How to get started

[TobyMac]

Thank you again for the reply.

Note that I was commenting on how I could have been misinformed and consequently annoyed by the information on you Bio page – AND – your question. So there are TWO elements to my initial confusion and possible annoyance.
And then there is a third element – (me) – and the fact that I conducted research BEFORE I interacted with you to enable me to supply my best response to your question.

I see what you mean with this and it makes sense.

If I were given that advice I would then initially investigate two things: how much effort that well established photographer is putting into the under-supported and obviously big slice of profit food photography area and how much the well established business has GROWN in the last five years.

He is mainly a commercial photographer but a large slice of his work comes from food and I have spoken to him quite a bit over the past two years. He has been in the business for for quite a while now, a good 20 years or so but over the last couple of years he has told me that the business has been holding steady.

Also I would ask you, how many well established business Johannesburg Photographer have you asked opinions of, because a sample of one, is not a big sample group.

When I spoke to him this was actually at a presentation I had to hold and there were 4 other photographers there as well, they weren't close friends of one another but knew each other because of the industry and they all agreed that I should try pursue the food photography industry because they couldn't think of any dedicated food photographers in Johannesburg. Although I am not sure how much of a positive if any this is, I assume it just means that there is a very small market for the field.

Those ideas were all about you: “shooting on speculation of an instant sale”; “shooting on speculation of a later package sale”; “shooting to increase photographic skills”; “shooting to gain a portfolio”; “shooting to get experience”; shooting to get confidence”; . . . etc.

OK I see what you mean here, I guess for the start I need to put the idea of making a bit of money right away to the side for now and need to see the other things I can gain, mainly experience and confidence and the possibility of making some good connections perhaps.
In other words approaching some restaurants may still be to my benefit after all.

Totally and absolutely the wrong mindset: with that mindset I will bet one Mars Bar that you will fail at the quest of making a good profitable business before you even get started.

OK I guess I really need to change my mindset about this and embrace the rapidly expanding world of technology.

A few check list points BEFORE you even think a about a portfolio:

1. Do you have a business card?

2. Do you have a business name and all the necessary paperwork completed and filed to conform with applicable Business Laws?

3. Do you have all the necessary paperwork completed and lodged to conform with all Tax Laws?

4. Do you have INSURANCE?

I do have business cards and name and logo set up and all that although I have been told by many that they like what I have come up with and others that they don't like it so I question those things all the time as well.

As far as business papers go, SA is a bit dodgy with that kind of stuff, as long as I am not earning a set amount there is no real need to register as a business, I know it's not exactly correct but at the moment it would cost me money that I don't have to get all that sorted out.

The Tax things I am busy sorting out.

All my gear and equipment is Insured.

[Saorsa]

I hadn't heard that bit before. If you have contact with a professional food photographer who is telling you there is enough business in that field I would believe him. It also appears that he believe you have the technical skills to do the job.

You seem to lack self confidence. Perhaps you could discuss some sort of professional collaboration with him. An apprenticeship to learn the business leading to a partnership or opening a branch office under your management leading to possibly buying out the business at some point (be careful not to get too far ahead there).

[TobyMac]

@Brian, I had thought of asking him for an apprenticeship or something similar but he already has a full time assistant.

[William W]

. . . OK I see what you mean here, I guess for the start I need to put the idea of making a bit of money right away to the side for now and need to see the other things I can gain, mainly experience and confidence and the possibility of making some good connections perhaps. In other words approaching some restaurants may still be to my benefit after all.

MAKING money (Profit), is different to TAKING MONEY (Turnover).
A good business might not MAKE MONEY (i.e. PROFIT) for about 24 months, but it might TAKE a lot of money in that time.

You seem to want a formula to segment things into "I have to get more of this - before I can do that"

You do need to have some things sorted (like taxation and legal stuff) but after that is squared away, I think that you need to loosen up and really think more laterally . . . if you have an opportunity to do any job for money and for which you are equipped - then do it. And get about making those opportunities for yourself.


***

I do have business cards and name and logo set up and all that although I have been told by many that they like what I have come up with and others that they don't like it so I question those things all the time as well.

