Make This Your Year !

Yesterday was a pretty tough day. My cousin was knocked off his motorbike just before Christmas and died. Yesterday was his funeral. he was dearly loved and had so much to live for, his family are torn to pieces.

One thing that makes you sit up and take notice is death. It is so final, no more chances, that's it.

If one good thing came from yesterday for me it was, to find something I want to do and achieve it. the new years resolution list is going to be pretty long this year!

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts

As anyone who knows me will know i'm constantly researching succesfull companies and their methods (always looking to steal good ideas). Whilst reading a book (I think it may have been Customer Evangelists) I came across the story of a Doughnut company in America called Krispy Kreme. To cut a long story short the company started small and word spread of the excellent doughnuts that they sold. Not only that but they also became famous for helping out in community projects and delighting their customers.

So what? Well today whilst finishing off my Christmas shopping in Lakeside I bump into a Krispy Kreme stall. Needless to say I HAD to try there wares, i had a couple of doughnuts and a coffee and sat and watched. The que never got less than 12 people, they each bought one or two. Many people returned and bought boxes of the doughnuts as word spread. It would appear that they are going to have a major succesfull business on this side of the pond. My opinion, they are outstanding!! although I dread to guess the calorie count.

On a business point i've finished my final portrait shoot of the year, can't wait for next year got some great plans .......

Olan Mills Goes Bust!

I've just been e-mailed that Olan Mills have gone bust! The BBC news report states "Photography company Olan Mills, which employs 950 staff in 97 stores across the UK, has gone into administration."

To make it even worse having looked on the Olan Mills web site it would apear they've been shooting right up untill the last second, taken the money then closed the doors. This leaves the customers with no way of getting their moneyback or their pictures.

Apparently they have been running at a loss for the last three years and could no longer afford to continue. Personally I find it sad a huge company like this was unable to modernise its approach to the photographic world. I guess they continued in the old style of photography that so many studio's shoot (white background brigade).

As such they all merge in the customers mind to being the same and at that stage it becomes a case of who's cheapest. Any business will tell you if you're only getting business because your cheap your not going to be in business long.

I find the key to any business success is to find out what the client wants and then make sure you offer it to them (and more). Treating clients as part of a production line by forcing your own styles and ideals onto people is a sure fire way to make sure your customers are left unhappy and worse that they tell others about it.

Interestingly i just read this on another blog. A true account of a real customer that Olan Mills put through the production line service. As I said before, give the client what they want, not what you think they want ..


Mr. Olan Mills Photo Dude,

I realize it's your job to sell me pictures. And I realize that you don't make any money off of me when I just bring my family in to get a free church directory photo taken. But, can I be honest with you Mr. Olan Mills Photo Dude? You're pictures? They're not so good. My family doesn't look attractive lined up in a row in front of a blue marbled background with fake smiles plastered on their faces. I wish we did, but we don't. Ok, now I've lied to you, I don't wish we did. And also, Mr. Olan Mills Photo Dude, it's ok if Presley wants to put her fingers in her mouth when you take the picture. She's a baby, that's what she does. It's actually considered a good thing to capture her personality in the photo. It's not, however, considered a good thing when she's screaming her head off because you keep pulling her fingers out of her mouth in attempts to make us look like the Cleavers. Just a friendly tip. I mean, I'm not a photographer or anything. :)

In closing, I'd like to apologize for cutting our photo session short and, in doing so, preventing you from taking loads of pictures that I have no inclination to purchase. I can see that you were more than a little irked about that. But, to be honest Mr. Olan Mills Photo Dude, I'm more than a little irked that our staff got Jason photos and we didnt. So ;p.

Good day,

Paparazzi

As I mentioned in the last post Friday night was spent 'papping' outside the Hippodrome in leicester square. this is not something that I would normally consider but it was for fun more than hassle. The company who's Christmas party it was had decided their staff deserved to be treated to alittle bit of fame.

Actually it wasn't my job and I was purely there to give my good friend Doug a hand and be part of a three photographer team. It was him who took the image of yours truely seen here to the left.

Between the three of us we photographed everyone as they came to the party. having done my bit I was finished by about 22.30 and after a quick drink left Doug who was to stay and capture the rest of the evening .


For anyone who's read the last entry you'll know what happened when I got home ........

Death of a key board

Apologise for the amount of time since the last entry on the blog. This has been for two reasons, firstly i've been bonkers busy with shoots Friday Saturday and Sunday and all the post production joys that they bring.

The second reason and probably the real reason is this. On Friday night (saturday morning), I arrived home from shooting a job at the hippodrome in leicester square at about 1 in the morning. I settled down with a couple of cans of beer whilst my computer downloaded the nights shots (i'll put some up when i get chance). Needless to say everything was going smoothly and I checked e mails and buzzed around the web. However, my second can of lager decided to explode when I opened it and gave my keyboard and carpet a wash.

Now if someone can explain to me how a can of lager that has sat in a fridge for at least two weeks and was not dropped or shaken in any way (to my knowledge) suddenly decide to explode when opened for no reason, i'll be a happier man.

Anyway the long and the short of it was several keys stopped working on the keyboard. At first it seemed to be just the numbers and the full stop, however whilst typing an e mail i soon discovered the space bar was also not working making anything i wrote completely unintelligable.

So to cut a long story short I had to invest in another keyboard and at the same time a new 4 way usb port (my last keyboard could plug usb connection into it). As you can see in the picure my old keyboard now has a new place to live (the bin).

Chelmsford Chieftains

Last night I went to the Chelmsford Ice and Leisure Centre to watch the Chelmsford Chieftains play the Telford Tigers. The Chieftains won the match 6-1. The game was heavily attended by the Colchester Gladiators American football club, strengthening the bond between the two teams. The Colchester Gladiators and the Chelmsford Chieftains are due to announce very soon the sporting partnership and will jointly promote each others seasons (which run opposite to each other).

A big thanks goes out to Marky Mark (the chieftains DJ) for giving the gladiators a mention and for pushing the fact they are looking for new players. He also kindly wore a gladiators hat all night (see image). Also a big thank you to Andy Driver (Chieftains PR and marketing) for making me / us feel so welcome. I know the two clubs will both benefit from the new partnership.

The Chieftains certainly put on a show worth watching and i would suggest anybody who has spare time on a sunday evening throughout the winter goes along and cheers.