First steps

As I mentioned in this previous blog post, I was laid off, made redundant (call it what you will) from my last job where I worked as the in house photographer for almost ten years.

I also said in that post that I would use this opportunity to " detail how I’m managing to find photographic work which is my passion."

Well this is the story so far: 

I began a trial period of seeing if I can actually find clients and continue my work as a photographer. This period began on the 7th of May this year. (two weeks ago from today).

Here's what I've been doing:

1. Printed business cards
2. Had a cool letterhead designed (from a graphics designer colleague)
3. Edited the business section of my website. (all my links will point directly there, bypassing all the personal stuff)
4. Got voted in as a member of the Swiss Professional Photographers association (SBF).
5. Investigate competitor’s pricing structure.
6. Start Facebook business page. (right here. Feel free to go and "Like" it )
7. Begin sorting 2895 email contacts geographically in preparation for email campaign.
8. Visit businesses parks nearby and note the names of the companies and what they do.
9. Transfer these details into a spreadsheet and email group list
10. Attend local small business club meeting.
11. Meet with local a local businessman to discuss three projects with him for website design, product photography and social media campaign.
12. Meet with lighting designer to discuss a movie and presentation for his work.
13. Arrange an advert in Turkish for party photography.
14. Edit my pricing structure. (see number 5 above)
15. Had my services listed in the business directory of the local council pages

Here are some further details about some of the above points

1. Used Microsoft word and a pack of blank cards to keep the costs down. Later I'll probably get them done professionally.

3. Instead of people landing on the first page of my personal site, I use a link for all potential customers that sends them directly to the professional section.

5. This is always tricky because I am relatively "unknown" at the moment in the Swiss photography market. I don't want to price myself too low that I undercut the opposition but there again I can't be too high because not many firms know me yet. I'm going to base my pricing along the lines recommended by the SBF and maybe offer a slight discount to new customers for their first booking.


7. My previous employer gave a a list of some 2895 architects and designers etc who I think, may, from time to time, have a need for my photographic services. I am currently in the process of sending them an email to let them know who I am and how I may be able to help them.

10. I will be attending the local small business club meeting tomorrow (at the ungodly hour of 06:30). I'll be taking business cards with me and networking as much as possible.

11. On Sunday night I met with a local businessman who has three new start-ups that he may want me to do the design and visual side of things for.

 mind-mapping, beer and wine

Over some beers and wine, we used mind-maps to come up with a strategy and what I can do to help make his businesses grow. This is not only photography, but event organising, Twitter, Facebook pages and many other things too. I have two weeks to work on an offer for him.

13. I've attended a couple or Turkish "Sünnett" (young boy's coming of age) parties in the past and they're always big happy events. I'll be asking a Turkish friend to make me an advert (in Turkish) to advertise my services as an event photographer.

It's only been two weeks but I'm cautiously optimistic.

If you have any comments or questions, I'd be glad to hear them.

Thanks for reading.

Laid off

This sums up my mood

On the 13 of September this year, I was invited into the HR department and told by our new department head, that the company for which I have worked for the past nine and a half years had no more need of my services.*

I was given five months notice, effective from the beginning of October. My last day will be at the end of February 2012.

To say that I was shocked would be a massive understatement. To be laid off is bad enough, but to be made redundant when you think that all is well is a nasty surprise.

Since my birthday in 2002, I have worked as the in-house photographer for the premier lighting company in Switzerland. The work I do includes, but is not limited to product shots, on location work, portraits, exhibition coverage and lots, lots more.

As the sole English person working here, I proofread brochures and documents for accuracy in my mother language. With my knowledge of HTML, I built private websites for my co-workers including members of the management board.

Presentations, movies and PowerPoint’s are also called for. In fact, only last week, one of my self made movies was shown in the town of Olten to inform its citizens how their Christmas lights will look next year.

I’ve immediately started a campaign of letter writing and registered myself for email alerts for any jobs with “photography” somewhere in the description.

The rejection letters are coming back thick and fast. It seems that employees can now be choosier because of all the “photographers” on the market and the plethora of picture libraries.

Although (at the time of writing this) I have another three months or so until I have to go, I am cautiously optimistic of finding an in-house position. If not, then I’ll have to go back to freelancing.

Other steps that I’ve taken are building up a mailing list of architects and lighting designers etc that I have worked with in the past and offering my services to them. My print portfolio has always contained my best stuff so I don’t have much extra work to do with that. My website will be completely revamped to show more professional work. Business cards will also be added to the mix.

Since I first got into photography, I have always been able to survive. In the past I moved to different countries and was always able to find photography related work, whether it was managing a lab in South Africa or being the base photographer for the US army in Stuttgart, Germany. (For which I received a certificate of commendation for my photographic work and knowledge.)

However. I was younger then and didn’t have a wife and family to think about.

  

I’m not going to make this post depressing but rather will use my blog to detail how I’m managing to find photographic work which is my passion.

* I have just checked my work computer. Since 2005 I have made 25,777 digital images for Regent.  Before that and up until about two years ago, I shot hundreds of rolls of medium format film. I think that there is DEFINITELY a need for a photographer.

Film from a three day shoot

 

 Film boxes from a two day studio shoot

Thanks for reading.