Ezi Pix Business Blog

By Justin Arnold

What Is Packshot Photography?

Within the business world there are various terms mentioned relating to photography, including packshot photography, advertising photography and commercial photography, and often people use these terms interchangeably. However, this is in many cases incorrect, and there is a world of difference between commercial or advertising photography, and packshot photography. To appreciate this it's important first of all to understand and recognise what we mean by a packshot photograph or image, and then understand the importance and benefit of this type of image.

What Is A Packshot Photograph?

A packshot is a high definition photograph of a product or package, usually taken within a professional photographic studio, and with a seamless white background that is entirely devoid of distractions. Often this white background is digitally removed, leaving a clean, simple image of the package or product. This could be anything from a ring to a DVD, from a child's toy to a motorbike.

The seamless background is usually achieved by having a gently curved wall, called an infinity curve, which enables the product to be integrated into web pages, brochures, catalogues and flyers easily. Packshot photography provides convenience and versatility, but what's the real purpose in creating this kind of image?

What's The Point Of Packshot Photography?

The primary aim of this type of image is to encourage visual recognition of the product. By conveying clearly and simply what the product looks like, without any distractions, consumers are more likely to be able to recognise the product when they see it on the shelf for sale. There is a clear relationship between product image familiarity, and product sales, particularly incidental sales, casual sales or sales in situations where many competing products may exist.

If a consumer has seen a product image showing clearly what the packaging looks like, perhaps as part of a flyer, mail shot, online advertisement or catalogue promotion, they are more likely to have this image in the back of their mind when browsing the shelves at the shops, increasing the likelihood of them catching sight of the real product, which in turn increases the probability of a sale.

So the real aim of packshot photography is to increase the conversion rate by increasing brand visibility and brand recognisability. In essence, it's about psychology and visual memory, and for this reason packshot images are quite different, and have quite different aims, from advertising photography or commercial photography in general.

Why Packshot Photography Should Be Treated Differently

Increasingly today businesses of all sizes are under immense pressure to reduce costs, and this has been evident in the world of advertising photography. Images sell, and no one would deny the importance of imagery and photographic advertising in an increasingly competitive commercial environment. But with the ever wider availability of increasingly sophisticated, high quality digital cameras, complete with inexpensive graphic suites capable of a staggering range of manipulation tools, many businesses have been tempted to switch to producing advertising photography in house.

In some cases this has worked, although invariably the results lack the imaginative, creative flair which allows an image to stand out from other images, but when it comes to packshot images, there's simply no substitute for using a professional studio. Packshot photos have to be high quality, crisp, expertly lit, and shot against a background which is perfectly uniform and without any distractions or points of focus.

Lighting is one of the hardest aspects of photography, and often the one element which is lacking in those instances where businesses have attempted to carry out their packshot photography in house. Boosting brand visibility is critical, but it's important to make sure that along with that high visibility is a clear message of accuracy, quality and crisp definition. High visibility which carries messages of amateur approaches to business, a lack of detail or hidden aspects of the product can be as counterproductive as professional packshot photos can be productive.

For more information about packshot photography or to find out how affordable having a professional catalogue photo shoot can be, visit The Packshot People.

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By Roy Barker

When you're a keen photographer and you have the desire to spend your working life doing something you enjoy such as photography, it would be a shame if you didn't pursue it further wouldn't it?

You really don't have to join an institution or pay thousands of dollars to get started either. You simply need the passion to learn and persist. Most great photographers who rely on their trade to survive don't even know they have these traits because they love what they do and they simply can't stop.

It's true that there is wealth to be made in photography and I'm not going to down play that or make a pitch to the opposite because in every case, it's been up to the individual. Meaning - it depends on what mode of photography they choose, how much time they put into the business, do they have a commercial bent, are they more artistic than usual etc. All these points come into play when success in a photography business or studio is questioned.

I don't want to create any false hopes by that last paragraph because success will require some hard work, tolerance and patience. These next thirty tips should help you along the way. There is more detail available on this subject matter at the link at the bottom of this page.

Where can I obtain information on building a photography business?

1. Always do some extensive research before starting out a career with your own photography business so that you understand the pros and cons involved. Some ideas include subscribing to a good magazine related to the photographic industry such as Professional Photographer, Camera Arts and Photo District News. Besides that, the internet is the biggest source of information and can provide you with a plethora of career opportunities or even more information on starting a photography business.

