Job Update 1 month in

Hey folks,
been a quick first month, but I just noticed that I've been out photographing for a month for my new job. Photo-wise it is pretty much meat and potatoes, but that's just fine by me. Real estate wise, I'm learning a lot, I just hope that that continues.
I'm currently doing 'inventory' photos, 'every' commercial building in a given area. I'm getting to know the cities and towns very well of course. My next assignment will be where I grew up and that will be a mixed bag, tough to go home again, but it will be 'good' to be home at the same time.

I'm almost up to 'speed' so to speak. I need to get about 5 more properties per day in order to make my goal next month. If I do that, I'll 'pay off' the shop in three months with a portion of the bonus $. Actually what I'll do is afford to 'finish' the shop sooner. Going to be hitting the bricks hard starting next tuesday , when I hope to be on to new territory and a better method to reach my goal. I"ve been going at just under 20 properties per day, and I need to be closer to 25/day. definitely an attainable goal, just a matter of time.

One frustration I've had is that my nightly uploads are 'behind' and I have a backlog of photos yet to be cataloged in the system. it looks like tonight will catch up a bit. I hope to be fully up to speed this weekend as far as the uploading is concerned. That's only a 'problem' inasmuch that if they don't have the photos, I don't get credit for the work I did. The problem is my network connection times out. I then have to restart it and it works fine after awhile, but that restart means my network here is slow in the evenings. oh well.

Hope to be otherwise occupied in a couple of weeks making sawdust and stringing conduit etc for the new shop.

Ned,

If you have to drive around to unfamiliar places, have you considered one of these?

http://www.tomtom.com/products/reviews.php?ID=259&Category=0&Lid=4

Very cool, and might save you a significant amount of time in best route planning...

Thanks,

Bill

Ned,

Who is your IP that keeps timing out? How big are the pics you have to send, or are there no restrictions...basically.

Have you posted about your camera/photo gear?

Good luck in reaching your goal!

Bill Lantry said:

Ned,

If you have to drive around to unfamiliar places, have you considered one of these?

http://www.tomtom.com/products/reviews.php?ID=259&Category=0&Lid=4

Very cool, and might save you a significant amount of time in best route planning...

Thanks,

Bill

Click to expand...

Bill,
cool little gadget, but it would be guilding the lily. The Prius has in -dash navigation already! Plus I have the in house software which includes excellent maps (but no routing).

Greg,
oh I'm spoiled in the camera department:

10 Megapixel and just a joy to use. On the computer side I've got a Dell Latitude laptop with a pedestal dock in the car, plus cell modem for internet on the go (which I use just about the whole day for research).

I shoot some pics, look up data and fill in the record on the property. Actually I try and shoot several at a time so I'm not in/out of the car that much. I just find a shady spot to park, put on some tunes or sports radio for 'company' and keep busy.

Last night seemed to be a pretty good night as far as connectivity, and my backlog is about 1/2way done. SO I expect I'll get caught up tonight/over the weekend. I had 268 in the can, and 115 of those have uploaded (so far, it is still going) since I started this thread last night.

oh, and Time-Warner is the culprit IP wise. I think the infrastructure out here in the sticks is the real problem.

I forgot to mention that I've got some pretty cool editing tools too. Photoshop elements to clean up the images, plus I have panoramic software which is way too fun to use.

They gave me a tripod and special head to use for shooting panoramics as well, but I prefer my trusty old Velbon tripod, which sets up SO much quicker than theirs. I might try and move their head over to the velbon if need be, in the meantime I've got both on hand.

well, I finally got some good hard numbers and it looks like I'm doing pretty good. I'm in the middle of the pack when compared with the rest of my managers's researchers, and compared with the other photographer who was hired the same time I was I'm going great! I think, however that that's less a factor of me being better than him having a rough start. I've had my share of issues as well. On the plus side, it looks like I'll earn my first bonus this week! One month in and my numbers are decent ( I hope) I'll know more later on that. I'm planning on putting the Bonus $ into the war chest for the shop, however much it is, that's how much more I have to spend.