Copyright Moda Fotografica
A compelling post on The Junction…
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Copyright Moda Fotografica
A compelling post on The Junction…
April 29th, 2009 in Uncategorised by Nigel Hicks
If you’re flying in to shoot a wedding and the weather’s so foul the plane mightn’t be able to land, you have every wedding photographer’s nightmare. And to say the weather was foul would be an understatement… But the plane did land and Johannes (of Moda Fotografica) had already covered the other bases before heading out to shoot Vicky and Ricky’s wedding at French Farm in the South Island of New Zealand.
With heavy rain forecast and weather warnings in place, Johannes discussed with the couple what would happen if the weather didn’t play nice. He walked them through how it might effect what they’d planned, and exactly how he’d deal with it.
Plan B for Vicky and Ricky meant they went out and purchased a set of black umbrellas, ensured they and the bridal party had suitable footwear to get to and from the locations they wanted to shoot, and most importantly, Vicky and Ricky were emotionally prepared for what could happen.
Planning for the worst certainly paid off – it bucketed down. But Johannes says, “We took advantage of the rain and looked at it as a creative advantage. We still got beautiful shots – if anything it helped us!
“The rain made everyone work faster. The rain and risk of falling over and getting really dirty added an element of urgency, but also excitement, to the photography.”
A relaxed couple meant shooting was a breeze, the umbrellas added to the artistic effect of the images and nothing was going to stop the couple getting the images they wanted. Including Vicky climbing up the side of a slippery hill (which she nearly ended up at the bottom of a couple of times) to get this stunning shot.
Johannes presented Vicky and Ricky’s day in a 14×10 black leather Duo feature album.
To see a slideshow of the album click here.
April 28th, 2009 in Marketing by Johannes van Kan
Last week we had a wedding in Wanaka. It had been miserable the day before the wedding. In fact it had been snowing.
As our plane came in to land at Queenstown the captain announced that we would be circling while they waited for the weather to clear enough to see the runway. 45 minutes later there was another announcement that we were about to try a final approach for landing.
The Airline had a Plan B. If we couldn’t land we’d fly back to Christchurch and they’d drive us back by bus (six hideous hours).
Our own Plan B was to drive ourselves …and we could because we had enough time (we’d planned it that way).
Our other Plan B involved friends in the area who are amazing photographers … we could call them in.
Our other other plan B was a variation of the last one, where we went through the list of local photographers!
Stress is one of the major causes of health issues. The best way to deal with stress is to have good solid Plan B in place, so that you have a way to deal with the worst case scenario.
Plan B is a personal and professional responsibility.
Cheers, Johannes
April 17th, 2009 in Photography & Design by Johannes van Kan
I remember ordering my first album. I also remember the fear that maybe I had made a mistake somewhere.
I remember ordering my second. I remember that the fear didn’t change.
A couple of times over the years I’ve made significant spelling errors. That didn’t help with ‘the fear’! The albums had to be repaired or replaced … and I ended up with a wonderful studio sample. Not the end of the world.
The truth is that there are quite a few checkpoints in the making of an album using PJ Remix, as well as during production, so the chances of making mistakes are significantly reduced from what they used to be. I appreciate the extra eyes at Queensberry looking at what we do.
Last week we had an album in production. In one image there was a problem with banding that we hadn’t noticed. The lab, however, did notice and contacted us about correcting it.
The album arrived today. It was fantastic.
In the end it is all about ‘trust’.
Cheers, Johannes
Johannes wrote a post last week about a restaurant going the extra mile, but in the wrong direction. I thought it was real food for thought … so to speak. Justine pasted it on DWF and people got the point. But Adrienne reckoned it was a bit harsh – didn’t the restaurant deserve marks for trying?
Absolutely, and I’m sure Johannes was out to make a point rather than beat up on them. But…
It’s a harsh world. Your customers probably don’t care how hard you try, whether you can make payroll, how much you like oysters. Sometimes the toughest thing about being in business is that you can’t make people care … and it’s unwise to assume they do.
A formula is far less impressive than some sign that you have recognised the individual in me. That tells me you care, and encourages me to reciprocate.
Cheers, Ian
PS If you can say, “The usual please” in a restaurant – and get what you want – those people really know you. It works at the place Team PJ goes on Kebab Fridays and it makes me feel like going back. Even more impressive was the time the owner, just back from a year in Turkey, shook my hand, took my order and said, “Extra hot, right? No cheese?”
April 1st, 2009 in Opinion by Johannes van Kan
How far is the extra mile?
Four of us went out for dinner in Auckland on Sunday. When we arrived they gave each of us a fresh oyster in a spoon. It was part of the welcome … even before they asked us if we’d like a drink.
