Hi all, I was thinking of setting up a small photography shop like you saw at the neighbourhood. Services like developing photos , passport photos , and also offering onsite photography event. I guess no room for portrait. Any idea how to get contacts to rent or buy the developing machines or computers? Are they on consignment only? (-:
Setting up a small photography shop
- Thread starter marcus28
- Start date
developing photos? hmm this is a dying trade and not very profitable... most of us now DIY b/w film processing. For color processing I send to lab but I shoot b/w more.
maybe u should offer more service like photobook, selling photography accessories?
maybe u should offer more service like photobook, selling photography accessories?
Even on clubsnap you can see studios closing down and owners selling away their gear for cheap every now and then. At the same time, camera shops are opening and hiring and opening and hiring and expanding and hiring some more.
It is the era where it is way easier to sell camera and camera related stuff to photographers wishing-to-be than to sell actual photography itself.
The idea of being 'The Photographer' is so appealling and at such large scales, that people will pay to be photographers, instead of paying for photography. It practically annihilated the 'neighbourhood-uncle-photo-shops'. It is RARE to find one nowadays. Those who survived had rebranded and moved upclass to serve different clientele. Or switched trade. The provision shop near my house selling stationaries and photocopying/binding services actually have the signboard as 'so and so wedding photos and studio' and I remember in the past sending my film there for printing for their greenish tone agfa paper. They had long sold their machines. The grumpy uncle photographer who scolded people when people go take passport photo for $6, is no more there. Maybe died already.
Its sad.
It is the era where it is way easier to sell camera and camera related stuff to photographers wishing-to-be than to sell actual photography itself.
The idea of being 'The Photographer' is so appealling and at such large scales, that people will pay to be photographers, instead of paying for photography. It practically annihilated the 'neighbourhood-uncle-photo-shops'. It is RARE to find one nowadays. Those who survived had rebranded and moved upclass to serve different clientele. Or switched trade. The provision shop near my house selling stationaries and photocopying/binding services actually have the signboard as 'so and so wedding photos and studio' and I remember in the past sending my film there for printing for their greenish tone agfa paper. They had long sold their machines. The grumpy uncle photographer who scolded people when people go take passport photo for $6, is no more there. Maybe died already.
Its sad.
If you have no idea how to do, you should do more research before you start.
It may not be profitable if you have no idea what is the cost and where to get the clients.
Singapore is an easy place to start a business but it is also easier for business to fail.
It may not be profitable if you have no idea what is the cost and where to get the clients.
Singapore is an easy place to start a business but it is also easier for business to fail.
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last time mini labs still can depend on maids and foreign workers to order some prints, they order more prints then local people, they are very good customers too, as long the prints can see their faces inside they are very happen liao, nowadays they also using smart phone, who still want to order so many prints.
the only people keep ordering print is professional photographers, but do you know how many pro labs in Singapore nowadays?
you can see it for yourself here, how many time you have come across threads talking about print making, recommending labs blah blah blah?
and all you can see is either asking where to print cheap cheap or complaining processing cost too expensive.
the only people keep ordering print is professional photographers, but do you know how many pro labs in Singapore nowadays?
you can see it for yourself here, how many time you have come across threads talking about print making, recommending labs blah blah blah?
and all you can see is either asking where to print cheap cheap or complaining processing cost too expensive.
On another hand, photographers are not helping printing market by giving out CD only as option.
This in turn reduce photographers' status to simply a service.
So photographers, if u don't help the good printing shop, once they are all gone, your work is reduced to service and forget about being the artist.
No one stare at screen and admire the work of art. We admire beautiful print of beautiful images.
Contact Fujifilm or similar on how to set up one and be the best in the industry you shall be rewarded.
It's an uphill battle, not going to be easy but if there is a will there is a way.
All the best.
Hart
This in turn reduce photographers' status to simply a service.
So photographers, if u don't help the good printing shop, once they are all gone, your work is reduced to service and forget about being the artist.
No one stare at screen and admire the work of art. We admire beautiful print of beautiful images.
Contact Fujifilm or similar on how to set up one and be the best in the industry you shall be rewarded.
It's an uphill battle, not going to be easy but if there is a will there is a way.
All the best.
Hart
