Proofs

wildmaven · Sep 7, 2007

How are YOU providing proofs for your clients? I've seen spiral bound books, boxes of loose prints, contact sheets from photoshop, etc. I would love to know how the rest of you are providing your proofs and how you are incorporating that printing price into your package.

elsaspet · Sep 7, 2007

I show mine exclusively online. It's the best bang for the buck. Actually, the BEST way is to have them over for a consult, but I like having my spare time.

elsaspet · Sep 7, 2007

Here is one of my live wedding galleries so you can go in and see how it works:

www.collages.net

Go under guest area and type in "Robley and Brad"
Under Password, type "11504"

My clients and their friends/family, can all have their own music, backgrounds, favorite folders. They can compare photos side by side. They can watch slideshows, or view still photos. They can purchase albums, proofs, cards, and prints from there. They can invite all their friends with a click of a button.

Hope the link works! Think link is usually automated, and I'm winging it.

wildmaven · Sep 7, 2007

I just looked over the site. They charge a 15% commission on all sales. Without signing up, I can't tell the base price of the prints (which is understandable, since they wouldn't want the customers to know that, LOL). What, for instance, is the base price of an 8x10?

elsaspet · Sep 7, 2007

wildmaven said:
I just looked over the site. They charge a 15% commission on all sales. Without signing up, I can't tell the base price of the prints (which is understandable, since they wouldn't want the customers to know that, LOL). What, for instance, is the base price of an 8x10?

You don't have to order from them. I charge $12 bucks I think for an 8x10, and then I tack on an additional 15 percent to cover the fee, so I think the total is like $14 bucks or something. My cost is substantually less. So basically, I'm still making what I would be charging whether a fee was in place or not.

Does that make any sense? I'm not sure I explained it correctly.

Heck · Sep 7, 2007

I just seen your portfolio on your site elsaspet and I enjoyed the photos with the music, Great work.

photogoddess · Sep 10, 2007

Online gallery. I used to use Digilabs but now have a Pickpic gallery. No paper proofs at all....

wildmaven · Sep 10, 2007

Interesting how more are going towards online proofs. Anyone else?

Big Mike · Sep 10, 2007

I want to go that direction eventually.

On the other hand, you really only need 'proofs' if you are selling prints. If you are selling the files (which is what a lot of clients want and what a lot of photographers are starting to do)...then you can just give them a CD/DVD.

I often like to include 4x6 prints in a sleeve style photo album with the CD. It doesn't cost me much but the value to the client is pretty high.

AprilRamone · Sep 10, 2007

I am planning to have both. Right now, I just have printed proofs. But, with my new website, I'll be able to put them online as well. This way, they can share them with friends and family and hopefully reprint orders will go up.
I know I could probably just get rid of printed proofs, but I like having them have a print in hand that looks good. Then, if they buy the cd/dvd of images and get it printed at a crappy shop, they can see what it SHOULD look like.

wildmaven · Sep 10, 2007

AprilRamone said:
Then, if they buy the cd/dvd of images and get it printed at a crappy shop, they can see what it SHOULD look like.

That's a good point!

wildmaven · Sep 10, 2007

elsaspet said:
You don't have to order from them. I charge $12 bucks I think for an 8x10, and then I tack on an additional 15 percent to cover the fee, so I think the total is like $14 bucks or something. My cost is substantually less. So basically, I'm still making what I would be charging whether a fee was in place or not.

Does that make any sense? I'm not sure I explained it correctly.

I'm confused. Are they actually printing out the pictures, or am I? If I set the price at 0.50 for an 8x10, would they really print an 8x10 for that price? What am I missing??

Big Mike · Sep 10, 2007

I believe they (the clients) order the prints from the site. The site collects the money, takes their cut and sends you the rest.

wildmaven · Sep 10, 2007

Big Mike said:
I believe they (the clients) order the prints from the site. The site collects the money, takes their cut and sends you the rest.

In the "Admin" section, they have a place where you can set your prices. So, for example, if I put $10 for an 8x10, they recommend I sell it for 11.50 to cover their 15%. But no where does it say how much it costs THEM to print the thing. I think I'm looking at this too hard. I just want to know if, no matter how much I charge, as long as I account for their 15%, I'm not going to incur any additional deductions.

tarpleyg · Sep 11, 2007

Big Mike said:
If you are selling the files (which is what a lot of clients want and what a lot of photographers are starting to do)...then you can just give them a CD/DVD.

Anyone have any comments on how to price a CD/DVD with the images on them? By doing so, you are pretty much excluding your profit from selling them prints. For a lot of folks, that's the bulk of the profit. How does one go about estimating how much income you'd lose?

Greg