Calm Photos

Greater Dayton Advertising Association Professional Development Series Featuring David Esrati

On Thursday, July 17th, the Greater Dayton Advertising Association is featuring guest speaker David Esrati who will be talking about web 2.0 and his Websiteology program. Non-members can attend the program for just $20 simply by registering on the association’s web site.

David’s half-day course on WordPress blogging for business and his hosting services was the impetus for CalmPhotos.com. David even suggested the URL name for my blog - “Calm Photos” - after considering the visual impact of my nature and landscape photographs.

If you are an Ohio-based photographer (or just about anyone else with a small business) who is serious about marketing yourself and your work on the web, David Esrati’s Websiteology seminar is the first resource you should turn to. I know because after five years of being a full-time photographer I’ve tried just about everything else when it comes to advertising and “getting my work out there.” My best results routinely come from my WordPress blog (what you’re reading right now) and at a fraction of the cost of a typical Yellow Page ad (a total waste of money for commercial and fine art photography).

Want proof ? For the month of June 2008 I had over 91,000 total hits on CalmPhotos.com, with top key search words that referred directly to my site in the following order:

1) photography
2) pictures
3) calm
4) ohio
5) photos
6) dayton
7) pics
photo
9) flickr
10) model
11) landscape
12) nature
13) portraits

Yup, it works.

My apologies to a few of my local competitors, but guess what ?!?  I’m staying in Dayton ! Yeah !

Yup, despite the challenges I’ve faced over the last five years (I started Picture Ohio, llc in April 2003), I have worked hard to build my reputation as a professional photographer here in Ohio. If anything, I think it has become more clear to me recently that I’ve been selling myself short when it comes to my reputation and the quality of my work.

Previously I announced that I was going to relocate to Dallas, Texas. But all those plans have changed.

I will still be moving out of my current retail space at the end of June. At that point I will be relocating my photography business to my home (which I’m currently searching for) somewhere in the Dayton area. From there I will continue to grow and develop my assignment and editorial photography services for publishers and corporate clients, provide on-location portraiture services, sell licensing rights for my stock images and begin marketing and conducting regular scheduled photography workshops, to be held in the field and at different venues throughout Ohio.

Sales of fine art prints of my work with Ohio nature, landscapes, wildlife and cityscapes, as well as other scenic locations throughout the United States, will continue by way of my online storefront, for retail customers, and direct purchase, for commercial art dealers.

Cool. Now I don’t have to change the name of my business to “Picture Texas.”

Translated version of http://calmphotos.com/ - Japanese

オハイオ州の美しい自然や風景の写真

(Beautiful photography and photographs of nature and landscapes)

I Recently noticed a new URL popping-up in the referring web sites listed in my Awstats - the tool I use to track web visitors viewing both calmphotos.com and www.jimcrotty.com. The URL was the beta version of a new Google tool called Google Translate. Granted it is still in beta and doesn’t perform perfect translations, but it is a huge step forward in allowing web site owners and web browsers to cross international lines and overcome language barriers. Because this tool specifically addresses text within the HTML, images and photographs are dropped from the translated version of sites.

You can also type in a phrase, sentence and paragraph and have the tool automatically translate it to any one of an impressive list of language choices.

Google is the best.

Since July 2006 I have been using ImageKind.com as my primary resource for managing online sales of fine art prints of my original nature, landscape, wildlife and cityscape photographs.

Before ImageKind I tried to manage order fulfillment by myself here in my studio. The following are the steps that took place:
1) A visitor to my main web site would see an image that he or she wanted to purchase a print of
2) They would select and purchase using my previous service for online credit card orders via buttons and size choices listed below the image
3) I’d receive a notification from my online credit card processor that a purchase had been made as well as the image #, print size selected and shipping address
4) I would fire-up my Epson 7600 large format printer, making sure I had the correct 24″ roll paper loaded and plenty of available Epson Ultrachrome ink cartridges
5) A typical 16″x24″ print, at high resolution and at the top of the line print settings, would usually take about an hour to run
6) I’d manually prepare the print for shipping, rolling and packing it in a shipping tube and then placing that package within a FedEx triangular shipping container
7) I’d go to my online FedEx account and que for a package pick-up
The print would be shipped to the customer along with their receipt as well as some of my promo material

Now here is a lesson in basic economics. Look at all the steps above. Each one has a price tag. Either in the way of my time, material, and/or fees. There was no way I could price my prints high enough to 1) recoup my costs, and 2) allow for a profit margin. Also, the customer has very limited options. They get the print, and that’s it. No mounting, mat or framing. No choices in paper and maybe three size selections.

