CLICK HERE FOR ANSWERS TO MANY FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.
A)PRICES
1)Q: CAN I GET A BETTER PRICE?
A: $10 TO $20 A SHOT IS AN INCREDIBLE DEAL FOR A PROFESSIONAL SHOT AND YOU GET THE JPG FOR UNLIMITED PERSONAL USE. TO GET AN IDEA OF THE "GOING RATE" CHECK SURFER MAGAZINE'S STANDARD PHOTO BUYOUT RATE SHEET BELOW: THERE ARE PERSONAL USE SURF PHOTOS AVAILABLE STARTING AT $247- FOR ONE PRINT (NOT THE JPG). MY COMMERCIAL DAY RATE STARTS AT $1000. $10 - 20 PER JPG IS A GIFT.
KEEP IN MIND I SHOT YOUR SESSION(S) FOR FREE!
2)Q: DO YOU DO A "PER SESSION" RATE?
A: YES, AND IT WILL SAVE YOU MONEY IF YOU SCORE MORE THAN FIVE SHOTS. ADVANCE BOOKING REQUIRED.
3)Q: DO YOU DO A GROUP RATE?
A; NO- THERE ARE TWO OPTIONS; 1)PER PERSON PER SESSION (ADVANCE BOOKING ONLY), OR 2)PER PHOTO.
4)Q: I BOUGHT A CD FROM A LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER AT MY BEACH FOR WAY LESS THAN YOU CHARGE.
A: CHANCES ARE YOU ARE COMPARING ME TO AN UNKNOWN, UNPUBLISHED SHOOTER (THEY ARE WORKING EVERY BEACH THESE DAYS SELLING CD'S FOR A SONG.) AND THE DIFFERENCE IN THIER RESULTS AND MINE IS OBVIOUS. MOST ARE HOBBYISTS OR THINK IT'S "COOL"... WHAT ARE THEY REALLY DOING THERE? (HOW MANY $30 CDS DOES IT TAKE TO PAY OF 15-50 GRAND OF CAMERA EQUIPMENT MUCH LESS MAKE A LIVING?)
5) I WANT TO BUY ALL THE SHOTS. CAN I GET A BULK DISCOUNT?
A: FOR MORE THAN 50 SHOTS I WILL OFFER A 50% DISCOUNT.
B)IMAGE SIZE
1)Q: THE SAMPLES YOU SENT ARE TOO SMALL. CAN YOU SEND BIGGER ONES?
A: IF I SEND BIG SAMPLES FOLKS WON'T PURCHASE THEM FOR OBVIOUS REASONS (THEY CAN SIMPLY DOWNLOAD AND PRINT FOR FREE). THE IDEA IS THE SAMPLES ARE BIG ENOUGH TO SEE THE SURFING YET NOT BIG ENOUGH TO PRINT OR SHARE WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
ANOTHER OPTION IS I CAN POST A GALLERY ON MY WEBSITE WHICH IS GREAT FOR VIEWING AND I'LL LEAVE IT UP FOR A COUPLE DAYS. (ALSO MORE TIME/WORK AND ALSO THE INITIAL PRICES OFFERED WON'T APPLY).
C) IMAGE QUALITY
1)Q: HOW DO I KNOW THE PHOTOS ARE SHARP AND GOOD QUALITY?
A: CHECK OUT MY SITE (NICASHOTS.COM); NOTICE THE QUALITY OF EVERY SINGLE SHOT ON THERE...I DELETE ANY PHOTO THAT ISN'T "A" QUALITY DURING THE INITIAL EDITING PROCESS SO YOU CAN BE ASSURED ALL YOUR SHOTS ARE "A" QUALITY SHOTS (AS I STATED CLEARLY IN MY PITCH).
D)IMAGE NAMES/TITLES
1)Q:THE SAMPLES YOU SENT DON'T HAVE LABEL NAMES OR TITLES...
A:USUALLY A LIST OF ATTACHED IMAGE TITLES IS VISIBLE IN THE EMAIL WITH THE SAMPLES- IF IT ISN'T:
MAC: DRAG THE IMAGE(S) ONTO YOUR DESKTOP OR INTO A FOLDER. THE IMAGE TITLE(S) WILL BE VISIBLE.
PC: RIGHT CLICK ON THE IMAGE, "SAVE AS" ON YOUR DESKTOP OR IN A FOLDER THEN THEY WILL APPEAR WITH IMAGE TITLES. IF NOT LET ME KNOW AND I'LL UPLOAD THEM TO A GMAIL SET UP FOR THIS PROBLEM AND EMAIL YOU THE LOGIN/PASSWORD.
E)NICASHOTS.COM GALLERIES
1)Q: I SAW OTHER SURFERS' GALLERIES ON YOUR WEBSITE...WHY DID YOU SEND ME SMALL SAMPLES RATHER THAN MAKE ME A GALLERY?
A: I USUALLY ONLY MAKE AND POST GALLERIES ON MY WEBSITE FOR PROFESSIONAL SURFERS (TO SHOW THEIR SPONSORS FOR POTENTIAL ADVERTISING SALES) AND FAMILIES. MOST TOURIST SURFERS TEND TO SEND THEIR BROS A LINK TO MY SITE AND DON'T PURCHASE ANYTHING IF THEY HAVE A GALLERY ON THERE. IT IS ALSO MORE WORK AND TIME TO MAKE A GALLERY THAN TO SEND SMALL SAMPLES.
