A System Of Photographic Economy

At the outset, let me say that I am not suggesting that you avoid spending money...we're not talking about that sort of economy. This is more about the organisation of the art. Quesnai, the French economist, characterised the producers of his nation into three classes; the proprietors, the cultivators, and the artisans. The labour of the first two was said to be productive but that of the last unproductive. It was a strange statement in a country that tried to advance the manufactures of the towns over that of the country...but then it was a country that eventually rendered the use of the necktie superfluous for the ruling classes... Well, how about photography that is not in the shadow of the guillotine? Are we productive or not? Where do we all fit in the scheme of things? a. The proprietor - the Seigneur who holds the means of production and charges rent for it. Perhaps this describes some studio owners in unflattering terms, but then they do not hold the power over photographers that suggests a feudal system. They have their employees to command but no-one else is bound to them or forbidden to travel. b. The cultivator. A working shooter may be likened to a farmer who rents space, invests in tools of trade ( cameras and lenses ) and cattle ( models...) and puts in a job of work, hoping for a profit at the end. Part of the profit is paid to the proprietor for rent. Part of it may be given for wages or for further equipment. At least very few photographers have to worry about hail or locusts. c. The artisans produce the equipment for the cultivators. They make their profit quickly as an item is sold, but like the manufacturers in general business can be left with goods unsold on numerous occasions. It is difficult in a global economy for them to off-load valueless items as overseas markets are generally the places where the stuff is made anyway. How does this impact upon you as a photographer? Well, if you abridge the gaps in the economy, you may be able to reap profits from more than one part of the system. For instance, if you are a shooter who pays a rent on a space for photography to someone else, you may want to consider equipping somewhere that you own for the same purpose. That save you paying rent, You may wish to avoid further costs of rental by purchasing your own gear. You may even consider taking the place of the manufacturer of the gear and making your own studio furniture, lighting, accessories, and props. You probably won't have any luck growing your own sensors in the vegetable garden, but that should not stop you from buying a seed packet of pixels and giving it a try... Seriously, the best studios are made by people who are prepared to actually make them - and to make sensible decisions about what look is to be produced, what lighting produces that look, and how that lighting can be maximised. Go visit the best of the local venues and you'll see evidence of real thinking on the part of the proprietors. Most of them have had decades of experience in the trade and have discovered what works and what doesn't. They are likely to have used and discarded lots of different things before arriving at the most efficient rig. All the same, even seasoned professionals are susceptible. They may seem hardened and cynical but the right sales pitch at an equipment launch or conference can see them start to melt and leak money. The pitch that is aimed at them may be a different one from that for the enthusiast or amateur but it is still a commercial presentation. When it hits it generally hits fairly hard and can result is some fast calculations on the back of an old envelope and a hurried call to the accountant late in the evening. Accountants hate hurried calls late in the evening. They can recognise the tone of voice of a photographer at an equipment launch - particularly after the glass of red and the snacks have started to work. That's when you start to try to persuade them to let you spend your own money, and they start to roll their eyes... Professionals who never go into a studio may think themselves free of the proprietor...but they are still subject to the requirements of travel, equipment, post-production, marketing, advertising, delivery, maintenance, hiring, etc. I sometimes think they end up paying more per shot than anyone inside four walls. So what conclusion? If you are just going to spend money on photography to have a good time and succeed in doing it, economy is not a consideration - apart from the fact that if you spend all the family's money on gear and fun they will have you confined. If you need to get back more than you spend on a regular basis, you'll want to plan your expenditure and activity carefully. Don't be afraid to come to Camera Electronic and ask advice about the best way to lay out your money with eventual profit in mind. We are not ashamed to talk money.