I don't recall who made the recommendation but last year there was a post by someone that was very similar to my situation. The OP had taken a ton of high school sports pics, put them on his website and hoped for orders. Their results were slim, as were mine. I had hoped to make enough to pay for my website, maybe a little extra. It was close, call it a draw.

Someone replied that maybe a good idea would be to create fliers preseason to be given to parents so they could sign-up in advance. I sure wish I could remember who so I could give them proper credit. I'll admit, I was somewhat skeptical as I live in a very low-income community.

We have a winner! I've gotten enough orders that I've had to turn some away, offering to still take pics but not making guarantees and collecting only if I can manage to fulfill their need.

So if you're reading this and it was your idea, thank you.

Glad it sounds like it worked for you. Can you elaborate? It sound like last year you,posted shots but parents didn't buy, and now,this year the same area parents chose to prepay you for what I surmise are similar shots that would have been in last year's sets?

Guy

Guy: I think it's a matter of not shooting unless and until you know you are going to be paid for the shoot, which is where the pre-orders come into play. Rather than cover an entire team (or more), post shots and hope for the best, now I assume Chris is getting pre-orders which allow him to focus only on a few players so that he can deliver shots of those players to their pre-paying families. The reason he's turning some away (I assume) is because if you're going to take money up front, you have to deliver, and you can't promise delivery if you're trying to cover too many kids at once.

Hawksfan66,

I will give a little advice at least from what I have done to create sales for high school shooting. I sell very few prints, I actually have priced most of what I do as digital images. The best sellers are the 10 images for $50 on a disc or all the shots of your athlete on a disc for $100. I have come to sell about $500-$1000 per team that I shoot now, in a season. I have never sold that number when I only sold prints.

I also get with the boosters and have the parents either email me or text me the number of their athlete and I will focus on them. In the first two weeks of football season I have sold $350.00 worth of images and only 2 prints so far. I give them releases so that they can print all they want. That is what is working for me.

Don,
Questions regarding your model...
do you edit all ten of the images before delivery of digital version?
Also, Do you tak assignment with a minimum number of players to shoot in a game so you are not showing up to make just $50?

Seems like most folks on the Forum want minim of $300 to justify effort to,shoot at a game?

Guy

Don, that is very similar to what I am doing. Russ pretty much nailed it. Last year I shot everyone hoping for sales. Now I'm focusing mostly on those who have paid. My daughter's exposure has suffered somewhat, much to her chagrin!.

I also have taken pre-orders for basketball and track. I'm worried about taking too may orders for basketball because not only do I shoot it, I officiate too narrowing my opportunities to make all the games.

A couple things I've learned: 1) put a deadline on when you need to be informed 2) find out a players position (especially for football) as it may dictate how many truly good shots you will be able to deliver. Backs, receivers, linebackers are easy. Lineman....not so much. 3) talk to parents up front. A player who sits the bench or doesn't play a lot is going to be nearly impossible, obviously.

I went back and read your original post last year.... It was Russ who gets the credit...

Ralph

Thanks for researching Ralph!

You are just too humble Russ! .
take a bow from me! Graham.

Can you break down your pricing a little more? I'm curious exactly how much per player is being charged and for how many photos.

Sounds like a winning model. Up until very recently I competed as a relatively high level amateur (non-football) and would consistently see a couple photos of myself at events, and I would buy one every now and then to support the photog. As an athlete however I would really would have bought into this kind of model.

Evidently Russ was the genius behind the recommendation so hats off to you Russ. I truly owe you a huge "Thank You!"