My Google Rant…

Thanks Phil… I thought about UDEMY. In fact I started to create a course for a similar online university back in 2005 or 2006 but didn’t get accepted because I did not have any formal photography education.

I’m not a very good photographer. My secret is I outsource most of the work and most people who sign up with me expect me to teach them all about photography but that’s not what I do.

All of my backgrounds I outsourced… I outsource all of my edits… I have a couple of photographers who I pay $25 per hour to photograph for me.

I offered to teach them how to show and sell images thinking they would jump at the chance to earn $100 per hour but they turned me down. They want to take photos and let someone else do the marketing and selling for them.

What I teach is so simple it doesn’t require much training… It requires a willingness to take action.

Here’s a testimonial I just received 2 weeks ago from someone who reached out to me on the Warrior Forum:

Unlike most "gurus," Steve practices what he preaches. The methods he espouses are businesses that he has personally forged, tested, and tweaked in the real world, and that he either has run or currently runs successfully and profitably. I've personally used one of Steve's business models to create my own thriving, six-figure, offline business. I wouldn't have any hesitation in investing in anything that Steve creates or endorses. Michael Glovis http://myfantasyportrait.com/

I knew within 5 minutes of speaking with him on the phone that he would succeed because he had no prior experience in photography whatsoever and he had just returned to the States after selling the outsourcing company he started in the Philippines. Plus he mentioned his brother was good with Photoshop. I didn’t charge him a single penny. I just sent him a couple of PDF’s and videos and Michael and his brother Brian teamed up. Thy took action and had immediate success!

But seldom does an artist or fellow photographer succeed. They get so hung up on working in the business instead of working on their business and I’m getting fed up with them.

I just received an email today from someone who I just sent some of my digital backgrounds to along with the same PDF’s and Video’s I gave to Michael & Brian and she shot back a quick message to me asking When will I learn how to actually use these backgrounds with my photos??

Here’s what I just sent back to her:

Gee Teri, I don't even get a thank you for giving you all those digital backgrounds?

I don't teach how to do the work yourself.... my advice is to hire someone in the Philippines to do your image edits for $3 - $5 per hour. My goal is to teach you only what you need to make a lot of money and show you the shortcuts so you can do it immediately instead of taking years to become a graphic artist yourself.

If you are looking to pinch pennies and do all of the grunt work yourself then a good place to learn that is at: http://shareandlikethis.com.au/SVolker

But you would be better off with: http://shareandlikethis.com.au/PhotographyMoneySecrets

Or just hire my team of digital artists and let thm do the work for you.

Your choice,

Photographically Yours,
Steve

I predict Teri will fail because she wants to do all the work herself and when I asked her what books she read it was a very short list and even though she has been on my list for 3 years now she still hasn’t read the E-Myth Revisited which I told her was non-negotiable required reading for her to succeed. She is very busy trying to do all the work herself but she fails to do any marketing.

Now Michael and Brian only contacted me a year ago but because they just followed the very simple steps I sent them… they are doing very well.

I’m thinking I’d be better off to just quietly focus on my offline portrait business and quit helping others to get started with photography. Photographers often tell me how bad business is because everyone now owns a camera and can take their own photos.

Well I own a lawn mower and can mow the lawn myself but I and a lot of other lawn mower owners still hire others to do the grunt work for them. As long as photographers insist on doing everything themselves they will remain starving artists. Pushing a lawn mower is good exercise but I still rather pay someone else to cut the grass while I pay http://www.jetts.com.au/ so I can workout just about anywhere I travel to in Australia. I also have a gym quality threadmill at home along with plenty of freeweights, kettle bells and rebounder but I like working out in a gym with people who are 40 years younger than me... it keeps me feeling young so I don't mind paying when I could gett all the exercise I want for free.

I advise photographers to watch the film “Exit Through The Gift Shop” but not one of them seems to understand this review someone wrote about it: A provocative and absorbing exploration of what constitutes art, the creative process and the power of hype to triumph over talent.

Hype or salesmanship was a big part but you still need a good product / art to offer… but that does not mean you have to create it yourself. Just outsource it to a starving but talented artist and sell the crap out of it.

If you don’t sell a product and leverage your results through other people you are likely to end up selling the one thing you can never get more of… your time. And like Dien pointed out in another SOWPUB post… We all have to sell something.

Cheers,
Steve