This man, for years, was unable to make much of a saving in his photographic work. His wife and he possessed ability in preparing photographs. He finally hit upon the following plan:
He hired two men called spotters, who took the pictures and went into different communities picturing men in the offices and at work at their desks. These two spotters were able to take at least fifty pictures a day each, making better than one hundred pictures per day. These men he paid $25.00 to $30.00 per week and traveling expenses. He saw to it that they had their supplies and everything ready when they arrived in town for work. Immediately following these men were salesmen who, after the pictures were printed, called and gave the price per dozen, which was $4.50 mounted size 9x7. Unmounted his charge was three pictures for a dollar. The salesmen were able to make the number of pictures actually taken average about $0.80 per picture.
The two salesmen were then followed by two delivery women. The photographer and his wife did all of the developing and finishing. A city of 125,000 would take about six weeks.
Great care must be taken by the man who is directing this work to see that his men are all kept busy and working. This man succeeded in keeping the spotters going fast enough, and everything was worked out in a systematic manner. He also gave the workers an opportunity of receiving a commission in addition to their salary.
I remember clearly the way the spotter approached me. “I would like to take a picture of yourself and office,” he said, but I protested that I did not care to have the picture. “That is all right, I would like to have the negative and I am paid just the same and it is no obligation to you.” He then took the picture relying entirely upon selling me the picture when I saw the finished product. In this he took very little chance, as he well knew that 80 per cent of the people who saw a picture of their office and themselves at work would be glad to pay the price for it.
There is a great field in this work and there is no reason why there should not be work in many different parts of the United States affording a good livelihood and a big saving for many photographers who are not now making a good living.
IMPORTANT NOTICE!
The following plans were compiled by the Federal Board for Vocational Education, U. S. A.
We gratefully acknowledge with thanks the Board’s permission to publish them.