It used to be that people would ask me if I used film or digital, generally because they'd heard a horror story. I would show them an album and ask them firstly if they liked the quality of the images, and then what they thought it was shot with. Most guessed wrong and said "film". Back then my using digital could have undermined my perceived value. But what if your choice of suppliers added perceived value to your service? What if you had brides asking about your suppliers? If a client sought you out because you used Queensberry would you be offended? If you don’t tell your clients why your To View More >>

Chaos theory has a metaphor for the way trivial occurrences can have significant consequences: it's the butterfly effect. We're proud of Johannes' post of that name in which he explains why he's a Queensberry partisan. It's about a serendipitous image that won him his first NZIPP Gold, caught Heather's and my eyes … and led to a relationship that's lasted eighteen years. So far. All because his tripod collapsed. That relationship has been positive for us in so many ways, and we hope it's been good for Johannes too. One of the benefits has a really old name: word of mouth. Johannes has a great To View More >>

"I'm going to interview Simon Whitten while I'm in the UK," I said to Heather, "Short story - what springs to mind?" "Stately homes ... panoramic images ... simple, classic album designs," she said. Simon has established a solid business at the very top of the UK wedding market, and what struck me about our conversation was his confidence and clarity in talking about it. To succeed in this business requires a lot more than photographic passion and skills. You need a clear understanding of your market position, your clientele and where they come from, your brand and how you project it. The low To View More >>

Relationships with local wedding venues are a great way to build a strong wedding and portrait business, and a beautiful display album featuring the venue works well for both parties. Simon Whitten is a long-standing and valued Queensberry client from Yorkshire in England. His association with the luxury castle hotel Swinton Park is very important to him, and for years his Queensberry sample album has rested on the piano in the drawing room. When the time came to update it, the question was “with what?” These days most of his clients tend towards the 14x10 Duo that Simon prefers. But feeling To View More >>

Chances are you've never been to Marfa, but as it happens we have. It's a tiny town set in the vastness of West Texas (population 2000+) and obviously thriving. Halfway between El Paso and the awesome Big Bend Park, Marfa is surrounded by towns in decline. It used to be a water stop on the railway, and a massive army base, but the trains went diesel and the army left town. So why isn't the town dying, like most of its neighbours seem to be? A minimalist artist called Donald Judd came to town in search of a spectacular landscape to display his massive artworks. An interesting guy ... and other To View More >>