Kenny as Professional Gem Photographer?

[kenny]

I LOVE photographing gems.

Several people, including pros, have told me I'm uniquely talented at what is a quite difficult and specialized skill.
In fact one pro, a household name on PS, has contacted me and we are making arrangements for me to train him/her.

Flattery is and ego gratification are wonderful, but a business plan must make sense financially.
(I'll add that I am in a position now where I do need to increase my income.)

Let's be realistic.
Who is going to trust me enough to ship me their precious gems?
Revealing my home address would be naive, so I'd have to use a PO box or FedEx pick up location - which does NOT instill confidence and trust, essential aspects of such a business.
Even though I store my own FCDs in a bank safe deposit box, I could be robbed of client's gems if I gave out my home address on the Internet.
Even if I leased a commercial space there would be rent and insurance premiums to pay and security concerns there too.
With all those expenses I'd have to have a TON of business just to break even.

I doubt clients would pay my airfare, car rental, meals, hotel, to bring me and my equipment to their location.
Plus would YOU trust me to do the photo shoot in YOUR home?
Maybe a couple PSers who have posted here for years and I've met at GTSs would trust me, but that does not a viable business model make.

Should I just stop thinking about this idea?
ANY suggestions or comments are welcome, you won't hurt my feelings.

I see a market for what I do, but I just see so many obstacles.

 

[VRBeauty]

I love the idea, Kenny, and you certainly have the photographic chops for it. Maybe you should start by sounding out the local market, to get around all those logistics, at least as a way to get started and build a reputation. Being old-fashioned, I'm thinking portfolio, shoe leather, local jewelers, and locally-oriented magazines. Maybe even insurance agents?

Or maybe just take out an ad in one of those local magazines, or in the Sunday LA Times. You live in La-La land, right? It's as good a place as any to start this type of business!

Our local PBS station holds an annual art auction that often includes jewelry. Offering your services for something like that (to photograph jewelry for the host organization to use in advertisement etc. that is) could be another way to get your name out there.

I'm guessing the terms "bonded" and "insured" would come in handy too. Not sure how to go about the bonding bit, though.

Good luck!

 

[Imdanny]

I don't know a more honest person, but you're right- people who've known you on the Internet isn't a business model. I'll have to think about this. Maybe you could photograph more than gems. Maybe you could take pictures for magazines like National Geographic. I'm sorry. I know this isn't very precise.

 

[AprilBaby]

You certainly have the talent, you just need the know how!

 

[davi_el_mejor]

I'll send you everything I've got

 

[isaku5]

It's definitely a thought that is worth looking into - particularly with coloured stones.

 

[kenny]

I'll send you everything I've got

Let's talk about this, hypothetically of course.
Seriously, what exactly would you want?
Straightforward, neutral, accurate, head on pics in a white light box ... similar to pics from Leibish?
Or would you also want more creative/artistic/time-consuming and therefor expensive pics of your gems on flowers that compliment the colors, brown rice or leaves that compliment the shape and pattern of each FCD, or maybe some full-sun blinding violet or crimson flashes - or all of the above?

What would you as my client expect?

Would you want the 36 MB RAW uncompressed files, or framed prints in archival acid-free mountings behind Lexan which preserves the colors by blocking UV rays?
Full resolution files should cost the most as I'd never make another penny off that file.
Prints (or lower res files) would be less expensive but still beautiful and adequate for viewing on a standard computer monitor, iPad or posting online.
How about a coffee-table book of your collection, especially your most-valuable specimens which you never get to enjoy since you keep them in a bank vault?

Describe what products you'd want from me?

Again, I have NOT taken the leap.
I am not a trade member.
I am just testing the waters, and picking brains.

 

[sphenequeen]

Kenny,

I think a great way to get this going is to offer your services to jewelers and gemstone dealers in your area. If I am not mistaken, you live in LA - a mecca for places such as this! It is true that photographing gems is incredibly difficult and you have a knack for it. You already have an incredible portfolio and the equipment - I say just get out there and start selling your talent! Many of these businesses need pro shots for their websites and marketing. I for one would hire you in an instant! If I were in your position, I would just start knocking on doors, portfolio in hand. There are so many places in LA that you could hit up - you are bound to get some biz. Do you have a pricing figured out for your services? Have that handy as well.

