Dorame - The Photographers Guide to Making Money 150 Ideas for Cutting Costs and Boosting Profits

Copyright 2009 by Karen Drame.
All photographs by the author unless otherwise noted.

Photographs on front and back cover by Karen Drame.

All rights reserved.
Published by:
Amherst Media
P.O. Box 586
Buffalo, N.Y. 14226
Fax: 716-874-4508
www.AmherstMedia.com

Publisher: Craig Alesse
Senior Editor/Production Manager: Michelle Perkins
Assistant Editor: Barbara A. Lynch-Johnt
Editorial Assistance by John S. Loder and Charles Schweizer.

ISBN-13: 978-1-58428-257-0
Library of Congress Control Number: 2008942243
Printed in Korea.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recorded or otherwise, without prior written consent from the publisher.

Notice of Disclaimer: The information contained in this book is based on the authors experience and opinions. The author and publisher will not be held liable for the use or misuse of the information in this book.

Front coverTeen model Kailee Gow was photographed as part of a lighting class led by Carl Caylorat Image Explorations, a PPA Affiliate School in Victoria, BC. Photo by the author. AboveA great hat collection can decrease your costume or wardrobe costs. See tip #137 for more money-saving, wardrobe building strategies. Photo by Stacy Bratton.

Clever birth announcements make great add-on portrait products that will increase your profits. Photo by the author.

Use simple artistic enhancements to take your portraits from ordinary to extraordinary and watch your profits grow. Photo by the author.

You can create this light modifier for less than a dollar. See tip #64 for details. Photo by the author.

Shop lights can serve as studio lighting units when coupled with light modifiers. Photo by the author.

Flea-market finds make fabulous portrait props. For other seating ideas, see tip #138. Photo by the author.

Make a great impression with clients by sending them out the door with beautifully presented photographs. See tip #148 for more information. Photo by the author.

There are numerous areas of specialization in professional photography: senior portraits, commercial photography, fashion photography, weddings, fine art, childrens portraitsthe list goes on and on! The one rule you can count on, though, is that you wont be successful if you try to do them all. At most, you can probably be a real success in two or three areas. Specializing will give your business direction and allow you to spend your time doing what you love most. Martha Fitzsimon, quoted in Professional Photographer Magazine (July 2006, p. 31), said, [I wish I would have known] the importance of focusing my business [on a particular genre]. I wouldnt have spent a year doing other kinds of photography that werent me. To see some of Marthas work, visit www.marthafitzsimon.com.

Lisa Jane Murphy is known for her fantasy sets and angelic portraits.

Kevin Newsome specializes in childrens and family portraiture.

Gigi Clark is a consummate artist who is constantly exploring and delving into the creative process, even under water.

Teresa Wright has found a special niche in photographing special children participating in sports.

Specialization doesnt mean you have to do the same thing day after day, only that theres a specific genre where you focus most of your efforts. For example, Elizabeth Homan spends most of her time running a successful San Antonio, TX, family-portrait studio called Artistic Images (family portraiture is a significant bread-and-butter area in professional photography). However, she occasionally takes leave from her studio to pursue one of her other passions: teaching. She has become a popular photography instructor, providing practical advice on what she does to obtain an average sale of over $4,000 from a family session.

Before you decide on a genre of specialization, think it through carefully. Some people feel that wedding photography is the logical first step in building a business. Though its true that high-end wedding photographers can profit greatly from their work, they are only able to do so because they possess the special convergence of personality, talent, magnetism, and drive that is required. As a result, even many well-established and highly respected studios do not cover weddings. (On the other hand, Mike Coln, from Newport Beach, CA, is an excellent example of a wedding photographer who has achieved astounding success in his field. You can learn about him at www.mikecolon.com.)

Elizabeth Homans high-grossing studio focuses mainly on family portraiture. Photo by Artistic ImagesPortraits by Elizabeth Homan.