Summer 2024: Moments, Not Miles
As of the day I’m writing this, it’s already getting up to almost 95 degrees outside. Summer is here, y’all.
The Texas rains are starting to give way to Texas heat. The kids are about to be out of school for the year. And mountain bike events around Texas slow down after a hectic winter and spring season.
This time last year, I had to make a choice and I am faced with a similar one again this year. A few weeks ago, I talked about how I am making a push into more family and wedding-related photography and this time of year would be a great time to try and drum up some business. However, it’s also the best time of year to road trip across the US visiting major MTB races that I would love to be a part of.
So…
Do I Stay or Do I Go?
I have built my business by following bike events across the southern United States. While this has been an amazing way to explore different bike trails and turn the summer into one big bike party, it hasn’t been what I would call profitable for my business.
Like many photographers, I got my start in photography with what’s known as “volume shooting.” The idea behind this is simple – shoot a whole bunch of individual shots at an event (like a mountain bike race) and then sell those shots to the individuals who attended.
Undoubtedly, many of you have seen my work and purchased pictures from me this way. But this method has a couple of pros and cons.
Pro – it’s a wonderful way to spend the weekend and hang out with a ton of cool people. It’s also a really cool way for a new photographer to experiment with their camera and find their style.
Con – It’s not a reliable way to build the future of your business.
Over the past few years, I have attended over 150 cycling events. Some have brought in upwards of $1,000. Others have made as little as $100 and involved an entire weekend of work. Lately, I have been pulling in an average of around $300 per race. That’s not bad for a side hustle, but run a little basic math and you can see that it’s simply not a reliable path for going full-time with photography.
Does that mean no more MTB?
That said, I have zero intention of stopping work at cycling-related races like I have been for the past few years. Like I said, I love doing it. I love being around the sport and seeing many people do incredible things.
But if the goal is to earn enough money with photography that I can quit my day job, it's time to change up the tactics a little bit.
That’s why this summer – much to my dismay – I'm going to spend more time close to home working on ways to grow the business instead of chasing events across the country.
After six months of racing across the state every weekend to attend every NICA, XC, road, and MTB event, this slow point in the season is the perfect time to build on the other aspects of my photography, while still getting to play bikes on the weekends when people are brave enough to fight the heat.
Okay, but how?
With the amount of time I have spent taking pictures of people sending it on their two-wheeled shred sleds, it’s become a little lost that I offer the same services as most photographers: family shoots, graduation, weddings. Anything that brings people together or celebrates an important moment in their lives.
You may not expect this if you’ve ever met me in person, but I LOVE doing these style shoots.
Just like I enjoy cheering for racers as they come across my lens, I love capturing the special moments in life for people. I’ve said it before and I will say it again, great photos are all about the story. And these personal photo sessions always come with great stories.
The love between a couple on their wedding day. The plans and big dreams of a kid graduating and moving to the next chapter in their life. It doesn't matter what the session is for specifically. It always boils down to something that a client wants to remember for years to come and I get to be a part of making that happen.
I’ve also been trying to expand my work in other action sports realms as well - namely wrestling. While I’ve never been a big fan of wrestling, I recently learned about a local promotion and it has been a blast going to watch live. It’s also a fantastic opportunity for me to practice working in low-light conditions. Every bit of practice a photographer can get adjusting to lighting conditions will only make them better in the long run.
If you’re interested in being part of this great RFP summer experiment, head on over to the Contact page or shoot me a line at redfamilyphoto@gmail.com.