ErikV Posted March 9, 2011 Posted March 9, 2011 (edited) The cost per photo is spot on in my opinion - particularly when you view it in the perspective created by other Hubbers in this thread. The problem with Action Photo though is the quality of the images. 90% of the ones I've seen are hopelessly over exposed and often the angle sucks and the composition is crap. Go check out www.adventurephotos.com Edited March 9, 2011 by ErikV
Grayskull Posted March 9, 2011 Posted March 9, 2011 Professional sports photographers charge R50 - R100 per photo regardless of sport, venue or event. They also have to make a living and cover their costs...consider the following: Camera and lens: R65 000Transport and other costs to a 1-day event: R500Computer equipment: R50 000Talent and experience: priceless etc etc etc Compare the photographer fees to a plumber, locksmith or electrician @ R500 per call out....(15min) R65,000 for a camera - are you kidding me!!Ive never seen the pores on my face on any of the pics ive got from them! Take 20 photographers with cameras and lenses: 20*R20,000 (that should get a decent one)=R400,000Add R50,000 for transport and wages for the day=R450,000 Say 10,000 of the 35,000 cyclists buy at least one photo........R45 a pic! Come the next event all their hardware costs are already covered... Granted there are lotsa other expenses that ive overlooked, but they do like 4or5 events a month AT LEAST! No need to rip us off...
divernick Posted March 9, 2011 Posted March 9, 2011 I do however agree that the photos have to be properly exposed, properly in focus and have a pleasing composition. These criteria are a mark of a photographer worth his (or her) salt. A photography business that hires inexperienced amateurs to fill in where he is understaffed at events is asking for trouble and chasing away repeat business.
Danger Dassie Posted March 9, 2011 Posted March 9, 2011 R65,000 for a camera - are you kidding me!!Ive never seen the pores on my face on any of the pics ive got from them! Take 20 photographers with cameras and lenses: 20*R20,000 (that should get a decent one)=R400,000Add R50,000 for transport and wages for the day=R450,000 Say 10,000 of the 35,000 cyclists buy at least one photo........R45 a pic! Come the next event all their hardware costs are already covered... Granted there are lotsa other expenses that ive overlooked, but they do like 4or5 events a month AT LEAST! No need to rip us off... You forgot that large events like Argus, Comrades etc.... Bulk photo companys pay per entrant to be there. Many smaller events are actually at a loss.Your equipment, hardware and staff costs are way off the mark.There is also equipment and hardware servicing, permanent staff, operational and logistical overheads that need to be costed.
Nic0000 Posted March 9, 2011 Posted March 9, 2011 R50 a photo does sound steep but they do use expensive equipment. I've bought photo's from action photo before.Service was good and they sent samples before I bought. I would love to know what kind of profit these guys make though. Yes R65k for a lense alone but R50 a photo for thousands of riders... And I reckon the equipment probably doesnt depreciate too quick!I think these major events should have only one company doing it all. There should be a few, that way prices will be more competitive (If they arent)! Cough up, buy the photo, you'll look a tool and it will be great!
slabs Posted March 9, 2011 Posted March 9, 2011 Would be interesting to see how many people actually buy these pics. I will not be one of them....Old adage of sell it cheaper and get higher volumes or overprice and sell nothing. Question is to get the right price where enough people will be interested. Am also sure that most of us that did the Grape Escape do a lot of other races as well, so just buying a pic as memory does not feature high on my list!
Nettie R Posted March 9, 2011 Posted March 9, 2011 Bought 6 pics from them for Sabie X 2010. 10-12 megapixel digital photos. Ea 3-5MB.Now I can enlarge,crop, etc. Cool images. Otherwise have your auntie sit in the sun for 3 hours in one spot with her mik and druk and you'll probably have a out of focus photo to show all your friends.
dman2 Posted March 9, 2011 Posted March 9, 2011 The problem with most of these photos is that they are usually taken near the top of climb. The photo is BORING!!I would never buy this type of photo, no matter how cheap. But make the photo interesting/exciting like ripping up single track, technical section, a river crossing... and now you got an "Action" photo. Also it is something memorable about the event, not a generic "top of hill" snap.For this type of photo I would be prepared to pay +R100!
mix Posted March 9, 2011 Posted March 9, 2011 Actually that is dirt cheap! Got a picture of my car (and I didn't even order it) in the mail recently for R800. Who is JMPD anyway?brilliant.
onetrackmind Posted March 9, 2011 Posted March 9, 2011 R65,000 for a camera - are you kidding me!!Ive never seen the pores on my face on any of the pics ive got from them! Take 20 photographers with cameras and lenses: 20*R20,000 (that should get a decent one)=R400,000Add R50,000 for transport and wages for the day=R450,000 Say 10,000 of the 35,000 cyclists buy at least one photo........R45 a pic! Come the next event all their hardware costs are already covered... Granted there are lotsa other expenses that ive overlooked, but they do like 4or5 events a month AT LEAST! No need to rip us off... Those numbers are nonsense. Bottom pro-level camera is R21-odd-000, for the 5D MkII, (all real pros use Canon, Nikon is the devil's tool) and most mainstream firms will not even use them, the 1D (R38k for the body alone) is more reliable, dust-proof and robust in the long run, so already your R20k for equipment is off the mark. So, minimum requirement - 5D MkII, with a 70-200L lens, is already over R40 000 - bare minimum. Battery pack to last all day - another R2000. Flash, a minimum of R2500, but probably the pro-level R4500. Cards, call it R500 for a 4-gig, and they will use maybe six or eight in the day, so lets call that R4k... getting the picture yet? We have already almost increased your thumbsuck expenses, on the first line item, two and a half times So, already you need significantly more than 25 000 to buy for your get-rich-quick scheme to work, which, let's face it, ain't happening. A quick poll amongst your mates will show, I am sure, that a very small number buy these pics (unless mine are particulary unvain ), and generally 'cos they can't be bothered, not because of the price.
