articles/Weddings/howphotographerservive-page3
Published 01/04/2007
Finally, one of my greatest assets as a photographer is an understanding of lighting. I keep a very simple lighting concept for all my portraits. I have learned that one light pattern works for everything I do, be it portrait or landscape. Whatever my light source may be, I'm always looking for light that creates a three-dimensional appearance in my subject matter. For portraits, it's a light that comes from slightly above the subject's eyes and just a little to one side. I'm looking for a catchlight in the subject's eyes. It is key to remember that with the exception of studio lighting, all light comes from above. I try to keep my light soft and consistent in temperature, so in just about every situation I use the existing light of the area as the main light. When photographing I first look for two basic things: I look for cover from overhead light and a background with depth. The subject is always placed in a shadowed area. For the majority of what I am photographing, I shoot from a dark area to a light area. I shoot the majority of my images at f2.8. The ISO obviously varies according to the conditions at the location. My lens of choice is the Canon 70-200 f2.8 lens. Every photograph I take is spot metered on the shadowed area of the subject's eyes. One doesn't need to learn a whole lot of different light patterns to create a variety of pictures. By keeping consistent patterns, you control mood, depth and, more importantly, create seamless workflow, which will in turn, streamline postproduction.
Now that we've got some sex in our life, how do we make money with it? I am constantly asked: where is the best place to advertise? My answer is simple: with the people you already have. Your clients can do the work for you. That is why even today, in the digital age, I still give 5x5 paper proofs. I believe in the power of presentation. That said, the tangible item is what sells. Why not a DVD or CD of the images? Very simple - what do I do when they take the beautiful customised DVD to work and play it on an ancient computer, with a terrible uncalibrated less-than-sharp monitor? Who looks bad? The answer is equally simple - Me. Will a bride ever take her $5,000 wedding album to work? Probably not. Will she take her proofs to work? She absolutely will. And if I give her a printed album proof rather than a DVD, I am in control of how work is viewed. I put all the proofs in a topflight album, the value of which in my client's hands, far outweighs the cost to me. Today's bride is all about the look and the presentation. When she shows the beautiful proofs to all her friends, with all these different editorial, fashionable poses, how do I benefit? My name is printed in small type on each proof alongside the image number. Every print is a miniature billboard advertising me; creating name recognition!
I also believe in allowing the photos to sell themselves. How do you do this? As already acknowledged, today's bride is a busy woman. She needs incentives to get things in her hectic life. How do I get the bride to buy prints from me when she could scan the proofs I gave her? Very simply, she doesn't have the time to scan 400 proofs before her order is due. Basically, brides are most excited about their wedding in the weeks immediately thereafter. Fortunately for us, they also have the least time to choose those photos immediately after their wedding. The less time they have to deliberate, the more likely they are to just 'go for it'. My timeline is this - the newly-weds return from their honeymoon and go back to work. Just as they are in the midst of getting back into the daily grind and simultaneously adjusting to married life, their proofs are ready! They come to pick them up and I give them the following incentive: If they order their albums and prints within one week of proof pickup, I will give them all of the extra photos they order at half price. Naturally, the price listed is actually twice what I really want to charge. Do you think they can narrow down 3-400 photos for their album, their parent albums and pick their loose photos for themselves and their families in only a week? The answer is a resounding "no". So, due to the time crunch and the excellent discount, they just order everything. This incentive is guaranteed to work.
Here's another easy sale. Do you give 5x7s or 8x10s or 16x20s with your packages? If you do, do you sell frames? If not, you are missing out twice - number one, you're doing the job half way; presenting an unframed photograph is the same as delivering an unfinished product. Number two, you are losing a fortune. Here's how to get that frame business too. Can you buy rectangular 5x7 or 8x10 frames at your local discount drug store? You know the answer. Of course you can? Can you buy square 7x7, 11x11 or 20x20 frames at these stores? Again, you know the answer. They need custom frames! Now is the time to mention that you offer custom framing. What a surprise! Hah! That bride is busy and can't be bothered to go looking elsewhere for frames. Chances are, either they will get it framed from you or they won't get it done at all. Someone should frame that photo and it ought to be you! For today's bride, pure convenience is one of you greatest sales points. They want to get the picture and hang it on the wall right away. They don't want to wait a week, a month, a year (or forever) to hang it because they didn't have time to go look for frames. I keep in stock all of our square frames up to 11x11, which I buy, pre-made from a local framer, at a discounted price. Say the frame costs me $10 and mark it up 10%, or so, to $90. Well, that's my idea of 10%. You get the point - easy money. All they have to do when they get home is put a nail in the wall. I make it that simple. With that in mind, they might as well sell themselves.
The only way to survive in today's bridal market is to remain open minded and willing to take a chance. The chances we have taken have led our studio in 20, short years, from one man doing 15 weddings a year at low-end prices, to nearly 900 high-end weddings a year, managed by a full-time staff of 26 employees. And we do it with no advertising. Everything we do is about being different and, more importantly, making a difference. To learn about our educational DVD's, Posing Guides and other Workflow Solutions, visit our website at www.douggordonworkshops.com
If you have any questions or wish to be put on our educational email list, please email: doug@douggordonworkshops.com I look forward to seeing everyone at an upcoming SWPP event! Thanks, Doug Gordon
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SWPP - Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers
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