Packaging Disks for Clients

[chimera_h]

<p>I'm getting ready to send out some wedding image disks to a client. The disks (and jewel case) are labeled with their image in name/date. What else do you do to make the presentation of the disks look professional?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

[booray]

<p>I use a cameo cover, "pleather" case in a box. Presentation is important and the boxes are about $5 a piece.</p>

[william-porter]

<p>I label the disks nicely, and put 'em into new jewel cases. I usually tie a ribbon around 'em, and pack 'em in a small box with some gift-wrap paper cushioning them. For one of my recent brides, I also included a pair of newborn baby booties. I try to make the outside of the package look decent too, making sure to print a nice label, etc. In short, I think the presentation is attractive and professional - not fancy or super-cute, but serviceable. I have found nice packaging stuff at arts & crafts stores.</p>

<p>But that's all I do or want to do. I certainly agree that presentation is important. But I personally don't want to encourage the idea that the disk is somehow a precious thing itself. If I were sending a printed book, I would probably go to a little more trouble. But my disks are all accompanied with info about how the disks will need careful maintenance in order for the data on them to survive into future decades - copying, proper storage, etc. In other words, the disks are just that - computer data disks - and nothing more.</p>

<p>Editorial digression: The more I think about this, the more convinced I am that delivering the photos to the client on disk is, ultimately, a bad idea for the client. Probably ain't a darn thing we can do to talk the clients out of wanting a disk but I still think that's true. My mom and dad were married in 1951, in the most private fashion: my mom didn't want her parents to KNOW about the wedding! The photographic record of the wedding consists of a dozen snapshots taken on a little Kodak camera by one of the witnesses. The amazing thing is, I still have those photos almost sixty years later, still in the little yellow ring-binder booklet that Kodak printing put them into originally. If I had a spare $1000 bill lying around, I'd be willing to place a bet that not a single one of the disks that I'm generating for clients in 2009 will be easily readable in, say, 2050 or 2060. DVDs then are likely to be about as accessible as 78 rpm vinyl disks that my grandparents collected.</p>

[betty_lowrey]

<p>I use pre-printed DVD case inserts with my logo on them and screenprinted DVDs with my logo.</p>

[jon rennie]

<p>I design and print right on the DVD disk with a dymo discpainter and make dvd inserts for the packaging.<br>

William: You are missing one key point. While DVD's may not be around in 40 years, the transition from DVD's to other technologies wont be comparable to that of a 78rpm vinyl, so your comparison doesn't really work. 78's were analogue and any duplication degrades quality not to mention difficult. DVD's can be copied easily without any quality loss to other media. DVD technology won't just dissapear so there will be plenty of opportunity to copy files. I bet you a lot of B&G's with disks have already copied their files onto their hard drives.</p>

[colleendonovan]

<p>I use labels that I have designed using one of their wedding imgaes (or senior portraits) and personalize it with the event date, names, etc. I put the DVD into a nice black leather portfolio, attach a ribbon that matches their wedding colors around it and send it off in a nice box.</p>

[kiva]

<p>I use a collage program to create a nice collection of photos that will slide into the see-through disc holder cover. I use the thicker disc holders so I can put two discs in the holder.</p>

<p>Inside the holder is a very small sticker with my studio name and my name.</p>

<p>Below is a disc holder cover from a recent engagement session.</p><div></div>

[steve_elms]

<p>I just bought a Lighstcribe DVD burner that lets me actually burn an image onto the top of the DVD. I can use premade templates, or use a photo from their wedding, and add whatever text I like. I've done 2 now and I put a nice closeup of the couple and then just their first names and their wedding date. I think it looks professional, but I like some of the ideas listed in this thread too!</p>

[guestreel]

<p>I'll second the LightScribe idea. The discs & DVD drives are cheap and it's really quite easy to do. http://www.lightscribe.com/</p>

<p>If you want to go a bit further with some special jewel cases, check out http://jewelboxing.com/. I've bought some of these and have used them for special DVDs/CDs. You can make really nice jewelboxes & inserts with these templates & cases.</p>