I have been receiving so much support { over on facebook }, and really, I cant thank everyone enough for your lovely comments. Sometimes I receive questions from photographers regarding my photography as well, so I thought Id attempt to do an every once in awhile quesitons&answers friday…and heres the first one :
Let me quickly say, I had the intention of answering every single question that was posted however I have found its taking a wee bit longer then I expected so Im sorry if I didnt get to your question. xo
Q : Louise Johnson : Hi Barb, Im about 1yr old into photography and loving every bit of it and wish to make this my full-time profession within the future coming from a graphics background. As Im 34 yrs old should I be asking other professionals for work experience or should I be looking at doing formal training (as I have completed 3 short courses in the last year)? Im struggling on where to go now, some advice would really help, thanks a million. Sorry also are you Nikon or Canon?
A : Hi Louise, ooh one year into photography is such an exciting time. In a way Im jealous of you, and all the enthusiasm you likely have. In regards to going in to business well, my first bit of advice is take your time. I think its great that your really thinking about how to do this rather then jumping on in. The market is really saturated – which doesn’t mean there isn’t room for more – it simply means you need to think carefully about what you are offering your clients and make sure you are giving them the best of you. I personally didnt go along the lines of doing work experience however I’m sure its invaluable. One year is a fairly short time in the world of photograph and becoming a professional. I believe I was at least 3-4 years in before I starting taking clients however really, comparing isnt really helpful when it comes to artistic jobs as for all I know you could be amazingly brilliant already. That being said, take your time, build a body of work that you can be proud of, and be honest with yourself on when you are ready. You will know.
Oh and BTW, I am 100% in love with my Canon gear =). (Sorry Nikon, Canon just won my heart). Thanks for your questions!
Q: Bianca Cowlishaw : I do love my (basic) canon but time for an upgrade, the recent drop from hubby has done damage. What would you recommend for a non professional who can’t take enough pictures? Also – the quilt on Penny’s bed (recent blog post), where is it from and do you know if it comes in other colours??? Love it, its beautiful, simple and girly…..
A : Hi Bianca, Penny’s quilt is from Anthropologie. They ship just about anywhere. As for the Canon well, the 60d or the 5dmarkii. The 5d would be my pick of the two. Thanks for your q’s.
Q : Samantha Ryan McVie : as a new photographer I’m struggling with setting my pricing, I’m also trying to find a photo lab in Melbourne, can you offer any suggestions? thanks for sharing.
A : Ahh pricing. This is really, really important and Im so glad you asked the question. When setting your pricing you need to consider your costs. Theres a whole lot of thinking required and its really important you get it right as you dont want to get burnt out. A simple guide would be to start with your 5x7s at least $40 and above. Anything less then your basically working for chips. So if you feel your not worth that yet, I would wait until you feel you are before jumping into business. And if you have children, as much as photography can be something that melts the heart, it sure doesn’t melt the hearts of little ones whos mummys are missing in actions for next to no pay. So, figure out all your costs of running, your time spent and then work out your pricing. And if your first tax year isnt as good as you thought it would be, then be honest with yourself, and get real about your pricing. Its a big, big, BIG topic, however I hope that gives you a starting point.
As for the lab in Melbourne – try nulab.com.au.
Q : Kelly Dyett : far out.this is unreal. cant wait to hear your anwers. you are like our yoda (omg my husband would be so proud of me referring to star wars). would love to know your pick if you could only have one lens and would also love to know on average how many photos would you take in a normal shoot before you start culling them.
A : Hi Kelly, how funny – star wars fans hey! =) Oh, you know this is a very hard question for me, I do love my equipment. I’m abit of a gadget girl. However, the 50mm is a great starting point. 50mm 1.2L. Yummy! As to the average amount of photographs – ALOT! Long gone are the days of clicking carefully and missing expressions. I can take anywhere up to 500-700 shots a shoot.
Q : Sandra Garcia Bludau : In the beginning. Who do you suggest to critique your portfolio?
A: Hi Sandra : http://www.cheryljacobsportraits.com/ (shes brilliant and last time I looked she was offering portfolio critiques..).
Q : Tacey Gosling : Okay, even though I am coming to you vancouver workshop…I guess I shall ask now…it’s killin’ me….WHERE do you get the bunnies, chicks, etc. for your sessions? Do you have a little animal farm on your property, or do you ‘rent’ them, or, or, or????? =) Can’t wait till July!!!