Whatever the layout and logo that is on the Business Cards today will be wrong in a year’s time, make sure the contact details won’t change – especially your telephone number and email address and stop worrying about the minor matters and get those business cards into the hands of decision makers.

One suggestion that I will make about the layout is make sure the REVERSE of the card is blank so you can write an individual and personal message on it.

***

All my gear and equipment is Insured.

I was referring to Third Party Personal Injury and Property and General Business Liability Insurance.

For example, you are Photographing the food at the food stalls and you turn around and your camera hits a kid in the head or knocks over a water cooler on one of the food stands: you might be liable to buy a new water cooler or the medical expenses to fix the kid’s head . . . or more, if the child is permanently injured.

***

@Brian, I had thought of asking him for an apprenticeship or something similar but he already has a full time assistant.

There is absolutely no point in you just "thinking about it" - you have already outlined how you have created RAPPORT with this man.

To be blunt you thinking like that is tantamount to going into business thinking: "Oh I thought of showing this Prospect how I could assist them with my Photography and why it would benefit them - but I didn't say anything because they already have a few photos and they probably wouldn't want any more."

WW

[Saorsa]

@Brian, I had thought of asking him for an apprenticeship or something similar but he already has a full time assistant.

An assistant is not the same as an apprentice. An assistant answers the phone, maintains the schedule, keeps records of the shoot, arranges the food and does as they are told.

An apprentice may do quite a lot of that but they do it in terms of developing skills and understanding of the business to the point that they are capable of taking over, completely, the business whether it be photography or a machine shop.

[TobyMac]

MAKING money (Profit), is different to TAKING MONEY (Turnover).
A good business might not MAKE MONEY (i.e. PROFIT) for about 24 months, but it might TAKE a lot of money in that time.

OK at the moment everything I make is still a "profit" as I am still living at home, and all my expenses are covered for now, but I understand what you mean.

Whatever the layout and logo that is on the Business Cards today will be wrong in a year’s time, make sure the contact details won’t change – especially your telephone number and email address and stop worrying about the minor matters and get those business cards into the hands of decision makers.

One suggestion that I will make about the layout is make sure the REVERSE of the card is blank so you can write an individual and personal message on it.

Thats what I keep telling people but they always seem to have other opinions, I find there will always be some that love and some that hate. The details will always stay the same unless something drastic comes up.
And yes the back of the card only has my name on it and there is ample space to write something else down.

I was referring to Third Party Personal Injury and Property and General Business Liability Insurance.

Ok I understand, this comes back to me living at home still, so yes I am also covered for that.

To be blunt you thinking like that is tantamount to going into business thinking: "Oh I thought of showing this Prospect how I could assist them with my Photography and why it would benefit them - but I didn't say anything because they already have a few photos and they probably wouldn't want any more."

Yeah I see what you mean, I think I might have some major personality changes to make before I can properly get a business started, I seem to be very hesitant when it comes to actually taking the first step towards anything.

An assistant is not the same as an apprentice. An assistant answers the phone, maintains the schedule, keeps records of the shoot, arranges the food and does as they are told.

I see your point and in this case the assistant can in that case be labeled as an assistant/apprentice.

[Saorsa]

Yeah I see what you mean, I think I might have some major personality changes to make before I can properly get a business started, I seem to be very hesitant when it comes to actually taking the first step towards anything.

OK, I'm old and retired now. Over the years I have had a lot of opportunities, desires and ideas.

I'll tell you right now and forever that the only ones that ever came to anything were the ones I actually got up and did something about.

[William W]

Your conversations are engaging open and free flowing in my opinion these are good traits for a business person.

A few more comments for your consideration:

OK at the moment everything I make is still a "profit" as I am still living at home, and all my expenses are covered for now, but I understand what you mean.

That is NOT correct.

The (big) expense of you wages/salary is NOT covered, simply because you live at home.

Neither: are your transport costs; nor your replacement/repair of gear costs; nor your new gear costs; nor your minor expendables costs, just to name few other expenses, but the main expense that is not covered is you WAGES.