There were four problems.
One of us is pregnant and can’t eat shellfish.
One of us doesn’t like shellfish.
One of us didn’t like that the oysters were sitting in vinegar (albeit a fancy Chardonnay vinegar … it was a very flash restaurant).
The fourth ate one because it seemed rude not to.
Four oyster lovers would have been in some kind of heaven, but this was an extra mile in the wrong direction. Shades of those strangers in your viewfinder.
How far Which way is the extra mile?
Cheers, Johannes
March 22nd, 2009 in Marketing by Johannes van Kan
Customer service edicts state that the customer is always right. Sometimes we disagree … out of self defense. We don’t like the implication that because the customer is right then we must be wrong. We defend our innocence and integrity!
Step back for a moment.
There is a principle in Tai Chi that states that you can use your adversary’s energy on themselves.
Imagine saying the customer is always right. If you stop defending yourself and ask the client for a realistic solution to their own problem (a solution that, if they were you, they would see as fair) you move away from being wrong in their eyes to being right. Potentially you can avoid conflict and move into resolution.
Sometimes the customer is in fact wrong. And then you need to measure the real benefits of needing to win! Needing to win is not how successful businesses earn the love of their clients.
Sometimes the photographer is wrong. I know of a wedding photographer who missed a wedding (about as wrong as you can get). He did so much right for the couple that they now insist that all of their friends use him.
Johannes
March 20th, 2009 in Marketing by Nigel Hicks
March 17th, 2009 in Photography & Design by Johannes van Kan
I was working with a client last evening sorting out their album design, and yet again marveling at PJ Remix. We were looking at what we might do with their design to take it away from the ordinary. The expression Pimp My Album came to mind … and things went crazy!
There were tassels, dice, bling, and all sorts of flame shaped graphics … quickly recognised as possibly on the absurd side of album creativity.
It did get me thinking how I might accessorise my beautiful classic album. I thought I would start a list!
The obvious beginning is a case … there are two available (three if you include the original box). Or maybe a bag … If you wanted you could make your own from all sorts of fancy fabrics …
Then there is wrapping … Inside the case there might be personalised tissue … mmmmmm.
They open the book and there’s a personal thank you card … thanking them (the B and G) for their trust and money … actually better to work on the trust side … maybe replace ‘money’ with ‘investment’.
Then you might have a voucher for the pictures of their first-born!
And of course operating instructions, which include care instructions and storage advice.
And any self respecting album would not be complete without a miniature replica of itself.
In the design you could add elements of the wedding .. menus, invitations etc.
Gloves for handling with care!!!!
Some technology … maybe a copy of the slideshow of the album on a disc or on a storage device.
And a description of why this Queensberry album is unique and made of the finest materials, and why that makes the difference.
Happy blinging
Johannes
PS if anybody is willing to share ideas please add them by leaving a comment.
February 20th, 2009 in Products & Services by Ian Baugh
Alan (not his real name) and his wife were long-standing clients of one of our competitors. They came to us because they didn’t like the way they’d been treated.
Unlike Katherine, who likes us (even if she’s frustrated), we haven’t earned anything from Alan and his wife except a chance to win their business.
Alan’s customers really like our Duos, which of course they couldn’t get before, but he finds designing and ordering them difficult. Alan designs them on paper and his wife recreates them in Remix. Alan’s designs are reasonably complex, his wife is a fan of her old software (which can’t handle Duos) and she’s very reluctant to make the switch to PJ, which is “over-complicated”. They also have issues with some of our more “ponderous procedures” (my words, because I agree – more on that later).
In a nutshell, if our competitor had Duos, and had treated Alan better, chances are we’d never have seen him.
Put differently, my feeling is Alan would like us to be like his previous supplier, only better.
Even if I’m wrong, that’s a very common reason for changing suppliers. “I want you to do what Brand X does but better, or cheaper, or faster.”
My opinion is less important than our clients’, but for what it’s worth, I don’t see how switching suppliers can ever be all pros and no cons. There’s too much to learn and re-learn for there to be no difficulty.
The up-side is always on the far side of a learning curve, and your comfort zone.
Where Alan and his wife see complexity in Photojunction, for example, I see opportunities, and our team’s challenge is to help them take advantage of them.
Duos, for example
A more efficient work flow
A sales tool
Differentiation in the market.
And not least, an end to those “ponderous procedures” when finally PJ delivers “a clear, complete and unambiguous order direct into production”.
That’s our end game, and we’re closer with every release. We can’t expect everyone to come along for the ride, but we hope Alan will.
Cheers, Ian
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