Like all one to one courses we can tailor this to meet your exact needs, combining items where you wish.

The following is a list of some of the course elements that you may find useful, some we have identified as potentially half day, in that we can cover two of these subjects in a day if you wish. You can still book them as a day course if you wish and want to look at it in more detail with financial modelling or other costing and projections involved.

MKT - All Photographic Markets explored

Length - 1 full day This course looks at the  types of photography businesses and outlets for photographers, some you may be aware of, but probably a large number of others you have never considered. It considers which can be run part time, full time and which of the many options can be run together. We look at the sort of income that is achievable and the costs involved, as well as how long it would take to enter each market. We also identify the action plan required to make it happen. This course does not overlap to any great degree with either the 'Starting Your Own Business' course or the 'Escape Committee' project courses below. While the courses below cover a small range of business areas this looks at very many more, and compares the options. We start the day by exploring with you the type of business area that most appeals and where your experience, desires and skills are, and although covering all areas, we try as far as we are able to make this completely relevant to you, which means we can lightly cover some areas, allowing us to concentrate more fully on areas that specifically interest you.

This allows the difficult balancing act to consider, if to concentrate on a single area or to develop over several areas. Many producing reasonable incomes from photography have found it best to concentre on a small number, allowing some variation and extra income but being able to become  proficient and effectively market those chosen. There is no magic formula it's a case of helping you to discover the options that would best suit you and your area.

BUS - Starting Your Own Business

Length - 1 full day

This course looks at how to set up and run a business, from defining the concepts, developing a business plan, choice of company, partnership or sole trader, formalities and red tape, VAT, basic accounting and tax. We look at marketing, advertising, public relations and in particular press releases. How to go about getting funding or finding a partner. We look at other options to get into business, and how you can work with others. We also identify the action plan required to make it happen.  While the majority of the information covered on this course would apply to most businesses, all the examples given and concentration will be on businesses relating to photography.

The company director that will run this course is also a company secretary of a number of  companies and can not only cover the practical aspects of running a business from her extensive experience, but also if you decide you need a company, help you to select a name, check its availability rapidly and set one up for you.

 (Avoid doing both the BUS and ESC as the contents overlap).

ESC - Escape Committee

Length - 1 full day

The concept of the Escape Committee is a little different, it starts with the assumption that it is difficult for many people to drop employment and other regular commitments and just set up their own business. Many will have a mortgage or rent to pay, and often a family that needs supporting. On this course we cover a shortened version of the starting your own business course, omitting all the material that is mainly relevant to larger operations, and instead concentrating on a budget start-up, considering how it can be phased to start part time, and the support that is available to people who are establishing a business while they have a low income. We look at risks, at how to offset cash flow, and at a variety of ways to fund your new business.

We have devised a number of example models that show different ways the dream can become a reality.

The title of the project comes from the fact that the project to research and achieve this was a joint project between us, the Camera Images Club and a business angel network that matches those who are starting or expanding businesses with business angels, providing funding and in some cases also business experience.

For the first part of this day, we have a committee approach with two experienced company directors, and you look at the needs, holding factors and how to best over come them.  From this an action plan is developed that you agree to, and then the rest of the day is spent on the practicalities and business skill aspects to make this a reality.

 (Avoid doing both the BUS and ESC as the contents overlap).

LIB - Eagle Picture Library

Length - 1 day, could be simplified to a half day

The Eagle Picture Library is a unique project. It is based on a joint venture consortium model, developing an international company,  where people can choose to become a partner and take responsibility for a section of the library. Others can be involved at a number of other levels from editors to researchers.  Photographers are also a major part of this, with many opportunities to make use of your existing photo stock as well as the task to go and shoot a wide range of topics to expand the library.

On this course we look at the overall model, the position that has been reached, and what is happening now. How, if you want, you can become involved and at what level. We look at the technicalities, what each type of person does, and submission and selection criteria.

We explore the structure of the library contents, and what sort of photographs are expected to both sell well and be in short supply.

