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photographers at houston


uhcougs

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there was a guy who was taking pictures at HMP that ive never seen before. if you're a lukrer lemme know how i can view the photos and purchase some from you.

 

That photographer was NOT in an official capacity and does NOT have authorization to sell images from the race. He's already been shut down once this season. He was not shooting images for sale.

 

Images can be viewed here:

 

http://www.gulfimagesphoto.com/hmp/

 

We are the only official photography provider sanctioned by the track.

 

This week's images will be posted in a few days.

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just a question, why don't the pictureman at the track, bring 8x10's out to the track the next following race to sell. i have fans and sponsors that come to the track to support me and would like to have pictures of my and other cars that race there. would it be too much difficulty to have a photo stand to purchase pictures instead of having to order them, some of the fans and sponsors don't even know where to get the pictures. i'm not going to order pictures every time someone wants a picture or pay for it. i've had some people ask me for a picture at the track and i didn't have any. i think the pictureman could make more money if the pictures were available at the track. a friend of mine that took pictures at cleveland would make a couple of copies of each picture every saturday night, and if you didn't get to the track before the fans did, you didn't get a picture of your car unless you ordered it. not everyone has a computer to order them either. just a thought, may not be worth anyones trouble, but i remember MACK'S of HOUSTON at the old meyer speedway and he alway's had pictures at the track!!! thanks, del

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Del,

 

First off, this was my first year to work HMP, Sam Bulger asked me to come in and work with him, and since it was my first oval track experience I really wasn't sure how it would pan out.

 

I tried that a couple of times to sell prints onsite and didn't sell hardly any. I would have been happy to do it otherwise. I also would have welcomed any suggestions during the year. My plan was to set up a booth but after the lack of sales when I brought prints and took them around in the pits, I decided not to because I have to pay someone to be there to man a booth, the sales just haven't supported it.

 

I've mostly shot drag racing over the years and do the same there with great results. I shot some dirt track for a while but it was directly for a legends team.

 

In the film days, bringing the prints to the track was the only way we did it. The online thing took off well for me about 4 years ago so I've gone that route along with selling from the previous event onsite when it's feasable, that was my plan for HMP but it just didn't work out that way.

 

I mostly do portrait and commercial work but like to work a couple of motorsports events because I grew up in racing, my family is involved in racing, I enjoy shooting it and I think I bring a quality product to the table.

 

I've really enjoyed shooting HMP, you guys put on a fantastic show. I don't know if it's because I grew up in the pits of the drag strip and am used to that, but sometimes I actually found myself wishing I was in the stands so I could watch you guys run. I'm looking forward to the possibility of doing it again next year and learning exactly what everyone wants.

 

Cheers,

Bobby Cunningham

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thanks for the reply bobby, i know it cost a lot to be in the photo business, but the price i was quoted to buy one picture 8x10, was the reason i did not order any. in 2001, you could buy a 8x10 photo at cleveland for $6, this year i ask about one picture at the beginning of the year and was told they were $20. each and if you bought more they would be a little less each, i don't think many racers are going to pay that much for an individual picture. i know that cost of things have risen, but i also know that if i were shooting pictures, about 100+ per night and had 2 copies of each picture and had a chance of selling them @ $10. and people having to order what sold out in stead of having 50+ copies that nobody buy's and not making a sale at all. if you have a car that you are shooting and never sale any of that cars pictures, you would know that he is not a very good customer, but if you shoot pictures of cars and are sold out every week, wouldn't that be your best shot? i don't know what it cost to do this, but i do know what a 35mm cost at walmart and how much to develope, even in duplicate. my only incentive here is that i, like most other racers and fans, like the 8x10 photo of my favorite racer or my own car and if i want more copies, i can order them, at a reasonable price. thanks, del

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Instead of selling pictures...do you think putting the pics on CD would sell better? Separate the classes and add the misc pics to each CD? I personally have purchased numerous CD's instead of fingering through pictures themselves. Just a thought.

 

Kathie Weir

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Del,

 

I certainly understand where you are coming from, but the problem is, I'm not selling marked up pieces of paper, I'm selling images, that's my product. I based my price on what I feel my work is worth and what I sell them for at the drag strip. 20.00 includes the sales tax by the way so it's really about 18 and some change. I'd sell 2 images for 35.00 at the track (2 different). Online they are slightly cheaper to make up for having to pay frieght. 20.00 has been the standard at tracks I've worked so that's just where I've been.

