06.09.11
Round Table Oct 11: The death of portrait photography?
Each month tp will be hosting a round table discussion on particular topics affecting the photographic industry. To launch this new feature, we asked four portrait photographers to discuss whether commercial portrait photography was a dying sector and if the ‘Uncle Bob’ syndrome was creeping over from the wedding market.
This month's panel:
Norman Rubenis
www.rubenisphotography.co.uk
Bella West
www.bellawest.co.uk
Rebecca Litchfield
www.rebeccalitchfield.com
Kevin Mullins
www.kevinmullinsphotography.co.uk
Kevin Mullins
Hello everyone. Well, my wedding business is firmly established and I am looking at introducing portraiture into my business model going forward. Yes, everyone has a camera these days but just like wedding photography, not everyone can take a professional grade portrait. I firmly believe that our overall service, style, product range, post processing and general effectiveness should separate us from the average camera snapper. Creativity is key but business sense is essential too.
Norman Rubenis
To introduce myself, I have to say, my passion is without doubt, location portraits, kids, couples, families, but above all, natural light. Over the past year I have been pushing myself more and more, training, perfecting and experimenting. I do the occasional wedding, last one was last summer. I work from home and show my images to clients at their home.
Rebecca Litchfield
My background is actually in portraiture, I worked a portrait studio for 4 years, but I work now as a freelance fashion photographer after studying a master’s degree in fashion photography at The London College of Fashion.www.rebeccalitchfield.com, with most of my studio work being fashion/ advertising from my London agent One Stop Creative www.onestopcreative.co.uk
I do offer portrait sessions in my studio and also shoot weddings in a fashion style for Catwalk Weddings www.catwalkwedding.com
So yeah my freelance work is a 3 way split between high budget fashion work, low budget portrait work and weddings
Norman Rubenis
Hi Rebecca, you mentioned 'low budget' portraits, is this compared to your fashion or do you find it hard to generate good sales from your portrait work?
Rebecca Litchfield
Fashion work is arranged through my agent who negotiates higher rates then what I tend to do for myself. The majority of portrait work I do is generated through social media and all bookings are friends, friends of friends or people that have seen my images through other shoots I have done.
I find it harder to charge a lot for these shoots and although I know potentially I could charge a lot more, for some reason I find it easier to charge higher amounts for weddings and fashion work then for portrait shoots. People pay crazy prices for anything wedding related and there are higher budgets within the fashion industry
The general public however struggle in these hard financial times. I guess I like to be able to offer a short studio shoot to people and give them a nice selection of images on a disk for an amount that is affordable
The portrait studio I used to work for charged very high amounts, but they offered frames, which takes away from the profit, I offer digital photos only for studio shoots, my prices will rise eventually, but when times get easier for people, I am enjoying at the moment, allowing people to have a selection of photos they will love for an affordable amount, social media is great as it allows a lot of people to see my work and want to book me.
Norman Rubenis
Rebecca, you mentioned you only offer cd of images and frames take away from the profit. I would have thought it was the other way round. I never offer a cd as I know this would kill my sales from any given shoot.
I have always shown my portrait images face to face, but just this year I invested in Pro Select. It has transformed how I show images to my clients, and once they know that I don't offer a cd, they seem cool with my prices and often spend quite big.
Kevin Mullins
I have to admit my plans for the portrait work is to offer framed products and small books only. No digital images unless they pay a relatively large amount for them. All my wedding clients get the digital images, but I see that as a completely different circumstance - there are a lot more people involved in a wedding and thus in the photos.
For portraits, I assume when they come along, they are coming for two things - the creative creation of the image and the range of furnishings (frames, books) etc. My calculations show on a £/per hour basis - portraiture should be more profitable than wedding photography based on the amount of time involved in a complete wedding.