We have the exclusive rights to run courses on the Eagle Picture Library, and have been very involved in its design as well as the implementation. At the moment the library has not been officially launched, so this is an opportunity to get in at the beginning. The knowledge obtained would also be useful if submitting images to other picture libraries or starting your own

LEP - Limited Edition Prints Length - 1 day or could be compressed into a half day, with another subject. Limited edition prints can sell for high figures, and is a developing market with more people using photographs on the walls of their homes and offices as well as more people becoming collectors. On this course we look at this market in detail, at how you can sell limited edition prints yourself or through publishers, at the sizes, number of copies in editions, and prices as well as some of the basic technicalities like computer printers, papers and stages necessary to get out quality work. We briefly explain colour calibration and profiles. We also consider sub contracting the printing and delivery. We go on to explore what you can do to increase sales and the types of images that are currently available as well as how to determine the market trends.  We will also be looking in detail at a company that markets limited edition prints, their requirements, as well as a number of other opportunities.  Limited editions is the nearest thing to being able to legally print bank notes, the rarest or demand factor adds the value far in excess of the cost of production, and you set your own prices. Set it high for low volumes or lower for higher volumes, but be aware of the cost, projected income and expected profitability of each. When we start to show you financial models that we use to explore this you are likely to be quite surprised by what you discover. As you will know, our other major area to training is the publishing or fine art limited edition prints. We are one of the founding members of the joint project to market limited edition prints on behalf of a number of brands through a new franchise network.

WED - Wedding Photography

Length -  1 day or can be compressed into a half day, by reducing the marketing content.

One of the best known and easiest areas of photography is weddings. Standards in Britain are mediocre, with much of the work being produced via processing houses or in batch mode on simple printers in house. Colour balance is often ignored and itis not uncommon to see sets of wedding proofs where the bridesmaids dresses change colour from one shot to the next. In many cases amateurs are drafted in at weekends to boost the numbers and cover many of the lower budget weddings. However many of these people are making a living, and you hear few complaints from their clients.

One choice is therefore to do the same as others but try to maximise marketing effect while minimising costs, thereby maximising profit. The opposing choice is to do less weddings but to a far higher standard and maximise the return on each. Perhaps over time becoming the photographer of choice in your area for the larger and more spectacular weddings.

Over the years we have been involved in many marketing philosophies from competitions and promotions to commissions. Although there are now new technologies in many ways this has always been the case, and our most experienced photographic tutor was photographing large weddings and training photographers to photograph them back when many of the weddings were still photographed in black and white, he has seen the move from B&W to colour from medium format to 35mm and from 35mm to digital, and now to the later add on technologies like the radio links that are now starting to be more widely used.

The profitability of wedding photography is tied to marketing effort, and there are many ways to get work other than just advertising or attending wedding events. Being able to sell the wedding photographs on the day, at the reception, may multiply the income several fold and a radio link optional unit on cameras like the D200, D2x and D2h at a wedding back to the local base computer at the reception operated by an assistant can pay considerable dividends. Newer options include being able to produce books for the bride and groom and for the parents either by getting this done by a specialist publisher or printing it on special paper that fits into an interleaved album.

On this day we look at the fundamentals of organising the shoot, before and on the day, of standard shooting lists you can develop that helps you maintain control and work fast, as well as precautions you can take to make sure there is no risk of letting a client down.

We look in depth at marketing, at setting prices, deciding what services to offer and on the practicalities of taking and delivering orders.

This is a solid day if fully covered in detail, but can also be covered in a half day, if the marketing side is to be left out.

It is not difficult to make money on weddings, and can be exciting to start, although you may very quickly tire of it, it does provide a basic income to pay the bills while you develop other income areas.

In most areas, just undertaking a single wedding will produce a margin greater than the cost of your day with us, and may be many thousands more. In some places, like the USA some wedding photographers charge very large fees, often running into tens of thousands to attend, and are much sought after. 

We would expect that if weddings are to be a substantial part of your income, then spending the day looking at this with us would at least double your profitability over the first year.

EVT - Event Photography

Length - 1 day or can be combined with another.

