MWAC Attack

WOW, has it been that long since I put anything on here?? Oh well guess it shows that this is not my main "raison d'etre" in life.

Anyway. MWAC Attack. God I love this woman and believe it or not there are actually "professional" photographers out there who think she is serious??

COME ON, get real folks. She is taking the piss and boy is she good at it.

If you have not seen her then here is herYouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/MWACattack

You just have to watch some of her videos and if you think she is actually being serious then do yourselves a favour folks, Give up now and retire to a cave somewhere.

A

This is causing the forums to meltdown

Been a while since I could be arsed putting anything on here - but this  has caused me to laugh and cry out loud in different measures.
Laugh at the ridiculous comments from people saying this guy is a prima donna or is being ridiculous.
Cry at the fact that people are so stupid and moronic that they cannot see what this photographer is actually trying to say.

I am sure many of you have seen this blog post http://www.petapixel.com/2012/01/10/this-photograph-is-not-free/

It seems to be causing all sorts of arguments and fallings out (is it that or falling outs?) around the photographic community.

Let's get a couple of things straight here.
1. he is not saying that the 6612 figure is what the picture would cost someone now.
2. he is not really saying that the 6612 figure is what the picture ACTUALLY cost to do
3. he IS trying to make a point that the image cost more than the few seconds of time it took to actually record it.
4. he IS trying to make the point that photographs cost money to produce. Whether that is at the time of taking them, the equipment required to take them, the time spent honing skills etc etc is immaterial.

The simple fact remains that they cost money and consequently people wanting to use them for themselves should be prepared to pay a fair price to use them.

John Mueller (the photographer) actually got his figures totally wrong. Being a professional photographer he would have to include his insurances, business licenses, cost of all the utilities used etc etc etc

The next time a publisher wants to use one of your images for nothing just ask them for 1000 copies of the publication for nothing.
You could also ask them if they are getting all their staff to work for free, their premises for free, their materials for free, their insurances for nothing etc etc etc.


OK John maybe did not point the point very well but the point is still valid.
DO NOT EXPECT TO USE OUR WORK FOR NOTHING.

Brilliant video tutorials

Apparently "Missy" here is causing a storm, with those with absolutely zero sense of humour.

These should definitely be on everyones must watch list.

http://www.youtube.com/user/MWACattack#p/a/u/2/-S3NFW2c7hA

The world is going mad

well, at least the British are going mad about the Levenson inquiry into the press.

Who is getting the brunt of the bad feeling just now? Yup, Photographers.
Or to be more precise, the Paparazzi.

Here is a good post by a press photographer. He is basically saying what many feel.
http://paper.li/richflintphoto/photography

The ridiculous rants of various "celebrities" and people like Mr. McCann calling for there to be a requirement to get permission before ANY picture of a person can be published are just too ridiculous for words.

Yes, I think everyone agrees that the behaviour of SOME photographers and members of the press has been beyond the pale.
However to have the typical knee-jerk reaction to the actions of some and call for a ban on all is just a tad silly.

I must say that I absolutely love the rants of the so-called "celebrities" complaining about the intrusion of photographers on their "nights out" when it is often their own press offices (at celebs behest) who are informing the "paps" and others of their appearance at the latest "in" place.

Let us hope that all this hysteria does not lead to over the top laws and regulations. If it does then what are Joe and Joanne Public going to do to get their daily dose of "celebrity" life they so crave??

Why do clients think that just because it is digital then it is cheap?

I know, this has probably been done a bunch of times before by more technical and financially astute people than I. But what the heck, just because someone has done something better than I can has never stopped me having a go before.

Let’s just have a quick look at the basic costs of a 35mm film based system vs the equivalent digital system.

Taking Nikon Pro level cameras as a basis (F3 for film, D3x for digital)

Film Camera system costs.

Camera  x2 =  £2600 (these bodies retailed for around £1300 when new)

Lenses (various ) = £10,000 (Using variety of Nikon Prime “pro” lenses)

Flash guns and various accessories = £2000 (2 x speedlights and bits and pieces)

Total for film system = £14,600

Digital Camera system costs

Camera x2 = £10,000

Lenses (various) =  £10,000

Flash guns and various accessories = £2,000

Note that the lenses and accessories would be very much the same for both systems

Total for Digital system =  £22,000

Now what about the recording media costs? i.e. the film and processing etc.

Let’s base it on a snapper actually shooting 150 days a year and shooting approx 250 frames for each day. Certainly not a high amount in any ones language.