2)Q: I NOTICED A "BUY THIS PHOTO" LINK ON YOUR SITE. I CLICK ON IT AND IT SAYS THEY CAN'T PRINT AS THE PHOTO ISN'T HIGH ENOUGH RESOLUTION.
A: I UPLOAD LO-RES SHOTS AS IT TAKES WAY LESS TIME. IF YOU PREFER TO ORDER PRINTS DIRECTLY FROM THE SITE I CAN UPLOAD HI RES VERSIONS ON THERE, JUST SEND AN EMAIL REQUEST.
3)Q: I HAD A GALLERY ON YOUR SITE BUT NOW IT'S GONE.
A: I'LL USUALLY LEAVE A GALLERY UP FOR A COUPLE DAYS, MAYBE A WEEK. IF THE GALLERY HAS MASS HITS AND NO PURCHASES IT GETS DELETED AUTOMATICALLY. IF YOU WANT TO PURCHASE SOME SHOTS SEND AN EMAIL REQUEST AND I'LL RE-POST THE GALLERY.
F)PORTRAITS
1)Q: CAN I GET SOME PORTRAITS AS WELL?
A: ABSOLUTELY. FAMILY, GIRLFRIEND, A NEW HEADSHOT FOR YOUR MYSPACE, WHATEVER.
G)VIDEO
1)Q: DO YOU DO VIDEO?
A: YES. PER SESSION RATES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. I CAN ALSO EDIT A VIDEO FOR YOU AND GIVE IT TO YOU ON DVD AND/OR POST IT ONLINE (YOUTUBE, ETC.)
H)"I'M SPONSORED"
1)Q: I'M SPONSORED AND MY SPONSORS WANT TO BUY THE SHOTS "FOR SURE".
A: IF YOU WANT THE JPGS ORDER THEM AND PRESENT THEM TO YOUR SPONSORS. IF THEY BUY ANY I WILL REFUND ANY
MONEY YOU SPENT ON THE SESSION THE PUBLISHED SHOT WAS FROM. IF YOU RIDE FOR A MAJOR SURF INDUSTRY COMPANY BASED IN SO CAL CHANCES ARE I AM AN ASSOCIATE WITH EVERYONE FROM YOUR TEAM MANAGER TO THE COMPANY CEO- IF I FEEL I CAN SELL AN AD OF YOU THEY WILL GET THE SHOTS FROM ME DIRECTLY.
I)PERSONAL/COMMERCIAL USE
1)Q: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PERSONAL AND COMMERCIAL USE?
A; COMMERCIAL USE IS WHEN THE IMAGE IS USED TO PROMOTE SOMETHING BEING SOLD, ONLINE OR OTHERWISE, AND THERE ARE SPECIFIC REATES AND TERMS FOR COMMERCIAL USE (AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST).
J)GEAR
1)Q: WHAT TYPE OF GEAR DO YOU SHOOT WITH?
A: NIKON, CANON, MINOLTA, SONY: AF 600 F4 LENS, 8 TO 12 MP CAMERA BODIES, PRIME LENSES / ZOOMS, HD VIDEO, SPL, BARBISH, KOBETICH WATERHOUSINGS....
HOWEVER WHAT MANY FOLKS DON'T REALIZE IS IT'S THE COMBINATION OF GEAR WITH THE PHOTOGRAPHER'S TIMING AND SKILL (EXPERIENCE) AS WELL AS HIS SURFING KNOWLEDGE/ABILITY THAT DICTATE THE QUALITY OF THE RESULTS.
"IT'S NOT THE ARROW, IT'S THE INDIAN".
"PABLO PICASSO DIDN'T HAVE A SPECIAL BRUSH".
2)Q: WHAT TYPE OF WAX WORKS DOWN THERE?
A: NOTHING COMES CLOSE TO SEX WAX QUICK HUMPS, RED LABEL. BRING IT FROM HOME, IT IS HARD TO IMPOSSIBLE TO ATTAIN DOWN HERE. FOR MY EXPERIENCE EVERYTHING ELSE GETS SLIPPERY, FLAKES OFF OR CREATES BALD SPOTS.
K)LOCATIONS
1)Q:WHERE DO YOU SHOOT?
NICARAGUA:
A: I'M BASED FULL TIME IN NICARAGUA BECAUSE IT HAS THE MOST CONSISTENTLY PERFECT WAVES OF ANYWHERE I'VE EVER BEEN (AUSTRAILIA, HAWAII, ASIA, AMERICA, AFRICA, SOUTH PACIFIC, INDONESIA, ETC.).
19 OUT OF 20 DAYS THE BEST SPOT IN NICARAGUA IS PLAYA COLORADO (IT'S A SWELL MAGNET, HAS CONSISTENT SANDBARS, AND THE WIND IS USUALLY OFFSHORE ALL DAY) AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE PEAKS WHICH MAKES THE CROWD LESS A FACTOR. MANZANILLO IS AN AMAZING WAVE AND EXTREMELY PHOTOGENIC, BUT VERY FICKLE. I TEND TO SHOOT THERE WHEN IT'S ON. THOSE ARE THE BEST SPOTS FOR PHOTOS UNLESS YOU WANT TO RIDE 15 FT SURF AT OUTER POPOYO WHICH WE CAN GO SHOOT AS WELL.
