Mom With A Camera – Will She Kill Your Photography Business?

Yesterday, another professional photographer asked how I was doing in the war against moms with a camera, a subject that crops up frequently these days. Sometimes also referred to as the “soccer mom“, the phrase “moms with a camera” includes almost anyone who thinks they can be a professional photographer on a casual basis, without any real photography or business training.

Of course, they don’t have to be a mom, it’s simply a convenient phrase.

If that sounds at all disparaging, it’s not meant to be, and the purpose of this post is not to bash those moms with a camera who like to take great photos of their kid playing sports.

In fact, many of them are actually talented photographers with a potential future in the business. We must also acknowledge the fact that most of us started out this way, so I’m not going to knock them for it.

However, if you are a mom with a camera and would like to know how to avoid being tarred with the same brush as some of the less professional photographers out there, read on to see what you can do…

Soccer Moms With Cameras Live In A Different World

My official answer to the question is, “The war against the typical ‘mom with a camera’ is being fought in a different world to the one in which I live and work. I therefore don’t get directly involved, for example to openly attack those soccer moms I do encounter, and neither should any other truly professional photographer…”

Not a day goes by that I don’t see some angry professional photographer ranting and raving on Facebook or LinkedIn about how “unprofessional” these soccer moms are behaving, or that they’re destroying the industry. This, of course, isn’t a professional attitude to take in the first place in an open social media environment.

Imagine what our own photography clients must think of us if they see us openly attacking other photographers like this!

Perhaps the best thing we could do might be to take these moms with cameras under our wings and teach them how to start a photography business instead.

If you’re starting to think that you might fit the description of a soccer mom yourself, then you could look for another professional photographer to learn from. Better still, hire a photography coach to get you started in business.

This Is Not A New Problem

The truth is that this is not a new phenomenon – professional photographers have been working alongside talented and enthusiastic amateurs for many years.

The difference today is that there are so many more of them than there used to be, mainly because of the wide availability of advanced cameras and the ease of entry into digital photography.

Let’s face it, some of these soccer moms have really great cameras!

It’s what they do with them, and how they treat their business that really matters.

So, I believe the solution hasn’t changed: Professionals should not attempt to compete against “moms with cameras” based on price, or with the “my digital camera is better than yours” mentality.

By the way, if you believe having a great camera is what makes all the difference, then I strongly urge you to rethink your role as a professional photographer.

Which Market Are You In?

Many professional photographers see the lower prices being charged by some of the moms with cameras out there, and mistakenly assume they have to compete on price alone, or face the inevitable and terrible prospect of their business failing.

This is when I often hear photographers complaining that the photography industry is dying, and that we’re all going to become extinct!

But the truth couldn’t be more different.

The group of soccer moms (at least those who aren’t interested in learning what it really takes to be a professional photographer) is really competing with the likes of Sears, JC Penney, Wal-Mart and a host of other Main Street high-volume portrait photography studios. If you want to jump into that particular shark tank, then be my guest, but I can guarantee it won’t be pretty or fun, and I won’t be jumping in to rescue you!

To put things into a little perspective, let’s look at how real the threat is, rather than how we perceive it. It’s possible that we might just be looking at the problem in the wrong way, and that it just looks bigger than it really is.

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For example, what factors can we actually compete on, if not the price or camera specs?

In the table below, each factor is graded from 1 – 5 (1 being the poorest) of how a prospective client might see the value of that particular item. (Disclaimer: This is my own subjective attempt at being objective, so I’ve tried to include some latitude).

I’m sure there are many other factors we can include that I haven’t thought of, and then there are the specific unique factors that serve to distinguish your particular business from the competition.

However, I think you’ll agree that we have a lot of weapons in our arsenal that we can bring to bear in this “fight” against those moms with a camera in digital photography, to increase our chances of winning.

Become A Better Communicator

At the end of the day, I believe much of it comes down to how well you market yourself to your prospects, how effectively you can communicate the benefits of working with you, and what kind of an emotional connection you can forge with your clients.

I really can’t overstate this enough: It is not your clients’ responsibility to know how much better it is to work with you than with a different photographer!

One thing is certain.

Soccer moms and those moms with a camera, which we seem to see every time we head out to our favorite portrait location. are not going away, nor should they.

After all, there’s no legal or moral reason for them not to be there, and it’s their clients who are voting for them with their dollars.

I’m comfortable in saying that there’s definitely a place for them in the market, especially as a service to those people who simply could never afford to hire a true professional photographer.

There is also a home in the marketplace for the professional photographer who runs their business as a real business, approaches the business of being creative from the heart, and caters to those who truly value what they do, without considering price as their dominant buying motive. In this case, it’s not just digital photography that we’re offering, but digital memories that will be treasured for a lifetime.

It’s up to you to decide which one you want to be.

On the other hand, if you feel that you might fit the description of “mom with a camera” or “soccer mom”, but you feel destined for something better – that is, a real place in the world of serious professional photography – then get my FREE email course, “11 Days To Business Peace” to get yourself started on the right path.

Let’s Hear Your Reaction

This subject is one of those polarizing topics, with strong opinions on all sides! I would certainly like you to share your opinion with the rest of us, as a fresh and different perspective is always a welcome thing!

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