Printing Photos on Location - Event Photography

I will be photographer at a ball in May. I will be using a 1D Mark III. I

need to be able to print out the pics so the people can bring them home with

them. Any thoughts on the setup would be appreciated from someone who has done

this.

They will choose one image from two or three (each couple will be getting one

8x10 to take with home).

The images will also later be put on my website for purchase there. So I am

thinking that I shoot in RAW plus jpg; the jpg's can be printed out right there

and the RAWS can be processed from my office for the website.

I will be shooting with a cable attached from the camera to the laptop so the

files can be exported immediately to laptop. My Canon prionter will be

attached to the laptop.

Any possible problems with this set-up? Suggestions?

a) Re the printing on site: no direct experience and no comment on the hardware or the set up.

b) From experience re selling on site: you will need at least one assistant to manage the selection / sales / distribution of the 10 x 8.

c) From experience at covering a Ball / Function required to shoot each couple / family, then consider these questions and the answers to them:

Q1. How many couples?

Q2. Allocated shooting area (portable flash set up?) they come to you?

Q3, Allocated or ad hoc shooting times?

Q4, What is your time line within the time frame?

Expansions and further considerations, ideas and input, FYI:

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00O0K1

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00NHxW

WW

I don?t post many replies but enjoy reading them.

As event photography is something I do a lot of I thought I would give you my thoughts on this.

There are 2 things to stay away from

1 Photoshop

2 letting clients view and choose their own photos

This is from experience Photoshop is a great program but rubbish at doing things quickly I would use Picasa it?s free from Google easy to work and wont crash your laptop.

At events I use Dye Sub printers so the cost per print is low I tell my assistant to choose the photos and she will print all 3 each couple then I say 2 for the price of 3 and most of the time all 3 will go and increase your profit.

The reason that I don?t let the clients choose their own photo is because if they will um and ar over 2 photos that are almost identical and by this time you have lost 2 more sails because they can?t be bothered to wait

Printing out all 3 photos is quite scary as you think what a waste, but after a lot of research you will be surprised please read this link http://www.systeminsight.co.uk/Professional_Dye_Sublimation_Print_All_Images.htm

This is how I work in the UK and have now set up myself with a Mitsubishi Click IT5000 Digital Micro Lab its expensive but worth it

I hope this has helped and sorry for pore spelling and gramour

Thanks

Phil

My first concerns are for the time you have per couple for the printing and choosing process. And I think you need at least two assistants to do what you are talking about.

I think the biggest bottleneck will be print speed. You say you'll be printing on your Canon printer...what model and how fast does it turn out an 8x10? Is it a bubble jet? who is going to handle cartrige reloading? Do you know your ink consumption and how much to have spare? Hopefully, you are talking about a dye-sub printer, but I don't know Canon to make one that prints 8x material, but I'm not sure.

The next bottle neck is the choosing...

If the choices are made on screen, do you have a pivoting screen or a separate monitor for them to view while your assistant is working/previewing? If the choices are made from 3 prints...then your printing will be an even bigger bottleneck.

I like the idea of printing all, and selling more. Seems easier too.

Why is it that whenever this question gets asked, dye-sub printers are the recommendation? What is it about ink-jets that are not as good for this type of business? I've never done either, but I have been asked to do it, but I couldn't figure out a way to edit and churn the prints out fast enough. Is dye-sub that much faster?

Just speaking for myself, the suggestion for dye-sub isn't just about the print speed, but print longevity. A dye-sub typically has a finish coating which is UV and water resistant. I did a casual fade test of my non-pigment inkjet and the prints don't last very long when on display. Basically unacceptable to me even when mounted behind UV glass...bad when unprotected like on a refrigerator and very little indirect sunlight...and worthless with even a little indirect sunlight.

And then there's ink bleeding too.

Inkjet prints may not even make it home in good condition if being handled by the guests.

To phil white:

>>>[not] letting clients view and choose their own photos (edit) I tell my assistant to choose the photos and she will print all 3 each couple then I say 2 for the price of 3 <<<

I owe you a beer: I have just adapted this technique to a (similar) upcoming job.

Thank you so much for sharing.

WW