Portrait Photography Questionnaire

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abphotography - 29 Aug 2003 09:44 GMT

Just about to set myself up in business as a portrait photographer.
Been to business link who want to me produce a business plan and do
research. Never done this before and am really struggling.

Any help with putting one together would be very welcome! Sample
business plans would be useful.

I put together a Questionnaire. Not sure how good it is and really
need to see how good it is before standing in the street asking these
questions. Is it alright? What would you ask?

To help me see the type of answers I'm likely to get, could you please
answer the questions? This way it can help me improve the
Questionnaire and help others in the same boat as me.

Portrait Photography Questionnaire

What do you look for in a photographer?

Does the gender of the photographer matter to you?

If so, why?

Would you hire a photographer that doesn't use studio lights?

If you answered no, please can you say why?

If you have ever used a natural light photographer, what did you
think of the quality of their work?

Does it matter to you if a photographer uses film or digital?

Can you please explain why?

Which of the following type of prints do you prefer (please select all
that apply);
Colour
Black & White
Hand Colouring
Sepia

Would you be willing to hire a photographer who specialises in any
of the above?

The next question is aimed at people who use high street
photographers.

What do you think of their prices?

Are you happy with what you get for that price?

Are you happy with the poses?

How do you think their service could be improved?

Would you use a local photographer over a high street photographer?

Would you please say why?

If you have more than one local photographer in the area, how would
you choose between them?

How much would you be willing to pay for portraits, and what sizes of
prints do you prefer?

Would you be willing to pay £35 or more for a sitting fee?

If not, could you please say why you'd not pay this amount, and how
much would you pay?

Would you be prepared to pay a little extra for online proofing?

If you would, how much extra would you be prepared to pay?

What extra services would you like to see photographers offering?

The next question is aimed at people have already used photographers.

What did you get and how much did it cost you?

Did you think you got value for money?

If not, what was wrong with it?

Name:
Address:

E-mail:

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Randall Ainsworth - 29 Aug 2003 13:25 GMT

> What do you look for in a photographer?

The quality of their work

> Does the gender of the photographer matter to you?

> Would you hire a photographer that doesn't use studio lights?

Probably not

> If you answered no, please can you say why?

It rains too much around here. If you don't know how to use lights
then you're in the wrong business.

> If you have ever used a natural light photographer, what did you
> think of the quality of their work?

Don't know of any.

> Does it matter to you if a photographer uses film or digital?

Nope

> Can you please explain why?

If they're using good enough equipment and have good technique, you
can't tell the difference. It's the end result that counts.

> Which of the following type of prints do you prefer (please select all
> that apply);

XX Colour

> Black & White
> Hand Colouring
> Sepia
>
> Would you be willing to hire a photographer who specialises in any
> of the above?

Maybe

> The next question is aimed at people who use high street
> photographers.

Must be a limey term. Don't know what "high street" means.

> What do you think of their prices?
>
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> If you have more than one local photographer in the area, how would
> you choose between them?

Quality of their work...ask people who have used them

> How much would you be willing to pay for portraits, and what sizes of
> prints do you prefer?
>
> Would you be willing to pay £35 or more for a sitting fee?

Not a limey...don't know the conversion...but prices are dependent on
costs

> If not, could you please say why you'd not pay this amount, and how
> much would you pay?
>
> Would you be prepared to pay a little extra for online proofing?

> If you would, how much extra would you be prepared to pay?
>
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>
> E-mail:

Reply to this Message

JustaPawn - 29 Aug 2003 15:24 GMT

No one is going to answer that questionaire.

All they want is a quality photo that makes them look better than they do at
the price they think is right.

Reply to this Message

stan - 30 Aug 2003 00:53 GMT

This doesn't look as if it will get you a business plan. YOU are the
business plan. Who are YOU? Do you like natural light? Do you like
digital? Do you prefer kids, dogs elderly, weddings? YOU need to answer
these questions . nobody else. Otherwise it is our business plan not
YOURS. What do YOU want to provide? A niche? A different packaging? The
emphasis is on YOU. If not , then no plan will make YOU successful. List
your creative strong points, loves .weaknesses . Lay out what you would
like to do from that. Then you have a plan. This questionnaire is a bit
long. I don't care who photographs me or with what. As long as I look
good. (Which is a daunting task given my looks)
Stan
Visual Arts Photography

> Just about to set myself up in business as a portrait photographer.
> Been to business link who want to me produce a business plan and do
[quoted text clipped - 84 lines]
>
> E-mail:

Reply to this Message

Michael Scarpitti - 30 Aug 2003 20:03 GMT

> Just about to set myself up in business as a portrait photographer.
> Been to business link who want to me produce a business plan and do
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>
> What do you look for in a photographer?

Skills, reputaion, examples of good work, personality.

> Does the gender of the photographer matter to you?

The sex of the photographer doesn't matter if that's what you mean.

> If so, why?
>
> Would you hire a photographer that doesn't use studio lights?

Depends on whether he's shooting football games or portraits.

> If you answered no, please can you say why?
>
> If you have ever used a natural light photographer, what did you
> think of the quality of their work?
>
> Does it matter to you if a photographer uses film or digital?

No.

> Can you please explain why?

No.

