Thanks for that Business Sense thing

[nickbedford]

Just a shout out to both this forum in general and a couple of the professionals living on these forums for the business sense that you've knocked into me and hopefully many other people.

As you might have seen, I only started photography seriously (hobby) about three months ago when I purchased my 50D. Three months later I've not only grown immensely in my skill as a new photographer, I've also discovered the area that I'm passionate in (portrait and flash portrait, candid, people in general) and are starting to get requests from people seeing my photo shoots to come and take photos for them, whether it be a friend saying "yeah come along and shoot!" or a musician I've met asking "Hey man, would you be interested in shooting our studio session?" for example.

But it probably wouldn't be without the words from Jim, Jim, and others on this forum that I am finding it easier and easier to say "Sounds like a plan. Now what's your budget?" when it comes to requests for my time. Not to mention having made about $600 already for two shoots, one of which one was only 15 minutes long. It's all up hill from here, right?

As well, all my images that touch the internet are watermarked (bottom corner with © NICKBEDFORD.com) and are never larger than 1000 px on the long side.

If people wish to buy prints or high resolution JPEGs they will have to purchase them.

I've been recommending this forum here and there in light of this

How has it helped you?

[Jim Poor]

Sounds like you're off and running. "What's your budget" is the most important question I learned to ask.

I'd recommend a little care with your file posting. I can get a 5x7 out of a 1000px print with no effort at all. With a little work, I can get it to 8x10.


The whole watermark thing is a double edged sword. Any watermark provides for damages by "willful infringement" if a thief removes it, but a watermark in an out of the way location isn't good for much more than that.

After an incident of image theft. I went to a very intrusive watermark which included "PROOF" all over the image at a low opacity as well as three locations in solid black text that said "If you see this image anywhere other than jimpoor.com, it has been STOLEN!"

I got a few "I can't see the eye, foot position," etc emails so I re-thought my position and went back to a less intrusive watermark. It still covers most of the image, but folks can also see enough of it to know what they're looking at.

[Jim Bryant]

Good deal for you! I know we're a real pain in the butt to some, but others who actually listen, you make us proud.

[nickbedford]

I agree about the watermark. I guess it's always a compromise. For images I'm throwing up on the net, I use my little watermark as the big one just ruins the photo to be honest, but I have a "proof" watermark (low opacity centered over the width of the image reading "Copyright (c) Nick Bedford").

Also, from the 21st "red carpet" party I shot on the weekend, a family friend of hers apparently wants me to do photos of her children!

In fact all of my work has simply come through word of mouth and my online photos. I haven't even done the whole "Nick Bedford Photography" thing that every man and their shiny new DSLR does.

I don't have the lighting gear so I'm thinking of suggesting a candid and natural lighting/bounce flash shoot.

[danbaileyphoto]

Way to go, Nick! Glad to see that some of the advice that gets thrown around here actually works!

My view with watermarks is that they're mostly for keeping honest people honest, and more importantly, allowing your images to be tracked back to you if they get separated from your website for whatever reason.

If someone REALLY wants to steal your image, they will, and aside from ruining the image with a huge watermark, you can't really stop it, you just make it harder to erase.

[Jim Bryant]

Watermarks ----How true!!!!!

[nickbedford]

Wow, I think I'm being propositioned by Hayley Fitspatrick's mum to do a shoot for some new clothing product or something. I don't know her myself, but Hayley is a friend of a mate of mine in the band Finabah who were at the party. This is all going from that 21st birthday party.

She is supposedly being chased by some NY and Italian designers at the moment. And her mother asked "What do you charge for a shoot?"

[Biomech]

Originally Posted by nickbedford

I agree about the watermark. I guess it's always a compromise. .

There's another technique that works well to deter people from stealing images - and you don't need to use watermarks!

Firstly, pack your EXIF/IPTC data into all of your images. What you do is set your photo as a background image on a DIV or A or something, then put a transparent gif/png into that element. So essentially you have a picture over the top of your photo - as it's transparent it will show your photo but behave as a screen. I believe the technique is called Shrink Wrapping.

There are also a few websites around such as TinEye where you can search for where an image has appeared elsewhere on the Internet

Out of interest, what would your top tips of advice be from what you learnt here? (starting a business after xmas)

[digirebelva]

Originally Posted by Jim Bryant

Good deal for you! I know we're a real pain in the butt to some, but others who actually listen, you make us proud.

I think you are a pain in the butt to some because they dont want to hear what you have to say, they prefer to see through the rose colored glasses.....

[candidrachel]

Good for you!! I've been waiting a whole year and have had diddly squat