market research

I know we do have a few working photographers here, and am wondering how you determined your potential market for your work. I hope to get my own business launched this year, and am up against 6 others in my area. They are all doing studio portrait work, and weddings.
It's a scary decision for me, and difficult to decide what path to take for a successful business.
What were your experiences/thoughts?
Mary

First of all, I chose the field of photography that I wanted to get into based on what interested me. After that, I tried a marketing shotgun approach to see who my demographic was going to be. I did this via internet methhods such as web gallery, blogs, forums, and anywhere else I could leave a link. I also marketed in person handing out business cards to just about anyone I met. Within a very short amount of time, I was able to hone in on a demographic that I could concentrate my marketing efforts on.

Photography is a very odd business to get into, and you really shouldn't look at it like being "up against 6 others". There are several traps that you will fall into with this view. The first one is you will undoubtedly look to "take" some of the market share from them. By doing that, you will start to try and emulate thier style and subject matter.

Second, you will always be playing catch up to keep up with the other photograhers. You will focus less on your own ideas, and more on what they are doing.

Photography, like any other art is a very personal representation of oneself. Do what you love, how you love to do it, and raise your own bar every day. If you stay true to yourself, there will always be those out there that appreciate your work.

Building a "photography business" is a slow thing under the best of circumstances. It takes time to earn the trust of those that will be purchasing your products. You have to really make a name for yourself in the area that you choose. Start small and work up. Work on your presentation with friends and family. Word of mouth is the best advertising in this business, and your friends and family are your best marketing department.

Look for cooperations with local businesses that offer related goods. For instance, I try to find decorating companies that to the model homes in new neighborhoods. I try to get them to use some of my work in their designs. Then, whether or not they buy a house, they have seen my work, and have the potential to ask about it. If they are going through a model home, chances are they are looking to move and/or redecorate. Wall art is a natural part of that, but the decorators and I are not after the same sale.

First, What type of photography do you do? Or want to do? don't think it as "up against 6 others in my area" if you are going to be just like every one you will have a hard time. (ask yourself "why would they come to you?" Be different, your own style. Were I am I bet we have 1000's of other photographers.

You said something about Portrait and wedding work, I would tell you right now don't do wedding until you have been around for a wile, plus be a second shooter for a lot of weddings first (don't do it alone yet, you owe it to your customers and yourself to know what your are doing) More people jump in to wedding photography (one reason because there are a lot of them. and two they see high money $1500-$4500 per wedding) Weddings are the worst of the worst of photography types for new photographers (low light and fast movement, and Only one chance to get it right "no retakes" for a life time, plus can be high stress and can be long hours) Don't get me wrong Weddings can be very good (I have been doing weddings and portraits for over 20 years) I just don't want you to make light of how important knowing what you are doing before you try one.

As for Portraits go you can do it two ways studio or on location. Each one has their own needs. Like lighting, backgrounds, props, rent, etc... location work is cheaper to get in to (mostly because no rent or backgrounds) but you do have weather to deal with as well as some locations charge you to take pictures at. (two locations just off the top of my head in my area charge $100 to $150 just to take a portrait at their location)(free if your not a business)

Ok with all that said, lets move on to "determined your potential market" This depends on what type of photography (because you said portraits and weddings I will stick with these types) There are 3 basic types of systems. I'll brake it down to prices (you know, money talks and you know the rest) don't forget to factor in your prices of doing business (taxes, rent, cameras, lights, flashes, gas, your skills, your time, editing time, ads, web page etc...) (things brake all the time) Prices are just examples.

1) Higher priced (lower volume of jobs, different type of customers)(This is not bad, it's up to you) Customers are the ones that don't mind spending the money for good stuff. (ex: 1 wedding job $3000 to $4500 how many do you need to do to stay in business?) How many hours are you working?

2) Mid priced (mid volume of jobs, get a mix of different customers)(This is not bad, it's up to you)
Customers are a good mix some looking for good stuff for a few extra $ and some that are looking for a deal. (ex: 1 wedding job $1500 to $2000 how many do you need to do to stay in business?) How many hours are you working?

3) Low priced (higher volume of jobs, different type of customers) (This is not bad, it's up to you)
New photographer try this one all the time.
Customers are ones that will by only the lowest price items and for some reason try to get things for free.
(ex: 1 wedding job $500 (or under) to $1000 how many do you need to do to stay in business?) How many hours are you working?

just an example and something to think of

Portraits can be babies, family's, children, models, High school senior portraits, School portraits, animal portraits, business portraits, art portraits (this includes nude/boudoir/glamour etc.)etc... Don't do the shotgun idea of marketing unless you have money to burn. (and if you do send some to me) There are quite a few things I would say you need.
1) Business cards (hand them out to everyone)

2) web page (don't use places like photobucket... myspace, etc... to store or show your customers, it smacks of I am a New amateur trying to start a business "hopefully" If you need a place to host web pages or images PM me and I will tell you the best and best price place I have found.

