I find myself often almost caught by the tide of the popular ideas.

I used to say certain things… that I want to be able to say again with 100% certainty.

With the new wave of business centric thought in photography…
I don’t want to get caught up and forget the things that helped me get to where I am.
That’s not to say I don’t appreciate philosophizing about the business of photography

I watched a presentation by a very successful photographer David Jay but he also stressed.

“If you truly make your business about helping other people you’ll always have alot of work”

I would like to be another witness to that statement.

Things I used to say and stances I used to keep…
Which I re-affirm to keep

I used to say with 100% assurance the following:

“I make my wedding photography and wedding packages the way I would want it, if I were getting married”

I’m gonna make sure this is still the case…

I will fight the fad to make packages it in such a way to make the most money possible and be tricky and suck the unknowledgeable in.

Yes i suppose this could be a blatant affront to those charging low amounts for their photography but walking away with a grip of cash in the end because they charge for everything.

I don’t want to be salesman and I’m lucky enough my business is going well enough I don’t have to be. I don’t want to have to sell and up-sell and squeeze every last drop out of their wallets.

Don’t charge by hour -

I could go off about the trickery in marketing the whole by hour costs seems to be. But I do understand it’s benefits in some cases.
I’ve seen the scenario cause problems in too many cases… well I should say I’ve heard to many horror stories.
I wouldn’t want an hourly person at my wedding… so therefore I’m not gonna be that person.
Another good reason is since everyone else charges hourly in Utah (and many other states) it sets me apart

Don’t push people into buying more -

I don’t like being sold something I wasn’t really after. I’m susceptible to doing it… I’m a spend thrift and am often a sucker…
but it feels so dirty afterwards I feel like they took advantage of me. I don’t want to be that person someone looks back at and says I love the product but in a way I kinda feel like I got tooken advantage of.

Don’t make it all about money.

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Continue reading about Re-affirming my stances

A set of 12 pictures from last sunday’s trip to Salt Lake City.

I was helping with a project called Mamma’s Hands.
A group of students go to SLC and hand out lemonade when it’s hot and hot chocolate when it’s cold… and supply a cell phone to let individuals stay in contact with family. In addition they are there to give them someone to talk to.

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Continue reading about Streets of SLC #3