Rebecca Litchfield
To be honest my biggest sales are from fashion and weddings, it would take too long for me to offer frames and products as most of my time is shooting weddings and fashion. The portrait stuff is really an added bonus for me. It’s nice to be able to offer something quick and simple in an easy package, short and sweet to fill up any gaps I have in my diary.
If the main part of my business was portraits I would defiantly be offering products but I just don't have the time for that
Kevin Mullins
It’s a similar situation to me Rebecca - wedding work is my primary business, and will remain so. The new studio opens up other avenues for the business but like you one facet will remain the strongest part.
I think that the "uncle bob" syndrome that we are talking about is endemic in wedding photography, but so far, I haven't seen it too much in the studio.
Norman Rubenis
Hi Kevin.
I agree, I think portraiture (high quality) can be more profitable than the average high quality wedding. I also only offer framed fully finished and coffee table books. I also have acrylic blocks which sell for quite high amounts and I plan to offer more bespoke albums.
I was starting to think that I needed to drop my prices due to the climate, but then I saw a webinar by a hugely successful US portrait photographer who advocated putting up your prices and having a professionally designed and printed price menu.
I designed a really nice looking price menu with images of framed photos on walls of homes, increased my prices and strangely, had no more price objections. I think clients could now really see the value of my work and realised that I was worth the money I was charging.
TP
Do you think though if people are offering cd's the uncle bob syndrome is yet to come? Do you think when clients book a portrait session they are happy with just a single image? It used to be for a wedding the photographer would offer 30 prints, now we offer 200 images on a disc. Do you think families in particular want a storybook with lots of images?
Rebecca Litchfield
I always say to clients you get what you pay for if you go to the pound shop you get poor quality if you pay lots and go to Harrods you get something amazing. If you are a customer and have seen amazing photography then you will pay for it.
When I got married I was willing to pay a lot as I loved the photographers work and couldn't imagine anyone else doing my photos. Its how unique and creative you are that will make people want to buy your photography. Cd's may cause a problem, but in this age of social networking people want disks to share their images, i certainly didn't want products of my wedding
Norman Rubenis
Wedding photographers have suffered at the hands of the 'Uncle Bobs' for many years and it will continue. I think it looks too attractive to the weekend shooters, seeing it as a quick way to generate some extra cash.
However, although just about everyone can take portraits of their kids and families, portrait photography for money has never appealed to the Uncle bob brigade.
I think this puts all portrait photographers in a very strong position. People seem more willing to pay good money for good professional portraits because they know they can not do it themselves.
Kevin Mullins
I'm not sure the uncle bob syndrome will have the same dramatic effect to be honest with portraiture as it has had with weddings. I think people purposefully go to a studio for a portrait and they are there for their own purposes and they fully expect to pay for a frame or a print etc. Ironically I think your average uncle bob thinks that wedding photography is easy, but they wouldn't have a clue how to set up high-key lighting or pose a person properly in a studio environment.
The other thing to consider is that wedding photography is just part of an overall substantial outlay for the clients. They may wish to cut back. Studio portrait is a lifestyle choice made - and one that they can afford also as it’s the only outlay as such.
TP
I think Rebecca makes a good point - a cd of images allows clients to spread your work about on social networking sites and makes its almost free advertising. But with digital cameras getting better and easier to use, will clients want to go to a studio when natural photographs are a massive trend? What can we offer them that you didn't get 5 years ago in a studio? What can we add to the experience?
Norman Rubenis
That is good points about being part of a big spend. Yes, when people decide to have professional portraits taken, they are making a lifestyle choice and maybe that is why many successful portrait photographers don't take on many weddings. They know they can often generate far more from a bunch of portrait clients.
It is a little different for me; I am 100% location for my portrait work so I can't cram in lots of bums on seats like some of the high volume studios. But what I aim to offer is a truly bespoke service, often at the client’s home or other suitable venue and after the shoot, and after I have edited and processed the images, I arrange a personal viewing at the client’s home where I find it much easier to talk them through the various options. I can even show them how their images will look on their wall and to the exact scale.
