I have been asked if I offer prints.......
Posted 31/01/2017 - 10:18 - Helpful Comment
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I think it really depends on how the transaction is being done.
If it's an internet purchase then payment up front is sensible. If face to face then at the very least a deposit plus the balance on delivery, but even then you might want full payment upfront. I ask for full payment for weddings, but when asked to do some family shots for someone I knew then I asked for no payment until delivery.
Of course the customer's satisfaction is paramount, so if they reject the final print then that could cost you a bit, so refunds are something to consider as well.
For a one off for someone I didn't know and if I wasn't routinely doing it, then I'd ask for full payment upfront. After all, you will have to pay upfront.
If it's an internet purchase then payment up front is sensible. If face to face then at the very least a deposit plus the balance on delivery, but even then you might want full payment upfront. I ask for full payment for weddings, but when asked to do some family shots for someone I knew then I asked for no payment until delivery.
Of course the customer's satisfaction is paramount, so if they reject the final print then that could cost you a bit, so refunds are something to consider as well.
For a one off for someone I didn't know and if I wasn't routinely doing it, then I'd ask for full payment upfront. After all, you will have to pay upfront.
Best regards, John
Posted 01/02/2017 - 01:42 - Helpful Comment
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That's good news. Your work is admirable, to say the least.
Posted 01/02/2017 - 08:22 - Helpful Comment
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John's advice is right. Also don't sell yourself too cheap, to the cost of the print add your time in arranging it plus of course a value you put on the image. If this is a direction you see progressing then ultimately your costs will include that of your equipment and its eventual replacement, plus a profit. A formula could be 1/3 costs, 1/3 overheads, 1/3 profit. This all might sound a bit too much to consider at this stage but if your client comes back for more or recommends you to a friend then you don't want to find yourself chasing payments to cover your outlays. Done like this you won't be out of pocket if some prints are rejected. Maybe to minimise that risk how about a small 'sampler' print if the client wants a larger one, then take the payment for the main print? Also don't forget to retain the copyright (your right to reproduce or sell the image again).
Posted 01/02/2017 - 11:35 - Helpful Comment
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There are print companies that offer linked services for photographers/artists - basically you set up your website, they offer an e-commerce plugin for it; alternatively give you gallery space on their website and they simply add their fees to yours or have some other sort of system. It costs you nothing initially, which is the important thing in some cases - the print gets paid for by the buyer. Example of one - http://www.metroimaging.co.uk/professional-photographic-printing-sell-prints-onl...
'Photography...it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten....' (Aaron Siskind)
Posted 01/02/2017 - 19:06
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Great link thanks
Gareth Williams ARPS
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My outfit: K1ii - Pentax D FA 24-70mm f2.8 - Pentax DA* 300mm f4 - Pentax modified DA* 60-250mm f4 - Irix 15mm Firefly - Pentax FA 35mm - FA 50mm f1.4 - Tamron SP 90mm macro - Pentax AF 540 FGZ II
Welsh Photographer
Flickr
My PPG
Foundation NFT
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661 posts
13 years
Birmingham
I ask for your collective wisdom!
I have recently been asked if I offer prints. I responded by saying that I do not at present.
This is because I am presently unemployed and do not have the funds to get a print made up.
Would it be poor practise to accept payment for a print having sourced a quote and presented that to the buyer? There is a reputable lab near me called Palm Labs.
Help!
Many thanks
Simon
www.500px.com/simac