealing with large
volumes, so while the percentage is
smaller the overall amount can be a lot
more. It varies dramatically, but you should
always make sure you get a contract and a
licensing agreement and NEVER give up
your copyright!
Self-publishing
Jargonbuster
Licensingfee: The publisher has
exclusive rights to an image for an agreed
period. The average rate is 150 per image.
Flatfee:A one-off payment that gives the
publisher unlimited ownership of the picture.
The fee is normally 150-250.
Royaltydeal:You receive a percentage
(normally 5%) of the wholesale price for
every card sold. Some publishers offer a
licensing fee of 100 plus a 3% royalty.
Salesagent:If you decide to take the
self-publishing route, you need a network of
agents that can to help sell your images to
retailers all over the world. They work on a
commission basis.
Distributors: They have a network of
sales agents and are responsible for selling,
marketing and distributing your card range.
LEADING PROSATWORK
Profitableprojects 95
PHILMAKANNA
Casestudy
James
Guilliam
JAMES GUILLIAM MAKES HIS LIVING FROM
GREETING CARDS AND OTHER PAPER
PRODUCTS, LICENSING IMAGES TO
PUBLISHERS AND STOCK LIBRARIES. HE
TELLS US HOW HE GOT STARTED. HOW
PROFITABLE ITS BEEN THUS FAR, AND
OFFERS INVALUABLE ADVICE FOR ANYONE
WANTING TO TAKE THE SAME ROUTE
Recommendedresources
TheGreetingCardAssociation
www.greetingcardassociation.org.uk
UKTradefairs
www.autumnfair.com
www.homeandgift.co.uk
www.progressivegreetingslive.co.uk
www.springfair.com
www.topdrawer.co.uk
Printers
www.bonusprint.co.uk
www.centreprint.com
www.facemediagroup.com
www.moo.com
www.theimagingcentre.co.uk
Publishers
www.abacuscards.co.uk
www.artindesign.co.uk
www.almanac.co.uk
www.hallmark.co.uk
www.images-editions.co.uk
www.paperhouse.co.uk
www.spottedrichard.co.uk
96 Profitableprojects
THE MOBILESTUDIO
PORTRAITIST
Setting up a mobile studio in a shopping centre to offer children and family portraits is not
that difcult, which is probably why so many that do it dont want to talk to us about it
Ifyoucantwalkupto
200strangersadayand
trytogetthemtositfor
you,forgetit.Ifyouget
disheartenedbyten
straightknock-backs,
thisisnotforyou
name, which according to many website
reviews, has left a lot of people feeling it is
high in price and low on customer service.
You cant deny the appeal of its style of
photography, though, and huge
enlargements of the companys work
dominate peoples living rooms all over
the country.
I couldnt get any of the practitioners of
this art to talk about their business.
Probably because its so easy, many
readers could actually pull it off.
Except.
Except that the real art to successful
mobile studio work in public spaces is
fantastic people skills and shameless
salesmanship. If you cant walk up to 200
strangers a day, try to persuade them to sit
for you, stop their children crying, make
LEADING PROSATWORK
Profitableprojects 97
PHILMAKANNA
Whatyouneed
Plain white background paper with stands.
Starter kits from about 200.
A three-light studioash system with
umbrellas and/or softboxes. Starter kits
from about 400.
Professional ash meter. From 150.
Full-frame DSLR such as the Nikon D700
from around 1,800.
Prime portrait lens such as the Nikon
85mm f/1.4D lens, from about 900.
Big screen laptop computer to display
images instantly, starting from about 500.
A pair of stools and a counter (with bowl of
sweets to entice customers).
Spare batteries, memory cards and a live
link to the laptop so you can shoot tethered.
Multi-socket extension cables and gaffer/
duct tape to secure cords to the oor.
Fabric-covered display boards for signs
and samples xed with Velcro or similar.
100 or more new, 100 or less on eBay.
Leaets/yers for handing out or
pre-session marketing distribution, great
deals from local printers.
Mobile PDQ/credit card processing
machine. Charges are based on the size of
business, number and size of transactions
or chosen payment plan, but 15 per month
for the handset, 2% on credit card
transactions and 20p for debit card
payments is an educated estimate. Try
Cardsave.net (0808 149 5309) which will
send a regional representative round to talk
about your needs and advise you on the best
plan for you and your business. There are
also many other providers that can be found
online via an internet search.
Whatyouneedtodo
Pull together everything listed in the what you
need list and practise, practise, practise.
Making adjustments on the y should be
second nature. By the time you hit the streets,
that ash meter should be all-but redundant
because you will know the ash distance/
power/lens aperture correlation instinctively.
Work with a professional laboratory to
come up with a range of prints and products.
Choose a range of sizes, have samples made
up for display and work out the end cost to the
customer. Your laboratory will be able to
advise you on what sizes, nishes and mounts
are selling well.
Plan your venues carefully. Shopping
centres manage their own promotional space
or work with companies like SpaceandPeople
to organise it for them.
Dawn Clarke, SpaceandPeoples marketing
manager, told us: Shopping centres work
very well for photographic companies as
people are in a buying frame of mind. They are
often in family groups and are relaxed so are
more open to interaction and to offers that are
put to them whilst browsing.
Over 2.4 billion visits are made to
shopping centres across the UK every year by
82% of adults and many shopping centres
have a weekly footfall of over 250,000.
We have a team dedicated to temporary
traders and are able to give advice as to the
98 Profitableprojects
Want to supplement your main income by earning extra money from your images but dont know where to
start? Why not try setting up a market stall: your own dedicated weekend store to sell your pictures from.
