How much should I mark up my COGS? - Pricing for Profit Intro II

I've received your questions from our first post Introduction to Pricing for Profit and I'm writing Part II to offer clarification for the % to your COGS (Cost of Good Sold). 

Thanks to the fantastic Mobile Fotographer*, I have a visual for you! So here you go... 

There are a lot of factors that go into your cost of goods. Basically anything that is a COST to you (both time and money) needs to be considered. So let's say that you have determined that your COGS is $10. We are going to use happy round number for the sake of making this easy to follow. The numbers that I put into the pricing calculator are not real they just equal $10.00. 

As you can see the TOTAL COST IS $10.00. Now let's figure out what you should actually charge. 

To be on the high end of your market (20%) means that your total cost is only 20% of your products retail price. Anything 20% or less is a fantastic profit margin and you should be really excited because you will have the means and opportunities to make your business profitable! 

To be in the middle of the pricing market (30%) than your total cost is 30% of your products retail price. You're loosing a little of the profit margin but it's still a good place to be!

If you're cost is 40% of your COGS than you're on the lower end of your market and you may not have a substantial enough profit margin to give you the capital you need to sustain your business. 

BELOW 40%: One mistake that is often made my newer photographers is to slash their prices to get business. The fatal error in this is that newer photographer more than anyone else need profits in order to build capital. I know you can feel what I'm talking about. You need a sample album, you need further education (like my 'Building the Biz' workshop) and you need profits to help you get better equipment. In short, you need, you need, you need... But you never seem to make enough to do anything about it. This is why! 

I want you to know that I GET IT! It's scary, what if nobody ever calls you again? What if people don't believe you're worth that much? Even more terrifying... What if they're right? Raising prices is scary... It's like opening the door to a blind date with the football captain and your biggest fear is a pile of flaming poop waiting for you instead of a corsage. I KNOW IT'S SCARY. I've been there - scared to death - waiting (2 weeks) for the phone to ring again. BUT IT DID RING AGAIN and again... And again! Until you do something about your pricing you'll never have the capital to grow you or your business. I understand that it can feel like where you want to be and where you are have the distance of the Earth to the Stars... But I'm telling you. Getting your pricing structured for Profit is the rocket-ship that will propel you forward. Oh and in this little metaphor lets say that clients are the fuel. Cause if you got no fuel the rocket-ship won't help much. Wow! I am super clever tonight!!! Anyone else impressed with my cleverness? Before I got off on my 'hurray for me - cleverness' party I wanted to say that I do know that you need clients to pay your new pricing. Getting clients isn't the hard part. I'll prove it at the workshop... Having everything ready for when those clients come, now that's tricky! 

I hope this helps you put yourself and your business into a better perspective when you're creating your pricing list. If you feel like you need personal help in how to transition your pricing or just need the encouragement and mentoring to do it. I am available for Phone Consults and of course at the Building the Biz Seattle Workshop on Aug 20 and 21st. 

* You can access the awesome pricing calculator inside the Mobile Photographer Studio Management Program. 

The Power of a Hand Written Note.

From Paper Source

We are over inundated with information we have no desire to hear. Think farmville updates, obnoxious jokes that bring bad luck if not immediately forwarded to your entire email list, commercials that we see as a break to grab popcorn or check on the kiddos and cold call telemarketing that always ring right during dinner. We are bombarded with information that we didn't ask for and further more don't care to know about and so our brains flush this information out almost as quickly as it attempts to come in.


In contrast we are starved of old fashioned communication that makes us feel good. When is the last time that you received or sent a handwritten letter to someone. Or made a phone call ( and nope, texting does not count!) just to tell a friend that you had a great time with them last week? What if you (or I) received that phone call or letter, how appreciated would that gesture be? I bet it would make your day, I know it would make mine!


Now I would like you to direct these same thoughts toward how you run your business. Are you adding to the bombardment of useless junk or are you acting as the breath of fresh air that will truly leave a meaningful reminder to your clients that you are not only here but that you care as well? And what about two of the most important and yet underused words in any language? Thank You! We teach our children to say it each time they are given a drink of OJ, offered a cookie and allowed to do something special but are we following our own advise? What are you doing to truly insure that your clients (especially your best clients) know how much you appreciate their patronage?


