Through the Lens - CLOSED

If you see an ass, ride it! by Dominic Lee

Take an average family portrait session and the average photographer’s price list and you will arrive with the following minimum average sale: One framed 20x16 inch portrait for €500 and two framed 10x8^s for Grandparents @ €250 each, total €1000.

But you could save yourself a lot of hassle by offering the file on a disc for half the price - €500. Unfortunately, no member of the public will pay €500 for a digital file so what would they expect to pay? 

Even at €100 for the file they would probably complain.

And how do they select which image they want to pay for? Presumably with a viewing of all the images, well that’s another hour onto the session time, not too clever for €100! So easier to just hand them all the images and let them pick it themselves, right?

Except now they have about 50 images for €100!

Even if the client manages to get a good quality print (which is impossible), others who have had the images forwarded to them by email may not be so competent and within a very short space of time the photographer’s reputation is devastated by portraits which look like they were printed on toilet paper and left out in the garden for a month.

And to top it off, his or her average sale has dropped from €1000 down to €100 or less.

Even offering low res 6x4 inch files as proofs is a bad idea, the customer can simply apply “Genuine Fractals” (software which up-sizes the resolution) and hay-presto there’s a 36x24 inch for everyone in the family.

So how do professional photographers resolve this problem presented by the development of new media and technologies? The demand for the digital file is ever increasing, it won’t go away.

But the answer must remain the same as it did when customers demanded the negatives, explain that is has little or nothing to do with copyright but that you must retain control over the quality of your work as you plan to remain in business for a lot longer than the dozens of photographers who go out of business every year because they have bowed to pressure from customers who’s only motto in life is: “if you see an ass, ride it”!

 

Dominic Lee

Right to Sight

During the week I listened to Dr Kate Coleman on the Mooney Show. She was speaking about her work as an eye surgeon and her campaign website - Right to Sight. One fact that struck me was that for 25 euro surgeons in Africa and India can restore site - If you have a few bob why not donate to them. Right to Sight

And you're based where? by Alan Murphy

In this day and age people like to know who they are dealing with. It is important to them, it gives they an added degree of security. I wouldn't do business with somebody who didn't have an address and I suspect most other people are the same. Why then do some professional photographers not put a full postal address on their website.

I have thought about it and here are some possible reasons: (non of which reflect well on the photographer)

The revenue - You are doing the jobs on the side and don't want the revenue to catch up with you. I think they can easily sort that one out and I hope they do.

You have a poor product - It's so poor you don't want to give your poor clients a head start when they try to track you down.

You planning to do a runner - Your planning to rip off a bunch of people and need that head start.

You didn't think it was important - Well it is in my book!.

NOTE TO THE PUBLIC Do not book a photographer if you don't have a postal address where they can be contacted.

NOTE TO PHOTOGRAPHERS Get it sorted if you want to attract business.

Or am I missing something.....