I want some feedback on this event...

HiSPL

Could a few of you guys and gals take a look-see at this set of galleries and give some feedback on anything that strikes you?

This was my first really big event and despite very receptive participants, lots of praise, and plenty of hits, I haven't had a single sale or email yet. The only thing thats happened is a magazine approached me for a pic of a winner that they failed to get themselves and I did. They don't want to pay for it of course... :rolleyes

I am wondering if my prices are in line for a special event too. Most of these cars were big bucks. This is the target market that I am looking for; lots of disposable income to buy photos with.

TIA

HiSPL

I originally had the lighter watermark, but my associates thought I needed something darker to prevent theft.

I didn't really want to get into processing each image because we shot about 7000 or so during the three days. Just culling and posting was enough work!

Thanks...

Tango

search for dgrin member BHAM
he has alot of good advice on pricing....
imo i would not offer 4x6 for this type of event....

HiSPL

I put the lighter watermark back, thanks.

Any comments on pricing?

HiSPL

Ha. thanks, we double posted there...

Tango

i think you should setup something where everyone that looks at you site can view what is possible for any specific picture...like a before and after...

most or some of your shots need cropping, and LR work....JMHO

HiSPL

That's not a bad idea. I have access to their forum, so I might toss out some examples of pre/post cropped images and let them know I will proof and post process images that they order. I could show a before and after I guess.

As it is now, these are straight from the camera jpgs. Shot with either 10D, 20D, or 30D and L lenses.

MJRPHOTO

HiSPL wrote:

Could a few of you guys and gals take a look-see at this set of galleries and give some feedback on anything that strikes you?

This was my first really big event and despite very receptive participants, lots of praise, and plenty of hits, I haven't had a single sale or email yet. The only thing thats happened is a magazine approached me for a pic of a winner that they failed to get themselves and I did. They don't want to pay for it of course...

I am wondering if my prices are in line for a special event too. Most of these cars were big bucks. This is the target market that I am looking for; lots of disposable income to buy photos with.

TIA

First off don't get discouraged, Your shots are good. Some of the high speed shots on the bank are great. Do not underestimate your work and what it is worth. You are going after the right clients you just need to convince them they need or want your photo's.

What I do if I get an event that I get no internet sales from and I have access to that venue on another day is to go thru my gallery of the event and print out 1 to 4 5x7 shots of every person/car I can. Then I just bring them with me to the next weeks event. My prices are $15 for an 5x7 on my site. I walk around the pit area or field and find the people. I usually do (1) for 15, (2) for 30, (3) for 40, and (4) for 50. I have yet to come home without selling $800 worth of photo's this way. Don't worry about shooting that day, Just sell and show off your work. If your shots from the first shoot are good and they won't buy them then don't waste your time on them any longer.

Now, What I do when I do not have a shot of a person that asks me while I am showing off my shots from the other weekend is pitch to them about my private sessions that I do. You will start to hear from some of the ones that are interested in purchasing photo's with comments like. If you had one like that of me I would buy it right now. If you are not in a middle of a sale start the private session discussion with them. What ever price you stat to the first person will be what you get forever at that event so think about what you need to make before you send out a price to everybody. Whatever you do, do not change your prices with people at the same event. It will come back to haunt you.

When the playoff come I do not worry about shooting the game but spend most of my time selling photo's at the tailgate parties. I usually miss the first part of the game anyway selling to the last minute people showing up late. I do this with every sport I shoot.

If it works for you send me a 10% commission check.:D

And just walk away from the mag if they won't pay for the shot.

JNHO

mercphoto

There could be several things keeping you from getting any sales. For one, you might be surprised how tight these people keep their wallets. Just because they have an expensive hobby will not automatically translate into them spending money.

Texas World Speedway usually has an official track photographer present. The guy I've seen most often is Doug at the Digital Photo Cafe and he does on-site sales and printing. If he was there he probably got the orders you didn't simply because he was able to get the sale right then and there. Convenience will trump. And the official track photographer will have access to get angles you cannot get.

TWS is a hard track to photograph at. It's not really a photogenic place. I have pictures of me from Doug when I was there last year with my S2000. I'm only mildly pleased with them. I also have photos from a different guy when I was at Hallett. That's a beautiful race track and the images are much better. Its just hard to get a pleasing image at TWS.

SavedByZero

Next event you shoot, have pics of previous events to show the riders/drivers when they are in the pits before and between sessions. Just some 8x10s, close crops, lots of drivers faces in a binder and 5x7 and 8x10 prices written on your business card or flyer.

Also understand that sure your pics are very good, but I'm sure these guys and gals have been photographed before at other races. Many SCCA events or track days have photographers at all of them so how many pics can one driver want or need.

Just something to think about.

achambers

Some people just won't spend for pictures. I shoot at a mud bog event quite often, mostly for fun and because I have several friends who participate. Sometimes I will run my Jeep also. These people spend tens of thousands of dollars on their trucks (one I happen to know has more than $40K in his truck), but will not buy a picture. They will screencap to get the picture to post on myspace, I've seen my pics there. Some (very few) people will buy, most will not. I do not actively try to sell pictures, something about a head and a brick wall. I do know that they come to look by watching the traffic on my counter the days following an event.

Que sera sera.

bham

AaronNelson wrote:

search for dgrin member BHAM
he has alot of good advice on pricing....
imo i would not offer 4x6 for this type of event....