What would happen if every business followed the golden rule and treated each client, vendor and business as they would like to be treated? ... Amazing things!

Introduction to Pricing for Profit

Pricing yourself appropriately (and when I say appropriate what I really mean is profitably) can be one of the most daunting tasks for a photographer to undertake. COGS x A + B / mc² can leave us all remembering just how much we hated algebra, however it is still a very necessary task and I promise once you've found where you should be, it's also incredibly liberating!

Creativity... Passion... That most likely came as the easy part (it comes as pretty standard territory to us "artist" types) but operating a successful small business, well if you're like many you may not have put much thought into it. But the bottom line is this, there are 2 kinds of artists, those who define themselves and those who are defined and the reality is that those who starve have no choice but to be defined and those who thrive are able to define themselves! And it's not always about skill either! I have seen amazing photographers who lack the fundamentals in business and so find themselves trying to survive from job to job. I have also seen the flip side, photographer's who may not be as technically savvy or creatively inclined and yet their business is booming! Why is this? One gets the nuts and bolts of running and marketing a small business and the other does not.

Today, I'd like to try to help clarify just how you should and should not go about establishing your pricing. The most common price determiner is... Google (in some form or another) You know what I'm talking about, you Google a few photogs in your area check out the pricing and put yourself somewhere in the middle. While this may not be the very worst way to price yourself, it certainly isn't good either. Here are 3 reasons why:

1. You don't know the bottom line they are working from, and what (or even if) they established a profit margin on.
2. There is a really good chance that they came up with their pricing sheet exactly how you just did yours so now the circle of 'in the middle' pricing is growing but in actuality the pricing structure just keeps falling lower and lower.
3. Without knowing your numbers you can't know your profit and without knowing your profit (or loss) you won't know what adjustments need to be made until it's too late!

So, what should be considered when establishing your pricing? You need to know your Cost of Goods Sold or COGS (how much did it cost you to hand them that 8x10?) Are you considering the following:
1. Retouching time
2. Shipping
3. Packaging (Bag, Tag, Tissue, Box)
4. Time for assembling packaging (not just a bow)
5. Hourly wage for your time.
6. Cost of Print

Okay. Let say you have figured out all of that and you now know that your COGS is... Is there a special formula for marking up the product? I'd like you to think of 3 tiers for pricing...

Top end of market is 20% COGS

Midpoint would be 30% COGS

Low end of market 40% COGS

Should you ever go below 40%? No! Don't go below 40% {period!}

If you feel you have to be at 40% in order to sell your products you need to come up with a different solution. Either you need to cut down your cost by quicker retouching, cheaper packaging or a different print lab but one way or another you're going to want to find a way to drive down your bottom line.

I hope you have enjoyed this little bit of insight into pricing. I will be going into much greater detail on pricing for profit at the Seattle Building the Biz Workshop, August 20th and 21st.

Good is Bad for Business! - Audio Post 2

These audio posts work out really well because they have two great benefits! 1. I think I appear smarter because you don't see 1000 grammatical and spelling errors (I'm laughing really hard at me and I hope you are too!) 2. I can be working on Go{4}Pro while sitting at the park watching my kids play (as you will hear in the background). I hope you continue to enjoy them so that I can continue to create them.

Today I'm excited to talk to you about a concept that I've been implementing almost from the start with in my business. It's one that Seth Godin's best seller, The Purple Cow explains beautifully so if you want to learn and dive even further into what I'm saying, I highly recommend it!

So here's why I think being good can be very BAD for business...

FREE!! Marketing Web Summit Event

There is an awesome FREE educational opportunity that you DO NOT want to miss out on! 

Sarah Petty who will be Inspire Me Friday #19's interview is hosting a fantastic education opportunity for FREE in order to help everyone succeed in business. It's a FREE online event on Monday, June 28, Monday already to busy, no problem - you buy the transcripts and have them right now! Everyone can register at thejoyofmarketing.com/joysummit. 

They have leaders speaking on SEO, sales, business planning, web strategy and more. This is one that I will not be missing! 

