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All Hail The New Rock & Roll - part 2 of 1 2

by Damian McGillicuddy Published

I'm sure that by now one or two of you are saying what a load of "Bo####k's". Business is slower, sales are down, market share is contested more fiercely; infact more studio's are shutting the door permanently than ever before.... And do you know what! On one level you'd be right.

The key word in the articles title is "New". How many studio's on your high street can you honestly say have moved with the times? And no I don't mean digital.

Please don't get me wrong, I don't intend to offend or be disparaging but I was really hit with the proverbial "Bolt from the Blue" and was compelled to take stock.

It quickly became apparent to me that the professional photographic market had stagnated; and in some cases from the seventies!!! It's fair to say that viewing the main stream photographers' folio today is basically the same as it was five years ago, ten years ago and sadly even fifteen to twenty years ago in the most advanced cases.

If you're honest you know what I mean. Old master back grounds in blue or brown, irrespective of what the subjects wearing. The most convenient lighting pattern for the cameraman to set up / follow (usually the one left over from last time the studio was used) and the same tired old props.

If the studio craft is poor it is only to complement the dire "Front of house". Be honest you do know what I mean! Badly decorated and appointed rooms, more often than not ill lit and certainly not conceived to display photographic art (yes ART, but more of that later).

OK. I can hear the comments; "What does he know?" "What planet is he on?" "Money doesn't grow on trees"...... "It wont work in my area". Some may feel that I've "Gone in" with all guns blazing, infact even hitting you with both barrels and if I've got your attention then it was worth using the sledge hammer to crack this nut.

I'm very well aware that money doesn't grow on trees, well not in my garden, I believe your garden has to be of Welsh soil for that!!!! However that's still no excuse, that can't be an excuse when we look again at studio's receptions. It costs nothing to ensure that you see your prospective clients in a clean, tidy, efficient and business like environment with every possible dice "loaded" in your favour to give you the best chance of converting this prospect into money in the bank.

Sadly its not just the bricks and mortar that need an overhaul in some businesses. When I'm out and about (even though it drives my patient wife bonkers) I'll often call into a studio if I pass one. I always go in as plain "Joe Public" never letting on I too am a photographer (yes I KNOW I'm sneaky) and as a M.O.T.P. To be frank I'm generally treated with indifference and apathy at best and blatant rudeness at worst.

The really sad thing though is my wife just loves family pictures and if we walk into a studio that we feel is right we'll commission one; that's commission not buy (but more of that later)

I truly believe major overhauls in practice, production and imaging are necessary not to prosper but basically to survive; but its not all doom and gloom and the impossible can be done.

We all know what "Mystery shoppers" are; you know, people PAID by large companies to go along to places and PRETEND to be customers so that they can assess and evaluate how their staff, products and premises are performing on this very important "One to one" basis. The really strange thing though, is that senior management of the M&S's , Coats an At's (What my Father in Law calls C&A), McDonalds, UPS etc.., etc. are almost and I do say almost as pleased if the "Mystery shoppers" reports come back positively negative. The theory being if you don't know what's broke how can you fix it! Feed back is good, feed back is crucial!

What's needed in our profession is for each of us to "Step back", take a long hard look at the World, society and lifestyle and see if our studios have kept up with the times....

I think if we are all just a little honest the vast majority of us could say that we are NOT offering the client products and services that they actually want. The images we create don't reflect the modern times and the images our more "Lifestyle educated" clients are bombarded with, every day on TV, on advertising hordings and in books and magazines.

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• All Hail The New Rock & Roll page 1
  
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Contact Damian McGillicuddy

1st Published
last update 09/12/2022 14:51:01

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