When a potential customer wants photos..

[sofadoc]

i recently landed a $15,000 sofa commission from a client who didn't come to me via word of mouth. it's the most expensive sofa i've made off my own name and it took some serious evidence to swing the client my way.

If I ever even sniff a $15,000 sofa job, believe me, I'll have the most comprehensive photo journal possible to show them. ;D
Congratulations, Alex. Sounds like you've really "got it goin' on" (NOT being sarcastic). Always glad to hear when the stitching brethren are doing well.

[tapissier]

Hey guys let's get this straight once and for all:
Taking pics of our work should not be to showcase your work at the first place.
it should be for yourself first and foremost.
As a reference tool, wether technical or financial or both.
But most importantly as a feel good tool.
If you feel good about your end product you should have a record of it, if you don't feel good about your end product...then you are in he wrong place.
I ALWAYS took pics for myself first, but what ever the media , it has never generated business, (newspapers articles, shows, videos) business has always been coming  from word of mouth,  but I will keep shooting the processes and making movies just to scream to the world how beautiful and fulfilling  the work is all about.
more to come...stay tuned...here's my site: www.atelierdefrance.com..I took all the pics and did all the work, and NO I don't have a social life and I don't play baseball on weekends.
week-ends? what week-ends?

[bobbin]

I like your sense of humor, Tapissier.   ::)

I am in awe of your manifest talent and am glad to see your name pop up on the forums again.  Really!

[scottymc]

Great site Tappisier, obviously with work like that you know how to use a staple gun.Your photos look like they came out of a magazine, sorry I missed your sarcasm, it is probably one of those cultural differences that bob up from time to time as people people from different countries converse on the internet, in Australia sarcasm is considered the lowest form of humour, to be used when having at best, a friendly swipe at someone. Keep up the good work, it's great to see someone with your talent that does not take themselves to seriously(not like some others on this site ;) ;) :-X) Looking forward to hearing more from you, as long as there is no talk of bobbin parties.

[sofadoc]

Taking pics of our work should not be to showcase your work at the first place.
it should be for yourself first and foremost.
As a reference tool, wether technical or financial or both.

One reason that I'm so lax in taking pictures is the hassle of setting up a good backdrop, and lighting.
But, if pics are mainly for my own personal use, then I can just aim and click.
Tapissier: Your website is amazing. You have a lot to offer this board. I hope you won't be such a stranger from now on. 

[alge]

Dont get me wrong S.doc its taken two decades of taking hits on price and seeing my work with other peoples names all over it to a get even the merest whiff of this kind of commission as me, myself and I.

Awesome site tappisier, your work exemplifies why the french system/tour works so well. I wish our government had the testicular fortitude to acknowledge it takes 6/7 years full time to train as a traditional upholsterer rather than 3/4 years one day per week. Its probably why we get so many french students doing six month placements here in the uk.

[tapissier]

thanks all for the kind comments, in terms of taking pictures, I found it essential to ease the communication with employees.
Most of the labor in the states, in the field of Upholstery are High-school drop outs, very seldom I had college educated laborers, let alone trade-school or vocational school educated, so having pictures makes things easy to teach my labor force on how I want things done and how it is supposed to look.

I also have white boards, one for the deadlines and assigned job and one for technical data to explain the know how.
In all these years in being in business I still have to tell people how to "tie their shoe", it's getting tiring, but that's the price to pay for being in the states, at least it is more business friendly than in France. In France, it would cost be $2.00 for every dollar I pay my help. Someone has to pay for the freebies and the small business are the ones getting hit.

An other subject of conversation I guess.

[bobbin]

I think you need to ease off, Scotty.    ::)

Here's why:  a lot of the people who come into the shop where I work finished high school and that was it for them.  Every few years we get an ex-convict who comes in looking for a job as they frequently "teach" upholstery skills in prisons.  It's not that they aren't bright and capable people at all, but many of them have simply decided to shut the door on further education; they want to do the work, get their check and then go home.  They aren't interested in professional criticism, mastering more advanced techniques, or stretching their minds to learn about subtleties in a business that is really full of them. 

But even for the brightest, most sincerely interested employee sometimes a picture is indeed worth a thousand words.  I can't tell you the number of times I've suggested to my boss that a digital camera and a laptop would make my job a whole lot easier.  Being able to look at the shot of a difficult site on an enclosure and SEE what I have to do is so much faster than reading a poorly scribbled work order.  It would actually save time and money and avoid costly errors... but no... .  That will never happen because Boss "doesn't want a computer" (read: doesn't know how to use one) and is perfectly happy controlling all the information and doing the things the way they've been done for the past 20 yrs.. 

