Sorry, I didn't read the entire thread, but I have a question. I was asked to submit a proposal for my towns program as well. Can this be done with one photographer and one camera, or do you really need a few photographers shooting at the same time?
Here in Wichita I was one of about 15-20 photogs we each had a person keeping the teams ion line and keeping track of our film and also the money turned in for photos......and a drink runner between about 5 or 6 of us.........I would any given season shoot from daylight to approx dark and we hoped we were done and did not miss anyone.......
Depending on how many teams and leagues your town has will determine how long it will take you and how many assistants are needed......
Our contracts stated we would shoot individuals and a team photo in less than 5 minutes and that was for all sports.....soccer could be akiller trying to shoot all the individuals in that amount of time......every kid was in the group photo but if you were not buying any photos we did not shoot an individual of you.......
Thanks glort, I'll remember all that. Always helpful to hear from someone who has been there and done that. Hoping that this gig goes well, that I still want to do it next year, and that I can get 3 or 4 associations next season. Waiting to market to the (American style) midget football teams until I see how this goes.
I am planning to do this with 2 assistants and myself. One camera.
Step 1: Assistant 1 gets kids in order by height, answers questions about packages and products
Step 2: Assistant 2 places kids in orderly rows for group shot
Step 3: I shoot the group shot
Step 4: Kids come through one at a time for individual pictures. I write the frame number on the corresponding envelope.
Step 5: Repeat 4 until all kids shot.
We are scheduling a team every 15 mins. Have 23 teams to shoot, varying from 10-12 players per team.
Fred - email me if you want and I can share my proposal stuff with you. chester at chesterbullock.com
wow, a team every 15 minutes, x 23 teams. Even if you were charging a small package price of $35 and everyone bought a package, thats $8000. Not bad for a days worth of very hard work.
I wish had contacts for doing something like this, but nothing on that scale. : ) It would be fun to just go to the games and shoot the action shots.
wow, a team every 15 minutes, x 23 teams. Even if you were charging a small package price of $35 and everyone bought a package, thats $8000. Not bad for a days worth of very hard work.
I wish had contacts for doing something like this, but nothing on that scale. : ) It would be fun to just go to the games and shoot the action shots.
The contacts are pretty easy to find. Go to them with a polished presentation and your chances of getting the business are pretty good.
I go to some games, but unless I can print on site, there are rarely sales. It's an impulse thing for sure (as stated by a parent I know).
The contacts are pretty easy to find. Go to them with a polished presentation and your chances of getting the business are pretty good.
I go to some games, but unless I can print on site, there are rarely sales. It's an impulse thing for sure (as stated by a parent I know).
contacts is my problem. Ive only been in this area for a few years, and I'm not the most out going person. : ) What I need to do is team up with a contact person, they get the jobs I do the jobs. But I do need to work on my portfolio for action shots first. The ones I have are not from official games, just friends and family playing baseball. I do know a couple people on teams from inlaw family and Church, so I do have a chance to get some pictures. Id feel weird going to a random game where I don't know anyone.
I just got the go ahead to shoot a new soccer league in my area. It'll be my first time shooting this sort of thing. Been looking around for various ideas but thanks for the idea for Black River Imaging. Just called them after seeing someone here (sorry, I forgot who it was!) mention them. Very nice and extremely helpful. They're rushing to get some envelopes done for me and helping me in a lot of ways. Love the customer service so far.
Anyway, the shoot is in 2 weeks (I know, not much time) so I'm working out the logistics, etc. I think it'll be fun once I get going, it's just the pre-shoot time like now where I'm not 100% sure of myself yet...
I just got the go ahead to shoot a new soccer league in my area. It'll be my first time shooting this sort of thing. Been looking around for various ideas but thanks for the idea for Black River Imaging. Just called them after seeing someone here (sorry, I forgot who it was!) mention them. Very nice and extremely helpful. They're rushing to get some envelopes done for me and helping me in a lot of ways. Love the customer service so far.
Anyway, the shoot is in 2 weeks (I know, not much time) so I'm working out the logistics, etc. I think it'll be fun once I get going, it's just the pre-shoot time like now where I'm not 100% sure of myself yet...
Rick - if you want to talk through some of this, let me know. I used Black River this summer for baseball pics and there are some things that are not intuitive in their software. By my reckoning, you should be entering orders today...
Rick - if you want to talk through some of this, let me know. I used Black River this summer for baseball pics and there are some things that are not intuitive in their software. By my reckoning, you should be entering orders today...
I appreciate it. I've bagged Black River. I called them about what to do now that I have all of these orders. The guy who answered this time wasn't nearly as friendly or helpful (Phillip). Honestly, he was quite a jerk.
He told me I needed to download their software. No problem. Then he asked if I was on a Mac or a PC. I'm on a Mac and he then tells me they don't have a MacOS version of the software and my only option is to enter it into the, "normal," ROEs system which doesn't really help because it's not set up to handle this type of group order. That was a bummer.
