I keep talking about confidence in my writing. The reason I do is because it's important. I don't mean confidence in a arrogant sort of way. Or fake it til you make it way. I'm saying it's important because it something I witnessed every photographer I trained struggle with. Including myself. At first, all of them: including the ones that had been in sales before where shaky.


They weren't sure of themselves.


They had to have a firm trust in me, that it would come: A firm feeling an conviction art sells. Their art would sell. I gave a lot of pep talks in the first couple of weeks a photographer would train until the skepticism would disappear. That they could do what I trained them to make, an it was in fact worth this amount of money. Selling artwork is scary at first: You question your belief in your ability. How good is your work. You question if it's priced to high. Your faith in yourself. But the more you do it, the less fearful it is. The more you walk with a sense of self assurance.


You develop a sense of appreciation for one's own ability.


It's not arrogance, it's a strong sense of learning your skills are worth what your asking. It takes a lot of courage, to confront that part of yourself: Directly in front of another person. But once it's done, regularly an often what seemed like boldness to you the first time is replaced with a sense of self assurance. You get more level headed about it as you go. Your more positive naturally, an it helps you sell it all the more. Instead of questioning if your having a lot of nerve asking for payment for your work, you're brimming with confidence.


An it takes a few times to get comfortable in the role.


At first it's going to come across to you like your giving a speech. Instead of just talking to the person you are selling to. But the more you are espoused to talking to customers about your work, the more it becomes second nature to you. An the reason it does is because you've witnessed their interest. You've made a few sales. The doubts go away. An you become more firm in your belief: Yes, my arts good. Yes they really are interested an yes,the price is fair. An issues you have about turning into a starving artist fade away.


Within two weeks, my photographers replaced fear with certainty. That's confidence.


All it took was practice an being exposed to doing art, then selling it over an over repeatedly. Studios go through a dead season, January until usually Mothers Day. I had a studio that did about 130K a year. It did about 90K before me. It was barely paying for itself. Most of the business was done between October to Christmas Eve. I've noticed online people suggesting one or two customers a week is good goal. That that's enough to make a living. Well, I'm not a guru trying to sell anyone anything an well tell you it's not.


You goal should be 3-4 photo sessions on a regular weekday, Six-Seven on weekends. That's if you want to hit a number high enough to pay for your equipment, expenses an still pay yourself. It's not all about money that I say this: It's about confidence.


It's about getting ready, preparing. Practice.


I would take a person in January, to train just to have them fully ready by season. To get really good at something you have to practice. Period. When artist get asked, how do you go about becoming such a great artist: I don't know one that won't tell you: Practice.


I wanted to get good at doing calligraphy: I practiced for six months. I wanted to get good at drawing. I drew for ten years straight. I'd pick a topic: like animals an do it for a year. I wanted to get good at painting with acrylics: I painted with them for four years straight. Watercolor, a few years. Fractal art, a year straight. Photography was no different. I've done it 10 years consistently, minimum 3-4 sessions a day. An the sales that come with them as well.


Any artist will tell you this is how they got good at something. Disciplining themselves to practice daily. Or at least five days a week. My weak point, artistically to me is writing: So now I'm writing at least five days a week.


It's like going to the gym: but for artist.


Just like if you went to the gym every day an worked out certain muscles, they would strengthen. For me, training photographers was like getting them ready for the “big fight”. Eight months of really toning them up to be ready for it. Really ready for the true “game”. While bring in three or four shoots a day strengthen their photography. They had sales down to a natural response: Not a sales pitch. But a belief. In it an in themselves.


They where ready for the onslaught.


An if your experienced in portrait photography: That's about 22 sits a day for a small studio like mine was. It wasn't bigger then a closet I swear it. But for bigger studios, in Chicago I did over 35 sits a day. An that was just me. There where three other photographers going at the same time. Two more editing printing an several sales people. That is how crazy it can get: but your proud to be apart of it. I was honored to be asked to participate.


The demand is there for your work.


You have just got to be prepared for it. An that does mean doing it as much as you possibly can. I use to just pull people randomly off the floor, an literally ask them to come play with me. An those where my words: Play. Don't worry about buying them. Its a bonus if you do, but I just need the practice.


I sold this way.


Because a lot of those folks, I just ask to come play with me: Turned around and liked what they saw. Enjoyed the experience. It showed in the work, an sold itself. Under normal expectations of the company, it was sell it to them right then! I could wait, tell them to come back when they had time an they always did. Because I practiced not only my photography but making the experience fun, memorable: An interactive art experience.