Calming the Sea: 5 Ways to (START TO) Find Balance

It's a fine line between working, keeping the balance and FEELING the success. I work an insane amount (work-a-holic style). Between my photography business and Go4Pro it never stops! It's 2am and I'm still not done and thats how it is almost every night. The most common question I'm asked is, 'how do you get it all done?' Although I say it smiling, I'm not joking when I respond, 'I don't sleep!' I'm not encouraging that! I'm simply saying I get how it feels to be non-stop, if you take a breath you could blow it all down, busy! What I want, desperately is to get to know what it feels like to know balance. Realistically that won't be all the time, it's just not in my personality. I'm an A-type who does all or nothing and always as if I'm in a race... But more of the time, that would be nice. 


This has been an on going battle for me. It's always on my mind and yet I'm embarrassed to admit that although I did take small steps to work towards a more even-handed lifestyle I've only just really begun to make big advances! If you've ever clicked on the label 'organization' you've noticed there are only 2 posts the simple answer being, I have nothing to give on this topic but everything to gain. So I'm changing it! I want to share and tell you what's working for me so far as well as bring on some guest bloggers who are better suited on the subject of organization! Because as you can see by the lack of content under the label, 'organization' I've been lacking!

Here are my first 5 ideas that I've implemented to help me love more and hate less.  

1. HIRE AN ASSISTANT. Before you tell me, Oh Leah - I can't afford to do that, just hear me out. I posted an ad on Craigslist for a SAHM who had Photoshop and bookkeeping experience, I said it was only for 3 to 5 hours a week to begin with, along with the specification of what I could budget. We would meet once a month and the rest they could do at home during naps or at night, whenever it was convenient for them. I got about a dozen inquiries. And I ended with the best new studio manager ever! She actually turned out to be a follower of Go4Pro so she already gets me! You may know her as Mrs. Soup from comments and past posts. Hiring a Studio Manager instantly put a pep in my step because I didn't feel like I had to do ALL of it alone anymore, I could delegate the stuff that took up valuable time that would be better spent in other areas of my business.

2. IF YOU CAN'T DO IT ALL - DON'T DO IT ALL. I'm trying to be a mommy, a business owner, the Go4Pro gal and a homemaker... I'm not super woman and I was struggling. I sat down and thought, 'well the only thing I'm willing to give up is the cleaning' and I laughed. But the idea stuck with me! I called around for house cleaners and was appalled at what the wanted to charge (you'd think they had doctorates in cleaning!) so again, trusty Craigslist came to the rescue! I found a Senior who now comes once a week for 3 hours and does the mopping, bathrooms, she even cleaned out the refrigerator last week! She is an investment in my sanity! I am a much happier person with a clean house and this has made it happen for me! My hubby definitely appreciates it too and fully agreed that it's well worth $30 a week!  

3. DOT YOUR "i's" & CROSS YOUR "t's". I needed to get my business super organized. After all, if the business side of things isn't organized then you're creating more work for yourself! And let's be honest, none of us has the time for more work! So now I'm all set up with Mobile Fotographer (I'm in love with it!!) 
It's web based so I handed all my hand-written contracts over to my assistant and gave her my login and now all of my clients are organized inside my new studio management software. It was something I'd put off for months and months - that is months and months of feeling unorganized, with time wasted trying to search out the info I needed from a cluttered desk of paper and sticky notes. But once I handed the stacks of contracts and paper work to Kathy (my SM), she had me up to date in 90 minutes! 
And I have great news, my friends Fundy & Focht of Mobile Fotographer are offering an awesome promotion for anyone who wants to get started with them, 50% off for 6 months (if you pay monthly) or one full year if you pay all at once. Just click HERE!!. The Promo is only for 2 weeks, so jump on it! I promise - you wont be disappointed!!

4. WORK LESS & MAKE WAY MORE! I am not a high volume studio, I never want to be a high volume studio! I love being a boutique style photographer who tailors everything to my clients. So I needed to find an answer that would help me take less shoots (I do one a week) but make more money then I was when I was doing 3 to 4 a week. It happened, I only shoot one session a week and keep myself booked out a couple months (typically). My average client is very middle class and my average sale is $1000. And I even offer digital negatives and they all buy those too! That is all thanks to in-person ordering. 
* My ordering program will not be discussed here as it will be part of my workshop that I hope to offer next year. If you want to learn more sooner, you may schedule a phone consult.

