Inside the Photography Business: Nick P. Ouellette
PhotoMerchant: Tell me about yourself and your photography business.
Nick Ouellette: I started my career in the film industry, having completed my degree in Television, Film and New Media Production at San Diego State University. I got involved in the film industry just when the economy went downhill and worked for two years. The industry was tough and I felt I wasn’t on the right path.
I had taken photography as an elective in college and had been offered a few photography gigs for friends ì weddings and portraits. It was then that I decided to change gears and go into photography. I bought a camera and started my business, Nick P. Ouellette Photography. That was about a year ago and things have been going well.
I do primarily wedding, engagement and portrait photography. I used to feature other genres of photography as well, but I find that the more I specialise, the more business I get. Of course I’ll still do a lot of different work because if someone is going to pay me to take pictures, I’ll do it, but I really try to specialise.
I have two part time assistants whom I work with and who are second photographers at weddings when required. I would like to expand my business to include multiple photographers, but I think I have to build my portfolio and business first.
I still have a part time day job as a photography teacher at a local school and expect it will be about a year before I’m exclusively a photographer.
PM: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned about running a business?
NO: My wife has a catering business which she started a year before I started my photography business, so I’ve had some exposure to small business and learned a few things from her experiences.
Being specialised has been really important to my business. I think people feel like they’re getting better value for their money with someone who’s focused. It sends a message that I’m a professional at that type of photography. If they’re looking for a wedding photographer, they’re not interested in someone who has done architectural photography as well.
I’ve also learned that having a great website is expected, and I’m really glad I found PhotoMerchant for that reason.
PM: Why do you think your customers like working with you?
NO: I think I make people feel comfortable. I didn’t realise I had such a knack for making people feel comfortable in front of the camera until I started my business.
As a photographer, you’re trying to elicit emotions from people. Being personable and able to make people experience certain emotions is really important. The best pictures are the candid ones where you’re getting an emotional moment that wasn’t meant to be caught.
PM: Is there anything you’ve changed about your business since you started?
NO: I find photographers whose work I admire, and I try to compare myself to them. That’s changed my style and business. Living in Los Angeles, there is a ton of great photographers, so I want to make sure I’m on the same level as my competition.
I think there’s a lot to learn from other people’s work. You might see some things you like and some things you don’t like, but more importantly, you might see things that customers like. There are certain traditional photos that I wouldn’t want, for example the posed family shots, but people want them. I’ve changed my approach to make sure I do those photos as well as the fun, adventurous shots.
PM: How do you manage your workflows and calculate the costs of running your business?
NO: As soon as I finish a wedding, I always double back up my photos. Then I try to step away for a couple of days and work on other projects because I find that gives me a fresh start. I like to take a break so that I can be more objective with editing. I find that with some extra time, I usually pick out better photos. I read somewhere that the best photographers only show their very best work. I really believe that’s important.
My workflows are really simple. I do multiple projects in a day so I don’t overload on one shoot. If I try to do an entire wedding in a day, I exhaust myself and the photos don’t come out as well. It’s better for me to take my time and break it up.
For costs, I’ve been figuring it out as I go. Photography and computer equipment is not cheap, but it’s my only overhead because I’m based at home. I try to save money as much as I can to put towards future equipment. Any time I’m spending money on camera equipment I’m growing my business.
PM: What do you do to stay competitive with other photographers in your market?
NO: I find that my competitive edge is in my photography. I try to do things I haven’t seen before. I look at my competition, find photographers who I really like and try to inspire myself with their work. I think it’s important to know what people want and expect, and to also go beyond their expectations.
I don’t do a lot of advertising because it’s such a huge market so it’s hard to advertise. If you go on Google and search “wedding photographer LA” a million people pop up. It’s so easy to get lost in the crowd. Word of mouth is my best advertising and it gives me 90% of my business.
I was never a fan of social media, but a client pointed out that it was free advertising, so I’ve just started exploring Facebook and Twitter. I’ve been amazed at how much great feedback I’ve received. It’s also amazing how much more buzz I’ve had just by having a Facebook profile.
I started using social media when PhotoMerchant introduced the Facebook link where I could put a “Like” on my page. I was really shocked at how much good feedback I got and that really motivated me to pursue social media.
PM: If you could go back in time and give your younger self a piece of advice, what would it be?
NO: I would have avoided the film industry and gone straight to photography. It’s been such an awesome career change for me.
PM: Do you have a mentor?
NO: I don’t have a mentor, but my wife is a great sounding board and I really value her opinion.
Sometimes I’ll take a photo of a bride which I think looks great and my wife will tell me, “I don’t think she’s going to like the way she looks in that photo. I’ve seen other photos of her and that’s not her natural look.” I’ve learned a lot from my wife’s input. She’s artistic and has a good eye.
PM: Do you have any tips for new photographers?
NO: My assistants are people I knew who were interested in photography and asked me for advice. I tell them you really need to know your equipment. A lot of people get a DSLR and expect to be good photographers when they’re shooting on automatic. A photographer doesn’t rely on their equipment to do the work, they do the work and use their equipment as a tool.
PM: What do you think is going to happen in photography in five year’s time?
NO: I keep hearing about this camera where you can change your depth of field in post.
I’d like to see a camera with a sensor that can act more like film and have higher resolution because it’s nice to be able to blow stuff up.
PM: What do you do in your spare time?
NO: I like to cycle, and my wife and I brew beer. We also really love to camp. My family has a place at a local lake where we go boating.
Before photography was my career of choice, photography was what I did in my spare time, so now I do what I love all the time.
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Nick P. Ouellette runs Nick P. Ouellette Photography, a Los Angeles-based wedding and portrait photography business. |