COSTA RICA:
A: THE PLAYA NEGRA AREA HAS OVER A DOZEN AMAZING SPOTS (I DISCOVERED A FEW OF THEM BACK IN THE DAY) AND I STILL GO DOWN THERE AND SHOOT AROUND ONCE A MONTH. THE PROBLEM IS THE WIND SWITCHES EARLY MOST DAYS BUT THERE IS A FORMULA FOR KNOWING WHEN IT DOESN'T AND I'M ON IT.
PANAMA:
A: BOCAS, CATALINA, EPIC SURF, I GO ABOUT ONCE A YEAR.
EL SALVADOR:
A: THE BEST SETUPS IN CENTRO AND GREAT WAVES FOR VIDEO. I HAVE IT DIALED, GO A FEW TIMES A YEAR.
MEXICO:
A: I'M ALWAYS DOWN FOR A MEX TRIP AND WILL BE THERE AT PUERTO ESCONDIDO SHOOTING FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER.
INDONESIA:
A: I GO TO INDO ONCE A YEAR, MENTAWAIS, BALI, WHATEVER. I'LL SHOOT YOUR ENTIRE TRIP FOR ONE PRICE.
L)DO YOU DO PHOTO TOURS
1)A: YES I DO. I SPEAK FLUENT SPANISH AND KNOW THE COAST OF CENTRAL AMERICA LIKE THE BACK OF MY HAND (BEEN FULL TIME DOWN HERE FOR OVER A DECADE). I KNOW WHERE TO STAY (ALL LEVELS), WHERE TO EAT (HEALTHY) AND HAVE GOOD CONNECTIONS IN EVERY COUNTRY.
CAPITAL CITY LATE-NIGHT TOURS AVAILABLE AS WELL (NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART).
LET ME KNOW YOUR DATES AND WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO AND ON WHAT LEVEL AND I'LL EMAIL YOU A PROPOSAL/POTENTIAL TRIP OUTLINE.
M)REAL ESTATE
1)A: I SHOOT FOR MOST OF THE DEVELOPERS IN THE BEST SURF ZONES AND AM OFFICIAL STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER FOR HACIENDA IGUANA. I HAVE THE RARE OPPORTUNITY TO RUB ELBOWS WITH MOST EVERYONE SELLING LAND/CONDOS/HOUSES DOWN HERE (COLORADO AREA, NICARAGUA AND PLAYA NEGRA AREA, COSTA RICA). I CAN SEND YOU PHOTOS VIA EMAIL AND WILL GIVE YOU AN UNBIASED BREAKDOWN OF EVERYTHING AVAILABLE THAT FITS YOUR NEEDS. ONCE YOU COME DOWN I'LL TAKE YOU THERE AND SHOW YOU EVERYTHING, AND INTRODUCE YOU TO THE OWNER OF WHAT YOU ARE INTERESTED IN.
O)SURF LESSONS/ COACHING
A: YES, ALL LEVELS.
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P) REAL EMAIL Q AND A'S:
1)Q: I make my living working as a waiter. I make good money,
but am still in the homie hook up, scratch my back and I'll scratch
your's frame of mind. I am sure you could tell since I was
requesting a group discount. The bottom
line is that I love the photos, some of them I can't tell if it is me
or not. Obviously, it is easy for you since you are looking at the
high res images. I really didn't want to have you send images back
and forth. Ask you what you think of certain shots. Ask you if you
think certain ones were worth buying or not.
A: IN MY INITIAL PITCH I STATE THEY ARE A QUALITY ORIGINALS. I HAVE MY WEBSITE LINK ON THERE AND MOST FOLKS LOOK AT THE PHOTOS ON MY SITE AND CAN SEE THE STANDARD OF EVERY SINGLE PHOTO. A . AS SMALL AS THE SAMPLES ARE YOU CAN SEE THE SURFING. MOST FOLKS PUT IT TOGETHER AND MAKE THE DESICION WHETHER IS "WORTH BUYING" OR NOT. OTHERS HAVE A FEW COMMON QUESTIONS WHICH I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER. MY DIRECT WAY OF COMMUNICATING PUTS SOME FOLKS OFF BUT I´M JUST GOING ABOUT MY BUSINESS THE ONLY WAY I KNOW HOW.
2)Q:Ask you questions about
resolution and which one's were fine at lower res ($10) and which were
better to buy at $20. I really didn't want to be a pain in the ass
and assumed you would rather say, "Look buddy, the pictures are sick,
you can pay $__ and the others can pay $___. I'll throw them on a
disk after you pay and we're all good. Then, send money now, money
next month until I could afford all of the shots.
A: LOOK, MY PRICES AND TERMS ARE CLEARLY SET OUT IN MY PITCH. THIS ISN´T THE SWAP MEET AND I DON´T NEGOTIATE AND HAGGLE WITH CUSTOMERS- THE REASON IS BECAUSE I ONLY SELL ONE GRADE OF PHOTO. MY PERSONAL OPINION OF IF SOMEONE IS RIPPING OR SURFING LIKE A KOOK NEVER PLAYS INTO IT BEYOND THAT I CAN TELL SOMEONES LEVEL AND I DELETE ANY SHOTS THAT I DON´T THINK THEY WOULD WANT TO BUY.
