Client Images

[stapo49]

I am trying to get an idea as to how professionals on this site deliver images to their clients? Is it generally done digitally by way of images on a thumb drive etc so the client can do their own printing and framing or do a lot of you folks out there still print or get a third party to print and/or frame for your clients. Also, do people still want prints or are digital photo albums becoming more popular?

 

[tirediron]

It really depends. When I'm selling to retail clients (family sessions, weddings, etc), I always push prints and printed products. Two reasons: Of course it's a good mark-up, and I make money, but also because as I point out to everyone... how many thousands of images do you have tucked away on digital storage that you never look at? You've just paid me several hundred dollars to take these.... wouldn't it be nice to see them? Almost always that translates into a print order. For commercial clients, it's whatever they want. Usually a download link to the client side of my website, but some want CD/DVD, some want thumb-drive..

 

[JBPhotog]

It really depends on the client.

Ad agencies etc. want digital files either by download or on hardware, although the latter is becoming increasing rare. Since their in house graphics or art department needs to produce the ad with copy etc. it works well with their workflow.

For portrait types I would not recommend digital files for the client to print for a number of reasons. Quality control is the main issue as you are being paid to produce a professional product. Letting the client print the files means they will likely take them to the cheapest processor won't care about the proper colour profile for the type of printer etc. etc. The next factor is profit, prints are a profit centre for any photographer so why would you give that away?

 

[TWX]

My only experience is as the client, in that our wedding album was given to us on optical media in addition to having various prints supplied. We received it pretty quickly actually, I'd heard stories of couples having to wait years and years before getting things like negatives, while ours was basically immediately.

 

[stapo49]

Thanks guys. In relation to your print work I assume that you outsource it?

From what I can gather the printing is actually an art form in itself?

 

[Original katomi]

I don’t do pro work, I am just a hobbyist.However, I have been the friend with a camera at two weddings, I gave the images to the couple on a thumb drive, so they could print and so that I would not have to spend a lot of time and money get prints done professionally. Like one of the above posts said, the files are still sitting on the thumb drive.
Makes me wonder why I bothered, not really my thing, wedding photography, and they are not the sort of images I will use.
Re post 5
For work that I want to be #right# I use pro print house the rest of my images are short life images so I print at home using 3rd party paper and inks. The home prints are #close# but not 100% but are ok for my needs.
Normally in a folder with: how ,where !what,why, when data penned in ink on the back

 

[dennybeall]

Pricing is the key for me. If the client wants digital copies the price is higher since they, in effect, have the negative and can print and change as they want. The Watermark/ad is there but they can delete or obscure it.

 

[tirediron]

Thanks guys. In relation to your print work I assume that you outsource it?

From what I can gather the printing is actually an art form in itself?

This is the only sensible way to do it IMO. I use a lab in Edmonton; for ~$2.90/print, I get professionally, individually adjusted prints that arrive on my door in 3-5 business days. You're right; printing is an art in itself, and I'm not bright enough to learn two artistic pursuits!

 

[stapo49]

Thanks very much guys for helping me out with this.

 

[JBPhotog]

Many print services will provide colour profiles of their print hardware in which you can use when editing your files. There is a methodology to get the best results so what you see on your screen is what you can expect in print but that is a whole other thread on post processing for print workflow.

Some, not so professional print service also provide colour profiles for their types of printers and if you are looking for an economical approach this too has huge advantages in the quality of the print.