We are now in Damansara

Alhamdulillah..

Setelah 3 bulan kami berhijrah ke Klang Valley ni, akhirnya kami dapat sebuah premis yang sesuai untuk kami bertapak.. Office baru kami kini terletak di Ara Damansara.

Kat bawah ni adalah google map kedudukan office baru kami.. Its an interactive map, kalau siapa2 yang tak biasa pakai boleh right click kat arrow hijau tu and pilih "direction to here".. Senang kan? hehe..


View Shutterbugz Studio & Academy in a larger map

Business Manifesto

Salam all..

A while back I had a nice chat with my cousin Azdi.. Azdi is a cousin of mine whom I am very close to.. He is also a business owner running an IT solution and branding company.. The best thing about us is that when we sit down together, 89% of our conversation is about business.. We share our experiences, our problems, our plans, brainstorming and now we also share the same roof.. His company and mine both operates under one roof in Damansara Uptown..

Well, back to my first line, the chat..

One interesting business strategy that he told me was to have our own “Business Manifesto”.. A manifesto is a public declaration of an organization’s intentions, principles, and direction (taken from google).

Honestly, I still couldn’t come up with my own proper manifesto, but from journals that I have read, there is no specific ways or rules when creating a manifesto.. It can be in any format and style.. It can be formal or casual..

What could be my manifesto?

1. Core Values – What drives Shutterbugz forward?
a. Passion – We have the deepest passion in wedding photography.. We love taking pictures of people.. We love being given the responsibility to freeze memories for people to cherish the rest of their lives (and to pass on their next generations).. We love the challenge a wedding has to offer.. We believe that Wedding Photojournalism is the hardest type of photography of all..
b. Integrity – Having a high standard of integrity resulting that clients’ interest are well taken care of.. It is a high priority to make sure that clients are always happy with our service and products so that they could recommend us to their circle of people..
c. Responsibility – Shutterbugz Studio trains and educate all our staffs to always be responsible.. Responsibility of taking astounding images. Being responsible to any mistakes we’ve done.. Responsibility to always deliver above average all the time.. Responsibility towards the company and much more. (responsibility is very broad).
d. Ambition – Shutterbugz Studio educates all members of the company to develop a very high ambition.. We train people not to become a follower or a passenger in our company.. We train them to become an entrepreneur themselves.. We train our staffs to become our competitor.. They are required to treat Shutterbugz Studio as their own business..

2. Motivation – how we keep our interests alive?
a. Photography – We burry in our heads that no matter how good the images we had for the last assignment, we would never be happy with it.. We criticize our own work and we look forward for the next assignment to acquire better images.. the process never stops.. We love progression and its our way of life.. To be better each day..
b. Business – A business without profit is never a business.. We work hard to gain as much profit as we can.. The profit that we gained are not meant for personal pleasure.. We require profit (huge profit) to actually give it back to our clients.. Having profit enables Shutterbugz Studio to hire the best staff for everything.. The best image editor, the best album designer, product R&D, the best PA, the best photographer and to the extent of the best dispatch.. With profit, we would be able to acquire the best tools that we need thus ensuring that clients will always get the best results every time.. Profit enables us to buy the best work stations, the best cameras, top of the line lenses and more.. Profit resulting to a stable and strong company which ensures that the company will be around for a long time to come.

We are driven by profit but at the same time, offer clients value for their money..

3. Way of life - We work hard, we play harder.
a. We believe in having fun and go crazy every now and then. All jobs in the world could give a person some level of stress.. Doing photography also have its own passion killer.. We do our best to always stay calm and composed at all times to avoid feeling disappointed and demoralized.. We ensure that we have a very positive ambience and aura revolves around us.. We smile a lot, laugh a lot, act silly a lot while being serious on the outcome.. We are result oriented but we never put stresses on ourselves.. “To happily achieve” is what we believe in.
b. In the near future, we wish to be more active for charity.. Helping people will become our next way of life.. To help the less fortunate and to help our own industry.. We believe that doing charity and giving is addictive and helps us to feel good about ourselves thus ensuring a constant drive.

For now, this is our Business Manifesto.. It is very casual and clear for everyone to understand.. This manifesto is not fixed.. I (as the founder of the company) shall always revise our manifesto and improvise it every now and then..

