Re: [Leica] Baryta prints

["David Rodgers" <davrodgers@msn.com>]

Ted,

As usual, a great post with lost of factual info. Thanks much for sharing!!!

There are better ways to succeed than being the least expensive at 
something.

DaveR

- ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ted Grant" <tedgrant@shaw.ca>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Monday, January 19, 2004 2:55 PM
Subject: Re: [Leica] Baryta prints


> David Rodgers said:
> Subject: Re: [Leica] Baryta prints
> > One local portrait photographer charges at least double what the
> > competitiion charges. His business hit the skids like everyone's in 
> > 2002.
> > But this past year his business grew leaps and bounds.<<<
>
> Hi David,
> Along those lines. A couple of portrait photographers in London, UK closed
> their studio, completely re-furbished and stopped doing colour photography
> even when a client asked for colour they said... "We do portraits in B&W
> only." Yep they lost a few. However! :-)
>
> At first they thought they might deep 6 themselves to the dump in standing
> firm on B&W only, not only did they do that, they also tripled their 
> prices
> from previous sitting rates.
>
> In the front windows of the studio were huge B&W stunning portraits
> beautifully printed and framed. They did an excellent ad campaign and 
> within
> three months had doubled their appointments, even with the higher prices.
>
> The main theme of their ad was similar to my on going comment regarding 
> B&W
> verses colour while photographing people. "When you photograph people in
> colour you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in B&W
> you photograph their soul!"
>
> Their change over was a few years ago, last I heard they were still going
> full speed! :-)
>
> Never does any good cutting ones rates as the client who usually gets a
> break will become your worst case nightmare. Best to charge high and loose 
> a
> few who never paid on time anyway or were constantly whining! :-)
>
> I ask photo students which would they rather do, work one day for a 
> $1000.00
> or do ten days work coping with dumb ass clients at $100.00 per day?
>
> The first time I started charging $100.00 per day plus all costs 
> imaginable
> I was told by several people I was completely crazy and they'd never hire 
> me
> for anything at that rate. They were right, they never did higher me at
> $100.00 because I had warned them it was their choice, but they should 
> keep
> the following in mind.
>
> If they hired a shooter who screwed-up and they called me to bail them 
> out,
> my day rate would double to $200.00! :-) Then they really thought I had 
> lost
> my mind. ;-)
>
> However, the first one to call me ten days later to cover his ass I 
> reminded
> him of the rate increase and he hung-up. A couple days later he called me
> back, apologized and hired me. The re-shoot was charged at $200.00 per 
> day,
> not for one day, but for three days @ $200.00 per day! :-) :-) Why? 
> Because
> the previous guy had told him he could "knock it off in one day!" OOPS! 
> :-(
>
> And from that day on the client never went anywhere else, even when prices
> increased and with each one his response was... "'You're worth every
> dollar!" :-) Sometimes it's tough loosing an assignment because you charge 
> a
> higher rate, but in the end, what's the point of producing top end
> photography and not being paid properly for your photo eye and experience.
> Go cheap! Get cheap jobs!
>
> Charge high and people will hire you because human beings always think, 
> "My
> God if he charges that amount he must be very very good, get him we can't
> afford any screw-ups!" ;-)  Little do they know. ;-)
>
> But I guarantee my work and if a screw-up occurs and it's my fault I
> re-shoot at my expense completely! And does that ever keep you on your 
> toes
> about everything being right on the ball!
>
> ted
>
>
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