He was featured in the news for marrying technology with photography.
The first time I met wedding photographer Justin Ng was in the unlikeliest of places.
Decked out in a white suit and wearing a wide smile, he stood out in more ways than one at Techventure 2011, an annual gathering of tech entrepreneurs and investors ? the alpha geeks of the world.
Being probably the only photographer not on duty, he was there instead to receive the People?s Choice Award for the Asia?s Top 50 Apps competition.
There?s actually more beneath the surface. Justin is a geek through and through, and photography was something he only took seriously last year.
With previous experience in learning Windows programming and PHP scripting, he spent three weeks to learn how to build his iPhone app,??Justin Ng Photo?.?It allows users to view ?live? photos that are transmitted from his camera.
He actively markets the app to his clients. Bored wedding guests can download the app and view photos of the proceedings that he shoots in real time. They can even request for high-resolution versions of a particular photo by sending a text message.
This application of technology is what sets him apart from other photographers. And that is not the only trick up his sleeves.
His passion extends to Internet marketing too. Prior to running his photography business, he started a recruitment firm and applied search engine optimization techniques to generate leads.
Now, leaving most of the firm?s day-to-day operations to his wife, he has embarked on a new adventure to promote his photography business: Social media marketing.
Already, he?s reaping dividends, growing his Facebook Page from 5,000 to over 100,000 fans in the span of six months. In fact, Justin Ng Photography is?one of the top Singapore business brands on Facebook, beating many top global companies.
The massive numbers are not just embellishment: His efforts have generated measurable, revenue-generating returns.
Before May, he received about five to ten business enquiries a month. These days, he gets more than 60. With such high demand for his services, he now charges S$6,888 (US$5,416) for a package, up from S$2,888 (US$2,270).
?I?m also moving on to other things, like sports photography, and shooting for events. I don?t want to do too many weddings anymore.?
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When I pressed him on his ?secrets? to getting traction on Facebook, his answers left me slightly underwhelmed, but not in a bad way.
There wasn?t much pithy one-liners he could give, as there isn?t a one-size-fits-all solution for social media marketing.?Finding an approach that works for you is probably the only rule there is.
The main reason for the tremendous growth of his Page is because of a recurring international photography competition he launched in May 2011 ? an idea he has seen elsewhere and adapted to suit his needs.
Every month, he will invest S$1,000 (US$786) as the top prize for the winning submission, which is evaluated by a panel of judges that includes himself. Several characteristics of the competition do stand out, and they may have a part to play in contributing to the Facebook Page?s popularity.
Submissions can come from anywhere around the world, as long as it fits into the monthly theme. There?s no restriction on the type of equipment a person can use ? so even a Hipstamatic photo qualifies.
Once a submission is approved and uploaded onto the Page, participants must tag five of their friends in the photo within three days, otherwise the entry might be deleted. Also, repeated winners will not be eligible for the S$1,000 grand prize, so as to encourage more participation.
The idea is to keep the competition broad, open, and exposed to as many people as possible.
?I figured that as long as I?m able to get a single job a month through Facebook, I?ll be able to recoup the prize money.?
He has no trouble doing it so far.
Justin?s success is a surprise, considering that he started on the platform simply as an experiment.
But his technological adventure is more than just a hobby or a passion ? it is a way to ?eliminate? competitors, said this entrepreneurial photographer rather apologetically.
Photography, after all, is a rather brutal industry here and around the world; lucrative jobs are reserved for the very best. The situation is made worse ever since the price of DSLR cameras have fallen, which meant the barriers to entry for an aspiring professional have lowered.
?I asked myself: How many photographers use technology to their advantage? After looking around, I realized there wasn?t a lot.?
This revelation led him to the development of the app, and also the technology that allows him to quickly transmit images from his camera to a smartphone or even a large projector screen.
But that wasn?t enough.
?I wanted to seperate myself from the competition even further, and I asked myself: What?s next??
He figured that he wanted to reach thousands of individuals within the shortest period of time, and turned to Facebook. Now, no Singaporean photographer comes close to the social media reach he has garnered.
His technological edge has also secured him a lucrative contract as the official photographer for Chingay 2012, an annual festival that showcases bright and colorful street floats.
The organizers loved his pitch about using technology to project ?live? photos onto a projector screen. He is currently amassing a team of photographers and planning the details for execution.
Justin has also used the same approach to shoot the 64th SCC International Rugby 7s, and he is aiming to secure the job for next year?s National Day Parade, an annual event that celebrates Singapore?s independence.
Not bad for a professional photographer with only one year?s experience.
Some actually thought the idea of him taking up photography as a career was ridiculous.
?When I talked to some acquaintances about becoming a professional wedding photographer, they told me it was impossible. So I wanted to prove them wrong.?
He has far exceeded expectations.
About The Author
Terence LEE - Assistant Editor
Terence is an online media nut that is obsessed with writing and publishing for the Internet. Recently, he took up photography to expand his repertoire, and hopes to learn videography soon. He has worked in both online and print publications such as The Straits Times, Today, Mind Your Body, The Online Citizen, and Funkygrad. In 2010, he co-founded New Nation, a current affairs online magazine for young adults with a couple of like-minded folks. Terence can be found on LinkedIn and Twitter.
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