As for my own.. I would love to have good income and ample time so that I can spend more money and effort for charity.. InsyaAllah..

I urge everybody to have their own manifesto.. You don’t need to have a business or a political party to have one manofesto.. There is no format, no rules, no wrong manifestos.. It is all about personal interests.. Good luck to those who’ll be making one for their own..

Me signing off..

3 things to consider

"Which photographer should I choose for my big day? It is the most important event in my life and I wish not to mess up my memories.. How do I decide?"

I believe ramai antara anda semua pasti memikirkan perkara yang sama seperti ungkapan di atas..

Semenjak dua menjak ini, perkhidmatan fotografi perkahwinan bagaikan dilanda tsunami.. Rata2 kita dapat melihat begitu banyak website2 dan blogsite yang menyediakan perkhidmatan fotografi perkahwinan..

Fenomena ini saya percaya akibat kemudahan mendapatkan kamera DSLR dengan harga yang mampu milik.. Boleh dikatakan setiap hari kita dapat melihat ada saja orang yang menggalas beg camera dan tidak kurang juga manusia2 yang menggalas camera di bahu mereka.. Begitu ramai sekali fotografer2 yang timbul sekarang ini..

Saya masih ingat ketika saya mula2 melibatkan diri saya dalam bidang ini.. Camera pertama saya pada waktu itu cuma berharga RM1,100 sahaja (which is wayyyyy cheaper than DSLR).. Tapi masa itu camera digital masih belum wujud.. Pada waktu itu AMAT SUSAH untuk kita bertemu dengan jurugambar2 lain.. Saya cuma dapat melihat jurugambar beraksi pada ketika terdapat event2 besar danjurugambar yang hadir cuma jurugambar press.. Hobbyist memang tak ada.. I was alone in my own world back then..

Fast forward ke tahun 2009, harga DSLR kini sudah turun pada average RM2000 untuk entry level kit set.. Harganya masih tinggi berbanding kit set analog saya dahulu tetapi ramai sungguh org membelinya dan mengusungnya kesana kemari.. Sekarang pada saya fotografi bukan lagi satu hobi tetapi kini ianya sudah menjadi trend.. Its a "Must Have" gadget for most people..

Apabila ini berlaku, ramai fotografer mempunyai tanggapan "I need to make some bucks to fund for my next camera gear.. I think wedding is the easiest way to do it.."

Haaaa.. This is the kind of mentality yang common pada KEBANYAKKAN jurugambar2 wedding sekarang ini.. Mereka tidak melakukannya kerana minat.. Bukan kerana tanggungjawab.. Bukan kerana mereka appreciate wedding anda.. Mereka cuma memberi perkhidmatan wedding untuk mengumpul duit bagi membeli equipment2 terbaru di pasaran.. There are no heart involved.. They are pure cold blooded bloodsucking opportunists.. Would you jeopardize the memories of the most important event of your life by giving them the task?

I am not saying that they are bad at photography, some of them are really2 good..

So how do you decide?

1. The Photographer
A photographer should present themselves neat and tidy at all times. Their image represents you since you were the one who chose them. The photographers should at all times projects themselves as professionals and know what they are doing without much (or any hiccups). The photographers should always watch their manners and respects your event. The photographer should always be responsible. (This is why we URGE everybody to come and meet us for consultations thus we do not practices sending out our quotations through emails or on the phone.)

2. The pictures
When we browse around looking for photographers, we will DEFINITELY be presented ONLY with their best shots. Some showcases only 1 best shot for that event and some can go up to 10. Only a few will actually show you the coverage they had for the WHOLE event. I myself practices showcasing the best images that I've shot the Whole event. Be wary of photographers who only showcases images during preparation/makeover and portraitures only. Shortlist photographers who showcases images during events such as berarak, merenjis, candids and such.. Outdoor portraitures, makeover photos and such are not that hard to do.. Its a piece of cake to get good images during the mentioned event.

3. The albums
Each photographers interprets your event differently. Some emphasizes on your events with lots of candid and story telling. Some emphasizes on portrait shots (which makes you always look good in the album). Some have the combination of both. And some have their own unique way. Find the photographer who can interpret what you want in your album and this can be achieved by having a good communication. ( again, this is why we urge people to meet us for consultations).

