Tagged with business

Dress Code

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Every photographer at some point has come to a point where they’re not sure how to dress for a certain type of photoshoot or event. Most of these photographers are the ones that are just getting into a photoshoot or an event.

I decided to make some tips for a photographer’s dress code so here it goes:

  • Dress to blend in. You’re supposed to be invisible so you have to blend in. You are not the focus of attention so do not wear loud/colourful/distracting clothing. Therefore you should stick to darker solid colours OR just have your top in a solid colour that could be a bit bright but not bright and bold to the point that you’re sticking out like a sore thumb.
  • Don’t overdress or under dress. You may not be expected to dress formally like in a suit with a tie and what not but you should still dress somewhat formally like a button up shirt and some suit pants. Ladies, you don’t need to wear a dress, I would suggest wearing pants NOT jeans. It’s a lot more difficult to work in a dress as you would have to consider on whether or not you are flashing other people as you’re getting your shots.
  • Dress comfortably. Ladies, don’t wear heels as over time through out the day, your feet will be sore and it will be crying. Wear comfortable shoes like flats but don’t wear sneakers.
  • Dress to make your clients feel comfortable. If you want to get your clients to relax a bit, wear slacks and a designer t-shirt. Ladies, you can wear pants with a nice top. You don’t have to look formal just semi-casual and not casual to the point where you seem unprofessional.

If you are still unsure, for some events, ask your client what the dress code is that they would like you to be in. If they don’t have one then just dress semi-formal but don’t wear jeans.

You’re Worth It, Don’t Charge Any Less

You're Worth It, Don't Charge Any Less

Lately I, myself, have been finding it difficult to think that I’m worth every penny that a client spends. It’s not easy especially when freelancing and trying to get the income that you need to survive. I am writing this post because I was not only inspired by a blog post on creativelive, http://blog.creativelive.com/how-to-set-rates-that-work/, but also because there are a lot of freelancers out there who also do this.

There’s one thing that everyone needs to know is that your personal value/worth is completely different from fees/services that you are providing to your clients. They have nothing to do with each other. You have to think of it as the services that you provide to your client has to do with what you do for them and what they can get out of what you do. It’s the value of the service/fees that make it valuable not about yourself.

Figuring out how much to charge is difficult and I have done plenty of research about what to price or the ranges to price within that make you believe that your services are worth that price. Therefore, you must separate your worth from pricing.

Additionally, money is not an easy subject to talk about with a client especially if you’re more of a creative person, like myself, and less of a business/marketing type of person. To me, money is not only a touchy subject but just not easy to discuss and it can be very stressful. Sometimes when you have discussed so much with a client and you still don’t get the client, you feel slightly horrible because you worked so hard to get to a negotiating point. Or, you don’t even get the opportunity to have a negotiating point but hey, don’t feel down, everything happens for a reason.

Another reason which is also quite a big factor of charging too little is that sometimes you lose the sight that you are the expert in that area and the client ends up leading the situation rather than yourself. You have to let them know that they are in good hands so you have to lead the conversation and not let the client do that. The client is coming to you for your services and they want your services. So in a way, you have to assure them that they are in good hands and that you are worth every penny that they spend on your services.

In the end, be confident, keep your head up, know you’re services are worth every penny, and understand what you’re offering to the clients.

I hope you enjoyed my post and have an awesome day and the rest of the week!

Quote of the Month: March

Quote of the Month

So I did start doing a quote of the month in December but because I only started this blog this year, I decided to start off this month with a quote that I picked. I know it’s a bit late to post the quote of the month as it is already the second week of the month but it’s a start and a new change. In the future I will be posting it in the first week of the month.

In winter, I plot and plan. In spring, I move.     —Henry Rollins

The reason I picked this quote is because it is true for a lot of photographers, who live in the snowy, cold weather, will understand this quote very well. Most photographers don’t get a lot of business or it’s slow during the wintery months, so we plot and plan to see what we are going to do when spring hits.

So what do the photographers do during the wintery months? Some may be figuring out their marketing strategy for the coming spring to bring in more business or if they’re lucky get some indoor shoots or maybe some outdoor shoots (depending on the weather). For me, it’s to figure out the marketing and how to promote myself to bring in more clients. I can tell you now, it’s not easy to figure out at all. But we all have to stay motivated and help each other out.

Good luck everyone in the upcoming spring!