Why People Hire a Pro Photographer - Brides, Babies and Pets

by Skip Cohen

Many years ago, based on a Kodak study, the hierarchy of why people hire a professional photographer went brides, babies, and pets for the top three in the portrait/social categories. I don't believe anything has changed, and the topic was ideal for an article I wrote many years ago.

I'm turning back the clock seven years with one more video intro for an article I wrote for Shutter Magazine. Besides making a point about diversity in fulfilling the needs of your target audience, there's a point about Throwback Thursday regarding the memories they bring back.

As I wrote with a previous video I shared, the fun of these was coming up with a way the readers would remember whatever point I was trying to make with that month's article. The more absurd my presentation was, the more people seemed to remember it.

But the backstory on this one took a little more effort. Sheila and I went to the main Goodwill store in Sarasota. The search was on for a wedding-looking gown that fit me. I can still hear Sheila laughing in the store as I attempted to find a gown my size...6'1", 220lbs - it wasn't pretty. Then, it was off to the toy department to find a baby doll, and a final stop at Party City for the veil.

It took us several takes because I couldn't do any of this with a straight face. Molly the Wonder Dog was a real trouper and just sat there...but I was dealing with the absurdity of it all. 

From a marketing standpoint, once you get by my presentation, focus on what I said. It's great if you can be a one-trick pony and specialize in one specific type of photography, but a little diversity is like an insurance policy. A wedding photographer, for example, who did a great job on the wedding and also has the skills for family portraiture, maternity, and newborns, hits all the photographic needs of a new family.

​Happy Throwback Thursday!