Dispite best efforts, parents won't buy! I'm stumped!

[jamesjems]

good comments all. thanks for taking the time to weigh in.

 

On question. Many of you laugh at SmugMug's "right click protection". why? Is it that easy to defeat? How?

[mike dixon]

Parents might be slowed down by right-click "protection," but I bet the kids can get past it in about two seconds. There are several ways to get around it. Try a google search . . .

[j.kivekas]

For right click protections - google "MWSnap 3"

[znabal]

As someone else hinted, you are also competing against other parents. My kids compete in judo tournaments. I generally shoot from right along side the mat, I shoot any of the kids from their club, I shoot with an EOS 5D, a 70-200 2.8L and I've done judo, so I have a better chance of getting the "moment"...and in the end, any of the kids in the club (and those we know from other clubs) are going to get a print if I get a really good shot, and digital files regardless. At the plays, it is likely that there is someone like me you are "competing" against ...and it is tough competition. I shot a school play once too...but I stopped after 2 or 3 shots, the EOS-3 I used at the time is just too LOUD :) good luck -jeffl

[klix]

Shoot the dress rehearsals and sell prints at the play.

 

That's what I've done with some measure of success. I'd print 8x12's of my selected images (at my expense), and mounted them on a simple presentation board, then set up a table outside the front door on the night of the play, and take orders for prints and picture CD's.

 

Doing this, I've averaged close to $1,000 per show. Of course, I do this for church plays, so I just donate the proceeds back to the church --that may have something to do with parents' willingness to order prints.

 

KL

[randmcnatt]

You're barking up the wrong market. Get the drama club or the booster club to handle the sales, instead. You provide the pics, order envelopes, and maybe a place to order them on the net, and let the kids and/or parents hawk them. The theater group gets a decent percentage of the sales, you take a reasonable cut and get some good marketing exposure, the parents get cute pictures AND a cheap way to support their budding actors without actually having to expend any time or effort. Everybody wins.

 

It's also better to sell to the kids, by offering something THEY would want, and that Mom and Dad could get for them, like a poster print including cameos of the entire cast, or to OTHER family members, by offering a small package which includes a few 3x5 or wallets for Gandma and the aunts and uncles (Mom and Dad are in the audience, and will have those memories forever; Cousin Sally isn't, and is the one who needs that picture).

 

Good luck with it.

[j._scott_schrader]

Generally speaking parents aren't interested in getting "The Shot". Most parents aren't

even familiar with "the photographic moment". As long as their kid is in the shot it's a

keeper. Eyes closed ...it doesn't matter, seen from the back...it doesn't matter...blurry...it

doesn't matter, kid is only a tiny spot in the overall picture...it doesn't matter, blown

highlights...it doesn't matter, underexposed...it doesn't matter. All parents are capable of

taking these types of pictures and do. Many are happy enough with the quality of a still

video frame capture. Give them something remarkable of their kid and they won't be able

to walk away. Give them something ordinary and they won't look twice. (They themselves

are very capable of taking ordinary shots of their kids.)

 

I'd suggest working on your technique and your style. Take sharp images...don't even

show the out of focus ones. (Both that you posted in this thread were out of focus.) I

suspect this is largely an impulse buy. You will need to sell the pictures at the event

itself...as the parents are congratulating their kids and going home/out to celebrate. The

next morning is too late ...it is simply a missed opportunity. Of course selling at the event

is purely speculative and will cost you some up front money for prints that may or may not

sell.

 

Everybody today thinks they are a photographer...with the continuous improvement of

camera technology and simple editing software anyone today can take a bad shot of their

kid and make it mediocre. With 10 megapixel point and shoot cameras on the market they

can crop up close and end up with mediocrity which they will think is great. ...and thats all

they want ...just a reasonably decent shot of their kid. They don't want a professional

quality image of their kid. ...and even if they did, you are not offering them a professional

quality image.

 

Also, people today don't have photo albums any more. They keep all of their images

electronically...and as already mentioned these certainly aren't the type of images that

people would be hanging on their walls.

[stormchaser]

that's odd indeed. I would think you would get great sales.

[phyrpowr]

Re-read Rand, J. Scott, and RM L. Unfortunately they're right. I tried something like this in years past, and the p&s (film at that time) shots are all that Mom wants. Just so she can ID the Blessed Precious.

 

Also consider that parents are constantly getting hit up for band candy, choir popcorn, debate club waffles, etc., are a bit tired of it, and have no reason at all to buy from you. Now, as suggested, if you get the kids involved in the selling, they still won't like it, but willl be more likely to shell out .

[jamesjems]

Perhaps I spoke too soon.

 

Since I last logged in and check this page, parents have gone to my SmugMug gallery and registered over 5500 discrete hits (intentionally enlarged an image) and have placed orders for 48 images. Perhaps after the show they just needed to rest up a bit before they sat down to look.

 

I am much relieved. Somehow, I'll make this work and I'll provide this service to my very small community.

 

Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts, both critical and supportive. All were listened to and I'll implement many of your suggestions in the future.

 

James

[stwrtertbsratbs5]

Best of luck. I hope that the ideas and critiques prove helpful.