This is often a concept that baffles many people who want to start a business: I explain it this way – the BUSINESS and YOU are two different ENTITIES. The business must PAY YOU WAGES and that is an expense to the business.

You can look at how much wages you should get from a number of angles and one way to look at wages (in the beginning) is to cost them at a rate which you would otherwise expect to get if you had a job other than being employed by the business.

For example as you say that you are living at home let’s assume that you are 18 years old, so you might extrapolate that your wages would be equivalent to an 18 year old apprentice carpenter. Let’s say that is R18.00 per hour. So then you need to ‘cost’ you time out to your business at R18.00 per hour for EVERY HOUR that you work for your business for the next year and then when you have one year’s experience the business must pay you more.

Obviously if the business is not TAKING much money (TURNOVER) then it cannot physically pay you money – but the calculations of wages each week (and ALL the other EXPENSES) will provide you a REALISTIC view of how the business is tracking and whether or not you are moving towards a PROFIT.

Even if those whom you live with at home (for example your Parents) pay for all those expenses like travel and gear replacement / repair, etc, then that money GIVEN to you, will need to be reconciled by the business as a DONATION - and it cannot be used to calculate the PROFIT of the business.

The unique factor of PROFIT is the defining element of the (monetary) success and proof of life of the business: so many people who are in business fail to reconcile this correctly and in my experience mostly all of those end up miserably.

Please note we are discussing a BUSINESS and not an 'Hobby which pays for itself'.


***

Ok I understand, [that you mean about Liability Insurance] this comes back to me living at home still, so yes I am also covered for that.

I would be excessively surprised if that is the case.

I would expect that in South Africa, if you are of legal age and of sound mind and were conducting a business activity that you are solely responsible for any damages caused to a third party or a third party’s property in the course of carrying out those business activities.

Further, I would expect that 'Householder's Third Party Liability Insurance' (even if such a policy were in your name) would NOT cover any business activity by you.

Again, I would further expect that, in South Africa ignorance of these laws would be no defence should action be brought.

These are NOT a legal opinions but just a layperson’s comment.

***

Yeah I see what you mean, I think I might have some major personality changes to make before I can properly get a business started, I seem to be very hesitant when it comes to actually taking the first step towards anything.

The first step to changing something is to identify what it is that is required to be changed.

WW

[TobyMac]

Ok so everything you have told me so far makes sense to me and it has helped me come to a conclusion, I think....I think at this point it's best if I go out and find someone to apprentice or assist so I can learn and expand my knowledge and hopefully shoot at the same time. I'm not sure that I'm ready to, or experienced enough to take everything that is required to run a business and shoot into consideration and do both successfully. At the moment it's all a little overwhelming.

[William W]

. . . I think at this point it's best if I go out and find someone to apprentice or assist so I can learn and expand my knowledge and hopefully shoot at the same time.

No matter what business experience you get (for example working in a supermarket as a Manager Trainee) you can still shoot every day.

Obviously it would be good to get a job in a Photography related industry: or ideally working for a Photographer - but as mentioned before I would encourage you to think laterally: you can still shoot and build your skill no mater what job you have and what ever job you have is an opportunity to learn how THAT business works - many people don't realize that.

Also I am certain that there would be an Adult College or similar teaching institution which would have courses in small business - search them out, because I think that you need to take control of that which is 'overwhelming' to you. How business works will not be overwhelming once you understand it. Essentially this whole thread is a primarily about making and keeping a small business: the "photography" is only a small portion of that - probably less than 30% if it were to be quantified.

Good Luck.

WW

[FrankMi]

There is a lot of sound business judgment in these responses Toby. I could add a few more but you have more than enough to digest at the moment. Good luck with your endeavor!

Be sure you read GrumpyDiver's signature line. He's been there, done that, and got the T-shirt!

[nimitzbenedicto]

Perhaps this youtube tutorial can help.

Sue Bryce on Equipment, Pricing,Inspiration.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgtXBau2lGM

"
In this clip she'll get specific on photography pricing, packages and equipment."