I participated in PPA (Professional Photographers of America) Super Monday today. I’d signed up back in September and today was the day! It was a one-day event, hosted by a photographer, at his/her studio, for the purpose of learning, sharing, etc. I met with Bruce Williamson of Williamson’s Photography in Kinston, NC. He has a great home-based studio, “next door” to his house, essentially, in an old converted shed. It’s awesome. Very homey & comfortable.
We talked about portraits, weddings, marketing, websites, process, etc. There were a total of 7 of us attending. I wasn’t the youngest, but pretty close. One of the photographers had brought his son, who works with him. So, I WAS the youngest business owner. And I was the only female. 🙂 That’s ok though, the guys were awesome and everyone was VERY helpful and shared openly which is sooo nice!
I learned a couple of things about the group…
1) With one exception, they all have other jobs. Hmmmmmmm….. I didn’t pick up on why that is exactly. I think mostly because they are just starting out — within the last 2 years.
2) With one exception, they all started this photography thing as part of their retirement or transition in retirement. Not that they are retired exactly, but they are planning it and working to get their photography businesses to sustain them afterward.
3) They all shoot digital. 😀 That made me smile.
4) They all struggle with the same things I struggle with … price, customers, quality.
Some other things I learned just from listening and participating
1) I need set hours. People will walk over you for evenings and weekend unless you have set hours. Once you set hours, they are comfortable with taking their kids out of school, etc. For now, I’m keeping my evenings and weekend options open … we’ll see, as time goes on, if I can nix that.
2) I need to be going to PPofNC guild meetings, convention and super mondays. I had already planned this for 2007, so hopefully I can go. These are all training and industry-based meetings ment to enhance a photographer’s skill by interacting with other photographers. I get a lot of that in my online forum — I learn *A LOT* from ILP, but as a member of PPofNC, I should take advantage of those benefits too.
3) Staying busy is a matter of keeping up with your customers. Word of Mouth is the best method of advertising, but staying local is important to. This has lead me to create a 2007 awareness campaign. Sticking to Apex-based publications only, I’m going to get some advertising going, not for the purpose of bringing people in every single day, but for the purpose of making people in Apex know who I am. I think I am a virtual unknown at the moment!
4) Having a SEPARATE studio is key. It doesn’t matter whether it’s attached to a house or not, but it needs to be detached. Of course, I can’t build a studio in my neighborhood, so I’m “stuck” going retail — which is what I want, but the guy that I have been talking with has all the sudden stopped calling. So I guess I’m on to looking for space #3. 🙁
There is more, but it’s been a loooooooooooong day with a 2hr drive down, 8 hours in study and 2 hrs back. It’s been a wonderful day though and I am so glad I went! I anticipate going back in April 2007 for Bruce’s wedding course. 🙂