Selling CD instead of prints

[Kelha]

Just wondered what anyone thought of selling a CD with all of client's photos as opposed to selling prints. I have a baby and two older children and want to save time. I also take alot of friends photos and do not want to "sit" on their photos.

 

[EBphotography]

If I read your question correctly, many photographers just give their clients a CD of photos and not prints, it's obviously arranged earlier though. Hope I answered your question the way you expected!

 

[Kelha]

Yes, you answered my question. I guess I am wondering how to go about invoicing a client for a CD as opposed to charging for actual prints. Do you charge for number of photos? Time you have invested using Photoshop? That is my real dilema. Any suggestions?

 

[EBphotography]

It's your business you do what you like! You could charge for number of photos on the CD, but I think that would depend on how much you edit them. If I didn't edit them and just threw the originals on a disc, I wouldn't charge per shot. But edited photos I would consider a per shot cost. It ultimatley comes down to what you prefer.

 

[NoteGraphics]

Personally I think I have a perfect compromise solution !! I sell prints, and try to get clients to have them mounted and framed as well to add value. This means you are selling a high end / high quality product which looks good ( hopefully !)

If you take some time and trouble with post-processing, accurate and sympathetic mounting, and quality frames... When your clients puts the prints up, and friends and family see them they will hopefully have a "wow factor" that will result in you getting recommendations / bookings.

Then, after 6 months (or in my case a year) - recontact the client and offer prints at a discount...

Then 6 months after that, offer to sell them a CD/DVD of all the images at a good price.

3 Chances to sell / make a living !!!!

If you just "give away" the pics by selling the disc - the chances are your client will print them out poorly on a home system, copy inks, crappy paper and make your piccies look dreadful.

*end of my 2 cents worth*

 

[rmh159]

I agree completely... an amazing pic on a crap print looks like crap. I wouldn't want to entrust my clients to make my work look good... especially if I spent a lot of time and resources on it. I'd rather give them something that they don't have to process at all so I'd be sure of the quality.

Plus I'd think if you just give them the CD they'll be likely to be the ones 'sitting' on it.

I'd go for the prints but it's your business.

...If you just "give away" the pics by selling the disc - the chances are your client will print them out poorly on a home system, copy inks, crappy paper and make your piccies look dreadful.

*end of my 2 cents worth*

 

[Big Mike]

There are a few older threads about this topic, you might be able to search them out.

This seems to be the way the industry is moving...people want digital files to either print them selves, edit them selves or to E-mail to friends and family.

This creates a problem for the old school thinking which was to never give up your negatives and make money on the prints.

I think what a lot of photographers are doing, is to incorporate their usual price into the initial cost. So either a cost to shoot a wedding or a sitting fee or what ever. Basically you would be charging for your time and expertise. Remember there is almost always editing time involved with digital files...so that time should be paid time.

This concept may be hard for some clients to grasp...the think that we just press the shutter button and them give them the files on a CD. Obviously, there is more to it than that.

One of the problems to this scenario is that we no longer have control over all of out prints. What if you take great shot and give them the file...then they print it on typewriter paper with a $50 printer with dried out ink? Your work will look bad and you can't really do much about it. Some people also give proof prints with the digital files...just so the client can see what kind of quality is possible. Also, it helps if you explain the importance of using a good lab/printer etc. for making their prints.

Welcome to the forum, by the way.

 

[JIP]

I think (as was discussed in other threads) if you do make an agreement to give the client a CD and let them do with it as they please it is important to include mabye a good set of 4x6 or other size prints just to show them what they should look like so when they invariably go to wal-mart to get them printed and they come out crappy they can't say it was your fault can you say CYA???

 

[magphoto]

My suggestion is to not give the cd/dvd.....you'd be amazed at how bad a client can make a beautiful portrait you worked so hard for, and used your creativity and knowledge.....I've been in some clients houses and seen first hand what they do with just the prints...it's made me cringe....bad framing makes a great photo look bad....

 

[mysteryscribe]

In the good days I never gave negatives, at the end of my career, I was told that I wasn't going to be around to deal with reprints. They were wrong of course, but I can't see well enough now to do a negative search so its just as well.

However in the end when I gave negatives away, I always had a half dozen prints made at random. I told the customer to take them to the lab and have the technition match any additional prints to them. I carefully explained how important it was. I never saw any of the prints, but I also never got any complaints.

However if you plan to make a business of photography and not a hobby never give anything away that can make you money later on. Not even the Walmart model allows for that.