5. PLAN AHEAD. And I mean this in every aspect of your business. For me, it's been planning my Go{4}Pro posts weeks out so that I am not constantly feeling like a slave to Go{4}Pro. Too many nights, my husband asked me to come cuddle and watch a movie and I couldn't because I had nothing for Go{4}Pro the next day. But not anymore. Thanks to Noelle writing 2 days, I only have 3 days to write and I'm trying to have those written out 2 to 3 weeks at a time. Why not implement the same thing with your photography blog, your newsletter or your next promotion. The better you have it planned the faster it is to implement! So plan, sister plan!

Comments: Let me know what you've done to love more and hate less OR tell me what you're struggling with and maybe we can help you find an answer?! Bottom line... If we don't keep the balance, burn out will come. I don't know about you, but this is one fire I always want burning!

How do you know you’re pro?

This post is going to be far more blunt, I’m warning you because I want you to put your thick skin on. I want you to realize that I’m not writing this post directly to you, personally but to a mass and if in reading it, you get the feeling it's directed toward you... Well then take courage in knowing that you recognize there is room for growth. And there is always room for growth.

Let me explain where this post comes from. I have always struggled with calling myself a PROFESSIONAL photographer. After all who says I'm "pro"? Me? And who the heck do I think I am to claim that? So because I love photography, because I operate a business, because I work at it all the time and have put great effort into learning my craft, I say I’m a photographer, and a professional one at that. And although withoutquestion those are very real and very good reasons there has always been something plaguing me about the fact that I’m the only one who says so. If you don't see and hear the tree fall, did it really fall?

I would never let someone cut my hair who hadn’t been properly trained. I would never let someone bring a drill to my teeth who hadn’t studied thoroughly how to do so.  I would never affirmatively trust that my books were properly done and safe from penalty in the event of an audit if I didn’t pay an accountant who had the training and certification to do so. And I certainly would not send my children to be educated by someone who was not certified to educate. Never, never-ever would I take a chance at any of these things. And yet hundreds and thousands of us picked up a camera, were told by a few people that we were good and so called ourselves photographers. Now please, please do not mistake what I am saying. There are so many incredible photographers with no paper credentials who I respect, admire and learn from. But, and this is a big but – there are thousands more who have not honed their skills, who could not go into any environment or situation and know with confidence that they will be able to deliver what a client wants or needs and furthermore have not strived to learn the diverse aspects of our industry and yet they are calling themselves professional. Is this right? Would you be okay if people who had a love for medicine but not the training started writing you prescriptions? Would you be okay if the man who you just gave hundreds and hundreds of dollars to fix your car had heard about transmissions but never been taught properly how to work with one? Why then have so many photographers decided that it's okay to claim a professional status when they are not even confident enough to use their camera on Manuel? I want to take a minute to tell you, that if I'm keeping it real - I started as one of those photographers. I shot in AV and sometimes even Auto mode because I was not confident in Manuel. Now granted, I did make it clear I was portfolio building but should I have even claimed that much when I wasn't even qualified to use my camera fully as it was intended? I don't know? I chose my path, I jumped head first and I never looked back but I also see that maybe looking back could have made the path far less scary and far more gratifying. 

I love photography and I also love this industry. I have deep respect for those who paved the way that I now get to skip down and a sense of gratitude toward them for what they accomplished. It's through their accomplishments that we have had the doors opened so widely to us. It's with this admiration that I feel so strongly about building my industry, not hindering it. I want to improve on the ground work that's been laid not tear up the efforts of those who labored before me. When we do not properly understand our craft, when we charge far less then industry standards, when we operate in a non-professional manner, it's not just ourselves we hurt.  The industry as a whole feels the effects. 

The great news is that there is a fantastic answer and resource for all of us. We can become CERTIFIED PHOTOGRAPHERS and with that never again have to cringe that little bit when someone asks about our training, all the while wondering silently if we truly are legit. The Professional Photographic Certification Commission can make sure to properly link this! (with hard work on yours and my part) declare us certified professional photographers! While in Portland, Sam Puc asked for a show of hands to know how many people in the room were certified. I had never heard of this before and thought I would be one of the few who wasn’t. To mine and apparently Sam’s surprise as well,  only one - maybe 2 people raised their hands. It sparked the idea and so I wrote “certify!!!” in the top margin of my notes. I was excited for the prospect!

