Help-Difficult Pricing on Digital Photo's

[rainrainrain]

Hi,

As of late, one of my livejournal friends has asked to buy two of my digital photo's. I answered Yes, and at the present time, i need to send her the pricing and shipping information.

However, i am honestly new to this, never having sold any of my photo's. The photo's however, aren't at all beginner.

I've tried my hand at researching various forums and several websites, but found that many of the answers did not make things any easier for me.

So, i just need some help. Here are several essential questionsL

1. How do i price the photo's?
2. What prices would you recommend?
3. Do i print the photo's at a photo lab (cvs, etc) or somewhere more professional (anpther photo lab)? Online? Suggestions
4. Are there any requirements for the photo paper that i need to use?
5. Do i ask the buyer if they desire a frame?
6. Where can i find a frame and what material should i use? Do any places install the frame for you?
7. The photos will be for her personal use. In turn, do i need to copyright them or use any legal documents and how? Forms, etc.?
8. What type of shipping method should i use so that the photo's will not be damaged? Should i pack anything inside to prevent damage?
18. How should the picture and the frame all thogether
9. Is there anything that i am missing?

Any help would be Greatly Appreciated.

Thank You,
Sincerely,
Stanley Sandler

[drg]

Hi,

First, congratulations on making a sale!

Second, I started this response once before and did something and it all went away, so I'm going to start over and make this simpler!

Before some of these questions can be easily answered"

- What size prints are you planning on selling?
- Will they be conventional process, inkjeted, speciallty paper, dry mounted and so on?

A finally for now, do you want to continue to do this regularly? If so are you thinking about long term pricing and service or is this a one shot deal?

Do find out exactly what your customer wants. Ask them if they want the images framed or loose.

If you want to control the whole presentation (and a framed picture gets shown off quicker than a loose one) then by all means suggest that you have it framed.

With that I''ll sign off again and the rest of this can be worked on later!

-CDP

[rainrainrain]

Hi,

First, congratulations on making a sale!

Second, I started this response once before and did something and it all went away, so I'm going to start over and make this simpler!

Before some of these questions can be easily answered"

- What size prints are you planning on selling?
- Will they be conventional process, inkjeted, speciallty paper, dry mounted and so on?

A finally for now, do you want to continue to do this regularly? If so are you thinking about long term pricing and service or is this a one shot deal?

Do find out exactly what your customer wants. Ask them if they want the images framed or loose.

If you want to control the whole presentation (and a framed picture gets shown off quicker than a loose one) then by all means suggest that you have it framed.

With that I''ll sign off again and the rest of this can be worked on later!

-CDP

I'll be sure to gather the necessary information that you have suggested and i will reply back once everything has been gathered. Thank you so very much. You're the only one who actaully had the decency to reply.

However, concerning the part about "long term" and "one shot deal," i must say that the proposed interest in purchase came unexpectadly. However, as time progresse's, i will certainly choose to do this regularly. For now, i am just building my experience and eye-sight, creativity, and portfolio and etc.

Again, Thank You very much.

[another view]

You're the only one who actaully had the decency to reply.

Now Stanley, you posted this just over two hours ago. Some times difficult questions like this take awhile to get responses - and every one will be different.

I guess at this point, find out how big the prints will be. Then figure out what it costs you (cost of print, cost of shipping it to you, cost of you shipping it to them, etc) and I'd say it would be fair to double or triple that at your own discretion. You can also go to art fairs and see what other people are charging for similar sized prints (although you may not have time for this right now).

I just started using mpix.com and am very happy with them. Quick, high quality (of course this depends on the file you send them), good prices and good packaging. You could send it directly to them but it's best to come to you first so that you know for sure what the prints look like, can sign the back and add copyright info. I'd try not to do anything other than sell the print - matting, mounting and framing are personal choices. My choice is an archival white mat with a matte black metal frame like you'd see in a gallery, but some people like other choices.

An 8x12 is about $4 at mpix, plus $5 shipping. Add another $5 to send it back out and your total cost is $14. Call it $35? I'll be the first to admit that this probably isn't the way to run a business, but it'll get you started.

[rainrainrain]

I apologize for saying that. Time in between classes goes by in a wierd fashion.

Anyway, the prints she wants are to be 8x10 and she asked for them loose (she'll frame them herself.)

So thats two prints, each of a different photo.

Thanks everyone for your help. I really appreciate it.

So i'll just find a place to print them in a professional manner, and then i will send them, stacked between two cardboard pieces. Am i correct?

Is there anything that i am missing?

Again, Thank You. This baord is really helpful.

[another view]

Guess that's it, but you may want to sign the back and add "Copyright 2005 your name here". Change the year to whenever it was taken.

Leagally you'd have to register it to maintain your copyright, but that's probably not worth the time IMO.

[drg]

Stanley,

Many professional Labs will mark the photo for you. Either the printer (the big Noritsu or Frontera etc machine) or the an Inkjet can produce the magic ©date mark with your name. As long as its marked, its yours. The registration process is something you can do really at any time if need be. And you can register multiple images all at once.

Get a "photo pen" to sign pics with as they don't contain acid and won't eat the picture from the back out. Some photographers sign the front.

If you use Kodak "E" paper or the like, it is clearly marked as a Professional Photo and certainly other reputable photographers and Labs will not duplicate it. The cost differential between it and retail paper is in the noise.

The only reason I asked about "one shot vs. long term" was too make sure you thought about all that went into it and didn't set a price that would cost YOU money.

I'd suggest that if you haven't done much wrapping packaging shipping etc, go to a shipping store (Mailboxs, etc. for example) and have them pack and ship for you. Get Insurance and include the cost of shipping. Watch what they do and learn. Its a cheap intro if you havn't done this before.

BE VERY careful of cardboard. Some is the most corrosive evil picture unfriendly material you can imagine. At least put put a layer of acid free paper front and back to the photos.

Good luck and let us know if there's in more info that you want!

How about posting a small samples of the photos?

-CDP

[another view]

Mpix uses Kodak E paper among others, the back reads "Kodak Professional Endura Paper" but doesn't specifically have any copyright notice on it.

You actually do have a time limit to register the copyright. It has to do with the first use of the image rather than the date it was taken I believe, something like 90 days. Plenty of reading on the Library of Congress website. There are books out there to help make sense of all of this. But honestly, I don't go thru with it. I know a lot of people who don't - but if there's a need, once it becomes part of a workflow you might as well...

My cynical reasoning (with good reason but that's another story) is that anyone with a flatbed will just make their own prints anyway whether they know or care about copyright, and if the quality isn't as good these people don't seem to notice or care.

So I don't worry about what I can't control and charge a decent amount for the first print, and make it the highest quality I can. YMMV - don't sweat the small stuff!

[drg]

You actually have 5 years to register for actual damages from date of Publication. The 3 month, or prior to infringement clause has a different application and we'd need several lawyers to explain all the case law and differences. A sale is not publication unless its to an agent or being sold For publication (and two or so other subclauses, etc.)

Copyright is about Publication Rights, and artwork is still artwork is still artwork.

If I have items published that require copyright, I produce a compendum of print ready material on CD-Rom and submit it accordingly.

This is an area that is evolving again and definitely requires an attorney if it becomes an issue. This is one of the few areas that require true specialists.

-CDP