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Test session with a well established studio chain.
We recently visited a commercial studio chain for a test session. Their setup was basic, consisting of a black and white background, and three lights - one overhead and two on the sides, along with two full-size reflectors. The side lights were also fitted with color gels. Upon arrival, we were greeted by two makeup artists (MUA), two photographers, and a retoucher. A saleswoman came later in the day. The reception was icy and almost unfriendly, and there was no offer of coffee or even a smile. The only person who seemed friendly was the saleswoman. The MUA did a basic job on hair, using gel. The makeup was standard. The photographer took 30 poses for four different looks: jeans and a white shirt, swimwear, and 2 formal attires. The photographer gave precise directions and it was evident that he was following a well-established routine. The session lasted 1.5 hours and each photographer was booked for 3-4 clients. The retoucher did some basic black-and-white conversion, but it was clear that he was more interested in his cell phone and was not motivated. The bw pictures were muddy and without contrast. I would have fired this person. The staff seemed to be there just for the paycheck and were not motivated. After the session, we were received by a saleswoman in a private office. She smiled throughout and complimented us on a successful session. She mentioned that there is a strong demand for women over 40, but she asked for $4000 to start packaging material. They do not help find jobs, they only provide a website, comp card, modeling advice, job list, and contract review. We declined her offer. She then tried to sell us six pictures for $399, which we also declined. She then asked if we wanted a refund for our $50 deposit or received two pictures of our choice. We accepted the two pictures as a gesture of goodwill. Jan 10 23 10:06 am Link PHOTOPHYLIA wrote: Why didn't you say that you would take a selfie with your iPhone and then walk out? Jan 10 23 02:46 pm Link This is a bit confusing. Who does the "we" refer to? The OP is a photographer, so what was the purpose of visiting this studio? Who was being photographed and why? Jan 11 23 07:28 am Link Sadly, none of this surprises me. Many years ago, I applied for a job as a photographer with a chain photo company. After going through my photo experience, she asked about my sales experience. I told her I had never worked in sales before. She made it clear that this business was all about sales and the person needed sales experience. I tried to have the conversation with her that quality photos would sell themselves. They weren't interested. It was obvious that they didn't care about the quality of the images. They wanted people who could hard sell customers on their photos. I kind of had to laugh (internally) when they said they could train a salesperson to take photos. So, they couldn't train a photographer in sales??? Jan 11 23 01:04 pm Link JohnTozziPhotography wrote: When I was a representative for Kodak I had to stop in at Wal-Mart photo labs as part as my daily rounds. One of the labs shared the space with the Portrait studio. Jan 11 23 01:19 pm Link JohnTozziPhotography wrote: Exactly what we saw. Jan 12 23 12:14 am Link SayCheeZ! wrote: "Pro photographer label" has an aura very often not deserved. We went to this studio as an experiment to see how others work. We were served fast food. Still looking for good cuisine. Jan 12 23 12:24 am Link SayCheeZ! wrote: A difficult situation. As a Kodak rep you could'nt really tell her to get a Canon Sureshot. Jan 12 23 06:55 am Link JSouthworth wrote: The problem wasn't the camera. Jan 12 23 09:29 am Link PHOTOPHYLIA wrote: I've been taking photos for close to 30 years, and I still don't call myself a professional. Once in a blue moon, I will say "semi-professional", but most days I just say "artist". I think mostly because this isn't my job. Yes, I have done numerous exhibits and publish here and there, but I have always chosen to say "artist" to avoid issues. Jan 12 23 11:58 am Link I once tried to see about a job at a department store portrait studio. From then on I promised myself if anyone ask me to sell them a pen I would let them know I possess the only anti venom to said pen and they are a package set. Jan 12 23 08:44 pm Link Mark Salo wrote: With the Canon Sureshots, it can be quite difficult to take an incorrectly exposed picture at night or in any other situation, if we're just talking about pictures of people at ranges of 5 to 15 ft. The days when people had to know nerdy stuff about shutter speeds and apertures are long gone. Jan 13 23 07:27 am Link |
