Dear AIAP Members,
This may be old news to many of you, but to those who haven't heard, Google now has an amazing new application called Google Earth. This is a great tool that has numerous benefits for architectural photographers. Simply put, Google Earth allows you to view any location on planet earth!
You can learn more and download Google Earth free at the following link:
http://earth.google.com/
You'll need to run it on a fairly new computer. There are also some paid upgrades that have very useful features.
There are literally hundreds of cool things you can do with Google Earth, but let me tell you how I personally use it:
1. Determine compass orientation and sun angle of exteriors.
For me this is HUGE! I travel extensively, and one of the hardest things to determine when planning a shoot is "best time of day". My experience has been that the people on site are rarely able to tell me accurately which direction the building faces. With Google Earth I simply enter the address of the building and "fly-in" to the location and view its orientation--Amazing!
2. Determine the effect of adjacent buildings, parking lots and potential conflicting businesses on a site.
Have you ever arrived at an out of town location with a limited amount of shooting time and discovered that your subject was in the shadow of an adjacent structure? With Google Earth you can predict these potential problems.
3. Find nearby accommodations and services.
Another huge deal for me. I hate booking a hotel in a distant city and discovering that my subject site is on the other side of town. Google Earth allows you to find nearby lodging, restaurants, etc.
4. Find directions to and from a subject site.
I realize that this is old stuff if you use Mapquest, Yahoo Maps or Google Maps. However, seeing directions plotted out on the actual view of the area is vastly superior to any written directions. Google Earth zooms out and draws the way for you.
Undoubtedly you'll discover unique uses for this utility. Why not give it a try?
Best regards,
Alan Blakely, Director
The Association of Independent Architectural Photographers
http://www.aiap.net
Thursday, May 7, 2009
AIAP Newsletter 01/12/06
Converting Clicks to Cash
We all get excited when we view our website traffic logs. But the real measure of how successful we are on the web is not visits, but assignments. To that end, we've decided to take a hard look at how we might all do a better job of converting those clicks to cash.
Each day several thousand people visit the AIAP website and then peruse individual member listings. Unfortunately we have no way of knowing how many of these visitors actually book assignments with AIAP members. In the world of e-commerce, the "conversion rate" is the real measure of success. Conversion is defined as a visitor who stays to make a transaction. Often a corporate webmaster's livelihood depends entirely on the conversion rate he achieves with his company's website. For most AIAP members however, we ourselves are the webmaster, and so the responsibility begins and ends with us.
Let's take a look at a simple checklist of website "must haves" that will help each of us achieve a higher conversion rate:
1. Fish with the right hook.
One of the biggest mistakes we can make is trying to be all things to all people. If you had the means to hire a top flight advertising agency to promote your business, the first thing they would do is try to find out what sets you apart from your competition. In the advertising world this is known as your USP, or Unique Selling Proposition. To understand and define your own USP, start by asking yourself what it is that makes you different your competition. We've discussed this concept in previous newsletters as defining your own "brand".
Once you've identified your USP, you'll be able to create advertising messages that are driven by your USP strategy. For example, consider the difference in the strength of the two following advertising messages: 1. "Architectural photography services, including commercial and residential exteriors and interiors." 2. "The first choice of architectural professionals in the Tri-State area." Tell me, who would you call first? We see this strategy all the time with large corporate advertisers, however there's no reason you can't employ the same strategy. If you're still unclear about what a USP really is, take a few minutes and thumb through a consumer magazine of any kind. You'll quickly be able to identify the USP of the major advertisers.
After you're confident in the message you've developed from your USP--use it everywhere! This will become your own unique brand. Your USP message may also become a trademark slogan that you use on all of your web and printed material. A slogan that's less than 10 words is always best.
A few words of caution: Give this matter CAREFUL consideration. Run your ideas past your friends and family. Sleep on it. There's nothing more confusing to consumers than a constantly changing advertising message. Also, don't make your years in business your message--nobody cares how long you've done this, just how well.
2. Does your landing page deliver a clear message?
Webmasters call the first page that a visitor sees the "landing page". There are expensive workshops held throughout the country on landing page strategy. It really boils down to one simple question: Do visitors know who you are and what to do when they hit your landing page? If not, all the cool graphics in the world won't bring in business.
As an example of what I mean, take a look at the Apple website: http://www.apple.com
Is there any question of their message and call to action? You can achieve the same result in your website--at millions of dollars less than Apple spends.
3. Use the "AIDA" Principle.
Once you've got the visitor to your website and have presented a clear USP message you then need to provide some compelling copy that presents the "benefits" of doing business with you. In the advertising world this is known as the AIDA Principle; in other words "Attention, Interest, Desire, Action".
Let's first talk about "Attention". When someone hits your landing page do you immediately have their attention, or do you make them wait--yes, I'm talking about Flash programming here. MSNBC reported this week that half of all internet users in the U.S. still use a dial-up connection. Aside from the wait, there's an even more compelling reason to think twice about flash content on a landing page: search engines do not index flash content! Needless to say, gaining a visitors attention requires much more than a fast loading page--you've got to have compelling images or copy, or both.
Once you've got them, hold onto them! That's the "Interest" part. This is where you want to deliver that compelling copy or images that are supported by your USP. Tell your visitors what makes you unique as an architectural photographer. You may want to get the visitors "attention" with your landing page and then direct their "interest" to subsequent pages.
You'll create "Desire" in your visitor as you present the "benefits" of doing business with you. Every architectural photographer in the country shoots interiors and exteriors--tell your visitor about the benefits of having YOU shoot interiors and exteriors. Any of us who have been in sales have heard the oft-repeated adage that people by "benefits" rather than "features". Instead of bullet points that outline your services, use benefit driven copy. Consider the difference: "Great interior photography" or "Interiors that glow with the detail and subtle elegance of a master photographer's touch." Easy choice, right?
Now for the "Action". Does your website guide the visitor to book an assignment with you? If not, what's the point? Some of the more simple elements to your "call to action" are having easy to find email links and telephone number. We've all been to websites where we've had to hunt for contact information--how frustrating! Do all you can in the design of your website to make it easy for people to spend money with you.
Another aspect of your call to action is simply asking people to contact you and then providing a link to do so. You may want to consider an online form that allows the visitor to fill out a request for a quotation, or a highly visible email link. You might even say "Click here for a quotation on your project", and then provide a link to a request form.
