Aerial photography

[svcta]

Hey, Nav, send him a PM already!

 

[Way2Broke]

Where do you get your customers from?

 

[navigator72]

To get customers you need to talk...... You need to talk to everybody you meet. when they ask you what you do "You are an aerial photographer". It doesn't matter if you have only taken a few shots of your parents house. If you want clients, you need to play the part of an aerial photographer. You need to have business cards on you at all times, I have handed my card out to people at gas stations, yard sales and everywhere else. Does every card turn into a sale, no but it might end up in the hands of somebody who does. Nothing in this business happens fast, in fact it takes 3 - 4 times as long as you think it will.
It's a great sorce of income and tomorrow I'm going to make what I make in a month at my "real job" before I actually go to work.

 

[ec130e]

To get customers you need to talk...... You need to talk to everybody you meet. when they ask you what you do "You are an aerial photographer". It doesn't matter if you have only taken a few shots of your parents house. If you want clients, you need to play the part of an aerial photographer. You need to have business cards on you at all times, I have handed my card out to people at gas stations, yard sales and everywhere else. Does every card turn into a sale, no but it might end up in the hands of somebody who does. Nothing in this business happens fast, in fact it takes 3 - 4 times as long as you think it will.
It's a great sorce of income and tomorrow I'm going to make what I make in a month at my "real job" before I actually go to work.

I second Navigator. Your customer is literally anyone you talk to. The spectrum streches from your mother or your father, to the commercial industry and everyone in between. Would you buy a picture if someone flew over your house/property took a picture, enlarged it and framed it? I would!

 

[livethedream]

what about filters? do you use color correcting filters? I have gotten some yellowish hues when playing around. also do you find people want digital or color slides? what do you charge? by the site or by the hour? do you use your own plane?
lots more questions but lets start there
thanks

 

[ec130e]

Let me preface what I am about to say by letting you know that I do not have a second (professionally speaking) as an aerial photographer. However, I am in the process of researching in order to possibly pursue a venture in aerial photography. Some of the best advice I have rcvd, has been from Navigator72. If you start looking on line, you will get an idea as to what people use, and what they charge. Go to a website or 2, and see what they charge. Figure out what it might cost you to rent (or own) an aircraft, pilot etc. Soon you will have an idea as to a bottom line $. I guess you would work your way up (or down) from there.

 

[navigator72]

Thank you for the kind words ec130e.
I only shoot digital in the raw, therefore some knowledge of post photo processing with Adobe is required.
I only have a UV filters on my lenses.
Pricing is something you need to come up with based on your specific area.
I do charge by the location.
ec130e was right when he mentioned the part about doing research before starting this business.
ec130e and I have been going back and forth on the issue of renting -vs- owning, it really depends on what your goals are. There are benefits on each side.

It's a great way to make $$$ but it takes time to build a name for yourself. In fact I have been trying to build a name for myself for the past 3 years and I finally have clients calling me, instead of me calling them.

Goodluck