Although the investment of time and set-up costs arent minimal, the rewards more than make up for it
Youhavetobequite
hardyasinthiscountryit
cangetverycoldandwet.
Youalsohavetohavea
realpassionaboutwhat
youaretryingtosell
get your own stall but at others, you may
just get an empty pitch. When its the latter,
you then have the extra expense of hiring a
marquee. Avoid this option if you can as it
will eat in to your prots.
Over time you can learn what sells best
and how to organise your stall to maximise
sales, so dont expect to be racking it until
youve invested time into understanding
how to all works. To give you a head start
though, here are a few tips: place popular
images at the front to draw people in and
then, when you get talking to them, show
them other images that you think they
might like. Also, people will walk past a stall
from both directions so angle your prints
so customers can get a good view of them
regardless of the direction they come from.
If you also do portrait photography, hand
out leaets and have examples of your
work readily available. Youll be surprised
by how many people book you off the back
of seeing your work on the stall.
With everyones stalls next to each other,
you cant run over and hijack someones
attention, so you have to wait until theyre
at least looking in your direction before you
engage them. Asking if there are any
images that are catching their eye or if
Marketstall:Facts&figures
Set-up costs: Around 900
Weekly expenses: 90 per week (rent)
Other expenses: 70 per year (insurance)
Weekly turnover: 400-500 (two days)
Average prot per image: 90%
Average hours worked per day: Ten
LEADING PROSATWORK
Profitableprojects 99
PHILMAKANNA
ALL IMAGES ANTHONY LEWIS
Casestudy
Anthony
Lewis
AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER
AND MARKET STALL HOLDER
100 Profitableprojects
PROFIT FROM
SHOWCASING
YOUR IMAGES
MARK BAUER
Smallestablishments
mightbehappyfor10%
commissiononprintsbut
youshouldbepreparedto
negotiateandofferno
morethan20%
expect the same exposure or high-priced
sales as you get from the major galleries,
its a great way to boost your local prole
and have your work seen by different
people everyday, plus you can earn some
cash in the process. A lot of independent
business owners are very open to the idea
of selling images as theyre getting free art
work on their walls, plus you can offer a
small commission on any prints they sell.
Small establishments might be happy for a
10% commission on prints but you should
be prepared to negotiate and offer no more
than 20%. Gallery commissions start from
30% and they have dedicated staff selling
your work. Make sure the business owner
agrees to pay the cost of any damage to
your work displayed on their walls too.
When choosing your images, start with
local scenes that local people and visitors
LEADING PROSATWORK
Profitableprojects 101
PHILMAKANNA
Keycontacts&resources
ThePhotographersGallery:
London, www.photonet.org.uk
ImpressionsGallery:
Bradford, www.impressions-gallery.com
TheAssociationof
PhotographersGallery:
London, gallery.the-aop.org
TheBristolGallery:
email [email protected]
SylviaAdams:
www.apersonalviewphotography.co.uk
Casestudy
Sylvia
Adams
LANDSCAPE AND
EQUINE PHOTOGRAPHER
When a Northamptonshire pub was renovated
by the new landlord, Sylvia Adams mentioned
how nice one of her local landscapes would
look on the wall. The landlord agreed so Sylvia
came back with a 16x20in print of the nearby
abandoned stately home at Lyveden New Bield.
She also gave him some horseracing prints for
the games room. The landlord framed and
hung the prints and now keeps a stash of
Sylvias business cards behind the bar for
anybody who enquires about the photographs.
She charges 75 for a signed print. I have
an Epson A3+ printer and only ever use
genuine Epson inks for maximum longevity, but
I explain to customers that, as for all types of
printed art, they must avoid hanging them in
sunlight, says Sylvia. I cut my own deep
double mounts before carefully putting them in
frames from Zanart in Kettering.
The pub doesnt take any commission for
sales, the landlords just pleased to have the
images. Back in 2005 Sylvia raised 1,600 for
a charity trek by selling hand-made greetings
cards. They were sold in the local shop, which
102 Profitableprojects
MAKE EBAY
WORK FORYOU
eBay has revolutionised online buying and selling for consumers and businesses alike, and offers great
potential for photographers. Plan it right and you can make money while picking up some bargains too
Sellingyourphotos
eBayhasprovenahitfor
thosewishingtooff-load
unwanteditemsandget
theirhandsonhard-to-find
items.Youcanpickupsome
realbargainstoo
Howtoeasilyshoot
productstoselloneBay
Providing a decent image is essential to
entice bidders to buy your item. Producing a
good quality image is relatively
straightforward: place your item against a
white backdrop, ensure the White Balance is
correct, and avoid directional light as it can
cause shadows. Also bear in mind that as
the le sizes that are uploaded need to be
small, set your camera to shoot in JPEG,
preferably at a Small/Low resolution, as this
will save time preparing the image later.
With small items, you can usually get
away with using a sheet of white paper near
a patio door, secured to where the wall
meets the oor to create a curved backdrop
on which to place the item. If you plan to sell
items on eBay regularly though, wed
recommend that you spend 45 on a
Lastolite ePhotomaker, a white pop-up tent,
with a diffuser on one side and a silver
reector on the other. It comes supplied with
an EzyBalance white/grey card to ensure
you set the correct White Balance for the
light source used (a table lamp is suitable),
as well as a mini-tripod for compact camera
users. Its fast to set up and perfect for eBay.
SellingkitoneBay
eBayfees
LEADING PROSATWORK
Profitableprojects 103
PHILMAKANNA
HIRE AN EBAY
ASSISTANT!