4. Make it Simple!
Consider for a minute the last transaction you made online, or perhaps a website that you regularly do business with. Odds are that one of the most important elements to your satisfaction was the simplicity of the transaction. The website was likely very easy to navigate and fast loading. Take a look at your own website and see if it offers visitors a similar experience. If not, you're turning business away.
One very telling experiment is to direct a few of your non-photographic friends to your website and ask them to comment on their experience. Their comments will be very insightful as to the effectiveness of your website. Ask them what they "didn't like", and then fix it.
5. Back up your claims with great photography and great service.
Few things are more important in this business than reputation. News of great work and great service travels far and wide in the architectural community. When your photography and service match your advertising message, the combination is a potent force. Great photographers are eventually recognized even in the absence of advertising; however, a great photographer with a powerful advertising message quickly rises to the top of his or her profession. A desire to consistently do good work will take you to the top and keep you there.
As we begin this new year, let's all take a hard look at how we can be more effective both as photographers and small business owners. Here's wishing you all the best for a great new year!
Best regards,
Alan Blakely, Director
The Association of Independent Architectural Photographers
http://www.aiap.net
We all get excited when we view our website traffic logs. But the real measure of how successful we are on the web is not visits, but assignments. To that end, we've decided to take a hard look at how we might all do a better job of converting those clicks to cash.
Each day several thousand people visit the AIAP website and then peruse individual member listings. Unfortunately we have no way of knowing how many of these visitors actually book assignments with AIAP members. In the world of e-commerce, the "conversion rate" is the real measure of success. Conversion is defined as a visitor who stays to make a transaction. Often a corporate webmaster's livelihood depends entirely on the conversion rate he achieves with his company's website. For most AIAP members however, we ourselves are the webmaster, and so the responsibility begins and ends with us.
Let's take a look at a simple checklist of website "must haves" that will help each of us achieve a higher conversion rate:
1. Fish with the right hook.
One of the biggest mistakes we can make is trying to be all things to all people. If you had the means to hire a top flight advertising agency to promote your business, the first thing they would do is try to find out what sets you apart from your competition. In the advertising world this is known as your USP, or Unique Selling Proposition. To understand and define your own USP, start by asking yourself what it is that makes you different your competition. We've discussed this concept in previous newsletters as defining your own "brand".
Once you've identified your USP, you'll be able to create advertising messages that are driven by your USP strategy. For example, consider the difference in the strength of the two following advertising messages: 1. "Architectural photography services, including commercial and residential exteriors and interiors." 2. "The first choice of architectural professionals in the Tri-State area." Tell me, who would you call first? We see this strategy all the time with large corporate advertisers, however there's no reason you can't employ the same strategy. If you're still unclear about what a USP really is, take a few minutes and thumb through a consumer magazine of any kind. You'll quickly be able to identify the USP of the major advertisers.
After you're confident in the message you've developed from your USP--use it everywhere! This will become your own unique brand. Your USP message may also become a trademark slogan that you use on all of your web and printed material. A slogan that's less than 10 words is always best.
A few words of caution: Give this matter CAREFUL consideration. Run your ideas past your friends and family. Sleep on it. There's nothing more confusing to consumers than a constantly changing advertising message. Also, don't make your years in business your message--nobody cares how long you've done this, just how well.
2. Does your landing page deliver a clear message?
Webmasters call the first page that a visitor sees the "landing page". There are expensive workshops held throughout the country on landing page strategy. It really boils down to one simple question: Do visitors know who you are and what to do when they hit your landing page? If not, all the cool graphics in the world won't bring in business.
As an example of what I mean, take a look at the Apple website: http://www.apple.com
Is there any question of their message and call to action? You can achieve the same result in your website--at millions of dollars less than Apple spends.
3. Use the "AIDA" Principle.
Once you've got the visitor to your website and have presented a clear USP message you then need to provide some compelling copy that presents the "benefits" of doing business with you. In the advertising world this is known as the AIDA Principle; in other words "Attention, Interest, Desire, Action".
Let's first talk about "Attention". When someone hits your landing page do you immediately have their attention, or do you make them wait--yes, I'm talking about Flash programming here. MSNBC reported this week that half of all internet users in the U.S. still use a dial-up connection. Aside from the wait, there's an even more compelling reason to think twice about flash content on a landing page: search engines do not index flash content! Needless to say, gaining a visitors attention requires much more than a fast loading page--you've got to have compelling images or copy, or both.
Once you've got them, hold onto them! That's the "Interest" part. This is where you want to deliver that compelling copy or images that are supported by your USP. Tell your visitors what makes you unique as an architectural photographer. You may want to get the visitors "attention" with your landing page and then direct their "interest" to subsequent pages.
You'll create "Desire" in your visitor as you present the "benefits" of doing business with you. Every architectural photographer in the country shoots interiors and exteriors--tell your visitor about the benefits of having YOU shoot interiors and exteriors. Any of us who have been in sales have heard the oft-repeated adage that people by "benefits" rather than "features". Instead of bullet points that outline your services, use benefit driven copy. Consider the difference: "Great interior photography" or "Interiors that glow with the detail and subtle elegance of a master photographer's touch." Easy choice, right?
Now for the "Action". Does your website guide the visitor to book an assignment with you? If not, what's the point? Some of the more simple elements to your "call to action" are having easy to find email links and telephone number. We've all been to websites where we've had to hunt for contact information--how frustrating! Do all you can in the design of your website to make it easy for people to spend money with you.
Another aspect of your call to action is simply asking people to contact you and then providing a link to do so. You may want to consider an online form that allows the visitor to fill out a request for a quotation, or a highly visible email link. You might even say "Click here for a quotation on your project", and then provide a link to a request form.
4. Make it Simple!
Consider for a minute the last transaction you made online, or perhaps a website that you regularly do business with. Odds are that one of the most important elements to your satisfaction was the simplicity of the transaction. The website was likely very easy to navigate and fast loading. Take a look at your own website and see if it offers visitors a similar experience. If not, you're turning business away.
One very telling experiment is to direct a few of your non-photographic friends to your website and ask them to comment on their experience. Their comments will be very insightful as to the effectiveness of your website. Ask them what they "didn't like", and then fix it.
