Digital Files

[OnTheFly7]

I have had someone contact me about potentially purchasing digital files. My 8x10 prints are $35, with other, larger sizes going up from there. My thought was $75 per image (they want 2 images), for personal use only.

I understand pricing is very subjective but I was wondering if you all thought this pricing was out of line or way beyond the norm.

 

[tirediron]

That's very similar to what I charge, but it really depends on your location, CODB, etc. I'm in a fairly small town/rural area and costs are somewhat less than in a major center.

 

[Designer]

Be ready with hard facts to justify your asking price. No, it's not too high, but your customer might be thinking that you just pulled that number out of the air. Put it in terms that your customer will understand.

 

[vintagesnaps]

It's not really that subjective, it's more that there seems to be a range of pricing and whether you price at the lower or higher end.

Get on http://asmp.org or PPA and read up on guidelines about how to price your work. It seems to vary depending where you live. In my area at art shows etc. that seems rather low but in your area that might be competitive. Have you gone to any arts & crafts shows in your area to see how prints are priced?

Once you give someone a digital file, how would you monitor 'personal use only'?? I've done art prints, and that's it - a print. I realize if someone really wanted to bother they could scan and resize and reprint but it seems less likely that they would bother. I'm not sure why someone needs a digital file if they want the photo to hang on the wall at home. I do the finished product, a matted and/or framed print.

 

[OnTheFly7]

I appreciate the responses thus far.

I am doing most of my shooting at sporting events and the contestants come from across the country. I am short the man power and do not want to even think about onsite sales. Therefore, my pricing is not necessarily dependent on the location of my residence, but rather on the pricing within the "area" of the subject matter. As with most other areas (i.e. portrait, weddings, etc.), there are the extremely low end and a couple of very high end pricing structures out there. I kind of put myself in the middle, adjusting prices as I see necessary (uniqueness of the print, quantity ordered, etc.).

Quite honestly, my idea with the digital pricing is to make it to where most won't bother, but will order prints instead.

 

[tirediron]

Quite honestly, my idea with the digital pricing is to make it to where most won't bother, but will order prints instead.

This is exactly right, but above all, and regardless of where you operate, you must ensure that your prices accurately reflect your CODB. Adjusting up or down slightly for different regions is fine, but not so much that you're operating at a loss.

 

[vintagesnaps]

And you seem to have hit on why photographers usually price a digital file very very high! - to discourage that sort of usage. I've done sports but now doing fine art prints it's about the same for a print.

I don't think you can control what someone may do with your photos if they have the digital file. I'd probably only do that for commercial use with a business, not an individual who wants the photos for - whatever! lol - I'd have to wonder with sports what someone might intend to do with the photos.

 

[OnTheFly7]

With regards to the digital files and sports.......

Some may want them for a resume or portfolio to approach potential sponsors with. Since we also offer design services such as this, there again is another reason for us not to sell the digital files. The hope is that we will get the portfolio business as well.