3)Q: Having your photos
really means a lot, especially because I lost my camera's memory card
with over 300 pictures and videos that we took during the trip. Since
it was only a 6 MB automatic camera, there weren't any super quality
surf shots, however the memories the 3 girls and 3 of us guys are no
longer at our disposal.
A: DO YOU HAVE CUSTOMERS COMING IN YOUR RESTAURANT SAYING
"WE ARE JUST EATING HERE BECAUSE MY STOVE IS BROKEN, OR NO ONE WANTED TO COOK?" THEY GO TO YOUR RESTAURANT BECAUSE THE FOOD IS GOOD AND THEY LIKE THE PRODUCT. THEY DON´T NEED TO JUSTIFY TO YOU WHY. I AM IN A STRANGE BUSINESS.
4)Q:Second, the reason I had suggested a group
discount was because we did not have enough shots to
get the $10 per pic price point and he had asked if I thought you
would be okay with that since there were more of me and less of them.
A: DO YOU HAVE CUSTOMERS ASKING FOR A SPECIAL ¨TABLE¨ PRICE BECAUSE ONE ATE MORE THAN ANOTHER, OR BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH ONLY ONE GUY ORDERED THE SPECIAL THEY ALL WANTED THE $6.99 LUNCH DEAL PRICE?
5)Q:In additon, I have no idea the difference between a $10 photo and a
$20 photo. Are we talking the $20 photo you can blow up to life size
and the $10 is only a small blow up???
A: $10 SHOT: 1.3 MEGAPIXEL JPG GOOD FOR UP TO 19X16 ENLARGEMENT (AS CLEARLY STATED IN MY PITCH)
$20 SHOT: 8-10 MEGAPIXEL GOOD FOR HUGE BLOW UPS, POSTERS, ETC.
6)Q: Third, I did not want to
discredit your abilty or worth as a professional photographer. I
have no idea what professionals charge nor do I feel I deserve a
special deal. You don't know me and obviously you are making a
living doing what you love.
A: NOT THAT OBVIOUS BRO. SURFING IS WHAT I LOVE. PHOTOGRAPHY IS MY WORK. SITTING ON THE BEACH WHILE THERE´S WAVES IS NOT EVEN CLOSE TO MY LOVE. I THANK GOD EVERY DAY THAT I CAN PUT DIAPERS ON MY BABY´S BOOTY BUT AFTER 25 YEARS OF SHOOTING AND GETTING TREATED LESS THAN PROFESSIONAL IT IS NOT FUN.
7)Q:If you felt I was trying to haggle you
out of money, that was not my intention.
A: NO BROTHER, I NEVER TOOK IT LIKE THAT. I SEE IT AS JUST A COUPLE OPEN
MINDED DUDES COMMUNICATING ABOUT SURF PHOTOS AND THE BUSINESS OF SURF PHOTOS.
8)Q:Obviously, I don't want to
spend $600 plus dollars for photos and then another large amount to
have them printed, framed, etc.
A: DO YOU HAVE CUSTOMERS COMING IN YOUR RESTAURANT TELLING YOU "OBVIOUSLY" THEY DONT WANT TO SPEND $50 ON A STEAK, $10 ON A TIP, ETC. WHILE LOOKING AT THE MENU PRICES?
9)Q:In addition, I don't have that kind
of money to spend after our travel expenses were increased by over
$3,000 due to a "surfboard embargo" that Continental informed us when
we left. We were forced to buy new tickets and
have overnight layovers both ways of the trip. Spending thousands on
new flights, checking boards on multiple carriers, renting cars,
hotels, etc. Not fun, but getting good waves in paradise made it all
worth the new debt.
A: I AM IN THE STRANGEST BUSINESS. IMAGINE SOMEONE COMING IN TO YOUR RESTAURANT AND EXPLAINING THIS TYPE OF STUFF TO YOU WHILE LOOKING AT YOUR MENU.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q)1
Q: Thanks so much for finding the images, they're sick. My wife
also does photography on the side so I know all the work that goes into it.
Would it be possible to get the images on a disk, because I would like
to purchase 90% of them. Unfortunately the wife laid down the law and said
that would be way to much money for us right now. I understand photography
is your profession, and if it's not possible to get more images on a disk
for a cheaper amount It's cool. Just thought it wouldn't hurt to ask.
Thanks and God bless
A: I can send images on a disk but it will be more, not less, as you can
imagine in here Nicaragua that is a lot more work for me to go to town
and wait in line at the post office, etc.
I have formulated these special tourist rates so surfers like you can
get professional photos of yourselves to show your friends and family
and potential sponsors for those who surf as well as you. I have
enclosed the standard rates for a professional surf photographer. You
will note under "personal use" the cheapest buyout is $265 for one
print. I offered you hi-res jpgs for $10 each (of which you can make
multiple prints, etc.).
Your photos will be deleted in 48 hours.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A)PRICES
1)Q: CAN I GET A BETTER PRICE?