TP
It must be great Norman not to worry about paying rates for a studio, especially in the current climate?
Norman Rubenis
With regards cd of images and Fb sharing, whenever I have been asked if I can do a cd, I always ask what it will be used for. The answer is always the same, "oh, I want to be able to share them on Fb" No problem I say, all the images you purchase will be put on my photography page in an album so you can then share those with your friends.
Kevin Mullins
I agree with Rebecca about social marketing - electronic versions definitely help in that respect. I am following the same principle I have with my wedding work in that respect. The client gets "social media" ready versions of the images that are watermarked. For my wedding clients it is contracted that they must use those rather than the high-res images. Social media marketing is paramount in my opinion.
My model is different to Norman's in that I work from the studio. I have the space of course which helps. But the rates are a killer of course
Norman Rubenis
Yes, I had 2 studios in the 80's and early 90's. A commercial studio and also a high street portrait studio. More than the overheads, it was the boredom that made me jack it all in and work from home. I love the variety and challenge of location shooting.
TP
Kevin and Rebecca, do you think a studio instantly adds perceived value to your business and clients are looking for that sign of a professional set up when they pay for a portrait? Do you think people today want images which portray a lifestyle? (Similar to the ones they see in magazines.) However, do you think they see the value in this way of photographing?
Rebecca Litchfield
I think family shoots on location are lovely, I much prefer them to studio, it's also nice to be able to offer both to a client though as everyone has different tastes. I think the uncle bob of portrait photography are amateurs starting out offering the world for so little or free.
Kevin Mullins
It probably does add perceived value - but I can see how and why Norman is very successful with his model. Location shoots, especially with kids etc are lovely and there is a lot of demand for that at the moment.
Norman Rubenis
Kelly, although not aimed at me, this is something I have struggled with and still do sometimes. Unlike a studio and its associated overheads and kit, I turn up in a small van with a light weight portable shooting kit and I can see they sometimes wonder how this will work out.
But when they see their images (and sometimes turn on the tears) they then realise why I am charging the prices I do. They can see the professionalism and shear work that goes into a shoot. They soon forget about the amount of gear I use.
Kevin Mullins
"I think the uncle bob of portrait photography are amateurs starting out offering the world for so little or free"
I think that's the nail hit on the head there.
Rebecca Litchfield
There will always be competition, what you have to make sure is you offer something truly wonderful, offer an amazing service and send your clients away loving their images. Uncle Bob can't offer that
Kevin Mullins
The Uncle Bob analogy is also very different for portraits and wedding in respect of the timing. An Uncle Bob can ruin a wedding for good - whereas a portrait ruined can always be re-taken with a pro photographer later.
Norman Rubenis
Rebecca, I do very rarely get asked if I shoot studio portraits. I can see the photographers that can do both are at an advantage, but when I say I have no need for a studio and explain how I work it is very quickly forgotten.
Bella West
Everyone owns a digital camera, is commercial portrait photography a dying sector? I think the answer is only if you allow it to. I saw this current trend in over saturated mediocre photography evolving ten years ago. So, personally, for my own business from the start, I had to look at my product - which is a photograph. At the end of the day, that is your biggest marketing tool. It is very tempting, espcially for those just starting out, to give everything away. I indeed only sell framed images, the finished product. The problem I think many photographers are having is targeting a specific market place. Trying to please all - this can cause difficulties with setting fees... Not everyone wants my style, not everyone can afford my work - but I am aware of where to source my clients and the spending power of them. My style of photography is not unique (lets face it, that's almost impossible) but I can be confident that my clients are receiving a very high quality product and a specific style - perceived value is no good if the photography is not of a standard to match that perceived value. the last thing your clients leave with is a photograph or an album - at that point, they really aren't interested in how slick your website is or how many awards you have won - what they have in their hand is your biggest marketing tool. So refinement of style and skill is paramount to anyone who wants to be successful in the industry today.