Some event photographers specialise in a single type of event, for example gymnastics, dancing, horse jumping, sporting events of all types, dance competitions, dinner dances, college graduations, while many others look to cover a wide range. Over recent years this has been one of the most visible growth areas and one where a little forethought and work in working out how to do this most profitably has multiplied the incomes of those involved many times over. Attracting at present so much interest it is also an area that those who are not so well prepared are likely to find they lose out.

The greatest opportunities are probably for niche photographers who specialise in a particular area and become recognised as being the specialist in the field and able to catch images reliably and have them available fast. This makes it most suitable for those that like the idea of making the most from technology including radio links from cameras to the local computer you have with your assistant who is able to take orders and possibly print them out on the spot.

Initially you probably will not like people being granted exclusivity at an event, but when you become the photographer of choice, you may well change your view on this. It may be that from the start you can see the benefits and will want to go out and negotiate special arrangements that is to both your interest and the organisers of events. We look with you at how this can be achieved, and at the same time look at how you go about identifying events that you would wish to cover. We explain to you why some are going to be far more profitable and where to put your mobile base if you have a choice.

We also look at other ways using less technology to achieve similar results and why in some cases you may prefer this for some type of events.

PTR - Portrait Photography

Length - half day, combine it with another topic of interest to get a full day.

Portrait photography, is not what we would normally class as a high earning area. Sales tend to be few in volume and expensive to advertise or get. On a return per active hour basis, it does just not stack up. However having said this it is a pot boiler, something that just runs slowly in the background, generating a slow but steady income, and often fitted into time slots where you would not have been able to produce an alternative income. It can also be a very easy area to break into and help you build a portfolio rapidly.

There are proven short term ways to boost sales, and to produce an income similar to that coming from event photography, but you cannot usually do this for long periods. You have to also become imaginative constantly finding a new angle, a new means of creating a situation where sales can result.

PET - Pet Photography

Length - half day, combine it with another topic of interest to get a full day.

This is in many ways similar to portrait photography, although you may find more people want photos of  their pets than their family. Some areas can be very popular, such as studies of horses, and show animals, cats in particular, but it's not without its difficulties. The very best behaved dog while the owner is in the room is likely to try to eat your camera strap or more when they step out. There are difficulties in getting pets to stay put and look natural, as well as not becoming so much at home that they insist on licking all the bits you rather they left alone. And if you think they are going to sit in a light cube without wanting to explore who has sat there before, you don't have that much experience of furry critters. To be good you need to be confident, in control of owners and pets, and be so technically competent that you catch every fleeting opportunity. If you can do this then, you will not only be quite unusual but also quickly become in demand.

On this day we also explore the many other markets for your best masterpieces, and there will be some, and how to get all owners to sign releases allowing you to make the most of those opportunities that do arise.

AIR - Aerial Photography

Length - half day, combine it with another topic of interest to get a full day, perhaps property photography.

We look at both real aerial photography using aircraft and helicopters and means to get aerial effects like masts, cranes and blimps. The markets for these images, ranging form property sales and planning consent situations to images for the media, business and individuals.

While very many people now have cameras, and there are more people able to take professional grade photographs, the possibility to get into a position to get some aerial or similar shots is beyond most people. This means that they command a premium price, and can be easier to market than other non commissioned shots.

We investigated this market at length a few years back when considering if we should start a company specifically to concentrate in this area. We did not when the person we had picked out to run it as a joint venture, developed other ideas and was no longer available. One of our tutors also for some time had a paramotor, an engine that strapped to his back and allowed him to fly on a wing, a bit like a modern parachute. Ideal for photography as it was slow and could be silent, when the engine was turned off.

This is not an area to decide to enter on a whim, but an area that after spending some time looking at it with us, you may like to fully research, it could be a good area for some while for many perhaps not a first choice.

PFO - Portfolio Production for Models and Actors

Length - half day, combine it with another topic of interest to get a full day.

Between us we have photographed approaching 9,000 actors, extras and models so this is an area we have had quite a bit of experience of. In most cases this was small numbers of shots but in a couple of hundred cases it was large presentation books full of prints as a result of a day or mores photography concentrating on the subject. Most of these were not done as a lone subject but on a day when about three were being photographed, so they get time to get changed, change makeup and the like while others are being photographed. In our case we did not sell this service to the individuals as such, but it was commissioned either by the agency representing them or a club they were members of.

