Archiving your clients Photos

[zebulus]

How long do you archive your clients and or for hire photos?

I did some photographs for this girl, and I had maybe 10 keepers which I put up on my business flickr, and I also had maybe 50 that didnt make the cut.

Is it okay to delete these images?

[bondarnes]

Ten years sounds like a good round number.

[ronocnikral]

we only archive them for 2 years. We make no promises after that.

[zebulus]

Yeah I think its time I cleaned out the closet then. Ive got crap in there that I truely no longer want.

[ronocnikral]

i should also state that we are very clear to our clients about what our back-up and storage policy is. Everyone wants their images these days. Fine...take them. But I'm not going to keep them around.

When we moved, we called people trying to sell them their negatives, and hardly any one wanted them, about half were divorced.

[WarrenG]

Originally Posted by ronocnikral

i should also state that we are very clear to our clients about what our back-up and storage policy is. Everyone wants their images these days. Fine...take them. But I'm not going to keep them around

+1 (but with a slightly softer approach ) since most clients pay for their images anyway, I am very clear in the contract on the rights for use, and on archiving (we are not responsible for archiving). With that said, I do maintain the final images on DVD and external drives; but with the knowledge that I am not obligated to do so.

[Tom]

I have five copies of everything. Maybe overkill, maybe not.

I keep two copies off-site.
JPEGs on Smugmug
JPEG+RAWs on an external HD kept in another city that I update quarterly.

On-Site:
Burned DVD
External HD
External HD that I work from.

I don't guarantee that I will have it forever, but I do promise I am not going to delete it, and barring some freak accident, I should be able to get them a copy of their pics in case their house burns down or a bear eats their discs or something.

[Cajungaltx]

A brilliant idea that I will share with you - for no other reason than it's a brilliant idea - after 2 years, sell the digital files to your client.

Hold a 'once a year' sale the first month of the year, for clients 2 years old - and sell them the digital files - 1) so that YOU are no longer required to hold on to them (reduce your costs) - and 2.) bring in some 'bonus' income.

Most people aren't going to buy prints at that point from those files... so you aren't knocking yourself out any print sales... and your offering them something they will probably want... and if you price it right... at a price that seems fair...

Somebody speak up if there are any 'holes' in this idea... please! ;-)

[Steelsun]

Also place a statement in your contract on your archival habits. Some photographers have been sued for not having archives of a paid session/event. You may win the suit, but the lawyer fees will hurt.

My contract for event & commercial shoots where I furnish a copy of the digital images states that all archival responsibility is now theirs once they have the image.

[ronocnikral]

once again, when we moved, we did this exact thing. it was a lot of work, listening to sob stories about not having money, trying to find people and/or apologizing for bringing up their divorce. these were film negatives. we probably made a $1000 or so. so with a little work, at least when you are primarily in the wedding business, you could make a few bucks. but people back then weren't just handed their images, so they bought the ones they wanted and have pretty much written it off. I should add that we called at the beginning of December, hoping the families would have some spare cash laying around...ymmv

in today's world, everyone wants their negatives (at least in weddings, and I believe in general as well). So...we build into the package their negatives and walk away. what's left to sell?

I think you should try it and report back. A couple hours one evening and you could probably figure out how it is going. If it's a family or kids, unless someone died, they would rather spend the money to get a more recent photo (hey, maybe that's your real nugget). if it's a senior, they most likely already bought what they need/want. my mom bought my senior pictures, framed them, hung them on the wall and have never really looked back, neither have i asked for them.

and warren...i'm well known for my "hard" skills. it's bc i work with 90% men who are engineers. you learn to appreciate people who don't beat around the bush or mince words...

[Tom]

Originally Posted by Cajungaltx

A brilliant idea that I will share with you - for no other reason than it's a brilliant idea - after 2 years, sell the digital files to your client.

Hold a 'once a year' sale the first month of the year, for clients 2 years old - and sell them the digital files - 1) so that YOU are no longer required to hold on to them (reduce your costs) - and 2.) bring in some 'bonus' income.

Most people aren't going to buy prints at that point from those files... so you aren't knocking yourself out any print sales... and your offering them something they will probably want... and if you price it right... at a price that seems fair...

Somebody speak up if there are any 'holes' in this idea... please! ;-)

January would be a poor time for that due to everyone in America overspending for Christmas. Maybe August or May would be better.

[ronocnikral]

Originally Posted by Steelsun

Also place a statement in your contract on your archival habits. Some photographers have been sued for not having archives of a paid session/event. You may win the suit, but the lawyer fees will hurt.

My contract for event & commercial shoots where I furnish a copy of the digital images states that all archival responsibility is now theirs once they have the image.

excellent point...our 'advocate' suggested instead of having an ever growing contract, to simply put in some jargon about agreeing to the terms and conditions of the company. see your cell phone contract if you have questions. this does two things. 1) it separates people from feeling like they are buying a house. 2) it makes it seem like these things are not negotiable.

but...this has got me thinking that we will probably have another form drafted up for our clients to sign when we deliver the negatives. saying they understand our archiving, storage and backup policy...suggestions for archiving etc. hmmmm.....