Selling Hi-Res on CD??

[murdog]

Do you ever sell the Hi-Res images on CD to your clients?

My first photo shoot is finally in the books and it was a headshot session with a mom and son. They want to submit headshots to a large number of places but don't like my $8 per print price (It's actually half off my regular price anyway!). She's asked about purchasing 4 Hi-Res images so that she can have them printed at one of those on-line bulk printing places.

I really want to work with her as she is my foot in the door to a whole acting community, but at the same time not sell myself short. Is $50 per hi-res a respectable price, or should I go with a standard $150 for a CD and they can have all the images they choose from a lot of 38 finalized shots.

I think they are really please as she was quick to want more of my shots after giving her one hi-res with the session (it was a promo to get clients) and posting all the others to my on-line selling account.

Thanks for your help in advance!

[LoungeLizard]

Not sure what your level of experience is or anything else, but for a wedding I charge $750 for an image disc with a print release. For an engagement/bridal session it is $250.

Individual images are $75.

You decide what your pricing should be based on your business plan.

[J Eddington]

I guess the question is does the client care about the quality. Do you? If you care how your images are printed then don't sell the digital files. Consider educating her. Run down to walmart or walgreens and have a photo printed 8 x 10 then have one printed using your lab. Keeping an example on hand changes MANY clients minds. They can see the difference. In this case a picture is worth $$$, and you don't have to use a thousand words.

[CobyPhoto]

Man, I am glad she didn't come to my studio! I charge 65.00 an 8x10! I would have had to call 911 to get her to the hospital from the heart attack when I told her my price!

I will only sell a CD of images after they have placed an order for an album and /or prints in the case of a wedding, and then the CD goes for 750-1000.00 depending on the number of images.

Any other session, it is a standard $150.00 per image in a hi-resolution format on a CD, with limited (personal printing) rights only.

CJ

[ShaneKislack]

That's a rediculous price. You'll never survive any business like that. Sure it'll get you into a scene of potential clients. but who wants to be into a scene of cheap clients. You think they'll pay a higher price after they find out how much you charged the original customer?

[canoflan]

Originally Posted by J Eddington

I guess the question is does the client care about the quality. Do you? If you care how your images are printed then don't sell the digital files. Consider educating her. Run down to walmart or walgreens and have a photo printed 8 x 10 then have one printed using your lab. Keeping an example on hand changes MANY clients minds. They can see the difference. In this case a picture is worth $$$, and you don't have to use a thousand words.

Great idea. I hadn't thought of this.

[canoflan]

Originally Posted by CobyPhoto

Man, I am glad she didn't come to my studio! I charge 65.00 an 8x10! I would have had to call 911 to get her to the hospital from the heart attack when I told her my price!

I will only sell a CD of images after they have placed an order for an album and /or prints in the case of a wedding, and then the CD goes for 750-1000.00 depending on the number of images.

Any other session, it is a standard $150.00 per image in a hi-resolution format on a CD, with limited (personal printing) rights only.

CJ

In answering the poster and with reference to the quote above, this is why you need a business name and to put yourself out there as being "in business."

People expect to pay more when you are "in business" because they know you have worked out your pricing to cover expenses and your profit margin. When you are "getting your foot in the door," like I have been doing for a year now, people take you seriously in terms of performing the work, but really expect to pay less because if you were really good, they would expect you to be "in business."

It is all about perception and if your clients perceive you to know what you are doing by the way you present your product and pricing, they will "feel" you are worth the price. BTW, the idea to keep prints from Wal-Mart around to distinguish print quality is ingenious; I actually suggest to also get some from Walgreens/CVS. I think the difference will mainly be that those places do not print on matte/semi gloss and the professional printing places can work up some magic on pearl papers most clients love.

This is exactly why I have decided to "go legit" and get a tax ID and put up a shingle.

Just $0.02.
Canoflan

[bondarnes]

Our regular price for a business or artistic headshot session is $175.00 and it includes two retouched low res (4X5 @ 120dpi) images. One med res (8X10 @ 200dpi) is $ 75.00, and each hi res is $100.00. Our promo price (no night or weekend sessions) for a half hour headshot session is $50.00. Two lo res images (4X5 @120 dpi) is $50.00, one med res (8X10 @ 200dpi) is $ 75.00, and each hi res is $100.00.

[jesswhs1323]

When I was just starting out I did a couple low priced shoots and gave a high res CD with all the images I shot. I got images for my portfolio and I got many referrals that paid full price. I wouldn’t do it for very long but I dont think it is a horrible idea to do a few free or low priced shoots to get your name/images out there. I always think word of mouth is the best advertisement.

[toverman]

I haven't had to yet, but I offer a CD of selected high-resolution images for an extra charge (based on what kind of session or job it is). I do provide CDs of low-resolution images for proofing or e-mailing.

[brad]

If you want actors, you have to let go of this "sell by print" mentality. These aren't portraits, they are headshots. They aren't going to be printed crappily, either... in order for them to print large quantities (which an actor needs) affordably, they will be taking them to a place that prints actor headshots... Giganticolor.. Eastco... one of those. Actors *must* have digital files they can reproduce these days... if you can't or won't offer that, you are useless to an actor, period. (They are going to get these prints from those places in quantities of 100 or more and they are going to pay a quarter a piece.. so no doubt they don't like your $8 per print price.)

That said.. my pricing for headshots is on my site.. $99 for one look (up to 3 retouched images) and $199 for three looks (up to 5 retouched images). That is delivered on CD. With my experience and several hundred area actors in my portfolio, I probably could command more at this point.. but that's the number I'm happy with at the moment.

As for the rest of the industry.. family, kids, seniors.. well, I won't get on my soapbox, but honestly I think the trend is heading toward digital files so they can post on MySpace, email to family out of town, etc.... but YMMV.

[murdog]

Thank you all for the great advice. Since I had already given her a free session plus one Hi-Res, I went with $50 per additional Hi-res and offered to give her B&W copies as well (basically $25 a file).

I like the idea of the packages where they get a session and set amount of images for one price. I am now adding a headshot package to my site price list like what Brad offers. I saw those prices in many parts of the country in my on-line search this morning.