[BarryE]

I've had a few years of retail photo sales/commissions, followed by some commercial work. After a lull due to Covid I'm starting to build up some low key portrait work. So to my question(s).

Basically, I have a two hour (ish) session, during*which I'm**completely*open with my subjects, working with them, via a tethered connection. This way, at the end of a session, hopefully, we've arrived at a point that will give them what they want, and importantly, given me clues for changes, both during the session and for post work. Yes, it shows up my mistakes, but I feel we both learn. Then with an idea of their preferences*I whittle*the files down to about 30 or so, which I upload to a private*client site on my website. They then choose what they want, from which I create final jpeg*versions.

Within the two hours I tend to start with a safe lighting set-up, swapping to one or two further, more adventurous, arrangements. I do, however, find swapping backdrops in the time too challenging. I tend to move around a lot so I need a large background, which at the moment, for half-body, is about 2m*2m to 2m*3m fabric (attached to two stands and cross bar). Getting these up and flat takes too long, especially as I would like to be able to choose from a range depending on what clothes the subject is wearing. I start off with a mottled/abstract, mid-grey.

I appreciate when I have sent them high res images, that's it, they can do what they like with them. For the moment I don't charge. If,*some time in the future,*I decide to charge*a fee I don't really expect to massively change this model as the sessions are quite social and I like the interactions. It does seem to be working as I'm getting a steady stream of requests, which is nice.

Those of you who shoot portraits professionally, will probably cringe at my laughable 'business' model. But I would appreciate any suggestions, criticisms or otherwise of things I might or should consider. Comments welcome ...

ps I forgot, prior to a session I send out guidance notes on clothing, jewellery and makeup. Mostly it gets acted upon, but not always. Suggestions in this area would be help too.

Many thanks

[steephill]

Be clear about the the nature of your sessions. Are they primarily about you improving your skills or providing a specific service to clients? If it is the first scenario then you are hiring models and direction towards clothing, jewellery and makeup might be appropriate. If you are offering portrait services then concentrate on what the client wants the output to look like. As a client would you expect a photographer to be a fashion and makeup expert? Unless you already have professional skills in these areas consider recruiting others to undertake these roles.

[BarryE]

Be clear about the the nature of your sessions. Are they primarily about you improving your skills or providing a specific service to clients? If it is the first scenario then you are hiring models and direction towards clothing, jewellery and makeup might be appropriate. If you are offering portrait services then concentrate on what the client wants the output to look like. As a client would you expect a photographer to be a fashion and makeup expert? Unless you already have professional skills in these areas consider recruiting others to undertake these roles.

Thank you. I don't think I'll ever get to the point of hiring help. I am learning of some of the pitfalls of certain makeup issues. SPF content and reflective elements in foundations have shown up to be problematic. Never knew that. I am learning ...

At the moment the photo shoots are of people I know, but their friends/family are popping up. I'm somewhere between improving my skills (absolutely necessary) and supplying them with images and a look they want. Atypically, I seem to be working mostly with older people, an age group that is not covered by most photographers in my area it seems. This brings challenges, not least, standing poses which can be difficult and lighting, at least at the start, tends to be very soft.

[ProfessorBuzz]

Two thoughts:
Backgrounds - a portrait shooter I met a couple years back has the backdrops on rolling carts that she wheels in behind the client. The drapes are pre-hung, and wrinkle free. Takes about a minute to swap backgrounds.
She also has some reflector panels made of styrofoam building cladding that has been painted varies grey and brown tones, she wheels them in. One side is lighter than the other.
Very simple and effective having everything ready to go.

Be sure about what your sitter is expecting. Friend of mine started on a similar path, and after a couple sessions, the young lady he was shooting asked if he'd do some "racier" aka "boudoir" photos of her. My pro photographer friends all agreed this was work he needed to decline politely. Similarly, expectations around money are important. People could start paying you for a nice framed print or that sort of thing, to get used to the idea of paying you for your work; make sure your costs are covered!

[BarryE]

Two thoughts:
Backgrounds - a portrait shooter I met a couple years back has the backdrops on rolling carts that she wheels in behind the client. The drapes are pre-hung, and wrinkle free. Takes about a minute to swap backgrounds.
She also has some reflector panels made of styrofoam building cladding that has been painted varies grey and brown tones, she wheels them in. One side is lighter than the other.
Very simple and effective having everything ready to go.

Be sure about what your sitter is expecting. Friend of mine started on a similar path, and after a couple sessions, the young lady he was shooting asked if he'd do some "racier" aka "boudoir" photos of her. My pro photographer friends all agreed this was work he needed to decline politely. Similarly, expectations around money are important. People could start paying you for a nice framed print or that sort of thing, to get used to the idea of paying you for your work; make sure your costs are covered!

Thank you for your suggestions. Unfortunately, I don't have the space to roll in another background, but your suggestion did make me think whether I could in some way clamp two fabric backdrops, one behind the other, and unclamp the front one revealing the one behind. Then with a little minor adjustments I might be able to swap quickly enough. You seeded the idea. I will try it out ...

"Decline politely". I will practise this. And then practise some more. I'm not going there.

Re the framing. I spent several years selling framed prints, which I made up to conservation standards. I don't look back to those days of mindless production and storage issues with any great joy, thus my plan to supply digital only. However, niggling away at me is the idea that selling a finished product feels appropriate and I would have total control of my cropping and colour management etc. I do have the framing tools and skills, so it's a pity to waste them. There's probably some half way house here.

Thanks again, for seeding ideas.

[Joe Dusel]

Joe Edelman has a lot of great videos on Youtube for setting up a small studio and doing portrait work. I would check those out. I personally use a three-roller setup with black, white and grey paper backdrops. I can swap them in about a minute. Of course it takes more time to redo the lighting for each setup. Check out this video from Edelman on small studios.

You Tube

You Tube

[BarryE]

Joe Edelman has a lot of great videos on Youtube for setting up a small studio and doing portrait work. I would check those out. I personally use a three-roller setup with black, white and grey paper backdrops. I can swap them in about a minute. Of course it takes more time to redo the lighting for each setup. Check out this video from Edelman on small studios. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cggfTPIQcHs

Currently I take over our lounge for each shoot. It has a 3.5m ceiling which is helpful, but I've agreed not to take over the room on a permanent basis, so a roller system might be a challenge. Perhaps not impossible if I could assemble/disassemble it. Thanks it will get me thinking.

I'd forgotten about Edelman. I'll take another look.

Thanks

[BarryE]

Joe Edelman has a lot of great videos on Youtube for setting up a small studio and doing portrait work. I would check those out. I personally use a three-roller setup with black, white and grey paper backdrops. I can swap them in about a minute. Of course it takes more time to redo the lighting for each setup. Check out this video from Edelman on small studios. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cggfTPIQcHs

Some ingenious solutions in this video. I have a small garage space which I'm converting for still life shots. Some of Joe's ideas in his portrait studio will map nicely to my garage space. Thank you for pointing me to this video.

[Joe Dusel]

I'm glad it gave you some good ideas Barry. Joe Edelman has a lot of great ideas. Here is a video where he uses a grey backdrop to create almost any color. This might work even better for your situation.

You Tube

You Tube