At which level do you want to start your photography business?

2. This is the trickiest question that a person interested in starting a business encounters. It is very important to decide what kind of photography business you want so that the relevant requirements and (sometimes) finance can be muscled up.

When is the best time to start a fully-fledged photography business?

3. After deciding on what you need and any extra necessary equipment that is needed to set up the basic infrastructure, you will need to consider carefully your main tool - the camera, be it digital or film. You must also consider carefully a reliable, high-quality PC and good relevant software to manipulate your photographs with special effects. If the business is being undertaken on a massive scale then maybe a developing lab needs to be planned and established.

What kind of venues will yield real income to your business?

4. A newly established business in photography requires an assured location or a beat (working locally), as in journalism. For instance, wedding photography, sports related photography or developmental photography. Once established, business can also be diversified into many more fields.

Building a photography portfolio

5. It is always important to compile a good portfolio as far as photography is concerned. A portfolio must contain a collection of pertinent photographic work that you believe to be impressive. Make sure that photographs are unusual in character and are from diverse fields. Your portfolio must be able to impress the client in the very first meeting.

6. Don't keep all the photographs that you have in your possession. Only keep your best work in the folder so that you don't embarrass yourself or find yourself having to explain photographs that aren't relevant.

7. Showcase spontaneous photos that you believe are of good quality. You'd be surprised how many people respond favorably to peoples expressions when they are good shots.

Basic apparatus required

8. A canvas background of at minimum 7-9 foot and the background colors should be either navy or white as minimum requirements to start with; a well-branded studio lights system such as that of Norman & Speedtron; certified picture manipulation software such as Photoshop, Corel Paint Shop, etc.

Is there a need for establishing a makeup studio as part of your photo studio?

9. Makeup and photography often go hand in hand. Wherever makeup is involved it is often referred to as trick photography because makeup is capable of completely transforming an individual's personality, and sometimes relevance to a product in the case of advertising photography.

What kind of photo-editing software available in the market?

10. Photo-editing software through which special effects and complete changes to a photo are possible and can also often save the need for a re shoot.

11. Some of the photo-editing software that are popular includes Photoshop CS; Photoshop Light room, iPhoto, i View Multimedia, MediaPro, ACDSee, Corel and Picasa.

Is storage and treatment of photographs crucial in building photography business?

12. Never adopt laxity while handling or archiving photographs. You will regret it later. Storage and access efficiency will either improve or frustrate your working environment. Often older photos become more valuable with time.

How can be photographs be preserved easily apart from the conventional method?

13. Today's cameras are highly versatile and will allow downloads and transfers from highly surprising devices including your mobile but pictures can also be stored on a CD's, USB's and DVD's too.

Choosing a Camera

14. Stick to w ell known brand. The level of mega pixel offered and quality of the zooming facility must be looked into carefully. I have my favorites but there are many equally as good as mine.

15. Most of the cameras are compatible with computers and printers and moreover, because we now use memory sticks, we are truly free to operate unencumbered.

What kind of a website does a person need to have?

16. Your collection of photographs must be properly classified under different categories. Visual appearance of your website will do wonders for your business so take consider setting up one with semi automation where the maintenance and hard work is done for you like photostockplus.

17. Remember to constantly upgrade and maintain your website so that each time people come across your website, they will find fine something new and interesting.

Copyright of your photographs

18. Copyright is the right protects the person who owns or who took the photographs. A wise exercise if you are looking to use some stock houses for commercial purposes.

Why is a business card helpful?

19. In every business, visiting cards are helpful. It is extremely useful in for people to contact you after your first meeting. It must contain all your contact details. If you're a photographer, a clever impressive graphic or a picture of yourself with your equipment is best. Your contact number or email must be easy to read. I have seen cards that have large names and pictures and the phone numbers are so small they are difficult to read. Ridiculous! Make your phone number the largest thing on the card - that's what most people will use it for.

Which things must be kept in mind while you plan to build a wedding photography business?

20. Wedding Photography is almost another art unto itself. There are many things to remember for a truly successful wedding shoot. I have prepared another article to deal with this in more detail and it's all about --Wedding Photography.

Advantage of assignment photography

21. Assignment photography is that branch of photography where a person is engaged or consigned to capture shots of something impressive and extraordinary, such as in the case of advertising or portrait photography; this can provide you a stable income after you've learned the ropes.

