Photography Tips: COUNTING THE COST - PART 2 OF 2

Having touched upon the first part of the question asked of Mark Jordan Photography in Part 1 of this 2 part series ("How do you charge more than $50 for an 8x10...), we are now ready to continue in Part 2 by answering the second part of the question, "and stay in business?" This will entail a very brief discussion of Implicit Costs and conclude with a word on the Hobbyest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Besides "Accounting Costs," there's also another cost accounting factor: "Economic Costs." In brief, while Accounting Costs are primarily bookkeeping in nature, "Economic Costs" considers both explicit accounting costs (bookkeeping), and an animal we have yet to discuss, implicit costs.

In a nutshell, implicit costs are the costs realized by the forgoing of a viable alternative that would ostensible earn more money. In brief, the difference between what you could be earning at this other endeavor (say as a rocket scientist), and what your are earning now as a professional photographer, must also be considered when counting the cost.

Since a great many of photographers feel that "photography" is the only occupation they would ever consider devoting themselves to, and would rather die than do anything else (being infected by the same disease as actors), the Economic Cost component is more than likely a moot point. Where this is the case, such economic consideration falls well within the very real realm of "psychic income." To read more, just click the link. 

As to the "staying in business" portion of your question, this is another can of worms, which many may not like my prescription.

My personal sense is that if a viable business model cannot be established and supported, the one needs to be honest and call it for what it is: a hobby (regardless of psychic income).

It's the hobbyist, in my humble opinion, who are flooding the marketplace/internet. Like unrelenting waves of jellyfish, they're elevated in glory one moment only to be crushed upon the shore the next. Before they crash, however, they lure an unsuspecting populace with illegitimate pricing, all to the detriment of bonafide professional photographers, if not to sting the public as well.

I don't mind at all that hobbyists are attempting to make money from photography - not by any stretch. I only wish they would be aboveboard and announce they're a "serious hobbyest". That is unless one believes that the common practice of accepting money for one's service alone constitutes and defines a professional. I guess that would be true if one also acknowledges the nobel "professions" of paperboy and lemonade salesperson.

This not being the case, I think it is reasonable to suggest that the mere acceptance or exchange of money for services rendered does not a professional make. 

So then, what am I saying? If, after determining the cost of one's services, it is determined that the pricing required to sustain the business is not viable, then do what it takes to either make it a reality or find another "business." To go on pretending that one's hobby is a business, while undercutting the stalwart professionals who are striving to support their viable businesses (and families), is not what I would consider wholly honest. 

Hobbyist or Professional?

For me (photographer and owner of Mark Jordan Photography) it's a question of integrity. When one is weighing the matter, whether or not to be (a person of integrity), there is no question. Either a photographer counts the real costs and then proceeds to make it as a credible business, or they face the facts and represent themselves as a hobbyist.

In the end, everyone who undertakes disingenuous practices not only diminishes the profession they profess to be a legitimate member, but soon enough will discover that we humans truly do reap what we sew.

Again, my plea would be to count the cost, both as a caring, responsible citizen, and for one's own good conscience and peace of mind.

Hope this helps. Anything else, just let me know.

PART 1

Mark

©Googtoon - Life • Popular Culture • Politics • Entertainment • Public Figures

Mark Jordan Photography

Orange County Family Portraits

Orange County Headshots

Photography Tips: COUNTING THE COST - PART 1 OF 2

Recently, Mark Jordan Photography was asked this question from a photographer: "How do you charge more than $50 for an 8x10 and stay in business?" I jotted down a quick reply, and on the chance that it might be beneficial, I thought I would post it here in my blog.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you for asking about how to price your photography.

Pricing one's work is fairly subjective, and so much depends on not only the quality of one's visual expression, but the market one is seeking to attract. Regardless, there are certain elements to every pricing structure that cannot be ignored and MUST be considered before deriving a price.

Counting the Cost Begins Early 

   

The vast majority of pricing considerations entail one's costs. That is, one must take into account such indispensables as tithing/charity, food, home/mortgage/rent, clothing, insurance (life, disability, auto, home, overhead, business, equipment, liability, etc.), overhead (studio space, utilities, phones, internet/cable/web-host/domains, maintenance, marketing, sales, salary, employees, cameras, furniture, stationery, computers, hard-drives, etc.), taxes (property, income, employees, federal, state, etc.), retirement/savings, medical, living expenses, education, auto, vacation, and least of which are lab costs - just to name a few.

Not until these annual costs are determined can one sit down and make a reasonable estimate of what it takes to simply exist.