You see, my husband has been going to school for the last 7 years. I have helped and watched as we get him closer and closer to those letters that will soon be behind (and in front) of his name. I will admit that I’ve felt left out, he is working at an education that when finished proves to the world what he is, while I work just as hard, study as hard and push myself as hard but have no one to back my claim that I too am legit in my field and passion. Except of course my family and friends, but really- how comforting is that? Think of all those people who have gone onto American Idol and none of their friends and family thought it was a good idea to step in and admit that they were terrible. What if that was all it was? That fear had always plagued me. But soon I will have CPP next to my name and in my own little head it’s just as exciting as the “Dr.” that will be in front of his. I will be the real deal because the real deal said so!

So how’s it done?

First your declare your candidacy with The Professional Photographic Certification Commission. Along with that declaration there is a $100 fee and you have 3 years to complete the 2 steps to certification. The written exam, which is a 100 question test as well as the image submission portion, where you submit 20 of your very best images from 20 of your sessions.

 Now it’s time to study! But oh wow is there an AWESOME opportunity to help all of us! Turns out that Sam Puc was shocked to see so few of hands as well. She is a huge advocate for constant education and maintaining high standards for our industry, it’s with this mindset that she has created a website, ‘Certify with Sam’ and dedicated it to help photographers get certified and improve our industry… And she has promised to maintain this website until 1000 photographers are certified.

With the Certify with Sam website available as a recourse I really don’t think there is a better time to take the initiative. I am so excited for it!

For me it is without question more personal then anything else. I want to know not think that I AM a professional photographer!

Look into it, explore the PPC website and the Certify with Sam website, ask questions here… Tell us what you need to learn and we'll just try to write posts to help and share resources that we know of as well.  If you are one of the thousands who is lacking the confidence to truly feel empowered to say, ‘I am a professional’ then take this step with me!

I am so excited to study and learn, it can only make me better and that, my friends, is what it’s all about! I really hope you'll do it with Noelle and I. 

Helpful Tips & Links  if you are going to declare intent:

Professional Photographer Certification Commission

Certify with Sam Puc Program

A suggested (mind you it’s suggested – questions are not pulled from this text) book is Photography by Barbara London (9^th or 10^th Editions). I ordered to help me study and use as a long term reference guide.

iPhone Peeps – there is a FREE app for flashcards to help you study. Download the app ‘Touchcards’ and enter the code: 2059436 No iPhone? Go to www.quizlet.com and enter the same code. 

What if I'm not in the US? To all my international readers... Yes, you can get certified as well. It may be trickier to find a testing center but it can be done!

How hard is the test? That depends on how much you know already. You have 2 hours to answer 100 questions, you need a 70%, which means you can miss 30 questions and still pass. The questions derive from 6 categories, they are 1) Camera, Lenses & Attachments 2) Composition & Design 3) Digital Post Production 4) Exposure & Meters 5) Film, Digital Capture & Output 6) Lighting

What do I need for the image submission? You will need to submit 20 images from 20 different assignments that were shot within the last 24 months. You can not submit 2 images of the same subject. For example, if you shot baby Jane as a newborn and again at 6 months, you would choose your favorite image from all of your sessions with her. You are submitting your very images that will give a reflection of your work and the type of photographer that YOU are, may that be newborn, wedding, family, landscape or culinary. You are also showing your knowledge on composition, lighting, etc.

Thanks to Sam Puc and creating awareness about certification, study groups are going to be popping up all over the country. I just got an email to join one in Portland. Because of this, I don't think there could be a better time to make the commitment! 

But wait, there's more!

                                                                    Don't you always just wait for that when an informercial pop's up?

THIS POST showing off Elizabeth Sethi's kit has been scheduled for a while and in the mean time she sent over some images of her marketing kit in action and I forgot to update the post so it's a double dose day so you can see the awesome basket she put together for a charity auction! What a great marketing idea...

Thank you Elizabeth for letting me show off your awesome kit in print! 

The Ingredients of Success?

