For those that do summer balls with young people?
Discussion
I have been asked if I would do a couple of leavers proms this summer... I think I can just about handle the photography to a standard far higher than the company they used last year...
But the argument I am having in my head goes a bit like this...
How do I do the second half of the job...
I know a lot of the larger "companies" offer on site printing...usually at 1 or two sizes.... I could offer this service, but I only have two photo printers (both different models) and dont have any of the specific software designed for that sort of on demand quick tasking...
The other alternative was to setup all of the photos on an online store so the students can log in after the fact and preview all of the images from the event....choose what photos they want and then order them in a selection of sizes...
Both options are going to be a logistical nightmare, but what are peoples experiences of doing either?
Obviously I want to go down the route that is going to be most reliable on the night and provide the greatest revenue....I am not charging as much as the competion for prints as its a sort of favour... but even so, I need to pay for my time...
Appreciate your ideas
But the argument I am having in my head goes a bit like this...
How do I do the second half of the job...
I know a lot of the larger "companies" offer on site printing...usually at 1 or two sizes.... I could offer this service, but I only have two photo printers (both different models) and dont have any of the specific software designed for that sort of on demand quick tasking...
The other alternative was to setup all of the photos on an online store so the students can log in after the fact and preview all of the images from the event....choose what photos they want and then order them in a selection of sizes...
Both options are going to be a logistical nightmare, but what are peoples experiences of doing either?
Obviously I want to go down the route that is going to be most reliable on the night and provide the greatest revenue....I am not charging as much as the competion for prints as its a sort of favour... but even so, I need to pay for my time...
Appreciate your ideas
Ideally you want to have prints on the night, that way the money's in your pocket before ballgoers have a chance to reconsider whether they want to purchase. IMO running two different photo printers in that environment and trying to do the photos will give you nightmares.
A couple of quick suggestions:
Charge a shooting fee and leave the print fulfilment to someone else on the night (a local print business with specific expertise).
Or run one printer to output small prints - just enough to convince people they want to buy the shot - then take orders and payment on the night and get them printed and sent out over the next couple of days.
You're right to be thinking about it now for the summer.
A couple of quick suggestions:
Charge a shooting fee and leave the print fulfilment to someone else on the night (a local print business with specific expertise).
Or run one printer to output small prints - just enough to convince people they want to buy the shot - then take orders and payment on the night and get them printed and sent out over the next couple of days.
You're right to be thinking about it now for the summer.
I had looked at photbox, but I dont like the fact that the client can obviously see that you are using "photobox" and can therefore navigate to their homepage and see how much of a markup I am adding to the "cost" (they wont consider how much it has cost for my time/gear etc)
And also, photobox send the images straight to the client. I am not sure if that is such a good idea as I cant check the print quality etc...
Am I being overly cautious? Should I just use photobox and be done with it... It certinaly would be the most efficient system for such a small volume project...
And also, photobox send the images straight to the client. I am not sure if that is such a good idea as I cant check the print quality etc...
Am I being overly cautious? Should I just use photobox and be done with it... It certinaly would be the most efficient system for such a small volume project...
I would have thought that the simplest solution would be to find an assistant for the night. They have a noticeboard, laptop, printer and means to take money, you have the camera and a handful of memory cards.
Shoot for ten minutes, then swap cards with your assistant who does a quick quality check and prints out the photos, sticking them on the board.
That way you can concentrate on your job, and the students can get their photos.
Also - get some cards printed up with a URL for the ball's photo gallery - that way they can order after the event. You could even charge a nominal fee (via paypal) for emailing them digital copies to stick on MySpace / Bebo / Facebook / their mobiles.
Shoot for ten minutes, then swap cards with your assistant who does a quick quality check and prints out the photos, sticking them on the board.
That way you can concentrate on your job, and the students can get their photos.
Also - get some cards printed up with a URL for the ball's photo gallery - that way they can order after the event. You could even charge a nominal fee (via paypal) for emailing them digital copies to stick on MySpace / Bebo / Facebook / their mobiles.
I was planning on shooting teathered so the photos would be instantly available on the PC...
I will have an assistant, but printing off every decent photo in the hope that someone buys one is not IMHO a cost effective way of doing it...
There must be some software or someway that the customers can instantly review their photos on the PC and then choose to print whichever ones they want...
I guess a combination of online shop and prints on the night would cover all bases, if I can get it to work
I will have an assistant, but printing off every decent photo in the hope that someone buys one is not IMHO a cost effective way of doing it...