TP
All great points guys. Rebecca, do you offer hair and makeup? Is this a popular option for many?
Rebecca Litchfield
I love what you do Norman, if I didn't have a studio I would do exactly the same, I much prefer location shoots for family portraits. Would much rather take photos in a place more personal to them
TP
Norman, I think you have raised a good point about the way in which you present your work after the shoot to the client. I think location portraits are a huge trend. You not only get natural portraits but the environment can put an image into context.
Norman Rubenis
Thanks Rebecca. Well, just because you have a studio doesn't mean you have to use it! When I first set up my studio in the early 90's, (it was a partnership of 3), I would often try to encourage clients to do a location shoot. My partners thought I was mad saying "we have just spent a fortune on this place, why don't you want to use it". But I could see the potential and creative possibilities in location portraits.
TP
Bella, could you tell us more about your photographic style and why it works?
Norman Rubenis
Rebecca, I love your clean stylish images, but if you'd prefer to do more location portraits could you not use the studio as a base for client meetings and viewings and shoot the actual session outdoors? You always have the studio as a back up plan if weather turns foul.
Shoot some display material and only show that on your walls as a selection of your work. Clients will book you because they like what you do.
Bella West
I have a gallery where I project my work to sell and also it is a place to hang my work effectively to embellish the fine art experience. This is fundamental. All my work is on location, natural light - I have particular locations that I use at differing times of year - to create atmosphere or graphic and by using space effectively, to create narrative. So, although not heavily themed, I am very much using natural framing, light etc to create this. Often I will work within client’s homes, but apply the same ethos of using natural light and framing to create something which is not necessarily unique but is more of an art piece. Thus, I am not looking to sell 15 - 20 images - I am looking to sell 4 or 5 large wall pieces whereby the child is an integral part of the image because of the lighting. Having large houses and great locations does not always lend itself to great photography - when I was training, I wanted to be able to walk into any room, any time of day and be able to produce something - light does not discriminate and that is what I am ultimately looking at now before anything else. Once I have that area of light that is my canvas and then I use composition, space, expression etc to embellish the final images - so what ever happens in that area is mine to do as I wish. I think many photographers choose the location because of its aesthetic before looking at where the light is going to be at a particular time, this applies to wedding as well as portrait work. Positioning oneself for the light means you can then work in whichever genre you wish whether that is documentary or more classical. Good documentary photography is not just about being aware and catching moments - the light and composition is what can make or break an image - and this is what will set us apart from uncle bobs...
Norman Rubenis
Good points there Bella. If I ever have premises again, I think I will move towards what you have created, a gallery space rather than a shooting space. This is a luxury I do not have so I find this a real stumbling block. I have been trying to find an effective way to show off my work in a fully finished state for the client to see. So far this has eluded me.
Kevin Mullins
I agree entirely with Bella regarding the light. When I shoot weddings it’s the thing I look at as soon as I move into a room - and then position myself accordingly. For my portrait work however, I have a completely locked studio - i.e. I can block all ambient light - and intend using lighting as a creative mechanism there. I see strong benefits in Bella’s ethos of producing a few superb images for the client, as opposed to tens of images. I currently use my gallery area to promote my wedding work with some "wow" images as the clients enter the area - and it definitely works for me in that respect.
Rebecca Litchfield
Norman, I like to give a client what they want so if they want studio then that’s what they get, if they want location then they can have that. I have a gallery of my work in my studio it’s very important for people to see my work in all forms. I agree quality over quantity always.
For example this shoot http://www.catwalkweddingblog.com/2011/07/betts-family-bushey-park-picnic.html the client loved to have picnics with her family so I suggested we had a picnic in the park, you need to tailor photography to suit the needs of the client and get to know them, other clients require studio shots, like a fashion designer who wants nice clean shots or a mother who needs head shots of their kids for an audition.