This post is reposted with the permission of the AMAZING whimsical fashion photographer Jake Garn located in Salt Lake, UT.  Check out his website at JakeGarn.com and let him know who sent you! ;)

10,000 Hours

Awhile back I read a fantastic book called Outliers: The Story of Success, by Malcolm Gladwell. The author discusses the notion that to become great at anything it requires about 10,000 hours of dedicated work to achieve it.  This number rings true for everyone from Tiger Woods, to the Beatles, to Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Beethoven… superstardom requires a tremendous amount of work.  Work is only half the equation though…

Where and when you were born also has an enormous impact on your ability to achieve that next level of success.  Did you know, for instance, that the founders of Apple, Microsoft, and Sun Microsystems were all born between 1953 and 1955?  Or that two-thirds of all professional hockey players have a birthday in February or January?  There is a very good reason for both of these and it seems to have very little to do with coincidence.

With names like Avedon, Ansel, Ritts, Mann, among dozens of others, you might think that the best time to revolutionize photography has come and gone, but I would make the argument that right now is better than it ever has been for any photographer.  Never before has access to photography been this open both to the photographer and to the viewer. Access that would have been unbelievable just over 10 years ago. What has made all this access possible?  Two things:

• High Quality Digital Cameras
• Massively Adopted Social Media

Digital Cameras

Let’s face it, some photographers will be better than others well before the 10,000 hour mark and some photographers may not be anywhere near great well after 10,000.  That being said, I think it’s safe to say that in order to start realizing the highest potential for greatness inside your work then you’ll start to see it around 10,000 hours of good, solid, brow-to-the-plow experience. So, to invest 10,000 hours into photography you are looking at doing 5 shoots a week (3 hours each) for 7 years give or take.  Not too bad actually.

Here’s the problem.  Ten years ago to achieve 10,000 hours (with a film camera) the financial cost would be significant.  Figure it cost at least $100 to process each shoot (film, develop, print).  So $100 a shoot, 5 shoots a week for 7 years would bring the bill for your 10,000 hours to roughly $182,000.   Ouch.  In other words, if you didn’t start making money at photography almost immediately, or had a spare $26,000 a year, you simply were not going to have the opportunity to shoot often enough to become good enough.  Oh, and this investment wouldn’t include any gear like cameras or lights or models or studio space.

Compare that to the expense of using a digital camera today.  You can buy the Canon 5D Mark II right now for about $2,500 (the camera I use).  That is about the same cost you’d incur to do 25 shoots back in the day.  I can’t be certain but I’m pretty sure that the Great Depression may have been caused by the enormous amount of money everyone had to spend developing photos from their brand new Kodaks.

Don’t have $2,500?  No problem, you can buy several cameras for less than $1,000 that are WAAAAAY better than the digital camera I was using about 10 years ago, which had an amazing 3 megapixels!

Social Media

Everyone has a facebook or a myspace account.  Well everyone except for that one weird friend (we all have one) that is holding out because they “don’t see what the point is,” even my grandpa is on Facebook for crying out loud!  This one simple fact has big implications in the world of fashion/beauty photography.  The biggest thing is there is a platform for budding new photographers to show their work off to thousands of people.  If you wanted to show your work off to thousands of people 10 years ago you needed a lucky break, win a big award, get published in a big magazine, find the right commercial client.  It required skill and quite a bit of luck to be seen, but now if your work is worth seeing it WILL be seen.  Sure, it still requires a bit of luck to land those commercial clients, get published in magazines or win those awards but now your chances of being seen by the right person are increased dramatically.

Being seen by more people has another effect. Things that were tremendously difficult ten years ago are now easier than ever before.  Take model scouting.  Ten years ago if you needed to find a new model you could call up local agencies (and in a small market like Utah I quickly found that most agencies had no interest in finding work for their ‘models’ – they simply wanted to sign new victims up and charge them for ‘modeling classes’ – but that’s another post) or you could hit the malls, dance clubs and movie theaters and try to find them yourself.  This was tedious to say the least, and when you finally did find someone they were extraordinarily skeptical about your motivations for approaching them… and thanks again to all the scam modeling agencies most of the potential models thought you wanted to charge them outrageous fees for modeling classes (if you are getting the impression that I’m not a fan of small market modeling agencies then you are hearing me quite correctly).