 

After our conversation about it in the pits, I looked around on the internet at other tracks and photographers in Texas and my prices were either about the same or lower. Take an 11x14 print, I found many that were selling for 40.00, we sell for 27.50, Sam was selling them for 30.00 before I came in. I did find some that were considerably lower but the quality of the images was so bad, there was no comparison.

 

This is an issue I'm trying to work out, but there has to be a balance because I like to eat ;o), particularly for you guys with a pickup truck and a trailer, I look at ya'll and I see my own dad when I was growing up, I really want to find a way to get you some quality images at a price we can both live with.

 

I wish I would have come around here earlier in the season. A few months ago John asked me to start sending winners circle images to this site and I just got around to looking at the forum this week.

 

And about 100+ pictures per week, just so you know, it's actually 800-1000 per event depending on the amount of classes run that night, it takes a huge amount of time to go through all those and pick out the good and the bad, maybe something many people don't realize, but my work just begins when I'm done at the track. ;o)

 

Kathy, we do sell digital images, individual images are priced on the site, but if you have a lot, we can definately work something out if you call us.

 

Cheers,

Bobby

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Aaron, I have bought a couple of pictures from the JRA and I have purchased lots online. I just keep forgetting that you sell them up there. I think they were $2 for a 4X6. I think that was the only size option. Well just checked the Dot Photo which is where Jeff Garvin sells his photos and it looks like the 3X5 and 4X6 are $2 and the 5X7 are $5 and the 8X10 is $8. Aaron, get the word out there, I know that Mason Teague was wanting pictures this year and I told him about Dot Photo. Forgot about JRA. Do you just have that nights photos or are you able to purchase previous nights as well?

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I have every race night from the 2007 season posted. We do $2 per photo or 10 For $10 on 4X6. 8X10's are the same as onliine at $8.

 

I can print all photo's and mail them to you for an additional shipping charge. As well we will have them at the banquet.

 

We also contribute part of the proceeds to the Drivers point fund.. & Jeff...

 

 

It just seems over the years Photo's are not important anymore.. i guess its with the creation of camera phones.. :(

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I have been doing racing photography for 7 years now, and making decent money at it. I have my wife and mother-in-law work my booth. When I am racing, we hire another photographer to replace me. We have a website so people can order online, or we can print at the track. You got to love what you do to keep doing it.

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I can apreciate what you are saying Authur, I've been shooting racing for 2 decades, but I'm not in this to just make some extra money, I have to make a living and support my family just like everyone else does. When it comes down to it, there's not a huge difference in your prices and mine, but I just can't go for these 2.00 per print deals, there is just no way anyone can make a living that way, even part time when you look at the time involved vs. the return, that's just giving it away.

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$2 is too cheap. I sell 4X6's for $5, 5X7 for $7, and 8X10 for $10. I customize them for $2 more. I also sell clocks, mousepads, plaques, koozies, coasters, visors, and blankets. I know exactly what you are saying Bobby. I do it part time, but I do rely on the money to pay my bills. I make an extra $18-20K per year doing my PART TIME job. I chose not to do photography full time after I left the newspaper, I do work a regular job too. Even as a part time job, I do work during the week. I just got back from dropping my photo rig off at the next track we will be at, starting tomorrow. IT is a full time, part time job. Just so you know, I do appreciate your work, you do a great job. I don't buy pics often, and I haven't this year because I have someone down there for me. But there is a shot that you have from this race that I will want from you and will purchase online.

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Thanks Lori!

 

A full resolution digital file is the same thing as a negative. I don't know one single photographer in business that sells those for 10.00, I sell a web sized file for 12.50. I would go out of business selling full resolution files for 10.00 each. We sell them for just under the cost of a 16x20 print and that's really too cheap. Once that is sold, it's over for me as one can get as many prints made as they want.

 

The value of my image is based on the image, not the cost of a piece of paper or a CD. If one does not see the value in my image, then they won't buy it. I've had comment after comment from HMP racers about the quality of my work compared to what has been produced (even ones that didn't buy them) and I'm proud of that fact. Has anyone ever bought a painting and decided since it was only a few dollars in paint and a brush so it should be sold for 10.00?

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Wow... Guess I need to get back to selling my CD's again hell I even forgot what I sold them for lol... Gotta say tho I had alot of fun when I was doing it... I think I used to sell the CD's of each class for $10 a piece and not have any left... Was alot easier than carrying around a binder full of 4x6's. Got in most tracks free by way of TSRS or Jay Hallas or RIP SAS and if there was no other photo persons I could DL Burn CD's on site and pay for the trip... Heck even got to shoot the Snowball Derby because of it will not forget that one... :)

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