I've been a ship's photographer for many years. Not any more though. I've been on countless ships and cruise lines, and most operate pretty much the same. That's because there are really only a handful of concession operators in the industry. Some cruise lines operate their own photography department, but even then, those are run by people who used to work for one of the other companies, so you know how they got their training.
Some of the comments listed above me are true, and some are not. Let me dispel some rumours and false misconceptions. First, unsold photos are indeed tossed out / incinerated / recycled...however you want to describe it. The paper is never reused. That's not possible. Second, the photography business on board is no where near as profitable as the bars. It's not second in line or even third. It's a reasonably profitable business, but the photographers themselves are not earning that much. The cruise line gets the majority of the profit, and the business owner gets a chunk, and then the rest is split amongst the photographers, in order of rank.
Yes, the photos are printed with the expectation that it's more likely that you'll buy it if you can hold it in your hands. Viewing the photos in the privacy of your stateroom is not something that would likely generate sales. In fact, it's quite likely that once you've seen it on a screen, you're pretty much done with it. And in some cases, pax will simply take a photo of the photo with their high-end smart phone or digital camera. Then the photographers earn nothing.
A simple print - your typical 5x7 or 6x8 type with the logo - costs about 10 cents to print, in pure supply costs. That doesn't include labour or overhead. Just paper and chemicals (or ink). So tossing out a few thousand prints that didn't sell - it's just part of the business. You're paying $10 - $15 a print now, because the photographers are only selling about 10 - 15% of the prints they make. The rest are tossed out and factored into the cost of running the business.
Back in the 'old days' before digital cameras, we didn't really expect pax to take photos of the photos like they do now. People didn't typically walk around with a camera all day back then. Back then, the biggest concern was blatant theft. The galleries can get quite busy around meal times, and there are only so many staff in the gallery to watch the boards. We built in an expected theft rate of 10-15% into the prices of the prints.
Now, with every phone and tablet having a built-in camera, everyone is capable of take a photo any time, day or night. It was pretty common every day to have to ask some guest to delete the photo they just took of the photos on the wall.
Some cruise lines are finding new technological solutions to the print-and-display conundrum. But the amount of work required to manage those systems is high, and it really involves the willing (and capable) participation of the cruise guest. Personally, I think the simple solution would be to not charge for the photos directly. I think the cruise lines should include it into the cost of the cruise (about $10 - $20 pp) and if you see a photo of yourself on the wall, it's yours to keep. Enjoy. If you want additional copies - that will be the typical charge for printing that you'd pay back home. Formal portraiture costs a sitting fee. Simple.
Some advice on how to deal with the photographers....
These poor souls are just trying to make a living. Since most of them earn their income based completely on commission - no salary - they need to sell some photos to make some money. While it's true that ships can (and some do) survive quite fine without a photography department, they are here to stay. Amusement parks, all-inclusive resorts - every place with a captive audience will have them.
When a photographer asks you to let them take your photo, please let them. It's not painful, and only takes a second of your time. They are working fast and have a lot of people to get through. And if you say no, then everyone else that is within earshot of you will also say no. Crowd mentality plays a big part. And some of those people near you, actually may have wanted that photo opportunity, but just went along with what others were doing. And untaken photos can't be taken again later. Sure, it can be intrusive at dinner, or when there is a long line up. But really, it's just a few seconds.
Even if you don't have ANY intention of buying a photo, it's harmless to do it anyway. Please be patient and try not to get upset if you're asked repeatedly through the cruise. Eventually, we would get to know who always says no, and we just move past you. But we can't remember everyone. But we always remember the nice ones. :)
Also, finding photos on the walls is a never-ending task. If you find yourself, take it down, and bring it to the desk. If you are sure you don't want it, tell them to discard it. They will appreciate gaining the wall space for other photos. If you are uncertain if you want to buy it, just ask them to hold it for you, until you've gathered your whole set, and you can look at them later when you've got them all. They'd appreciate that too.
And yes, photos are moved. Every day. New photos are taken every day, and they need to be displayed. The older photos are removed, when there is not enough room to display them all. But they are still available to be looked at, if you ask. Thats another good reason to take them down when you see them the first time.
Onboard Photos
in Carnival Cruise Lines
Posted
I think I can answer some of this.