A: $10 TO $20 A SHOT IS AN INCREDIBLE DEAL FOR A PROFESSIONAL SHOT AND YOU GET THE JPG FOR UNLIMITED PERSONAL USE. TO GET AN IDEA OF THE "GOING RATE" CHECK SURFER MAGAZINE'S STANDARD PHOTO BUYOUT RATE SHEET BELOW: THERE ARE PERSONAL USE SURF PHOTOS AVAILABLE STARTING AT $247- FOR ONE PRINT (NOT THE JPG). MY COMMERCIAL DAY RATE STARTS AT $1000. $10 - 20 PER JPG IS A GIFT.
KEEP IN MIND I SHOT YOUR SESSION(S) FOR FREE!
2)Q: DO YOU DO A "PER SESSION" RATE?
A: YES, AND IT WILL SAVE YOU MONEY IF YOU SCORE MORE THAN FIVE SHOTS. ADVANCE BOOKING REQUIRED.
3)Q: DO YOU DO A GROUP RATE?
A; NO- THERE ARE TWO OPTIONS; 1)PER PERSON PER SESSION (ADVANCE BOOKING ONLY), OR 2)PER PHOTO.
4)Q: I BOUGHT A CD FROM A LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER AT MY BEACH FOR WAY LESS THAN YOU CHARGE.
A: CHANCES ARE YOU ARE COMPARING ME TO AN UNKNOWN, UNPUBLISHED SHOOTER (THEY ARE WORKING EVERY BEACH THESE DAYS SELLING CD'S FOR A SONG.) AND THE DIFFERENCE IN THIER RESULTS AND MINE IS OBVIOUS. MOST ARE HOBBYISTS OR THINK IT'S "COOL"... WHAT ARE THEY REALLY DOING THERE? (HOW MANY $30 CDS DOES IT TAKE TO PAY OF 15-50 GRAND OF CAMERA EQUIPMENT MUCH LESS MAKE A LIVING?)
5) I WANT TO BUY ALL THE SHOTS. CAN I GET A BULK DISCOUNT?
A: FOR MORE THAN 50 SHOTS I WILL OFFER A 50% DISCOUNT.
B)IMAGE SIZE
1)Q: THE SAMPLES YOU SENT ARE TOO SMALL. CAN YOU SEND BIGGER ONES?
A: IF I SEND BIG SAMPLES FOLKS WON'T PURCHASE THEM FOR OBVIOUS REASONS (THEY CAN SIMPLY DOWNLOAD AND PRINT FOR FREE). THE IDEA IS THE SAMPLES ARE BIG ENOUGH TO SEE THE SURFING YET NOT BIG ENOUGH TO PRINT OR SHARE WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
ANOTHER OPTION IS I CAN POST A GALLERY ON MY WEBSITE WHICH IS GREAT FOR VIEWING AND I'LL LEAVE IT UP FOR A COUPLE DAYS. (ALSO MORE TIME/WORK AND ALSO THE INITIAL PRICES OFFERED WON'T APPLY).
C) IMAGE QUALITY
1)Q: HOW DO I KNOW THE PHOTOS ARE SHARP AND GOOD QUALITY?
A: CHECK OUT MY SITE (NICASHOTS.COM); NOTICE THE QUALITY OF EVERY SINGLE SHOT ON THERE...I DELETE ANY PHOTO THAT ISN'T "A" QUALITY DURING THE INITIAL EDITING PROCESS SO YOU CAN BE ASSURED ALL YOUR SHOTS ARE "A" QUALITY SHOTS (AS I STATED CLEARLY IN MY PITCH).
D)IMAGE NAMES/TITLES
1)Q:THE SAMPLES YOU SENT DON'T HAVE LABEL NAMES OR TITLES...
A:USUALLY A LIST OF ATTACHED IMAGE TITLES IS VISIBLE IN THE EMAIL WITH THE SAMPLES- IF IT ISN'T:
MAC: DRAG THE IMAGE(S) ONTO YOUR DESKTOP OR INTO A FOLDER. THE IMAGE TITLE(S) WILL BE VISIBLE.
PC: RIGHT CLICK ON THE IMAGE, "SAVE AS" ON YOUR DESKTOP OR IN A FOLDER THEN THEY WILL APPEAR WITH IMAGE TITLES. IF NOT LET ME KNOW AND I'LL UPLOAD THEM TO A GMAIL SET UP FOR THIS PROBLEM AND EMAIL YOU THE LOGIN/PASSWORD.
E)NICASHOTS.COM GALLERIES
1)Q: I SAW OTHER SURFERS' GALLERIES ON YOUR WEBSITE...WHY DID YOU SEND ME SMALL SAMPLES RATHER THAN MAKE ME A GALLERY?
A: I USUALLY ONLY MAKE AND POST GALLERIES ON MY WEBSITE FOR PROFESSIONAL SURFERS (TO SHOW THEIR SPONSORS FOR POTENTIAL ADVERTISING SALES) AND FAMILIES. MOST TOURIST SURFERS TEND TO SEND THEIR BROS A LINK TO MY SITE AND DON'T PURCHASE ANYTHING IF THEY HAVE A GALLERY ON THERE. IT IS ALSO MORE WORK AND TIME TO MAKE A GALLERY THAN TO SEND SMALL SAMPLES.
