Now that there's a photo biz sub forum, I hope we can share our experience and provide interested photogs to look at the business aspect seriously either now or in future.
Now, lets get to business.....
Starting a photography business:
The thing about photography business actually isn't about photography at all. It's ALL about business. By business, I mean finding clients, marketing, salesmanship, keeping tabs on expenses and incomes, finding your niche...etc
However, photography in Singapore where supply in rapidly out number the demands, in such an elastic (easily substituted) market the very FIRST consideration is actually basic common sense that I'm not sure it's covered in business classes or not. It's about SETTING PRECEDENCE.... the below quote from POTN I found aptly describes the situation. Note the underlined and bold-ed.
Not that I'm saying it's a no-hope situation, but like most population distribution, only the top few percentile would be able to differentiate themselves from the "middle-class" and "lower-class" and command a premium in fees. This would ultimately squeeze out the "middle-class" and have the "lower-class" overrun by hobbyist/student whom does not need to rely on photography for income.
And if I may further expand on the above, the jump to distinct oneself from the "lower-class" to the top few percentile is liken to those striking 1st prize for toto. ie there would always be some outstanding newbies waiting to be spotted but the disparity in the 2 classes would be very great.This implies that those at the top would sooner or later face "aging" issues unless there's sufficient lower-rung photographer with flair and business mind to maintain the premium pricing at the top.... all it need is sufficient percentage of "top" photographers to start looking at the wrong purple cow (pricing) and the pricing at the top would also suffer.
Comments?
Now, lets get to business.....
Starting a photography business:
The thing about photography business actually isn't about photography at all. It's ALL about business. By business, I mean finding clients, marketing, salesmanship, keeping tabs on expenses and incomes, finding your niche...etc
However, photography in Singapore where supply in rapidly out number the demands, in such an elastic (easily substituted) market the very FIRST consideration is actually basic common sense that I'm not sure it's covered in business classes or not. It's about SETTING PRECEDENCE.... the below quote from POTN I found aptly describes the situation. Note the underlined and bold-ed.
POTN Post said:We used to give proofs to our clients, knowing that they would -- the had to -- come back to us to get high quality prints.
Then scanners became easy to own and operate. We began to lock our prints into plasic pages, and emboss them to protect our copyright. To protect our income.
Then came Napster. Videotapes were always easy to copy... cd burners made music easy to copy. People began to expect that when they bought one copy of a piece of art (weather it be music or movies or photos) that they didn't have to pay for any more copies.
There is always someone in any business world ready to find an edge... to find the Purple Cow that others are not offering, and offer it themselves.
For, you see, Wedding Photography is an expanding field. One that is now open to many, many more participants -- due to numerous factors.
Our business world of wedding photography has now entered the 21st century. We are not quite at the kill or be killed stage. But, many markets are feeling the pinch of more and more people entering their markets as photographers.
As these new folks enter the market they will search for the Purple Cow, the thing to get them noticed. That cow will almost always be price and options -- lower prices and options like digital negatives for FREE. Until they are well trained, and have developed their own style, and built their referral network, these new entrants will need that Purple Cow.
And when they do get better, when they do excell, most will continue to offer their purple cows, because there is yet another new batch of entrants ready to take their place in the ladder, with their own Purple Cows.
Unfortunately, when the existing professional's referral network, and bookings are depleted they too begin looking for their own Purple Cow. At first, they believe that their experience and professionalism will conquer the new influx of photographers. Then they find out that they need a purple cow more than what they were.
Client expectations change over time. Soon, the expectation for the Purple Cow will permeate every corner of the market. People will expect to own that which they think they paid for.
There will be a battle between the client that expects to own all -- and the old-time photographers fighting the change in our business model. Even now PPA is fighting a protracted battle with other lobbyists over copyright legislation -- the "orphaned works" issue.
The music and entertainment industries are fighting to control their copyrights, and make the money that fuels their business. But what do photographers have - as an industry - to protect their copyrights, in the face of competition. In the face of other photographers that want to enter the market, to build their skill set, to achieve their own dreams?
How will "Big Photography" protect it's copyright when the members that make up that group are the very ones creating the business model that kills the protection of their income, of their livelihood?
Not that I'm saying it's a no-hope situation, but like most population distribution, only the top few percentile would be able to differentiate themselves from the "middle-class" and "lower-class" and command a premium in fees. This would ultimately squeeze out the "middle-class" and have the "lower-class" overrun by hobbyist/student whom does not need to rely on photography for income.
And if I may further expand on the above, the jump to distinct oneself from the "lower-class" to the top few percentile is liken to those striking 1st prize for toto. ie there would always be some outstanding newbies waiting to be spotted but the disparity in the 2 classes would be very great.This implies that those at the top would sooner or later face "aging" issues unless there's sufficient lower-rung photographer with flair and business mind to maintain the premium pricing at the top.... all it need is sufficient percentage of "top" photographers to start looking at the wrong purple cow (pricing) and the pricing at the top would also suffer.
Comments?