Once you establish yourself with this group of people and build your reputation that way, I think you will be able to earn the trusf of the public and can then take "glamour shots" of their gems.

I think this is totally doable for you, considering your passion and talent. Go get 'em!

 

[Echidna]

Let's talk about this, hypothetically of course.
Seriously, what exactly would you want?

Or would you also want more creative/artistic/time-consuming and therefor expensive pics of your gems on flowers that compliment the colors, brown rice or leaves that compliment the shape and pattern of each FCD, or maybe some full-sun blinding violet or crimson flashes - or all of the above?

Hypothetically, Kenny, what I would want is creative/artistic pictures I could hang on my wall. I love your Octavia images where the facets reflect different colours. I love flower shots and creative profile shots. I would want diamond images that don't scream "this is my diamond" but allow me to appreciate its beauty in other ways. I want your creative interpretation of my stone, which might mean I'd have to let you do your thing and see what emerges.

I wouldn't need the rights to that image (just like my wedding photos), as long as I could get a print (perhaps not framed- as that would have to travel to Aus). I probably wouldn't want my photo sold on to a jewellery house, unless it was the dealer that sold my stone (particularly if it was a rare coloured stone or antique piece), but obviously you would have the rights to do whatever you liked with it.

If I were to send you my stone, I would understand that it needed to be sent to a PO Box for security. It's likely I'd ask a US vendor to send it to you for shots before you forwarded it to me in Aus. Would you be okay with that? I'd ask the usual vendors how they insure others' stones while on their property. If you had a "work" safe at home, that might work? Not sure...

 

[davi_el_mejor]

I'll send you everything I've got

Let's talk about this, hypothetically of course.
Seriously, what exactly would you want?
Straightforward, neutral, accurate, head on pics in a white light box ... similar to pics from Leibish?
Or would you also want more creative/artistic/time-consuming and therefor expensive pics of your gems on flowers that compliment the colors, brown rice or leaves that compliment the shape and pattern of each FCD, or maybe some full-sun blinding violet or crimson flashes - or all of the above?

What would you as my client expect?

Would you want the 36 MB RAW uncompressed files, or prints framed prints in archival acid-free mountings behind Lexan which preserves the colors by blocking UV rays?
Full resolution files should cost the most as I'd never make another penny off that file.
Prints (or lower res files) would be less expensive but still beautiful and adequate for viewing on a standard computer monitor, iPad or posting online.
How about a coffee-table book of your collection, especially your most-valuable specimens which you never get to enjoy since you keep them in a bank vault?

Describe what products you'd want from me?

You have two possible clients. Vendors and Owners

If I were looking to have accurate and realistic representation of a stone for sale, I'd want shots showing the various lighting a potential buyer will be in. Natural sunlight, shade, indoor lighting including incandescent and fluorescent. The backdrop should be a slight greyish white. Leibish is extremely accurate, don't get me wrong, but I think they lack the diversity of multiple lighting sources. In colored stones different lighting definitely effects the perceived color of the stone. Also as a vendor, if you could shoot videos that'd be a MAJOR plus, because well, I love videos of stones as a buyer

Should an owner/vendor want "glamour shots" of their stones, that's a different story You're very talented. With a keen eye for color and the artistry involved in making them look gorgeous.

Retaining rights to images is always tricky. Selling a photo with all the rights included will always cost far more than retaining some rights to the image. You'll have to have a sliding scale in prices with regards to rights and files being sold. RAW for the owner is a bit overkill IMO, but you never know some people like that, so it should remain an option.

As your client, I would tell you whether I wanted accurate or glamour and then give you ideas of what I want the stones to look like. I'd expect you to tell me whether my ideas will work, and then give me suggestions as to what will make my stone look AMAZING and then have me sign off on ideas. Or if I give you carte blanche to do what you want as an artist, do it.

It's your prerogative to charge what you feel is an accurate representation of your time, effort and skill. There are also different levels of how the image can be produced and that will then just add onto the package cost. There are quite a few online resources you can use to produce them, or you can go locally or in home, but that's added capital and therefore cost. There are PS'ers who have very succesful businesses as artists that could help you out in regards to the actual production and what companies offer.