There must be some software or someway that the customers can instantly review their photos on the PC and then choose to print whichever ones they want...
I guess a combination of online shop and prints on the night would cover all bases, if I can get it to work
You could use the excuse to buy a wifi enabled memory card - it'll automatically download to your laptop when it's in range. To be honest though, handing over a card to your assistant for them to do the upload and hard sell isn't exactly a hardship.
I guess it rather depends how you're aiming to shoot. If you're going to set up a corner with a backdrop and lights, then I guess you'd aim to sell on the spot and preview on the PC screen would make sense. You could use something as simple as Picasa to give a 'live' view of the photos as they're downloaded.
If you're going to do walkabout candids (which I must admit is what I originally assumed), then a noticeboard/PC combination would work.
I guess it rather depends how you're aiming to shoot. If you're going to set up a corner with a backdrop and lights, then I guess you'd aim to sell on the spot and preview on the PC screen would make sense. You could use something as simple as Picasa to give a 'live' view of the photos as they're downloaded.
If you're going to do walkabout candids (which I must admit is what I originally assumed), then a noticeboard/PC combination would work.
I'd get the assistant to show the customers the photos on screen and take orders on the night. Photos can then be printed off in the required sizes and posted out after the event.
This way, you are getting the orders before they change their mind and you don't need to worry about printing them all off on the night.
cs174
This way, you are getting the orders before they change their mind and you don't need to worry about printing them all off on the night.
cs174
I'm pondering what to do in this area too. We do quite a bit of "event" photography, primarily equestrian and outdoor, and although website sales are reasonable, being able to take orders and payments "on site", has obvious benefits.
As Focus last week, there were some companies selling specialist software and dye-sublimation printer packages, but they were very expensive.
I'm thinking now of trying out an "interim" method, something like:
- take laptop and printer to events
- print order forms with "thumbnail" image
- punters (or assistant) completes form
- assistant runs "stall", does simple post-processing and takes money
- full-quality prints posted out later
There's also the issue of taking credit card payments. Could offer cash sales at the event and on-line sales via website. Punter is given copy of "order" with website details as reminder.
Anyone tried this sort of thing?
Ed ...
As Focus last week, there were some companies selling specialist software and dye-sublimation printer packages, but they were very expensive.
I'm thinking now of trying out an "interim" method, something like:
- take laptop and printer to events
- print order forms with "thumbnail" image
- punters (or assistant) completes form
- assistant runs "stall", does simple post-processing and takes money
- full-quality prints posted out later
There's also the issue of taking credit card payments. Could offer cash sales at the event and on-line sales via website. Punter is given copy of "order" with website details as reminder.
Anyone tried this sort of thing?
Ed ...
From the couple of leavers balls that I attended when I was around that age, the togs all took photos, took orders (without seeing the pics) and sent them all out to one designated person to distribute. I think it was normally whoever organised the ball.
People will pay whether they see the shot or not imo.
People will pay whether they see the shot or not imo.
Famous Graham said:
Ed_P said:
Dogsey said:
_dobbo_ said:
How about setting up a pro gallery on photobox?
Have Photobox re-opened their Pro shop registrations then?http://www.photoboxgallery.com/content/pro-gallery
[quote=C&C] Last time I looked they hadn't ...If you have an existing pro gallery, I think it's now available for admin/changes etc under the new setup.According to their website, it looks like they are open for business for new galleries as well:
http://www.photoboxgallery.com/content/pro-gallery
Excellent! I've been waiting for them to re-open this.Famous Graham said:
Ed_P said:
Dogsey said:
_dobbo_ said:
How about setting up a pro gallery on photobox?
Have Photobox re-opened their Pro shop registrations then?http://www.photoboxgallery.com/content/pro-gallery
I help a mate do Equestrian on-site photography / printing from time to time. Previously he had a pair of fairly standard Epson inkjets, now he runs one inkjet for contacts (something like 12 to a sheet of A4), which lets punters get an idea of which they would like a closer look at. Then they can review on screen, he can crop / adjust if they want, and then they get printed to a dye sub printer which is very fast and very high quality. He charges £8 for a mounted 7x5. The horsey types lap them up. Then they all go on his website for orders later.
Interestingly, at one of the events I helped with, there was another tog operating and he told us that he refuses to put shots up online for purchase after the event, because people are more likely to buy if they realise that it is now or never.
Interestingly, at one of the events I helped with, there was another tog operating and he told us that he refuses to put shots up online for purchase after the event, because people are more likely to buy if they realise that it is now or never.
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