Many times I’ve heard, “Once I had the images, I had no idea what to do with them. I upload them to a photo site so friends and family could print them, and I put some on Facebook, but after that I was sort of stuck and did nothing.” By providing my clients with the option to do nothing, I simply enabled them to put their images alongside old family snapshots in the proverbial shoebox…not displayed and not enjoyed.
These days there is a level of semi-professional and professional photographers available at just about any price point. The biggest names charge particularly high prices for digital images, and many of our first-time customers often wonder why it is more expensive in comparison to someone else.
The honest truth of the matter is - professional photography is not for everyone. Most see it as a luxury - something you splurge on every now and then. There is no doubt it requires an investment of time, resources and energy in the planning stages of any family photo shoot.
And once your session is over you are anxiously waiting to see the results. Did your photographer capture those natural expression you were hoping for? Did the kids smile properly? Will the final images be something you’d proudly want to display at home and share with friends & family? You are also wondering, somewhat doubtful and nervous, how much you will be expected to pay for the artwork. Will it all be worth it in the end?
The completed images that your photographer hands over to you are part of their life’s work. They have spent countless hours carefully selecting and retouching your images. They kept in mind that to some these photos will become a priceless legacy, passed down from generation to generation. Their reputation & branding is behind every image. So naturally there are a few important restrictions to note when it comes to the professional digital images that you receive.
1) Copyright. When you purchase digital images they have a copyright, which means the photographer has the option to use those photos to market their work and services anytime in the future. Your photographer should be open to discuss and respect your desire to keep it private (please mention it BEFORE your session).
2) Image type. Professional photographer will not provide you with the original files or raw images. All photos given to the client are typically cropped and have been edited for the final presentation.
3) Image altering. While most photographers welcome the sharing of the photos on social media platforms, it is industry standard to ask that the images are not altered in any way as this is against copyright policies.
You may be asking - what’s the big deal? Why do photographers have such strict rules about what seems like insignificant changes? Your precious photos are a representation of the work done by your chosen professional photographer. When presented, your portraits have already been through the editing process and don’t require further alterations. If those photos are altered, the results are not reflective of the original work and can then be misrepresented in the industry and the wider community. This very negatively and significantly impacts the reputation and brand of your photographer.
Digital files are not archival. They will not last forever (and you won’t look at them nearly as often as you hope). Technology changes and evolves quickly. It’s a huge part of our life, and a necessary one. Backing up your digital family portraits on a hard drive and keeping them safe from erasure, heat and static, on a USB is a must. However please keep in mind that all digital media will fail eventually. In fact most hard drives are not designed to last longer than 5 years. This is one of the reasons why we care about printed art. Professional quality prints will last 100 years or longer – a true heirloom to be passed down from generataion to generation.
Often people overlook that they are able to flick through timeless memories of parents and grandparents in the photographs that have been left for them, and dont think into the future to the legacy you will leave for your family in years to come.
So, why am I posting about all of this? To get you thinking. Do you still have those digital images from your last portrait session sitting on your hard drive or a cd in your drawer, or…gasp, maybe you never even downloaded them?!
For your every day images I encourage you to get a slip in album or even a shoe box and start printing off your images. For your family portraits, I encourage you to hire a professional photographer that assists you with choosing images to display on your walls or in albums that are archival and heirloom quality. LoddiPots Photography is a full-service, portrait photography business. What does “full-service” mean? It means that I will literally guide you throughout the entire process so the prints and heirloom products that you purchase are well thought out. From your wardrobe, to the location, to where to display them in your home… I will help you every step of the way.
If you are ready to invest in your family’s memories, I would love to help you create beautiful images that will last for generations to come. Contact me today to find out more information about booking your session.