Other photographers concentrate on selling to individuals, some of these are trading in an underhand way holding auditions and offering false hope often in two stages with a test shoot for a low fee and everyone then is offered encouragement to have a card produced containing multiple shots that is mailed to some photographers and others at a far higher fee. While questionable ethically some of these events that we visited to work out what was happening, definitely created a high point in the lives of many people and the amount they spent was not considerable compared with other entertainment costs.

A more ethical approach involves advertising or appealing in some other way to those already involved or subscribing to acting publications the opportunity to have a portfolio shot that will appeal to a wide range of potential bookers, showing them in different clothing, makeup, hair arrangement etc. As you need to make the best of such a varied variety of people, this may be quite a challenge, and keeping a different and original approach may be challenging.  Having said this most are attractive and young and most male photographers will really enjoy working with this enthusiastic and cooperative collection of models, although it is essential that you have a non related older female chaperone with you when working with female models. Some of these people do desperately want to be the centre of attention and false claims against photographers are common.

ADT - Adult Photography

Length - half day, combine it with another topic of interest to get a full day.

Also often referred to as top shelf photography this involves taking the photographs of people either with missing clothes, nude or in adult acts. While not an area of photography we have specialised in, we have taken partly clothed models and actors on occasions in the past for portfolios and casting work, and have talked to many other photographers who have been involved in this area.

While this may appeal to some, it is an area with many potential problems ranging from false claims against photographers to police raids by people looking to get their hands on your photos. If you dialled 999 if you feared being murdered or were being robed, you would be lucky to get a response, however it takes up to 20 officers to raid and search a photographers files just in case one of the models might look under age, and if none are they are still likely to go back regularly to look through all the same photographs again, presumably in case any now look younger with closer study. We suggest that all photographers who take any nude work or similar let alone top shelf don't have photographs at their home, on their computer or anywhere where they can be easily found but keep them on a plug in hard drive kept at a secure and secret location.

The main requirements for this type of work is to stay a long way on the right side of the legal pencil line, as it's a constantly changing area, where photos taken in the past can be reviewed by later standards and these are not set down, but interpreted from situation to situation. You need to check ages and never accept what you are told by anyone who looks possibly under 25. Many 15 year olds made up look 19, and will tell you they are, if you photograph them then the liar becomes a victim and the innocent misled becomes the guilty. So be very careful.

It is not as exciting or appealing as it may first appear as you quickly get used to the bodies and are concentrating on photography, lighting and getting the right possess.

The market for this type of work is varied from top shelf magazines to some newspapers to websites and subscription sites worldwide. Some make a lot of money, but most a reasonable amount, but may be not enough to justify the aggravation factor.

On this day we go into this all in far greater detail, (no photos though) look at model and adult consent releases, as well as property releases. Look at how you find models, the way models in specialist agencies indicate the level of work they will do, locations, studios that will be happy for you to take this type of work and may arrange models for you and the various markets open to you. The need for a safe location to keep your material and a lot more. There is also an educational side we explore.

PRP - Property Photography

Length - half day, or a full day if you wish.

Property is photographed for a variety of reasons, and while most may initially think of sales particulars for agents, this is far from the only area. Others include, architects records of work done, builders and others records of work to do and completed, similar for interior designers and those who fit any type of fitting such as stair lifts or sliding doors,  insurance claims, studies of subsidence, disputes over boundaries and hedges, as well as people who want a photo of their home. Both landlords and tenants may have property photographed when tenants occupy and leave a property to avoid confrontations over deposits retained. B&B's, hotels and the like need promotional photographs. Where planning consent is involved both those seeking it and those opposing it may want photographs to illustrate their point. Selling property particularly larger properties in a nice location often involves commissioning special photographs, although for the run of the mill agency work, it is likely the agent will get by with a point and shoot. With more people now selling their home themselves without using an agent, there is the scope for them to want to do a better job and have professional photographs taken.

We look at these markets, what is involved, the problem involved in this type of photography, organising the shoot and producing results. How to charge and how to set fees. How to produce additional income from the same situation.

