freelancing

HST tax and the photographer

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For professional photographers in British Columbia and Ontario: the new Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) starts on July 1, 2010, but the effects of this new tax start two months earlier on May 1st.

Starting in May, you must charge HST on any photography that will be delivered/completed on or after July 1st. If you complete a project and deliver the photographs before July 1st but invoice the customer after July 1st, then you must charge HST. Generally, the HST is applicable to any amount that becomes due on or after July 1st. But to no one’s surprise, there are several exceptions and special situations. Federal government information is here.

For clients who currently pay GST and PST, there will be no change in the total amount of tax they pay. For clients who now pay only GST, they will have to pay more tax. These latter (commercial) clients should be able to get the tax rebated to them.

The new HST will benefit registered photographers since it’ll be easier for them to claim tax credits for the provincial sales tax they pay on business purchases. But for consumers, the HST will do nothing but increase the amount of sales tax they pay.

 

Please check the date of this article because it contains information that may become out of date. Tax regulations, sales tax rules, copyright laws and privacy laws can change from time to time. Always check with proper government sources for up-to-date information.

 

Don’t forget your name

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Just a silly little tip for when you’re creating your business web site:

Remember to mention your business name on your web site.

One might think this is obvious and there’s no need to mention it. But no. I’ve just spent some time reviewing web sites for three other photographers, and noticed that none mentioned their own name.

Search engines need to see real text of your business name somewhere in your web pages. An image of your logo won’t work. A Flash or other type of movie displaying your brand name doesn’t help. It must be text.

A domain name isn’t good enough. A domain such as dianebrownphotography.com is viewed as one word: dianebrownphotography. Somewhere on the site, it must actually say Diane Brown Photography.

Saying “Diane shoots business portraits” or “Diane has won awards”, doesn’t work. You must type out your full company name. “Diane Brown Photography does executive portraits” or “Diane Brown is an award-winning photographer”.

Add it to various page texts, place it in meta tags, put it in alt or comment tags, or any other appropriate places.

Remember to mention your own name, so that people who are looking for you by name, can find you.

Take my job, please

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Fresh off the press (okay, fresh off my computer) is the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition. The electronic version was released in December 2009 and the print version should be released within a few weeks.

[Edit: Unfortunately, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics web page content changes with time so there are few static pages with archived data.]

Although it’s been described as “up-to-date and reliable”, it seems rather simplistic and behind-the-times in its descriptions. For example, it explains that “photographers take pictures of people, places, or things.”

It also mentions that photographers use film to create a picture but digital technology is being used more and more. It goes on to say that some photographers even use computers!
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Small Business Oath

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“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.”

– attributed to Aristotle

A few years ago, when dealing with a large national media corporation, I pointed out that the company’s conduct was the exact opposite of its mission statement. The corporate lawyer laughed and said, “That [mission statement] is just for the public, it’s not for us.”

A code of conduct may not be needed by a small business because the owner is usually close to the “front lines”. So there’s little room for bad behaviour. But sadly, a big business can have plenty of such room.

Small business owners may want to create their own code of conduct, not just to impress their customers but also to remind themselves of why they are in business. Maybe something like:

As a small business owner, my purpose is to serve the customer without whom my business has no reason to exist. My business may be small in size but my pursuit of excellence shall be boundless. I promise:

• To run my business with integrity and the highest ethical standards.

• To treat customers fairly, honestly and with respect.

• To be responsible for my actions and accountable to my customers.

• To acknowledge and then, to the best of my abilities, repair any mistakes that I might make.

• To protect the interests of each customer as if they were my own.

• To improve myself and my business for the benefit of my customers.

• To be a good citizen of my community.

 

Beginner’s Guide To Pricing Photography

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This very long and meandering post is intended for new photographers. It outlines some general concepts behind setting a price on photography services.

 

Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons.

– Woody Allen

 

First rule: Never give a price over the phone or off the top of your head.

Second rule: You’re running a business. You’re supposed to make money by charging more than your costs.

Third rule: Like all businesses, you tell your customers what your services cost, not the other way around.

Fourth rule: Never base your prices on Cost + Profit Margin. Always base your prices on value to the customer. Charge for what you know, not for what you do.
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Canadian Freelance Union

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If you are an “independent media worker”, which is a terrible, politically-correct-sounding phrase, then this may be of interest.

The Canadian Freelance Union (CFU) (CEP Local 2040) is starting up with the support of  the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union (CEP).

The CFU is a child of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union. The CEP is one of Canada’s largest unions, with over 160,000 members across the country. The CEP is also Canada’s largest media union, with over 25,000 workers already part of the organization. It is this existing strength that the CFU hopes to build on.

There are some freelance unions in Europe. In Canada, there is the Canadian Media Guild (CMG) which includes CBC freelancers. The CMG has negotiated freelance issues into the CBC collective agreement.

While I think the CFU will be accepted by a couple of larger media outlets, in these economic times, I wonder if this will be a case of too little, too late.

Had this union started 20 years ago, when times were good, then it would be in a good position today. It’s always a tough slog trying to build a shelter during the storm.

Here We Go Again

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I wish I could say, “back by popular demand.”

After a couple of years, I thought my first blog had run its course, assuming it was even on a course. That blog attracted a number of viewers from across the continent, which led to lots and lots of e-mails asking the inevitable, “how much should I charge for . . .”, “they stole my picture, what should I do . . .”, “what does this contract mean . . .”, and “how do I start my business . . .”

Unfortunately there are no easy answers or shortcuts. If there were, everyone would have taken that route by now. For any photo business to have a chance of succeeding, hard work and smart work are the only tools. I use the word “chance” because there are no guarantees.
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