If youre serious about selling photo
gear on eBay, consider using a trading
assistant who can sell items on your
behalf. Their expertise can help sell an
item for a higher price although theyll
charge a fee for the service.
Stuff U Sell is one of the best
for shifting photo gear
ToptipsforsellingoneBay
BuyingkitoneBay
eBayApple&Androidapps
If you regularly use eBay and have an iPhone
or Android smart phone, or an iPad, its
worth downloading eBays free apps. These
allow you to monitor items in your watch list,
bid via your mobile device, monitor how
listed items are selling and reply to enquiries
by potential bidders quickly and with ease.
Paypal
OurfavouriteeBaybargains
Heres items weve bought in the last year:
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8II. Used in mint
condition. 46 plus 4 p&p. Average used
price is around 65.
Set of Zeikos close-up lters (+1, +2, +4,
+10): 10 plus 5 p&p. Guide price: 40.
Nautilus shell for still-lifes 20 inc postage.
LEADING PROSATWORK
Businessmatters 105
PHILMAKANNA
BUSINESS MATTERS
Learn the fundamentals of a photography business from banking to copyright law
106 Businessmatters
BANKING&
FUNDING
You have to spend money to make money. But where can you get the
money to spend and where should you put it once youve made it?
Read on to nd out about loans, government grants & bank accounts
Gettingabusinessaccount
Securinggrantsandsponsors
USEFUL LINKS
www.businesslink.gov.uk
www.smallbusinesspro.co.uk
www.thisismoney.co.uk
www.artscouncil.org.uk
www.wefund.co.uk
www.uksponsorship.com
www.voluntaryarts.org
Banksareprovidingin
excessof500mofnew
lendingtosmall
businesseseachmonth.
Banksarestillwillingto
lendtosmallbusinesses
based projects that focus on personal career
development of an artist. Therefore, taking
part in photography exhibitions would be
considered as eligible for funding.
The Arts Council has seen fairly
dramatic cuts to its budgets, so greater
expectations are being placed on
corporate sponsorship. Many companies
set aside money for arts sponsorship.
Register your requests for funding at
Uksponsorship.com or WeFund.co.uk to
catch the eye of a benefactor.
So, lots to think about and, sadly,
nobodys going to shower you with cash.
LEADING PROSATWORK
Businessmatters 107
PHILMAKANNA
ISTOCK PHOTO
Casestudies
Katherine
Green
FULL-TIME DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHER
Katherine Green is a documentary
photographer. In 2008 she received grants
for her exhibition, Going to the Dogs. The
project documents the closure of
Walthamstows famous greyhound stadium
and its impact on the community. The
exhibition was ambitious as it consisted of
two venues, 29 new pieces of work, ten oral
history interviews for gallery listening posts,
one interactive display of archive material, a
DVD of images and audio playing on a
at-screen TV and one publication,
explains Katherine. The grants contributed
to the production of the images, the framing,
signage, touring costs and marketing.
So, millions, then? Er, no, not exactly.
The total grant from Arts Council England
was 5,000 and 750 from Apex Arts, says
Katherine. The exhibition took one year to
plan and develop. The Arts Council England
application procedure is particularly lengthy
and in-depth; it took approximately a month
to plan and write.
Katherine has advice for other
photographers: Apply with plenty of time;
meet with a funding ofcer; ask lots of
questions and ask for feedback if youre not
successful. If you are successful, be
prepared to keep lots of records about the
project and its development, as you will be
asked for evidence in an evaluation report.
The Arts Council has specic aims and
goals. It is important to be familiar with
these and make sure you understand them.
When applying for funding, its important to
demonstrate how the grant will help develop
you and benet others.
My work involves and represents the
community I live in. These themes chimed
particularly well with the Arts Councils
aims. However, this was the second time
I had applied to the Arts Council. The rst
time I wasnt successful and the feedback
I received was that this was due to lack of
exhibiting experience. I managed to put that
particular exhibition together on a very
meagre budget so it was really exciting to be
able to invest in high-quality prints and
framing this time around.
Comparisontable:Businessbankingcharges
Free
period (for
or
start-ups)
Monthly fee
Standing
orders
Auto
deposits
Branch
deposits
Cheque
HSBC
18
months
3.15
18p per
credit
74p per
credit
63p
Barclays
up to 24
months
5.50
15p per
credit
75p per
credit
59p
Natwest
24 months
5.00
22p per
credit
66p per
100
71p
Lloyds TSB
18 months
5.00
20p per
credit
70p per
credit
65p
for life
free
free
free
free
free
BANKS
Other banks to consider: Clydesdale, RBS, Nationwide, Allied Irish, Bank of Scotland, Cater Allen, Co-operative Bank, Halifax,
Bank of Ireland, Ulster Bank and Yorkshire Bank.
KATHERINE GREEN
*Now Santander. Conditions apply to some free services, e.g. cheques limited to 100 per month.
Source: Banks own websites on 1 December, 2010. This is intended as a guide only, please check current rates.
108 Businessmatters
TRADING
STATUS
Once the money starts to roll in, youll need to decide whether to be a
sole trader or set up a limited company, not to mention dealing with
thethornyissueofVAT.Weguideyouthroughthispotentialmineeld
Limitedcompanyvsoletrader
Theeasytaxsaving
answerisyes,trade
asalimitedcompany
overasoletraderand
youwillsavetax
companies to make sure the name is
unique. The company becomes a legal
entity, subject to company law and also,
as Richard Hallsworth points out, to issues
over privacy. If you trade as a company,
a lot of data is held about the company on
public record, he says. Details of
directors, accounts, shareholdings and
debentures held by nance institutions are
just examples of data readily available for
inspection or download from Companies
House. Thats a good point, Richard. Now
readers can see for themselves just how
much Im struggling.