The process wasn’t much less expensive for me when it came to local walk-in and phone customers. In fact sometimes it would be even more of an expensive proposition when I would hear those dreaded words “can you get it framed for me.” Uuuugggghhhhh !

Now enter ImageKind.com.

For a minimal annual fee, as well as a very low cost per image sold, I have unlimited memory capacity for uploading my high-res JPEG files of the images that I would like to offer for sale as fine art prints, ability to set and mange my own margins, opportunity to create and manage as many separate online galleries as I like, create custom HTML code for each image and gallery and leave the entire credit card processing and order fulfillment process in the hands of the capable staff at ImageKind. Not only that, but customers have a HUGE online selection of custom papers, mats, mounting and frames that can be applied to each and every one of my photographs posted for sale on my ImageKind storefront. In fact any online customer can preview exactly how their selected print will look with their mat and frame choices.

And here’s the best part. I love the print quality and care in shipping that ImageKind provides. In fact it is just as good (if not better) than what I was achieving with my Epson 7600 (which by the way, is for sale as part of my moving/liquidation sale prior to my upcoming move to Texas).

The following is a recent YouTube posting of a Seattle (where ImageKind is based) newscast featuring the president of ImageKind showing just how easy it can be to select and purchase artwork online. Watch it all the way through because at the end Kevin announces a special promo code for free shipping.

Yes, there is such a thing as press that’s less than positive. Sometimes it’s completely non-intentional and the negative effects aren’t realized until a few years down the road. Shortly after I started my photography business in 2003, the Dayton Daily News ran a full-page story about my work with nature and landscape photography. It was a good article. I can’t complain about that. The problem is that it ran at a time (early stage of going into business) when I held the mistaken belief that I could actually make a living solely based on the fine art market for nature, landscape and wildlife photography. The lasting negative effect of both that initial belief and particular article is that I’ve been permanently pigeon holed as just a “nature photographer” here in my local market, and I accept full responsibility.

I received a quick and expensive education to the contrary once the payables far outstretched the receivables. Even today people in Dayton keep mentioning “the article” and how much they are a “great fan of my nature and landscape photographs.” Daytonians love my work so much that they email or call me quite frequently asking me to donate a print to some silent auction or donate services or donate licensing rights. Donate, donate, donate. “It’s a great way to get your name out there.”

If I hear that phrase one more time I’m going to go out of my mind. Uh, I’m pretty sure that here in Dayton my name is out there. Perhaps that’s part of the problem ??

Here’s one the few certain things I’ve learned now that I’ve been in business as a photographer in the Dayton area going on five years now. The only thing that results from donations are more requests for donations, plus a whole host of hobbyists fishing for free info (that’s why I added paid workshops and lessons to my list of services).

Anyhoo, the truth is that my bread and butter is my commercial and assignment photography services, particularly in covering events, architectural projects, business portraits, products, processes, and a recent pick-up in activity for family portraiture.

Posted below is a new flyer I put together highlighting some of the recent architectural projects that I photographed. If I had to decide which area of commercial photography that I enjoy the most, I would have to say architecture followed closely by editorial and event work.

And yes, I will always hold-on to my first love of nature and landscape photography. However, I like to consider myself as a “renaissance man” in the field of photography. I can’t stand being pigeon holed - whether it applies to my professional or my personal life. What is it about this area of the Midwest that people feel so comfortable being permanently stuck in ruts - ruts of the same old way of doing business, day in and day out, and of applying convenient labels to one another.

