The Free Banff Sunrise Photography Meetup

Do you want to join me for a

FREE landscape photography meetup session?

     I’m inviting you to join my “Free Banff Landscape Photography Sunrise Tour Meetup” group.  When you join the group you will receive a notification immediately after the next almost free Sunrise landscape photography tour is created.  There is about one free tour every month or two, depending on my scheduled paid tours.  And sign up early because these tours fill up fast.

     Yes, I’m giving away a one and a half hour FREE sunrise landscape photography tour.  The registration fee is just $10.00 and you WILL be refunded if you show up for the tour.  The tour is free. 

I know.  I can hear you saying this right now:

“Why bother charging $10.00?  Why not just give it away!  This doesn’t make sense!”

     The truth is that when I started this “Free Sunrise Tour” series, I did give it away for free.  But, after the first 3 tours only 1 out of 6 photographers actually showed up for the Sunrise photography session after signing up.  I felt hurt honestly.  It was a humiliating feeling that I couldn’t even give my tour away.

     However, I knew that there had to more to the story.  After all, I was frequently selling this same tour to photographers who wanted to book me on other days for $250.  In fact, while the free tour was poorly attended I was still booking a healthy amount of paid private sunrise, half day and full day tours.  I reasoned that when people didn’t actually pay to book a tour they didn’t value it enough to get out of bed early in the morning to attend it.  It seemed that if they didn’t have any “skin” in the game, they were more likely to sign up for the tour and then simply not show up for it.

     I also know that many of the photographers who follow me can’t afford to hire me for a tour.  However, I also know that I absolutely need to charge for my tours to make a living.  I am a full time outdoor photographer and I can’t give my services away for free all of the time, and I wouldn’t be in business long if I did.  But, how do I help all landscape photographers, and not just the people who can afford me.  What should I do?

I had to find a balance between these conflicting goals.

The Solution!!

     I thought that if I charged $10.00 for my “free” tour then maybe people would start showing up because they would feel that they now had some “skin in the game!”  Also, I reasoned that everybody that could afford a camera could afford $10.00.  However, I also knew I would potentially be giving back to the photographers who didn’t have a lot of disposable income too.

     The free part occurs when photographers actually show up for the tour.  If they show up I will refund them the full amount of the tour.

     This tour series doesn’t discriminate against higher income earners in favor of low income earners either.  This tour is for everybody from all walks of life.  This meetup group is an inclusive group.

However, this tour will cost you $10 if you sign up

and then you don’t show up.

     Yep, that’s right.  If you sign up for the tour, and then you don’t show or cancel your spot at least 24 hours before the tour, you will not be refunded your $10 sign up fee.

PS:  Why nbot book your own private tour if you’re short on time? 

     Maybe you have a limited amount of time in Banff.  Or, you would like to book a regular priced Sunrise/half day or a full day tour with me on one of the other days of the month?  If you would like to book your own private tour on a day that is convenient for you then visit my landscape photography PRIVATE TOURS webpage. I have more information on how to book your own private landscape photography tour for yourself there. 

     Or, if you would like to book your own Group private group tour then please contact me.  I would be happy to host a private group tour for you, with transportation included too, if you need that.