There's a framed photo of Heather and me that's thirty years old now and been on the wall above my desk for the last fourteen. It was shot by Rod Ellmore in 1994 while our whole family was together in Auckland. When I look at it I think: “Didn’t we look cute thirty years ago? And I had hair! Remember how those Lockwood houses creaked? The bloody dog ruined that couch… Love the Indian parchment — still on the wall… What happened to those Churchill books? The printing is like new… Those shoes were great…” In another thirty years our grandchildren To View More >>

We’ve all been there — your client loves their gallery, gushes over the moments you captured… and then skips over the album. You say they’re available but no one bites. It can be disheartening, especially when you know how meaningful they are. And the same goes for other products! But here’s the thing: if your pricing page only mentions “albums available” without any visuals, story, or context, it’s completely understandable that clients pass them by. They’re not saying no to the album—they just haven’t been given a reason to say To View More >>

“Okay… what should I be offering?” The answer will depend on your clients — and your photographic genre . Each genre requires different presentation. For example, a wedding photographer, with potential sales of hundreds of images, will require completely different products from a landscape specialist offering images intended for wall display. Bear in mind too that the most appropriate printing isn't just a personal preference but will depend on the products you want to offer. For example, we recommend silver halide over inkjet for applications where To View More >>

A fairly common thing we hear from photographers is: “My clients just don’t want printed products.” But here’s the truth — more often than not, it’s not that they don’t want them. It’s that they’ve never been shown the value of them. They’re used to digital galleries. They expect USBs. That’s what the industry has trained them to expect. But just because it’s all they know, it doesn’t mean that’s all they want. Ian tells the story of being in a seminar with a number of very wealthy Americans. When he tried To View More >>

We get it — in the age of social media, digital files feel like the norm. Especially in the wedding world, they’re generally expected. Couples want to share their big day right away, and portrait clients love the idea of having “all the photos.” But if we stop there, we’re not just shortchanging ourselves — we’re shortchanging them. Here’s why: Digital is fleeting. Print is forever. Digital images are shared for a moment and then forgotten, buried in a sea of phone photos and cloud storage. Prints become treasures. Albums become stories passed on. To View More >>

Here are three photos that won’t mean much to you but mean everything to me. They explain why I love wedding albums. The first is from my parents’ wedding in 1945, a beautiful sepia print in a classic folder. Young as he looks, Dad had just returned from five years at war. The girl on the left is his younger sister. Seven years later she married the young man on the right. Like my parents they were together for 55 years. The other woman is my mother’s best friend. I remember her, but she died quite young. The other uniformed man is my father’s best friend. I’m writing To View More >>

Digital galleries are a great way to share your photography, there’s no denying that. But after the party they’re out of sight, out of mind. That’s why offering printed products isn’t just a nice extra — it’s a powerful way to stay present in your clients’ lives. Framed prints, canvases, albums and keepsake boxes turn fleeting memories into something tangible, emotional, and enduring — and keep your brand front and centre. Scroll down for our special offer! Need more convincing? Here’s a few reasons why you should be selling products: ✔ They To View More >>

Previous |  Contents | Next Download the eBook I would not sabotage my long-term business in order to survive a panic attack or a short-term crisis. Panic attacks — we all have them “My bookings are down.” “I’ve gotta cut my prices.” “I’ve gotta slash my costs.” We all have anxiety attacks, so maybe this chapter’s for you. Anxiety is worrying in advance, worrying without a plan, psychological rather than rational. And the actions you take while you’ve got the cold sweats could affect your business for a long, long To View More >>

Previous |  Contents | Next Download the eBook "That process has two distinct stages—before and after the shoot. The first sells the booking, the second is the up-sell…" High-end photographers have been selling albums profitably for as long as we’ve been in business, but for many today it seems a lost art. Why? Obviously the world has changed — "shoot-and-share" and "just the files" are seductive ideas, and so is selling online. And who needs the hassle of getting people into the studio, playing nice, offering them bubbles and selling To View More >>

Previous |  Contents | Next Download the eBook There are so many reasons why the printed image matters, but long term accessibility to your most treasured photos is surely a deal breaker. Why printed images matter Back in the ’90s I remember walking back to our trade show booth behind two people from a neighbouring stand. They were into IT. As they approached our booth I heard one say to the other, “I feel sorry for these guys. How long can they last in the modern world?” It’s so long ago I feel like they must have been visionaries — how did they know To View More >>