aimee_pieters

<p>You can't and shouldn't expect your clients to understand what is normal or typical. Your contract and or price list needs to be specific about things like this to avoid unhappy clients. If you clients have used another photographer in the past who included unlimited retouching for example, then to the client, this is normal. Hopefully you have already updated your literature so this doesn't happen again.<br>

I'm not saying that the client is always right, but making them happy is always right...-Aimee</p>

<p>There are of course 2 sides to pricing. One is your expenses and expectations and the other is what is typical in your area. Check around or have someone else check around for you and you'll find out. Also, make sure you take into account ALL of your costs and that includes a percentage of your sales to fund new equipment and/or other expansion....-Aimee</p>

<p>The average person doesn't care about resolution. They'll make whatever print they feel like. <br>

For this reason, as I've stated before, always provide the best possible file you can. If someone sees a poor quality print that the bride made on her inkjet printer, do you think anyone will ask "how did you print this"? NO, they'll ask who photographed it. <br>

There's your answer......-Aimee</p>

<p>If you don't hear from the coordinator by Monday, then contact the couple directly. You contracted with the couple and they are responsible for the payment. Also, you should have received the check back from your bank by now. If so, go to your bank and find out if it's good and put a hold on it.<br>

IMPORTANT - Regardless of what the situation is, DO NOT release any images to the couple until you've been paid. Be smart and don't put yourself in a situation where you have no bargaining power. No one looks out for you like you can.....-Aimee</p>

<p>Uncle Henrik,<br>

Make sure if there is a professional covering part of the wedding that you are in communication and agreement with him/her. Remember that a professional makes a living from selling photos and you don't want to over step that. If they can get your images for a fraction of the cost of the professional's, you're cutting into the pro's income.....-Aimee</p>

<p>Listen to Nadine's sensible comments....-Aimee</p>

<p>I think you're all missing an opportunity here.<br>

Why not SELL her the discs, along with all the image files on her 3rd anniversary. No one is going to wait 3 years to have prints made and then you're off the hook. She can opt to purchase everything or it's gone. Do you really want to be responsible indefinitely? What if you were to relocate? How would you ever contact anyone after all those years?<br>

I've been selling my negatives, then my digital files after 3 years and it's worked out great. It's also <strong>found money</strong> in the slow season....-Aimee</p>

<p>I don't agree with trying to align yourself with WalMart.<br>

That aside, if you never have any interest in building a sizeable business, us your own name. If you want to grow your business, then don't so that everyone isn't always requesting "Dawn".<br>

Something like ImageSmith mike take care of both scenarios.....-Aimee</p>

<p>EVeryone knows that no matter what you call it, it's the PRICE. When I see an "investment" tab on a website, I want to hold onto my seat before I click....-Aimee</p>

<p>When someone sees a poor quality image, they NEVER ask who printed it, they will ALWAYS ask who photographed it. For this reason, whenever I sell or turn over files, I always give the recipient the best possible file I can.....-Aimee</p>

<p>Kelsey,<br>

These are YOUR photographs, so you need to make the final decision. You will have to live with the results, regardless of your Aunt's generosity. Family dynamics are always intersting, aren't they? ...-Aimee</p>

<p>Call an attorney before you attempt anything. Initially it may sound good to just do what she asks. The money she's requesting may be as much as it's going to cost you to make her prints, etc., so why not just be done with her? The problem is that you have no guarantee that she won't want something else. If it doesn't go smoothly, you're going to wind up calling the attorney anyway, so why not seek out some advice from the person you may need to go to when it doesn't go smoothly.<br>

All of us on the forum have various business experiences, but NONE of us are attorneys....-Aimee</p>

<p>Heather,<br>

I checked out your site. Here are a few points that may help you. First, it would probably be best if there was some information on the home page. Not details, but something about what you're going to be doing for your clients. There are many images throughout the site that are technically poor. Some are out of focus and others are over exposed and blown out. The average person may not appreciate the effect. There are also a number of family groups that look like the people are just thrown together with no direction. In one of the images, there is a dog in the background. To many people this shows a lack of being able to take charge. Prospective clients ONLY care about the results. They don't know or care about lack of time or cooperation or bad weather and circumstances.<br>

