I think it's about time I update this blog with what's been happening in my life for the past few months. There will be no jokes, not much pictures and a hell lotta talking here. If you feel bored, feel free to skip.
OK, the past few months have been really hectic. I feel like I'm living on borrowed time. It's never enough and I'm pushing it so far that I'm typing this with a sick nose.
Work in the office has been fulfilling. I've been doing some IT upgrading and making sure some of these PCs run fast. Productivity is sometimes as good as the people you have and the equipments you maintain. I work a 9 to 6 environment and although linear they do provide a sense of security and I've been working this system for the past 3 years everything seems to be at my fingertips. The familiarity that these tasks offer me make me work with skill and ease. Taking less time to complete each task. Also, maintaining and managing an office is not easy, there are a lot of small details to take into account. Admin, HR, finance, marketing... all bundled into one albeit in a smaller scale than you envisioned it to be.
Monday & Tuesday nights are teaching. I've been teaching English as a foreign language to a manager in a prestige company for the past few months. Its not easy and the pressure to make sure he gets what he pays for is large. Teaching kids are all about making learning fun, teaching adults are all about making learning exciting and fulfilling at the same time. It has been good so far but I can only hope it gets better.
Photography, my passion. I've been doing some freelance for the past year and work has been good. Keeping the work good is what makes it exciting. One thing that gets me more than the photography part is the branding and business part. I'm building a brand and the bigger excitement is, that particular brand involves my name. I am the brand. See how exciting this is? How I bring about myself reflects personally on my brand and business. I've got a few more ongoing projects and being a freelance photographer actually works for both my client and me.
Think about it, being a freelance enables me to charge less not because the products I offer is of less quality but because there's not much of those rental, managing accounts, taxes, staff, overhead, etc... to account for. I deduct these minor expenses that entails when running a business and they all go to the client. Don't get me wrong, I intend to get out of freelance but for now, you're all having the best of both worlds. Value for product.
My charging strategy is to charge my minimum payment with minimum accessories. That way, the clients can think about what they want to add personally and not be forced to accept them all as a package. I shoot and they have the choice to get their album done or make a large canvas print or even selectively frame some of their favourite shots. That way, they don't have to pay for things they don't want and most probably don't need.
However, I always advocate a HQ wedding album for my clients. Its a once in a lifetime experience and you want them to be perfectly bound with leather and presented with a leather box. I once tried to go cheap with a hardcover and seriously, I was less than happy with what I am giving. I always always want only the best possible out of the things I produce. If you want something of lower quality, don't get the album from me.
For family or couple portraits and pre-wedding/engagement shoots, an album could maybe be overkill but I always suggest my clients to get them enlarged and framed or canvassed. I know some of these people just want to put them into their FB or websites but believe me, all that beauty that is you should be enlarged in full detail.
----------------------------------------------------
Enough about work or business, my personal life has also taken a battle round. Been traveling a lot, catching movies with my few close friends, engaging footie sessions with my mates & basically having parties at obscure places.
If you want to know more about my life, I guess most of them are updated on a daily basis at my FB. I'm a very public person actually. I don't really mind telling the world what I do. A bit narcissistic but I guess I've always been that way. You can unfriend me if you find my updates annoying or too frequent, I don't mind. It's nothing personal, we're still OHSEM friends.
OK, the past few months have been really hectic. I feel like I'm living on borrowed time. It's never enough and I'm pushing it so far that I'm typing this with a sick nose.
Work in the office has been fulfilling. I've been doing some IT upgrading and making sure some of these PCs run fast. Productivity is sometimes as good as the people you have and the equipments you maintain. I work a 9 to 6 environment and although linear they do provide a sense of security and I've been working this system for the past 3 years everything seems to be at my fingertips. The familiarity that these tasks offer me make me work with skill and ease. Taking less time to complete each task. Also, maintaining and managing an office is not easy, there are a lot of small details to take into account. Admin, HR, finance, marketing... all bundled into one albeit in a smaller scale than you envisioned it to be.
Monday & Tuesday nights are teaching. I've been teaching English as a foreign language to a manager in a prestige company for the past few months. Its not easy and the pressure to make sure he gets what he pays for is large. Teaching kids are all about making learning fun, teaching adults are all about making learning exciting and fulfilling at the same time. It has been good so far but I can only hope it gets better.
Photography, my passion. I've been doing some freelance for the past year and work has been good. Keeping the work good is what makes it exciting. One thing that gets me more than the photography part is the branding and business part. I'm building a brand and the bigger excitement is, that particular brand involves my name. I am the brand. See how exciting this is? How I bring about myself reflects personally on my brand and business. I've got a few more ongoing projects and being a freelance photographer actually works for both my client and me.
Think about it, being a freelance enables me to charge less not because the products I offer is of less quality but because there's not much of those rental, managing accounts, taxes, staff, overhead, etc... to account for. I deduct these minor expenses that entails when running a business and they all go to the client. Don't get me wrong, I intend to get out of freelance but for now, you're all having the best of both worlds. Value for product.
My charging strategy is to charge my minimum payment with minimum accessories. That way, the clients can think about what they want to add personally and not be forced to accept them all as a package. I shoot and they have the choice to get their album done or make a large canvas print or even selectively frame some of their favourite shots. That way, they don't have to pay for things they don't want and most probably don't need.
However, I always advocate a HQ wedding album for my clients. Its a once in a lifetime experience and you want them to be perfectly bound with leather and presented with a leather box. I once tried to go cheap with a hardcover and seriously, I was less than happy with what I am giving. I always always want only the best possible out of the things I produce. If you want something of lower quality, don't get the album from me.
For family or couple portraits and pre-wedding/engagement shoots, an album could maybe be overkill but I always suggest my clients to get them enlarged and framed or canvassed. I know some of these people just want to put them into their FB or websites but believe me, all that beauty that is you should be enlarged in full detail.
----------------------------------------------------
Enough about work or business, my personal life has also taken a battle round. Been traveling a lot, catching movies with my few close friends, engaging footie sessions with my mates & basically having parties at obscure places.
If you want to know more about my life, I guess most of them are updated on a daily basis at my FB. I'm a very public person actually. I don't really mind telling the world what I do. A bit narcissistic but I guess I've always been that way. You can unfriend me if you find my updates annoying or too frequent, I don't mind. It's nothing personal, we're still OHSEM friends.
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July 9, 2010
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