Q & A with a local photographer with a vision
We spent a few minutes with local photographer Salvatore Cincotta, learning about his vision for his business and his love of being a photographer. If you find this Q&A interesting and are ready for your close up give the Cincotta’s a chance to wow you with their timeless artwork.
Q: What excites you about the business? What problem do you solve for your clients?
A: I love being a photographer. Every day I get to wake up and do what I love, create. Being a professional photographer is so much more than just taking pretty pictures. Our goal is to work with our clients at every level and create something truly unique for them. In the end, our goal is to create artwork with them in it. That’s what makes us unique. Our clients want more than just the typical picture standing on a fake background. Our clients expect portraits that are big, impactful, stylized, and will stand the test of time.
Q: What drew you to start your own business?
A: In the end, I hated working for someone else. Trust me, I don’t work less. The day I started working for myself, the idea of a 40-hour work week went out the window with it. Starting your business is not for the faint at heart. It requires every ounce of your attention in order to be successful. As entrepreneurs, we are risking everything in the pursuit of our dreams. When it’s all said and done, you hope your risk pays off, but the real payoff is waking up every day and doing what I love! That is priceless.
Q: Tell me about your plans for fall/winter.
A: This fall is a huge time of year for us. Weddings are in full swing and family portraits on location to get the fall colors are HUGE for us. Families want something big to put on their walls and over their fireplaces. Once we get into December/January, we start planning for the upcoming year as a team. This is one of the most exciting times of year for us because we get to start planning for the year ahead and reinvigorate the business.
Q: What’s next for you? In what ways are you innovating or changing with the times?
A: Well, we can all agree the world is changing every day. I could have never predicted 2 years ago that we would be in this current state of affairs. As business owners, we have to adapt to an ever-changing landscape. The biggest change for us is the move into the commercial world. There is a huge demand for our services in this space. Video, social media content, and professional images are in high demand and are even more sought after when you can be responsive to your client’s needs.
I don’t know if it’s just me, but getting any level of service from any business seems as difficult as finding a unicorn right now. For that reason, we have doubled down on our service levels ensuring we are being as responsive to our client’s needs as we possibly can. As a result, we are seeing an increased growth in revenues this year and Im not gonna lie… I like it. 🙂
Q: How do you approach your work somewhat differently?
A: I believe most businesses put the customer first and of course, without customers, we don’t have a business.
However, I see things a little differently. The customer is not always right. The customer is coming to you as an expert. So BE AN EXPERT. As an expert, sometimes you have to tell your clients things they don’t want to hear.
As that expert, sometimes you have to tell your clients no.
And while that doesn’t always go over well, it helps us stay true to our business model which is to provide high-quality and creative imagery to our clients. In the end, the clients we work with love the end result and are very thankful for our insistence and delivery of the overall vision of our projects together.
That is why I started this company and every day I wake up knowing how fortunate I am to do what I love. – Sal Cincotta