When I said I'd send you everything I've got, I meant so you could build a portfolio.

 

[HollyS]

As I recall, you take wonderful photos.

 

[justginger]

There is absolutely no doubt you have the ability, patience, and equipment necessary - we've all seen your incredible images in the past. The business model does prove to be a challenge.

I suppose you have to decide what your target clientele is. Do you want to do finished product glamor shots, a la Brian Gavin or Leon? In that case, I would think your profit per shot, so to speak, would be low - but you would have a near continuous supply of customers. If you are more interested in the artistic side of things, you'll be liaising directly with owners themselves. I suspect this is where you can make more money per shot delivered, but again, it would depend on what sort of business you're hoping to establish. It's finding the correct balance between profit and time invested - the more you charge, presumably the fewer people could afford your services. I suppose like with any start up business, perhaps the best thing to do is set a somewhat random fee (guesstimate) and then work from there. Either you're earning enough for the amount of work you're doing, or you're not and prices must go up. Either you're getting enough clients with your current fee structure, or you're not and prices must go down.

I think it is a very good idea for you to pursue this. It is something you have a natural talent for, and seemingly enjoy, so why not use it as a way to supplement your income?

 

[cm366]

Hi Kenny,

I think I'd echo what several posters have said - you'd need to choose whether to pursue owners or 'the trade' as your target market. It'd also be important to offer, as you suggested, a range of products, but these will be determined by your target audience. If you happened to know a large group of people with amazing gems , they'd be a good starter clientele for a small business which could then expand and shift into a more 'professional' approach, just as several precision cutters have started off cutting stones for individual sale and now serve large trade customers.

A site like Etsy would be a great place to make contact with those owners - for minimal fees (I think around $0.25 per item?), you'd have a place to try out your ideas and make a little money doing it. There's nothing preventing you from reaching local jewelers at the same time, and as Justginger points out the $ per shot is likely to be much higher working with individual owners and 'safe queens' than jewelers already concerned about their margins. It might be worth reaching out to precision cutters, too - your services will be more desirable on high-end stones for faraway buyers than in B&M stores where the client can always just handle the piece.

I don't think using a PO box is necessarily a turnoff - certainly plenty of custom jewelers use this arrangement, and I don't see it hurting their sales. The #1 killer of small businesses is expansion beyond their capital - don't rent space!

Your photography is frankly gorgeous - thanks very much for sharing it with us! Here's hoping that one day I'll be able to say "That? It's a Kenny!" to folks who ask about my photo in the foyer....

 

[webdiva]

Kenny, there are photographers in LA that target custom jewelers - I know because I make wire-wrapped jewelry (or did - not much these days!), have a website and got solicited. Type in "taking professional jewelry pictures los angeles" into google to see some. Your photos are gorgeous and you may need to start out small to build up a reputation. Our wedding photographer started off soliciting on craigslist for $600 a wedding and is now being flown internationally for weddings!

I agree with previous posters - there are a ton of photographers in the area that can use your services, especially as more sales move online. If you can figure out a portable system with a light box, lights, tripod and your equipment - you can go down to their offices. A friend set up in my apartment one time to teach me how to take macro pics, and we got great results. I also echo the suggestion to target some local etsy dealers - I know that some are willing to make a nice investment into their businesses and need pro pics for linesheets and catalogs for retailers. Not everyone has a good camera or even want to learn to take pics! Good luck!

 

[Mike R]

Hi Kenny, I think you could do really well at being a pro Jewellery photographer, sure it will be a challenge to get established but your pictures really are streets ahead of the competition!

I think the clients that you would want to work for are going to be a very small niche market, keep in mind that most will only be concerned with how cheap they can get images done and not care about the quality or artistic merits of the pictures.
Personally I would target small upmarket designers to begin with.

Do you work well taking direction from others? I wise man once said people vary, that means sometimes you will be working for some not so nice people.

