Often I get asked……
Why do I teach others to compete with me in the photographic business?
The answer is pretty simple, In that I am not scared of loosing business to others
I feel people choose their photographer, for many reasons, not the least of which is the personality of the person that is behind the camera (Yes knowledge of the tools we as Pro's use is important but what the client usually finds is someone that they can relate to and trust)
By Teaching I hope to add to the Professionalism of our industry
nothing aggravates me more than someone that has ruined the opportunity for great images and wasted a customers time and Violated that Trust, by being ill prepared for the job.
And if I teach so well that students challenge me for our market share of customers, this is a good thing!
Because we all need to be challenged to offer something different and stay ahead anything less we become complacent to the point of boring and who what’s a boring photographer!
Where did we start in this business of professional photography?
I took an interests in photography first as a Hobby as many do, and was encouraged by family and friends to pursue it beyond just a hobby, my profession at that time in my life was in the United States Air Force, the USAF did not need more photographers than they already had at that time, so I remained in the career field I signed up with until my retirement in 1993
However with encouragement from my wife and other family and friends we started building my knowledge base and I continued to procure cameras and lens.
Eventually someone learned that my talent was more than just as a hobby and invited me to "work" at a local news paper “The Merced Sun Star, Merced California” was my first employment as a Pro photographer, even though it was part time while I was still in the Air Force. I gained a whole lot of experience and had a blast getting paid for what I loved to do - I was hooked.
So our goal became to retire from the USAF and then pursue photography as a second career.
This became reality in 1993 when I retired from The USAF after serving 19 years
Zogail (my wife) and I opened Lott’s Photography Studio here in Bossier City.
I am sure many of you have other questions in mind, since the concept of a Blog is conversational, I have started the conversation and let’s see if anyone has comments and or questions ?
Steve
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Hmmm.let me see...
Did you guys move back to Bossier, buy a house and start a studio at once, or were there other "financial" challenges to begin with?
How low on the proverbial totem pole of business were you when you started?
I know that you didn't start out with the best equipment, what would be the best advice that you could give to a starting out photographer on a limited budget?
How's that?
Your right on both counts, kinda
We did start out here in Bossier or more precisely in Bossier Parish with a House. I came here TDY while still in the AF as we were being re-assigned to BAFB
So our Military career brought us to Bossier and we bought a home right away.
But maybe by the House you mean the building we now use as our Studio.....
I was in Saudi Arabia when we found out I could retire early
By the time I got back here to home Zogail already had found a place we could use as our first Studio
It was definitely not in the high rent district, but it allowed us to get started.
It was on the corner of McDade and Barksdale Blvd before the widened the road for the parkway access.
We rented some extra space that Bud of Bud's Trophy case had.
Challenges you bet !
many times I asked my Mom and Dad for some dough to hold me over tell I could scrap by thru the next month or two
Today they would say I have paid them back a few times for it, I would disagree.
It's family that has allowed and encouraged me from day one!
Our Business blossoms from the persoanlity of my wife, she knows almost everyone in a country kinda way - always visiting and chatting, which at times drives me nuts because after all men are from Venus and women from Mars or something like that :)
If it were not for the ladies in the world most of us photographers would be out of business
Heck we would not have a customer base !
My wife is my wind beneath my wings, and our business too,
no doubt about it !
Wow !
Did I get off the subject, again...
Buy what you can adfford and start a budget, don't buy something you think you need on impulse.
Make a list and place hash marks next to the items that could have saved you work or made your job easier
You want equipment that makes image creation Easier to do and makes you a reliable Pro and no this does not happen over night for most of us.
A 6 mega Pixel camera body and a film backup with two lens that cover the aspect ratios we normally do and if you do wedding or event you also need two flash units and two sync cords
Like I always say two of everything is the requirement with weddings.
The second (backup) can be a film camera if you are prepared to use it with lots of film and fresh batteries for that camera body.
I started out with 35mm film
three bodies and a bunch of lens
My fist medium format camera was a Russian made Keiv (Hasselblad look a like)
In 1995 I met Paul Ambrico and bought my first Hasselblad from him
Mr Paul and I have become very good friends over the years and I have been very fortunate to see a small number of the vast images he has created, some of very famous people like Roy Rogers, Dolley Parton and Richard Nixon.
Not sure but I have not recently mentioned an excellent book for photographers
The Lucrative Photographer
it has more to do with mind set than it does pricing.
We did start at the bottom
but we learned to never compete on price, you must offer more than that to succeed in this business.
Find a Niche, develop your own style !
steve
So...how did you find your niche and what would you consider it to be? By the way, I know for a fact that other people have looked at this blog, but haven't commented.
Our Niche is always evolving
However that said the biggest impact in my photography as far as on style of portraiture has been the comming of age of the DSLR
I was probably one of the first to embrace Digital in our area, in fact I know of only one other pro that went digital just a bit before us
Any what Digital did was allow us more freedom with the equipment
nothing like attempting to photography a moving target like a 3 or 7 year old with medium format film bodies mounted on a tripod
With large pixel DSLR's came speed and ease of handling the camera
as well as many other positives as far as flexibility such as changing ISO setting dependant on lighting and high or low key scenes instead of what was in the bag film wise.
Longer lens with very fast glass without morgaging the house for a lens.
I love fast glass esp if it's L glass !
So from mostly weddings and Seniors to Children
We love the challenge of the 2 year old that is very shy and even the rambunchous ones are fun to work with of course they do drain our energy resources quickly :)
A few Senior sessions a month every now and then, Weddings and Children and of course families round out the core of our business makeup
Niche today is more of the style you see in our work
we use several PS actions on some of our work and a few artsie fartsie tricks with PS, but we do not PS (PhotoShop) everything
and we do not belive in fix it in photoshop when it can and should be done right in the camera to begin with
Gary Box is guilty for steering me in the get it right first and enhance in PS mind set
He and his wife Pam are awesome teachers of lighting and Posing
My style has been greatly influenced by several other working Pro's including Kirk Voclain, Dick Goodall, Neal Cowan and Brian Lewis
I am very proud to have made some lasting friendships with everyone of them
My early inspiration came from land scape photography by the great Ansel Adams, having lived near Yosemite and frequent trips to the park and surounding it left a very deep impression upon my way of seeing light in shades of grey and developing the virtual light meter.
Those that want to understand light and the shadows of it should learn the Zone system
Gee did I ever answer the question ?
Our biggest single Niche is Easter with the Live Baby lamb
steve
You answered the question.....
Post a Comment