Advantage of stock photography

22. Stock photography is that branch of photography where there is an accumulated stock of photographs which can be sold to interested buyers, designers, adverting agencies etc. This can be a slow haul but if your pictures are well thought out, it can be the source of an ongoing income. --My favorite is istockphotos--.

Other places where you can sell your photographic collection?

23. Art shows are the perfect platform from where your creativity and work will be really appreciated because at such places you will find some niche customers that have a sharp eye for real talent. Such places have been known to bring instant fame.

24. Winter Park Art Show at Orlando, Oklahoma City Festival of the Arts, Old Town Art Show; Chicago, Boston Mills Art Show; Peninsula, Ohio, Similar art shows are held in different parts of the world and they are easy to find on the net. Simply do a Google search for "photography art show" and the name of the country you are in after adding the plus sign like this; "photography art show"+ Sweden

Prices to be charged from the clients

25. In the initial stages of your business, don't try to charge exorbitant amounts otherwise it will give the wrong impression and you will perhaps lose a valuable long term customer. Tread slowly. Ring other photographers and research. Five phone calls should do it.

Marketing your photography business

26. You must try to market your work at relevant places. Photographs can also be published over the internet. Publication over the internet will increase customer enquiry. Don't forget to search for suitable local markets and get the snaps printed in a local journal or newspaper and always display your contact number prominently - always!

27. Establishing and popularizing a business is a tough call but if you adopt a proper marketing strategy. Today, Advertising is one of the most popular mediums of promoting. Ads can be placed on websites, online telephone directories, newspapers and magazines, etc. Research the right mediums before you rush in. Sometimes good deals get in the way of recognizing the right advertising vehicle.

28. You can develop a website of your own to effectively promote your photography business but one thing that must be kept in mind is never forget to include a testimonial section and gauge the response of the people visiting the website. Let them make comments.

Career prospects in photo journalism

29. Individuals interested in setting up a photography business can begin their career by becoming a photo journalist. Appealing and unusual photographs can be supplied to newspapers, magazines, websites and the photography business is booming to such an extent that even international media organizations will offer you good money in return for rare and high-quality photographs.

30. Mainstream photographers are engaged in TV, parcels and copy services, newspapers, magazines and sketch photography. There are many more jobs also related to photography than there ever was previously and because of the diversity and flexibility of digital photography, more respect has been attached to this profession. Some of the avenues in photography apart from business are Journalism, Graphic arts, Advertising, DTP jobs, Publications and Motion Picture creation.

Go and make yourself a hot beverage and a have a long think about where you're going to start, that is, if you haven't already started.

This article has been supplied courtesy of Roy Barker. Roy has supplied further detail on the above subject matter at starting a photography business and is dedicated to coaching you on how to start your own photography business. You can also gain photography insights, help (mostly free) or even a Digital Photography Tip or two. For brief reviews on services or equipment see http://www.profitable-photography.com/resources.php

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By Chamberlane P Altatis 

So you took a lot of pictures and a lot of your friends are saying that you are good at it. However, you're tired of just receiving a lot of praise because what you really wanted is to make money out of your talent. You then keep on thinking on how to start a photography business.

Well I'm glad you think that way my friend. Unless you're really have a high paying job that gives you a lot of extra time, making photography for just a hobby is not practical at all. Think of how expensive the camera is and its equipment. Companies are also upgrading brand new models every now and then so you need also to catch up or else you'll be left behind. Therefore, you really need to know how to start a photography business for you to have some resources for buying your gears and sooner, it might be your bread and butter.

Here are things that you need to know on how to start a photography business:

1. Choose an area that generates money in your situation

There are various areas in photography and it's really up to you to choose where you can fit yourself in. However, since you wanted to know how to start a photography business, you must also place yourself in an area that gives you income. You might love taking abstract pictures but you might not be able to generate money from it. Well, I'm not saying that there's no money in abstract photography. What I'm saying is that choose an area in photography that you not only like but will also be a good source of income in your situation for a long run.

One good example here is wedding photography. I have friends who are really good in capturing artistic shots. They post those photos in Facebook and they receive a lot of good comments. However, with that kind of photography, it's only good for sharing in social networks but does not give them any dime from it. Because of that, they do wedding photography. Every now and then, many couples are getting married so they always have bookings for a shoot. This area in photography might not be their first option in this field. But since they wanted photography for business, they still do it.

