Written by Arthur Ruckle

I’ve been working at Blue Moon for almost four years now and the bulk of my work has been on the sales counter. After all that time, I have a confession: I don’t know how to sell a camera. Sure, I can mount a lens on a camera body and take your money for the gear, but as for getting you the camera you love, I’m at a loss to explain how that happens. And here’s why….

As any camera is nothing more than a light-tight box holding film and a lens, working with people to find the correct light-tight box to fit their needs is really much more art than science. Most of the best sales I’ve helped with include a moment when my customer picks up a camera body and I see a spark appear in their eyes as the ergonomics of the camera meet their hands. It is much like how choosing the “right” puppy or kitten comes down to a feeling of connection; the right camera in your hands is an almost magical moment. More than a few times I’ve had people ask me why a particular camera feels better to them than others. My response is always something like “because that’s the one that feels better to you.” It’s a cop-out answer, yes. It is also so very true.

Before I get to putting cameras in hands, though, I need help sorting through the cameras on the shelf for you. Like an on-line dating app, I’m going to help you swipe left or right until we can narrow down possible matches. Getting the information that helps us find that spark often involves a few seemingly oddball questions. What kind of car do you have (or like)? What’s your favorite color? How much of a control freak are you? Are you more of a type “A” person or type “B”? I do my best to keep my opinions out of your decision, or at least be honest about my preferences, but when I find out that you like small dogs, I’ll probably start you out with the Olympus line of cameras. If you want to have immediate success at photography with the most simplicity, I’ll show you the Nikon EM. Which is the right answer? I don’t know (see the first paragraph), but you do. I’m simply here to help you figure that out.

It’s my job to help whittle down the cameras that will be right for someone else and put them aside. When you make that connection though, that’s when I know you’ve found your camera soulmate. Don’t think about the guy who kept looking at his phone during the date, the woman who talked through the movie, or the kitten that hisses at you. They’ll be right for someone else. There’s no judgement here. Be open and honest and show me that light in your eyes and I’ll know when you’ve made that connection.

That’s how a camera sale happens.

The Art(hur) of the Camera Sale