Photographer only offering digital files at extremely high price
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Anonymous
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Is this common? FWIW I purchased quite a few prints at quite a cost. I was surprised and somewhat perturbed that I wouldn't even be granted the digital files of images I was paying anywhere from 50-500 dollars to have printed/framed.
They are providing low res versions of the photos for sharing on social media. |
Anonymous
| Totally normal. It was most likely all spelled out in the contract you signed or their price list. Why are you expecting to get something for free? |
Anonymous
I'm not expecting anything for free. I spent 2k on prints. I bought the session at a charity event via a fundraiser and it wasn't spelled out at the time. I wasn't informed actually until AFTER we had done the shoot about this or any pricing. |
Anonymous
| No not common. I get photos taken 2x a year with my family and we never have to pay for digital files. I pay a higher up front fee and get everything. |
Anonymous
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One of the many reasons I don't buy anything at fundraising auctions. You never know what you're buying and it's never worth the money. |
Anonymous
| They make their money that way. You need to negotiate up front for digital files. |
Anonymous
Well then, lesson learned. Read the fine print! Photographers spend hours that you do not see working on your photos. They make their money selling the photos in all formats after the shoot. Good, high end photographers do the pricing the way you see it. |
Anonymous
| Normal. |
Anonymous
There was no fine print to have read at the time and she doesn't post any of this on her website. I think had she told me in the first phone conversation or had it on her website I wouldn't be so annoyed. Had I bought the 5k package I would have gotten all the digital files. I just feel like that seems a little OOTT. Like I said I bought a lot in prints, I'm not being stingy, I get that is their livelihood but 5k so I can have backups in case of a fire or whatever? |
Anonymous
NP here. Re: negotiating the terms: When paying a higher upfront price and receiving the digital rights as a concession (for excellent prints later) what resolution should it be? |
Anonymous
Agree. Just pay the damn money. It's not just snapping pics and sending them to you straight from the camera. There are touch ups on those, sizing, and also the session planning (to get the shots, lighting, etc.) It's an art. Plus, her admin costs (e.g., upkeep for Photoshop, billing platforms, her time, etc.) I'm just a hobbyist but, even for my pics (which are decent but not professional), its a LOT of work. |
Anonymous
| It’s pretty common. If they didn’t charge high prices for digital, people would just buy the digital and get the prints made more cheaply elsewhere. |
Anonymous
So just asking, do you not think a client ordering 2k in prints is showing adequate respect for their work? This photographer shot us last week. Went over photos earlier this week and will be sending them for print today after touch ups. So lets say they did nothing else BUT work on my product for this entire week. 2k a week is making quite a bit of money. That is in addition to their $500 sitting fee (which is about what I paid at the fundraiser, so they didn't receive that directly). |
Anonymous
| If it's not listed anywhere on the website, that's jerky. I purposefully don't book with photogs without clear pricing. If you paid them $500 for one print and they won't give you the digital copy, what a jerk. Sorry. |
Anonymous
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Typical DCUM, expecting something for almost nothing, then being indignant when told "no".
Shouldn't be surprised though, as people here also balk at paying plumbers, electricians, HVAC and car mechanics, too. |