Volume photographers looking to move online, mobile, according to PhotoDay

GaryPageau ,

Survey Says: Online is Here to Stay, a blog post by Marissa Latshaw, CMO of PhotoDay, was a blog post covering the findings from a survey of volume sports, school and event photographers from across the country. PhotoDay surveyed 310 volume photographers who were evenly split between male and female. Nearly half were between the ages of 45 and 65. Among the conclusions: Volume photographers are embracing online services and digital ordering systems.

The survey showed 84% of respondents were using an online gallery service for some or all of their spring 2019 jobs, and 42% said they were using an online gallery service for the “vast majority” of their jobs. PhotoDay also reported two-thirds are planning to take their business online in 2019 – 28.7% are planning to go 100% online, while 36.2% are seriously experimenting with it this year.

Newer photographers moving online, are more female than ever

The online future is younger and increasingly female, according to the PhotoDay survey. Three out of four volume photography businesses in business for less than five years are online or seriously investigating it, compare to about half of those studios open for 10 years or more. A vast majority – 86.5% of photographers in business under 5 years – were using online galleries for some or all of their spring jobs. But this number was only slightly lower for photographers in business for 10+ years, at 82%.

While the respondents were pretty evenly split between men and women, the study showed that more women are starting out in the industry.  Women represented 60% of respondents who have been in business for under 5 years, compared to only 33% who have been in business for over 10 years.

Men and women share similar sentiments about going online, with women seeming to be a bit more ready to jump in. Seventy percent of women said they were planning to take their businesses 100% online or seriously experiment with it in 2019, compared to 58% of men.

The event types ranged:

  • 65% youth sports / 52% high school sports
  • 40% dance schools / karate schools
  • 29% preschools
  • 55% senior portraits
  • 32% public schools
  • 25% private schools
  • 42% events (both public and private)

The annual number of subjects captured by photographer:

  • 64% between 1,000 – 5,000 subjects
  • 12% over 20,000+ subjects

Experience levels in business:

  • 12% 1-2 years
  • 18% 3-5 years
  • 15% 6-10 years
  • 16% 11-20 years
  • 26% 20+ years

Written by 

Gary Pageau is principal of InfoCircle LLC, continuing his marketing communications career. InfoCircle LLC is a marketing and communications consulting firm, specializing in business-to-business markets. For nearly 25 years, he was with PMA International, serving most recently as Publisher, Content Development and Strategic Initiatives. His primary responsibilities included overseeing the Association’s editorial department, marketing research unit, education and corporate relations department.