EVENTS - No thanks!
I've covered a wide range of events since I started working as a professional photographer in 2009. These events include awesome burnout parties, equine events, community fairs, the royal show, and many more. I've had the opportunity to meet some incredible people and have learned more than I ever thought possible during these years. I've worked alongside individuals I've looked up to, as well as those who have tried to undermine me and eliminate competition.
So as of now, I will only be covering PRIVATE event bookings and one on one sessions... Why?
I want you to imagine that you are a photographer who is excited to start a business and approaches a bank for a business loan with your well-thought-out and presented business plan, you sit with the bank manager...
After spending years learning this skill, I plan to attend events for free, while some will charge me a fee to attend as media. I go to these events in my vehicle, which costs money to run and maintain.
It is expected to have public liability insurance (and to be honest, it would be foolish not to have it), which costs around $450 per year, as well as any other clearances that cost money to obtain (such as a Working with Children check, AASA media accreditation, Motorsports Australia accreditation, etc).
I spend anywhere from 8 hours up to 8 days covering these events, buying food, and accommodation, or traveling to and from the event each day.
The events are shot using my camera gear, which I have paid around $13,000 for, and it decreases in value every single time I click the shutter. I also pay $320 in insurance each year to cover my camera gear against theft.
Once the event is done and I have driven home in the car that costs money to run and maintain, I then sit in my home office to import the thousands of images onto the computer I have paid $3,000 for due to the speed and memory required to run Lightroom and Photoshop, of which I also pay $58 per month to use.
After the images are imported to my computer, it then takes me days to cull, sort, and edit these images.
Once I finally finish editing the images, which takes approximately 1-2 minutes per image, I then upload these onto a website where I pay $90 a month, using the best quality internet connection I can get at $110 per month, and then post a link for this site on social media, hoping that people who attended the event will see and buy the images.. Of which then PayPal takes a cut of my sales and hard work.
Can you hear the bank laughing at me already?
I have always received good support after events, which has made it somewhat worth my time and effort. The social aspect of it has always been more appealing to me. I love what I do, and that's why I have stuck with it for so long. However, I only make sales to 80% of entrants, which means I'm wasting 20% of my time. When you spend as much time as I do shooting and editing, 20% is a significant amount of time lost. Time I would much prefer spend with my family, my horses or even with booked clients.
I have decided to no longer cover events as an official photographer. Instead, I will only attend events to cover private clients who book me... However, it has been challenging. It seems that event organisers believe they need to seek permission from the official photographer they have booked before allowing me or anyone else to attend. In my opinion, the decision of who attends an event and in what capacity should be up to the event organiser. While it would be courteous to inform the official photographer, the final say should be with those who are organising the event itself. Unfortunately due to this, I have been refused permission to attend two events in 2024 so far. It seems that the future of me being present at events is uncertain due to other's unwillingness to share the sandpit.
So, I will soon be compiling a list of events that will allow me to attend to cover privately booked entrants, keep an eye on my socials for information once I have it.
Finally, thank you all for your support since 2009! Whether you have bought images, said hello, delivered me a coffee, or shared a post, THANK YOU! It's been a ride and a half that's for sure and I have enjoyed at least 90% of it LOL! I look forward to hopefully seeing you all out there soon on my horse.
xx Christie Lyn
