# Proofs



## wildmaven (Sep 7, 2007)

How are YOU providing proofs for your clients? I've seen spiral bound books, boxes of loose prints, contact sheets from photoshop, etc. I would love to know how the rest of you are providing your proofs and how you are incorporating that printing price into your package.


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## elsaspet (Sep 7, 2007)

I show mine exclusively online.  It's the best bang for the buck.  Actually, the BEST way is to have them over for a consult, but I like having my spare time.


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## elsaspet (Sep 7, 2007)

Here is one of my live wedding galleries so you can go in and see how it works:

www.collages.net

Go under guest area and type in "Robley and Brad"
Under Password, type "11504"

My clients and their friends/family, can all have their own music, backgrounds, favorite folders. They can compare photos side by side. They can watch slideshows, or view still photos. They can purchase albums, proofs, cards, and prints from there. They can invite all their friends with a click of a button.

Hope the link works! Think link is usually automated, and I'm winging it.


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## wildmaven (Sep 7, 2007)

I just looked over the site. They charge a 15% commission on all sales. Without signing up, I can't tell the base price of the prints (which is understandable, since they wouldn't want the customers to know that, LOL). What, for instance, is the base price of an 8x10?


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## elsaspet (Sep 7, 2007)

wildmaven said:


> I just looked over the site. They charge a 15% commission on all sales. Without signing up, I can't tell the base price of the prints (which is understandable, since they wouldn't want the customers to know that, LOL). What, for instance, is the base price of an 8x10?


 
You don't have to order from them.  I charge $12 bucks I think for an 8x10, and then I tack on an additional 15 percent to cover the fee, so I think the total is like $14 bucks or something.  My cost is substantually less.  So basically, I'm still making what I would be charging whether a fee was in place or not.

Does that make any sense?  I'm not sure I explained it correctly.


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## Heck (Sep 7, 2007)

I just seen your portfolio on your site elsaspet and I enjoyed the photos with the music, Great work.


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## photogoddess (Sep 10, 2007)

Online gallery. I used to use Digilabs but now have a Pickpic gallery. No paper proofs at all....


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## wildmaven (Sep 10, 2007)

Interesting how more are going towards online proofs. Anyone else?


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## Big Mike (Sep 10, 2007)

I want to go that direction eventually.

On the other hand, you really only need 'proofs' if you are selling prints.  If you are selling the files (which is what a lot of clients want and what a lot of photographers are starting to do)...then you can just give them a CD/DVD.

I often like to include 4x6 prints in a sleeve style photo album with the CD.  It doesn't cost me much but the value to the client is pretty high.


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## AprilRamone (Sep 10, 2007)

I am planning to have both.  Right now, I just have printed proofs.  But, with my new website, I'll be able to put them online as well.  This way, they can share them with friends and family and hopefully reprint orders will go up.  
I know I could probably just get rid of printed proofs, but I like having them have a print in hand that looks good.  Then, if they buy the cd/dvd of images and get it printed at a crappy shop, they can see what it SHOULD look like.


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## wildmaven (Sep 10, 2007)

AprilRamone said:


> Then, if they buy the cd/dvd of images and get it printed at a crappy shop, they can see what it SHOULD look like.


 
That's a good point!


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## wildmaven (Sep 10, 2007)

elsaspet said:


> You don't have to order from them. I charge $12 bucks I think for an 8x10, and then I tack on an additional 15 percent to cover the fee, so I think the total is like $14 bucks or something. My cost is substantually less. So basically, I'm still making what I would be charging whether a fee was in place or not.
> 
> Does that make any sense? I'm not sure I explained it correctly.


 
I'm confused. Are they actually printing out the pictures, or am I? If I set the price at 0.50 for an 8x10, would they really print an 8x10 for that price? What am I missing??


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## Big Mike (Sep 10, 2007)

I believe they (the clients) order the prints from the site.  The site collects the money, takes their cut and sends you the rest.


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## wildmaven (Sep 10, 2007)

Big Mike said:


> I believe they (the clients) order the prints from the site. The site collects the money, takes their cut and sends you the rest.


 
In the "Admin" section, they have a place where you can set your prices. So, for example, if I put $10 for an 8x10, they recommend I sell it for 11.50 to cover their 15%. But no where does it say how much it costs THEM to print the thing. I think I'm looking at this too hard. I just want to know if, no matter how much I charge, as long as I account for their 15%, I'm not going to incur any additional deductions.


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## tarpleyg (Sep 11, 2007)

Big Mike said:


> If you are selling the files (which is what a lot of clients want and what a lot of photographers are starting to do)...then you can just give them a CD/DVD.


Anyone have any comments on how to price a CD/DVD with the images on them?  By doing so, you are pretty much excluding your profit from selling them prints.  For a lot of folks, that's the bulk of the profit.  How does one go about estimating how much income you'd lose?

Greg


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## elsaspet (Sep 11, 2007)

Yes, that's just exactly it, Mavaen.  I give full res files in all my packages, but the online gallery is a gold mine for friends and out of town guests.  It's also how I proof, so the reprints pay for that and then some.
It's my monthy clothing allowance.


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## capturethat (Sep 12, 2007)

I mostly do online proofing. I use instaproofs to proof with you set your own prices and it costs nothing till the client orders. So what I do I tell them that if they email me or call me with thier order then I will give them a better deal. Basically I just used my pricing on the proofing site but when it has shipping and handling fee I set it up to ad 15% but I let the customer know if they go directly through me then it will cost them less.
here is my site
www.capturethatphotography.instaproofs.com


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## photogoddess (Sep 12, 2007)

Wedding clients get a DVD of their high res images but portrait clients do not. Both go online for 'proofing' and ordering. At the moment I am doing optional in studio viewing/ordering sessions as well as online but will be pushing viewing sessions more and more as time goes by. Reason? Orders are higher with the viewing session than with online only.  To help with this, I offer a 15% discount on anything ordered during the viewing session. A great deal considering that I give 10% off anything ordered online within the first 7 days. (Galleries are only online for 14 days)


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## Efergoh (Oct 5, 2007)

I am still small, and I have time to meet with each client for consults.

I don't make proof prints at all, I put the photos into a slide show on my laptop and run through them that way. That way, I am not making prints that won't be purchased. I still offer a proof set with each sale, but they are only printed if they ask for the set.

My sitting fee is only $50. I only charge that as insurance to keep bookings. the sitting fee paid at the time of booking has reduced cancellations by 80%. Nearly all of my income comes from prints, so I hate selling a CD with high res files, so if the customer wants a CD, I charge an arm and a leg for it if they don't buy other prints from me. Why should I give a disk to a client who is going to go to someone else to make prints with my hard work? That takes money out of my pocket and food off of my table.


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