Albums Inc. is the world’s largest wholesaler of professional photography supplies. As such, we can make a world of difference to your operation. Whether you are a studio, wedding and portrait photographer, or frame shop, you can count on us for everything after the photography. And we mean everything. Stock albums, custom albums, digital albums, mats, mounts, folios, proof books … memory mates, pennants, photo cards and imprinting … frames accessories, supplies … all this and more.


Kathy Biegel
Customer Relationship
Manager

 

Monday, July 28, 2008

Where I'll Be August-October

Stop by and say hi, I would love to see you and answer any questions you may have.

August 4 – 8 Long Island Photo Workshop

August 11, 12 – Bridgewater New Jersey

August 23, 25, 25FPP 2008 Annual Convention Orlando, FL

September 13, 14, 15PPANE Convention – Nashua NH

October 5, 6, 7 and 8 – PPA OF PA – Camphill, PA

October 15 – Hudson Valley Monthly meeting

October 23, 24 and 25Photo Plus – New York City

October 27 and 28th – PPGNY Long Island Conference

As always, the 2008 trade show season was very hectic.

I was flying, running from PPA Florida, to PPA Mass., PPA Conn., PPA RI, WPPI Vegas, PPA NC, PPA NJ, and finally to the PPSNY state convention. I always enjoy trade show season, though, because I get to meet so many great people along the way.

After that, I was fortunate to join the Ed Pierce Tour. It was a great experience for me to see hundreds of photographers every night at each event. I’m really not sure how Ed and Barbara did it: I only did 14 cites in three weeks, and let me tell you I was wiped out!

I think in this blog I would really like to talk about the changes in the market. It doesn’t matter what state I’m in—it’s the same story everywhere. Business is down for photographers and they’re all trying to figure out what’s going on. What are they doing wrong? At least four times a week I hear photographers say, “I’m trying everything. I’m even lowering my prices and I’m still not getting the business.” When I tell them it’s not just them, they’re relieved. Then I hear this one, “I thought it was just my studio.”

So to all the photographers out there, “it’s not just you”—it’s the entire market.

So now what can we do about it?

Every bridal magazine I pickup tells the brides to ask for high-resolution files on a CD, What? That’s insane!!

No wonder photographers are being pushed against the wall. If they don’t give the CD, they don’t get the job—and they don’t feed their family. Okay, so they give the CD and make the money for the day. But the problem here is CDs don’t generate referrals, or future profits. Where does that CD go? Where do brides get their prints? CVS, Walgreen’s? So now the bride shows her friends some nice muddy brown prints. It’s not likely photographers are going to get any new customers from that!

I think that PPA and WPPI should advertise to the brides, educating them about the importance of hiring a professional photographer.

These young girls have no idea. So when the bridal magazine tells them something, they listen.

I understand it’s very expensive to reach the brides via magazines, websites, even commercials, but all the photographers I’ve spoken to have said they would pay higher dues if the money was used to educate the bride. The bride spends $1500 on limos for 3 hours. That’s $500 an hour. A photographer will spend 10 hours with them shooting the wedding and another 30 hours in post production. Does the bride know that? Why would the bride be willing to pay less for the photographer than the limo? When the day is done all she has left are those beautiful images.

We need to reach the bride and consumers with some emotional commercials—like a grandmother showing her wedding album to her granddaughter on her wedding day. Will the next generation have that? Will my children hand a CD to their grandchildren on their wedding day?

Years ago, when I shot for Bart Stevens photography, you had to have an insurance policy in order to photograph in the catering halls. What happened to that rule? That would eliminate a part of the problem.

Now’s the time to make changes in the right direction. Everyday more and more photographers are closing their storefronts, lowering their prices, and dropping their standards to compete with the amateur in order to survive.

So reach out to your local associations, as well as PPA, and start the push to make a difference. One photographer or one association cannot do it alone; everyone needs to join in to make it work. If it cost you a few bucks a year but gave you back the professional market with an educated bride, it would all be worth it.

Looking forward to many more happy profitable years together.







631-834-4919 or email kbiegel@albumsinc.com