Market Size

Mike_Guilbault · #1 07-25-2006, 12:16 AM

I'm curious to see what the smallest market size is to sustain a professional photographer. In other words, if a photographer can do portraits, weddings, commercial work - a 'general practicioner', what size market do you need to stay in business? If you're in a market that is less than 100,000 how small is it and what sort of work do you do to survive? (and if your spouse is supporting you, that doesn't count!).

EricC · #2 07-25-2006, 02:07 AM

Mark,
Maybe it's because it's so late.... I don't understand your question. Are you asking how many customers we serve a year, the population of the areas that we cover, or how many 'units' we sell in a year?

Eric

Ken_Tanaka · #3 07-25-2006, 04:38 AM

Each year Photo District News Magazine publishes a state-by-state overview that surveys how photographers keep themselves fed in different market sizes and demographics. (This year's survey was in the February issue. You may be able to order a back-issue.) The short story is that photographers generally adapt to their situations. The best are always busy, whether for local commercial work, weddings, or doing work outside of their home geography (quite common for small markets). Everyone else...well... The common theme, regardless of location, seems to generally be (a) specialize, (b) hone your creativity and skills in the specialty, and (c) become a keen, disciplined businessperson.

Mike_Guilbault · #4 07-25-2006, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EricC

Mike,
Maybe it's because it's so late.... I don't understand your question. Are you asking how many customers we serve a year, the population of the areas that we cover, or how many 'units' we sell in a year?

Eric

I'm asking about the population of the area. For example, is anyone making a full-time living (with no help from a spouse - ie. the spouse may be working, but their income isn't needed) with a market draw of 30,000 people, or 15,000, or 50,000? See what I mean?

Mike_Guilbault · #5 07-25-2006, 09:27 AM

Ken,

Thanks for the excerpt. Unfortunately I do not subscribe to PDN. Have thought about it. Is it worth it?

I guess I'm curious to know what sort of income level one could expect from a small market. We're considering moving to a smaller town (right now we're in a city of 125,000 with a market area of probably closer to 200,000.

Ken_Tanaka · #6 07-25-2006, 01:57 PM

I think a subscription to PDN is "worth it" for any professional, or even near-professional, photographer in the U.S.. It's one of the few publications truly devoted to professional photographic matters. It's Web site is also a very good extension of the magazine, particularly the subscriber-only access to certain materials.

In addition to the state-by-state overview I noted earlier, PDN also ran an article recently on what photographers earn in various specialties and markets. Sounds exactly like what you'd like to see. Give them a call and perhaps you can order the appropriate back-copies...as well as start a new subscription. Yes, it's worth it.

David_Buzzard · #7 07-25-2006, 03:22 PM

It's hard to quantify 'market'. I live in a community with less than 10,000 residents, and 4/5's of those would buy a new mountain bike or pair of skis long before they would ever think of hiring someone to take their picture. I draw my market from people coming into the community to get married, or stage an event. With the interenet, your market is really the world.

Another friend of mine lives in a medium sized town on Vancouver Island, but has such a demand for her work that she travels several hours for some of her jobs. I was out there last week and was going to drop in and visit, but she'd been flown to Nova Scotia for a wedding.

BTW - PDN is a great magazine, but stupidly expensive for Canadians to subscribe to. I've resigned myself to getting copies when I'm in the States, and to checking their web page.

David Buzzard