The Nature, Wildlife and Pet Photography Forum - Fine Art Landscape Photography

Introducing myself :)

Posted By: NinaS

Introducing myself :) - 06/30/10 04:42 AM

I'm new here, but not new to photography
I'm a full time portrait & event/show photographer based in Portland, Or ... shoot agility, flyball & specialties about 49 weekends a year and do family, kids, boudoir and other portraits on weekdays (in my free time)
I have 3 websites, so you'll see two of them on my copyright (the 3rd is for boudoir)

here is a sampling of my stuff





Posted By: James Morrissey

Re: Introducing myself :) - 07/01/10 03:27 AM

Hi Nina,

Welcome to NWP. I love that first shot - completely adorable.

What is most of your work, portraiture or event?

James
Posted By: NinaS

Re: Introducing myself :) - 07/01/10 08:42 AM

James
by quantity of images ... dog agility
by days spent doing a certain thing ... dog agility
by $$ earned ... portraiture

about every 4th agility trial I set up a portrait booth
plus do the booth at all specialties I shoot
Posted By: StarrLight

Re: Introducing myself :) - 07/02/10 05:47 PM

Welcome!

Diana
Posted By: James Morrissey

Re: Introducing myself :) - 07/02/10 06:36 PM

Hey Nina,

That's interesting. How much of your portrait business is coming from dogs you are shooting at agility meets? Do you get charged a separate vendor fee?

James
Posted By: NinaS

Re: Introducing myself :) - 07/02/10 10:58 PM

James ... shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
No, I don't ... I'm the official show (agility) photographer, so I get to set up my area, and sometimes that includes a booth

as long as I stay in the agility barn the shows don't bother with it LOL

when I shoot specialties, it is in my contract, so I supply the coverage for everything, and do the portrait booth (yes I hire assistant photographers)

I'm in my own little niche around here ... portrait photogs cant shoot moving dogs, agility photogs cant do studio quality portraits and show photographers can shoot agility ... because I can (and am equipped) for all 3 I do what I do
Posted By: Jim Garvie

Re: Introducing myself :) - 07/03/10 01:28 PM

Nina,

Quote:

I'm in my own little niche around here ... portrait photogs cant shoot moving dogs, agility photogs cant do studio quality portraits and show photographers can shoot agility ... because I can (and am equipped) for all 3 I do what I do



Yes, but that gets into the assistants: if you have the individual skills to do all three, that's great. I've done it as well and it is a rare skill among show photographers. But finding assistants to handle any one of those photographic areas is difficult enough. To find those that are capable of shooting two or three is almost impossible. So you get to the point where, as an individual, you have to focus on what you do best/can make the most $$$ doing.

I love shooting performance events but I don't see the payback in $$ for the time invested here in the Florida area. Lots of trials and folks don't really spend a lot. Plus, there's some pretty decent competition. On the portrait side, I find I can make more outside of the show circuit here in the studio or at the homes of dog owners. So I've focused on Show Formals at dog shows despite very tough competition in this market. Large Regional Specialties and Nationals are my best market and I'm willing to travel all over the country which helps.

It's interesting to hear how things are done at the total opposite end of the country from us. You folks on the left coast are always doing things a bit differently .

Jim
Posted By: psmith

Re: Introducing myself :) - 07/03/10 09:48 PM

Welcome Nina. Glad you decided to join. I swear I've seen that coffee cup planter before...
Posted By: psmith

Re: Introducing myself :) - 07/03/10 09:50 PM

And a question. What sort of decision making did you go through as you were deciding to brand your portrait work one way and your show work differently?
Posted By: Julie

Re: Introducing myself :) - 07/03/10 10:11 PM

Quote:



I'm in my own little niche around here ... portrait photogs cant shoot moving dogs, agility photogs cant do studio quality portraits and show photographers can shoot agility ... because I can (and am equipped) for all 3 I do what I do



I can and do. If you are doing show dogs, you really need to be able to do all three. Not to mention knowing how to work with handlers, and owners. Knowing how the breed you are shooting SHOULD be shot. If I don't know, I ask and I ask for details and ask what they want to emphasize and what they want to de-emphasize.

I don't do events anymore as I do not like to shoot on spec. I did our national and enjoyed it, but, found it was just not my speed. I prefer the portraits and advertising photography. I like creative photography and the pressure of 1100 dogs over 6 day was a little more than I want to do at this point in my life!

Its good to see you here Nina. There seems to be a lot of us from the Eastern seaboard, nice to see some from the western side of the country!
Posted By: NinaS

Re: Introducing myself :) - 07/04/10 01:02 AM

Quote:

And a question. What sort of decision making did you go through as you were deciding to brand your portrait work one way and your show work differently?



well, for years I was itzmeagain.com (itzmeagain is still my email and my screen name in many places)

then I began ninasphotography.com about 6 or 7 years ago, when I figured out that I needed to explain who/what I do LOL

now I have niche websites pdxdogportraits.com , pdxboudoirportraits.com and dudeoirportraits.com

the reason? I do sooo much, that it scares some people, so I have my "boutique" sites .. so if someone is specifically searching one thing, they only get to the one specific site

all my banners, advertising, et al for shows is all under ninasphotography.com and everyone knows me as that ... so it serves as my catch all site and a launch to others as needed LOL

my boudoir & dudeoir clients never know how much time I spend doing dogs they thin they're my only clients LOL
Posted By: NinaS

Re: Introducing myself :) - 07/04/10 01:07 AM

Quote:

Welcome Nina. Glad you decided to join. I swear I've seen that coffee cup planter before...



I have posted that picture on a couple other forums
thanks
Posted By: NinaS

Re: Introducing myself :) - 07/04/10 01:14 AM

Quote:


Yes, but that gets into the assistants: if you have the individual skills to do all three, that's great. I've done it as well and it is a rare skill among show photographers. But finding assistants to handle any one of those photographic areas is difficult enough. To find those that are capable of shooting two or three is almost impossible.



Jim,
I guess I'm lucky with my assistants.
I shoot all over Oregon & Washington states
near Seattle I have 4 (that live up there) that are awesome, and in the Portland area I have another 4 ... plus my 20yr old daughter

my assistants all have day jobs, they all know their way around cameras on manual, they've all shot some sort of action in the past ... they all took on the challenge of mastering agility in a low light horse barn at ISO 6400, 1/250th & f/2.8 ... they'd try it, be frustrated & keep coming back until they had a great keeper rate and had that mastered

after that, herding, disc dog, flyball etc all came easy

all of my assistants wanted studio lighing lessons, so we have mini-clinics ... they learn all about setting up, metering & taking portraits (usually dog) ... so I teach what they don't know and have a great crew of reliable photographers for the big shows

just finding the right people is the tough part, keeping them hooked is easy LOL
Posted By: psmith

Re: Introducing myself :) - 07/04/10 05:44 AM

Quote:

Quote:

Welcome Nina. Glad you decided to join. I swear I've seen that coffee cup planter before...



I have posted that picture on a couple other forums
thanks



Uhmmm, I was thinking Big Lots, or Walmart home & garden :-)
Posted By: NinaS

Re: Introducing myself :) - 07/04/10 07:21 AM

psmith ... maybe
I think I got that one at Winco
© 2024 The Nature, Wildlife and Pet Photography Forum