All of which is fine, except that it makes my job harder and more frustrating because when something goes awry I am dressed down and reminded in the most condescending tone possible that I should have asked more questions... fair enough... but how can I ask questions when Boss is out in the field and won't carry a cell phone, either? 

So I don't think Tapissier was dissin' the quality of his employees, just pointing out a simple way to make it easier to avoid frustration and delay in his atelier.   I wish my boss was as interested in making things easier! it wouldn't "insult me", one bit!

[scottymc]

Okay Bobbin I just found it to be very condescending, it's one I'll back away from as I find it a bit "tiring".

Can see your point about the photos, as it is always a help , but the tone of the post struck a nerve with me, I can't read anything into it that could change my mind, enough said.

[bobbin]

I know we've touched on this point before but it's worth repeating.  It's so easy to read something and interpret it one way instead of another because we don't have the person sitting in front of us and can't see th4 eyes, the body language, or hear the intonation in a voice. 

And I know exactly what you mean about something rubbing you the wrong way, Scotty..  And so does everyone else on this site because it's happened to us, too, lol.  No hide lost, no big deal, right?  ;)

[scottymc]

.
In all these years in being in business I still have to tell people how to "tie their shoe", it's getting tiring, but that's the price to pay for being in the states, at least it is more business friendly than in France. In France, it would cost be $2.00 for every dollar I pay my help. Someone has to pay for the freebies and the small business are the ones getting hit.

An other subject of conversation I guess.
[/quote]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOyDR2b71ag&feature=related This chick say's it better than I can, If you guys don't want her, send her over here we need a new Prime Minister. 

[bobbin]

Scotty., I love Elizabeth Warren.  She's smart, she pulls no punches, and she asks questions that embarrass the really hard-core right wingers, the nascent "Tea Party", especially. 

The Republican Party in the USA loathes her and you can clearly see why when you listen to what she says.  She scares the livin' daylights out of them because she has taken a vocal stand against abuses in the financial industry (the mortgage debacle, in particular) and has been very outspoken about regulating credit card companies and requiring them to fully spell out the interest expense that will be incurred if only "minimum payments" are made.  Changes in both those industries have been instituted because of her no-nonsense, "just the facts, ma'am" approach to the underlying causes of so many personal bankruptcies.  She is an outspoken advocate for the necessity of sound, comprehensive "financial literacy" for all citizensm esp. KIDS, in this country. 

She doesn't have all the answers, by a long shot, but she is down in the trenches and gruntin' out for the workday, hourly employee who pays the lion's share of taxes in this country. 

[Stephen]

-1- cut pics from a magazine.

Absolutely NOT!  I realize that you were being sarcastic, but I'd hate to have someone take this seriously. Someone should never try to represent someone else's work as his own. Only take pictures of one's own work. To build your business on a solid foundation, be honest and truthful in all that you do.

-2- start taking pics right away of your own work, from start to finish, that's just about 10 shots, start showing that. the befores, durings and afters are always appreciated from the customers.

I agree with this. 10 pictures would do fine. As for myself I take a lot more pictures than this. I admit I go overboard, I generally take 25 pictures for a simple job and up to 150 or more on a large job. Then I pick and choose which pictures I want to use.

the hardship:
you have a deadline and you burned out, you don't give  a @#$% about taking pics... conquer your burned out state, take picture ALL the time of ALL your work... at the end of the day you'll be glad  you did!

I also agree. Take pictures all the time no matter how you feel. To accomplish this, make a safe place out in your workshop that is in the middle of your work area so that you can grab your camera every time you think about it.

Best Wishes,
Stephen

[scottymc]

She doesn't have all the answers, by a long shot, but she is down in the trenches and gruntin' out for the workday, hourly employee who pays the lion's share of taxes in this country. 

None of them have all the answers, is this lady in government?

[bobbin]

She was unable to win confirmation to the newly created post Obama wanted her to occupy, due to hard-line Republican opposition.  They have enough control and votes to scuttle any Democratic bills/appointees. 

She is a law professor (I believe) from Harvard University.  She has been mooted as a Democratic candidate to challenge Republican Scott Brown (who won the late Ted Kennedy's seat in the US Senate).  Frankly, I don't think she has what it takes to campaign and win an elected seat, but she is bright, very competent, and clearly a great candidate for an appointed seat on any important commission with respect to tax payer rights and consumer rights.