Thanks for rec Aaron. I really haven't shot much of races of this type.

Like Mercphoto said, they have a official track photographer and from a couple of shoots at a local track here, they could have 3 or 4 photographers staked out at some great spots and then sell onsite. Hard to compete with that. You probably want to compare prices to Digital Photo Cafe, especially the larger ones. I doubt they are even doing 4x6 or 5x7's.

The best advice probably comes from MJRPHOTO, since what he did got the most $$'s.

The only other suggestion I would have would be to set a 2-3 week deadline from the time the photos were posted to order. Procrastination loses you money.

thenimirra

hang in there. The same thing happened to me when I finished a big event. Some other photo company hired by the city that hosted the event had about five people there taking pictures and printing them out the same day.

Even though I was the event's official photographer, many people bought those prints that were delivered that same day. And I have to say the pictures were terrible....if you can imagine shooting people in broad daylight without using a fill flash. Yuck...so many shadows made those folks look like zombies...

but...they were there and they had the prints on hand. so people bought them.

I have slowly been getting more orders after the event, but I had to keep pressing the event's public relations folks to post in their newsletters and blast emails that my photos were available and for sale. Plus, I contacted all the various event club presidents myself and sent out emails to anyone I had contact information for.

mercphoto

thenimirra wrote:

Even though I was the event's official photographer, many people bought those prints that were delivered that same day. And I have to say the pictures were terrible....if you can imagine shooting people in broad daylight without using a fill flash. Yuck...so many shadows made those folks look like zombies...

but...they were there and they had the prints on hand. so people bought them.

That should NOT surprise you. Convenience trumps quality almost every time. Its easy as a well-educated and skilled photography to see the quality differences, but that is not always the case with the general public. Or, they don't value the quality as highly as we do.

Remember, you are selling to them, not to us and not to yourself. Figure out what they care about and deliver that. For the most part, they care about convenience.

HiSPL

First of all, a big thanks to everyone. This is a big help.

I did go on the clubs forum and post a before and after of a shot so they could see the quality of the post processing and what a good crop will do. After that I have had a bunch of hits and a couple sales. I still am not seeing the sales numbers I want though.

Doug (digital photo cafe) was there, but he is NOT the official track photographer. He pays a vendors fee to be there and takes what he can get. (the general manager of the track told me this and invited me to come shoot this event)I didn't know he was doing on site printing, but I can tell you that he had one photog at the end of the front straight getting head on shots, and he stayed at the carousel where the action is slow. He's not getting high speed shots, or stuff where you can see the drivers face. He is selling photos on CD where you get 15 images of your car for 75 bucks, plus I think an 8x10. The problem is, that the 15 images may not be a shot of YOUR car. It may be a shot of another car where yours is in the background.

I think I'm going to get a high volume dye sub printer. This idea has been in my head for a while, but this has really tipped the scales. I need to satisfy the impulse buyer.

As far as the magazine goes. I did give them the photo, for two reasons. One, they are a small low budget mag, and two the guy that contacted me is one of the racers and he turned me on to the forum and has been super helpful in talking me up there. The word of mouth advertising was definately worth one image to me. Some may feel differently about it, but to me it was fine. If this was a high dollar glossy mag, I definately would charge. They should pay their photographers enough to get every image.

Thanks again everybody...

mercphoto

HiSPL wrote:

He is selling photos on CD where you get 15 images of your car for 75 bucks, plus I think an 8x10. The problem is, that the 15 images may not be a shot of YOUR car. It may be a shot of another car where yours is in the background.

So? Big deal. I was at Hallett last year with my brother-in-law and we both bought CD's. Sometimes a shot with my car in the background was still interesting. Sometimes that was because the lead car was my brother-in-law. Or vice-versa. That's one reason to sell the guy that photo.

I think I'm going to get a high volume dye sub printer. This idea has been in my head for a while, but this has really tipped the scales. I need to satisfy the impulse buyer.

You can satisfy the impulse buyer with a viewing station and a credit card processing machine. Let them see the photos at the track, get them to buy at the track. Then you have the sale! You can deliver the print later.

On-site sales is more important than on-site printing. And you need the viewing station and the credit card processing in order to do the on-site printing anyway.

If I had done this I know my motocross sales would have improved. I just wasn't committed enough to it to go to the lengths you are wanting to. Good for you!

HiSPL

mercphoto wrote:

So? Big deal. I was at Hallett last year with my brother-in-law and we both bought CD's. Sometimes a shot with my car in the background was still interesting. Sometimes that was because the lead car was my brother-in-law. Or vice-versa. That's one reason to sell the guy that photo.

Yeah thats possible I guess. It just struck me as strange.

You can satisfy the impulse buyer with a viewing station and a credit card processing machine. Let them see the photos at the track, get them to buy at the track. Then you have the sale! You can deliver the print later.

On-site sales is more important than on-site printing. And you need the viewing station and the credit card processing in order to do the on-site printing anyway.

If I had done this I know my motocross sales would have improved. I just wasn't committed enough to it to go to the lengths you are wanting to. Good for you!

The nice thing is that I am mostly ready for it already. I can do a viewing station (one only) and the credit card thing already. Plus, Mitsubishi has a rebate this month for their dye subs.....

Thanks again everybody!