Back to the cd/ product things. Some people really love the ease of having a shoot and getting a cd immediately and being able to share their photos on the internet. Others want beautiful bespoke frames for their walls. Again you need to tailor and adjust what you offer to your clients needs and find out what they want
Norman Rubenis
Rebecca, good point. But I sometimes think many people are not really sure what they want. They know they want some great portraits but how we achieve that is often up to us as their photographer. I think where I have struggled is to convince clients, in the past, is the fact that we only had studio photography on show, so they came in expecting to have just that. I was constantly fighting against 2 other partners and often got out voted. It’s a shame because I know there was a market for my style even though I never really got the chance to try it at the time.
Now I am a sole trader I can offer just the style I want to shoot, its a slow process, but I am getting there.
Bella West
Which leads me back to it being essential to know your market and being consistent.
Norman Rubenis
Rebecca, what an utterly delightful set of images. I bet the Betts were thrilled.
Rebecca Litchfield
Thanks Norman :)
This is why I love having a blog, so I can show all the different types of photography I do to clients.. I keep my two business complete separate as I don't want to be showing fashion work to a family/ wedding client.
But within each blog I showcase all I can do so they can make their own minds up and I'll always try and find out from them what kind of thing they are after
Norman Rubenis
Going back to an earlier post, I think the big difference between Uncle Bob shooting a wedding and taking on a portrait client falls down to the way it is paid for. A wedding is largely a fixed price fee paying booking, similar to a commercial shoot whereas many portrait shoots are not at all fixed.
Although most of us may have a booking or sitting fee, it is often the additional sales that will ultimately generate the real money.
TP
Bella, what advice would you give to help people determined there market?
Rebecca Litchfield
I do offer hair and makeup as people love feeling special and looking great in the images, a lot of people choose this option as they have seen other shoots I have done where they love the hair and makeup.
Kevin Mullins
The item that seems to be the most popular for me is the all-in-one shoot. Just like Rebecca. It includes a MUA and a stylist and is a whole morning or afternoon. Its a premium product, but does well at the moment
Norman Rubenis
Rebecca, hair and makeup is something I have been looking at offering. Particularly for the single female and couples shoots. How do you charge for this? Is it added onto a sitting fee or does the client pay for this direct to the MUA? Kevin. Do you include product into this fee?
Kevin Mullins
Yes, this is the one shoot that the product is part of the package. They get a set of frames (three) and a Book.
Rebecca Litchfield
I offer different pricing packages. The first is no hair and makeup and this is normally a disk of 10 retouched images. Perfect for families and people who can’t afford hair and makeup.
Then the next step up in price is for models, couples, people who just want some special photos of themselves it will cover the makeup/ hair stylist plus extra to cover the time it takes to have the hair and makeup, so really I am being paid to chat to them while they are being pampered. I prefer it when they choose hair and makeup and will push this as they will look better in the photos and love them more
The final package offers creative hair and makeup and is the premium package, it offers a basic makeup/ hair look and a more creative hair/ makeup look like a lot of my fashion images. This takes a full day and is prices accordingly. A lot of people come to me with pictures they have seen on my fashion website and want to look like that and I explain to them to get that look they need to book the highest package as its all down to the hair and makeup.
I don't offer products, but I have good product knowledge and use Jorgensen for all products and have prices for these products, so when getting to know them if they want products I will offer them, but as I said before this is very timely for me when I have so much other stuff going on.
Norman Rubenis
Kevin, I assume you have set a level of discount from your normal prices? Do you find that most clients go for this option and if so, do you still manage to up sell and add on additional products at the viewing?
Kevin Mullins
Norman - remember I am just starting out commercially with portraiture so I'm still analysing my products. However, this package seems to sell as a complete item - little to no upsell afterwards. I don't try to be honest as the package is meant to be the experience and the products they will take away with them (when produced). Its priced accordingly.