Choosing a name for your business is
probably worth an article in itself. You can
agonise over it the way you would the
name of a baby. Things to consider include
how much currency there is in your name.
LEADING PROSATWORK
Businessmatters 109
PHILMAKANNA
Casestudies
Charmaine
Stark
BUSINESS NAME: TAKEN WITH PASSION
WEBSITE: WWW.TAKENWITHPASSION.CO.UK
MAIN ACTIVITY OF BUSINESS:
WEDDING AND PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY.
TYPE OF BUSINESS: SOLE TRADER.
ANNUAL PHOTOGRAPHY SALES:
UP TO 16,000.
VAT REGISTERED? NO.
I started out as a sole trader. Its not as
complicated as a limited company and after
all, there is only me and the less paperwork I
have the better! However, now I understand
the business a bit better I might stop using
an accountant (who was invaluable at the
start) and start doing my tax return myself,
directly with the tax ofce, to save money.
Im not VAT registered as my turnover
doesnt justify it, and I deal with the general
public so I do not want to pass the cost on to
them. Adding 20% to my prices, when local
competition is erce and I need my prices to
be relative to everyone else, could stop
clients from hiring me. I dont think its worth
the risk or the hassle of the extra paperwork
at this stage in my business.
Casestudies
Martyn
Moore
GettingtogripswithVAT
Keycontacts&resources
BusinessLink: For personalised, free
advice for how to set up and grow a
business, contact Business Link:
www.businesslink.gov.uk.
TheTaxOffice:For advice on ling
your yearly tax return call O845 3000627.
HMRevenue&Customs: To register
as newly self-employed: 0845 9154515.
Companies House:To register your
business name or set up a limited company,
contact: www.companieshouse.gov.uk.
110 Businessmatters
Tax isnt fun. Just the very mention of the word brings most people out in a cold sweat. But if you
take professional advice and keep on top of form-lling, it can all be a relatively painless process
Takeprofessionaladvice
Foratypical
photographer,earnings
arethedifference
betweenwhatyoucharge
fortakingphotosand
whatitcostsyoutodoit
get quite complicated. If we carry on at this
rate youll start to wonder if what youre
reading is really an inspirational
photography magazine.
Get professional help. Everything you
need to know is published online but
sometimes talking to an expert makes it all
a bit clearer. It doesnt have to be an
accountant that advises you: local
Business Link representatives will continue
to provide a valuable service until
November before the organisation is
restructured. Business Link will help you to
understand the principles of running a
business and HMRC can give you tax
advice for free. But you should consider
hiring an accountant. Most of them will
offer an initial consultation for free and a
good accountant should be able to save
Gettogripswithform-filling
LEADING PROSATWORK
Businessmatters 111
PHILMAKANNA
Steeppenaltiesfortaxevaders
Keycontacts&resources
BusinessLink: For personalised, free
advice for how to set up and grow your
business, contact Business Link:
www.businesslink.gov.uk
Finance ForPhotographers:
www.nanceforphotographers.co.uk
HMRevenue&Customs:
www.hmrc.gov.uk
GreenStones:Peterborough-based
accountancy rm: www.greenstones.co.uk
Typicalaccounts
A typical set of accounts for a
photographer would probably include
the following expenses:
Car, van and travel expenses
(parking, fuel, repairs, servicing,
hotel rooms and so on)
Repairs and renewals of equipment
Premises expenses (either use of
home as ofce or rent, rates, power,
security, property insurance and so on)
Business insurance costs
Phone, fax, stationery, printing,
computer software and other
general ofce costs
Computer and website costs
Advertising, mailshots, free
samples and so on
Accountancy, legal & professional fees
Bank and credit charges
Interest on bank or other
business loans
Bad debts (invoices included in
turnover but not paid)
Trade or professional journals/
magazine subscriptions
Membership of professional bodies
112 Businessmatters
INSURANCE:
A NECESSARY EVIL
Replacing all your kit if it was stolen or, worse, having to defend yourself against legal action, could nish
your business before it gets off the ground. Thats where tailor-made photographers insurance comes in
Arrangingbespokecover
Therearemany
componentsto
photographersinsurance
andtherightcoverforyou
willbeacombinationof
alltheelements
Ireland is usually considered foreign travel.
If you own a studio, the building and its
contents need to be insured, but if you hire
a studio every now and then, insurance is
likely to be included in the hire charges.
The owner of the studio should be insured
but its always worth checking.
There are so many variables and all the
specialists I spoke to offer bespoke cover,
rather than a one-size-ts-all policy. This
approach tends to be better for all
concerned but leads to large variations in
the cost of premiums. One tip, though: its
denitely worth mentioning if youre a
member of a professional association like
the SWPP or MPA, as youll be eligible for a
discount on your premium.
Towergate Camerasure calculates
premiums on an individual basis.
Covercomesintoitsown
LEADING PROSATWORK
Businessmatters 113
PHILMAKANNA
Knowwhatyourepayingfor
114 Businessmatters
THE BREAKDOWN
ON INSURANCE
Navigating the mineeld of insurers is tricky, especially if you dont
ask the right questions. We try to make it a little easier by doing some
of the legwork for you and seeking out helpful hints and advice
Whatweasked..
Bydescribingourneeds,
wehadhopedtobeableto
comparelikewithlike.No
dice.Putsimply,the
policiesbydifferent
insurersarealldifferent
Whatwefoundout...
