In the spirit of the recent Olympics, it’s time to bring the same gold-medal mentality to your sports photography business. Whether you’re capturing the thrill of a soccer goal, the intensity of a football tackle, or the elegance of a gymnast mid-routine, having the right tools can save you both time and money. Recently, we hosted a webinar with industry pros Mike Norkin, Co-Owner of Cherished Memories Photography, Alex Ela, COO/Co-Owner of Cherished Memories Photography, Dave Stock from team DSP, and our very own president, Tim McCain.
Can’t wait? Here’s a play-by-play of what the team discussed.
Blueprint: The all-around champion
Unlike other software that pigeonholes you into a single method of data ingestion—such as QR codes or facial recognition—Blueprint offers a whole toolkit of options. Whether you’re shooting tethered on the sidelines, using barcodes at the track, or leveraging cutting-edge facial recognition technology on the court, Blueprint has you covered. This flexibility allows you to tailor the system to suit each unique game, match, or tournament, ensuring that your workflow is as smooth as a well-practiced baseball swing.
In our recent chat, Mike Norkin shared how Blueprint allowed him to reduce his staffing needs by 30%, scoring a significant victory in cost savings. Imagine cutting $30,000 in production labor simply by refining your process! Now that’s what I call a winning strategy.
QR Codes
QR codes might seem like old news, but we’ve reimagined them as a powerful tool for the modern sports photographer. The ability to design custom QR codes in Blueprint that seamlessly integrate into your workflow means each image is accurately sorted and linked to the correct athlete.
Pro Tip: Print your QR codes on half-sheets, leaving room for essential details like phone numbers or email addresses.
This simple adjustment can dramatically improve accuracy and ease of use in the field. And if you’re concerned about the codes not being read correctly, don’t be. By having athletes hold the QR code flat against their chest (think of it as their gold medal photo op!) and using clipboards to keep everything steady, Blueprint delivers nearly perfect accuracy in sorting images.
Facial Recognition
In the Olympics, innovation often leads to victory, and in the world of sports photography, facial recognition is that innovation. Facial recognition allows for private, unique galleries for each athlete, which is particularly useful for action shots or events where traditional data collection can be tricky.
Facial recognition can transform previously unsellable images, like those candid action shots, into marketable memories. By registering an athlete’s face in the system, every image featuring that athlete throughout the season can be automatically sorted into their gallery, making it easier than ever for parents to purchase those winning moments.
A Victory for your bottom line
In any sport, having the right equipment is crucial, but it shouldn’t break the bank. Unlike older systems that require significant investments in hardware, Blueprint runs smoothly on mid-level computers, meaning you don’t need to spend thousands on equipment to get started. For smaller teams or businesses just entering the game, this is a huge advantage.
And let’s not forget the savings in labor costs. Dave Stock shared how switching to Blueprint reduced his labor expenses from $110,000 to just over $20,000 in one season. That’s a significant difference, and the ROI on Blueprint was almost as quick as an Olympic sprinter.
Winning the Marketing Game
Blueprint isn’t just about capturing and sorting images—it’s also a powerful marketing tool. By integrating QR codes and metadata into your workflow, you can streamline the shooting process and the sales process.
Imagine shooting a basketball game at 3 PM and having the images online and ready to sell by 7 PM. That’s the kind of efficiency Blueprint offers.
One creative use of QR codes discussed in the webinar was printing them on yellow paper for pre-paid orders and white for non-buyers. This simple color-coding system helps photographers prioritize who to shoot first and ensures that every potential customer gets their photos, even if they didn’t pre-pay. It’s like having a playbook that guarantees you hit every key moment.
Your gold medal moment
Whether you’re on the sidelines or courtside, Blueprint has the tools to help you perform at your best no matter the sporting event.
It’s time to step up your game, streamline your process, and capture those gold-medal moments with Blueprint. Your workflow—and your bottom line—will thank you.