5. Back up your claims with great photography and great service.
Few things are more important in this business than reputation. News of great work and great service travels far and wide in the architectural community. When your photography and service match your advertising message, the combination is a potent force. Great photographers are eventually recognized even in the absence of advertising; however, a great photographer with a powerful advertising message quickly rises to the top of his or her profession. A desire to consistently do good work will take you to the top and keep you there.
As we begin this new year, let's all take a hard look at how we can be more effective both as photographers and small business owners. Here's wishing you all the best for a great new year!
Best regards,
Alan Blakely, Director
The Association of Independent Architectural Photographers
http://www.aiap.net
AIAP Newsletter 08/31/05
Dear AIAP Members,
This month's newsletter is a special feature from noted attorney and author Bert Krages.. I recently contacted Mr. Bert Krages regarding the rights of architectural photographers under the law as related to the photography of public buildings, utilities and transportation, etc.
I receive email from photographers on a regular basis who have been harrassed while attempting to complete a bona-fide assignment. I too have been stopped, questioned, detained and threatened with confiscation of my equipment. Mr. Krages has addressed this problem quite thoroughly in his publications and the article which follows.
I hope that you'll print this article for your own reference, and take the time to visit Mr. Krages' website for more information.
Best regards,
Alan Blakely, Director
The Association of Independent Architectural Photographers
Legal Aspects of Photographing Public Architecture - by Bert P. Krages, Attorney at Law
Architectural photographers are increasingly running into situations in which someone asserts they cannot photograph publicly-visible buildings and similar structures for various legal reasons. The most common reason given is national security although justifications based on privacy rights, copyright, and trademark protection have also been asserted. However, these assertions are almost always based on erroneous views of the law and most public architecture may be freely photographed.
Despite widespread misconceptions, there are no laws that prohibit the photography of most buildings, bridges, railroads, or industrial facilities. Although security guards and law enforcement personnel sometime cite the Patriot Act or the Homeland Security Act as authority to curtail photography, neither Act places any restrictions on photography nor do they authorize government officials to deny “suspicious individuals” access to property that is freely available to other people. Although there are statutes that prohibit the photography of military and nuclear facilities that have been designated as classified, other government buildings may be lawfully photographed. In practice, the exterior portions of nuclear facilities are rarely considered classified but it is often unclear whether publicly-visible military structures have been designated as classified. If in doubt, the best source of information to contact is the public relations officer assigned to the facility.
Privacy rights, such as the right to be free from intrusion or not to have one’s likeness used to endorse a product or service, are personal rights that do not extend to property. This means that building owners have no right to prohibit photography of their structures, irrespective of whether they are commercial or residential in nature. However, they do have the authority to exclude you from the property itself. Similarly, many states and local governments have voyeurism laws that prohibit photographing into the interior spaces of residential buildings in a way that violates the privacy of the persons inside them.
Intellectual property laws generally do not impose impediments to photographing buildings. Although buildings became eligible for copyright protection in 1990, the copyright statutes explicitly allow for the photography of buildings that are in public view. Therefore, a photographer will not infringe upon the copyright to a building by photographing it. However, buildings are sometimes adorned by artwork such as murals or sculptural elements that may be separately protected by copyright. In such cases, the copyright issues are largely the same as if the work was being photographed apart from the building. While there have been trademark lawsuits filed in the past in which building owners have sought to prevent the selling of images of their buildings in the form of posters and such, none of the owners have never prevailed in court. Although it is technically possibly to have a building constitute a trademark, the impracticalities of doing so are enormous and the prospects of infringing a trademark by photographing a building are very slim.
Unfortunately, the lack of legal authority does not keep people from trying to stop photographs from being taken of buildings. In many cases, confrontations can be avoided by notifying the owner ahead of time and explaining the purpose of your photography. Most confrontations can be handled satisfactorily by staying calm and explaining that it is legal to photograph buildings. When dealing with building owners or security guards, you may want to consider calling the police if the situation appears that it is going to escalate. If it is the police that are confronting you, it will usually be best to stop the photography. You can later complain to the public relations or internal affairs department about the officer’s behavior. In the event that your equipment is seized or images are destroyed, you will likely have civil remedies that you can pursue in court.
* * *
Bert Krages is an attorney based in Portland, Oregon and author of Legal Handbook for Photographers. A one-page flyer summarizing the right to take photographs in public places can be downloaded from his website (www.krages.com).
Bert P. Krages
Attorney at Law
6665 S.W. Hampton Street, Suite 200
Portland, Oregon 97223
< http://www.krages.com>
Author of:
Total Environmental Compliance: A Practical Guide for Environmental Professionals
< http://www.krages.com/tec.htm>
Legal Handbook for Photographers: The Rights and Liabilities of Making Images
< http://www.krages.com/lhp.htm>
This month's newsletter is a special feature from noted attorney and author Bert Krages.. I recently contacted Mr. Bert Krages regarding the rights of architectural photographers under the law as related to the photography of public buildings, utilities and transportation, etc.
I receive email from photographers on a regular basis who have been harrassed while attempting to complete a bona-fide assignment. I too have been stopped, questioned, detained and threatened with confiscation of my equipment. Mr. Krages has addressed this problem quite thoroughly in his publications and the article which follows.
I hope that you'll print this article for your own reference, and take the time to visit Mr. Krages' website for more information.
Best regards,
Alan Blakely, Director
The Association of Independent Architectural Photographers
Legal Aspects of Photographing Public Architecture - by Bert P. Krages, Attorney at Law
Architectural photographers are increasingly running into situations in which someone asserts they cannot photograph publicly-visible buildings and similar structures for various legal reasons. The most common reason given is national security although justifications based on privacy rights, copyright, and trademark protection have also been asserted. However, these assertions are almost always based on erroneous views of the law and most public architecture may be freely photographed.
Despite widespread misconceptions, there are no laws that prohibit the photography of most buildings, bridges, railroads, or industrial facilities. Although security guards and law enforcement personnel sometime cite the Patriot Act or the Homeland Security Act as authority to curtail photography, neither Act places any restrictions on photography nor do they authorize government officials to deny “suspicious individuals” access to property that is freely available to other people. Although there are statutes that prohibit the photography of military and nuclear facilities that have been designated as classified, other government buildings may be lawfully photographed. In practice, the exterior portions of nuclear facilities are rarely considered classified but it is often unclear whether publicly-visible military structures have been designated as classified. If in doubt, the best source of information to contact is the public relations officer assigned to the facility.
