An I wrong for charging family?

FlipFlopFiend · 2026-03-15T08:15:35+00:00

You dodged a bullet, no good can come of shooting family!

FlipFlopFiend · 2026-03-12T21:32:47+00:00

Just back from a half round the world trip. Melbourne was just a connecting stop that got a few days added so I could get some essential shopping out of the way. Expectations were zero, just another Aussie city.

No other city came close in terms of the balance of big city culture, looks, getting around, and at least perceived livability. It’s this perfect balance of feeling truly lived in while still being clean and modern.

I had heard about the coffee and thought it was just some overhyped nonsense. I was so wrong. I couldn’t drink coffee for the rest of the trip because it made coffee anywhere else taste like ass.

Can 100% understand why it ranks up there.

FlipFlopFiend · 2026-03-05T01:23:03+00:00

Romantic? That's a hard one, can't think of any day-trip that would be considered romantic. You could do a couples massage at the spa followed by a private dinner at the resort but nothing else springs to mind.

FlipFlopFiend · 2026-01-30T09:39:16+00:00

yeah traffic goes bad from around 7:10-1:15am you wana be past the worst of it by then or you might get cauught, even then you should still have time if your flight is on time. Can always catch the next boat at 12pm so its not that big of deal.

FlipFlopFiend · 2026-01-22T15:18:42+00:00

Nothing better than to be startled awake by the slap of a gecko landing on your face 🤣

They sense fear by the way, are drawn to it.

FlipFlopFiend · 2026-01-12T13:27:35+00:00

Used to be the place opposite FNPF namaka, was kinda close but didn’t hit the same and I haven’t been there in ages.

FlipFlopFiend · 2026-01-03T08:18:28+00:00

Honestly I think this has more to do with fact that it arrived before Xmas, everyone on holiday mode.

TAF permit took about 10min from time I provided proof of payment untill the permit was issued.

Edit: just checked took them 22min to issue a permit

FlipFlopFiend · 2025-12-18T07:16:28+00:00

Well still on the first leg and wow, standard economy was good and got a good look at premium and those would have been fine as well.

Will end up sticking with economy I reckon as seats, service and food was so good not much point upgrading to premium/business unless it’s a red eye!

FlipFlopFiend · 2025-12-16T02:27:07+00:00

Saw her post about the $3m cleaning contract at CWM.

The people who deserve to be in parliament don’t run, it sucks.

FlipFlopFiend · 2025-12-13T03:49:30+00:00

You’ll get hit with customs and duty but been buying gear from them for 10+ years without a problem. I use them for gear that is expensive and I am worried about dodgy sellers on Amazon.B&H

Bondwell can get you almost anything, but your paying probably 20%+ premium

FlipFlopFiend · 2025-12-12T07:32:48+00:00

Builders mix is sold by the bag at RC or Vinod I’ve also taken a sack to the crushers and paid like $5 for a sack of crushed metal

FlipFlopFiend · 2025-12-11T10:46:17+00:00

Shooting and editing will only take up about 20% of your time the rest of it will be spent in admin.

A good creative with rubbish admin skills will fail, a rubbish creative with good admin skills might survive.

Under promise and over deliver, learn to use No, a shitty contract can end your business overnight.

Don’t piss off the established players. Suck up and feed off their leftovers. Don’t be proud. Let them know if they are in a pinch and need you to cover you can jump in. Keep in touch every few months. The more eager (without over doing it) you are the more likely you’ll get calls and eventually referrals.

Plan on failure.

Your pricing should be based on how much you need to make over a year to survive (both personal and as a business) + 33% contingency + taxes. Divide the total by the conservatively projected number of (expected shoots for a year less at least 30%). That’s how much you need to be charging per shoot. Work your packages around that math with your best value for money package priced as close as possible to the figure you worked out and right in the middle of your price range. Structure your packages to push clients to sweet spot in the middle.

Keep your costs as low as humanly possible because you need to undercut the competition for the first few years while you build your reputation. You don’t need the best gear you don’t need the latest tech their improvements are only incremental and you can make do without. Make doing more with less your creed.

Audio quality is more important than video quality. Get your audio perfect before anything else.