It was work, but it was fun!
Not just for me, but them.


This is is why you need to do 3-4 a day.


Confidence doesn't come from a place of arrogance. It's the actual doing day in day out so much so that it becomes second nature to you. That they are no longer just “dreams” you have, but actual beliefs you walk, talk an live out. It's a deep down knowing, that just makes you smile. An to get to that place you have to actually practice. Do. Over an over. That's when you don't become over bearing when you try to sell your work. That's when, you can look at someone an say...


Come on, let me make ya feel like a Rock Star for hour an not sound corny.


That is the key right there to selling more then you ever thought you would. Making your customers and clients feel great. The more you focus on that, the more sales you will have. An that requires getting yourself to a place where you feel relaxed enough to do naturally. Authentically.


You work on your art regularly and consistently. You & it shine.


The better you get. The same holds true of the sales process that comes with it, to keep doing it. If you do this routine religiously, you get to where you don't worry about the money. It sounds like a cliché' but it comes naturally:Because you are being natural. The better you get, your work gets, the more people enjoy you an buy it.


People buy based on emotion. If you feel good, that comes across.
It makes them feel good, they get a interactive art experience from you.


You shine, they shine. Buying from you feels good.


I'm semi retired now, I can afford to do just one or two shoots a week. I still made sure I didn't get out of practice an did 3-4 sessions 3-4 times a week. Going though a health scare: really bottomed me out. Depressed me because I couldn't just go physically what I use to do 8-16 hours a day. But I can still teach it. Train others from home. Write. I can work on privately strengthen another art skill more: post processing. Editing. An more personalized specialty art. More photo manipulation. More surreal stuff. More time consuming artwork. High end stuff. Gain more confidence in those areas. An yes, I will probably charge more, because it's worth more.


Artist never stop, they just keep growing.


I really could have got myself stuck in a rut, an burned out on photography, traditional art, digital art and being an artist in general. All of it. I do tend to go all in an do something not only until I'm good at it but wore a subject out. Until it becomes so much a part of me, I don't need to second guess it or my ability in it. It took eight months to get someone ready for real season in selling art. So, take the time to get good at something like sales so you can keep doing it. So you have that key I mentioned, when interacting with clients an customers.


Shine.

I was going to go into pricing your photography today, but did a quick search an found there is already plenty of information out there about it. Try:


http://fixthephoto.com/price-list-for-photographer.html
https://www.format.com/magazine/resources/photography/how-to-price-photography


Both have the basic information one would need to understand going about pricing their work. They both explain cost based pricing in portrait photography. An I don't see the need to re-write my own version of saying the same thing. What I will go over is how to take take that information an make it useful. Fix a photo pretty much breaks down hourly rates folks charge nationally depending on your level of experience.


What I didn't like seeing as a professional, was the armature pricing.


An I'll explain why: It's not because I do not think armatures should not charge. I think the price is too low an it's effecting the industry. An not in a good way: People see this sort of pricing, an think they are getting a real deal. That it's the norm. When in fact it's not.


An most amateurs do not say or tell folks they are just starting out.
They think they are getting a seasoned professional, when they aren't.


When, you look at my “portfolio” online, I could easily be mistaken for an amateur because I don't have a large portfolio online. Most professionals, don't because they have worked with the major companies and brands. There are only two brands left in my area. What I am seeing fill the gap is armatures charging even less then recommended on fixthephoto.com


In the industry, we call them shoot n burns.


They don't understand the industry, an probably won't be in business a year running at those prices. It takes money out of the pockets of those serious about their craft. An if you are, you should at least be charging standard digital prices. A digital photo is worth $20 minimum. You should be providing at least six nice photos. So the least a armature should be charging a “shoot” is $120.


I charge $150 per session: Just for digital.


That's me with ten years expedience, starting over.
The session is actually worth $250-$500.


I've had to lower my prices because of shoot an burns. The industry has. An I'm not here to discourage anyone from starting their own business or getting into a photography career. We all have to start somewhere. But my advice to someone really wanting to do photography: Is go work for one of these companies first. So, you do understand the industry first. If your serious. If you want to last in it.


Otherwise, you will reach burn out before you really get off the ground.


Everyone wants to be that Instagram person that got lucky, an sold their photographs without knowing anything about the photography business. The one that just followed their passion an it lead somewhere. I'm one of those people that did follow my passion: but I went straight to the people that could teach me the most about it. I got trained by a photographer that had been doing portrait photography and family photography over twenty years. I learned more from her in a day, then I would have learned floundering on my own. Plus it gave me real world experience working with customers in a non-stop environment. Only now, do I feel qualified to go out on my own.


