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View Full Version : What are your biggest photography and business weaknesses?


Dan Cripps
03-09-2010, 1:52pm
In my travels I consistently recognize the same creative and business weaknesses. I'm curious...

What are YOUR weaknesses? What can you simply not get a handle on? Is it lighting, posing, off camera flash etc...

For business, is it that you simply don't know how to sell yourself or your art, branding etc.

I'll go first:

Creative: Direction/communication. I'm constantly trying to improve the way I articulate my vision to my subjects so they can more easily grasp what I am trying to achieve.

Business: Focus. It's so easy to become distracted by opportunities. Remaining committed to my core goals and vision can sometimes be difficult. Learning to say 'no' is the key.

I'd really like to hear what your weaknesses are?
Xenedis
03-09-2010, 2:00pm
My main weakness is the inability to do well in photographic competitions.

On a different matter, what some may perceive as another weakness in me is my limited subject matter interest. I have very specific subject matter interests and rarely deviate from that. I don't view it as a weakness, as over time I have "specialised" if you like. When I started, like most people, I photographed anything and everything. Over time I found what I really like, and concentrated on that, pushing aside other subject matter. I didn't set out to photograph what I photograph; I fell into it, and loved it.

I'd rather do a few things well than lots of things very ordinarily.

So to that end, I don't see my stance on subject matter (I'm fussy about subject matter and light) as a weakness. Sure, I do deviate into other secondary subject matter interests from time to time, and occasionally do something very out-of-character, but I am a creature of habit and make no apologies for being so.

As for business; I cannot add anything there; photography is about pleasure for me, not business.
JM Tran
03-09-2010, 2:09pm
for me its

-procrastination - leaving things till last min ie. editing, replying to clients
-overbooked travel schedules - traveling for shoots domestically and internationally is great and all, but you actually lose out a lot of business back home when you are away
-keeping things simple - I just cant
maccaroneski
03-09-2010, 2:12pm
and occasionally do something very out-of-character



You bought a Pentax? :lol:
Xenedis
03-09-2010, 2:14pm
You bought a Pentax? :lol:

I haven't hit rock-bottom quite yet.
Kym
03-09-2010, 2:52pm
I haven't hit rock-bottom quite yet.

Can I suggest a real camera... http://www.pentax.jp/english/imaging/digital/medium/645d/feature.html

I think problem is your gear :lol:
ricktas
03-09-2010, 3:33pm
Selling myself : I really am not good at the 'used car salesman" type pitch. It is not that I do not know how to, I do, I just don't like promoting myself. maybe my ego isn't big enough?
bigdazzler
03-09-2010, 4:25pm
for me its

leaving things till last min ie. ........ replying to clients


See now for me, as a consumer, this pisses me off no end. I am very big on communicating in a timely manner. If you left me hanging Jackie, I wouldnt hire you again.
Steve Axford
03-09-2010, 5:00pm
I don't push my photos hard enough. It's not really selling them for money, but just getting them out there, so more people can see them. What's the point in taking them if nobody but me sees them. I can do more locally, where the real value is. Get more people to appreciate the fungi (and other things) here by seeing the photos and then that will lead to more things. Maybe that should be one of my projects for the next year.
JM Tran
03-09-2010, 5:02pm
See now for me, as a consumer, this pisses me off no end. I am very big on communicating in a timely manner. If you left me hanging Jackie, I wouldnt hire you again.

dw Darren, for our dinner date, I wont leave u hanging:D
Xenedis
03-09-2010, 5:29pm
I think problem is your gear :lol:

Heh. Never blame on gear any shortcomings you can attribute to human intervention. :-)
virgal_tracy
05-09-2010, 9:08pm
Zeke; Unless you are a famous Australian wedding photographer who lives across the strait from your stated location and are going incognito on AP, I don't think it's good form to copy a question from an american genre specific site almost word for word and pass it off as your own.

It is a fine question and one that is worth us all considering, but really poor form. At least your answers are almost entirely your own.
Redgum
05-09-2010, 9:18pm
But of course, if you knew what your weaknesses were, they wouldn't be. Make sense?
stoogest
05-09-2010, 9:32pm
Reminds me of this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtkUO8NpI84

:D
Redgum
05-09-2010, 9:40pm
Ah! Yes! Pollydribble. :umm:
jasevk
05-09-2010, 11:03pm
Definitely procrastination... I tend to leave this to the last minute, too easily distracted. Those last few moments are always incredibly productive and efficient though!
Dan Cripps
06-09-2010, 8:58am
Zeke; Unless you are a famous Australian wedding photographer who lives across the strait from your stated location and are going incognito on AP, I don't think it's good form to copy a question from an american genre specific site almost word for word and pass it off as your own.

It is a fine question and one that is worth us all considering, but really poor form. At least your answers are almost entirely your own.

I thought it was a great question, hence the recycling.

I didn't post it for my own benefit, but for the members here.

There's nothing new under the sun. :)
SRR33
06-09-2010, 10:49am
dw Darren, for our dinner date, I wont leave u hanging:D

HAHAHHAHA
bigdazzler
06-09-2010, 11:45am
dw Darren, for our dinner date, I wont leave u hanging:D

mmmm .... :confused013 youre a worry Mr.Tran
Clubmanmc
06-09-2010, 11:47am
Not charging enough

i sell myself very well then undersell my services...

M
Scree
06-09-2010, 1:42pm
For both, my biggest weakness right now is that I've only just gotten my computer back after 5+ months without it (oh, how I wish I was joking). I have a whole roadtrip worth of pics, plus a mess of others needing to be organised, and a computer that is missing parts and only barely limping along.
Wayne
06-09-2010, 2:11pm
My photographic weakness is that I'm a very ordinary photographer and even more ordinary at PP.

My business weakness is that I have much disposable income (no kids and houses paid off) and buy all this photographic stuff that costs many thousands of dollars, yet I couldn't take an image and process it to wow people, hence no income stream from my spending, and I have a few hobbies like this but thankfully I'm a better pilot than I am photographer.....
bigdazzler
06-09-2010, 4:43pm
thankfully I'm a better pilot than I am photographer.....

geez ... I reckon thats a bloody good thing too Wayne :eek:

Consequences are a little more dire if you mess up :D
kiwi
06-09-2010, 6:20pm
Weakness ? Weekend warrior am I, if I was FT I would probably have more business penetration, as it is I turn work away right now.

Strength - consistency and customer service
SRR33
07-09-2010, 12:19pm
Weakness ? Weekend warrior am I, if I was FT I would probably have more business penetration, as it is I turn work away right now.

Strength - consistency and customer service

+1

If i didnt do my regular job, i would have so much more time processing photos. Hard working 2 full-time jobs.. But im not complaining.. Love taking photos so its a win win i guess.