MicrostockGroup

I always thought there is some microstock photographers, who actually spend near, even or more than what they earn. If that shoot above was for microstock or something similar, then LOL.

That seems like a big waste of money.  I can't see how that would make me want to buy a tv.  I'd imagine you could do it CG for much less.

Aside from calculating your NET income, you should seriously start figuring out how long it takes your average shoot to reach a return on investment (ROI)... something many part time stock shooters don't pay any attention too. Given the way the economy is currently going, I'd aim for the fastest ROI possible. 10-12 months is not an unusual timeline for many shooters to hit their ROI. How long it takes you depends on how much content you can pump out in one shoot, type of content, the total cost of production, how strong an agencies sales are, etc...

It probably has far more to do with building the brand name and associating it with creativity and culture rather than just trying to flog a telly. Note how little we see of the actual product.

A friend who worked at a high level in advertising once explained that if you (as an individual) don't like an advert then you weren't meant to __ you weren't the target market.

That particular advert is my personal favourite. Everything hits the spot from the drama, the music, the colours, the camerawork and the creative quirkiness of the clown. Unfortunately I prefer Panasonic over Sony!

You're saying a 20% profit is losing money and then comparing sales revenue and profits to gambling?  

You should be a financial advisor  

Still, it's better than £1000 gross - £10 costs = £990 profit. It's all about the bottom line.

ok I'm going to invest into expenses in order to run a business .. smart idea moving on .. So I'm working with $800,000 capital .. now I'm going to invest it all on expenses .. year is over and now how much do I have in my pocket? $200,000 ... it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out you are losing money and need to take a serious look at your business model. Would have been better off not working at all and hanging on to the capital and maybe using it to pay for some business classes.

I'm not talking about a website or any other market. I'm talking about photography. You are going to take $800K out of pocket .. and wait a year so you can make a $200K profit and be happy As a photographer that's just insane !!!

What are you saying?  Come on!

There would be absolutely NO LOST at all!   Would you be sad with the $200.000 profit ?  

 

My photography business is ran on a 4000% profit average. I like it when it goes a couple thousand percent over that but I'm happy running it at 4K. This is also a good average (in america) it's not MWAC prices but it's not Elite either. I should point out that the 4000% profit is the result of our previous recession. This year we are seeing people coming out of it and by next year we will be back closer to our original pricing structure which will be more like 7000%.
Too many photographers simply look at the amount of the check being handed to them and don't think much beyond that ... and those are the ones who you hear about for a couple years and then they fade away all because they couldn't realize that their profits were actually a loss. By then it's too late.

A 200K profit on a year long investment of 800K .. I wouldn't be sad at all. I'd be F^*#$ Furious !!! I'm not talkin screaming mad. I'd be that not talking to anyone, standing outside smoking a cigarette staring into space don't even dare go near him mad. LOL

You're confusing yourself (again) going back to your original example, if you start out with $800,000 capital and you turn that into $1,000,000 you've made a profit of $200,000 (which incidently is a 25% profit not 20% as you originally stated) you haven't lost any money from the original capital. Many people have pointed this out to you but I guess you just don't get it.

Percentages mean absolutely nothing, it's the nett return that is the most important thing.

A 25% profit from a $800,000 investment would make any investment banker smile, in fact most of the worlds businesses don't make that sort of profit margin.


Randy you do not make 4000% profit or anywhere near it, based on even the most modest of photography businesses that would mean you were making millions in profit each year, I don't think you understand how business profit works because if you did you certainly wouldn't make a statement like that, must admit though it did give me my morning laugh - thanks.

Of course I may be wrong, you might get your studio rent for free, free camera, free studio equipment, free electricity, free computer & software, free consumables, free stationary, free web hosting, free props, and everything else you need to make a photo for free including rates and taxes. 

I think Randy's just thrown a bait out for you all to bite at.

if you can consistently return 7000% on investment of capital then you should be retired by now. (and also the richest person in the world)

I think your just saying that your earning a good effective hourly rate for you work and you keep your overheads low. Both good things. Your business model is probably quite profitable for you and without some of the risks that some of the high end producers are taking.

Add $200 per hour for your own time onto the equation an you will soon see that 25% ROI is pretty good.

% returns calculations aren't really useful unless your comparing exactly the same business model.

* looks like I took the bait aswell.
 

Getting slaughtered is part of the biz!  A SEP-IRA will help a bit with that.