# Just registered my business



## Guest84 (Dec 21, 2001)

And created a website for the parents of all the sports pictures I shoot.
http://www.printroom.com/pro/memories/
Last year was free as I established myself as a photographer for one division of football and a few baseball and soccer team(s). This year in football, I will be shooting all the divisions on Game day, thats 8 hours of shooting! 
Wish me luck!
P.S. the only pics I've shot so far was last nights practice, which is the Sweet Pea link at the bottom of the website.


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## wag-zhp (Apr 8, 2004)

Based on your previous pictures, I'm guessing that you will do quite well with this venture. Your action shots are phenominal! Best of luck. :thumbup:


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## AndrewZ (Feb 1, 2006)

Are you back Rip???:dunno: Congrads on the new business:thumbup:


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## Clarke (Oct 21, 2002)

wag-zhp said:


> Based on your previous pictures, I'm guessing that you will do quite well with this venture. Your action shots are phenominal! Best of luck. :thumbup:


:stupid: Good to see you here.:thumbup: Any boat or pool news?


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## Dave 330i (Jan 4, 2002)

Wlecome back Rip.  
Great pictures. One little sticky note...Do you want usa to be USA? Your business...do you take the pictures and upload, then the software does the rest? Who does your printing of the pictures? Good luck. I think it's a nice business/hobby.


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## Guest84 (Dec 21, 2001)

Hi Guys, not back full time, but lurking 
Thank you Wag! Its compliments like this is what inspired to shell out the bucks to start it up.

Dave,"_you take the pictures and upload, then the software does the rest?_ _"Who does your printing of the pictures?"_

Printroom takes care of all the printing. I just edit (if necessary) and upload. Customers just log in and purchase what they want. Printroom charges something like 13% to me then the customer pays for the shipping, and the balance goes to me. For example, a $9.99 purchase nets me $8.69.

I'm probably going to expand this out to all 5 teams after I meet with the president of our Junior football chapter tonight. The plan will be to shoot at least 2 pics of every player for every division on 2 separate game days. That will require me to be on the field for 10 hours for 2 games. My plan is to have a roster with the number of each player for each team (5 teams, depending on the weight class and age) and as I shoot a particular player, I'll check his name off on my roster sheet so I can ensure that I get everyone. Why do two games? I might miss someone that wasn't at one of the games, I'm sure I'll have some gaps to cover after the initial photo shoot. By expanding this out from 1 team to 5, my customer base potential increases to over 200+.


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## Dave 330i (Jan 4, 2002)

Ripsnort said:


> Hi Guys, not back full time, but lurking
> Thank you Wag! Its compliments like this is what inspired to shell out the bucks to start it up.
> 
> Dave,"_you take the pictures and upload, then the software does the rest?_ _"Who does your printing of the pictures?"_
> ...


With all the nice software around, this kind of business can be rewarding. Good luck :thumbup:


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## Jon Shafer (Dec 15, 2001)

Congratulations Rip.

:thumbup:


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## Guest84 (Dec 21, 2001)

Update:
Shot about 900 pics a week ago from Sunday, reviewed (threw out the out-of-focus ones, which there were only about 20) and uploaded to the store. I've sold over $100 worth of pics and have not advertised or set up the booth at the home games yet! (First home game this Sunday). My other photographer has sold 3 pre-ordered montages (valued at about $80 a piece) in advance. Things are looking good! We will have all the proof catalogs out this Sunday for the first home game of the year (The catalogs will be exhibiting last weeks photos of all 5 football teams and cheerleaders). With laptop in hand, we'll be taking orders at the game. All people entering and exiting the stadium have to walk right by our booth! :thumbup:

This is an exciting time for me. I am certainly glad I hired another photograher to help me out. She couldn't make the first game (away game) and I was shooting for 10 hours in 90 deg field temperatures. Let's just say I'm not young anymore. :eeps:

My favorite pic of all the games last week: (note, these are thumbnail images, that when clicked, blow up to 500 res. The original photos that the customer buys look 100 times better than what you are viewing!)

http://www.printroom.com/ViewgalleryPhoto.asp?userid=Ripsnort60&gallery_id=483646&image_id=101


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## Peench (Aug 17, 2006)

Great photos. Congrats on the new business. Definitely sounds like you are doing something that you love and that will pay dividends for as long as you continue to do it. :thumbup:


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## Guest84 (Dec 21, 2001)

Thanks Peench!

Yesterday was our first home game with our booth set up. One photographer in the booth making sales and answering questions, the other on the field shooting. We took turns shooting all 5 games.

Over $600 in sales onsite and over 100 business cards were picked up by perspective customers (Business cards have the URL link directing folks where to purchase pics online) !! This greatly exceeded our expectations for opening sales. We had a ton of folks who said they'd be buying as the season progresses as well. :thumbup:

Best part of the day was my sons game. It was a defensive battle, 0-0 score until 45 seconds left in the game, the opposition punts out of their endzone, the ball is tipped, and my son catches the ball and gets a TD in the endzone. Of course, I missed the shot (DOH!) but got the celebration in the endzone after. Final score was 6-0. He had 8 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 1 sack and the game-winning TD.


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## Guest84 (Dec 21, 2001)

His sack (and forced fumble) (Pics are alittle blurred, I need image stabilization dammit!  )
Sequenced:


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## NORE (Sep 2, 2006)

good pics.


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## Guest84 (Dec 21, 2001)

Thanks Nore.

These two were my favorite taken yesterday (of my favorite subject, my son!)

*A 15 yard run:*









*A QB sack:*


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## 8danno31 (Apr 11, 2006)

Ripsnort said:


> Hi Guys, not back full time, but lurking
> I'm probably going to expand this out to all 5 teams after I meet with the president of our Junior football chapter tonight.


How do you lock in with the organization to kind of have them protect your investment (like keep someone else from jumping in on your idea). Do you pay them, make a donation to the team, get the president a nice gift?

I recently invested in some equiptment for motorsport photography, and although right now I am still practicing, it seems like every is getting the same idea.


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## ___lk___ (Dec 21, 2001)

wtf is w/ kids playing on astro-turf? does everything have to be plastic these days?


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## Guest84 (Dec 21, 2001)

8danno31 said:


> How do you lock in with the organization to kind of have them protect your investment (like keep someone else from jumping in on your idea). Do you pay them, make a donation to the team, get the president a nice gift?
> 
> I recently invested in some equiptment for motorsport photography, and although right now I am still practicing, it seems like every is getting the same idea.


The org approached me this year, after I shot 1 team last year. There is not garantee that someone else can't shoot from the stands and sell photos, but the org will only allow our business to set up a booth and shoot from the sidelines.

We give them 20%.


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## Guest84 (Dec 21, 2001)

___lk___ said:


> wtf is w/ kids playing on astro-turf? does everything have to be plastic these days?


My initial assessment was identical to yours lk, however the newer stuff is called "turfy grass" and has this ground up rubber (apparently recycled tire rubber) embedded deep in its roots it and its extremely good stuff to prevent injuries. Almost "too" spongey in my opinion.


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## Guest84 (Dec 21, 2001)

I might add, our biggest seller is the photo montage. We offer various sizes and get between $65 (8x10) to $100 (20x24) for these. My other photographer does the artwork, I just shoot the pics and give them to her. Our cost to make these are around $6.50 plus time.


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