Question / Help

[Little Buddy 14]

I was wondering if it was common to "loan" pictures? As a brand new company, my portfolio is quite small and was wondering if anyone wanted to sponsor me for like a month until i can get some work?

This is my theory. As a young adult, 20, i feel that the odds are against me with little experience. My plan was to build a site as an information tool and a gallary of what some finished jobs looked like with the ready seal stain, mostly to showcase the product.

I know some landscaping companies that use the same job photos, because the paver company supplies them. None of them did the work, and are not taking credit for the work, but are using the photos to showcase the pavers.

I just need some photos for a site to help sell the product, until i can build my own portfolio and sell the product and quality of work.

Let me know what you think,

JL

[Douglas Hicks 128]

If you did not do the work, and you do not have a disclaimer stating the work shown is not yours, aren't you starting your business with a lie?

[charlie 14]

Just use what you have. Also call the company that sells you the product and see if they have any stock pictures.

Charlie

Edited February 16, 2010 by charlie

[gutterdog 14]

Want kinda pics you want to borrow and how much money you got to work with??? (Just a joke!) ...Pm me lol hehehe (evil laugh)

[offduty 25]

Why would you want photo's of work you have not done. Go wash something for free and take a picture of it. Ditto on what Douglas said.

[mrwindow 14]

I feel that the odds are against me with little experience.

Hey LB,

Keep your head high, your already discouraging yourself and you have yet to do any work.

Go out and get some accounts, if you have to do a freebie in order to take photos - then do so and be sure to thank the customer for the opportunity before you leave.

[Andy Hinson 14]

I was wondering if it was common to "loan" pictures? As a brand new company, my portfolio is quite small and was wondering if anyone wanted to sponsor me for like a month until i can get some work?

This is my theory. As a young adult, 20, i feel that the odds are against me with little experience. My plan was to build a site as an information tool and a gallary of what some finished jobs looked like with the ready seal stain, mostly to showcase the product.

I know some landscaping companies that use the same job photos, because the paver company supplies them. None of them did the work, and are not taking credit for the work, but are using the photos to showcase the pavers.

I just need some photos for a site to help sell the product, until i can build my own portfolio and sell the product and quality of work.

Let me know what you think,

JL

I may have missed it. What is your product? Homes ,Roofs......

[gutterdog 14]

When I add a new service I do the first few for free. You might have to do some at cost or call a relative or 2. When I switched from sodium hypochloride to sodium hypochlorite for roofs I experimented with my roof and my parents before I went out there and got paid.

The earlier post by me I think might have been in bad taste and I appologize. Was just trying to be funny!

[Chesapeake 14]

Photos help, but you can sell the work without them. I've been in business for 9 years now and just started taking pictures and creating albums 2 years ago. I wish I started taking pictures in the beginning. Point is you can get the work without them. My advice would be to go after the work, take pictures of every job you do, and then create a portfolio to showcase your work once you have a stack of pics. It will just mean more if you showcase your own work.

[Little Buddy 14]

Oh I agree. Personally i like looking at a before and after picture of anything. It will just give the customer greater confidence in the product. They might not have heard of ReadySeal stain before and want to see what the final product looks like before they buy the service.

I did do one job in the last few weeks of summer. It was a fence and deck for a group home for $2,300. I was the only one that got back to them and gave them a bid, makes life easy. I will be doing our decks this summer, so thats another $1,700 that my parents are paying...mostly materials.

It's not that i am a rookie to wood restoration. Unless you are reatarded, there shouldn't be much variaiton between various contractors work if they are using the same materials and stains. I have never heard of ReadySeal before i started looking in starting my company, neither has my dad, who has worked at Anderson Windows for over 32 years.

That is the main reason, to show case the product and how it looks like furniture. Like i said, i dont understand the argument that it isn't my work and why would you show work that you did not do.

Thats my view. Not to spark any arguments.

JL