I wouldn't even call myself a photographer for years.


Not until I was sure I was on solid ground. Not until I could sell my work in five minutes flat. Not until I was that good at it. An I don't know any better way to get good at something then by doing. Had I just went out on my own from the beginning: I would not be as good at it as I am today. Working for one of these companies gave me a constant stream of customers to practice on, to improve my skills. An I got so good at it that I could sell $1100 worth of canvas prints without blinking a eye. That's the level you want to get to before you go out on your own.


You need that confidence built up to go solo.


So I do recommend working for a company first. So you do learn all the pitfals of photography first. They are always hiring. The reason I suggest this is: You not only have to be good at portrait photography but at sales. Good with people. Not just at making a Facebook page. An you will learn how to do it working with companies. Think of it as a apprenticeship. That you come out stronger for having done: Because the one thing armature photographers are not good at is sales.


It's obvious in the lower pricing.


You do not want to be the person that practiced on someone's wedding that got sued. Join a company, gain your expedience working with one. Learn it from the ground up without letting someone down. I'm not saying, not to follow your passion: Learn the business before you go in business. I've worked with college degreed photographers. Sat an watched one cry because she just wasn't good a sales. Watched another, who was a great photographer but couldn't stand working with children or people.
An these are things, you'd probably want to know before spending that much money on a degree.
Both where very unhappy. An they are not the only ones I meet.


I watched seasoned photographers, who did know the business, who did own t heir own studios having to take jobs with one of these companies just to stay afloat. Who, in season had no customers. I worked with Mom365 when I had my health scare just to stay in daily practice. Doing the work & sales. The reason I'm writing this is because professionals make something look easy when in truth it's not.


Any artwork you do for a living takes daily work to get really good at it.


The volume of work these companies bring in, is like strengthening your muscles. The more you do something, the better you get. I hate to see someone loose their passion for something they love. Watching more then one photographer cry because it wasn't going well for them breaks my heart. I don't like to see folks giving false hopes. There are fifty million guru's online talking about how easy it is. None of them talking about how hard it can be.


They are selling hope.


Not experience. Photography right now is one of the hardest art industries to be in. The demand for it is lower because there is a over abundance of it. Everyone wants to be one, or thinks they are one but even those schooled an trained in it are struggling. It cost more then ever today to stand out. Ones pricing should be going up NOT down. Especially if your solo. You are going to have to buy more backgrounds, props an more equipment just to keep up. Stand out.


When I started managing the photo studio, I watched other photographers go into my family business: A tavern an take pictures. I could have been the one doing that trying to get popular. I didn't want to be “popular”. I wanted to sell my art. An taking snapshots of the local bar scene wasn't going to pay the bills. All those “photographers” are gone. No longer in the industry. They couldn't sustain a business doing it. Once in a while, I will go over there an shoot: Just to promote my families business.


I get nothing out of it. Just like, the others figured out.


She isn't going to pay a photographer to take pictures, anyone can. Neither are other bars. Seeing snap shots any customer can take isn't going to create a sustainable art business. An yes, I do understand some have gotten to the top of social platforms as influencers doing this. Some, NOT many. The ones I know about went into more of a events promotion business, then art an a lot of them have got themselves stuck in a rut, they want out of. Having been a true party planner, an related to ones that still do: I can tell you it's a phase of your life: You will outgrow & won't want all your photography to be about. One phase of your life. Unless, your the venue owner you won't make a lot of sustainable money off your art. You will be giving it away for free in hopes of having some influence.


The only ones I give away free to are family.
I just sorta made that my rule. My line.


Everyone else is going to pay me to work. An without going to a company to work for, it's going to be hard for you to gain the experience you need without giving away work for free. I'd would have worked for free to gain the experience I have but it's not practical. It hurts the industry, so won't advise anyone to. Don't want to see anyone doing so. I had to get in there an really see, what was really happening in the brick an mortar businesses to really say that. The effect the internet was having.


I'm very internet pro, not con.


In the future I see more an more of us working from home, not some company or someone else. I'm very pro start your own business doing something you love. An very pro artist.


What I hate seeing is a hack, or scam artist.


Don't be that person, an don't set yourself up to look like one either. If your serious about an art career just don't. Get your skills down first. Then wow folks with what you can do. The sales will come, but don't under charge folks for a service, your professing to be passionate about.


