When I moved back to Mackay from Brisbane I envisaged that product photography would probably be my main field. Maybe it will, time will tell. Mackay is in the middle of a bit of a boom business wise. It has a massive support industry for the mining sector with major industrial sites still expanding, particularly in the Paget area. Of course everything else goes with that, jobs mean people, people mean demand for goods, entertainment, leisure and dining. To an extent I overestimated how easy it would be to tap into the advertising requirements that creates. I forgot Mackay is still a word of mouth region. I forgot many companies are national or international with marketing decided at head office, I forgot smaller businesses just won't or can't pay for bespoke images. Worst of all I forgot these strong economic times mean businesses are just doing far too well to need advertising.
I had a number of companies tell me they can't handle more business, the last thing they want is advertising. Hotels / motels are at full occupancy almost constantly, several never having advertised or having any web presence, and the panel beaters has a 7 month waiting list on minor repairs.
How has this translated into my business?
Well first of all how did I try marketing it? In the past 18-24 months, (which includes educational and Brisbane time) my accounting software shows outgoings on courses and gear of over 27,000 dollars and income (as anticipated) for new start seriously in the negative. This means advertising budget is non-existent. I've taken space in the Local Directories (yet to enter print) and also a 12 months in the Mackay Telegraph. Beyond that it is what I can get by leg work. I had a bound Portfolio printed up. More about the trials of the portfolio printing in a later blog. The 12x12 folio was then duly walked round nearly every business that seemed like a potential client for as long as my business cards lasted. Of over 900 business cards dropped only 1 booking has resulted so far. For the amount of time pacing the industrial areas a poor return indeed. What have I learnt? Well I am still sure the business is there, am I getting past the just out of school receptionist? (usually not). Am I there at the time they want images? (probably not).
I went to the QME 2012 (Queensland Mining Exhibition) with over 600 exhibitors, all used photography to illustrate their displays, 99.9% was the type of photography my skill set and equipment set can do. Only trouble there was;- A. They already had their images, posters etc, B. As a QME visitor I can't promote my trade. I was too late on scene for them all.
Overall I think I've learnt to look far more often at feedback available to me, i.e. does a card drop/cold call reflect in website hits, do I get more calls? If I don't do I have another tactic? My new tactic for this last couple of weeks has been the Telegraph ad.
One area that has seemed potentially to be a good one was small Restaurants and Cafes. I've had 3 very strong enquiries about this, I rated one as almost a certainty. The 2 smaller independent cafes I wasn't too sure would go with it. Simple reason is that food photography is very labour intensive and time consuming. It therefore isn't cheap, even in the customers time. I strongly recommended to both outlets the image should reflect what they sell, not be generic shots not the -"strawberries and chilled smoothies on the tropical beach" type thing. I can do that, but feel it is a let down to their customers and is just doing the stock photography thing. One of the two was quoted, I'd already been told no budgets so as anticipated it was a knock back. Why did neither go for it? Well I'm sure I'm up against cheap stock images, second is I can show my previous food images, but not their food, they don't have an idea of what they will get. I could offer a free test or single set but they still need to commit time and effort, there is too much resistance to that first step.
Image: - Coffee and gear. Shot in Studio.
The final enquiry was for (potentially) a set of images for a new chain of Cafes, with possibilities for wall and menu images. I got raves about my existing images, I followed up in several ways within his time frame but was unable to gain further conversations/contact. No idea why.
Of course chasing this type of business isn't just about the product, it can equally well result in images for;- processes, training manuals, environmental, executive and staff portrait, real estate, handover, certification, insurance, lifestyle etc etc.
Most photographers specialise, whether it is wedding, fashion, press, commercial, forensic, whatever. Many go through a "reinvention" every few years, choosing a new direction and style. How they go about choosing that 1st speciality is often interesting, many fall into it through assignment or by who they have assisted, sometimes it is a big client that chooses a successful direction for them. I've met a few that have been "press ganged" into a wedding shoot , usually by mates or relatives, and ended up being so good they stuck with it.
For the moment I'm still defining my absolute path, more by eliminating the sort of photography I don't want to do. For me that has so far eliminated any schools, graduation formals, and formal weddings. I have done employee group shoots for companies. I will do narrative style wedding shoots. Formal shoot requires crowd control, I don't do that. I usually have to explain the difference between narrative and formal shoots; - and for most brides and grooms narrative isn't chosen. I can understand that, I'd make a good second photographer hire at a wedding, providing the alternative POV.
Similarly I don't see myself as an overseas photojournalist, I like travel and exotic places as much as anyone, but war zones, NTY. I like to get home at the end of the day, and I don't run that fast these days.
So where am I pitching my work? Well, mostly in the following areas:-
Product,
General Commercial and Industrial including Manufacturing
Editorial
Portraiture
Executive and Environmental Portraiture
Real Estate
Event
Fashion and Beauty
Natural History
These aren't exclusive disiplines, for example Fashion could equally be Product, or Event or Portraiture depending on the shoot conditions.
In Mackay I probably see fashion as being the least popular of the above list, the city just isn't big enough. Posters or brochures/advertising for independant retail outlets are certainly a possibility but many outlets are national chains with national marketing.
Natural history is possibly one for either stock photography, magazines, or perhaps tourism, again limited appeal but one I enjoy.
Of the rest there is no clear winner at this point. I can cover most scenarios in all those without issues. Editorial is perhaps the greatest "catch all" and event is I feel almost a subset.
Mackay local band - The Fat Cigars.
Playing News Years Eve 2012
Event isn't just about photographing the entertainment, whether that is a band, a race or whatever (that I'd label editorial anyway), more about the client/customer whether it is a birthday, reception or a staff party (or other staff function like a team building).
Birthday Party - April 2011
As with any blog, there has to be a reason, a purpose. So often I see that blogs are dismissed as nothing more than personal vanity or ego. I make no excuses for my purpose here, firstly I believe it is a necessary step in todays climate for business purposes. Secondly it is to self educate, either through my customers or through fellow freelancers and photographers that may comment on like minded issues.
I am new to the photography business in Mackay. I lived here prior but had taken a couple of years out in Brisbane, where I didn't waste my time, choosing to build on my photography by completing a Diploma in Photoimaging and starting full time freelance. Moving back some six months after course completion hasn't been without its challenges, but here I am with a young business trying all the methods at my disposal (including this blog) to step forward.
My intent here is to show some of the actual "hands on" processes to completed jobs and also raise some of the trials and tribulations freelancers face.
Image: - Coffee and gear. Shot in Studio.