The email address on your contact page is NOT a live link. One of your galleries isn't live either. Probably best to correct that too. <br>

What are you showing at your consultation? Are you showcasing finished albums or using a laptop? Is it the same images that are on your website? People want to know that you have experience under your belt, so variety of subjects really matters.<br>

Where are you meeting with people? Is it their home? Or yours? Or do you have an actual studio? Is it professional surroundings?<br>

Keep working at it and you'll get there in time. Best of luck....-Aimee</p>

<p>Try Album Crafters in Florida. They make a quality product and are so friendly easy to deal with....-Aimee</p>

<p>Keep your lights fairly close to the camera so that you light them flat. This will minimize shadow issues that can be a problem with groups of people. You will also be able to set up your lights and not have to move them the entire time.<br>

Keep the faces close to each other and don't be concerned with showing their entire bodies. People want to see faces and when they huddle together, you will typically get nicer expressions...-Aimee</p>

<p>Carol,<br>

Keep us posted....-Aimee</p>

<p>Images like this were much more credible in the "film days" because the negatives could back-up the photos. They were proof that the image was unaltered.<br>

I used to charge $25 per 8x10 with a minimum of 10 prints. This was about 15-20 years ago, so you can see that it was quite lucrative at the time....-Aimee</p>

<p>I just got an email from Neil Enterprises about "design your own" photo mounts and they're quite reasonable. They're full color and for the birthday party, they could have the child's photo or the couple's photo for the engagement party, etc. The minimum is 100 pieces and they're less than a dollar each. Contact Ted over there....-Aimee</p>

<p>You can really use just about any type of digital camera that you're comfortable with. A dye-sub digital printer like the SONY SnapLab works great and I get magnetic material and my die-cutters from Ted at Neil Enterprises. They have all of these really cool kinds of things there. He also has a Fuji instant camera if you're looking to do this at a lower start-up cost, but the film is about 6 times the price per print vs the SnapLab......-Aimee</p>

<p>Geo,<br>

I'm not sure what you're looking for here. Do you want actual opinions or justification to either have the client pay for another album or just refuse to do it for her?<br>

Yes, the album will cost you, but the bad press will cost you more....-Aimee</p>

<p>Farceur,<br>

I'm curious about your post. Are there times when a personal meeting is NOT necessary? Do you actually book a wedding without a face-to-face meeting?</p>

<p>When considering where to <em>cross the line</em> in terms of being visible, it's best to consider how many of these images actually get ordered. What's the point of being all over the place and invading their most private moments when 6-8 images are being used in the album? ...-Aimee</p>

<p>If you're posting detailed pricing and not meeting any resistance, you could be charging more....-Aimee</p>

<p>Well, let's say that you're there for 2 hours if that's going to be your minimum. My guess is that by the time all is said and done, you'll probably have close to 8 hours with travel time, set-up post processing and perhaps delivery of the images. I think you're worth a lot more than $25/hour. Even for an initial event, I think you should tell them at least $400 for 3 hours and then another $125/hour after that. I also think you should be using a lab site for posting and making money on the print sales. They will post the images and you can set the prices. They will make the prints, ship them and collect from the customers and then pay you.<br>

If you don't charge a reasonable rate even to start with, you'll become known as cheap, rather than good. I don't think you want that. If you then raise your prices, you'll loose the referrals.....-Aimee</p>

<p>The problem with hired models is that there isn't anything "happening" in your images. You will be able to create lovely portraits, but where's the bridal party, the ceremony and all the reception events?<br>

You need to build your portfolio with real images from real weddings. Either try the Craig's list route or contact a local church or reception venue and find out if there's someone getting married soon that has a low budget for photography. Offer to shoot for little or nothing and prvide the couple with something minimal and perhaps additional photos at half-price....-Aimee</p>