2. Starting from a sideline first

At first, you might not have a lot of resources and you really don't know how to start a photography business. If you have a job now that is not related to photography, it's not yet a good idea to just drop that job immediately and do photography full-time. That might be possible if you really got lucky but I tell you what, it's very risky for now. Building up a business is not an overnight matter. Therefore I suggest taking it slow and making it a sideline for now. How about offering a photo shoot to your friends and colleagues first. You can start by offering them a big discount. This will save them some money from hiring a professional photographer. It will also give you an opportunity to learn and earn income bit by bit. Almost every successful businessmen started from being small. How to start a photography business is not different.

4. Use the power of the internet

Create your blog or even a website and upload your photo samples there. Create a fan page also in Facebook and even Twitter. Almost everybody now is using the internet so who knows, you might be discovered! It's also good to join photography forums online. You can ask questions to your fellow photographers about skills in photography and even how to run the business. Many professionals are always willing to give some help and even tell you how to start a photography business.

5. Make a goal to do photography business full-time

If photography is what you really like to do in life, you must dream to make it your full-time job. But before that happens, you really need to invest in skills and equipment in photography. It is also good to work as an assistant of a professional photographers at first. By that you can learn how your boss do the business and make your own soon. If there's an opportunity, join a photo shoot and see how they do it. One day, you'll be able to stand in your own feet and do your own business.

These are some of the ways on how to start a photography business. Try them and be a success photographer some day!

Chamberlane Altatis

Film maker and Affiliate Marketer

Make money online in photography

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Article: Growth Strategies for a Photography Business

By Vanessa Honda Co-Author: Stephen Honda

There is a lot of competition in the photography industry. To grow his business, an owner of a photography business needs an intelligent growth strategy. This article offers 3 suggestions a photographer should consider when deciding how to grow his business.

1. Are there any new photography niches in which he could enter? Pet photography, equine photography and others are emerging new markets into which a photographer can grow his business. A photography business owner should look at his strengths and decide if any of these new industries are the right way for him to go in growing his business.
2. Does the photographer want to expand geographically or do you want to expand the intensity in which you market in your current area. There are advantages to both methods. If a photographer expands geographically he can better stay in a focused niche. However the photographer would either need to travel further to meet the needs of his clients, or he would need to hire others who are in the area to service those remote clients. One the other hand, by marketing more intensely in the area in which he is currently, he will have more brand recognition in the area but may be limited in the number of clients he can attract who need his services. For example if he is focusing on high end photography, there may not be enough high income earners in his area to support the growth he desires.
3.  Does the photographer wish to hire others or does he want to work alone? If he does want to expand by hiring others, he needs to take the expense into account. In addition he will need to account for the fact that he will become less of a photographer and more of an administrator as his business expands.

The photography industry is a competitive one. By thinking strategically on how he will grow, a photography business owner can be more assured that his business is growing in a profitable manner.

Vanessa is a Orange County Wedding Photographer who works with a number of Laguna Niquel Photographers.

Stephen is a photography business developer and has published numerous articles relating to photography business tips.

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Article: Tips for Marketing Beach Photography

By Vanessa Honda Co-Author: Stephen Honda

The photography industry is extremely competitive. To succeed a professional photographer needs to utilize the best practices in the industry. This article offers tips for marketing photography business that is based on beach photography.

Offer some products that no one else offers. If you are going to specialize in beach photography you need to be different from all of the other photographers in your city. You need to offer more than they offer. Find frames, props and other products for displaying your images that fit into the beach theme. Many people go on vacation at the beach and they will be inclined to want to take the beach theme to the hilt.

Offer service that other local photographers do not offer. The beach is a unique place. If a photographer is prepared, he can use that uniqueness to his advantage. He can offer to provide information about tides, sunsets and great locations at which to take the shoot. By offering this information you can set yourself apart from other photographers.

Create some fun poses that are unique to the beach. For example, it is difficult to get a footprint shot at a location other than the beach. Another cool shot is to put the family into the shadows of a sunset and have them all jump together at the same time. This will create an attractive action shot.

Allow your subjects get into the water. This will often be one of the best your client's favorite shots. However, be aware, you can only do this one time. After they are wet, they will likely not want to spend the time to try off and change clothing.

Beach photography provides a great opportunity for a photographer to find a niche in a competitive industry. A photographer can work this to his advantage by following the above tips!  

Vanessa specializes in OC Beach Photography. She also has a specialty in Orange County Pet photography.

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