Change, expand, adapt, learn, move forward. When things get too comfortable, then I know it’s time to light a fire under my @%# and get moving. In the words of Martha Stewart, “it’s a good thing.” Yesterday an old friend - originally from Dayton but who has also lived elsewhere (and that means out of Ohio) - commented that there’s just this “negative energy” to the area. I think it comes from so many of my fellow Daytonians falling into their comfortable zones and well, becoming permanent residents in the bland land of security and predictability. That’s not living. That’s just simply waiting.

Thank you Church of the Customer Blog for summing up in just a few short words and eye-opening story what is quietly destroying our society and our free market economy -

http://www.churchofthecustomer.com/blog/2007/12/the-tyranny-of.html

My favorite line from their entry:

Therefore, our law-obsessed American society makes it easy to believe that creating yet another rule will limit exposure. But it’s like putting on a full-body condom before swimming in the lake — you might be a little safer from the leeches, but your flexibility is restricted and you look like a dork.

Couldn’t have said it better myself.

One of the many rewarding things that occur when you finally venture forth and pursue your true calling is that the vast majority of personal connections you make are genuine and true, resulting from the clarity of your vision and the honesty of your convictions.

Conversely, when your in a job or career field that falls far short of your true calling, usually out of financial and emotional insecurity and misplaced trust, well, then the majority of your personal connections - both professional and social - will clearly reflect the dishonesty of your situation. This can happen most often from being stuck in the world of false pretenses and the manipulative power structure of some pathological, negative-amplifying circle of influence with an insatiable appetite for control and financial gain from the talents and work of others.

Such I’ve learned, the hard way.

My true calling did not actually get underway until April of 2003. At that time I ventured forth back to the birthplace of my passion and vocation (photography), located amongst the Hills of Hocking in Southeastern Ohio, on the edge of Appalachia. Mostly it has been there that I have come in contact with a growing number of friends who would serve to further inspire me to pursue my work in photography, sometimes simply by being encouraging souls and fellow travelers on that road to artistic discovery, positive growth and a life fulfilled.

Ellen and Terry at the Inn at Cedar Falls come to mind right away. There is no other place in Ohio like it, and if and when you go, you will see why. It was at the Inn where I discovered the amazing poetry of Stephen Emerick, who recently started his own WordPress blog, NaturePoet.com, thanks in part to another friend, provider of encouraging words and local guru of Websiteology, David Esrati.

No, I probably will not “score big time bucks” or roll in the cash with my photography.

But maybe - just maybe - there’s something more to life than fortunes gained at the expense of others and fair weather friends.

No debates. No campaign promises. No polls.

Just great photography.

(OK, perhaps an occasional slip into personal politics and some frustrations about trying to do business in Dayton, but still, great photography.)

Below is a photograph of the exterior of my photo studio, located on Far Hills Ave. in Centerville. It’s a nice location. Much better than the smaller office space I occupied in Kettering when I first got started. Notice the nice, new sign with outside light fixtures, which were not exactly inexpensive.

Ground floor entrances on both sides, plenty of parking, easy access, lots of space for studio shoots. When I moved here I was told by the property management company I lease through that there would be “lots of traffic” due to “high visibility.”

Yup, I get lots of traffic all right. A day does not go by (and by no means am I exaggerating) when I don’t receive at least one visit from a sales rep of some sort. The most common variety are those selling advertising, followed by phone systems and then insurance. One particular phone company has had at least a half dozen different reps come in and call on me over the last year. How a company can turn people over like that and still make money is beyond me, but hey, I guess that’s the nature of that industry. And let’s not forget those steady “request for donations.” About a year ago I placed “no soliciting” signs near both my doors. All that did was encourage them, so this morning (after getting bombarded yesterday) I placed my own “What part of no soliciting do you not understand ?” signs right at eye level next to each door.

I’m in my final year of a three year lease. After two years I can honestly conclude that for every 50 unsolicited sales calls I receive, I may get one prospective customer, and even then they’re almost always shopping for price versus quality. It’s great in Dayton.

Time for me to move on. I thought about making the big move last year, but I was talked into staying through a heavy application of guilt. Something happened last week with a major installation of fine art nature photography at a new, local hospital that finally pushed me over the edge and encouraged me again to pursue the much needed change.

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