Add to this list of actual costs the excess (i.e. profit) you must reap to cover other yearly costs for such "luxuries" as travel, hobbies, interests and fun (and my case, guitars and golf). With this complete picture in mind (and the appurtenant total), divide it by the number of sittings/sessions you want to book or the number you average a year. Now you know how much you need to average from each session. 

Then, ask yourself, what is the general makeup of each session? Do you sell primarily 8x10s or 40x60s? How many of each? For every photographer I've helped work these numbers out, I have never seen an 8x10 cost less than $50 - nearly always, it exceeds $100. When I did this exercise for myself back in the 80's, the $3.00 lab 8x10 cost me $87. 

Obviously, those photographers who are selling their "8x10s" for less than their actual costs and believe they are making a profit, simply because their lab bill states $3 are living in denial. It's not to say that a photographer who is booking a thousand sessions per year cannot make a profit with low margins, but I don't know many who have attained the volume that would justify charging only $50 for an 8x10. They might be a good photographer, but as a viable business, they are fooling themselves. 

Who me? Count the cost? I'm making $25 for an 8x10! 

A great many photographers I speak with DO NOT charge nearly enough and subsequently are woefully under-insured. This includes medical coverage, a retirement plan, disability insurance, and the list goes on and on. 

Sadly, I now meet many older photographers reaching retirement age and most do not have what they need to live comfortably - they will be working all their lives. Why? They never counted the cost. Sadly, this also extends to many a spiritual destiny as well, but that's a whole other story...

PART 2

Mark

©Googtoon - Life • Popular Culture • Politics • Entertainment • Public Figures

Mark Jordan Photography

Orange County Family Portraits

Orange County Headshots

COUNTING THE COST - Now a 2 Part Series

Thank your for dropping by and visting Mark Jordan Photography's Counting The Cost. Because of the response, the Post become too large for one reading, so I make it a Two Part Series. 

Counting the Cost Begins EarlY

PART 1

PART 2

Mark

©Photosical - the photographic and personal observations of Orange County Photographer, Mark Jordan Photography

Mark Jordan Photography
Orange County Family Portrait
Orange County Beach Portrait
Orange County Senior Portrait
Orange County Children Portraits
Orange County Headshot
Belly Art Photography
Wordle™ Puzzles

Orange County Photographer, Mark Jordan Photography, an Rancho Santa Margarita Photographer, specializes in crafting stunning contemporary, traditional, classic, and storytelling family portraits (high school seniors, children portraits, babies, maternity, pregnancy), headshots and pets. Mark Jordan, a Photography Hall of Fame photographer (with a Rancho Santa Margarita portrait studio), and provides portrait photography throughout Orange County and Southern California. Mark Jordan's Orange County portrait studio also serves San Diego County and Inland Empire. Studio Photography Services are also provided in Riverside County and Los Angeles County. Local Cites where Mark Jordan photography studio services are offered are as an Aliso Viejo Photographer, Anaheim Photographer, Costa Mesa Photographer, Coto de Caza Photographer, Dana Point Photographer, Dove Canyon Photographer, Huntington Beach Photographer, Irvine Photographer, Ladera Ranch Photographer, Laguna Beach Photographer, Laguna Hills Photographer, Laguna Niguel Photographer, Lake Forest Photographer, Mission Viejo Photographer, Newport Beach Photographer, Northwood Photographer, Orange Photographer, Orange Park Acres Photographer, San Clemente Photographer, San Juan Capistrano Photographer, Santa Ana Photographer, Tustin Photographer, Villa Park Photographer, Westminster Photographer, Yorba Linda Photographer, Corona del Mar Photographer, Riverside Photographer, Temecula Photographer, Chino Hills Photographer, Loma Linda Photographer, Rancho Bernardo Photographer, Carlsbad Photographer, Coronado Photographer, Del Mar Photographer, Escondido Photographer, San Diego Photographer, San Marcos Photographer, Solana Beach Photographer, Carmel Mountain Ranch Photographer, Rancho San Diego Photographer, Rancho Santa Fe Photographer, and San Diego Country Estates Photographer, Turtle Rock Photographer, Shady Canyon Photographer. Portrait Photographers everywhere (photographers in O.C. as well) are welcome to contact our portrait studio for mentoring/guidance.

