The last two days in January and off and running in 2010. Although I never want to wish a day away, I am glad, economically, to say goodbye to 2009. This year, economically, seems more promising but I am having to shed some photo business acquisitions to make my overhead leaner to cover my monthly expenses. The question as a photographer is where do I shed the financial burden. The studio is great to have, and ordinary times would pay for itself but these are no ordinary times in the professional photography world, the game has changed. Almost everyone I know in Missoula is hurting financially and discretionary income is becoming less discretionary therefor the retail side of photography assignments ( Weddings and Portraits) are becoming more scarce and consumers want more for less. So, the question is do I reduce my prices to try and pick up the volume of assignments and risk more loss of initial income or perhaps by doing so I would pick up the additional work to make up for some short falls? Do I find a smaller studio for less rent and away from the downtown area to reduce my monthly overhead and risk loosing the visibility I know enjoy? Or do I wait it out another year and build a local reputation of being steady, reliable and there? Or does it even matter. I say January was a good month for my photo studio in downtown Missoula because all the assignments were in studio and therefor paid for the space and a little more. That has been my goal since I envisioned have a studio. The downside is that all the assignments in the studio had to be priced lower than I would have charged a year ago in order to work within my clients budget. So if this pattern continues I will have to modify my business plan to accommodate the "new economy". I am beginning to sound like a bad economist. The other plus side of having my studio is I feel I am producing and creating really good photography and if I were in a bigger city feel my business would grow faster. Missoula is a great small town to raise a family and that is why I moved here, it is not a town to move to advance your career, at least as a photographer. Everyone seems to undervalue their worth and skills but the real estate and cost of living is comparative to a big city. There lies the rub. This conflict is becoming more magnified in these tough economic times. In the last two months Missoula has shed over 600 jobs which will effect thousands of other businesses...so why spend money on a portrait? Afterall you can take a picture with your cell phone...these are challenging times. It is not all that grim, being the eternal optimist I am beginning to see some recovery. I am meeting with an interior designer on Monday to discuss a project of photographing some commercial interior spaces at a new building in downtown Missoula...I hope it works out...that is a good sign since a percentage of income was from Architectural photography which dried up in 2009, everyone putting off jobs till 2010...well 2010 is here and we shall see. I have also really gotten into Maternity Photography and love photographing pregnant women, and the father of the baby...I find them really beautiful and light them accordingly...actually creating a style, a look that is distinctively my look. So throughout all these hard times I am creating a distinctive stlye of photography that I like and apply to all my subjects animate and inanimate. My latest obsession was the Norelco shaver that my wife bought me for Christmas...sounds weird but I found it very sexy visually...and looks a little like E.T... Ok I can see that I am rambling but afterall isn't that what blogs are for? I am not even sure if anyone really reads them except google and the FBI. One other note I need to mention is the Montana Wedding Photography market. I seem to be getting calls and interest but like everyone else brides and grooms are looking for deals. I had one groom, after I told him how we could trim costs, tell me that they invited 200 guests and if they only get 120 responses then they would be able to afford my reasonable photography rates. This was an odd statement and I am thinking you are spending perhaps $20 per person ( low end) about $400o on food something they will not remember and are wondering if you want to spend an additional $300 ( difference in their budget) to pay for professional photographers, a DVD of all the images, proof book and great images that will last life time. It seems the going rate for photography in Missoula and surrounding areas is a about $1,000 or less...so do I lower my prices? work alone?give the client less? to get more work? we shall see... stay tuned
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