Norman Rubenis
Cheers Kevin. I have to admit, I haven't really given packages much thought. I know I should as I think if there is a part of the whole process which has been fully paid up, then buying additional products afterwards should feel less of a blow to the client. Less to pay at the viewing stage.
Bella, do you offer any type of packages or collections? I am always concerned that the client will say "oh its ok, we will just stick with what we have paid for".
Rebecca Litchfield
If I portrait photography was my main business I would certainly add products to the packages as well.
So I would offer disk packages, frame packages and album packages with the prices ranging accordingly, but I just don’t have the time for this now, so a disk package is easy and quick for me and a great way to generate extra cash. To do this I would most certainly do a pre shoot meeting with the client to help them choose what they want to go for so you can show them the products as its almost creation people wont pay up front for products they haven't seen
Norman Rubenis
Rebecca, I fully understand your views. I can see if you are busy with fashion and other areas, then the portrait sessions are very much an add on. In this case a cd makes sense.
However, for me it is a major part of my business. I don't offer cd's and when asked I explain why and so far all my clients have understood and just accepted it. I always make Fb images available, (usually free) and they really appreciate this and love the fact that although I won't do a cd, they can still share their photos.
Rebecca Litchfield
Can you not offer images on a disk for a similar price you would get profit for a frame, as sometimes this is really what people want even if you offer one image at a high price on a disk at least you are still offering it and not saying no. If you can sell one photo on a disk at the same price you do a frame, not only do you have less work getting it framed, but it is an option that some people just really want
Norman Rubenis
Well, when I did try this I just got looks of shock! The clients who asked for it before I started to just refuse didn't want to pay the £500 just for a cd of photos. It also has more chance of closing the door on other sales as they can then say, well we can get some printed now we have the cd. There's no easy answer I'm afraid. (Well, apart from just saying no)
I would be happy to offer a cd of low res watermarked images for sharing, but I always offer to make an fb album available to them anyway. Also Rebecca, and I'm not getting into an argument here, but I use Border Frames at present. I upload the image and they do the rest. They will even ship direct to the client if I want. So there really isn't that much work involved, probably the same as burning a cd.
Rebecca Litchfield
Lol that does sound easy. You can treat them the same way as frames though, sell them separate, I occasionally do some retouching for a very successful portrait studio and they sell a retouched digital image for £200 each. I actually get shocked when I receive up to 12 of these to retouch, but they are very clever in the people they get it for shoots, people in places like Wandsworth, Richmond etc.
Norman Rubenis
Its very simple. I've only just started using them, but the one thing that really struck me.... well, two actually, was how easy and swift everything was. They print, mount and frame and then package in a nice presentation box, before more outer packing and shipping out. Their turn around is just a few days and the quality is as good as it get.
The rep came over to see me, and I work from home, he even helped me select the most popular and suitable frames for my style of work. Then they sent some moulding samples to me (FOC) and on top of that, they are a really nice company to deal with, so lovely and helpful on the phone. I can't fault them.
Rebecca Litchfield
Sounds great, I have a similar relationship with the Jorgensen Rep in the Uk, its great to work with good people
Norman Rubenis
Rebecca, do you sell digi files priced individually or as a batch? I think for a portrait shoot I would have to have a sliding scale maybe. How do you do it?
Rebecca Litchfield
If I was selling products after the shoot like you I would sell them separately and if they ordered over a certain amount I would offer a discount. At the studio I talked about people often buy a mixture of frames and digital as it fantastic to have an amazing frame on the wall, but also they like to print the images out and send them to relatives. You'd be surprised at how much they would spend for just one digital image.
Of course you will always get some people shocked at the price, but obviously that’s not the option for them and they may prefer a frame, as I said before every client is different but I don't see why you cant offer it to them instead of saying no when they ask. They may say no after hearing the price but at least you’re not taking away the option of digital when some people just really want it.
