I'm not.

[dakinetx]

Now THAT is a great idea!!

Done that before. Did'nt (never have really, since film days) get much print sales so usually (less BIG Wedding/request) do the cards anymore but still the gallery and Smugmug is great for that.

As for BluDomain. Seem's it's 50/50 on love/HATE.

I went for another due to that. Also, for small fee the provider I went with includes a "mirror" html site.

Speaking to "guru" at weekend. You can put meta tags in gallery pages etc. on flash sites which will attract the web spiders. Comp. I am with even has boxes for this.

One thing may wanna keep in mind. The web arachnids get Excited about "changing" content. You need only change a comma, capitol letter etc. but they see it as "change"

Nick

 

[jfrancis]

Done that before. Did'nt (never have really, since film days) get much print sales so usually (less BIG Wedding/request) do the cards anymore but still the gallery and Smugmug is great for that.

As for BluDomain. Seem's it's 50/50 on love/HATE.

I went for another due to that. Also, for small fee the provider I went with includes a "mirror" html site.

Speaking to "guru" at weekend. You can put meta tags in gallery pages etc. on flash sites which will attract the web spiders. Comp. I am with even has boxes for this.

One thing may wanna keep in mind. The web arachnids get Excited about "changing" content. You need only change a comma, capitol letter etc. but they see it as "change"

Nick

Bludomain offer an HTML mirror site too. I didn't understand why when I signed up. Unfortunately, it is not possible to change templates without incurring a fee . . . :frown:

I'd like to know how to put meta tags on gallery pages though. I can't see a way to do that via Bludomain's content management system.

 

[silver]

However, as another poster mentioned, being Flash-based sites, they are much harder to get 'noticed' by the search engines. My blog and Smugmug sites will come up higher on a Google search (one reason why I think it is important to have a blog as well).

yep,. I think nearly all professional photographers will have a blog and a clean / good looking website,. at least that is how it is here,. smugmug as a main site is 'ok' and for sure is useful for galleries (which is how we had ours previously)

we have just switched to a new bludomain template (w/ bludomain hosting) and have had a site with them for a few years - occasional downtime but nothing too serious and they are generally quick to respond to issues,. is work in progress at the moment wedding photography in Dorset

 

[dakinetx]

Bludomain offer an HTML mirror site too. I didn't understand why when I signed up. Unfortunately, it is not possible to change templates without incurring a fee . . . :frown:

I'd like to know how to put meta tags on gallery pages though. I can't see a way to do that via Bludomain's content management system.

John, wish I could help.
I think have slight idea though.
I THINK, you need to open site in Firefox and use program to see the code.
Then you can (I think) insert meta data in the top part of the page (hopefully someone will know more or a search will help). This is what I understand of it from a quick chat at end of looooong day with a guru.

Nick

 

[dakinetx]

yep,. I think nearly all professional photographers will have a blog and a clean / good looking website,. at least that is how it is here,. smugmug as a main site is 'ok' and for sure is useful for galleries (which is how we had ours previously)

we have just switched to a new bludomain template (w/ bludomain hosting) and have had a site with them for a few years - occasional downtime but nothing too serious and they are generally quick to respond to issues,. is work in progress at the moment wedding photography in Dorset

Nice site there Silver and some nice images.
Glad to see we won't clash too much if/when I move home
Also, nice to see prices are kinda inline with what I charge now, thus transition would be easier.

Nick

 

[silver]

thanks

had a quick look @ your site,. is some cool stuff on there,. my wife is from Houston,. small world,. where are you moving in the UK?

 

[dakinetx]

thanks

had a quick look @ your site,. is some cool stuff on there,. my wife is from Houston,. small world,. where are you moving in the UK?

Home is village outside Salisbury. Have property in Bournemouth so very well versed all round area.
Really miss the countryside.
Be back over April 15th for few weeks.
As for moving back, dunno, but it's on the cards one day.

Thanks for compliment.
You had some blinding weather for some of those shots indeed!

Nick

 

[silver]

cool

as you know it's always sunny down on the english riviera

 

[Tom Larsen]

I guess maybe the blame is the brides themselves who evidently have lower expectations than they used to.:Curved:

Bob,

From a casual look around, I would say many brides and grooms settled for low expectations long before they began to think about wedding pictures.

Someone mentioned the divorce rate. I recall a girl who just days before her wedding really had no heart in it. She went ahead regardless, because the family made such a big deal of it. Her words, "at least I get to change my name." By then she meant that.

 

[crazy]

I'm glad I came across this thread, for the down business has been weighing me down. What's the saying, misery loves company? :tongue:

As others noted, it's a ride out the storm and be there for the sunrise type of situation. I'm in far too deep to do otherwise.

