After struggling with the idea of releasing high resolution digital/electronic files for years I have come to the decision that effective immediately my studio no longer offers them for portrait sessions. We will offer digital files for corporate and headshot sessions, but no other exceptions will be made. Plus, we will still continue to offer our low resolution Facebook slideshows as well as a CD of Low Resolution Web Images of ordered images as one of our Bonus Levels. We feel this allows our clients to post the images on facebook or other social media without sacrificing quality. It is extremely important for us to control the quality of the final product from our sessions. Instead of trying to explain my position on this subject, I thought it would be best to share a direct quote on the view of professional photographers relinquishing electronic session files. I simply can’t say it any better. Trust me….I’ve tried. Read this viewpoint from an industry leader…
Drawbacks to Relinquishing Your Electronic Image Files
By Patrick Rice
Unfortunately, more and more photographers are caving-in to client requests to relinquish their electronic files on a CD or DVD. While there is the illusion that you are booking additional work because of this policy, it is a shortsighted gain at best. First of all, if a client truly wants to secure your services, not receiving the electronic image files will not be a determining factor in their decision. Second, releasing the electronic image files allows the client to have YOUR images printed at ANY local drug store, super store or warehouse club. These facilities do not maintain the same high standards of quality control that professional color labs adhere to. Both the client and the professional photographer lose when inferior images are printed from your electronic files.
To validate this statement, I did a market test that any photographer can repeat in their area. I placed a single wedding image of a bride and groom in church posed on the altar on a CD and brought it to several of my local drug stores, super stores and warehouse clubs. The results were eye opening. The bride’s white dress had a colorcast of red, yellow and blue from three of the stores where the print was made. While a few of the stores made an acceptable print, none had the ‘snap’ that you receive from a professional color lab. Moreover, one of the stores actually printed the image out of focus!
When your client takes your electronic image files to one of these stores for their cheap printing and receive inferior results, who do you think suffers more? I believe that the reputation of the professional photographer is damaged every time this occurs. Worse yet, once you relinquish your electronic image files, you’ll never even know when your client experiences this type of problem. Your reputation as a professional is being irreparably tarnished and you aren’t even around to provide an explanation! When your client’s friends and family view inferior quality prints of your work, they will probably assume that you created the images poorly. It is doubtful that they will fault the store that printed the photos. Over time, the professional photographer’s referrals will diminish and they will secure fewer bookings and wonder why. Knowing the way some photographers think, they will then probably lower their prices thinking that will solve their problems. Soon, they will be out of business or looking for a “real” job to pay their bills. Sadly, professional photographers are causing the problems that will lead to their demise.
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