But yeah I don't go for post session sales I sell packages.
Norman Rubenis
I suppose it boils down to the thought of loosing control of the final output. How many clients that buy a digital file will print it properly and put it in a nice frame? Probably very few, I would guess that many are printed on a cheap desktop printer with ink running low and tram lines all over the place.
I would rather only offer fully finished works of art that are of top quality. I think if people only want digital files then perhaps I'm not the photographer for them.
Rebecca Litchfield
The question is: Everyone owns a digital camera, is commercial portrait photography a dying sector?
I haven't actually said my opinion of this...
No I don't, the talented, most creative and passionate photographers will always succeed, but your creative talent must be armed with business knowledge to succeed in this competitive market.
Its true that uncle Bob can offer amateur photography and make money, especially if he has great business knowledge, Ive seen many poor standard photographers succeed as they are amazing business people.
But at the end of the day what can beat a talented photographer who produces amazing photos at treats each customer 100% and delivers amazing experiences and images time and time again, armed with great business knowledge. Uncle Bob certainly cant top that
And people who see a photographer and fallen in love with their style they will pay high prices.
Norman Rubenis
Well put Rebecca.
Rebecca Litchfield
I completely understand what your saying Norman and if this is how you want to see your images then I'm glad you stick to what you believe. I just know that I would never go to a portrait studio and end up spending lots of money on a frame or book, its just not me.
But I would totally buy an image as a digital image, I live/ breathe digital, in this day and age statistics say that the majority of people don't print images anymore, that most live in the depths of commuters and yes this is sad but its the way it is. Pn the high of a digital revolution I think its a shame not to give people the option of having their images digitally.
Bella West
I have a separate commercial business and website of which I only sell the files - they are being used within various different mediums. However, the social/consumer area is completely different and I would only be selling half of my product if I sold the file. The paper stock and frame mouldings are part of my branding - if my prints are put in an ikea frame with god knows what filters applied - that image still has my name attached to it. So that is why I keep tight control on the final product - this is sold to the client before the shoot and on the whole, appreciated that I take the care to finish their images. As soon as you let those images out the door, you are losing control of anything that goes on walls and I said before, that is your biggest marketing tool in the social market.
Rebecca Litchfield
The biggest marketing tool is social media and therefore whey would you only want your images to be seen on one wall in one place, I want mine to be seen everywhere.
Bella West
For my business, the biggest marketing tool is my product and I won't compromise that. Social media has indeed been instrumental in promoting my work and I use it effectively but without losing control of my pictures. It may sound old school, but it works for my business.
Kevin Mullins
I think social media marketing is very important, of course, but agree with Bella that the product at the end of the stream is what will sell. I use social media extensively and have booked weddings blind over Twitter - but at the end of the day the client must be appreciative of what you have to offer them (which I'm sure they are in every case on this discussion of course).
I actually shoot parts of my weddings, and I have shot some portraits too, with a Fuji X100 compact camera now. It lets me be much more discrete with my documentary style, but I can blend in with the uncle bobs etc so well - and, hopefully, produce images that they simply can't achieve even if they are using DSLRs.
Norman Rubenis
There's definitely a place for each method of both promoting and the final output. I have struggled with the idea of digital files on a disc on a number of occasions where clients have asked for the files. I now use the short answer, which is No! I am in the Bella camp on this one, I want to have control over the final finish of my work and really wouldn't cherish the thought of my images being printed off on a poor quality printer then put in a cheap frame.
However Rebecca, as primarily a fashion photographer, your average client is probably completely different to mine. I can see why this works for you and I can see why you are happy with working this way, it just doesn't fit my business model.
My current business situation (location portraiture) is still in its infancy, I have a long way to go, but I think the way I provide my service and final images to the clients that come to me are the way I plan to move forward.
Let us know your thoughts on the round table discussion and the topic covered this month at feedback@photographymonthly.co.uk
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