Facebook and Myspace changed all of this, in quite a dramatic way.  Now whenever I take a photo of a girl she posts it on her Facebook page and suddenly all her friends see her photo with my logo on it… as this happens several dozens of times it starts to become pretty easy to find new models because suddenly they’re all coming to me!  Not only that but hair stylists, makeup artists, wardrobe designers, body painters and all sorts of talented people ALSO start seeing your work because they’re on Facebook too.  Social media is the most pervasive form of networking ever invented.

As this cycle repeats itself you find a bigger and bigger audience for your work, which attracts even more talented people which attracts an even bigger audience and you soon realize that your work is being viewed by thousands without the lucky break.  This is a big deal.

But What About the Competition?

If you are one of the photographers that complains about the sheer number of photographers entering the market then stop, take a deep breath and realize something.  There is no better thing to push your work to new heights than good, old-fashioned competition.  In my opinion having so many people taking an interest in photography is nothing but awesome for the industry as a whole.

Out of all the places in the world you wouldn’t pick Salt Lake City Utah to be a hot-bed for producing amazing talent in fashion and beauty photography but you would be wrong.  There are some amazing photographers (and stylists and models!) here producing amazing work and I personally LOVE how they make me want to create better and better work, all of the time.

Here are just a few of my favorites that have been shooting in Salt Lake City for the past several years.  Go check out their work and while you’re there tell them Jake Garn said hello.  :-)

Ryan Muirhead Photography

Justin Grant Photography

Mitch Meyer Photography

Steven Wood Photography

(these photos have all been posted with the respective photographers’ permission – and I’m certain I missed several more amazing Utah photographers, feel free to leave a comment with a link to your faves!)

Virtual Wealth} IE: The Barter System

In 1926, Frederick Soddy a Nobel Prize winning chemist wrote a book entitled Wealth, Virtual Wealth and Debt. He was a man ahead of his time and argued that real wealth was in the power to derive materials into physical goods and services. With that theory, an important question can be asked - if you cannot feel the effects of the wealth, is it really there? 

image from bartertheatre.com

Money is of course a vital part to any business. Without funds coming in, the lights cannot stay on. But what about when money needs to go out? Is there a way to trade talent for talent? An opportunity where both parties can walk away satisfied and appeased? Absolutely, it's called BARTERING!

We are on a tight budget. With a husband in grad school, our spending has to be carefully monitored and sometimes (okay more then sometimes) that can be a real party crasher. Unless I can find another way... And I'm queen of alternative options. It comes with an 'if you say I can't I'll prove that I can' type 'A personality. I've traded my photography services for baby-sitting (that’s seriously huge, do you know the price of a babysitter these days?), house cleaning, massage, sewing lessons, having a server built for me, clothing, SEO optimization, salon services and more. 

After several trades, I've had some go fabulously and others not so much. Here are some tricks I've picked up along the way. 

1. Be generous! My photography services are not priced at a bargain. Neither would I expect someone who's trading with me to cut me a deal. Time is time for all of us! Let me give you the example of babysitting.  I always ask what amount they feel would be a fair price, but with that I already have a number in my head that I'm thinking of. I've never had anyone suggest that number, so I let them suggest what they feel is a fair price and I say, 'okay, well I would like to trade at $x.xx per hour, is that okay with you?' Of course it is, it's usually at least $10 more per hour then they suggested. It's important to me that the trade feels like a win - win. Being generous assures me that the person on the other end of the trade won't get burnt out or end up feeling taken advantage of. 

2. Keep Track! This is pretty obvious but it must be reiterated! Make a log and keep meticulous track of the hours and suggest that they do as well. I use an hours tracker app on my iPhone.

3. Make it worth your time. Trading services takes up time! There is the session, editing and the fact that you probably will not be getting any sales from it either. When you’re having a late night editing session is the trade still going to have its appeal? I've made some trades more because I knew they didn't have the money then for reasoning that I needed what they were offering but the simple truth is that that was time away from my kids and hubby that was lost to me. Be picky about what you trade, your time is a valuable commodity, if you don't believe me just look at your kids. 

4. How do you find trades? If you want to start looking for trades, here is an idea. Next time you need something start looking around within your social circle (for babysitting and things of that nature) or at small businesses and look for someone who either loves your work or has a need for good photography. Pictures sell and I've seen a lot of websites where everything is looking good until you click on the thumbnail. In such a case, your services truly can be invaluable. 

