How do you present to the client?

[itsjustbrandy]

I am in the process of building my website, and I'm not sure how I want to present the photo proofs for the client ..... through a link on the website, have the best printed, or give them a copy on disc? Right now, I am starting out in portraits, but eventually would like to work towards weddings as well...

How do you present your work to your clients?

Do you try to stay within a particular # of photos when presenting? And if so... how many?

 

[Nikkor]

They way I started off was with a photographer's choice kind of deal. Where they trust me to pick the best of the best and those are what I use to advertise, via Facebook, a blog, etc. But I end up just giving them a disc of all the best pictures. Eventually I'll stop doing that and come up with a way to have them choose, but when you have something figured out, share the wealth, because I'm wondering how to go about it as well.

 

[Big Mike]

I use an on-line proofing application. It also allows clients to purchase prints right on my website. It's called Photocart.

There are also web sites that offer a similar service (Smugmug etc). There are pros & cons to either method, but I like Photocart because I can keep the clients on my website and don't have to send them somewhere else.

I like this system because it's easy for me and easy for the client. But it's certainly not the 'best' system.
I think that many of the most successful portrait photographers use a more direct sales technique...projecting. The basic idea is that you meet with your clients in person and use a projector (or large TV) to show them the images very large...then, while they are impressed and emotional, you sell them prints & products etc.
Many of these photographers have a 'client area' in their studio/home. It's a comfortable room with plenty of large photos hanging on the wall. You do everything you can to make them feel comfortable...maybe a glass of wine and some appetizers etc. Then you show them the photos, probably in a slideshow format with some emotion inducing music.

Do you try to stay within a particular # of photos when presenting? And if so... how many?

Totally depends on the shoot. If it's a couple and there was only one wardrobe and only two locations...then there might not be very many images. But if it's a family shoot for a family of 10 people, then their might be several different groupings etc. Maybe there are a few wardrobe and/or location changes. These things will increase the number of photos that I show them.

I do really try to narrow it down to only one or two choices for each group/pose/location. I don't want to show them 15 versions of the same shot. I just pick the best one or two.

 

[itsjustbrandy]

They way I started off was with a photographer's choice kind of deal. Where they trust me to pick the best of the best and those are what I use to advertise, via Facebook, a blog, etc.

Initially, I was thinking of going a similar direction... picking my favs out of the bunch, for an ex.: with 1 child for portrait, 1hr shooting, out of 200 pics or so... I was thinking print around 25 best images on 4x6 with a few of the very best printing at 8x10. I like the idea of the client seeing what the actual image looks like on paper , but I also like the idea of them viewing them through the website as BigMike said:

... but I like Photocart because I can keep the clients on my website and don't have to send them somewhere else.

and not to mention... it saves a few cents :mrgreen:

After posting this, I went back thru some photographer's websites, whom I find inspirational, and majority of them had a private login so the client could view the images and share them with friends, but still have their privacy. I kinda like the idea of this... Although I build my website though Adobe GoLive.. I'm not sure if it has that capibility, I need to look into that. But still ... I think I would still like to do the ordering for the time being though, so maybe set each image with an appropriate order # etc...

I think I'll try this .. at first and see how it works :thumbup:

But in the future, once I get things finally going and the hang of the business aspect of it, I'll prolly try to slip into something similar to what you were saying here BigMike...

I think that many of the most successful portrait photographers use a more direct sales technique...projecting. The basic idea is that you meet with your clients in person and use a projector (or large TV) to show them the images very large...then, while they are impressed and emotional, you sell them prints & products etc.
Many of these photographers have a 'client area' in their studio/home. It's a comfortable room with plenty of large photos hanging on the wall. You do everything you can to make them feel comfortable...maybe a glass of wine and some appetizers etc. Then you show them the photos, probably in a slideshow format with some emotion inducing music.

I do really try to narrow it down to only one or two choices for each group/pose/location. I don't want to show them 15 versions of the same shot. I just pick the best one or two.

And this is some great advice It seems so obvious when you say it like that. lol.





Thanks to both of you for all the advice! :hugs:

 

[nsupanda]

I've done it with 4x6 proofs before. I would get them printed, and it would cost me about $25 for the prints and a cheap album to put them in (I would also stamp a little "heart" or other design in them). I would offer them to the clients for $50. I have stopped doing that though because some clients chose not to buy the proofs so I was stuck with tons of prints that I didn't really want either.

I now use zenfolio for online proofing. I like it a lot better, but I do not allow them to buy the prints online. I want to do all the ordering myself just so I can be in control of the order when it comes in (to make sure they get what they wanted basically).

The draw back to online proofing is that you aren't usually there with them to sell more prints.

 

[kkamin]

I am in the process of building my website, and I'm not sure how I want to present the photo proofs for the client ..... through a link on the website, have the best printed, or give them a copy on disc? Right now, I am starting out in portraits, but eventually would like to work towards weddings as well...

How do you present your work to your clients?

Do you try to stay within a particular # of photos when presenting? And if so... how many?

I had about 20 clients in a short period of time so I tried out the ifp3.com photography web builder. It is designed towards supporting print sales. I'm not fully endorsing it, I think the templates they have to work with are mediocre and the overall design is mediocre, but it is very easy to use. Clients can have private proofing galleries and all the transactions are set-up through Paypal.

The great thing about online orders is that the clients can share the galleries with family and friends and that increase sales.

Here is how it has worked for me:

1. I upload the edited photos to the site with very subtle watermarking. I inform the client that their gallery is online and that the gallery is open twenty-four hours a day for a seven day period. After this initial seven day period, if they ever want to order from me again, there is a non-negotiable $100 digital file retrieval fee. This helps make the client order all at once. And if they do want to revisit the gallery in the future, I will be compensated for the hassle (getting the files out of storage and uploading the images online again) and the cost (cost of external drive storage and for maintaining an e-commerce site). I also stipulate in a tactful way in my terms and conditions that after the initial seven days ordering period that I am not responsible in fulfilling orders, meaning if I quit photography, I'm not held to selling them things for perpetuity. This helps get orders now.

2. When the client orders I will receive a notification from Paypal. Everything is itemized so I know what they ordered and what size. I do my touch-ups and retouching and upload the files to the lab for print.

3. For these clients, they have physically picked up the prints (I was working with a dance school). But ordinarily I would drop ship them the prints from the printer. White House Custom Color offers nice presentation boxes for this type of thing as I am sure all the major print labs do.

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As for editing...

I agree if you have fifteen of the same picture, use the best one. But if the pictures are at all different; it could just be a different expression but everything else is the same, show them both. There are some clients that will literally order every single image in the gallery, especially if their child is in the photo.
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This is off topic, but I sold web resolution files too with the prints. But if the client spent $100 or more on prints they would receive for free, a web res copy of all of their ordered prints. I think it worked out well. Some of the cheaper clients I could sense inched their order up to meet the $100.

Good luck