As Dylan was seen to comment on an earlier posting:

<I hope someone out there is actually making a living income doing panorama image stuff>

I was wondering how many people out there enjoy regular significant income from 360 panoramic imaging?

It's not an area of my business I've promoted until this year, but have now decided to sit and write myself a plan...

I see some widely varying prices out there, with some people who obviously haven't heard of the term 'cost of doing business'

Any comments, anyone? Is this a hobby for enthusiasts or a viable part of an photographic or we-design business?

Neill W

So did the $200 include expenses? If so, what sort of margin d'you think you ended up with?

One thing many people in all forms of photography seem to struggle with is pricing and copyright at the moment. I always retain copyright on all my work, unless the price reflects an all rights buyout.

Don't be frightened to charge what you think you're worth, even if it's not your full-time job!

Neill

Hi all,

I found it's not the price what matters most. I offered virtual tours to hundreds of potential customers (by eMails, by letters with demo CDs etc.), with very different price levels, from very low to rather high. Response was always very poor. Then I began producing multinode tours of museums without a contract and even without informing the potential contractors, and offered the almost completed tours to the museums. This approach was successful. It seems that people want to see their own object as a demo before making a positive decision.

I know, it's a risky approach, but advertisment budgets are short in these days and it's hard to get your share of them.

Regards

Holger

Hi Scott and Holger,

I misread your earlier post, Scott - I thought it said 3 panos....

That was quite a good job to get, even with the travelling. I'm going to change my pricing to include expenses, as unlike normal editorial photography, I find that people just want an end price, not 'plus this or that'

I was thinking of self comissioning some stuff the same as you, Holger, as I think people need to see something they recognise to get them interested.

As an old salesman pal used to say 'sell the sizzle not the sausage'.....

Holger, did you ask the museum people for permission to shoot, or did they not mind you wandering around with a pano head, tripod, etc? I certainly get some funny looks, sometimes, but never had any hassle yet. Then again, I haven't tried shooting in a museum!

Neill W

Hi Neill,

no, I did not ask prior to shooting, I paid my entrance fee, went into the museums with my camera, tripod, pano head and other stuff, and did the job. I never had any trouble when doing this. I believe the museum staff did not really know what I was doing. For them I was one of those tourists who, as soon as the bus stops, take photographs of everything around them.

It was always helpful to visit the museums at days when there are not many visitors. And of course it is not possible to arrange for proper lighting, change things in the room etc. if you do the job this way.

In one case I went to the museum reception and asked if they would give me permission to shoot the panos to offer them a virtual tour. They told me that they dont need a tour and that they dont want me to do the photography (probably they did not even know what a "virtual tour" is). I returned a few days later, took my pictures without asking, built a tour and offered it to them. Suddenly they were very interested ...

I must add that in museums in Germany there are normally no restrictions concerning photography as long as you dont use the images commercially. Therefore, when I offer completed tours which were photographed without permission, I tell the potential customer that he may keep the CD for personal use, even if he does not want to buy it, and that I myself will not use the tour commercially as long as I dont have written permission from him.

Regards

Holger

Here in the UK, there can be problems with some areas such a National Trust property - they have their own image library and see anyone with a tripod as competition.

Good point, though. Most people don't know what you're doing!

Neill W

I have also found that a company is far more willing to look at a project if u've taken a few shots of their own environment. It apperas that they only ever see the value of the product having seen a familiar environment. Therefore I never miss an opportunity to take at least a couple of location shots when ever I'm at a potential client. And they're all potential clients.