Privacy rights, such as the right to be free from intrusion or not to have one’s likeness used to endorse a product or service, are personal rights that do not extend to property. This means that building owners have no right to prohibit photography of their structures, irrespective of whether they are commercial or residential in nature. However, they do have the authority to exclude you from the property itself. Similarly, many states and local governments have voyeurism laws that prohibit photographing into the interior spaces of residential buildings in a way that violates the privacy of the persons inside them.
Intellectual property laws generally do not impose impediments to photographing buildings. Although buildings became eligible for copyright protection in 1990, the copyright statutes explicitly allow for the photography of buildings that are in public view. Therefore, a photographer will not infringe upon the copyright to a building by photographing it. However, buildings are sometimes adorned by artwork such as murals or sculptural elements that may be separately protected by copyright. In such cases, the copyright issues are largely the same as if the work was being photographed apart from the building. While there have been trademark lawsuits filed in the past in which building owners have sought to prevent the selling of images of their buildings in the form of posters and such, none of the owners have never prevailed in court. Although it is technically possibly to have a building constitute a trademark, the impracticalities of doing so are enormous and the prospects of infringing a trademark by photographing a building are very slim.
Unfortunately, the lack of legal authority does not keep people from trying to stop photographs from being taken of buildings. In many cases, confrontations can be avoided by notifying the owner ahead of time and explaining the purpose of your photography. Most confrontations can be handled satisfactorily by staying calm and explaining that it is legal to photograph buildings. When dealing with building owners or security guards, you may want to consider calling the police if the situation appears that it is going to escalate. If it is the police that are confronting you, it will usually be best to stop the photography. You can later complain to the public relations or internal affairs department about the officer’s behavior. In the event that your equipment is seized or images are destroyed, you will likely have civil remedies that you can pursue in court.
* * *
Bert Krages is an attorney based in Portland, Oregon and author of Legal Handbook for Photographers. A one-page flyer summarizing the right to take photographs in public places can be downloaded from his website (www.krages.com).
Bert P. Krages
Attorney at Law
6665 S.W. Hampton Street, Suite 200
Portland, Oregon 97223
< http://www.krages.com>
Author of:
Total Environmental Compliance: A Practical Guide for Environmental Professionals
< http://www.krages.com/tec.htm>
Legal Handbook for Photographers: The Rights and Liabilities of Making Images
< http://www.krages.com/lhp.htm>
AIAP Newsletter 07/05/05
AIAP Newsletter
Dear AIAP Member,
It's with great pleasure that we introduce this month's newsletter contributed by Mr. David Luria, a charter member of the AIAP. David operates a very successful architectural photography business in the Washington D.C. area with a unique and successful sideline known as the Photo Safari.
Best regards,
Alan Blakely, Director
AIAP
LOCAL PHOTO SAFARIS AS SIDELINE INCOME
Professional architectural photographers can earn a very decent sideline income between assignments by teaching the techniques of travel and landmark photography to amateurs.
One photographer who has done it successfully is E. David Luria, a Charter Member of AIAP from Washington DC and a member of the American Society of Media Photographers whose images have appeared in 95 domestic and international publications, including TIME, Prevention Magazine, Washingtonian, Tokyo Shimbun, the Washington Post, and many others.
Six years ago Mr. Luria began an informal enterprise in the nation's capital called the Washington Photo Safari. His approach was to teach people the photographic skills they need on their travels by taking them around the monuments of Washington DC, showing them how - and where- to take great pictures.
Sandwiching occasional photo safaris in between his regular architectural photography assignments, in 1999 he took a total of 72 clients on a standard half-day itinerary that included the White House, the Lincoln, Korean and Vietnam Memorials, the US Capitol, and Union Station.
This "sideline business" has increased dramatically. In six years, Washington Photo safari has grown from 6 clients a month in 1999 to 170 clients a month in 2005, employing six professional photographer-instructors and offering 75 different itineraries all over the Washington DC area and even as far away as Paris, France, Quebec, Canada, and Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Since 1999 Washington Photo Safari has trained over 5,800 participants in 780 safaris - averaging 7-8 people per group -with hundreds of clients returning over and over again on different itineraries in such photogenic locations as the Washington National Cathedral, the Library of Congress, the US Botanic Gardens, the Franciscan Monastery, or to photograph fall foliage in the nearby Shenandoah National Park.
About 75% of Mr. Luria's clients are local DC-area residents, while 25% are tourists or visiting conventioneers. Over 100 clients have been on 5 or more safaris, and one apparently satisfied client has been on 41 of the 75 itineraries offered!
The skills taught by Washington Photo Safari, taken from the architectural photographer's bag of tricks, are basic to good travel photography, such as composition and lighting, exposure, framing, use of flowers trees and bushes for color; how to pose people, how to take pictures of people you know and people you don't know, how to use the various features of your camera, even how to hold the camera for maximum sharpness when a tripod is not available or practical.
Trained at the Parsons School of Design in Paris by a protoge of Henri cartier Bresson, Mr. Luria stresses that great pictures are taken by photographers, not by cameras.
Current safari prices range from $49 to $69 for half-day excursions, $79 for specialized training in safaris in digital photography, to $119-$149 for full-day safaris, and $325-$395 for long weekend safaris to other domestic and international locations.
Washington Photo Safari advertises its services through Penn Camera, a local chain of camera stores in the DC area, also in the Internet and through the Washington DC Convention and Tourism Corp. It has also received considerable press attention through a segment on the NBC Today Show and through articles in the Washington Post, the Baltimore Sun, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Chicago Tribune, and AAA Magazine. It is also listed in the "Time Out Guide" to Washington DC and in the Shaw Guide to photography workshops.
Now the DC area's largest provider of photography training excursions, Washington Photo Safari offers regularly scheduled photo safaris 3-4 times a week, all year long, rain or shine, to photographers at any skill level with any kind of camera, film or digital. Most of Mr. Luria's clients classify themselves as intermediate or beginner point and shoot photographers, but his safaris also attract many serious amateurs and professional photographers who appreciate a local pro's knowledge of where all the best photo ops are located in the DC area.