Jargonbuster
Employersliability:Protects you
from claims for damages or loss made by
somebody working for you, e.g. an assistant
claiming for damages after receiving an
electric shock from your kit.
Excess:The amount paid by the policy
holder in the event of a claim. Usually, the
higher the excess, the lower the premium.
Free and open theftpolicy: Covers
you for the theft of unattended equipment.
NCD: No Claims Discount, a reduction in
premium after a period without claims,
usually a year. Rewards loyalty to a company
and discourages claims.
Policyholder: You, after you have
taken out the policy.
Premium: The cost of an insurance
policy, paid in an annual lump sum or in
monthly installments.
Professionalindemnity: Cover for
any loss or damages to clients caused by
your professional failure, error or equipment
malfunction, e.g. a corrupt memory card or
damaged camera means you lose an entire
shoot or a car crash prevents you from
reaching the venue.
Proposer: You, before you have
taken out the policy.
Publicliability:Cover for any loss or
damage to others caused by your work as a
photographer, e.g. someone trips over your
camera bag or lights, taking a tumble.
LEADING PROSATWORK
Businessmatters 115
PHILMAKANNA
Theenthusiastphotographer
You dont earn much money from your photography, but you do shoot the occasional weekend wedding and portrait shoot. When you do a wedding your
partner normally comes along for moral support and to help hold your camera bag/be a second shooter. You have a decent camera outt based around a
mid-range DSLR with an older entry-level model as a back-up, two or three lenses and the essential accessories, all totalling about 3,000. You also have
a home PC and printer costing in the region of 500. Most of your shoots are local but youd like to work outside of the UK, given the chance.
Companyy
Value of
Value of
public liability
liabilit professional
essional
indemnityy
Overseas cover
Is hired-in
ed-in kit
covered?
Excess
Annual
premium
Notes
Aaduki
3,500
2m
75,000
up to 60 days worldwide
extra
268.64
Photoguar
guard
Select
3,000
1m
extra
included
no excess
202
Imaging
Insurancee
3,500
2m
100,000
up to 60 days worldwide
extra
267.31
Towergatee
Camerasur
asure
4,000
2m
100,000
n/a
250
609.50
Glover &
Howe
5,000
2m
75,000
multiple trips, up to 20
consecutive days worldwide
extra
266.50
Thesemi-professional
You have a full-time job but youre also serious about making money from your photography, shooting up to 12 paid wedding or portrait sessions a year.
You often have a second shooter or an assistant on a wedding shoot and you may have converted your garage in to a studio for portraits or you
occasionally hire a studio. Your equipment is worth about 8,000, comprising the likes of studio lights, a full-frame and APS-C DSLR with a selection
of fast lenses and accessories. Last year you were given a small assignment overseas and youre planning a stock shooting trip to New York.
Companyy
Overseas cover
Is hired-in
ed-in kit
covered?
Excess
Annual
premium
Aaduki
up to 8,000
2m
75,000
up to 60 days worldwide
extra
100-200
328.29
Photoguar
guard
Select
8,000
1m
100,000
UK only
included
no excess
454
Photoguar
guard
Pro
8,000
2m
100,000
UK only
included
no excess
593
Imaging
Ins opt 1
8,000
1m
50,000
up to 60 days worldwide*
extra
150-250
313.51
Imaging
Ins opt 2
8,000
2m
100,000
up to 60 days worldwide*
extra
150-250
350.60
Towergatee
Semi-pro
5,0008,000
1m
25,000 for
63.60 extra
extr
up to 45 days worldwide
n/a
250-350
272.60
Towergatee
Pro
8,000+
2m
25,000
included
n/a
150
330
Glover &
Howe
8,000
2m
75,000
multiple trips, up to 20
consecutive days worldwide
up to 2,500
value
324.75
Oursmallprint
Notes
Reallygoodquestionstoaskinsurersoverthephone
1) If I work outside the UK, am I covered?
2) If I am covered for travel, is there a limit on
the number of overseas days a year?
3) Will I get the full receipt value of my kit back,
no matter how long I have owned it for (called a
new for old policy)?
4) Can I make a claim if I dont have the
original receipts?
5) Is the theft cover full and open, meaning
Im covered even if Ive left my kit unattended?
6) Can I get an emergency replacement if my
kit fails, is this an extra cost and will it be
delivered to me?
7) Are there situations where my equipment
might not be covered?
8) Does the professional indemnity cover me
for unforeseen or unavoidable circumstances
116 Businessmatters
IS IT LEGAL?
More than ever, were hearing about photographers having a brush with the law. And the differences
between the law, its interpretation and public opinion have never been less clear. Time for some facts
Theareaofmostconcern
forphotographerscentres
ontakingphotographsof
people,includingchildren.
Thisisaverydifficultarea
asthelawisvague
One of the biggest areas of concern in
recent years is the power given to police by
the Terrorism Act 2000. Section 58A of
the Act has led to misunderstandings
between photographers and police
ofcers. The section covers the offence of
eliciting, publishing or communicating
information about members of the armed
forces, intelligence services and police that
is likely to be useful to a person
committing or preparing to commit an act
of terrorism.
Some coppers might have interpreted
Section 58A as: You cant take pictures of
me. Linda Macphersons take on this is:
Information would include a photograph,
and the section is very broadly drafted, as
it doesnt suggest that the information
needs to be intended for terrorist
purposes, only that it is of a kind likely to
be useful for those purposes. That might in
theory include any photograph from which
someone might be identied as a police
ofcer, and some police ofcers seem to
be interpreting it this way.
