It’s been a while since we published our last FotoTechnika Folio, made an entry in John’s Journal or did any serious marketing. The truth is, with the state of this wretched economy and the current regime in D.C. throwing hurdle after hurdle in front of small businesses, we’ve had to reexamine many of our strategies and markets and once again reinvent ourselves. Throughout our history we have never forsaken any of our customers, but we have been forced to move to greener pastures from time to time.
In 2000, it was apparent to us that digital photography was rapidly changing our market to the point that we needed to shift the focus of FotoTechnika away from the professional and corporate photographers because they were abandoning film and moving toward electronic solutions that didn’t require our imaging services. In 2002 we officially identified the reproduction of fine art prints, the production of fine art photographs and restoration and reproduction of heirloom and historic photographic prints as our core markets. With our bent for producing ultra-high quality work, this was a good fit and worked exceedingly well until the last half of 2007 when the housing bubble popped. Then we learned that if new houses aren’t being built, or if people are downsizing, there isn’t a lot of call for our large format printing. Artists are still out there painting away, but they aren’t having their original artwork reproduced like they once did, in fact they are often selling originals for prices lower than they sold giclée reproductions we made for them just two years before. In 2008, the common wisdom in accounting and economic circles was “Hang in ‘til twenty-ten (2010)” — it’s pretty obvious that was wishful thinking — in fact, they are now estimating 2015 before we get back to 2007 levels.
While it’s taken us a while and a bit of experimentation to find out who we need to be in these trying times, we are confident that the fine art market will eventually return. We have to serve additional markets to cover our expenses while it is in hibernation, so we are shifting our focus to the consumer market, but not necessarily in a way most labs would. We know we can’t compete with the big superstores or the chain-drugstores on 4×6, 5×7 and 8×10 prints, and after an experiment in carrying retail items, we know that the production side of the lab must be profitable to afford inventory. The giant chain stores practically give away their small prints as lost leader: it’s much more profitable for them to sell diapers and toothpaste, but their photo business adds to their ability to market one-stop shopping to the masses.
In our society there still are some constants: people get married, couples have babies, kids graduate from school, people receive awards and during their golden years folks become concerned about leaving a legacy to their children and friends. For most, saving images of events and memorabilia for posterity isn’t something easily accomplished at a do-it-yourself kiosk and most folks feel nervous when entrusting their precious memories to a minimum wage minilab operator. That’s where our expertise and high quality standards play an important role.
In our FotoTechnika Folio newsletter this month we are introducing our version of FotoBooks. These are high quality layflat photo books that are produced on true photographic paper, not from a glorified laser copier — these products are meant to last. They can be used for wedding albums, baby books, scrapbooks, historical/genealogical tributes and customized artistic coffee table books. We will soon have templates available so you can design them yourselves, but in the meantime, we’re offering a 50% discount for layout and design if you will allow us to help you. So take a look at the latest FotoTechnika Folio under “newsletters” on the menu bar. Then take a look at how many precious digital images you have that could be at risk when you have a computer or storage device failure. Drop by and talk with Saundra or Sarah, or we can take your images over the internet if making a visit isn’t an option — but do it soon, our 50% design discount won’t last past Labor Day.
