All photo shoots bring varying levels of intense satisfaction – I always feel like a little boy in a sandbox when I’m shooting… – but perhaps the greatest pleasure is brought when I am able to help the small startup or established business trying to take their business to the next level.
Typically, I will price lower – but never lower my commitment or quality – for their budgets will never match the much larger companies and the inherent value of the images neither will match those of the multinationals whose image use will range much further through their extensive marketing campaigns and various marketing collateral. Honestly, when a large company sets aside several days for photography, I better get it right the first time as the images may eventually be viewed by thousands or even millions of people.
I will also consider a trade of services; an offer to purchase a product at wholesale or even cost; or even extremely low pricing just to have the opportunity to photograph incredibly interesting subject matter that can be used as a portfolio piece, and when this happens I often seek extra time just to ensure a perfect final image. At other times, I have been known to simply donate my services if the cause is right.
Recently, I photographed the prototype phono-preamplifier for Frogge Audio, a small Calgary startup producing preamplifiers – Craig has also built an incredible tube amplifier – and his Super Blue Preamplifier is a work of art, using only the highest quality parts and breathtakingly beautiful workmanship. And the PhonoPre I photographed even exceeds anything he has previously built, a true testament to his desire in producing the best components possible at terrific value pricing.
Craig brought the PhonoPre to my ‘studio’, leaving it with me to photograph at my pleasure and pleasurable it was, for I photographed it a day after getting Covid19, but the satisfaction of the shoot even allowed me to ignore my symptoms spending a better part of a day tinkering with my lighting and setup to achieve the best images possible.
Now, not being a vinyl guy, I have an extensive collection of classical CDs, I opted for a deal on that amazing Super Blue Preamplifier, which when installed into my system dramatically improved its sound far better than any other component I have placed into my audio system in the past 35+ years. So yeah, small business helping small business helping small business…..