When God Sighed

Though some have kindly questioned my religious insertions into a professional photography blog, it's a reflection of who I am, at my very core. Does everything have to be about business and the leveraging of every opportunity? I understand that Google will not "see" me and rank me higher when I don't mention keywords such as professional photographer, Rancho Santa Margarita family portraits, or Orange County headshots, etc. (see how crafty I can be, not to mention inconspicuous). Regardless, I was touched by a poignant excerpt from Max Lucado's book, God Came Near and thought you might be equally moved. If I could only make the time, I believe his refections have the makings for motivational song lyrics. Any takers?

---------------------------------------------------------------

When God Sighed

by Max Lucado

Two days ago I read a word in the Bible that has since taken up residence in my heart.

To be honest, I didn't quite know what to do with it. It's only one word, and not a very big one at that. When I ran across the word, (which, by the way, is exactly what happened; I was running through the passage and this word came out of nowhere and bounced me like a speed bump) I didn't know what to do with it. I didn't have any hook to hang it on or category to file it under.

It was an enigmatic word in an enigmatic passage. But now, forty-eight hours later, I have found a place for it, a place all its own. My, what a word it is. Don't read it unless you don't mind changing your mind, because this little word might move your spiritual furniture around a bit.

Look at the passage with me.

Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. There some people brought a man to him who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man.

After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears. Then he spit and touched the man's tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him,"Ephphatha!" (which means, "Be opened!"). At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly. (Mark 7:31-35

Quite a passage, isn't it?

Jesus is presented with a man who is deaf and has a speech impediment. Perhaps he stammered. Maybe he spoke with a lisp. Perhaps, because of his deafness, he never learned to articulate words properly.

Jesus, refusing to exploit the situation, took the man aside. He looked him in the face. Knowing it would be useless to talk, he explained what he was about to do through gestures. He spat and touched the man's tongue, telling him that whatever restricted his speech was about to be removed. He touched his ears. They, for the first time, were about to hear.

But before the man said a word or heard a sound, Jesus did something I never would have anticipated. 

He sighed.

I might have expected a clap or a song or a prayer. Even a "Hallelujah!" or a brief lesson might have been appropriate. But the Son of God did none of these. Instead, he paused, looked into heaven, and sighed. From the depths of his being came a rush of emotion that said more than words.

Sigh. The word seemed out of place.

I'd never thought of God as one who sighs. I'd thought of God as one who commands. I'd thought of God as one who weeps. I'd thought of God as one who called forth the dead with a command or created the universe with a word ... but a God who sighs?

Perhaps this phrase caught my eye because I do my share of sighing.

I sighed yesterday when I visited a lady whose invalid husband had deteriorated so much he didn't recognize me. He thought I was trying to sell him something.


I sighed when the dirty-faced, scantily dressed, six-year-old girl in the grocery store asked me for some change.


And I sighed today listening to a husband tell how his wife won't forgive him.


No doubt you've done your share of sighing.


If you have teenagers, you've probably sighed. If you've tried to resist temptation, you've probably sighed. If you've had your motives questioned or your best acts of love rejected, you have been forced to take a deep breath and let escape a painful sigh.


I realize there exists a sigh of relief, a sigh of expectancy, and even a sigh of joy. But that isn't the sigh described in Mark 7. The sigh described is a hybrid of frustration and sadness. It lies somewhere between a fit of anger and a burst of tears.


The apostle Paul spoke of this sighing. Twice he said that Christians will sigh as long as we are on earth and long for heaven. The creation sighs as if she were giving birth. Even the Spirit sighs as he interprets our prayers. (Romans 8:22-27)


All these sighs come from the same anxiety; a recognition of pain that was never intended, or of hope deferred.


Man was not created to be separated from his creator; hence he sighs, longing for home. The creation was never intended to be inhabited by evil; hence she sighs, yearning for the Garden. And conversations with God were never intended to depend on a translator; hence the Spirit groans on our behalf, looking to a day when humans will see God face to face.


And when Jesus looked into the eyes of Satan's victim, the only appropriate thing to do was sigh. "It was never intended to be this way," the sigh said. "Your ears weren't made to be deaf, your tongue wasn't made to stumble." The imbalance of it all caused the Master to languish.


So, I found a place for the word. You might think it strange, but I placed it beside the word comfort, for in an indirect way, God's pain is our comfort.


And in the agony of Jesus lies our hope. Had he not sighed, had he not felt the burden for what was not intended, we would be in a pitiful condition. Had he simply chalked it all up to the inevitable or washed his hands of the whole stinking mess, what hope would we have?


But he didn't. That holy sigh assures us that God still groans for his people. He groans for the day when all sighs will cease, when what was intended to be will be.

Mark

©Googtoon - Life • Popular Culture • Politics • Entertainment • Public Figures