3) Print outs, flyers, postcards etc... (put these in places where you will get the types of photo you want to do. Ex: baby stores for baby photo, bridal shops for weddings etc you understand. Some places will not let you hand out or charge you to do so. Ex: Babies are us (conflict of interest, they have a photographer working there) David's Bridal wanted to charge us $2500 for 6 mounts just to leave postcards on their table. If you need market ideas PM me.

4) Internet and print (magazines) ads (this is were a lot of people use the shotgun idea (don't do it) do some looking around where are the other photographers ads are? Most of them used the shotgun idea and they stopped paying for the ones that didn't work and still using the ones that does. for some reason people don't think this way. some ads are a lot of money one place I know of, cost $2500 per year and some are $500-$1200 with out getting any business off of them. You will not believe this I wanted to put a banner up on AOL you have any idea how much they told me it would cost? Not kidding $10,000 per month with a 3 to 6 month min. I said I just wanted a banner not to buy AOL, so I said give me two of them (just kidding on the last part)
So you can see the shotgun idea can cost a lot. (The funny thing is customers will not understand why you charge X amount for your work. some will say "oh that is too much" but they don't understand is sometimes you have to spend $1000's just for them to see the ad. Most of the time it takes X amount of jobs just to pay for everything before you get paid and hope you don't need to buy more stuff etc.., I wonder if they would go to work for X days for free?

Anyway, I think I got off topic some how, If you need any help just PM me. I am sure there are a lot more I could tell you.

Oh ya, If you don't like having to be interviewed to get a normal job don't be a photographer (vote for the highest interviewed job in the world). It feels like every customer that calls I have to explain (prove myself) that I have been doing this for xx years, and this is how every thing gos etc.... they ask "can I see any images so you send to web page or prints etc...(which is funning because they got the phone number off the web page etc... Anyway (if they book you some say I don't want my images seen by people) (I always think that is funny because they will not book you until they see image but don't want you to use their images) then you ask are you looking for (what ever item, album,prints etc..) they then say well it depends on if the images are good. feels like a slap in the face sometimes. It always feel like no madder how many images you have, skills you have etc.. you still have to prove it to them, like they are the first person to book you and they are taking a chance. After the event is over they are really happy with your work and tell everyone etc.. but then the next customer calls and it starts all over again.

Hmm, I didn't think I was upset but after reading this it sounds like I was in spots (I'm not I just don't want to rewrite it). Anyway Let me know if you need help.

Post edited by: starimagephoto, at: 2008/01/25 20:50

Thank you both; your advice is an enormous help!! I see what you mean about not worrying about the 'competition'; I was worried that my geographical area can't support another photographer.
I have no interest in portrait/wedding work; instead, I would rather specialize in pet photography, particularly dogs and horses because I know both very well.
As I am in no position to finance a studio, I thought of going to my client's homes and shooting indoors or out.
I am lucky that I am well known from shooting at my newspaper (and writing all the bad news so that might help encourage people to give me a shot at my private work.
I am going to print off this thread and review all your good advice.

There you go...you are creating a niche that doesn't seem to be filled by the other photogs in your area. People love thier pets, and will be happy to have them photographed...maybe moreso than their human children. This could help finance other avenues you might want to pursue in photography. I think you will do well.

Sounds like you got the idea. If your talking dogs and horses I would go to Dog show and horse shows (4H etc) as well (maybe put up posters etc..) the more people know of you the better. Make sure you get the business cards to hand out. You know a business card shaped as a Dog bone would be cool or maybe a horse shoe? They would not forget that one. Best of luck, remember to post an image from your first paid job.

I tried the horse show idea last summer, and a woman I know walked up to me and said she was the official photographer for that show. She said I was welcome to shoot all I wanted but could not sell any of the images.
I checked with the show organizers, who said she was correct; as the show was on private property, I had to abide by the rules.
But, it was still a great shooting day - here's an image from my first 'unpaid' job!

Yeah, you will occasionally run into that problem when shooting events. However, if you try to get to the promoters ahead of time, you might be able to be that "event photographer". Keep a portfolio of what you get on these free events to show the promoters when it comes time to work out a deal.

Yeah, some times that happens. One thing you can do is hand out free images (she said you couldn't sell them) photoshop with your name phone # hehe. Anyway still even if you don't people will ask about you after seeing you with a camera.

You might try submitting to a microstock agency. It's one of the most efortless ways of starting a photography business.

You can visit some microstock websites and decide, if it's suitable for you.

submitting to a microstock agency

One problem with that is that you have to have a lot of images before making a lot of money. I have heard some have over 30,000 images before making good money. Unless your one of the lucky ones that have only one image that 1,000,000 people want.

Anyway this thread is over one year old, just a quick update. PJRiley, how has the last year been? did you make goals, did you keep them? Are you big time and need to pay me back for the great info hehe What are you doing with your photography plans now?

Yes, there is a lot of truth in what you are saying.

I made a "research" and one should build a collection of at least 1000 images to make the microstock-business profitable.

Basically,it will take some time before one will be able to see the results of one's efforts.

But I believe it's may be a pleasant "side-job", one can submit images that are are not going to be exhibited in a gallery but that still are nice and have some commercial value.

this post is a year old
I dont think shes still waiting for an answer