99.9% of clients are honest and good people. They know I have spent time and put forth effort towards planning, coordinating and capturing images during their photo session. They also know the images don’t magically appear on photo paper and get delivered to them. They know there is work done behind the scenes, such as using Photoshop to really make an image the best it can be. What most people don’t realize is the overwhelming amount of time that is spent ensuring their images are presented to them as near perfection as can be.
When you hire a photographer, most of the fee charged is for time and effort you never see. After a portrait session, or wedding, the photographer often has hundreds or even thousands of images to go through and eliminate the non-keepers. Then further eliminating is done to get rid of images that are very similar or images that don’t truly capture the feel of an event or the theme of a photo-shoot. Each “keeper” image then gets further scrutinized in Photoshop to ensure that eyeglass glare, stray hairs, or any number of other issues are taken care of. Once that is all done, proofs are either printed out or copied to a CD. All of this takes time. Clients see a photographer spend an hour clicking away on their camera, directing them where to stand or sit, how their arms, legs, faces, etc. are to be placed and think that the one hour is what they are paying for. They just don’t know how much other work needs to be done to get them outstanding images and how much time it all takes.
The preceding leads to the following:
As the title of this entry may or may not suggest; there is something on my mind that I will share.
The “PROOF” in this blog entry’s title pertains to photo proofs. I take some photos. Edit out any I feel are no good. Take the good ones, superimpose the word “PROOF” on them, print them out or copy onto a CD and deliver the proofs to client for them to make selections of photos they want to order. Putting “PROOF” on images is a lot like locking your car or house doors: it keeps honest people honest. If someone wants to get into your locked house, they will find a way. Same as if someone wants to take your images and copy them without paying a fee to you, the photographer, for printing them. No matter how hard I could try to make it for someone to not make copies of my images, if they really wanted to, they could.
The image above has “PROOF” superimposed on it. 99.9% of people see it, know why it is on image, and understand it. They know photographers have to do things like this to eliminate the temptation of clients making copies of images they like, but probably wouldn’t order. Does simply putting “PROOF” on images prevent theft? The truthful answer is simply…No, it doesn’t. Anyone with photo manipulation software and time on their hands could “remove” the “PROOF” text and have an image they could print out on their own printer or take to any number of stores to have copied.
Recently, a client attempted to have copies made of proof-sheets I had given them. I know many of the people who work at the local stores where one could have copies made. I received a call that someone was attempting to have copies made but the store wouldn’t do it because they saw my proof mark and business name. They called me to alert me. Shortly after that I received another call from a different store. Seems my client left one of the proof-sheets in the copier. Store wanted to know what to do with it. To say I was angry would be an understatement. I needed to calm down and think rationally on how to handle situation.
Spoke with my attorney and was advised to contact client and get their side of things. Client said they were making copies of proof-sheets to give to relatives so they could see photos taken and order any they wanted. This is a good client and I believed them. I reminded them that I would be more than happy to make additional sets of proofs for them and asked them to please not make copies in the future. Also reminded them that my images are copyright protected. Truly copyright protected in that I submit & register my images with the U.S. Copyright Office. All is OK, for now.
As an off topic subject, I have been asked why different photographers charge vastly different prices for their images. The answer follows.
One photographer may charge a sitting fee and then sell their prints cheaper than another photographer that doesn’t have a sitting fee, but makes up for it by charging considerably more for prints. Both methods work. The first photographer wants to be paid for his time and is at peace if client doesn’t order any images. If client does order images, that is like getting free whipped cream and sprinkles on top. He has been compensated upfront and then sells his images for less than what the other photographer does because of it. The second photographer collects no money for any time he spends during the photoshoot. He makes up for this by charging considerable more for his images. If client is going to order lots of prints, photographer #1’s pricing model is best most of the time. If client is going to order only a few prints, photographer #2’s pricing model is best most of the time.
Until next time,
Mark