Clients also appreciate Washington Photo Safari's variety of offerings in many categories of photography, such as architecture, digital photography (they even offer camera-specific safaris to users of the Nikon D-70, the Can 20D and the Canon Digital Rebel), interior and museum photography, informal candid portraiture of adults and children, nature and wildlife photography, nighttime photography, travel and landmark photography, and special photographic techniques such as macro, flash and filters, F stops and shutter speeds, pet photography, still life and abstracts, Polaroid transfers and greeting card photography! They even offer a seminar on how to make a smooth transition from amateur to professional photography.
As a result, Washington Photo safari revenues and profits have increased dramatically since 1999 at an average annual rate exceeding 80%. Gross safari bookings in 2004 topped $79,000, and they are expected to exceed $110,000 in 2005, not bad for a program that just operates on Wednesdays, Saturdays and occasional Sundays!
More information on Washington Photo Safari is available at their website which is www.WashingtonPhotoSafari.com
Mr. Luria is convinced that this successful model can be replicated in other cities by enterprising architectural photographers who love to teach their craft, and his services are available to help them set up similar operations.
"Granted that Washington DC - with its many landmarks and historic places - is not a typical city, "Mr. Luria comments. "But I believe that any community with photogenic sites can establish regularly scheduled photography training excursions for that HUGE market of people who love to take pictures but never received any formal training."
"These are the intermediate and beginner-level photographers who admit to taking blah and boring pictures, posing their friends and relatives too far away in that familiar 'sign-on-the-Men's-Room-door' stance, " he says. "These people - who represent 95% of the picture-taking public - do not have the time, money or interest or equipment to go on one of the many excellent photo safaris led by top-notch magazine photographers. But they CAN spare a half-day or a full day or perhaps a weekend to get the basic travel and landmark photography training they need before they go on that next big trip!"
In Mr. Luria's opinion, cities with the best potential or success in conducting regularly schedules photo safaris for local residents and visitors would be such photogenic locations as Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Savannah, Charleston, Miami, St. Louis, Chicago, New orleans, Vancouver, Seattle, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Denver, Santa Fe and many others.
"But" he added, "I believe that any community with good photographic potential such as statues, memorials, museums, old barns, waterfalls, historic places, winter scenes, fall foliage, spring blossoms, etc. can establish popular photo training excursions that operate on a regular basis or by appointment. "
Mr. Luria recommends advertising on the Internet, promoting the business through local camera stores (who stand to benefit from increased equipment sales and processing costs), through local camera clubs, and through the local visitors' bureau to attract the tourist trade. Most of the clientele and the highly valuable repeat business, however, will come from local residents of the area.
Washington Photo safari has developed a comprehensive how-to manual that can help architectural photographers establish and run photo safaris in their own communities. Available at www.washingtonPhotosafari.com for a fee of $179, it includes tips on designing safaris that sell, suggested topics of instruction, advertising, promotion, website design, how to handle communications with clients, record-keeping, operations, pricing and costs.
Mr. Luria is also available to come to the photographer's community for turnkey consultation on setting up and operating a photo safari.
he can be reached at info@washingtonphotosafari.com or at 202-537-0937.
Dear AIAP Member,
It's with great pleasure that we introduce this month's newsletter contributed by Mr. David Luria, a charter member of the AIAP. David operates a very successful architectural photography business in the Washington D.C. area with a unique and successful sideline known as the Photo Safari.
Best regards,
Alan Blakely, Director
AIAP
LOCAL PHOTO SAFARIS AS SIDELINE INCOME
Professional architectural photographers can earn a very decent sideline income between assignments by teaching the techniques of travel and landmark photography to amateurs.
One photographer who has done it successfully is E. David Luria, a Charter Member of AIAP from Washington DC and a member of the American Society of Media Photographers whose images have appeared in 95 domestic and international publications, including TIME, Prevention Magazine, Washingtonian, Tokyo Shimbun, the Washington Post, and many others.
Six years ago Mr. Luria began an informal enterprise in the nation's capital called the Washington Photo Safari. His approach was to teach people the photographic skills they need on their travels by taking them around the monuments of Washington DC, showing them how - and where- to take great pictures.
Sandwiching occasional photo safaris in between his regular architectural photography assignments, in 1999 he took a total of 72 clients on a standard half-day itinerary that included the White House, the Lincoln, Korean and Vietnam Memorials, the US Capitol, and Union Station.
This "sideline business" has increased dramatically. In six years, Washington Photo safari has grown from 6 clients a month in 1999 to 170 clients a month in 2005, employing six professional photographer-instructors and offering 75 different itineraries all over the Washington DC area and even as far away as Paris, France, Quebec, Canada, and Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Since 1999 Washington Photo Safari has trained over 5,800 participants in 780 safaris - averaging 7-8 people per group -with hundreds of clients returning over and over again on different itineraries in such photogenic locations as the Washington National Cathedral, the Library of Congress, the US Botanic Gardens, the Franciscan Monastery, or to photograph fall foliage in the nearby Shenandoah National Park.
About 75% of Mr. Luria's clients are local DC-area residents, while 25% are tourists or visiting conventioneers. Over 100 clients have been on 5 or more safaris, and one apparently satisfied client has been on 41 of the 75 itineraries offered!
The skills taught by Washington Photo Safari, taken from the architectural photographer's bag of tricks, are basic to good travel photography, such as composition and lighting, exposure, framing, use of flowers trees and bushes for color; how to pose people, how to take pictures of people you know and people you don't know, how to use the various features of your camera, even how to hold the camera for maximum sharpness when a tripod is not available or practical.
Trained at the Parsons School of Design in Paris by a protoge of Henri cartier Bresson, Mr. Luria stresses that great pictures are taken by photographers, not by cameras.
Current safari prices range from $49 to $69 for half-day excursions, $79 for specialized training in safaris in digital photography, to $119-$149 for full-day safaris, and $325-$395 for long weekend safaris to other domestic and international locations.
Washington Photo Safari advertises its services through Penn Camera, a local chain of camera stores in the DC area, also in the Internet and through the Washington DC Convention and Tourism Corp. It has also received considerable press attention through a segment on the NBC Today Show and through articles in the Washington Post, the Baltimore Sun, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Chicago Tribune, and AAA Magazine. It is also listed in the "Time Out Guide" to Washington DC and in the Shaw Guide to photography workshops.