Film

250 frames =7 x 36 exposure films x 150 = 1050 films.

Kodak Chrome = 1050 x £8.00 = £8400

Kodak Porta      = 1050 x £4.50 = £4725

Processing  E6  =  £7350

Processing C41 =  £10,500 (dev and contact sheets)

Total £15,750 for chromes

         £15,225 for film neg and dev/contacts

Digital

Memory cards 2 x8gb + 2 x 16gb = £250

Computer - Apple iMac 27 inch 2.7GHz Intel Core i5 4GB Ram + 1TB Hard Drive  =  £1500

Imaging and cataloguing software = £2,000

Total = £3,750

So, so far we have totals of £30,350 for film system and basic processing costs

and  £25,750 for a digital system.

So, that is a no-brainer then.  Digital is more expensive for the equipment but that is made up for with cheaper overall processing costs?

Really?

How long does it take to take or send the film to the lab?  - 10 minutes ?

How long does it take to sort and send the contacts or chromes to the client? – half a day max ?

So if your time is worth £1000 per day then that is £500

Now for the digital files, how long does it take to download, sort, convert from raw, sharpen, colour correct, keyword, catalogue the files, backup and store? = 2 days?  (OK, so you can do that in a day because unlike me you have your workflow expertly sorted)

So that is £1-2000 worth of your time.

Now what other costs are involved in the two.

Well with film there really is not much else. You shoot, you process and you pass to client.

Equipment is pretty robust and you would only be replacing camera and/or lenses when they broke or maybe after 5 years when they are depreciated.

So let’s say you budget for a complete turnaround of equipment every five years. That works out at around £3000 per year.

With Digital though, you are probably going to have to replace/update the camera every couple of years. Digital is moving quickly and the cameras are getting better all the time. You need to compete so you need the best.

Computers need to be able to cope with the bigger and more complex files so that will be upgraded/replaced every couple of years.

Software moves on and up. So that will also be upgraded/replaced every couple of years.

So let’s say that you need to budget for a total turnaround of your equipment every 3 years.

That works out at around £8500 per year.

So now you have an ongoing annual cost for film of £18,750 (that is your film and processing plus equipment)and the cost for digital of only £8500

So ok you say, digital is still cheaper in the long run.

BUT WAIT...........

We forgot the TIME. (not forgetting the old adage that “time is money”)

Film is only a half a day so for 150 days a year shooting you have another 75 days processing etc.

With digital that is at best 150 extra days for processing etc.

So if your time is worth 1000 per day that is 75000 against 150000.

WOW – suddenly the cost of digital has shot ahead. It is not “cheap” after all.

Now, are you letting your customers know this when they say “but all you have to do is shoot and stick it all on the computer”???

Please note, all figures are only rough figures, they can go up or down at will depending on what you shoot and what equipment is required. Studio equipment and actual printing costs are basically the same for both although for digital there is again a lot more TIME involved so overall Digital will still come out more costly in the long run.

 

I also have no doubt that plenty of people will not agree with any or all of the above. Guess what??  That is fine by me.

I am only giving an opinion based on my own experience.

I find that I am spending more time on all the aspects of a shoot when shooting digital than I ever did with film and consequently that means that the overall costs are higher.

If you are a hobbyist shooting purely for fun and your own satisfaction then the only thing in the above which is relevant is that after the first year (when you initially buy the equipment), your overall day to day costs will reduce.

If you are a pro then the physical costs will reduce but everything else will increase.

Have fun.

A

Why have Public Liability insurance?

A question cropped up on a photography forum the other day from someone who is just starting out with their business and they were balking at getting public liability insurance. Their reasoning was because they were only doing small jobs then the $312 dollars annual premium was not worth it.

That was from someone in America for crying out loud, the most litigious country there is.  10 lawyers for every “normal” citizen (or some ridiculous statistic like that)

Anyway everyone replying explained the requirement for it.

If you don’t know why you may need it yourself then read on.

DO I need PL Insurance?

The simplest test for this is -  if you accept any money, including expenses, for any work you undertake or have undertaken then you really should have Public Liability cover.

 The only photographer that doesn’t need it is the photographer that can afford to lose their home  and business. So unless you fit into this small minority then you should consider this important insurance before you step out of your house.

Public Liability, or PL as it is known, covers your liability for any damage you may due to another person, or property, accidentally whilst undertaking work. This could be a simple accident such as someone falling over a tripod, scratching or breaking furniture right through to more serious issues that could leave people scarred or disabled for life.

What is the worse that can happen if I don’t have it.