> Which of the following type of prints do you prefer (please select all
> that apply);
> Colour
> Black & White
> Hand Colouring
> Sepia

All are nice. How much?

> Would you be willing to hire a photographer who specialises in any
> of the above?

Why would he have to? can't he do it all?

> The next question is aimed at people who use high street
> photographers.

I refuse to continue...

> What do you think of their prices?
>
[quoted text clipped - 37 lines]
>
> E-mail:

Reply to this Message

zeitgeist - 31 Aug 2003 08:55 GMT

> Just about to set myself up in business as a portrait photographer.
> Been to business link who want to me produce a business plan and do
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> answer the questions? This way it can help me improve the
> Questionnaire and help others in the same boat as me.

A business plan is a projection of potential earnings and expenses.

The questions you need to ask, or at least convince a loan officer is:

How many portraits do you need to shoot, how much do you have to sell each
client to earn enough in sales to cover the cost of producing the products,
your overhead, your salary.

basically you either have to figure out whether you need a couple dozen
people a day paying a few bucks or couple dozen folks per year paying a few
grand.

Asking other photogs whether we would do this or that probably won't get you
the answers you need. Nor will asking the average consumer, and frankly
even if you identified your perfect client and found a logical and cost
effective method to get their attention, I don't think they would have given
you answers you could have used. I mean nobody wakes up and decides that,
gee, today I think I'll find a photographer to spend $1,000 or so on some
photographs of the family.

There is a branch of the PPA that specializes in marketing studies, it costs
extra over the regular membership IIRC. I've listened to parts of some of
their studies and marketing concepts.

The dismal thing is that the average consumer thinks the value of a portrait
is just a mark up of the photo finishing price of the paper, a mere few
bucks. Those that are interested, will and capable of investing in home
decor usually take about 3 years to incubate the desire from first being
exposed to the idea from seeing a display to making the appointment.

> Portrait Photography Questionnaire
>
> What do you look for in a photographer?

I think the average consumer expects to be hustled, a hard sales pitch, a
lot of photogs note that quality of the decor, the whole atmosphere effect
the clients expectations and their acceptance of higher prices.

> Does the gender of the photographer matter to you?

as long as I don't have to see it, I don't care.

> Would you hire a photographer that doesn't use studio lights?

most of the best portrait photogs don't use studio lights, on the other hand
I've found that the clients seem to have some expectations of what a
professional photog does or uses, put a big bellows lens shade on and its
like a lawyer putting on a robe and all of a sudden everybody says 'your
honor'

> The next question is aimed at people who use high street
> photographers.
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
>
> Would you be prepared to pay a little extra for online proofing?

why do photogs run away from the one place where they have the most
influence, for generations photogs just handed the clients a stack of small
prints and hoped they returned some day with some kind of order. Now it
posted to the internet. los res images that promote close ups and kill
sales of full lengths and more scenic type images (and I'm assuming that
since you are doing natural light work you are doing photos in parks and
backyards)

> If you would, how much extra would you be prepared to pay?

If you are concerned about nickel and dimes over a choice of image selection
then you are not talking about high street or carriage trade.

> What extra services would you like to see photographers offering?
>
> The next question is aimed at people have already used photographers.

what you should be asking is:

what was the reason they had the protrait made?
how did they look for the photog?
what made them choose that particular one?
what made them skip others?

> What did you get and how much did it cost you?
>
> Did you think you got value for money?
>
> If not, what was wrong with it?

this reply is echoed to the z-prophoto mailing list at yahoogroups where
there is some discussion about sales and marketing, well there should be
more, maybe this will start some up.

Reply to this Message

stan - 31 Aug 2003 18:17 GMT

zeitgeist,
I somehow think that this individual is looking for a "mission statement". The
how, why were when of running a business and being a business. Some people call
it a business plan and some roll the business plan into the mission statement.
The thing I find weird is that the OP hasn't added one cent to something he
seems to think is so important.
Stan
Visual Arts Photography

PS I agree that a business plan should include the question "what will it take
for me to pay the mortgage".

> > Just about to set myself up in business as a portrait photographer.
> > Been to business link who want to me produce a business plan and do
[quoted text clipped - 122 lines]
> there is some discussion about sales and marketing, well there should be
> more, maybe this will start some up.

Reply to this Message

otzi - 01 Sep 2003 02:58 GMT

Zeitgeist is right. The general public don't give a toss about you or your
photography. All they want if anything, is some thing for nothing or at
least as cheap as chips. The general publics priorities don't normally run
to portraiture. The competition is fierce out there and the options
available to Joe public is mind blowing. There will always be an operator,
often one of the shoot and run mob that will undercut anything you will ever
be able to orchestrate.

Don't forget the do it yourself options available to just about anyone. The
only way to make headway is to be dammed good and charge appropriate prices
and be in the most advantageous location. You may be better shooting for
someone to build up a wealth of experience and/or work it as a non paying
proposition to build up sufficient experience to then know instinctively the
business plan viability.

Sorry to sound a downer but the small studio concept is fading as quickly as
the corner grocer.

> zeitgeist,
> I somehow think that this individual is looking for a "mission statement". The
[quoted text clipped - 134 lines]
> > there is some discussion about sales and marketing, well there should be
> > more, maybe this will start some up.

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