LEADING PROSATWORK
Businessmatters 117
PHILMAKANNA
PAUL STEFAN
Keepoutoftrouble
ITS A MINEFIELD. The law as applied to
photography is confusing, subject to different
interpretation and it changes fairly regularly,
so dont count on this feature to keep you out of
trouble. Use it to learn when to be most careful.
Photographers need to stand up for their rights,
law enforcement agencies need to be clear on
the laws they are enforcing and people should
use a lot more common sense. Then maybe we
could all calm down a bit. Here are a few pieces
of advice from Linda Macpherson on how to
keep out of trouble:
When photographing children it is advisable
to get at least verbal consent from parents.
118 Businessmatters
PHOTOGRAPHY
AND COPYRIGHT
Ignorance, carelessness and the lack of visible victims has made copyright law one of the most
widely misunderstood and abused. So lets wise up and put a stop to all this nonsense
Theexplosionofmedia
hasmadeitalmost
impossibletofindoutif
animagehasbeenused
withoutpermission
orpayment
Photographers go to great lengths to try
to protect their digital images, from using
visible watermarks or a proof copy
overlay, to having special webpage script
to prevent the easy right-click
downloading of an image. Some image
protection claims to embed trackable
metadata in an image le, allowing its use
to be detected and monitored across the
internet. Most online image protection
merely acts as a deterrent to would-be
photo pirates; if they see an image that
looks nice on someone elses site, that
image can be looking nice on their own site
in no time at all.
In addition, this explosion of media has
made it almost impossible to nd out if an
image has been used without permission
or payment. Print media used to be difcult
Moreinformation
Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act, 1988:
www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48
Linda Macphersonslegal Q&A:
www.sirimo.co.uk/ukpr
IntellectualPropertyOffice:
(Hargreaves Report section)
www.ipo.gov.uk/ipreview.htm
EditorialPhotographersUKand
Ireland: www.epuk.org/
LEADING PROSATWORK
Businessmatters 119
PHILMAKANNA
ISTOCK PHOTO
Howtohandletheclientthatasksforcopyright
The rst thing to say is that this conversation
needs to take place before a single shot is
taken. You should know what you are selling
before you start work. Default position should
be to say no to requests for full copyright.
Some photographers will walk away from a job
rather than give up copyright, knowing that
theres a line of journeymen smudgers behind
them, ready to snap it up.
You may want to control the printing of the
photographs, charging extra each time copies
are made. This is your prerogative and in that
case you wouldnt give the client digital les,
either. Explain that your business and livelihood
is dependent on the revenue from prints.
If you dont make money from prints, you
may just want to protect your intellectual
property and be free to use it in future. So when
120 Businessmatters
PHOTO KIT:
BUYOR HIRE?
Dont overlook the option to rent rather than buy. Hiring what you
need rather than buying it not only saves you money, but also allows
you access to equipment you might not otherwise be able to afford
Whyshouldyouhire
ratherthanbuy?
Whenitcomestocamera
gear,youllfindthat
literallyanythingcanbe
hired,fromanentry-level
CanonEOS400Dtoatopof
therangeNikonD3
cost of the hire if you end up buying the
lens from them.
Wherecanyouhirekitfrom?
Whatsortofphotokit
isavailabletohire?
LEADING PROSATWORK
Businessmatters 121
PHILMAKANNA
Buyin
g advic
When b
e!
you wa uying kit, you
cover a nt an extendedmay be asked
advice gainst damag guarantee to if
the oddis not to take ue or faults. Ou
r
s are ag
p
ainst yo this option, a
s
u needin
g it
Frequentlyaskedquestions:Kithire
We asked Calumet, one of the
UKs leading suppliers of
rental equipment, to answer
our list of queries regarding
hiring photo equipment.
QWhat checks are made to hire kit
so I know its reliable?
AWe test all the functions of the
equipment before it leaves us to be
sure it is functioning correctly,
including the image sensor on
digital bodies.
QWhat happens if I lose or damage
any hired equipment?
AWe charge a 15% damage waiver
fee, which covers for damage to the
kit only; an excess would apply to
each order where an item is
damaged. If the customer has their
own insurance to cover this then we
would not need to charge the 15%, so
long as we see the insurance policy
before the goods leave us.
QWhat happens if I want to take
any hired kit abroad?
AThats ne. If it is outside Europe
then we would charge a 20%
damage waiver on the rental.
QHow far in advance do I need to
reserve it?
AAs far as you like! The more notice
we have the more likely well have the
item available and we can then book
it in advance to avoid any
disappointment.
Buyingyourkit:Howtopay
QWhy buy rather than hire?
AWith so many strong arguments
for hiring, its fair enough asking why
its worth buying gear at all. The
obvious reason of course is that
owning kit is far more cost-effective
in the long run; hiring should be a
short-term measure when you cant
afford to buy the kit, or simply want to
use something you wont often need.
For most people, paying by cash isnt
an option when spending a sizeable
wad on equipment, and as we
highlight below, using another
payment option often comes with its
own rewards. Here we list the most
popular buying options available to
you, along with their pros and cons...
Creditcards
Advantages: Once youve paid,
youll have a period of time, usually
around 30-45 days, to pay off the
balance without incurring any
interest or fees. If youre saving up for
the item, its an easy way to buy it
before you have the total amount you
need. Some cards offer an
introductory 0% interest period,
which is great so long as you clear
the balance before the period ends.
Benets such as insurance for
purchases, as well as extensions to
the manufacturers warranty, are
available with some cards. If youre
keen on travel, use a credit card that
gives you Airmiles and build up
points towards free ights.
122 Businessmatters
Isitexpensiveto
hireequipment?
HowlongcanIhirefor?