MAG - Magazine Freelancing

Length - a day is ideal, but could be compressed to a half day if less time was taken looking at markets.

Traditionally when you first spoke to photographers about producing an income from their photography they naturally thought of magazine work. We don't know how many of our photographs have appeared in magazines, it's in the hundreds, but we don't have any real idea nearer than that. Of course we should have, but like many its not a prime area for us, just a nice little bonus from time to time. In our case for a period we produced a section of a national magazine for some time, and this involved both writing and producing all the photographs for 32 pages of each issue. In theory we could use others photographs but in practice except for a number you could count on one hand we used ours, in many cases shooting them to go with the articles. Most of what we have done has been commissioned, rather than speculative submissions.

There are as you will realise very many magazines, and in addition now many other publications like supermarket publications, airlines publications and a vast number of websites also needing fresh material. Most of these are open to you, you may also find some local and regional newspapers may also buy sports and similar photographs, as well as nationals if you have something really newsworthy. Some newspapers have a split personality, they may present union problems in using your work, and take part in the moaning about photographers invading the privacy of those who usually seek attention, while at the same time, trying to outdo each other in buying anything of poor taste.

In a day we can look at the requirements for many magazines, how to identify possible markets, how to submit, keep records and how to scale this to produce an income. We also have a few ideas of how you can get more success, and how you can pick up commissions rather than submit speculatively.

TNG - Photographic Training

Length 1 day.

Guess what, you can make money by training people about photography.

The economics are in favour of running seminars or class sized presentations, a total of a number of people paying a fee is far more than you can charge a single person. You also need less knowledge as you need to stick to a prepared presentation, and any problems raised can be easily bypassed by turning to the needs of another. In addition, as people will have far less on a day they will quite naturally expect to come back many more days and courses will be longer, all producing far more bookings and income. As courses can be offered at a lower price they are easier to market and places fill up faster, the percentage of each place booked spent on advertising is therefore much lower.

The next profitable and as easy to run are escorted trips, fix up a trip somewhere and take along a crowd.

Small groups and 1 to 1 produces a far lower income, but also may require less costs, you may not need to involve others or hire rooms, but you will need far more knowledge and confidence, to be able to answer any question that comes up.

On this day we look at all the areas associated with training, and escorting people on photographic days, look at costs and potential income, how to set prices and compare results with competitors. We look at the cost of advertising, which is a substantial part of the total income, and other costs if you become involved in technical areas with equipment that will quickly become obsolete.

It may seem silly for us to show you all the information we have, when the cost to you is less than you could make by running a single days introductory seminar for a number of people, but we know few would want to compete with us, in the segment of the market that is the most demanding and produces the poorest return, even if it's far more enjoyable and challenging than the other areas.

PCC - Postcards, Greeting Cards and Calendars

Length:- half a day to look at technology and the whole process and costing of this business, growing into a full day if we also look at how to market this and include the many other income streams that can also come from the same photo shoots.

Postcard production is a speciality, but with later technology, smaller print runs and the possibility now to do even very small runs on your own equipment, it's an area worth considering. For some its a speciality, for others it's a part of their overall portfolio of services and for others its a very pleasant way to cover the cost of their photography.

Calendar production has many similarities to postcards and while you may have thought this market was near saturation, each year people find another new area or something different that can be done.

The images that are taken of course are of use for far more than postcards, so while the business plan to take and market postcards can stand up on its own, if we also look at the very many other income steams coming from the same images, we can see it is only the top of a potentially profitable iceberg.

Finally

Remember that you can construct your own dream multi day course out of these elements, so perhaps you might spot that you could use postcard and calendar production to cover your costs, but also sell images to magazines and do limited edition prints. Perhaps also looking at a framing course as well, so that you can produce the exhibition prints. So perhaps adding PCC + LEP + MAG, and the two day practical framing course FC2, you are ready to get earning fast. When you take a number of days of course you qualify for discounts. What is your dream course?

See also

FC2 and FC3 picture framing courses with a business day - click here.

18 month course that mixes the practical and business. Remember we arrange this in the order that allows you to become productive and earning an income from your chosen areas near the beginning.