Now the DC area's largest provider of photography training excursions, Washington Photo Safari offers regularly scheduled photo safaris 3-4 times a week, all year long, rain or shine, to photographers at any skill level with any kind of camera, film or digital. Most of Mr. Luria's clients classify themselves as intermediate or beginner point and shoot photographers, but his safaris also attract many serious amateurs and professional photographers who appreciate a local pro's knowledge of where all the best photo ops are located in the DC area.
Clients also appreciate Washington Photo Safari's variety of offerings in many categories of photography, such as architecture, digital photography (they even offer camera-specific safaris to users of the Nikon D-70, the Can 20D and the Canon Digital Rebel), interior and museum photography, informal candid portraiture of adults and children, nature and wildlife photography, nighttime photography, travel and landmark photography, and special photographic techniques such as macro, flash and filters, F stops and shutter speeds, pet photography, still life and abstracts, Polaroid transfers and greeting card photography! They even offer a seminar on how to make a smooth transition from amateur to professional photography.
As a result, Washington Photo safari revenues and profits have increased dramatically since 1999 at an average annual rate exceeding 80%. Gross safari bookings in 2004 topped $79,000, and they are expected to exceed $110,000 in 2005, not bad for a program that just operates on Wednesdays, Saturdays and occasional Sundays!
More information on Washington Photo Safari is available at their website which is www.WashingtonPhotoSafari.com
Mr. Luria is convinced that this successful model can be replicated in other cities by enterprising architectural photographers who love to teach their craft, and his services are available to help them set up similar operations.
"Granted that Washington DC - with its many landmarks and historic places - is not a typical city, "Mr. Luria comments. "But I believe that any community with photogenic sites can establish regularly scheduled photography training excursions for that HUGE market of people who love to take pictures but never received any formal training."
"These are the intermediate and beginner-level photographers who admit to taking blah and boring pictures, posing their friends and relatives too far away in that familiar 'sign-on-the-Men's-Room-door' stance, " he says. "These people - who represent 95% of the picture-taking public - do not have the time, money or interest or equipment to go on one of the many excellent photo safaris led by top-notch magazine photographers. But they CAN spare a half-day or a full day or perhaps a weekend to get the basic travel and landmark photography training they need before they go on that next big trip!"
In Mr. Luria's opinion, cities with the best potential or success in conducting regularly schedules photo safaris for local residents and visitors would be such photogenic locations as Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Savannah, Charleston, Miami, St. Louis, Chicago, New orleans, Vancouver, Seattle, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Denver, Santa Fe and many others.
"But" he added, "I believe that any community with good photographic potential such as statues, memorials, museums, old barns, waterfalls, historic places, winter scenes, fall foliage, spring blossoms, etc. can establish popular photo training excursions that operate on a regular basis or by appointment. "
Mr. Luria recommends advertising on the Internet, promoting the business through local camera stores (who stand to benefit from increased equipment sales and processing costs), through local camera clubs, and through the local visitors' bureau to attract the tourist trade. Most of the clientele and the highly valuable repeat business, however, will come from local residents of the area.
Washington Photo safari has developed a comprehensive how-to manual that can help architectural photographers establish and run photo safaris in their own communities. Available at www.washingtonPhotosafari.com for a fee of $179, it includes tips on designing safaris that sell, suggested topics of instruction, advertising, promotion, website design, how to handle communications with clients, record-keeping, operations, pricing and costs.
Mr. Luria is also available to come to the photographer's community for turnkey consultation on setting up and operating a photo safari.
he can be reached at info@washingtonphotosafari.com or at 202-537-0937.
AIAP Newsletter 05/03/05
Dear AIAP Member,
There’s been a lot of discussion of late in the AIAP Forum and elsewhere regarding postcard marketing as a way to jumpstart a stagnant architectural photography business. Postcard marketing is an incredibly successful marketing tool if used properly. Perhaps now is a good time to discuss a few fundamentals for successful postcard marketing.
Postcard Marketing
#1 Target your Mailing
Develop a list of prospects that will definitely buy what you sell. Too often we waste money with lists that include less than prime prospects. This is the old “shoot where the ducks are flying” principle. Also, I believe that it’s no longer necessary to buy a mailing list. There are countless online directories for the business segments that buy architectural photography. For example, one can easily go to the AIA directory, search on a specific locale, and then simply cut and paste architect listings into your mailing list. The same is true of commercial builders and developers, hospitality and resort professionals, interior designers, magazines, etc.
Another crucial aspect of mailing list creation is to make certain that you are mailing to individuals who actually “buy” photography. Don’t simply mail to the “marketing director”, “art buyer” or “photo editor”. Have a real name on that address. You may have to go to the prospects actual website to determine who to mail to, or perhaps even make a telephone call. In the end, your list will be much more effective. And oh yes, print a nice clean label for your postcard.
#2 Match the Message to the Audience
Back in my advertising days I worked as a brand strategist and copywriter. I learned right away that one of the first rules of a successful advertising message is to have a well-conceived strategy to drive the campaign. In the case of your postcard campaign, the primary purpose is to generate inquiries. Inquiries may be in the form of website visits, telephone calls or email messages. Your strategy must include a creative way to generate those inquiries.
Every strategy that motivates action must have an emotional element. A long list of bullet points isn’t emotional, cheap prices aren’t emotional, and the type of camera you own isn’t emotional. You have to answer the question “Why must I choose to do business with you, and why must I choose now?” How about a message like “We shoot the photographs you had in mind when you first imagined your project.” Your strategy may be brief and clever copy that explains a significant benefit of hiring you. It may be a stunning photograph that simply stops the viewer cold. It could be a creative headline that provokes the prospect to question their present way of buying architectural photography.
Another aspect of message strategy is to speak the language of your prospect. Make the most of idioms and expressions that are unique to your prospect’s industry. Simply put, speak to your prospect like a friend—a friend who needs your services to be successful and happy. If your postcard is “on strategy” your prospect will be able to imagine a photograph of their own project on your postcard, and also consider how much more effective their marketing would be with your help. Oh yes, one final thing: Have just ONE message. Say one thing, say it clearly and cleverly, and say nothing more.
