What’s Your Preference?

valleygirl · #1 (**permalink**) 10-08-2008, 12:56 AM

I just lost a client that had scheduled because the husband insisted on a CD of high resolution images that he could print himself. I sell session CDs for $500 a piece because, frankly, if someone buys the CD they aren't going to buy prints from me.

That said, maybe my prices are too high? Now I wonder. I have done a lot of research in my area on prices and I am trying to stay in line with what others charge. What do you guys think? Honestly. Am I too high?

sarahgirl777 · #2 (**permalink**) 10-08-2008, 01:04 AM

I know I couldn't pay $500 for a CD of pic's of my child. Now maybe a wedding or something. However if you are trying to discourage people from choosing the CD while still giving the option then you're probably on the right track. I suppose it would depend on your area too, I live in a small country town and I don't think it would work here, but that's not to say it's too much. I would look at it this way, what's the average profit you make when selling prints (per shoot) If you usually make $100 then maybe charge a little more than that then you're not really loosing out. Just my 2 cents, but I could be way off. (P.s. if you check my website my prices are real cheap cause I'm trying to build my portfolio, this doesn't reflect what I think the going rates around here would be) It will be interesting to see others responses too.

oh, edited to add, I looked at your site and 8X10 doesn't seem high resolution to me either. Again just my opinion.

valleygirl · #3 (**permalink**) 10-08-2008, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarahgirl777

I know I couldn't pay $500 for a CD of pic's of my child. Now maybe a wedding or something. However if you are trying to discourage people from choosing the CD while still giving the option then you're probably on the right track. I suppose it would depend on your area too, I live in a small country town and I don't think it would work here, but that's not to say it's too much. I would look at it this way, what's the average profit you make when selling prints (per shoot) If you usually make $100 then maybe charge a little more than that then you're not really loosing out. Just my 2 cents, but I could be way off. (P.s. if you check my website my prices are real cheap cause I'm trying to build my portfolio, this doesn't reflect what I think the going rates around here would be) It will be interesting to see others responses too.

Thanks, I appreciate that. I am in the metropolitan Washington area; most photographers sell their CDs for a lot or not at all (upwards of $1,000). Yes, I am trying to discourage them from buying a CD, mainly because I wouldn't sell any prints so I need to get what I think I would lose from prints. Also, if I sell a CD of the session, it means I have to edit every photo for print which sometimes is about 60 pictures. That is a ton of work.

Here is a local photographer about 10 minutes from me. She charges $150 per image if you want the digital negative, and her prices are pretty standard in the area:

private · #4 (**permalink**) 10-08-2008, 01:41 AM

I think he was trying to get something for nothing. You are a professional and you should be paid as a professional.

sarahgirl777 · #5 (**permalink**) 10-08-2008, 01:46 AM

Yea, I was thinking you must be in a larger city, things vary so much from city to city it's really hard to say. I mean if the cost of living is higher there then you have to charge more to make ends meat!

Good point of having a hard time raising the prices later. I've been thinking of raising them already but still offering free sessions for now. I mostly only have childrens portraits to show for so far so I need to get a few more to prove to people that I know what I'm doing. I think I'm gonna have a busy weekend though, I have a senior shoot friday then some family portraits this weekend, so hopefully that should give me more of a full portfolio, then I can base my prices on my proven work. I really don't want to cell CD's either, but it seems like there is a growing desire for them and I don't want to loose out on those clients either. But here in town I've heard there is someone doing 1hr sessions for $30 CD included. Yikes! I've yet to see their work though, lets hope it's no more than average...lol I have been processing every photo, but I'm not sure how that's going to continue to go, I know it sure is time consuming, but I'm so picky I only want to show them the best!

valleygirl · #6 (**permalink**) 10-08-2008, 02:38 AM

Thanks, Pat. That's how I feel. Even at $500 a CD that's about $10 a negative, which is pretty darn cheap.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarahgirl777

Yea, I was thinking you must be in a larger city, things vary so much from city to city it's really hard to say. I mean if the cost of living is higher there then you have to charge more to make ends meat!

Ugh. Unfortunately where I live, the cost of living is among the highest in the country. We are the third wealthiest county in the nation, according to Forbes. Not that I think that is a good thing! LOL! But it just goes to show what stuff costs here.

I'm just bummed that I lost a $200 shoot because I wouldn't give them a CD, so I'm second-guessing myself. But I'd like to think I do good work and that people who want nice images would be willing to pay for it. Even a $500 CD with 50 edited images comes to $10 an image...that's a deal if you ask me! ;-)

lissykeeper · #7 (**permalink**) 10-08-2008, 02:51 AM

Lauren,

You have to cover what the cost of those lost prints cost you plus your editing time to get every picture print ready. $500 would probably be too steep in my very rural area, but I bet it is a comparable price for your area. Don't let the cheapskate discourage you. One idea however, you might offer a low resolution (very low res) cd of both edited and non-edited images. That way, parents can e-mail them to grandparents to view or put them on their myspace, facebook, etc. Also, you might sell more prints if you do that, because later they will change their mind about what was there favorite photo, especially if they are viewing them a lot.

jdepould · #8 (**permalink**) 10-08-2008, 03:06 AM

Sounds like you lost a client you wouldn't have wanted in the first place. Not to be callous about it, but cheap clients are usually the worst.

valleygirl · #9 (**permalink**) 10-08-2008, 03:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lissykeeper

Lauren,

Also, you might sell more prints if you do that, because later they will change their mind about what was there favorite photo, especially if they are viewing them a lot.

Thanks so much. Actually, I did offer to sell them a disc of web-ready images (only 72 resolution) for $100 but they though that was too high also. :-(

But maybe I will put that as an option on my price list in case someone wants a CD for archival purposes only.