I think it's fair to say we are living in more challenging times than we were five years ago. The biggest world recession in our life time. Decreased global demand and the relentless media working 24/7 to scare the hell out of everyone everywhere. But as my cliched one-liner says, that’s the time us tough guys get going. If there’s reduced demand it's got to be about us thinking, working, and living smarter than our competition. If there’s less money going round I/you/we need to make certain we still get our fair share. And in a crazy sort of way this makes me feel that, despite the doom To View More >>

I have read so many photographer interviews that started out, "I was given my first camera when I was ten". Hands up those who can say that? Certainly I can. I was given a beaten up old Yashica by my father for my tenth birthday. Pity it isn't that easy these days because, let's face it, when film was king an image taken on a 50 year old twin reflex could still create a beautiful neg. So why did we start taking photos? I bet it wasn't for money. It was the love of capturing the image. This is where every photographer starts leaving the crowd behind. The passion and the excitement of taking the To View More >>

Every now and then I see an "About" page that I particularly like, such as Amanda's at Orchard Cove Photography. It features this photograph, which she says "captures me and my brother running up the hill at my Grandma’s house when I was two years old. When my Grandma passed away, I found the photo framed in her bathroom. It now hangs in my bedroom." Amanda says that one image calls back countless memories of her grandmother, "playing with her dogs, exploring her movie collection, leafing through her scrapbooks, eating her famous tuna salad, feeding the birds, jumping on her bed, and trying To View More >>

Many years ago I headed to an up-market department store to buy a gift. When I asked the person behind the counter to show me what I wanted, she replied, “It’s expensive you know”. Was she suggesting that I couldn’t afford it, or was she reflecting on her own economic situation? She should have known better. Her job was to show me the product, work with my enthusiasm and make the business she worked for better off. As a business person I’ve reflected on this incident often. I’m always reminded of it at trade shows when people look at our albums and say things like, “They're so beautiful, To View More >>

I know the word "networking" gets bandied about a lot. I used to roll my eyes and put in the same category as "politically correct" and "multi-tasking" but in reality it's where business is today. Once upon a time a photographer could rely on the quality of his images and word of mouth. Maybe a bit of advertising in the Yellow Pages and the odd display in the local mall. Next minute, along comes the internet and screws it all up. Suddenly you have to be on Facebook, Twitter and this that and the other. As a photographer you have a major head start at this. First, you have cool images to show people. To View More >>

This post isn't a judgment on the underprivileged, or a suggestion that we all move into gated communities. It is about how to succeed. Who you surround yourself with, according to psychologists, affects how successful you’ll be. The same’s true for who you emulate or seek advice from. If you want a happy family, check out someone who has one. If you want to be wealthy, ask a rich person – not a financial advisor (not the same), and not a poor person either. Unless of course you want a list of what not to do. The internet delivers to us the best and the worst of all advice. I can’t count To View More >>

Apparently it takes 3.5 seconds for a person to to assess another person when they first meet face to face. We've all done it and in some cases I still remember those 3.5 seconds. The love at first sight affect. :) But what if those first few seconds aren't face to face, but face to website? Couples (ie Brides) can be ruthlessly efficient when it comes to their wedding plans, which is why we all need a love-at-first-sight site that's up to handling a bride in full hunting mode. I've watched my wife in action. She will allow a site 3.5 seconds to grab her attention before she moves on. And I am To View More >>

Late last year Ian and I caught up with award winning photographer Bruce Gabites at his new Auckland studio. He'd just won his eighth straight Kodak Gold award  in the Wedding Album category, and we wanted to find out his secret... We spent a morning talking with him about why he enters photography competitions and what makes him so successful, the affect winning awards has on his business, and albums – the part they  play in his packages, and how he goes about selling them. To listen to our interview with Bruce Gabites click here (22 mins). Cheers, Nigel PS Bruce recently shared some To View More >>

Everyone has a different workflow, there's no question about it. Most wedding photographers have a shooting season and…the rest of the year. Depending on your clients, album design could be year round, but if you're lucky, you finish your album season shortly after your shooting season. The "downtime" is used for maintaining your business, small shoots, networking, and maybe taking it easier. One of the most important things to take care of during this time is organizing and backing up files. I 'm afraid album files get forgotten sometimes. I can't stress enough, you should back up your files. To View More >>

Last week it was NZIPP in Queenstown. This week Photography By Woolf's 50th Anniversary exhibition in Wellington. They very kindly invited Heather and me to share in the family celebration afterwards. It was his birthday so ten-year-old Noah got to choose the restaurant. It was great fun, the whole extended family get on so well ... and it got me to thinking: 1. What a challenge it is to build a long standing family business that truly serves … the family. We know it. Chances are you do too. Well done to the Woolfs. 2. So many photographers got a start at Woolfs, and many of them featured in To View More >>