5. Business is still business! It's important to still keep yourself on an appropriate time line. I've made the mistake of taking on a trade session when I was way to busy with paid work and making a terrible impression with that family because I had to many other clients that simply had to come first. Honestly, it still haunts me today! Now when people approach me with trades I plan only for either slow season or when it's a good fit in my calendar and I explain why. 

Disclaimer: Try not to be disappointed when someone doesn't want to trade. They may not have the extra time or be in a financial situation where it's possible for them. Also be aware of trades that cost the other side money. There may be a small amount invested on the photography end of the deal, but very little. We offer a service, not a good.  Be aware that you may be asking for a lot if you want a good taken right off the shelf and handed to you. I find people are much more apt to trade if it's service based to service based bartering. 

Bartering services are meant to be fun.  Don't set over the top expectations but instead just play around with it and see where it takes you! There's a bit of a learning curve to it at first but after a few great trades, you may just find yourself hooked! Let me tell you how fabulous it was to have a massage therapist come into my home and give my husband and I each an hour-long massage! Or being able to take a college photography class because I traded baby-sitting for Senior pictures. The key is to set reasonable expectations before the trade is made and make sure that both parties feel good about the offer, if you've got that part handled correctly, trading can make you feel like you're living the good life without ever spending a cent! 

NEW iPhone Case Templates!!!

I am so excited to finally be sharing the new iPhone templates with you on Go{4}Pro. I got started by designing and personalizing my own iPhone case. I'd been wanting and needing one for a while but hadn't found one that was a great reflection of me, until this! Next I launched the iPhone cases on Leah Remillet Photography with my April newsletter. Needless to say, they are a huge hit! Carrying a roll out of wallet sized pictures is old school, now all your clients have to do is flip over their iPhone and they can show off their favorite people!


There are several key components that I feel have directly affected the amount of client referrals I receive. One very critical component of my referal strategy is making sure my clients have something to show! These iPhone cases couldn't make that any more effortless! Ummm, yes! I'm introducing the iPhone templates as the most brilliant and easy marketing idea ever! Here's what happens; (and it's happened to me with my own phone dozens of times already).


stranger: Wow, that is such a cool case! Where did you get it?
Client: Thanks! Actually my photographer makes them. This is our most recent family picture we had done with her! ... She is the best, let me give you her card, you are going to LOVE her!


Okay, so I may have over ad-libbed for the client just a little but you know what I'm getting at! The iPhone templates give my clients a great reason to talk about me, and they will do the same thing for you too!! 


Tip: Because I see the iPhone templates as such a fabulous marketing opportunity, I sell the cases at my cost ($39 + shipping). If my client has an iPhone I want to make sure I get one of these cases on it!! Plus the quality of these cases are fantastic!! Seriously some of the best, most well made iPhone cases I've seen so that makes it that much easier to sell them!


I am offering two collections. The Chic Collection ($30) and the 21 North Collection ($30) -OR- you can purchase both Collections and receive a bonus 'LOVE' template ($50). 

This Chic Collection:

The Chic Collection comes with 5 layered psd files for easy customization. All fonts used are downloadable for free and will be listed with the text layer. 

Go{4}Pro Chic Collection

$30.00

Discount Code:

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

The 21 North Collection:

The 21 North Collection comes with 5 layered psd files for easy customization. All fonts used are downloadable for free and will be listed with the text layer. 

Go{4}Pro 21 North Collection

$30.00

Discount Code:

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Or you can have all of the iPhone case templates plus get a BONUS Love Template! 
The Bonus love template is great for added customization. Easily change the background color or add your favorite digital paper to match the theme of that session.

 Both Collections + Bonus Love Template!
$50.00

Discount Code:

*All templates are available as instant downloads!*

All templates were created using CS4. If you have had trouble with the free downloads, I can not guarantee that you will be able to use these templates. Due to the nature of the product, all sales are final and are not subject for refund for any reason. I recommend having an intermediate level of knowledge with Photoshop. Files are set up for easy image drop right into the masks however a general understanding of layers masks will be helpful. 
*Cases are manufactured with getuncommon.com