Well if losing your business and home is bad than that is how bad it can get.

 I have heard of a case not so long ago that demonstrated this, where a photographer was undertaking work for a Local Authority – luckily he had £5 million PL cover. As he was taking pictures of the mayor shaking hands at a Civic ceremony, he stepped back and knocked an old lady who was behind him on the pavement. She wobbled and fell, hitting her head on the corner of the paving stone separating the pavement and road. The accident left her severely brain damaged and she required constant care 24 hours a day as she was unable to look after herself. The photographer was taken to court and the family won £3.1 million in damages to ensure her care for the remainder of her life. This was in the UK! Not the US where this sort of case happens regularly for a lot smaller injuries.

With the growth of the “compensation culture” and the “no win, no fee” ambulance chasing lawyers around then claims for even minor injuries and damage are becoming very commonplace.

Payouts seem to be increasing all the time.

This case certainly might of been a rare accident but then so is winning the lottery and people win that. It can and does happen.

Yeah but I only do little jobs in peoples homes and offices. Surely I can manage without it?

Simply put, NO you can’t.

 The other thing PL covers is 3rd party property damage. This would cover you if you damaged someone else’s property whilst conducting some photographic work. For example, you might be in someones home and drop a lens or flashlight onto their glass coffee table, the family dog might bang into your tripod and cause the camera and lens to fall onto their expensive Italian marble fireplace etc.

 A simple accident like this could cost in the region of a £1,000 or more – Do you want to have to stump up that sort of amount or more! With most PL cover there is traditionally a £250 excess for 3rd party property damage, so it is worth remembering to try and be as careful as you can when you’re dealing with others!

How much cover do I need?
Packages are available offering £1 million, £2 million and £5 million PL cover. If you are working in hotels, restaurants, for a Local Authority or in a shopping centre then the chances are you will be asked for the £5 million option. As with anything, the more cover you require the more expensive it becomes, but £2 million seems to be a popular starting point and you can always extend to £5 million for short term cover!

Working in airports, railways, in the air or some other high risk areas will demand that you have the higher levels and the premiums will increase for those things as they are considered a greater risk by insurers.

Often businesses will demand a certain level of PL insurance prior to awarding contracts or allowing access to their premises. It is always worth checking first.

What is the difference between Public Liability and Professional Indemnity?
PL cover is for damage to another person or their property whilst Professional Indemnity or PI as it is known, covers your liability for failing to produce work to a professional standard.

For instance,  if you are required to produce a certain amount and type of image to a deadline because publication depends on it. If you fail in your professional duty and cannot or don’t produce the images per contract then the client could claim any financial loss from you.

Professional Indemnity Insurance provides you with financial protection for your business, the costs of defending claims made against you, including damages that may become payable.

PI cover is a MUST for one off events like weddings, where you have been booked to provide photographs, but is unlikely to be needed at events where you would “sell” photographs afterwards to make money – after all, if you don’t get the shot that is wanted you won’t sell any pictures!

Do I always have to have both PL and PI?
No. As mentioned, if you are doing one off events on a commission, then it is important that you are covered. ( Always try in the case of weddings to get the Bride & Groom to cover themselves with wedding insurance too! ) If for example, you are a landscape photographer or deal solely in Portraits, if anything was to happen you could go back and take the pictures again. This is unlikely to be the case at a wedding!

Really, how does PI really help me?

As mentioned already, the UK is becoming more litigious. You may be sued by a client who is merely dissatisfied, but has no valid claim (basically has changed their mind and does not want to pay).

 This could involve you in substantial legal costs and non-productive time. From the legal standpoint, the position with regard to the “duty of care” is the same for any professional. If you offer a service in a specific area or set yourself up as a specialist, you owe a “duty of care” to anybody who might reasonably rely upon your service and advice over and above that owed by the ordinary man in the street.

What is a good example of a PI claim?
A good example of where PI would be useful is if you were to undertake wedding photography and the bride and groom felt the pictures you produced were substandard or you were unable to produce them as the film had been lost or stolen or the data card wiped. They may then choose to issue legal proceedings against you. If this was the case, PI insurance would cover the costs of defending and/or settling the claim.

OK. I am convinced, now what?

Always make sure that the cover you have in force is suitable.

It is always best to get this insurance from a specialist who knows the market. Even then though, make sure that you thoroughly check through the policy documents and ensure that you are covered for everything that you require.

Get everything in writing, do not take their word for it over the phone.

Never, never, leave the house, or invite clients around without PL cover if you are earning money from photography. The risks are too great!

