You lost your mind have you?  You want to be a photographer.  You want to work “for yourself”.  You want to own a business and be The Man.  You want to work when you want to work.  I can tell you that it’s true.  You will get to choose which 12 hours of each 7 days of the week you will work.  One more important thing.

Photographers, You Have to Get Paid

I’ve discovered that some clients really don’t want to give up the money.  They want the product.  They want the service.  They want the information.  They (your & my clients) want what we have but they don’t understand why they should pay for it or (and) they don’t understand why they should pay so much.

I believe there are one or more of three reasons why clients think this way.

• 1. Ignorance – which can be cured with education.  As a business owner another part of your job you didn’t know you have is client education.  Clients often just don’t know.  Their world view, for a whole assortment of reasons, is different than yours.
• 2. Stupidity – which can be cured only by death.  Currently killing clients for being stupid is illegal. Currently.
• 3. Maliciousness – rare, but when encountered can not be cured or tolerated.  If your client is truly malicious towards you that is a clue for you to leave.  You are not held hostage to any client.  No client can make you do anything.  Walk away.  Do not run because running shows fear.

This blog post is aimed at educating both the business owner and the client.  The first video expressly targets photographers yet there is no reason why the information presented can not be adapted to other creative services.  The second is aimed at a much broader audience.

If you own a creative service business.

Watch both videos.  Enjoy and learn.  Check your contracts.  Thanks for coming.

If you are a client of creative service businesses.

If you are a client of small businesses ask yourself “Am I ignorant, stupid or malicious?”

If you are primarily ignorant of pricing watch the first video.

If you have ever said to a photographer “I only want one picture” thinking this was going to reduce the price you have to pay you need to watch the first video in order to understand why only wanting one photo does not cost less than wanting 50 photos.  You are (most likely) simply ignorant, not stupid or malicious.

If you don’t understand why you should pay 50% up front and why the 50% is not refundable then you are (most likely) simply ignorant, not stupid or malicious.

Watch the first video.

If you are either stupid or malicious . . . let’s be honest . . . if you are stupid or malicious there is really nothing that can be done to help you is there?  Do the world a favour and stay away from small business owners.  We will appreciate it.

Adorama TV with Mark Wallace.  “How Much Should I Charge?”

How much do you charge and why do you charge that much?

Creative Mornings with Mike Monteiro.  “Fuck You.  Pay Me.”

Contract.  Contract.  Contract.  Have a contract.

BoP Episode One: Placement of the subject and cropping.

BoP Episode Two: Sunlight and photographing people.

A Girl and Her Toys