 

[Walter Rowe]

For each event, I create the client gallery and password ahead of time, and then print custom business cards that contain my site and their password for the event. That way if they want prints, they head to my site, take a look around and order direct from my site.

That is how Millers Imaging works when you use their hosting and order fulfillment system. In fact, they will produce the event cards for you.

 

[Walter Rowe]

I'm not making money, that is. The economy has taken its toll on my business. I just met with a couple getting married in June. We hit it off well, and I told them I'd work with them so they could have photographic records of their big day. I bid their wedding at a 40% discount from last year's price, which was pretty modest itself. I just received their response.

Frankly, their job wouldn't be worth doing at a lower price. I'm not about to use my precious gear and take on intense hours of skilled labor for Burger King wages. If I came to that, I'd rather work at Burger King and get free lunches.

I've been hearing similar tales of woe from friends in the business. I guess I'm just a hobbyist again.

Artist consultants that I know all recommend to NOT drop your prices right now because that will become your expected rate for the future when clients tell all their friends.

 

[davidwcramer]

Frank - I commend you on your response back to the couple. I believe that 50% of closing a deal is having an honest, real, and direct relationship with the customer, and you responded in a manner that invites that kind of participation. That said, of course times are more difficult right now, including for us nature photographers. I'll pass on a couple of thoughts that I obtained from a young couple who are wedding photographers and friends of mine. While their business is down a bit, I think they are doing better than most. One of their suggestions is to get listed on Facebook. It seems that over 60% of young folks (read - young brides) are on Facebook. They get a good portion of their referrals from it. Second, if you are ever in the situation that Greg presented above, and have a bride recontact you because she want's her shots redone, agree to do it if she will allow you to use some of the bad shots from the first photographer. My friends have actually put together a small album of actual bad wedding shots, and they show that to all of their customers with the statement "you get what you pay for." Once the happy couple realizes the difference in quality and sees the bad results they might have to live with if they choose a novice at a low price, they more often than not don't want to take the risk and will sign up with my friends.

 

[Uncle Frank]

Frank - I commend you on your response back to the couple. I believe that 50% of closing a deal is having an honest, real, and direct relationship with the customer, and you responded in a manner that invites that kind of participation.

Thanks, David. I don't think I ever posted the final result. Once they laid their cards on the table, I put together a package based on their budget, and booked the wedding! My terms were 50% before the wedding, and the balance on approval of the proofs, but we developed such good rapport during the negotiation that they felt comfortable paying the entire fee in advance. Meet Sarah and Jim.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

 

[greyflash]

Sorry to hear that Frank. Unfortunately my small business has pretty well dried up as well. I have one job this weekend and then nothing scheduled. I am glad that I do not have to rely on my photography to keep the wolf from the door so to speak.

 

[barriosa]

A book on wedding photography I read, I can’t recall the name right now, discusses the two schools of thought on how to charge for weddings. You can either:

Traditional - Charge a low flat rate for photographing the wedding while charging more for prints and not providing the B&G with ANY digital originals, at least nothing they could use to make their own prints.

Modern - Charge more up front but provide them with digital originals and a certain number of prints.

Maybe it’s time to go old school again.

 

[Paul Dunlop]

I'll pass on a couple of thoughts that I obtained from a young couple who are wedding photographers and friends of mine. While their business is down a bit, I think they are doing better than most. One of their suggestions is to get listed on Facebook. It seems that over 60% of young folks (read - young brides) are on Facebook. They get a good portion of their referrals from it.

Do they register on Facebook with a personal acct? or their business name?

I am NOT interested in creating a personal acct (I did once for about 3 hours - was not a fan of it)

But I would create a business one if possible

 

[greyflash]

I should have read farther, I see you did book that wedding. Congratulations Frank.

 

[davidwcramer]

Do they register on Facebook with a personal acct? or their business name?

I am NOT interested in creating a personal acct (I did once for about 3 hours - was not a fan of it)

But I would create a business one if possible

I assume it's a business account. I'm not on Facebook, and don't plan to be, but here is a link to them.

 

[MrSLR]

Do they register on Facebook with a personal acct? or their business name?

I am NOT interested in creating a personal acct (I did once for about 3 hours - was not a fan of it)

But I would create a business one if possible

You have to have a personal account to make a business page.. its just a litle business page, if you go to fan pages on facebook its really the same thing.. I have a business page on there.. making a myspace one is much better.. There isnt really room to list prices or enough info just link a personal business page to the facebook business page or myspace one.