A : Hi Tacey, Im so excited tooooooo. Regarding your questions : I posted this series of pics just for you btw. I do actually own 3 rabbits. One lives under our house – Shadow. And two other ones : Marley and Twiggy. This is Twiggy. So I do tend to photograph them a fair bit however the kids just love them and rabbits are so cute. As for the horses, and chicks etc, well most of the time its organised prior via lovely folk offering their horses for us to shoot or clients actually owning them. Abit of a mix and it can take some organising. See you in less then 2 months!!
Q : Heth Hean : When are you coming back to Adelaide so I can get a shoot done? Posing – does it come naturally or do you struggle to think of poses at times. How do you keep the posing ‘fresh’ so not all shoots look similar?
A : Hi Heth! I am hoping to return to Adelaide next year. I am not yet sure of dates and likely won’t know until October this year, however it is on the cards!! Thanks for thinking of me for your shoot!! As for posing….. I struggle just like everyone else does. Actually, I don’t pose adults naturally at all as I am far too caught up in what the kids are doing. I tend to like photographs better when there is some kind of connection in some way – a hand touching, feet touching, anything. I consider myself a kids photographer so things are usually from the kids level, rather then being seen through the adults eyes which helps get perspective. And in turn, I think helps everyone relax a little too. Thanks for your q!
Q : Karen Ashcroft : Hi Barb! Thanks for sharing, do you have a sales process as such after presenting clients photos? Oh, andhow do they get those big boats into those little horizontal glass bottles? =)
A : Hi Karen!!! I giggled at your question about the boats : and you know the funny thing. Shelley (my assistant), emailed me the answer and Ive forgotten – I think thats fairly telling. But dont they pull the sail up afterward?! I so need to do a shoot with one of those boats! As for the sales q : well, my clients recieve their galleries online and go to a pricing page that explains all the packages etc. They choose from there. If they want help then I offer them a consultation. There is a fair bit more to it however, thats a start anyway and hope it answers your question somewhat.
Q : Michelle McDaid : What or who inspires YOU?
A : Hi Michelle, oooh thats a good one. I am inspired by my own children the most. (I know boring answer). However. Its. True. They remind me every single day why I do this job. Secondly, my own childhood and background in child care (I use to work as a child care professional). I’ve always loved kids. When I really think about inspiration, and where it all comes from, I think of a place where my photography is more about the kids and less about the end result. Sometimes I get too caught up in it, and actually this is a really nice reminder to get back to that place. As for people….other photographers….I get asked this a lot. A. LOT! And Im going to say that Im not going to start a list because it would be a mile long and I wouldnt want to leave anyone out. However, goodness there are some amazingly talent people out there who just blow me away and there are some who are even just starting out. They. Are. That. Awesome. Sometimes I find it a bit overwhelming so I must admit, whilst I do love looking, I tend to try not to so much. Thanks for your q (it was a good’n!)
Q : Michelle McDaid : To what do you attribute your ability to attract clients with such creative and modern/colorful homes or session locations? This is a chicken-and-egg question, since I’m sure your portfolio only attracts folks who like your distinctive style at this point but when you were starting out, how did you work to attract the right kinds of clients that enabled you to develop your style?
A : Hey again!! =) Well, my biggest peice of advice here is to only show on your portfolio what you want to attract – so if your after a certain style you could consider doing some portfolio building shoots. However that being said, not all my clients have creative, modern and colouful homes. (Im sure I have clients nodding as they read this).. Sometimes I am very, very fortunate and have clients who have wonderfully Vogue style homes and location however its not always. I do a lot of location scouting, and often turn up earlier to find locations if the shoot is out of my area. I do love a good location and tend to go back to ones that work well. One of my favourite locations to shoot is infront of a bush…. Its an average bush too.
Q : Tiffany Lumley : If you arrive at a shoot and the child refuses to be photographed does the client still pay you and if so what percentage. Do you ever plan on doing a workshop in sa =) How long is each of your photo sessions and do you spend longer with new borns ? Your work is incredible by the way – i love the shoot on the bed reading stories. Just beautiful!
A : Hi Tiffany, firstly let me say thanks for your compliments! =) Secondly, yes that happens sometimes and I will offer a refund or reshoot. Kids are just kids, and you have to expect that sometimes – it happens to every photographer at least once. My sessions usually last around 2 hours, and I spend the same amount of time with newborns. Regarding your other question : YES, Im hoping to come to SA soon! Thanks again!
Wooo ok, I would have liked to have answered more however hopefully next time. Thanks SO very much for all the support everyone has given us, I really can’t thank you enough. xoxo.
Barb