Below is a copy of a post on why I don't sell digital files.
A lot of people want digital files. I don't sell digital files. I will include at least one digital file that you can use in social networking such as Facebook.
There are several reasons, I don't sell digital files. The first reason is that photography is a creative business. As the artist, I want some control over how the finished product will look. If I gave you a cd of edit files, I turn over part of that creativity to you. Here is why:
This
photo is from a recent session. This is the way it came out of the
camera as to the size/crop. It is a nice image.I do not like the bright
light on her hair. It is very distracting to me.
The
photo below is my choice of crop - I cropped it the same perspectives
as the above. Notice the bright light is gone. Her eyes are in a good
location to draw you in to the photo.
Many
people would have cropped it like the one below. I do not think it is
nearly as strong or interesting as the one above. The distracting light
is still there.
8x10
photos are a completely different perspective than the original photo
and the two crops above. Below is the way I would crop it for an 8x10.
If
you sent in the original file to a lab and ordered an 8x10, they would
choose the crop for you. Because of the difference in perspectives, they
chop off an even amount on the top and bottom. Below is what you would
get. Not necessarily bad, but it just doesn't have the look that I would
want for it to have. If I had her head closer to the top, the lab
would still chop off an even amount top and bottom. She could have lost
her eyebrows!
A
5x7 is even another perspective for a crop.Below is the one that would
be the way a lab would naturally crop it. Both of these still have the
distracting light.
None of these look horrible. For me, it is very important that I crop the photo where it looks the best. If you order a 5x7 and an 8x10 of the same file, I am going to crop each one of them separately, so that I can make sure your file looks the best it possibly can.
Another reason is so much depends on where you have a photo printed. I have no control of you taking it to a local drug or discount store to have it processed. My monitor is very close to the profile that my lab uses. This week, I did have an issue with a few prints from my lab. I think it was the fact that the gold walls in the house really caused a different cast to my monitor, so the photos didn't look right. I will know that I need to wait until after dark to check the colors. I will have those photos reprinted. I would not have that control if you get them done at a retail outlet. A good example of this is my cards. I have used the same design for a while on my cards. I have been having them printed at a chain drug store. I have the file on their online system. When I order from the one closest to my house, they look okay. When I order from the same file to be printed at the one closer to town, they are awful. The pinks are not even close. It is very important to me that you have a quality finished product. Be assured that when I have your photos printed, I do not have them done at a local drugstore or discount store. I will always have your photos shipped to me and I do the quality control before they ever delivered to you.
Maybe I am selfish, but it is my name on the finished product - even if I don't have the opportunity to actually finish it. If someone sees a photo that has an awkward crop or the color is off and asks you who the photographer was - I don't want you to tell them it was me! So much for word of mouth advertising - they will never ask me to photograph them. I wouldn't blame them!
A lot of people want digital files. I don't sell digital files. I will include at least one digital file that you can use in social networking such as Facebook.
There are several reasons, I don't sell digital files. The first reason is that photography is a creative business. As the artist, I want some control over how the finished product will look. If I gave you a cd of edit files, I turn over part of that creativity to you. Here is why:
None of these look horrible. For me, it is very important that I crop the photo where it looks the best. If you order a 5x7 and an 8x10 of the same file, I am going to crop each one of them separately, so that I can make sure your file looks the best it possibly can.
Another reason is so much depends on where you have a photo printed. I have no control of you taking it to a local drug or discount store to have it processed. My monitor is very close to the profile that my lab uses. This week, I did have an issue with a few prints from my lab. I think it was the fact that the gold walls in the house really caused a different cast to my monitor, so the photos didn't look right. I will know that I need to wait until after dark to check the colors. I will have those photos reprinted. I would not have that control if you get them done at a retail outlet. A good example of this is my cards. I have used the same design for a while on my cards. I have been having them printed at a chain drug store. I have the file on their online system. When I order from the one closest to my house, they look okay. When I order from the same file to be printed at the one closer to town, they are awful. The pinks are not even close. It is very important to me that you have a quality finished product. Be assured that when I have your photos printed, I do not have them done at a local drugstore or discount store. I will always have your photos shipped to me and I do the quality control before they ever delivered to you.
Maybe I am selfish, but it is my name on the finished product - even if I don't have the opportunity to actually finish it. If someone sees a photo that has an awkward crop or the color is off and asks you who the photographer was - I don't want you to tell them it was me! So much for word of mouth advertising - they will never ask me to photograph them. I wouldn't blame them!
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