SFDT Posted March 9, 2011 Author Posted March 9, 2011 Those numbers are nonsense. Bottom pro-level camera is R21-odd-000, for the 5D MkII, (all real pros use Canon, Nikon is the devil's tool) and most mainstream firms will not even use them, the 1D (R38k for the body alone) is more reliable, dust-proof and robust in the long run, so already your R20k for equipment is off the mark. So, minimum requirement - 5D MkII, with a 70-200L lens, is already over R40 000 - bare minimum. Battery pack to last all day - another R2000. Flash, a minimum of R2500, but probably the pro-level R4500. Cards, call it R500 for a 4-gig, and they will use maybe six or eight in the day, so lets call that R4k... getting the picture yet? We have already almost increased your thumbsuck expenses, on the first line item, two and a half times So, already you need significantly more than 25 000 to buy for your get-rich-quick scheme to work, which, let's face it, ain't happening. A quick poll amongst your mates will show, I am sure, that a very small number buy these pics (unless mine are particulary unvain ), and generally 'cos they can't be bothered, not because of the price. okay so now some people convinced that its not too expensive and I bought a pic at 12o ' clock, but it is still not availible as they are still busy uploading the full size images??!!! so you pay first and then they upload, and then you must periodically go and check the link provided if the pic is ready for download. 4hours later and nothing yet, I am sorry but its way too much effort, added to in my opinion a too expensive price.
Danger Dassie Posted March 9, 2011 Posted March 9, 2011 (all real pros use Canon, Nikon is the devil's tool) and most mainstream firms will not even use them, Generally correct except for this, unless it was tongue in cheek. ... Pros use what works for them, Nikon and Canon have the lion's share of the market. Although Canon has taken a hammering lately from the big N. Sony is making some heavy in roads as well, especially since taking over Minolta's photographic division. There are still a fair number of pros in some fields of photography using Olympus and even Pentax. For the kind of work company's like Action Photo do though, the 5D is overkill for resolution with a full frame sensor and doesn't have the fast frame rate needed for that kind of work. As Dangle will be the first to pipe up, I use Nikon ... But whatever tool does the job reliably is important
onetrackmind Posted March 9, 2011 Posted March 9, 2011 Generally correct except for this, unless it was tongue in cheek. ... Pros use what works for them, Nikon and Canon have the lion's share of the market. Although Canon has taken a hammering lately from the big N. Sony is making some heavy in roads as well, especially since taking over Minolta's photographic division. There are still a fair number of pros in some fields of photography using Olympus and even Pentax. For the kind of work company's like Action Photo do though, the 5D is overkill for resolution with a full frame sensor and doesn't have the fast frame rate needed for that kind of work. As Dangle will be the first to pipe up, I use Nikon ... But whatever tool does the job reliably is important Your tongue, my cheek... Oops, wrong forum.
Danger Dassie Posted March 9, 2011 Posted March 9, 2011 Your tongue, my cheek... Oops, wrong forum. Nooit!
Stoffel76 Posted March 9, 2011 Posted March 9, 2011 The problem with most of these photos is that they are usually taken near the top of climb. The photo is BORING!!I would never buy this type of photo, no matter how cheap. But make the photo interesting/exciting like ripping up single track, technical section, a river crossing... and now you got an "Action" photo. Also it is something memorable about the event, not a generic "top of hill" snap.For this type of photo I would be prepared to pay +R100! +1 Although I understand it's easier to get more shots at the top of the hill because they're going slower, they doesn't make interesting photos...
gummibear Posted March 9, 2011 Posted March 9, 2011 R65,000 for a camera - are you kidding me!!Ive never seen the pores on my face on any of the pics ive got from them! Take 20 photographers with cameras and lenses: 20*R20,000 (that should get a decent one)=R400,000Add R50,000 for transport and wages for the day=R450,000 Say 10,000 of the 35,000 cyclists buy at least one photo........R45 a pic! Granted there are lotsa other expenses that ive overlooked, but they do like 4or5 events a month AT LEAST! No need to rip us off... Just remember that with very big events some of these companies will hire people to edit the pics for them and that costs a fortune. R65k is cheap for a top end body,lens,battery grip,flash and a few memory cards. Yes there a are a few companies that get a few guys with digital cameras to stand a round and take pics.Bad quality and dark or very bright photos are the result. R45 a photo is pretty reasonable Just remember that wedding photos can cost you up to R16k
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