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Archive 2017 · Considering changing body for remote shots

  
 
Pyrat
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Considering changing body for remote shots


It's time to start planning to do better next season with either a different remote setup, or a complete change in approach. While not truly experienced with remotes, I used an old N7100 for about 10 AA Baseball games last year, and when the sports gods didn't perfectly align the umpire with the tagout at home, or move the pitcher into the shots at second base, I never had the confidence that the body had the lowlight chops/speed/buffer (particularly at second base) to capture what I was looking for.

I was considering upgrading to a N7200 OR a D3S) or trying a more unconventional positioning (skybox for entire home plate circle?). I know it's not always about the gear, and lord knows my skills can always use some refinement, but in this case I'd be interested to hear if there are other thoughts about putting stronger tools in play, or to just shut the wallet and do better with what I have.



Jan 24, 2017 at 10:42 PM
glort
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Considering changing body for remote shots


Pyrat wrote:
I never had the confidence that the body had the lowlight chops/speed/buffer (particularly at second base) to capture what I was looking for.


And what did your paying clients tell you THEY were looking for?

I don't get it with shooters.
Always worrying about technical details and equipment when the people paying them are more than happy and satisfied with what they are getting already. The "Improvements" the shooter would make by spending yet more money on gear wold have Zero effect on the customers satisfaction with the pictures nor would they would even know the difference.

If you want to satisfy yourself, Good luck. You'll be chasing your tail on that one because there will always be something better/ newer/ more expensive coming along.
If you want to run a properly successful and profitable business, listen to your clients and keep them happy. If they aren't complaining now and the " improvements" will neither cause them to spend more money, buy more often or be any more happy then what they already are, Then I'd say you would be better off working on the non tangibles like Like customer service and marketing which will bring you more $$ through the door.





Jan 25, 2017 at 01:16 AM
Pyrat
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Considering changing body for remote shots


Fair comment, Glort. No, my clients are not driving this decision, but on the other hand neither is it about a compulsion to adopt "newer" (2010) technology. It is about trying to do a job better, in my own eyes. It may require a different tool, or it may require better skills, and that was the reason for the reach out. As this is a second job I'm not in a position to expand my business, just trying to improve the product.


Jan 25, 2017 at 06:30 AM
PureMichigan
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Considering changing body for remote shots


My remote for MilB is always my oldest camera. Right now a D3 and that gets the job done well. Heck it was a main body only a few years ago. I just don't get paid enough to get overly sophisticated on remotes. If this was a well-paid gig, I'd put my back and wallet into more -- but anything I get from my home plate remote is a bonus. I think it's the nature of remotes to miss far more than that you hit it out of the park. I'm at peace with that until/unless expectations and remuneration changes


Jan 25, 2017 at 07:22 AM
Trevorma
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Considering changing body for remote shots


I tend to not put a lot of money in to the remote cameras.

The following are D7100 and Sigma 10mm fisheyes.......





The remotes are so hit and miss I decided not to invest in them any more than the D7100 and 10mm fisheye



Jan 25, 2017 at 08:41 AM
Paulthelefty
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Considering changing body for remote shots


"Hit and miss"

That's a good one!

Paul

Great shots!



Jan 25, 2017 at 11:32 AM
glort
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Considering changing body for remote shots


Pyrat wrote:
As this is a second job I'm not in a position to expand my business, just trying to improve the product.


If the clients aren't complaining and you aren't loosing sales through the product offerings you have now, I'd suggest that rather than improve the product, you would be better off improving the sales and marketing in product OFFERINGS.

I looked at your site and I'm not even sure if you are trying to sell the pics. I saw nothing that indicated that or any place to order. I was able ( if I wanted) to download watermarked, reasonably high res images.

I get you may not be in a position to expand your business but that does not mean you cannot make more money from it. I think online ordering is pretty much dead in the water these days however adding in a shopping cat and some picture protection could only be a massive step in the right direction to increasing your income from what you appear to do very well and put a lot of time and effort into.

You could offer packages, digital downloads and a heap of other things that would allow you to make some returns to invest in gear which would satisfy your desire to improve your work and pay for fuel, food and all the other costs involved in doing this even if it is just a bit of fun.

Your picture taking seems great. Your very weak point however is in your sales and marketing so any improvement you want to make I'd suggest should be directed to that first and foremost.



Jan 25, 2017 at 09:02 PM
Pyrat
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Considering changing body for remote shots


Glort -
Thanks for the kind words. Gotta agree with you on the $, there are so many other elements of the site/business model that could be improved. FWIW, the teams pay me directly to make the images available to the players - it's more of an image delivery site than a sales machine...so there's that - but the site SEO, image tagging, promotional setup and general webdesign are pretty weak. Most of that is a personal preference for spending time on the image side, some of it is that I spend my day gig running a large marketing organization, and this is a bit of a cobbler's kids story on my own business.
Interesting, coming to sports imagery from an amateur side, it's a misconception that the thing that drew me to sports was the images first - but the reality is that you are exactly correct- it is the stronger marketer that wins the deals - not the uniqueness of the shot, which is just a vanity.
Not squeezing all the juice out of the site may well need to be the real priority that needs to be addressed in 2017, and I take your thoughts to heart.



Jan 25, 2017 at 10:29 PM
glort
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Considering changing body for remote shots



Glad my comments seem to have been of some help.

I think your business model for this is about the best one you could have.
Pre sales is absolutely the way to go with sports these days. I tried it 5-6 years ago and it was too new and different for people to embrace here. Sure wish they would have though.

My suggestion would be to now try and push things like prints or as people in the US seem to be so fond of, things like Mag covers, Key tags or Mouse mats or what ever.

When I did sports work ( and pretty much everything else like events and T&I) I work on the average sale value. I have a fixed number of clients but the amount I can extract from each one is a variable with an up side.

Perhaps you could offer something like all the images and a print for each kid as an upsell package? Not sure what would work best, you'd have a better Idea but the thing is to offer the upsell package as well as the standard one and maximise the basic package spend at the same time.

For my T&I, I start at the price point I have to as dictated by competitors ( ok, a bit more) that the clubs all ask, "How much is your starting package?" but I have a really high end one as well. I might only sell 8-12 of those in the whole club ( usually to Dads that are ordering and just get the best to know they are covered)
but because of the far greater profit in those packages, they go a surprisingly long way in lifting the average spend numbers for the whole club.

Putting notations on things on your price list is also a great way to lift your average. Something like " Most Popular!" or "best Value" on one of the higher priced items or add on's can move a surprising amount of the things just on it's own.

I'm not sure about your comments on SEO and web design. That depends if you are looking to take on more work or not. If you are, then by all means. If you are at the threshold of what you want to do now, then the idea would probably be to concentrate on getting more out of the same amount of kids you shoot.
I always think thats the way to go in any event because why go to the trouble and effort of shooting 10 teams when you can shoot 8 and make more money and have less hassel and headache.

My thing is to always try to deal with as few people as possible to minimise problems and get the best return on the time I do put in.

Anyway, I think you are at an advantage with your realization alone and what is really going to be important. Look after these things and you won't need to think about upgrading your gear, there will be plenty of money to make it a no breiner even if it is just for yourself. :0)

Good luck with it!



Feb 01, 2017 at 09:24 PM





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