Why I Sell Printed Product and Why You Will Thank Me Later!
What will happen to our old photos? Left on a memory stick, on a hard drive, in iCloud? Wow? How would my grandchildren get access these memories? Do we wonder if our cellphone got lost today, all the images gone.. sounds like a horror story right there.
I have been a victim of loosing a cellphone, a laptop memory crashing, erasing all my family pictures in a flash. I sat and cried an entire day, it felt like the biggest tragedy of my life.
Ok so I know we are in the digital age. I am all for progress and embrace the new day (I mean look.. I am BLOGGING. I think.) There ARE however are a few things I am not willing to let go from the past. Printed photographs are on the top of that list. Maybe it is a little fear of death, or rather, not being remembered.
Let’s be honest, how many of you can find a specific photo from years gone by in that folder or folders on your OWN or partner’s computer. I relate it to trying to watch movies on VHS only you don’t know where the VHS tapes are located. The technology of today will be obsolete in a matter of years. Along with your cherished memories. Many of us are still struggling to convert our cd's into prints, (guilty??)
With the sheer number of images most of us have and take it would be ludicrous to print all, or even most of them. Rather, print the odd one you love and spend the money on your self to get professional images you love and create with your chosen photographer.
I sell my images to reflect this. I am aware some people will protest and argue that they really want 50 digital files to download or be given on a thumb drive. There are many photographers that do really well in that ‘shoot and burn’ style. That is great and I respect other professionals business models completely. I don’t mind referring some clients that way in order to do what I believe in and am passionate about. I want to offer less quantity and more quality.
Don’t get me wrong. I do see the appeal of uploading your awesome images to Facebook. The convenience of having them on your phone. That is why with each image purchased I also include digital, downloadable files. For the printed ones I love simple matted images stacked in a folio box like in my photo above. That is one of my studio samples. This box can go on a shelf like a book, sit on your table or bedside as a beautiful conversation piece.
The matts mean they are ready to frame, stay as is and I even include a little easel so you can display and swap them out. Or clients go for the larger prints. People can spend what they want or can, that is up to them. I want to create images that are so meaningful that clients want to buy them all. I will put the time, effort and money in to creating them.
Now see that empty wall??? Fill it with Love. Looking forward to shooting that amazing portraits. Check out my instagram @mahreenagha for the latest updates and booking announcements.