Essex Masters 2018

[schmokinn]

The money is spent on the hardware, supporting infrastructure, expenses, training and time spent learning the craft. 

One could say that theres not a lot of skill in pulling the trigger; everything leading up to that point does take a lot of skill though

The common misconception that a decent camera takes decent pictures grates a bit. It’s the person taking the photo that has full creative control over the output. 

"The common misconception that a decent camera takes decent pictures grates a bit. It’s the person taking the photo that has full creative control over the output." isn't that the point i made an assistant sitting randomly pushing a remote button. 

She when i have seen her taking pictures and i have looked at the results with a view to buying were not well timed for action shots and i have seen just as good group shots taken on a decent camera phone.

Didn't see her out on the course once taking pictures.

As for financing it if she sold one pic with no file to 10% of the throughput that would be 2500 allowing a generous amount for costs 1500 quid isn't bad for a weeks work!

 

[Hamster]

I'm conflicted here but having looked at Helen's website I'll say this.

As a photographer (amateur, I have never charged for a photo, but I have made prints for people at cost price) I think most people don't realise just how ruinously expensive it is to buy even an intermediate setup. 2 Bodies, some sticks, lights, and enough glass to cover all eventualities, plus software / hardware for post process is easily 30k plus. Add to this the time on the day spend shooting, followed by the time spent post processing (easily as much time again) makes decent quality photographs a premium product, that is usually undervalued.

However. For every good snapper, there are 50 people who own an SLR. I have watched and looked at the results of this sort of thing in the past and what people are willing to charge money for beggars belief in some cases. Helen's event Portfolio varies from adequate to "looks like it was shot on an iPhone" so in this case I would tend to agree that 25 quid a pop is probably a bit steep, but if her hit rate for sales is low due to the average quality of the shots, who knows how she is doing. 

£30 grand sounds like a lot of money, what we saw there was two grands worth including the computer, most people would have the software and computer anyway, many myself included have a decent camera too. I am not averse to occasionally paying £20 quid for 2 pictures nor to people making decent money but in all fairness as mentioned already these snaps aren't even super quality.

 

[Filski]

£30 grand sounds like a lot of money, what we saw there was two grands worth including the computer, most people would have the software and computer anyway, many myself included have a decent camera too. I am not averse to occasionally paying £20 quid for 2 pictures nor to people making decent money but in all fairness as mentioned already these snaps aren't even super quality.

I think in reality 30k is a little bit of an overstatement I would say perhaps around half that for a professional set up. As for 20 quid per snap... have a look how much wedding photographers charge

 

[ExSCA]

Blimey - the picture is worth what you want to pay for it.   I hope the lady makes a decent living from it - people seem to begrudge others making a profit. 

 

[schmokinn]

Not begrudging her making a profit at all but everybody wants value for money.

Personally i would have used a different approach and charged a fiver a print and tenner for a digital file,i am sure she would have made much more out of it as people probably would not  think about spending that.

I saw quite a lot of people looking at the pics but leaving without spending anything...that isn't good business.

As for wedding photos what i have seen people get for their money is just daylight robbery,poor quality pictures badly composed and most of the time outdone by guests at the wedding with their smartphones.

Many "wedding photographers" have no idea and just get booked because they are a bit cheaper.

At my wedding in Thailand 10 years ago i had a fully qualified professional with his assistant who took in excess of 600 images, i received printed copies of these,30 enlargements and ALL the files on CD for under 30gbp admittedly it would probably cost you a ton now. 

People want VFM and would have probably spent more at a cheaper price,if it had been 4 prints and the file for 25gbp i may have gone for it but then again i have seen maybe 20 images of me over the last 12 months or so she has taken and maybe one was a good enough image to want to keep for posterity.

 

[Hamster]

I certainly don't begrudge her or anyone else making decent money, in fact it was me who suggested we perhaps ought to have professional photographers around more often but have to agree with Schmokinn, it is about value for money and you simply have to deliver a certain quality. I shall cherish the ones I have but their clarity is average at best and printed on cheap paper. 

 

[philmoss]

She has been at almost every big shoot at least in the south for the last year or so but 25 quid for a single pic and the digital file is a bit rich,have looked at the pics a couple of times and none have i felt were worthy of the money though i guess law of averages some must be good.

Stand one red,camera on the floor and an assistant randomly pushing a remote button....not a lot of skill in that!

No one makes you have to pay for a pic, 2000 odd entries & many were very pleased & grateful for her services..........Still cant please everyone !!!!

 

[ChrisPackham]

Perhaps clay grounds should have theme park style cameras that activate when the button is pressed, could even do a short video, amd allow you to buy the image when paying your bill..

 

[schmokinn]

So i eventually get a link which says i need to update flash...unlikely as it is done about twice a week by another program.

Doesn't work send message,today it works well sort of!

Clonky,slow,poorly designed...i eventually find our squad seems to be the last of the day but they have cut me and my mate out of it.

The height of professionalism wait a month to find out that they screwed it up!!