So I ask if there's a MacOS version in the works--this is when he turned into a jerk--he says something to the effect of, "No, the Mac portion of the market is only like 5% of the computer market." I thought he was just making a crack about the platform I use--I'm used to it as I've been using Macs for well over 20 years now--but he wasn't. I replied, "That may be true, however, quite a large percentage of photogs use Macs so it may make sense to consider doing a MacOS version." He gets very snotty at this point and says some things (can't remember exactly what he said as I'd tuned him out by now) regarding all photogs have both platforms and implied we should all be using PCs (I'm paraphrasing about that part).
Quite frankly, I won't deal with a company with people who have an attitude like that. I could care less what he feels I should use as a platform. Nothing like insulting what I use.
Anyway, long story short, looks like I'm going to use Miller's Lab. They seem to be able to do everything Black River can do (and then some) and they seem to be less expensive. I'm planning on putting the order in tomorrow afternoon.
Let me know how it goes with Miller's, I was debating trying them out next season. Sorry to hear about your bad experience, especially since I recommended them so much.
Let me know how it goes with Miller's, I was debating trying them out next season. Sorry to hear about your bad experience, especially since I recommended them so much.
No worries. Certainly not your fault and maybe it's just that guy since the gentleman I spoke with to order the money envelopes was quite helpful.
Comments
Here in Wichita I was one of about 15-20 photogs we each had a person keeping the teams ion line and keeping track of our film and also the money turned in for photos......and a drink runner between about 5 or 6 of us.........I would any given season shoot from daylight to approx dark and we hoped we were done and did not miss anyone.......
Depending on how many teams and leagues your town has will determine how long it will take you and how many assistants are needed......
Our contracts stated we would shoot individuals and a team photo in less than 5 minutes and that was for all sports.....soccer could be akiller trying to shoot all the individuals in that amount of time......every kid was in the group photo but if you were not buying any photos we did not shoot an individual of you.......
Lakewood, Colorado, USA
My Pictures | My blog
Facebook | Twitter
wow, a team every 15 minutes, x 23 teams. Even if you were charging a small package price of $35 and everyone bought a package, thats $8000. Not bad for a days worth of very hard work.
I wish had contacts for doing something like this, but nothing on that scale. : ) It would be fun to just go to the games and shoot the action shots.
The contacts are pretty easy to find. Go to them with a polished presentation and your chances of getting the business are pretty good.
I go to some games, but unless I can print on site, there are rarely sales. It's an impulse thing for sure (as stated by a parent I know).
Lakewood, Colorado, USA
My Pictures | My blog
Facebook | Twitter
I just got the go ahead to shoot a new soccer league in my area. It'll be my first time shooting this sort of thing. Been looking around for various ideas but thanks for the idea for Black River Imaging. Just called them after seeing someone here (sorry, I forgot who it was!) mention them. Very nice and extremely helpful. They're rushing to get some envelopes done for me and helping me in a lot of ways. Love the customer service so far.
Anyway, the shoot is in 2 weeks (I know, not much time) so I'm working out the logistics, etc. I think it'll be fun once I get going, it's just the pre-shoot time like now where I'm not 100% sure of myself yet...
Facebook Fan Page
Blog
Rick - if you want to talk through some of this, let me know. I used Black River this summer for baseball pics and there are some things that are not intuitive in their software. By my reckoning, you should be entering orders today...
Lakewood, Colorado, USA
My Pictures | My blog
Facebook | Twitter
I appreciate it. I've bagged Black River. I called them about what to do now that I have all of these orders. The guy who answered this time wasn't nearly as friendly or helpful (Phillip). Honestly, he was quite a jerk.
He told me I needed to download their software. No problem. Then he asked if I was on a Mac or a PC. I'm on a Mac and he then tells me they don't have a MacOS version of the software and my only option is to enter it into the, "normal," ROEs system which doesn't really help because it's not set up to handle this type of group order. That was a bummer.
So I ask if there's a MacOS version in the works--this is when he turned into a jerk--he says something to the effect of, "No, the Mac portion of the market is only like 5% of the computer market." I thought he was just making a crack about the platform I use--I'm used to it as I've been using Macs for well over 20 years now--but he wasn't. I replied, "That may be true, however, quite a large percentage of photogs use Macs so it may make sense to consider doing a MacOS version." He gets very snotty at this point and says some things (can't remember exactly what he said as I'd tuned him out by now) regarding all photogs have both platforms and implied we should all be using PCs (I'm paraphrasing about that part).
Quite frankly, I won't deal with a company with people who have an attitude like that. I could care less what he feels I should use as a platform. Nothing like insulting what I use.
Anyway, long story short, looks like I'm going to use Miller's Lab. They seem to be able to do everything Black River can do (and then some) and they seem to be less expensive. I'm planning on putting the order in tomorrow afternoon.
Facebook Fan Page
Blog
Lakewood, Colorado, USA
My Pictures | My blog
Facebook | Twitter
No worries. Certainly not your fault and maybe it's just that guy since the gentleman I spoke with to order the money envelopes was quite helpful.
I'll keep you posted on Miller's though.
Facebook Fan Page
Blog