2)Q: I NOTICED A "BUY THIS PHOTO" LINK ON YOUR SITE. I CLICK ON IT AND IT SAYS THEY CAN'T PRINT AS THE PHOTO ISN'T HIGH ENOUGH RESOLUTION.
A: I UPLOAD LO-RES SHOTS AS IT TAKES WAY LESS TIME. IF YOU PREFER TO ORDER PRINTS DIRECTLY FROM THE SITE I CAN UPLOAD HI RES VERSIONS ON THERE, JUST SEND AN EMAIL REQUEST.
3)Q: I HAD A GALLERY ON YOUR SITE BUT NOW IT'S GONE.
A: I'LL USUALLY LEAVE A GALLERY UP FOR A COUPLE DAYS, MAYBE A WEEK. IF THE GALLERY HAS MASS HITS AND NO PURCHASES IT GETS DELETED AUTOMATICALLY. IF YOU WANT TO PURCHASE SOME SHOTS SEND AN EMAIL REQUEST AND I'LL RE-POST THE GALLERY.
F)PORTRAITS
1)Q: CAN I GET SOME PORTRAITS AS WELL?
A: ABSOLUTELY. FAMILY, GIRLFRIEND, A NEW HEADSHOT FOR YOUR MYSPACE, WHATEVER.
G)VIDEO
1)Q: DO YOU DO VIDEO?
A: YES. PER SESSION RATES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. I CAN ALSO EDIT A VIDEO FOR YOU AND GIVE IT TO YOU ON DVD AND/OR POST IT ONLINE (YOUTUBE, ETC.)
H)"I'M SPONSORED"
1)Q: I'M SPONSORED AND MY SPONSORS WANT TO BUY THE SHOTS "FOR SURE".
A: IF YOU WANT THE JPGS ORDER THEM AND PRESENT THEM TO YOUR SPONSORS. IF THEY BUY ANY I WILL REFUND ANY
MONEY YOU SPENT ON THE SESSION THE PUBLISHED SHOT WAS FROM. IF YOU RIDE FOR A MAJOR SURF INDUSTRY COMPANY BASED IN SO CAL CHANCES ARE I AM AN ASSOCIATE WITH EVERYONE FROM YOUR TEAM MANAGER TO THE COMPANY CEO- IF I FEEL I CAN SELL AN AD OF YOU THEY WILL GET THE SHOTS FROM ME DIRECTLY.
I)PERSONAL/COMMERCIAL USE
1)Q: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PERSONAL AND COMMERCIAL USE?
A; COMMERCIAL USE IS WHEN THE IMAGE IS USED TO PROMOTE SOMETHING BEING SOLD, ONLINE OR OTHERWISE, AND THERE ARE SPECIFIC REATES AND TERMS FOR COMMERCIAL USE (AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST).
J)GEAR
1)Q: WHAT TYPE OF GEAR DO YOU SHOOT WITH?
A: NIKON, CANON, MINOLTA, SONY: AF 600 F4 LENS, 8 TO 12 MP CAMERA BODIES, PRIME LENSES / ZOOMS, HD VIDEO, SPL, BARBISH, KOBETICH WATERHOUSINGS....
HOWEVER WHAT MANY FOLKS DON'T REALIZE IS IT'S THE COMBINATION OF GEAR WITH THE PHOTOGRAPHER'S TIMING AND SKILL (EXPERIENCE) AS WELL AS HIS SURFING KNOWLEDGE/ABILITY THAT DICTATE THE QUALITY OF THE RESULTS.
"IT'S NOT THE ARROW, IT'S THE INDIAN".
"PABLO PICASSO DIDN'T HAVE A SPECIAL BRUSH".
2)Q: WHAT TYPE OF WAX WORKS DOWN THERE?
A: NOTHING COMES CLOSE TO SEX WAX QUICK HUMPS, RED LABEL. BRING IT FROM HOME, IT IS HARD TO IMPOSSIBLE TO ATTAIN DOWN HERE. FOR MY EXPERIENCE EVERYTHING ELSE GETS SLIPPERY, FLAKES OFF OR CREATES BALD SPOTS.
K)LOCATIONS
1)Q:WHERE DO YOU SHOOT?
NICARAGUA:
A: I'M BASED FULL TIME IN NICARAGUA BECAUSE IT HAS THE MOST CONSISTENTLY PERFECT WAVES OF ANYWHERE I'VE EVER BEEN (AUSTRAILIA, HAWAII, ASIA, AMERICA, AFRICA, SOUTH PACIFIC, INDONESIA, ETC.).
19 OUT OF 20 DAYS THE BEST SPOT IN NICARAGUA IS PLAYA COLORADO (IT'S A SWELL MAGNET, HAS CONSISTENT SANDBARS, AND THE WIND IS USUALLY OFFSHORE ALL DAY) AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE PEAKS WHICH MAKES THE CROWD LESS A FACTOR. MANZANILLO IS AN AMAZING WAVE AND EXTREMELY PHOTOGENIC, BUT VERY FICKLE. I TEND TO SHOOT THERE WHEN IT'S ON. THOSE ARE THE BEST SPOTS FOR PHOTOS UNLESS YOU WANT TO RIDE 15 FT SURF AT OUTER POPOYO WHICH WE CAN GO SHOOT AS WELL.