I've been a ship's photographer for many years. Not any more though. I've been on countless ships and cruise lines, and most operate pretty much the same. That's because there are really only a handful of concession operators in the industry. Some cruise lines operate their own photography department, but even then, those are run by people who used to work for one of the other companies, so you know how they got their training.
Some of the comments listed above me are true, and some are not. Let me dispel some rumours and false misconceptions. First, unsold photos are indeed tossed out / incinerated / recycled...however you want to describe it. The paper is never reused. That's not possible. Second, the photography business on board is no where near as profitable as the bars. It's not second in line or even third. It's a reasonably profitable business, but the photographers themselves are not earning that much. The cruise line gets the majority of the profit, and the business owner gets a chunk, and then the rest is split amongst the photographers, in order of rank.
Yes, the photos are printed with the expectation that it's more likely that you'll buy it if you can hold it in your hands. Viewing the photos in the privacy of your stateroom is not something that would likely generate sales. In fact, it's quite likely that once you've seen it on a screen, you're pretty much done with it. And in some cases, pax will simply take a photo of the photo with their high-end smart phone or digital camera. Then the photographers earn nothing.
A simple print - your typical 5x7 or 6x8 type with the logo - costs about 10 cents to print, in pure supply costs. That doesn't include labour or overhead. Just paper and chemicals (or ink). So tossing out a few thousand prints that didn't sell - it's just part of the business. You're paying $10 - $15 a print now, because the photographers are only selling about 10 - 15% of the prints they make. The rest are tossed out and factored into the cost of running the business.
Back in the 'old days' before digital cameras, we didn't really expect pax to take photos of the photos like they do now. People didn't typically walk around with a camera all day back then. Back then, the biggest concern was blatant theft. The galleries can get quite busy around meal times, and there are only so many staff in the gallery to watch the boards. We built in an expected theft rate of 10-15% into the prices of the prints.
Now, with every phone and tablet having a built-in camera, everyone is capable of take a photo any time, day or night. It was pretty common every day to have to ask some guest to delete the photo they just took of the photos on the wall.
Some cruise lines are finding new technological solutions to the print-and-display conundrum. But the amount of work required to manage those systems is high, and it really involves the willing (and capable) participation of the cruise guest. Personally, I think the simple solution would be to not charge for the photos directly. I think the cruise lines should include it into the cost of the cruise (about $10 - $20 pp) and if you see a photo of yourself on the wall, it's yours to keep. Enjoy. If you want additional copies - that will be the typical charge for printing that you'd pay back home. Formal portraiture costs a sitting fee. Simple.
Some advice on how to deal with the photographers....
These poor souls are just trying to make a living. Since most of them earn their income based completely on commission - no salary - they need to sell some photos to make some money. While it's true that ships can (and some do) survive quite fine without a photography department, they are here to stay. Amusement parks, all-inclusive resorts - every place with a captive audience will have them.
When a photographer asks you to let them take your photo, please let them. It's not painful, and only takes a second of your time. They are working fast and have a lot of people to get through. And if you say no, then everyone else that is within earshot of you will also say no. Crowd mentality plays a big part. And some of those people near you, actually may have wanted that photo opportunity, but just went along with what others were doing. And untaken photos can't be taken again later. Sure, it can be intrusive at dinner, or when there is a long line up. But really, it's just a few seconds.
Even if you don't have ANY intention of buying a photo, it's harmless to do it anyway. Please be patient and try not to get upset if you're asked repeatedly through the cruise. Eventually, we would get to know who always says no, and we just move past you. But we can't remember everyone. But we always remember the nice ones. :)
Also, finding photos on the walls is a never-ending task. If you find yourself, take it down, and bring it to the desk. If you are sure you don't want it, tell them to discard it. They will appreciate gaining the wall space for other photos. If you are uncertain if you want to buy it, just ask them to hold it for you, until you've gathered your whole set, and you can look at them later when you've got them all. They'd appreciate that too.
And yes, photos are moved. Every day. New photos are taken every day, and they need to be displayed. The older photos are removed, when there is not enough room to display them all. But they are still available to be looked at, if you ask. Thats another good reason to take them down when you see them the first time.
OK, end of rant. ;)