Whatarethedrawbacks
ofhiringgear?
Comparisontable:RentalpricesofpopularphotoequipmentfromleadingUKhirecentres
GUIDE
PRICE
Calumet
(Daily)
Calumet
(Week)
Flash
Centre
(Daily)
Flash
Centre
(Week)
Lens Pimp
(3 days)
Lens Pimp
(7 days)
Hire a
Camera
(Daily)
Hire a
Camera
(Wknd)
Hire a
Camera
(Week)
Canon EOS
5D MkII
2,300
100
400
95
332
161
375
70
122
264
Canon
EOS-1DS MkIII
7,000
140
560
125
437
241
564
Nikon
D700
2,250
90
360
161
375
Nikon
D3X
6,130
135
540
261
611
Hasselblad
H3DII-39
N/A
245
980
Canon
EF 16-35mm f/2.8L
1,789
36
144
20
70
23
52
Canon
EF 24mm f/1.4L
2,010
31
124
25
87.5
28
65
Canon
EF 50mm f/1.2L
1,910
32
128
25
87.5
25
57
Canon EF
100-400mm f/4-5.6L
f/4-5.
1,940
36
144
20
20
24
57
Canon
EF 400mm f/2.8L IS
9,810
Nikon
14-24mm f/2.8G
1,635
36
Nikon
24mm f/2.8G
1,950
Lens for
hire (3
days)
Lens for
Hire (7
days)
CAMERAS
70
122
264
LENSES
72
168
144
26
61
16
64
765
20
80
8,375
60
240
Canon Speedlite
580EX II
560
16
64
52.50
Nikon Speedlight
SB-900
410
17
68
15
30
35
-
33
34
-
48
30
-
74
42
61
37
53
44
64
44
64
165
254
47
68
80
41
87
58
85
28
39
57
87
174
33
14
18
44
33
14
21
53
FLASH
15
-
LEADING PROSATWORK
Businessmatters 123
PHILMAKANNA
HIRE WHAT
YOU NEED!
As well as cameras and lenses, you
can also hire studio lighting systems
and accessories. And dont forget that
there are a large number of well kitted
out studios for hire all over the UK.
Share facilities with a friend to
help bring the cost down.
124 AdviceCentre
Q&A
No question is too difcult for
business journalist and
photographer Martyn Moore.
In this section, he sources the
answers to some of your most
frequently asked questions to
put you on the road to success
Q Wheresthebigmoney?
Aha! The $64,000 question. Is there any
big money left? Lets see. Celebrity
portraitists. Back in the 1960s the money
was in taking pictures of pop stars and
actors. Five or six made it very big: there
was David, a couple of Terrys and one or
two with royal connections. Today we live
in the age of the paparazzi and you can
make big money, if youre prepared to live
without sleep and risk your life daily.
Glamour and fashion. There are
millions of snappers out there trying to
break into it. Have you seen their work?
Its amazing, so what makes yours so
special? And how many fashion art
editors numbers do you have stored on
your iPhone? If a thousand of you went
out to Milan tomorrow, Id bet the cost of
all your ights that nobody has a shot in
next months Vogue.
Landscapes? Forget it. Still-life studies?
Satisfying but not lucrative. Aerial
photography? OK if you happen to know
somebody with a helicopter and the
clients can afford the 1,000 an hour to
keep it in the air. The big money is in
people photography, although big
money is a relative term.
I photographed a family last month for
300 in front of a simple white
background with two lights Venturestyle they call it. Piece of cake, I call it.
I was done in 90 minutes. Two hundred
pounds an hour, thats cheap lawyer
territory. They showed their neighbours,
who told their friends and now a whole
village has my phone number. Think of
the reprints!
So if you can get in on the act of events,
conferences, gala dinners, weddings,
Christenings, anniversaries, graduations
and dogs, youre sorted. All you need are
brilliant interpersonal skills, reliable
good-quality equipment, technical ability
and a quick and easy system for
swapping your time and prints for their
cash. I hope I havent made it sound too
easy. I do have one other foolproof big
money idea but Im not going to write
about it here. Send me 20 and Ill tell
you all about it.
Q DoIneedanagent?
What are you, an Italian footballer? Of
course you dont need an agent. Actors
have agents because they dont like to talk
to producers about money. Successful
models have agents because they get so
many offers of work, they need somebody
to sort out the jobs that are right for
them. So, unless your art means so much
to you that it feels dirty to contemplate
the word fee, or if you have so much
work offered to you that you need
somebody to politely make some of it go
away, you dont need an agent. Trust me.
Q HowcanItellagoodphotography
coursefromabadone?
The only people who can truly tell you
what a course is like are the ones who
have been on it. Look for testimonials on
websites. Ask the course organiser if they
can put you in touch with customers who
have agreed to provide a reference.
Try to nd out how many delegates go
back for more. A business that
encourages its customers to rate the
service on its website will be pretty
condent of its performance.
Another way of getting feedback is to
ask for recommendations on a web
forum. Find out which courses other
Thereareveryfew
activitiesassatisfyingas
passingonyourskillsand
experiencetoothers.
Andifyoucangetpaid
handsomelywhile
youreatit,bingo!
Digital SLR Photography readers have
tried and what they thought of them.
Photographers with good portfolios or
memberships to associations might be
lousy teachers. Sharing your skill with
others is a gift that some great
photographers dont possess.
The rst photography courses to
publish their net promoter rating get my
vote. The net promoter rating is based on
asking customers a simple question: how
likely are you to recommend this course
to a friend or colleague? Various scoring
systems are used, but any that come out
over eight out of ten or 80% can be
deemed a good bet.
