Prints vs. CD/DVD Question

[Sonesta]

I recently did a senior shoot. The client and parents were very happy with the session. During the consultation prior to the shoot I had gone over my contract with the client and her mother, who also happen to be good friends of mine.
To make a long story short, the parent did her "homework" after the consultation and shoot and found my print options to not be suited to what they want to do, which is to have a high res CD to print wherever they choose. However, she said she will honor the contract since that's what we agreed on. She talked to several other seniors about their experiences and one senior who did a session with another photog for the same price I charge got 2 hrs more session time and was given the whole shoot as a high res CD for no other charge than the sitting fee. That is absolutely ridiculous to me, since there's no way a photog can make any money for their time/talent/travel/etc. on that price. And, secondly there is the issue of lost revenue from possible prints and reprints.
My print packages currently consist of three options: 1. individual print size choices, 2. a print package, or 3. a custom package to suit the clients needs. Along with all print packages I offer a CD/DVD with slideshow and low res proofs for social network sharing, not for print. I have always had my clients purchase prints through me. My print package prices are already at the bare-bones minimum I can do and still make money. If I were to offer all proofs on high res CD I feel I would be letting go of control of quality printing as well as possible income.
One of my photog friends does the majority of her sales via high res CD and charges $500 for the CD. I already have, at my low print prices, a hard time getting my clients interested in purchasing prints. I feel if I charged something similar to this $500 price, they would never come to me again and never give me any referrals.
So...any information or insight about print pricing/CD pricing would be very welcome! Thanks

[digirebelva]

youre competing in price, its a no-win situation and a race to the bottom, you have to provide something the other photographers are not...a different/better experience. a different was of photographing the client..things your competition is not doing...

[andyw]

Hmmm this should be an interesting thread.

I am not a portrait or wedding snapper so my opinions are not worth the digital bits they take to post but what the heck, that has not stopped me before.

If you are currently averaging 500 per sitting by selling print(s) packages then if you just offered a cd of images then that is what you should charge for that cd if you go that route.

Personally I think your way is good as it is.
You are always going to get the customer who says "Uncle Bob up the road does this for xx or yy". Fine let them.
If your potential customer is not happy with your pricing/packages then they don't have to use you.

The parent you mentioned should have done her "homework" before booking with you if she wanted a different deal. She is just trying it on and you should just tell her "tough, this is how I do it and what you signed up for". Maybe a bit more politely

Her "honoring the contract" is just total and utter BS on her part (unless you are crazy enough to offer a "we will match any price" type of deal) and she knows it.

Yes you need to know what your competition is offering but you do not have to match it. You do however have to be prepared to sometimes explain why you are more expensive (read better) than "uncle Bob".

There is a load of information out in the wonderful interwebby thing about just exactly this issue.

[Niresangwa]

Well, you already have the talking points that are regularly rolled out on CD vs Prints model, so are you expecting a magic bullet?

We have no idea what your work is like, how much marketing you do or how effective it is, or even the standard of work in your area and your competition, so keep this in context.

The bottom line is that photography, at least as far as personal photography such as portrait and wedding work has become much more consumer driven. Their money and your need for it is generally trumping your skills and their need for them.

As such, the pervasive business model of providing source files is quickly becoming an expectation that you can't get around. You can try educating clients, but aside from making you sound sanctimonious it will be an uphill struggle.

If you have a product that is unique, strong marketing and an established costumer base, you stand a chance of making the old school model work, but otherwise, you're stuck.

Look at it from their perspective. Why should they hire you?

If your quality clearly doesn't off-set the out-dated business model that essentially forces them to pay more for a service they don't need, what exactly do you expect?

[NathanFranke]

Originally Posted by Niresangwa

Well, you already have the talking points that are regularly rolled out on CD vs Prints model, so are you expecting a magic bullet?
[many very good points here, scroll up to re-read them]
If your quality clearly doesn't off-set the out-dated business model that essentially forces them to pay more for a service they don't need, what exactly do you expect?

Yeah. The business has changed. If you want to maintain the Old Ways, then your images had better knock the socks off all the competition in a 300 mile radius. People will go where they can get what they want. If they want the digital files, then I say "Here you go, ma'am and thanks for the money."

If you're not offering what the customer wants, they'll find someone who will.

I would never hire a photographer that doesn't give me the digitals. Would you?

[Rentham]

Originally Posted by Photoboothguy

I would never hire a photographer that doesn't give me the digitals. Would you?

I would. In fact, I'm about to. My wife is expecting our second child and I have absolutely no time or interest in doing maternity shots. I decided we'd leave it up to some local photographers who specialize in that area and do a great job. My wife picked the photographer she liked best, the print prices are reasonable, and that is that. What would I want a bunch of digitals for? Give me one or two nice, large prints and let's call it a day.

[andyw]

Originally Posted by Photoboothguy

I would never hire a photographer that doesn't give me the digitals. Would you?

I certainly would.
I would not be hiring a photographer to do my portraits or wedding so that I then had all the printing to do. I would expect them to be able to produce the prints I wanted.

If I wanted digital it would only be smaller copies for the web or a slideshow both of which I would expect to pay for.

Originally Posted by andyw

I certainly would.
I would not be hiring a photographer to do my portraits or wedding so that I then had all the printing to do. I would expect them to be able to produce the prints I wanted.

If I wanted digital it would only be smaller copies for the web or a slideshow both of which I would expect to pay for.

You're not a bride.

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/....php?t=1014245

From the focus group's results:
CD's with all images were expected. If you don’t give images you were not considered and were eliminated from every brides list.

[andyw]

Originally Posted by Photoboothguy

You're not a bride.

You don't say!

Originally Posted by Photoboothguy

WOW- Learned a ton - Canon Digital Photography Forums

From the focus group's results:
CD's with all images were expected. If you don’t give images you were not considered and were eliminated from every brides list.

Fine, and the point is what exactly?
You said "I would never hire a photographer that doesn't give me the digitals. Would you? "
Yes I would.

I realise that many people do want the digital files and I realise that a lot of photographers do give just the files.
I also know that there are many people who do not want and are not bothered about the files. What they want is the photographer to supply the service and the required prints.

Off course the "digital age" has changed the way a lot of photographers have to do business depending on their client base.
Bottom line,It is all down to knowing your business and customer.

There is NO right or wrong way.

Edit. I just re-read that link. Note the price range for photography, most were not bothered about albums and a couple of other things point to that panel not being a particularly "high end" or even an overall representative group.