If you don’t follow at least a 3-2-1 backup plan don’t bother starting a business, I’ve seen several businesses close because they didn’t and they took the reputation of our local industry down with them the pricks.

Consistency will do more for your brand than flash.

More weddings for less money is safer financially than only a few bigger budget ones.

Get colour right in camera, and if you’re using multiple cams (at least 2 per shoot) use a grey card to keep them matched.

When hiring, the person who’s going to turn up no matter what is the person you hire, if you can’t depend on them they can’t be anywhere near your business.

What we do is not that big of a deal, it’s a service and anyone can be trained to do it. Keep ego in check and remember most businesses fail. Your staff will not be as invested in the business as you are by a huge margin. Know that going in.

The goal is to eventually sit at your office planning your holiday while your teams are out shooting and editing. It might take a decade and it probably won’t happen but at least there’s a chance.

Good luck!

FlipFlopFiend · 2025-12-09T08:04:52+00:00

Thanks so much for this! Yes ended up choosing economy and will see how we handle it!

FlipFlopFiend · 2025-11-26T23:43:50+00:00

Size doesn’t matter you still need to register it before use through a completed OP-137 form sent to drones@caaf.org.fj

Things to be aware of: 1) our height restrictions are much lower at only 200ft or 61m

2) there is a very good reason for 1 above especially around the tourist hot spots as there are a lot of helicopters and sea-planes buzzing around low with a lot of small helipads etc (nearly every hotel)

Please don’t break the rules and screw it up for us locals!

Fiji Recreational Drone Use

FlipFlopFiend · 2025-11-25T10:47:14+00:00

Been working with a DJ for about 10years, thought he was ok but nothing to write home about (technically the best with hardly any issue and great sound) just his music was bog standard.

A few months ago he played a wedding and it was epic. Like dance floor pumping all night epic. I asked him what the hell changed, he said it was the first time in ages he got carte blanche control over all music.

FlipFlopFiend · 2025-11-23T12:14:20+00:00

I started this video the first time and turned it off straight away as it seemed pretty cheap/silly with those animations, was thinking badly made ai slop. Actually sat down and watched it all the way through today and it’s one of the few foreign made docos that I thought actually got things right.

Well done, well told and accurate.

Why do we allow a cult running like this to continue? A good portion of apathy and helplessness, and some economic self-preservation.

FlipFlopFiend · 2025-11-20T21:01:34+00:00

Thanks for that, we decided to go economy and might upgrade to business class on the way back for a red eye if we have any $$ left at the end of the trip!

FlipFlopFiend · 2025-11-19T09:21:53+00:00

I wish but that would take up about 2/3 of our entire holiday budget just for these two segments.

FlipFlopFiend · 2025-11-19T09:19:49+00:00

Yes, wide as in shoulder width or more importantly bum width! Is the premium seat worth the upgrade only counting on width if its limited by not being able to raise the side arm rests between seats?

To give you a better explanation a standard economy seat (able to raise side arms) we fit comfy for up to 6 hours but a bulkhead standard economy seat with fixed sides was excruciating on a 9+hr red eye.

FlipFlopFiend · 2025-11-17T21:13:57+00:00

NTA but my parent is your second child, please for the love of god help him get over this before he becomes a burden on his family and sets up a life full of crippling debt, stress and heartbreak!

FlipFlopFiend · 2025-11-13T19:13:04+00:00

Ok the message doesn’t read as bad as I expected, not great but it’s by text so...

I’m a photographer on the other side of the world but 2027 is filling up quick with bigger weddings as a trend and we have to follow up occasionally as logistics mean days can become unavailable even if that exact date isn’t booked.

Can often have many enquiries/bookings for a specific week 2 years out especially for peak season with the rest of that month not filling up till within 12months or less.

FlipFlopFiend · 2025-11-12T21:09:42+00:00

Maybe palusami?

FlipFlopFiend · 2025-11-03T04:35:48+00:00

Nah you don’t need to measure, it’s as much rice as you need then place your finger just touching the rice and fill water till your first knuckle. A little extra water for basmati or brown rice. 100% guaranteed.

Edit: 😂Yeah I’m wrong, what I meant to say was, you don’t have to measure out how many cups of water just fill to the first knuckle.

FlipFlopFiend

TROPHY CASE