Miche's Commentary: 4/22/07

Greetings, friends! I’m just back from the city by the Bay (San Francisco) after the WOW Tour, and I have to say, it’s one of my favorite places to visit! With us on this leg of the tour were Curt Littlecott, Kavan Lee, and Hanson Fong. As always, Curt brought his brand of high voltage fashion/wedding fusion photography to a pumped up group. We were honored to have a true master join us for the first time in Hanson Fong, who was accompanied by rising star, Kavan Lee. Kavan and Hanson share a wonderful student/mentor relationship, and brought a daylong program to a group of both veteran and novice p

hotographers. Though it was his debut speaking engagement, Kavan was a true professional. He talked a lot about the business side of running a successful studio. His advice? By making the most of your time with clients, utilizing package pricing, and focusing on your communication skills, you can positively impact your bottom line. He also illustrated how age-old principles in lighting and posing techniques can make all the difference in the world in today’s digital marketplace.

Speaking of just that, the master, Hanson Fong, really drove that message home. Hanson spent considerable time sharing what he has learned over his stellar, 30-plus years in photography. Aside from his astounding talent, what struck me the most was how much he relies on his technical ability and real world knowledge of classic portraiture. According to Hanson, lighting and posing are key to capturing beautiful, saleable images. ‘Capturing an image that’s going to blow away the client is not something that happens in Photoshop. Setting up the shot and getting it right in camera is what separates the great images from the merely good ones. Having that ability is essential in today’s competitive climate. During the seminar Hanson broke it down to the basics, demonstrating with hands on posing and lighting instruction for the attendees. According to Hanson, these simple, yet critical skills are more important than ever, and the foundation for being a true professional photographer. Hanson and Kavan both realize that today’s photographers are competing in a market against “Suzy Soccer-mom” and “Uncle Harry.” Holding fast to the fundamentals is crucial to surviving their impact.

Now that tradeshow season is over, we’re beginning to think ahead to next year already at Albums Inc. My focus will be preparing the 2008 catalog, and stocking it full of the products that our clients are looking for to run their businesses. It’s always a challenging task, but one that I take very seriously. So, if there’s something out there that you’re looking for, drop me a line and let me know. Or send me an email at mcardello@albumsinc.com.

We’re always here to help you find what you need to stay on top!

Ciao, Miche

Labels: Looking Ahead, WOW Tour

Whew! What a whirlwind this last month and a half has been! I’m just back in from WPPI in Las Vegas and I must admit, it was non-stop! Each year the show season gets busier and busier, with this year being no exception. Certainly WPPI has become an important stop on the circuit for vendors and photographers alike. This year everyone was expecting a record crowd, and from the looks of the registration desks on Monday morning, WPPI got exactly what they were hoping for – lots of eager photographers clamoring to get inside!

For those exhibitors who were at the show, show season is always hectic and crazed, but also a lot of fun. I must admit that as a company known for distributing albums, this year was quite a challenge. Back in the good old days, Albums Inc. was one of only a handful of album companies at the trade shows. At this year’s WPPI, I believe we were one of over 50 companies showing albums! This would include labs and manufacturers as well. Not that competition is a bad thing -- it can be a good thing for all of us. However, what really struck me this year was that sometimes, too much of anything can be well, too much! At the shows, I spend a considerable amount of time just listening to people, directly or indirectly. So I couldn’t help but sense that many of our clients and friends are simply overwhelmed! So many choices and so much to consider! From purchasing equipment, such as cameras, lenses, printers, hardware and software… to decisions involving studio management, lab fulfillment, and album design … the to-do list never seems to end. And by the time people make it around to all 50+ album companies … whew, major confusion!

I spoke with several photographers who just didn’t know where to start. Even if they have been offering albums for years, things today are noticeably different. From flush mounted to peel and stick … do-it-yourself to having someone else do it all … most photographers are confused about which options will best meet their needs. To illustrate the point, here are some of the most frequently asked questions I heard at WPPI: So how do I order a flush mounted book? Do I put it together or do you? Can you show me all your digital albums? How do I design an album? Does it come with software? Which software is best to use, there are so many options?! Why should I buy an album from you all when I get can it from the manufacturer? Why are these albums so expensive and what makes them better? What’s the difference in quality between press-printed photo books and photo quality albums?

Unfortunately, there’s no one easy answer. And certainly no one solution will work for every photographer’s business. What I can say is this: choose wisely! As a professional, you want your images to be displayed in a manner that conveys your craftsmanship and artistry. There are many good album companies out there today, some of which are our competitors. The bottom line is that the albums you buy should stand the test of time, in the same way that your images are intended to stand the test of time. Quality craftsmanship should be paramount when making your purchasing decision, but it isn’t the only thing to consider. Customer service should be equally important. Choosing a business partner (which is what a vendor should be) who will stand behind you and the products you buy is huge. It’s also helpful if your partner is experienced enough, and knowledgeable enough, to help you sort through some of those tough-to-answer questions. I’d like to think that at Albums Inc. we provide that for our customers. Keeping you behind the camera is our top priority, and we want you to know we’re behind you every step of the way. So let us know what we can do to help -- because that’s what we’re here for!

On another note, it was my pleasure to host a wonderful group of friends and clients for a dinner party at Tao. We invited some of our speakers, clients, and supporting vendors to join us in an evening of great food, wonderful wine, and even better conversation. It’s always great to catch up and enjoy some much-needed R&R. Here are some fun photos from the evening! Enjoy!

Ciao,
Miche