Easy. Your competitor(s) steals your idea. Well, that’s being a tad unkind. Instead, they might borrow it, or adopt it, or trial it, or roll it out, or … you get the picture. Happens a lot to us, which is why I know we’re on the right track. Models get ‘borrowed’, clients get contacted with a ‘super cheap offer’, new photographers enter the market offering last year’s ideas they’ve ‘discovered’ doing a little online ‘research’, new marketing campaigns get ‘copied’ – sometimes within 24 hours.

As a business owner it’s your job to see through the smoke and mirrors and make clear, conscionable decisions for the benefit of your business, which includes your individual financial well-being as well as those of your family, your staff, your staff’s families, and your creditors amongst many others. So, why would you go for an imitator to provide your photographic and/or communications requirements when there are innovators who actually get what it is you’re trying to achieve? I’ll tell you now, when you book us for a commercial job we capture your images for a reason – not just for the hell of it. That is, we ask ourselves what purpose the photo will serve then we ensure it meets your intended needs. We never just turn up and take a photo without thinking how that photo sits in the grand scheme of what your marketing or communications campaign is trying to achieve.

When hiring a commercial photographer, if it comes down to cost ask yourself these key questions:

1). What happens if the job is too complex for the person I appoint? Can they grow and adapt or will the outcome be compromised?
2). Are they able to offer the quality I need at a reasonable price?
3). Are they able to back that up with the service I expect, again at a reasonable price? It pains me to say it but a lot of photographers (and fauxtographers) have the people skills of a house plant or they’re either artistes or autocrats. Either way, you’re the client – and hopefully a paying one at that – so you deserve the full engagement of your contractor.
4). What happens if something goes wrong? Do they perform off-site back-ups? Are they insured? Do they keep copies of my images in case I lose them?
5). Do they have the gear for the job, and the training and wherewithal to know how to use it?

If you’re not satisfied with the answers your prospective communications partner – and that’s who you’re commissioning – can supply then look around. It might cost you a few dollars more in up-front costs but the saving at the back-end is well worthwhile. Hell, in today’s economy wise investing is one of the best ways to setting yourself up to do well in the years ahead and contracting a skilled, professional photographer is one of the wisest investments of all.

Studio photography is quite different to location shooting and this four-week course will give a maximum of five people per class the opportunity to discover the enjoyment and advantages of shooting in a studio environment, and will allow plenty of time for hands-on photography in a friendly, relaxed environment. The four-week course is just $220 pp. Sessions include: Session 1: The Basics / Session 2: Portraiture / Session3: Products / Session 4: Fashion + Beauty

COURSE DATES:
Course 1:  Thursdays, 6pm-8pm, August 16-September 6 2012
Course 2: Thursdays, 6pm-8pm, October 4-October 24 2012

Bret Salinger Photography + Communications’ studio is located upstairs at 40 Tamar St, Launceston. For further information or to book contact Bret or Rose on 6334 9252/0417 546 506 or email bret@bretsalinger.com.au.

There you are, fanging down the road and you glance down at the electronic speedo only to discover you’re not being told the speed you’re travelling, but that it’s three degrees outside. One presumes it’s a handy little feature in the Black Forest mid-winter or a frozen Autobarn where the threat of black ice hangs in the air for four or five months of the year, but here in Tassie it’s just a reminder that the winter days are short and the mornings are cold. When you consider this time last week I was in Copenhagen – 55 degrees north – and now I’m back in Launceston – 41 degrees south – the Polo reminding me of the 96 degrees I’ve travelled this past week is seriously unwelcome.

Rose and Anjie did a great job holding fort while I was gone. House bookings have slowed as they do every winter but we’re working hard on picking up more of the commercial work we love to do and I’m also working on putting together a personal photography project for the winter months. Sometimes working on the business rather than in the business is the best way to run a company, other times – especially in what should be regarded as a creative pursuit such as professional photography – working outside the business on something that you enjoy is the best thing to do.

Congrats to the Cavaliers! The girls of the 19&U team remain undefeated and will play in the Aurora league final on June 30 in Hobart, while the Opens team plays off this Saturday night for the right to travel to Hobart to appear in the grand final. Awesome effort Cavs! And a big shout-out to Cavs playing coach Dannie Carstens who suffered a season-ending ankle injury last week. Hopefully Dannie – who’s been awesome to work with since we started sponsoring the club – can coach the girls this weekend, but the talismanic defender will certainly be there in spirit if she can’t make it court side.

To finish off, this is a pic of Pia and Azzo’s youngest bloke Kristian getting a dose of art at the ARoS art gallery in Aarhus a week or so ago. Kristian’s the little guy on the left. Just goes to show it’s a big world.

Boy and ‘Boy’ at Aarhus’s ARoS art gallery.

Whilst I’m away Rose will be the primary contact person and she can be reached as per usual.

Capturing the spirit of your day, your way.

When it’s all said and done, it’s just the two of you.

It’s all about the little things. We know that, you know that, and that’s why we make sure we provide plenty of photos of the little things that set the scene for your big day.

Party time.

Rings, bling and shiny things

It’s the little things that matter on your wedding day – not that you’d call a 1950s Buick small…