Inside the Photography Business: Eden Connell
PhotoMerchant: Tell me about yourself and your photography business.
Eden Connell: As a kid I was lucky to have cameras around and always took lots of photos, which led me to study at the Australian Centre for Photography on Oxford St in Sydney.
In 2009, I decided to take a year sabbatical from my job in IT and travelled overseas to America, Central America, South America and India. I set up a blog called Zoom in with Eden, taking travel photographs and photographs for hostels, and that was when Zoom in with Eden Photography was established.
I got back to Australia in 2010 and did casual photography work, assisting other photographers ì anything I could do to get my business off the ground. Now I own my own studio in Brookvale called Zoom in Studios. Depending on the season, I do weddings, commercial, fashion, events, portraiture, sporting and product photography. I’ve diversified so I don’t have any low points in the business during the year.
I’ve run a business before, so the business side wasn’t difficult to establish. I was lucky enough to run my father’s business, a chemical manufacturing company, for seven years. I’ve also studied marketing and have done a lot of sales jobs which is great for photography.
I have a list of people on call to help with shoots like assistants, hair stylist and make-up artists. I also invite photographers who want to see what I do and learn about the business. It’s fantastic because I like to network with people. It’s a big world out there. The more people you can connect with, and the more information you can share, the better everyone’s photography becomes.
Eventually Zoom in with Eden Photography will grow to include permanent staff. I want other people on board to share my brand and my passion.
PM: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned about running a business?
EC: You’re in business to satisfy your clients, and you’re in business to make a profit. To make a profit, you have to be consistent and have an impact on the market.
My business is split up into three major sections: accounts, marketing, and development. I manage my accounts very carefully and am always watching my cash flow ì what’s going in and what’s coming out.
To market, I see new clients regularly and spend time on social media. I also approach companies that I think would benefit from using my images to promote their business. For portraiture clients, I use my network of business people and friends. Social media has helped me connect with all of them.
I’m constantly developing and learning new skills. If I stay stagnant in the industry, my business isn’t going to go anywhere. Diversifying has also helped me improve my photography skills.
PM: Why do you think your customers like working with you?
EC: I listen to my customers, find out what they want, and provide results. Before I have a meeting with a client, I do some research to understand what they do and how they can benefit from my services. Then in the meeting, I can listen to what they want.
I’m also honest with clients. I recently met with a company that wanted someone to photograph their offices. Because their offices weren’t that modern, I told them they might benefit from stock photography instead and they really appreciated that. From that meeting, I ended up getting a few portraiture shoots because they saw I was honest and I didn’t want to just do an average job.
PM: Is there anything you’ve changed about your business since you started?
EC: The major thing was opening my studio. Clients often asked me if I had a studio and it was such a good day when I found this place and decided to do it. It’s good to have a creative space, especially when photography is 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
PM: How do you manage your workflows and calculate the costs of running your business?
EC: In a usual week I have between four and fifteen shoots, so planning is very important. I love technology these days for staying organised.
The main thing with managing workflows is to work methodically. When I finish a shoot, I upload and back it up, and make a plan which includes creating a prioritised to do list that I complete every day. I have a buffer for every client. I usually deliver before the date I promise, but I build in a buffer just in case. For example I recently did a model shoot, told them they’d get the images in a week, and it was done in three days.
PM: What do you do to stay competitive with other photographers in your market?
EC: There are a lot of photographers, but there are a lot of people who need photography as well. To be competitive, I try to work smarter and work as hard as I can. Some days I have to work 16 or 18 hours in a day, but I don’t mind. If it needs to be done, I do it. Of course I understand that I’ve got to sleep and do normal things on top of doing great work. It really comes back to managing those workflows.
I’m much more efficient now than when I started, and every day I learn new tricks. It’s important to have the latest computers and good, reliable equipment. I don’t think going into debt to buy new equipment is a good idea, but if you save up and buy good quality equipment, you can use it for a long time.
PM: If you could go back in time and give your younger self a piece of advice, what would it be?
EC: I wish I had jumped straight into a photography years ago. I had the grounding from my sales background to do it. I’d tell myself, “You’ve only got one life, so just go with it and have fun.”
PM: Do you have any tips for new photographers?
EC: You could keep me here for three hours answering that question! My tip is to just go for it. You’re going to hit hurdles at every stage in photography, but if you love it, keep going.
It’s also important to have some really good friends whom you can talk to. Last night I had a friend look at some new work I put on my website and he didn’t like it. It’s important to get people’s honest opinions and understand that photography is really subjective. Do what pleases you and what pleases your clients. Ultimately you’ll stay in business if you make your clients happy.
PM: What do you recommend for photographers who don’t have strong business skills?
EC: The most cost effective business management course is at TAFE. I did a business marketing course while working. Also speak to your friends and family members who run their own businesses. The main thing is cash flow and also understanding what you’re doing with the hours of the day.
PM: Do you have any mentors?
EC: I’m an emerging member of the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP) and through their program I’ve got an amazing mentor ì Tania Niwa of Niwa Photography.
There are six of us in the group and we get together to talk about the industry. In our meetings we focus on business and the industry rather than photography skills. It’s been really helpful.
PM: What do you think is going to happen in photography in five year’s time?
EC: Video is going to become huge, and cameras are going to get better. I think as companies understand the value of good photography to their company image, some will employ photographers full time.
Digital photography has really changed the industry and allowed amateurs to get in. I wouldn’t be a photographer today if there hadn’t been a spot for me as an amateur. But if you buy a fancy camera and think you’re a professional, you’ll quickly learn there’s a lot more to know about photography and business to be successful. Everyone has to do their time.
PM: What do you do in your spare time?
EC: I don’t have spare time, but this is the way I want to live. When I do have time, I go out and have fun with my friends, but this business is my baby.
I’m really excited with how the business is rolling. I’ve got more time for my personal projects and to work with other photographers in my network. Nothing is going to stop me. I’m going to keep growing and pushing my limits.
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Eden Connell runs Zoom in with Eden, a Sydney-based wedding and portrait photography business. You can find him on Facebook. |
