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I've Been Very, Very Busy
Between doing photography shoots, meeting with my attorney, meeting with my CPA, working on the new generation of service contracts, working on modeling pay vouchers and other tools for Tampa Bay Modeling / Independent Modeling, and web sites, I've been very busy. I was going to give myself Wednesday off to kick back and relax, but it is impossible. The only thing that I will have free time for on Wednesday is a nice lunch/ dinner with my good friend actress and model Sarah Bray (who I met many years ago when she was my client looking for her actor headshot photography session. Since then, we have become good friends, she went on to teach acting at acting schools, and did a project for MTV). Sarah is one of the best writers that I know, too, and will be writing for Tampa Bay Acting and Independent Acting. We're going to catch up, especially with some projects that are coming up. Speaking of writers, I am signing writers to work on the imminent Tampa Bay Photographers photographer resource web site, which will launch any day now. Some of those writers are professional photographers who, like me, actually make money in our careers and are good at what we do. There is something going on with that, too, but I am not at liberty to discuss specifics yet. Just remember that I do happen to own a photography association and that my photography company subcontracts photographers for certain photography jobs.Projects. There are a lot of them. One of them is becoming important, and will push my talent resource web sites such as Tampa Bay Modeling, Tampa Bay Film, etc, and it now has priority. The Talent Connection Project, which launched in January of 2007 and then became idle because I was swamped in paid photography shoots, resumes again this month. I have one session planned this month and two next month, and there will be two per month until I reach my goal of ten for 2008. Each session is balanced for between ten to twelve models and talent who would participate. Requirements? Since it is a professional collaboration, all participants MUST already have the career-relevant professional modeling portfolios, composite cards, headshots, etc, and MUST have professional experience as a working professional who is working in their career. My business partners don't have a problem with me investing three days a month working on this as long as it does not undermine my photography and design business, which is doing quite well at the moment. I made my case, and the program was approved. Think about this: Does a model or an actor with updated career tools need to invest in any, and are they in the market for it? No. That's great, too, especially with all of the professional models and actors who have been lining up to work with me. I'll get to work with the professionals in a way which will not conflict with my main business. Additionally, I have some cool things for these professionals to work on, too, and they won't want to miss out on them. It will help their career and boost my efforts at the same time.Between photography business and collaborating with professionals, this year will see the greatest numbers of photography shoots since the 2000-2002 run. I'll also gain over 100 new professional models, actors, and talent to my contact and project roster.The Talent Connection Project is but a prelude of other things which are on the way. It will lead up to my Tampa Film Showcase monthly film festival and networking event, as well as the largest modeling, talent, and production databases in Florida.Ahem.... Expect to see some surprising coverage of Tampa Bay Modeling and those other sites, especially on television. It's already set up, and begins next week. It will be a long-term, ongoing effort, too. Ann, Sarah, Harmony, and the others are models and talent who everyone wants to work with, and they are but a few of my large team. Oh, I almost forgot. I need to call a modeling agency this morning on behalf of a model. I also need to finish and update Tampa Bay Acting (it is almost done and only needs a few more hours of work, but I got sidetracked last week).I have to go. I have some paperwork to finish and some clients to call. Expect another update later this week, when I will discuss segmenting photography markets, professional conflicts, business ethics, and what I am NOT doing (but people are convinced that I am). In closing, I am not undermining the marketing efforts of so-called photographers who are in no position to compete with me in any way, and I may have to address the people who are telling others that I am doing things that I am not. It no longer surprises me about the levels of insecurity and pettiness that others possess. Let's just say that I have paid my dues as a professional photographers and am one of the most experienced professional photographers in the Tampa Bay photography market. Some of these characters are simply annoying, and they get mad at me because they have no idea how to compete in a competitive market. Well, the first thing that they should do is learn how to take a professional picture. After they build a portfolio, they then need to realize that selling themselves short (i.e. pricing themselves too cheap) tends to backfire and doesn't hurt anyone but themselves. Ah, the power of perception cannot be understated or underestimated, as psychology plays a large part in this business. I am not saying that a photographer needs to overcharge, either, but knowing what is appropriate to charge for photography services says more about the professional experience of a photographer or a photography company than almost anything else, and it is as important as the professional integrity and the range of work in the photography portfolio of the photographer. The most common mistake that a new, aspiring, amateur photographer makes is in not knowing what to charge. Those who think that they can compete by underbidding other photographers are in for a big surprise; I introduced a concept a few years back which proved to be effective with keeping the bottom of the market stable, and it is about time to push it again. Many photographers lost their business the last time. It works, it has been proven, and it works as it protects the professional integrity of the photography services market. Once again, the photography-rate structure of Florida photography will stabilize, and the cycle will begin a second time. Hmmmm... Maybe I can get a good deal on some barely-used photography equipment! You give up, and go out of business, and I will purchase what you had. This may work out for me in more ways than one...... I know that the cameras and other gear will appreciate being utilized my someone who knows how to make them perform instead of being wasted by some hack of a photographer who has questionable motives. If cameras were living things, I could see one crying and trying to claw their way out of their boxes in the store. "No, no, NOOOOOOOO! Please don't sell me! Sell me to anyone- anyone but him! I don't want to get worn out taking a lifetime of bad pictures and neeeeeeked girls! Put me back in the case this instant and wait for a professional photographer to buy me! I am a high-quality camera and I deserve the proper respect!". Ah, brings a chuckle to me every time that I imagine this entertaining scenario.Those who think that cheaper is better are about to put themselves out of business. As for myself, I see no need to drop my rates because they are fair and my photography services have a very high sell-through ratio. Why sell myself short and throw money away on services that are selling anyway?

Tampa Photographer C. A. Passinault is lead photographer and owner of top Tampa photography services company Aurora PhotoArts Tampa Photography and Design. He is also the owner and director of several top modeling and talent resource web sites.
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