Q Whatsthebestwayofgetting
myphotosintoamagazineandis
itprofitable?
Its not as protable as it used to be.
Magazines, like everybody else, have to
make ends meet and fees have taken a
bit of a tumble. But getting work
published is fantastically satisfying, and
that, in a way, contributes to the problem.
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AdviceCentre 125
PHILMAKANNA
ISTOCK PHOTO
Noneofusewanttospendmoneywhenwedonthaveto.Bysubmittingimages
tobeusedasstockinexchangeforacredit,youvegotyourselfafreeadvert
inside out. Nothings worse than shelling out
good money for a course to discover you
know more than the tutor. I should know,
Ive been on both sides of that relationship.
You need to be familiar with a wide variety of
photography equipment, too. You will need
to know how to set the ISO and image
quality on various digital cameras and
condently show your students how to ip
from auto to manual and around the
exposure modes. Youre starting to see why
theyre a real moneymaker, arent you?
So, lets assume you are made of the right
stuff to teach photography. The next thing is
understanding the market and considering
another set of questions: do you want to
specialise or can you handle studio portraits
and breathtaking landscapes and wildlife?
Will you include photo editing and
manipulation, and what does all this mean
for facilities and location?
You might consider working with other
specialists to provide a broader experience
for your students. And try to come up with a
proposition or format that sets you apart
from the other course providers out there.
Pre-course get-togethers, end-of-course
presentations, guest speakers, social
evenings and ongoing post-course support
all add value for your customers.
Let your maxim be: preparation,
126 AdviceCentre
ISTOCK PHOTO
Unlessthecommissioningagreementrestrictsyouandsetstermsforthefuture
useofimages,youcandowhatyoulikewiththem.Ifitsaysyoucant,youcant
agreed in advance. You might agree not
to sell images to anybody else for a year,
or until a magazine issue goes off sale.
You might get the client to agree that you
can sell the shots straightaway but not for
use in the clients market.
If the images were only made possible
by the original client because they were
the only people who could have created
the subject or scene, they are more likely
to have stipulated terms for future use by
others. If they havent, you might consider
sharing any income you get with them to
acknowledge their role in creating the
images then they might use you again.
If images include people, you need a
model release for those people. They may
be happy to appear in a toothpaste advert
but not one for pile ointment. So, unless
the commissioning agreement restricts
you and clearly sets terms for the future
use of images, you can do what you like
with them. If you accepted an agreement
that says you cant, you cant.
Q Iwanttobeaphotojournalist.
Whatsthebestentryroute?
Photojournalist. Its one of those words
that means something different to
everybody. Theres a breed of photo-
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AdviceCentre 127
PHILMAKANNA
Q WhendoIneedamodelrelease
formandwherecanIgetone?
If you plan to publish a photograph in one
form or another and the person in the
image is identiable, you need them to
sign a model release. The purpose of a
model release form is to obtain written
permission from people to use their
image in your photography for whatever
purpose you have in mind. Its like a little
contract relating to the use of images and
applies whether or not the model has
been paid for the shoot. A model release
form can give you permission to do
anything with your images of the model,
or it can be modied to restrict the use.
You can request one of our model release
templates by sending an email with the
subject title as Model release form to:
[email protected].
You can legally take photographs of
people in public and use them in
exhibitions and editorially in books or
magazines without a model release form
(although associating them with a
derogatory article might expose the
publisher to a libel action buy me a pint
and Ill tell you a very entertaining story
from my own experience). But you cant
use them commercially in product
endorsements or advertisements.
Makingmoneydepends
almosttotallyonwho
youknow.Theonly
exceptionisthetalented
photographerwhodoes
fine-artpicturesand
sellsthemonline
Q IfImnotVATregistered,shouldI
beaddingtaxontotheendofmy
clientsbills?
No, that would be illegal. Businesses
charging VAT have to give that money to
the taxman at the end of each quarter
and for that you need to be VAT
registered. If you dont meet the criteria
for VAT registration it means you can
keep your bills lower,
Q Whataretheprosandconsof
givingmyclientallthehigh-res
imagesfromaphotoshootondisk?
The pros are you wont have to mess
about tracking down le numbers,
designing albums, remembering print
settings and doing extra prints for the
client. The cons are that you wont get
paid lots of extra money for doing all
those things.
Be warned, though. I have a client who
was supplied every image from a shoot
via an internet server and sent a copy on
DVD. It was an all in fee because I didnt
128 AdviceCentre
Ifyoudoputyourprices
onyourwebsite,keepthe
packagessimpleandthe
pricesforprintsand
productsuntilafterthey
seetheirimagesor
requestthem
Q Imnoticingthatthedifference
betweengettingajobornotis
whetherIgivethemaccesstoallthe
high-resimagesfromtheshoot.
Whatsthebestwaytomakemoney
andgivethemwhattheywant?
Give them high-res images and charge
them a lot of money. That works. I give
my clients permission to use the images
any way they like and forever. I hold the
copyright to the images, so I can use
them too (but I wouldnt use specialised
shots myself without asking the client
rst). The client pays me a very good day
rate and Im happy to shoot em, edit em,
LEADING PROSATWORK
AdviceCentre 129
PHILMAKANNA
EA H
YO RNELP
U CA IN
R S G
CA H Y
M W OU
ER IT
A H
MAKING
MAKI
G MONEY
FROM PHOTOGRAPHY
Buildingyourbrand
Choosingthebestkit
Tax,law©right
Profitfromportraits
Profitableprojects
Jobsinphotography
Weddingphotography
Businessmatters
Shootingforsuccess
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