#3 Design Simplicity
Keep it simple! The postcard is a medium that’s meant to be simple and easy to understand. Strong and simple design with a minimum of copy will produce the best results. Use the “3 Second Test” to evaluate the strength of your design and layout. If you can’t understand both who the sender is and what the message is in 3 seconds, your design is too complex. Anything over 3 seconds will hit the wastebasket in short order.
Another prime consideration is having a “hierarchy” of design elements. It should be obvious to the reader what is most important and what is least important in your postcard. There are very few “must haves” in your design, but one of the most important is contact information. If a prospect has to hunt for contact information you’ll likely lose them. On my own postcards my contact information usually consists of only my web address and telephone number. Lately, most include only my web address—and I never include the ubiquitous “www” that everyone already knows.
#4 Printing and Mailing
When it comes to printing, I always look for a way to cut costs. Many printers offer short run digital solutions that drastically reduce the cost of a four-color print run. I’ve also printed many postcards in-house using a good quality inkjet printer. There are now a number of inkjet papers available that offer both high gloss and double-sided printing. I wouldn’t ever consider using a paper with a backprint or watermark—it simply looks too amateurish. Recently I discovered a great quality, heavy weight gloss paper at Costco that has become one of my favorites. What’s more, it’s really cheap.
I also prefer to go with slightly larger than normal postcards. Traditional postcard dimensions are 3-1/2 x 5 inches, however your postcards will still qualify for the inexpensive 23 cent First Class rate if they don’t exceed 4-1/4 x 6 inches. The slightly larger size will garner more attention and subsequent responses than the smaller traditional size.
#5 Timing is Everything!
The conventional wisdom in the direct mail advertising world is that you should mail your postcards so that they arrive on either Tuesday or Wednesday. The reason is simple: the volume of mail in the U.S. is lightest on those days, and consequently there will be fewer pieces of mail to compete with for the prospect’s attention. By all means, never have your postcards arrive on Monday—you know how you react to the avalanche of Monday mail.
You may also want to time your follow up calls in the same way. A call on Tuesday or Wednesday is always more welcome than a Monday or Friday call. Yes, I did say follow up calls! If you don’t hear from your prospects, why not give them a call? A simple “Hi, this is John Doe from John Doe Architectural Photography. I forwarded a sample of my work recently to you recently, and I’m calling to see if I might be able to assist you with your upcoming photography projects.” We’ll discuss cold calling and telephone prospecting in a future newsletter.
I hope that this brief discussion will assist you in your own postcard marketing efforts. This is by no means a comprehensive guide to direct mail advertising. However, the five fundamentals I’ve discussed will put you well on your way to an increase in inquiries and bookings.
Happy shooting,
Alan Blakely, Director
The Association of Independent Architectural Photographers
http://www.aiap.net
http://architecturalphotographer.org
There’s been a lot of discussion of late in the AIAP Forum and elsewhere regarding postcard marketing as a way to jumpstart a stagnant architectural photography business. Postcard marketing is an incredibly successful marketing tool if used properly. Perhaps now is a good time to discuss a few fundamentals for successful postcard marketing.
Postcard Marketing
#1 Target your Mailing
Develop a list of prospects that will definitely buy what you sell. Too often we waste money with lists that include less than prime prospects. This is the old “shoot where the ducks are flying” principle. Also, I believe that it’s no longer necessary to buy a mailing list. There are countless online directories for the business segments that buy architectural photography. For example, one can easily go to the AIA directory, search on a specific locale, and then simply cut and paste architect listings into your mailing list. The same is true of commercial builders and developers, hospitality and resort professionals, interior designers, magazines, etc.
Another crucial aspect of mailing list creation is to make certain that you are mailing to individuals who actually “buy” photography. Don’t simply mail to the “marketing director”, “art buyer” or “photo editor”. Have a real name on that address. You may have to go to the prospects actual website to determine who to mail to, or perhaps even make a telephone call. In the end, your list will be much more effective. And oh yes, print a nice clean label for your postcard.
#2 Match the Message to the Audience
Back in my advertising days I worked as a brand strategist and copywriter. I learned right away that one of the first rules of a successful advertising message is to have a well-conceived strategy to drive the campaign. In the case of your postcard campaign, the primary purpose is to generate inquiries. Inquiries may be in the form of website visits, telephone calls or email messages. Your strategy must include a creative way to generate those inquiries.
Every strategy that motivates action must have an emotional element. A long list of bullet points isn’t emotional, cheap prices aren’t emotional, and the type of camera you own isn’t emotional. You have to answer the question “Why must I choose to do business with you, and why must I choose now?” How about a message like “We shoot the photographs you had in mind when you first imagined your project.” Your strategy may be brief and clever copy that explains a significant benefit of hiring you. It may be a stunning photograph that simply stops the viewer cold. It could be a creative headline that provokes the prospect to question their present way of buying architectural photography.
Another aspect of message strategy is to speak the language of your prospect. Make the most of idioms and expressions that are unique to your prospect’s industry. Simply put, speak to your prospect like a friend—a friend who needs your services to be successful and happy. If your postcard is “on strategy” your prospect will be able to imagine a photograph of their own project on your postcard, and also consider how much more effective their marketing would be with your help. Oh yes, one final thing: Have just ONE message. Say one thing, say it clearly and cleverly, and say nothing more.
#3 Design Simplicity
Keep it simple! The postcard is a medium that’s meant to be simple and easy to understand. Strong and simple design with a minimum of copy will produce the best results. Use the “3 Second Test” to evaluate the strength of your design and layout. If you can’t understand both who the sender is and what the message is in 3 seconds, your design is too complex. Anything over 3 seconds will hit the wastebasket in short order.
Another prime consideration is having a “hierarchy” of design elements. It should be obvious to the reader what is most important and what is least important in your postcard. There are very few “must haves” in your design, but one of the most important is contact information. If a prospect has to hunt for contact information you’ll likely lose them. On my own postcards my contact information usually consists of only my web address and telephone number. Lately, most include only my web address—and I never include the ubiquitous “www” that everyone already knows.
