*or how I learned to stop worrying and re-invent my business I'm offering a new workshop that can change your life and save your photography business.

For working commercial photographers, it's no secret that there is far less work to be had, and that rates are dropping. While we may see some improvement when the recession is over, I think these changes are largely here to stay due to the decreasing number of print publications and the ever increasing availability of inexpensive stock photography.

Over the past year, I've been building a new photography business that has kept us in the black ink. I've learned all about the consumer market, and figured out how to adapt it to my sensibilities. It's working - we do per client average sales for our target market that are significantly higher than my typical corporate photography day. It has been a lot of hard work, and has involved a completely different business model. I've also found ways around most of the problems that had previously plagued us (answers that would have made us tens of thousands of dollars more, had I known the information earlier).

This will be a candid, "nothing held back" business workshop about making money, and planning for the long term health of your career. I break it all down so you can put your brand new business plan into action. What I'm doing in the consumer market can be adapted by other commercial photographers. It isn't easy, but it is doable, and I will show you how.

The class is limited to one or two people per city, and nine people in total. Contrary to the popular cliché, there just isn't enough work to go around. If there were, you'd have stopped reading this after the first sentence, which is why you don't want your competition in the room with you. You can find more information online and admission will be by phone interview only.

Saving Your Photographic Career* *or how I learned to stop worrying and re-invent my business is scheduled for November 12-15, 2009 in Los Angeles.

The three day workshop, The Professional Portrait, as well as the ongoing Portfolio Development Workshop where we meet via webconferencing, are also on the schedule for those of you interested in bringing your photographic skills to the next level.

I know just how skeptical you may be right now; I felt that way about this only a year and a half ago. Like any business you will have to put in a lot of hard work to apply what I show you, but it can save your photographic career. If you aren't doing much business right now, and want to keep being a photographer, you can't afford not to call me and learn more about the workshop.

PS - For those of you who are wondering - the answer is "yes". I still get to do creative work, and I very much enjoy the new business. I also call many more of my own shots, set my own schedule, and maintain and nurture my commercial business.

M A R K . R O B E R T . H A L P E R . P H O T O G R A P H Y

H A L P E R . F I N E . A R T studio 323.664.7070 | toll free 888.273.2838 | fax 323.664.9970

1543 Westerly Terrace | Los Angeles | California | 90026