Your passion should include making a living at it.
An not making it harder for folks that actually do.


I'd rather see those starting out charge more, then less. Valuing themselves, an others in the industry they are joining. My studio trained photographers in my district. I trained photographers. Not just to take photos just anyone can do. I taught them sales. Everyone I trained, no matter how learned they where in doing photography: Was insecure about selling them in the beginning. They lacked confidence.


I want photographers to have confidence. Full confidence.


Not just in their ability to take outstanding portraits, photography but the ability to sell it. To know deep down it's worth the price they are asking. Amateur pricing conveys insecurity & undermines the industry on or off the net. You really have to understand, asking $120 is reasonable for the lowest priced markets. That $150 is affordable to most people. Your work is good enough for at least that. Base price.


It will only improve.


Then you can and should raise your prices. No gimmicks, you've seen other hacks doing: Like offering mini sessions for half price. The customers they are getting you don't want. I've seen them in studio: An use to call them the “something for nothings”. They only showed up for the free 8x10 they could get, an wasted a lot of my time. You get these types in any retail business trying to get whatever they can for free.


A free sandwich. A free car wash. A free shot. A free photo.


They complain just to get something for nothing.
They are customers you don't want.


The only thing they are good for is to practice on. Give them a free digital photo if you must build a portfolio. But don't cater to them. They pop up in any industry an they won't pay half price most of the time, let alone a reasonable full price. Be kind. Be polite. But don't fool yourself into thinking your getting somewhere charging half price an having these folks gravitate toward you. You'll work three times as hard for them, an get less an less each time you work with them.


It's not a customer base you want.


You want paying customers. Increasing your portfolio will come as you get those. So they really aren't needed to get going. An later on, you will regret having done them the favor. They will get on social media an complain: Just to get you to work for free or nothing.


Don't take the bait.


Start off at the right prices.


Offer a discount to those that actually refer other paying customers to you. You will still make more then a hack, an still be in business for years to come. They won't. If major studios can't survive these types of customers you won't. The only one I still know in business that deals with these types of customers is JcPenny. I know for a fact: They are struggling. They are owned by Lifetouch, who recently had to sell out to Shutterfly because their business was so bad. Having worked a company owned by Sears Portraits:


I'm positive offering free or half priced does not lead to more sales.
It leads to double the work, half the income an bankruptcy.


Most companies an studios are getting away from offering anything free, or half priced just to get folks in the door. They have learned giving away content on the internet works, but not to give away the store. Let the folks that want something for nothing go to JcPennies. Let them deal with it. Not you. If your out on your own, solo: Use the internet, but use it smartly. Your an artist, your personalizing photography to specifically meet your customers needs. And to do that cost more. For the customer an you. This industry might seem cheap to get into: It's not.


An you shouldn't be either.
Don't be a Hack!





Aspire to be the artist you are. Have some confidence. Not mediocre. If you've found yourself charging hack prices, or using mini session gimmicks. Stop. Know your worth more then that. As a private photographer, you should be starting out AT LEAST what JcPenny charges. Probably more. Don't let the internet miss lead you into thinking charging less is a good business plan. Yes, being competitive is important: But as an private artist: Don't compete for customers you do not want. Being affordable is important. I myself, want to be in a price range anyone can afford me as well. But not so affordable, that others do not take me seriously. Or treat me like: No big deal.


Like they just went to a photo booth for a snap shot.


It's not the service, product or artwork skill level I provide. You don't want it to be or feel like an ordinary experience they can just get anywhere. An that takes a little more effort, time & skill. Dull, unimaginative, and trite work cost less. Let them get that from their camera phone. Not you. You want to be seen and known as a professional: Not a shoot & burn.


Shoot & burns, while technically we all do that, is not a form of flattery.
We all “shoot”. Not all of us do sessions.
We all burn digital cds or flashes.
Not all of us do art.


Anyone can take a snap shot, not everyone can do a portrait.


So if photography is your passion, an you really want to do this as a businesses. One that succeeds. Your first lessons in confidence is going to be getting away from cheap shoot & burn pricing. Being an Amateur or hobbyist doesn't make being a photographer cheap. Even if you just pursue it for pleasure rather then financial gain, it cost money an you should charge standard prices if asked to “shoot” someone.


It shows you respect the art form & the industry an unwilling to contribute to it's downfall.


The first step is confidence.


Whether you're taking the portrait, editing it or selling it. Price correctly.
No low balling yourself, others or undervaluing photography's worth.