Portrait Proofing???

[ndsimm]

Originally Posted by CypressPhotog

Thanks so much guys. I did set up a smugmug account and I really like the look of it. I don't want the client ordering straight from there since I want to make sure the photo is processed 100% before I send it off to the lab. Like in a current shoot, the sky was flat gray. I am going to SLIGHTLY color the sky but I didn't want to do it for all the proofs I put up. David, I signed up for a trial but before I go full time I am going to see if I can use your coupon code.

they have a color profile that you can use in PSCS2 that does an excellent job o color matching. When I upload my images there, what I see on my monitor is what is printed and my customers have never had a problem. You could always upload two different galleries, one for the client and a private one for yourself for ordering......

[Holly]

I realize I'm late coming up to bat here...and you've already chosen smugmug..but I use Collages and have never been anything but completely satisfied. I disable the shopping cart option so my clients never even know they could have ordered through there..mainly because I'm not crazy about their labs. My portrait sessions also get a printed proof album through Millers...spiral bound, 4 or 6 per 8 x 10 page. They get an idea of print quality from that....and have something they can hold and show their great-grandma who doesn't have access to a computer...but they still have the online viewing for the out-of town friends and family to see. I've never had any complaints that collages was too small to view. If you click on any image, it will bring up a large picture.

[skdupre]

Another idea that I didn't see mentioned, particularly if size is important, was creating a DVD slideshow with image reference numbers. Apple's iPhoto does a great job and is simple to use (point to file / create slide show / burn DVD) and the remote pause would be nice for the client. Images look sweet on a large screen plus the client can't access the actual image files from their computer so you're protected. The cost of DVDs is so low now I created a promotional DVD for my business and mail it out to all prospected clients.

[LadyShutterBug]

i use photoreflect and have been very happy.

even when they purchase direct from photoreflect, you still have to proof and upload the image order to your lab... so you have every opportunity to process the image after their order.

their recent update allows for a larger image display option as well as the regular old normal size they've had in the past. i have found that it comes in handy for proofing of family portraits and bridals, where people really wanna see detail before ordering.

[Michelle Allmon]

I use gallery on my own site with a digibug module. so they can order directly off my site. i finish the pics before putting them up, so the pics they see are a resized version of the full size one the lab gets. you can watermark your images but i don't (yet). i just took the link to full size out. digibug uses a fuji frontier and crystal archive paper last i checked. i like it.

[skdupre]

Signed up for Collages two weeks ago. I'm a pretty avid software guy and I rate the learning curve at about 6, which is not too bad. I went with the $39 / event and uploaded pictures from the engagement, bridal, wedding, and reception (474 in all).

Shot a nice wedding in the Texas Hill Country last weekend and posted it on Collages. I passed around 100 wallets of the bride w/ a label on the back instructing them how to access the site. After four days I have around 75 hits on the site and a small order for $30.

I don't see getting a lot of orders from this event since the parents of the bride purchased a CD copy of the wedding and I made two extra copies for the bride and groom and his parents.

Anyway, the one thing I hope to get from Collages is exposure. I expect a few hundred hits by the end of the 60 days and maybe a few more print orders. My goal is to book a wedding somewhere down the line, which will more than pay for the service.

Interested parties can check out the site: Username: cain, Password: 14204