Since I’m on this “cheap” rant:
A while ago, a local Toronto business e-mailed and asked for a quote to shoot some public relations photos to be used mostly as media handouts. I quoted about $2,600 (photography spread over two days, assistant, post-processing, expenses, taxes) and didn’t hear back from that business.
“Oh well,” I thought, “I guess I didn’t get that job.”
Then about a month later, the same company called and asked when I might be available.
On the day of the shoot, I met with the business owner who admitted that he had earlier hired another photographer for $800. But those pictures turned out poorly. Not only did he not like the photos but his public relations agency refused to accept them.
The business owner showed me the pictures. The photos were technically excellent but they were useless for the intended purpose of marketing his new business.
I completed the assignment and delivered a CD of photos a week later.
A few weeks later, I got an e-mail from the business owner’s PR agency. Every daily newspaper in Toronto used my pictures, the city’s largest weekly paper also used a couple photos, a large city magazine published a photo, and some trade magazines also used photos.
The business owner was thrilled with the media response. His $2,600 investment in (my) photography paid for itself many times over. On the other hand, his $800 “lottery ticket” was nothing more than an expensive lesson.
What did the business owner learn?
He called me last week to shoot photos for another one of his businesses. He didn’t question my quote and immediately accepted it.
A few days after delivering these new photos, he e-mailed to say that his ad agency mentioned that the photos were “fantastic” and “better than expected.”
There are many good photographers but none are cheap. There are many cheap photographers but how do you know if they’re any good?
Sure thing or lottery ticket?