COSTA RICA:
A: THE PLAYA NEGRA AREA HAS OVER A DOZEN AMAZING SPOTS (I DISCOVERED A FEW OF THEM BACK IN THE DAY) AND I STILL GO DOWN THERE AND SHOOT AROUND ONCE A MONTH. THE PROBLEM IS THE WIND SWITCHES EARLY MOST DAYS BUT THERE IS A FORMULA FOR KNOWING WHEN IT DOESN'T AND I'M ON IT.
PANAMA:
A: BOCAS, CATALINA, EPIC SURF, I GO ABOUT ONCE A YEAR.
EL SALVADOR:
A: THE BEST SETUPS IN CENTRO AND GREAT WAVES FOR VIDEO. I HAVE IT DIALED, GO A FEW TIMES A YEAR.
MEXICO:
A: I'M ALWAYS DOWN FOR A MEX TRIP AND WILL BE THERE AT PUERTO ESCONDIDO SHOOTING FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER.
INDONESIA:
A: I GO TO INDO ONCE A YEAR, MENTAWAIS, BALI, WHATEVER. I'LL SHOOT YOUR ENTIRE TRIP FOR ONE PRICE.
L)DO YOU DO PHOTO TOURS
1)A: YES I DO. I SPEAK FLUENT SPANISH AND KNOW THE COAST OF CENTRAL AMERICA LIKE THE BACK OF MY HAND (BEEN FULL TIME DOWN HERE FOR OVER A DECADE). I KNOW WHERE TO STAY (ALL LEVELS), WHERE TO EAT (HEALTHY) AND HAVE GOOD CONNECTIONS IN EVERY COUNTRY.
CAPITAL CITY LATE-NIGHT TOURS AVAILABLE AS WELL (NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART).
LET ME KNOW YOUR DATES AND WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO AND ON WHAT LEVEL AND I'LL EMAIL YOU A PROPOSAL/POTENTIAL TRIP OUTLINE.
M)REAL ESTATE
1)A: I SHOOT FOR MOST OF THE DEVELOPERS IN THE BEST SURF ZONES AND AM OFFICIAL STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER FOR HACIENDA IGUANA. I HAVE THE RARE OPPORTUNITY TO RUB ELBOWS WITH MOST EVERYONE SELLING LAND/CONDOS/HOUSES DOWN HERE (COLORADO AREA, NICARAGUA AND PLAYA NEGRA AREA, COSTA RICA). I CAN SEND YOU PHOTOS VIA EMAIL AND WILL GIVE YOU AN UNBIASED BREAKDOWN OF EVERYTHING AVAILABLE THAT FITS YOUR NEEDS. ONCE YOU COME DOWN I'LL TAKE YOU THERE AND SHOW YOU EVERYTHING, AND INTRODUCE YOU TO THE OWNER OF WHAT YOU ARE INTERESTED IN.
O)SURF LESSONS/ COACHING
A: YES, ALL LEVELS.
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P) REAL EMAIL Q AND A'S:
1)Q: I make my living working as a waiter. I make good money,
but am still in the homie hook up, scratch my back and I'll scratch
your's frame of mind. I am sure you could tell since I was
requesting a group discount. The bottom
line is that I love the photos, some of them I can't tell if it is me
or not. Obviously, it is easy for you since you are looking at the
high res images. I really didn't want to have you send images back
and forth. Ask you what you think of certain shots. Ask you if you
think certain ones were worth buying or not.
A: IN MY INITIAL PITCH I STATE THEY ARE A QUALITY ORIGINALS. I HAVE MY WEBSITE LINK ON THERE AND MOST FOLKS LOOK AT THE PHOTOS ON MY SITE AND CAN SEE THE STANDARD OF EVERY SINGLE PHOTO. A . AS SMALL AS THE SAMPLES ARE YOU CAN SEE THE SURFING. MOST FOLKS PUT IT TOGETHER AND MAKE THE DESICION WHETHER IS "WORTH BUYING" OR NOT. OTHERS HAVE A FEW COMMON QUESTIONS WHICH I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER. MY DIRECT WAY OF COMMUNICATING PUTS SOME FOLKS OFF BUT I´M JUST GOING ABOUT MY BUSINESS THE ONLY WAY I KNOW HOW.
2)Q:Ask you questions about
resolution and which one's were fine at lower res ($10) and which were
better to buy at $20. I really didn't want to be a pain in the ass
and assumed you would rather say, "Look buddy, the pictures are sick,
you can pay $__ and the others can pay $___. I'll throw them on a
disk after you pay and we're all good. Then, send money now, money
next month until I could afford all of the shots.
A: LOOK, MY PRICES AND TERMS ARE CLEARLY SET OUT IN MY PITCH. THIS ISN´T THE SWAP MEET AND I DON´T NEGOTIATE AND HAGGLE WITH CUSTOMERS- THE REASON IS BECAUSE I ONLY SELL ONE GRADE OF PHOTO. MY PERSONAL OPINION OF IF SOMEONE IS RIPPING OR SURFING LIKE A KOOK NEVER PLAYS INTO IT BEYOND THAT I CAN TELL SOMEONES LEVEL AND I DELETE ANY SHOTS THAT I DON´T THINK THEY WOULD WANT TO BUY.