It is not easy to choose the "Right" photographer for you. Dont let your budget constraint you.. It should be your biggest investment during you wedding day.. Photographs worth more that your fresh flowers deco, more than the taste of the nasi minyak, more than your jimmy choo heels, tag heuer watches, paul smiths and hemes (which you bought for your hantaran)..

Please remember..........

"Wedding photography is actually an INVESTMENT"

How do we charge our clients?

Ramai yang tidak tahu bagaimana kami meletakkan harga pakej kami.. Ada yang menganggap bahawa kami pakai hantam je letak harga suka2 hati.. Tapi sebenarnya tidak..

Banyak perkara yang pelu dipertimbangkan untuk menetapkan sesebuah pakej..

Antaranya adalah upah jurugambar (photographer's fee), cost album dan lain2 produk, overhead seperti sewa kedai, internet, current, phone, kereta (yes.. kereta perlu dimasukkan juga sebab kita tak pergi ke wedding assignment naik basikal kan?), equipment depreciation, marketing cost dan baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanyak lagi..

Setelah anda membuat pengiraan ini, baru anda boleh lihat samada anda sebenarnya dalam keuntungan ataupun running on deficit..

Ramai photographer berkata, "aku charge harga ni kira ok laa.. ada la untuk RM200-RM300.. Kalau sebulan ada 4 job dah dapat seribu lebih dah.." YES.. betul.. itu yang saya sangka pada mulanya.. sikit2 lama2 jadi bukit.. Sekali flash rosak, habis untung kerja sebulan tu.. Flash bukan murah bang.. 430EX pun dah RM1200.. Belum 580ex II lagi.. SB-900 lagi.. Lepas tu nak upgrade lens lagi.. Pro-lenses yang paaaaaaaaaaaling hampeh pun dah nak cecah RM3k.. Kalau duit untung seribu lebih tu digunakan untuk bayar benda2 lain, bila nak dapat beli pro grade lenses? sampai bila nak tipu diri sendiri dengan mengatakan "its not the camera but its the man behind it?".. Yes true jugak.. Kalau nak ambil gambar landscape ke, interior ke, food and small products ke.. Memang la boleh guna kit lens 18-55mm.. Siap chun melechun lagi.. Tapi bila dapat assignment dalam hall dengan high ceiling dah mula menggelabah.. sebab lens tak cukup fast.. haaa.. nasib sendiri lah kan? show me how the man behind the entry level camera n lenses nak handle benda tu and still comes out with great results..

Another example, masa saya mula2 buat wedding photography bisnes ni, saya charge harga yang agak rendah.. Masa tu harga pakej kami cuma RM1600 untuk 2 session, satu custom, satu sticky, softcopy dan frame.. Job masa tu memang banyak.. Seronok rasanya tengok duit masuk.. Tapi duit keluar pun boleh tahan jugak.. So, masa hujung tahun tu kami buat account closing dan masa tu baru lah kami terkejut beruk tengok the actual figure of our profit..

Selepas setahun berhempas pulas, bertungkus lumus shoot wedding dan buat album, keuntungan yang tinggal cuma RM2,600 sahaja..

So, amat penting untuk setiap jurugambar membuat costing.. A proper costing to be exact.. Bukan pakai hantam je.. Kira betul2 berapa cost kita, kemudian kita set target dan determine berapa banyak job kita perlukan setahun.. Bila dah nampak hala tuju macam tu baru kita boleh dapatkan pro-forma dan kita boleh buat proper planning untuk masa depan.. Kita boleh tahu bila masa yang sesuai untuk beli camera baru, beli lens baru, beli powermac, beli macbook pro.. dan macam2 lagi..

The point is, semuanya bermula as simple as get your package right.. Do the costing and plan for profit.. Profit bukan hanya untuk poket sendiri sahaja, but kembalikan semula kepada client2 dengan memberikan mereka gambar2 yang cantik dan menarik.. Gambar2 yang diambil dengan bukaan f/1.2.. kekekeke.. Stop dreaming and start calculating..

Join this cheap seminar for a brighter future guys.. Make the move!!!