#4 Printing and Mailing
When it comes to printing, I always look for a way to cut costs. Many printers offer short run digital solutions that drastically reduce the cost of a four-color print run. I’ve also printed many postcards in-house using a good quality inkjet printer. There are now a number of inkjet papers available that offer both high gloss and double-sided printing. I wouldn’t ever consider using a paper with a backprint or watermark—it simply looks too amateurish. Recently I discovered a great quality, heavy weight gloss paper at Costco that has become one of my favorites. What’s more, it’s really cheap.
I also prefer to go with slightly larger than normal postcards. Traditional postcard dimensions are 3-1/2 x 5 inches, however your postcards will still qualify for the inexpensive 23 cent First Class rate if they don’t exceed 4-1/4 x 6 inches. The slightly larger size will garner more attention and subsequent responses than the smaller traditional size.
#5 Timing is Everything!
The conventional wisdom in the direct mail advertising world is that you should mail your postcards so that they arrive on either Tuesday or Wednesday. The reason is simple: the volume of mail in the U.S. is lightest on those days, and consequently there will be fewer pieces of mail to compete with for the prospect’s attention. By all means, never have your postcards arrive on Monday—you know how you react to the avalanche of Monday mail.
You may also want to time your follow up calls in the same way. A call on Tuesday or Wednesday is always more welcome than a Monday or Friday call. Yes, I did say follow up calls! If you don’t hear from your prospects, why not give them a call? A simple “Hi, this is John Doe from John Doe Architectural Photography. I forwarded a sample of my work recently to you recently, and I’m calling to see if I might be able to assist you with your upcoming photography projects.” We’ll discuss cold calling and telephone prospecting in a future newsletter.
I hope that this brief discussion will assist you in your own postcard marketing efforts. This is by no means a comprehensive guide to direct mail advertising. However, the five fundamentals I’ve discussed will put you well on your way to an increase in inquiries and bookings.
Happy shooting,
Alan Blakely, Director
The Association of Independent Architectural Photographers
http://www.aiap.net
http://architecturalphotographer.org
AIAP Newsletter 10/29/04
Dear AIAP Member,
We'd like to make you aware of a free website analysis and search engine submission service now offered by Submit Express. Simply follow the link below:
http://www.submitexpress.com/
You'll find very useful tools for tuning up your website and making it more search engine friendly under their "Webmaster Tools" section. We highly recommend the Meta Tag Analyzer.
After you've tuned up the code in your website you can use their free search engine submission. One valuable service offered in their search submission is a direct link to the Yahoo! free submission link (yes, I did say free!). After you've completed your submission, simply click on the link to the Yahoo! submission page and enter your URL.
Best regards,
AIAP Member Services
The Association of Independent Architectural Photographers
http://www.aiap.net
http://architecturalphotographer.org
We'd like to make you aware of a free website analysis and search engine submission service now offered by Submit Express. Simply follow the link below:
http://www.submitexpress.com/
You'll find very useful tools for tuning up your website and making it more search engine friendly under their "Webmaster Tools" section. We highly recommend the Meta Tag Analyzer.
After you've tuned up the code in your website you can use their free search engine submission. One valuable service offered in their search submission is a direct link to the Yahoo! free submission link (yes, I did say free!). After you've completed your submission, simply click on the link to the Yahoo! submission page and enter your URL.
Best regards,
AIAP Member Services
The Association of Independent Architectural Photographers
http://www.aiap.net
http://architecturalphotographer.org
AIAP Newsletter 10/12/04
Dear AIAP Member,
For many of us the change of seasons also signals a change our business climate. With the approaching winter, perhaps now is a good time to consider our marketing plan for the next few months.
Taking a cue from my photographer's representative, we've posted a very useful Client Contact Form under "FILES" in the AIAP Yahoo! Forum. This form has proven very useful in organizing efforts with potential clients and new markets.
The AIAP Client Contact Form is posted in MS Word format, and can now be downloaded from the AIAP Yahoo! Forum:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aiapforum/
For those of you who haven't taken the time to register for the forum, you'll need to register before you can access the forum files. Perhaps now is also a good time to encourage those of you who haven't registered to do so now. As an AIAP member you're automatically qualified to access this forum--simply register now.
My rep (who also happens to be my beautiful wife) uses this form to keep track of sales leads and business contacts in my own business. It's easy to use, easy to track and easy to update. The form is set up to be used in an 8-1/2 x 11 three ring binder. My binder also has alphabetical dividers to organize the pages.
There are several fields in the form which may need explanation:
Client Class: This is simply the type of client, such as architect, interior designer, builder, magazine, etc.
Prospect Rating: I rank prospects on an "A" through "D" grade rating. "A" being most promising, "D" being marginal.
Next Step: In my book this is the single most important field. We often stumble with great new business leads when we don't take time to think of "what do I do next?".
This form has proven to be a great tool in staying on top of new business opportunities. I hope you'll find it equally useful.
Best regards,
Alan Blakely, Director
The Association of Independent Architectural Photographers
For many of us the change of seasons also signals a change our business climate. With the approaching winter, perhaps now is a good time to consider our marketing plan for the next few months.
Taking a cue from my photographer's representative, we've posted a very useful Client Contact Form under "FILES" in the AIAP Yahoo! Forum. This form has proven very useful in organizing efforts with potential clients and new markets.
The AIAP Client Contact Form is posted in MS Word format, and can now be downloaded from the AIAP Yahoo! Forum:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aiapforum/
For those of you who haven't taken the time to register for the forum, you'll need to register before you can access the forum files. Perhaps now is also a good time to encourage those of you who haven't registered to do so now. As an AIAP member you're automatically qualified to access this forum--simply register now.
My rep (who also happens to be my beautiful wife) uses this form to keep track of sales leads and business contacts in my own business. It's easy to use, easy to track and easy to update. The form is set up to be used in an 8-1/2 x 11 three ring binder. My binder also has alphabetical dividers to organize the pages.
There are several fields in the form which may need explanation:
Client Class: This is simply the type of client, such as architect, interior designer, builder, magazine, etc.
Prospect Rating: I rank prospects on an "A" through "D" grade rating. "A" being most promising, "D" being marginal.
Next Step: In my book this is the single most important field. We often stumble with great new business leads when we don't take time to think of "what do I do next?".
This form has proven to be a great tool in staying on top of new business opportunities. I hope you'll find it equally useful.
Best regards,
Alan Blakely, Director
The Association of Independent Architectural Photographers
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