3)Q: Having your photos
really means a lot, especially because I lost my camera's memory card
with over 300 pictures and videos that we took during the trip. Since
it was only a 6 MB automatic camera, there weren't any super quality
surf shots, however the memories the 3 girls and 3 of us guys are no
longer at our disposal.
A: DO YOU HAVE CUSTOMERS COMING IN YOUR RESTAURANT SAYING
"WE ARE JUST EATING HERE BECAUSE MY STOVE IS BROKEN, OR NO ONE WANTED TO COOK?" THEY GO TO YOUR RESTAURANT BECAUSE THE FOOD IS GOOD AND THEY LIKE THE PRODUCT. THEY DON´T NEED TO JUSTIFY TO YOU WHY. I AM IN A STRANGE BUSINESS.
4)Q:Second, the reason I had suggested a group
discount was because we did not have enough shots to
get the $10 per pic price point and he had asked if I thought you
would be okay with that since there were more of me and less of them.
A: DO YOU HAVE CUSTOMERS ASKING FOR A SPECIAL ¨TABLE¨ PRICE BECAUSE ONE ATE MORE THAN ANOTHER, OR BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH ONLY ONE GUY ORDERED THE SPECIAL THEY ALL WANTED THE $6.99 LUNCH DEAL PRICE?
5)Q:In additon, I have no idea the difference between a $10 photo and a
$20 photo. Are we talking the $20 photo you can blow up to life size
and the $10 is only a small blow up???
A: $10 SHOT: 1.3 MEGAPIXEL JPG GOOD FOR UP TO 19X16 ENLARGEMENT (AS CLEARLY STATED IN MY PITCH)
$20 SHOT: 8-10 MEGAPIXEL GOOD FOR HUGE BLOW UPS, POSTERS, ETC.
6)Q: Third, I did not want to
discredit your abilty or worth as a professional photographer. I
have no idea what professionals charge nor do I feel I deserve a
special deal. You don't know me and obviously you are making a
living doing what you love.
A: NOT THAT OBVIOUS BRO. SURFING IS WHAT I LOVE. PHOTOGRAPHY IS MY WORK. SITTING ON THE BEACH WHILE THERE´S WAVES IS NOT EVEN CLOSE TO MY LOVE. I THANK GOD EVERY DAY THAT I CAN PUT DIAPERS ON MY BABY´S BOOTY BUT AFTER 25 YEARS OF SHOOTING AND GETTING TREATED LESS THAN PROFESSIONAL IT IS NOT FUN.
7)Q:If you felt I was trying to haggle you
out of money, that was not my intention.
A: NO BROTHER, I NEVER TOOK IT LIKE THAT. I SEE IT AS JUST A COUPLE OPEN
MINDED DUDES COMMUNICATING ABOUT SURF PHOTOS AND THE BUSINESS OF SURF PHOTOS.
8)Q:Obviously, I don't want to
spend $600 plus dollars for photos and then another large amount to
have them printed, framed, etc.
A: DO YOU HAVE CUSTOMERS COMING IN YOUR RESTAURANT TELLING YOU "OBVIOUSLY" THEY DONT WANT TO SPEND $50 ON A STEAK, $10 ON A TIP, ETC. WHILE LOOKING AT THE MENU PRICES?
9)Q:In addition, I don't have that kind
of money to spend after our travel expenses were increased by over
$3,000 due to a "surfboard embargo" that Continental informed us when
we left. We were forced to buy new tickets and
have overnight layovers both ways of the trip. Spending thousands on
new flights, checking boards on multiple carriers, renting cars,
hotels, etc. Not fun, but getting good waves in paradise made it all
worth the new debt.
A: I AM IN THE STRANGEST BUSINESS. IMAGINE SOMEONE COMING IN TO YOUR RESTAURANT AND EXPLAINING THIS TYPE OF STUFF TO YOU WHILE LOOKING AT YOUR MENU.
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Q)1
Q: Thanks so much for finding the images, they're sick. My wife
also does photography on the side so I know all the work that goes into it.
Would it be possible to get the images on a disk, because I would like
to purchase 90% of them. Unfortunately the wife laid down the law and said
that would be way to much money for us right now. I understand photography
is your profession, and if it's not possible to get more images on a disk
for a cheaper amount It's cool. Just thought it wouldn't hurt to ask.
Thanks and God bless
A: I can send images on a disk but it will be more, not less, as you can
imagine in here Nicaragua that is a lot more work for me to go to town
and wait in line at the post office, etc.
I have formulated these special tourist rates so surfers like you can
get professional photos of yourselves to show your friends and family
and potential sponsors for those who surf as well as you. I have
enclosed the standard rates for a professional surf photographer. You
will note under "personal use" the cheapest buyout is $265 for one
print. I offered you hi-res jpgs for $10 each (of which you can make
multiple prints, etc.).
Your photos will be deleted in 48 hours.
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Camera: Canon (Canon Eos Digital Rebel) |
More details: exif |
Original size: 600px x 445px |
Current: 400px x 297px |
in this box:
