Coming out of "LLM" <learning lurk mode>
Since I show, and am also an animal photographer...here's a question...

When is it, that the OP gets payment for the image he just shot?
Annnnd what "pricing package" is offered?

I haven't had an opportunity to BUY a "win" photo in my last seven years (dry season), but, I could have sworn, I paid up front for the OP print when I did.

I mean, price for 8x10's, then add to that a digital image, copyrighted, but for use permission, for web/personal commercial, image.etc..
OR, am I way off base? Just campaigning these dogs, is $$, I can't imagine any grumbling over photography pricing, as with anything, things change!
I should have a bit of time these days, as we have a litter of 5 goldens on the ground. I'll post them under a new thread!
Cheers!

You send a check(or pay online if offered) after you receive the win shot. It is backward to what other venues do, but, I guess it is how it is always done. If you don't want the photo, you send it back

Marta,
There are three ways it's done at AKC shows:
1. the photographer sends out a finished 8X10 along with a bill and hopes to get paid. Then spends the next however many weeks until the next show trying to collect. All bills get paid before the next show where that particular photographer is shooting or no other photos to those who haven't paid.

2. the photographer sends out a set of proofs and the exhibitor orders the products (prints, merchandise, etc.) they want. It's prepaid but the exhibitor gets to see what they are paying for.

3. the photographer posts the images on a website the exhibitor orders product based on these web-proofs. Again, it's prepaid but the exhibitor gets to see what they are paying for.

Here in the states, the show committee never pays the photographer to shoot the show (in fact, we pay an "incentive" to the club) and sales are a function of how good a formal shot we got. As for people shooting over our shoulders at AKC shows, I add in my signs (with the award won, date, show logo, etc.) only AFTER the exhibitor has ordered their product(s). It's the only control we have over the owners who think it's OK to shoot their dog over the OP's head/shoulder.

Jim

<<I add in my signs (with the award won, date, show logo, etc.) only AFTER the exhibitor has ordered their product(s). It's the only control we have over the owners who think it's OK to shoot their dog over the OP's head/shoulder>>

I think thats probably the best overall solution, for as long as the KC is only permitting the OP to use their logo.
Was at a show last weekend, and was too busy talking ringside to even check out the photographer, to see what type of set up they had.
Look forward to hearing/learning more! Thanks Jim!

Marta,
you'd be surprised how many show photographers are still shooting 2 1/4 film cameras. Basically, they like to shoot as automatically as possible (flash is primary lighting even outdoors) and have a lab process the film, make the proofs and make the final prints. Some have their own labs but the traditional photographers are more marketers than technicians.

Those that have gone digital have had to learn how to process images -- for many, it's the first time they've had to do it. These folks have never really had to be computer geeks so it's a whole new technology for many and that's why they've been slow to make the transition.

The digital pioneers -- which include John Ashbey who is one of the best -- have made the transition and continue to produce excellent images. For a while there, though, John's print quality suffered as he figured out how to fine-tune his images for printing.

When we transitioned into show photography, we realized that digital was the only way to go so we've been shooting and processing digitally for over 5 years. For a while, we had to deal with the fact that exhibitors were looking for equipment that had a significant "pro-factor" i.e. something comparable to the Hasselblads the other photographers were using. It's taken a while to prove to people that just because you use the same camera that I do does not mean you can produce the same images that I can. The "pro-factor" is the person holding the camera.

The business had gotten more competitive recently and more specialized: there are more photographers migrating into shooting digital show formals in Conformation but there are also more photographers getting into the Performance events such as Agility, Lures Coursing, etc. And that's where digital is really making a significant difference in the shooting and, especially, the on-site proofing and delivery of images.

Right now, if I were to guess, I'd say less than 40% of the show images in Conformation are being shot digitally. Given where that technology is today, I'd say that's remarkable. How many commercial photographers are still all film-based? Anyway, that's a capsule overview of the business of show photography from my (admittedly biased) point of view.

Cheers,

Jim

<<Right now, if I were to guess, I'd say less than 40% of the show images in Conformation are being shot digitally. Given where that technology is today, I'd say that's remarkable. How many commercial photographers are still all film-based?>>

Wow..and it seems like sooo long ago, that digital arrived on the scene.
I had just gotten an N70 as a gift, with lenses, and used it twice! It hangs out in its box.
So when I decided to "get back" into photography, and having to relearn the "technicals" AND the "digitals"!
I took on my uncles used EOS rebel.
I have that as a back up, but my main body is a 20D currently in the shop for some circuit board snafu.
Thanks for the input!