Photography: Focus on Profit [Paperback]

Tom Zimberoff (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2002

Photography: Focus on Profit is a combination profitability handbook and business automation software that enables photography students and experienced professionals to reach the level of profitability and professionalism that is needed to grow in today’s competitive marketplace.

By using the Photography: Focus on Profit package on the job, photographers will:

* automatically calculate a profit whenever applicable
* ensure a timely return of revenues through instant processing of bills, reminders, and invoices
* create a “virtual paper trail” in the office that can be easily accessed at every stage of the workflow
* apply effective copyright licensing terms to all estimates, invoices, and confirmations
* carry out customized promotions in time-efficient, professional manner
* create documents and reports from cutting-edge, time-proven templates
* instantly call up status reports, detailed client information, and track records
* implement the “best practices of photography” in their business procedures

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

A SCHOOL OF PROFITABILITY FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS

Imagine a photography business with no fear-inspiring paper stacks and lost invoices, where every expense is billed correctly and where revenues return steadily, on time and with profit guaranteed. PHOTOGRAPHY: FOCUS ON PROFIT makes the dream of the fully functional, profitable, clutter-free photography business a reality. Written by a photographer and expert on business automation, this unique combination software/handbook is an intelligent and uncompromising guide toward a contemporary, competitive photography business.

With PHOTOGRAPHY: FOCUS ON PROFIT, author Tom Zimberoff provides not only a comprehensive step-by-step guide to setting up a profit-driven photography business, but also a free software program that fully automates business operations. PhotoByte, which has been widely adapted by schools and practitioners nationally, is based on an extensive relational database and is tailor-made to fit the photography business model in its most current form, including the licensing of electronic rights. PhotoByte administers every step of the photographic workflow consistently, frees photographers of painful paperwork, and enforces the principles of profitability in every assignment or licensing process. Effectively implementing these principles is the focus of the handbook which describes from scratch how to set up a photography business, from strategic financial, legal, and marketing issues to the daily challenges of the photographer’s trade, and which explicitly draws from the “best practices” of photography.

About the Author

Tom Zimberoff is an accomplished commercial photographer and photojournalist whose photographs have appeared on the covers of Time, Fortune, Money, People, and numerous other magazines. He is an authority on the topic of photo-business automation, on which he regularly teaches seminars at universities and trade schools such as RIT and the Art Institute of Atlanta. He is also the founder of Vertex Software, Inc., the publishers of PhotoByte® 2000. He writes for Photo District News. He lives in San Rafael, California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Allworth Press (October 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581150598
• ISBN-13: 978-1581150599
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 0.9 x 10 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,090,805 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Gear, June 23, 2003

By 

Salvador Feliciano (Castañer, Puerto Rico Puerto Rico) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Photography: Focus on Profit (Paperback)

Beginner,amateur or professional; "Photography-Focus on Profit" by Tom Zimberoff is a must have for all photographers. Tom provides a written road map that is invaluable to not just the individual, but to photographers as a whole. He guides you from the basics of starting out; continues through the do's and dont's on up to maintaining profitability in this tight market.

That's not all. He also includes the "PhotoByte" program. This amazing software keeps track of all assignments from birth to conception. It guides you step by step.

Want to know how much profit you have made from a particular image? It does it! It keeps track of all profits in general and by individual photographs (it even displays the photo). Want to know which customers still owe money, which one's pay on time and how much profit (or loss) from a particular customer? It does that as well.

Don't want customers seeing the markup on your services? Enter the item(s) and Photobyte shows it on the screen and calculates everything for you... automatically. It even add's the sales tax for you! Keeps track of equipment (with serial numbers), customers, jobs...

This program is heaven sent which means Tom is an angel. If you need direction then this book will give it to you. The program is just icing on the cake.

As a former photographer for the military in Hawaii; I moved to Puert Rico to start anew due to the economic slowdown caused by the 9/11 tragedy. I've worked for many people but never on my own (photography). I had the practical photo experience. But the business side was a stretch and I could only go by "general" business practices.

Tom's book showed me that "general" does not apply to photography. "Focus on Profit" is exactly that. "Focused".

Thanks Tom. This is the best Photography business book I have ever read. It stays on my desk at all times.

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An essential, basic guide, January 5, 2003

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Photography: Focus on Profit (Paperback)

Photography: Focus On Profit isn't just another beginner's how-to guide on taking or marketing pictures. Photography: Focus On Profit culls the industry's best practices, using software to put its lessons into practice. Photographers are given all the information needed to incorporate profitability into their efforts. Chapters provide specific guidelines geared to profitability, from buying equipment only when and as needed to generate an immediate payback, to defining a potential customer base. An essential, basic guide.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Unbeatable Resource, June 23, 2003

By 

Greg Gerla (Calgary, AB Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Photography: Focus on Profit (Paperback)

I would consider this book required reading for anyone interested in ensuring their photography career is a profitable one! Focus On Profit is a sensible, easy read with a wealth of information about running a successful business.
The computer software "Photobyte" that is included with it has streamlined my business more than I can say.
I highly recommend this book.