Customer Reviews

Photography: Focus on Profit

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4 star:		(2)
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2 star:		(3)
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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.

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.

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.

What a gem! This book is for anyone who has remotely considered photgraphy as a business. A straight talk step by step guide to setting up and maintaining your operation right down to properly pricing your fees so you make a consistant profit. A great desk reference every photography entreprenuer should not be without.

Though this book still has some valid points (such as think of yourself and your business as two separate entities with yourself being and employe of your business), it is completely out of date. I was re-reading this book the other day as I had it from college in 2005. It talks a lot about how digital photography is not something to worry about and talks about the internet as if few people have heard of it. This book is too old to be useful.

The book has a lot of great information, most important of all is pricing your photography, and why it is so important to ensure you are making a good profit, and not undercutting others just for the sake of trying to get business... In the end, it hurts yourself because once you devalue your services, those customers will never pay more, and you have doomed yourself to losing money. Photography is just like any other business, and the bottom line should be making money.... Some of the book is a bit out of date, but overall it is a good resource.

Book is a great comprehensive business system for photographers. But try as I might the CD will not allow me to use it. Without the CD the rest is pretty useless. There is NO support so if YOU can't get it to operate you are on your own.

The book its self isnt bad, but i mainly got it for the software that was supposed to come with it. the disc is only good for windows XP and below. that is the only bad thing! so i will have to try to find another program to use !

As an amateur going to a professional photographer, I find this book interesting. It is a valuable resource for growing in this occupation. It gives you really nice advice on how to make profitable photography. It covers every possible scenario that you might encounter when just starting your business. Though some of its information is dated in regards to equipment and the impact of digital photography, the core principles of running a business are current and would help anyone who is interested in doing so. After all, this is a book about business and not about photography gear. Then if you are looking for some guides to start your photography business, reading it will certainly give you the tools for a successful beginning.

I like this book and find some of the tips easier to read than other books on this topic. The other book that is kind of an equivalent t to this would be "The Business of Studio: Photography" by Lilly. This book for me was more reader friendly, and the other had a more professional feel to it, and covers more on wedding photography.

Both I think are essential for those looking for such specific literature, starting a business in photography.

The Business of Studio Photography: How to Start and Run a Successful Photography Studio