Viewing of Proofs-- what to do?

[metric_photography]

Hi-- Whenever I do a shoot, I have been editting all the *good* pics and giving them to the customer on a disk. I usually just charge a flat rate for sitting fee and disk of images. I would like to expand my clientele and therefore how I present the images I take. I have researched some local photographers who do the same type of pics (kids, baby, maternity) and some give a disk of watermarked very low quality images for clients to choose the pics they want. Others do an online gallery.

I am not sure what to do or how to do it! This is something that is really hold me back from advertising and getting my name out there! (I have just been taking pics of friends of friends etc). I have no problem giving the client a digital image rather than a print, but I don't want to edit 50 pics if they only like 5. I'd rather just edit the 5 and give them 5 digital images on disk. Any advice?

[nickbedford]

I personally would provide them quality edits. Do I want people to see flat unprocessed RAW files and think that's what they'll get? Nope.

100 photos can be trimmed down to the best 30, then they can be quickly edited to a decent proofing standard then going back to the ones chosen by the client and editing them to final.

That's how I'd do it anyway.

[OsmosisStudios]

I actually have mine printed out to 4x6 size and I sit down with client and have them choose the ones they want (for the quantity they have selected in their package). It means I control the final result (editing, printing) and it means that the client never gets my proofs in some way or another, meaning less possibility for theft.

[metric_photography]

OS-- do you edit the pics before printing the 4x6s? How many do you print? I like that idea. How long do you spend with the client while they are choosing? Also, how much do you charge for prints? Or rather, what do you think I should charge for standard size images? Nick-- I totally agree with you that I don't want people to see pics that aren't colour corrected etc. That's why I always edit them and then give the images!

[metric_photography]

Also OS-- do they get to keep the 4x6s? And do you print them at home or at like Costco/ Walmart?

[theosus]

Originally Posted by OsmosisStudios

I actually have mine printed out to 4x6 size and I sit down with client and have them choose the ones they want (for the quantity they have selected in their package). It means I control the final result (editing, printing) and it means that the client never gets my proofs in some way or another, meaning less possibility for theft.

Ive seen that done before - it seems the absolute best way to prevent theft and show the client exactly what they are getting. People want to hold pictures. Different monitors show things differently. Just learned mine was set too dark (my prints came out washed out and bright - even though they look good on screen).
Send the proofs home - and they'll just run down to somewhere that doesnt care about copyrights, and print them off. Not kidding - I watched a CVS employee help a woman copy an obvious school photo. She even helped her crop out the "Olan Mills" on the bottom so it wouldnt show.

[lonni]

Metric - Do you have a pro lab? most pro labs have good prices on "proof" sizing

I print proofs to show the customer too and find that the customers can take them home on hte day. I either have it built into the packaage that they can choose X ammount of proofs to take, give them a price on teh day for the whole set or x number of the set, or if they spend enough on prints to warrant it i just give them the proofs. Any unused proof can be used in a portfolio.

The other good thing about showing hard copy proofs is selling time, you can gush over how cute the kids look and remind them that granny needs print etc. With an online gallery it is harder to convert views in to sales.

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by metric_photography

OS-- do you edit the pics before printing the 4x6s?
How many do you print?
How long do you spend with the client while they are choosing?
Also, how much do you charge for prints? Or rather, what do you think I should charge for standard size images?

[...]

Also OS-- do they get to keep the 4x6s? And do you print them at home or at like Costco/ Walmart?

I've itemized your posts to make it clearer.

1: I edit the images in that I convert them from RAW to JPG, but not much else beyond that. They get basic colour correction, framing, some editing. Anything beyond that gets done once they've chosen the ones they want.

2: I print as many as the contract specifies. My contract always states how many images the client is expected to choose from. Depending on the shoot, anywhere from 10 to 100.

3: I spend as long with the client as necessary, but I try to keep it to an hour at most.

4: How much you charge for prints depends on your location and your overall pricing scheme. I do have standard price lists, but yours will depend on location and what others around you are charging.

5: The clients do not keep the proofs (they're watermarked with "PROOF", for one). I have the prints done at a local lab that does all my printing as I have my system calibrated to their printer settings. It's a national chain here in Canada, but I won't say which.

[mandyatm]

I use an online gallery with about 30 fully edited images. I wasn't watermarking them, but then I realized that clients were taking them from the gallery (even though I disabled right click), and had them up on Facebook before they even ordered. I also realized that their family members were getting them and making prints. So now I watermark right across the middle. I am considering doing the actual print proofs as well, but it just seems like it would take so much more time! And a lot of my clients are an hour away, so an extra meeting isn't practical.

[metric_photography]

Osmosis--- can you pm me the "national chain" you go to? I'm in Southern Ontario. Thanks!