There are a number of companies offering good PL and PI cover for the photography industry. Search around for the best deal for you.

Wanna start your own photography business do you?

There are so many questions on various forums (fora?) and Q&A sites about starting a photography business, many from people who have just bought a “perfeshonal” camera because their mum told them their pictures are “brilliant”, that I thought I would put this little post together.

In no particular order, have you done already or put plans in place for all the different aspects of starting and running the business.

Let’s start with the basic business side of things:

Have you:

• Written out a proper business plan, including your goals for the year, 2 years, 5 years?
• Got enough capital. (that is cash money and finance) to actually start up and then survive for at least a couple of years before you make a profit.
• Thought of a name for your business (no cutesy or "unique" names. KISS (keep it simple, stupid).
• Checked with your council.local government about setting up in that area. Even running a home based business may require licenses or at least permission from the local council.
• Checked with the dreaded tax man about self employment or Ltd. Company status.
• Chosen a location for your business
• Got the necessary photography equipment or know where to source it.
• Got the necessary studio equipment or know where to source it.
• Got the necessary office equipment or know where to source it.

 You have! Great. Now what about the initial and future marketing side? Have you?

• Decided on and created your logo and company branding
• Created and printed business cards and stationery
• Created a brochure/flyer
• Built a website
• Created a blog – not a necessity by any means but it seems we all do that in these days of “total” communication.
• Sorted and created your sample photographs, framing and albums

Hey you are doing well if you have got this far and said yes to everything so far.

Let’s continue,  what  about suppliers. Have you got arrangements and agreements with:

• Camera and camera equipment suppliers
• Lighting suppliers
• Backgrounds and prop suppliers
• Framing suppliers
• Album companies
• Printers for marketing materials
• Web designer
• Professional lab
• Shipping companies
• Accountant/bookkeeper
• Small business mentor and coach

Still reading? Wow, you are doing well. Now let’s talk about what you are actually going to sell or packages.

Have you:

• Actually decided what field you are going to specialise in. This could be in any part of this list but here will do,
• Chosen a professional lab. You will need to know that to determine pricing for photographs
• Designed the packages you are going to offer.
• Chosen your pricing – based on whatever criteria you have decided. I still maintain that you must base that on your Cost Of Doing Business model
• Created your sales tools

Hey, know something. If you are still answering yes to all these then you are just about ready to actually start that business. Oh hang on, just a couple of other things which you may have overlooked.

Have you thought about your office? Even photographers need offices as well as studios.

Have you

• Bought or sourced computer equipment and software
• Got all your  desks, cabinets, shelves, and files
• Opened up a business bank account
• Set up your accounting system
• Bought your basic office supplies
• Ordered and installed your communication tools. Internet, land line, fax, mobile.

I assume you already know all about photography and you have actually got the necessary skills to be a professional in your chosen genre of photography. But what about ongoing education.

Don’t forget to:

• Join the relevant professional photography associations
• Sort out business classes
• Find a mentor. This could be a friend who is running a successful business (does not have to be photography) or someone else you can call on for help and assistance.
• Read books
• Subscribe to industry magazines or newsletters

Whoops, nearly forgot the important bits. What about clients. You may already have a few who will keep you going for the first month but what about going forward?

Have you thought about:

• Joining local business associations, clubs and other groups where your customers may hang out
• Advertising – local papers, radio stations, notice boards etc.
• Referrals. Best way to get customers. Think about having a referral plan
• Your website. Get it ranked on google and other search engines
• Attending meetings of the various clubs and associations you joined.

OK. Looks like you have everything in place. GO FOR IT. But don’t forget that if you have done everything properly and your business takes off then you will need to think about the future. So now is already the time to be thinking about building the business.

Make sure you look at all the things like:

• Hiring photography assistants
• Hiring office staff
• Accountancy firm – once you get busy then your books will become to complicated and time consuming to do yourself
• Taxes. It is a sad fact that the more business you get the more complicated your tax gets. You (hopefully) will have to register for VAT, your business rates will increase, your personal taxes will become greater.
• Last thing I will put here is that you will need to look at setting up things , including medical insurance, unemployment insurance, pension plans and all that good stuff.

Well, what can I say? If you have reached this bit of the post and have answered yes to everything above then you are 99.9% more prepared than the majority of those people who ask about starting their own photography business. 

Read your plan over, amend it, refine it. Nothing is ever set in stone and your business plan is a guideline for what you need to do. Be prepared to have things change as your business grows.

Good luck

Andy