I think you would be really surprised by how casual many retailers are at sending goods out for repair or other services, I don't see why photography would be any different.
Like any new business it will take a while before you make any money so you would have to budget for that, also keep in mind that retail is tough and profits are shrinking so people are looking to cut costs any way they can. Also I see many people using CAD images now rather than real pictures.

I would guess your best bet would be to keep things local in the beginning, can your set up be mobile, I would think going to your clients offices or retail stores would make things the easiest for everyone. Heck, you could even have a setup in the back of a blacked out van.

Your artistic images are great for magazine editorial but I think most retail clients would be interested in clean, clear cut images that they can paste in different situations.

Dispite the cons I mentioned I still think you would do well with your skills, I would hire you if I wasn't at the bottom of the world.
Your in a great city to make a go of this, and your pictures really are amazing! Good luck.

 

[packrat]

I only have a few things but I would send them. I've always enjoyed your photos.

 

[Enerchi]

I am afraid I have no business tips to add, but I do want to encourage you to follow thru with this plan, Kenny!! You are AMAZING At what you do and you have a real talent for capturing the beauty and uniqueness that each gem holds.

I think the advice above about starting locally, door knocking so to speak, and maybe a booth at an art show or community day craft type sale would also showcase your talents and lead to a few connections.

Go for it Kenny! It may be a slow start, but someday, I hope we are all reading a copy of your coffee table book - Gem's by Kenny!!! We can say "we knew him when....!!"

Good luck, you have such talent!

 

[T L]

Kenny,
Why just limit yourself to gems? You're an obvious pro at macro photography. There are lots of beautiful, small and colorful things besides gems, and if you expand your horizons, it may help you get a break in the field. I think it also helps to be noticed by art aficionados in the photography world. I could just see you exhibiting your art at a gallery. I especially love your octavia (sp?) photos where they're surrounded by color. It's very different than your standard diamond photo and has an artistic feel. Besides the great way you capture photos, I think you have a very creative mind, which is perfect for someone in the photography profession.

Whatever you decide, good luck to you!

 

[AprilBaby]

I would buy a coffe table book of colored diamonds if you made one.

 

[sphenequeen]

I have another idea! Why don't you exhibit your photos at a gallery? This is a good way to get your talents out there to people beyond PS - you could always promote your services through this type of venue.

What are your overall thoughts based on the advice given here so far?

 

[kenny]

Thank you all very much.
I am processing all this and can post more later when I can give your posts the time they deserve.

 

[TravelingGal]

You should offer to photograph for some of these high end auction houses. Some of their photos are atrocious and do not do their multimillion dollar gems justice!

 

[manderz]

Kenny,
Why just limit yourself to gems? You're an obvious pro at macro photography. There are lots of beautiful, small and colorful things besides gems, and if you expand your horizons, it may help you get a break in the field. I think it also helps to be noticed by art aficionados in the photography world. I could just see you exhibiting your art at a gallery. I especially love your octavia (sp?) photos where they're surrounded by color. It's very different than your standard diamond photo and has an artistic feel. Besides the great way you capture photos, I think you have a very creative mind, which is perfect for someone in the photography profession.

Whatever you decide, good luck to you!

I agree with the above poster, you could expand this into things like stamp/currency collectors and dealers, artists... Your photos are simply amazing, there's no doubt that you have a very unique talent. I think that you could be very successful, with a little well placed advertising and a good portfolio.

 

[Tuckins1]

Kenny, I think you would kick butt at this!!!

 

[PintoBean]

Actually, Kenny, I would love it if your work was published in a book! I would LOVE to have a book like that on my coffee table with pictures like your Octavia rainbow. It doesn't get any better than diamond art!

 

[kenny]

Thanks all for the support.

I have a lot of thinking and research to do and you have really given me some sensible suggestions and leads.

 

[iLander]

As I was wandering around Getty Images yesterday, it occurred to me that you might want to sell of your existing photos as stock photos!

Each site has a way to submit photos, and you never know, someone might need FCD photos.

You'd be surprised some of the weird things people need for their clients.

The biggies (I suspect you know):

Getty
Corbis
Istock

If you go on Fotosearch.com, they have lists of tons of companies.

It's worth a try, maybe make enough every once in while for a nice dinner out.