Tomorrow will be the 3rd time talking with a large company about a budget/proposal. It’s a frightening event. I’ve worked hard on crafting my skill and doing the best I can with what I have. But when a multi-billion dollar company calls you and asks you to do some work for them, you get taken aback. I have other clients of this caliber already but this is to the next level from that job. I worked about a week on a proposal for them and sent it to them 20 minutes before midnight the night before they wanted to see it. Well, tomorrow we have a call to discuss a few questions they have about the proposal. It’s a great sign that they understand what I created for them and I’m hoping they are going to ask questions more along the lines of ‘how I’d get the shoots done’ and not about adjusting the proposal. I’m super excited to get to talk with them over the phone because that’s where my work ethic and understanding of doing this type of job will shine. Time to turn on the salesmen. My mom always said I could sell swampland to anyone. Hopefully, she’ll be with me tomorrow, cheering me on.
I’ve said it before just as other photographers have said, “It’s not all about what you do behind the camera, you have to sell yourself/business/brand.” There is a lot more to learn about running a business than there is taking pictures. That’s why there are so many photographers that don’t make it. When I get this contract I am enrolling in a business, sales and marketing classes. If I’m going to keep up this type of work I’m going to have to know how to talk with companies about working for them and selling my work to them. There are a ton of photographers out there but there aren’t a lot of them that can bring in the big clients. So if I’m going to continue this trend, I better go learn my A Game.
Other news, I bought a Canon 5d. From a friend. Who bought it from his friend. I feel like I’m back in the VW community and we’re all swapping parts. So my great friend Jeff sold me the camera that he bought his best friend Troy. I’ve been dying for a full frame for a long time. Kind of the bad part about this is that I’m selling my Canon 60D to a co-worker. So I’m losing my workhorse and it’s even scarier because I still own all but one camera that I’ve ever bought. It’s been a great camera and it saved me on a lot of shoots. The cameras aren’t too different, although the 60D has a better screen and a bit more MPs. The 60D has a swivel 3-inch screen and the 5d only has a 2.5-inch with no swivel. There is no live view on the 5D which has saved this old man from getting on the ground a LOT! There is about 5 years difference between the two and a lot of tech came out in those 5 years. 5D is at 13 MPs and 60D is at 18 MP. So I’m looking a little on the image size and quality but the full frame is going to make up for that. So I’m losing on a few things but I’m going to enjoy owning a camera that started a new high-end line for Canon. And as soon as I get this contract, I’ll get me a new full-frame or even jump the Canon ship.
Thanks again for everyone’s support and keeping me motivated in doing what I love.
Jakeb
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