What are the 'digital files’ that I refer to in my posts and adverts and why are they expensive?
Aga Kowalska a specialist family and wedding photographer in Exeter, UK
I sometimes get messages from clients saying that they have a specified budget and want JUST the digitals, assuming that this is the cheaper option and by choosing digitals they are spending less. This could not be further from the truth and in order to understand why, you need to learn how most photographers earn their living. I am one of them.
Session fee is just a fraction of the cost of the actual photo shoot and the work that goes into it
The first step for booking a session with me is paying so called 'session fee’ which is between £30 and £50, depending on the type of the session. This sum barely covers my time communicating with you, preparing written guides, emailing them to you and the time ordering / preparing any specific props and set ups. As I wrote in my previoys post http://agakowalska.co.uk/looking-reasonably-priced-photographer-exeter/ the smallest and least intricate props hardly ever cost less than £30. Hence the session fee in theory is enough to purchase one prop, for example one romper and possibly a headband. (have a look at Etsy, if you are not convinced 🙂 )
When you arrive for a photo shoot having paid the session fee, I offer you my time (between 1 and 7 hours, depending on the type of photoshoot). I then spend another few hours retouching your images, editing every little detail and applying my artistic vision and technical skills to deliver great quality product for you to view.
And here is where I start earning my living and get rewared for my hard work and talent
I could charge £300 or £400 upfront, offering a small number of prints or digitals in that price, however from experience I know that we all prefer to see what we are buying, before committing to the deal.
Digital Art
What is meant by a 'digital file’ is a .jpeg compressed, fully edited file which my clients receive either on a CD, a USB, via a web download or emailed. Digital file is what you use when you want to order prints, canvases or any other 'photo gifts’
Yet, a digital file is NOT just a huge concentration of pixels. It is not just a SNAP that took me 1/250th of a second to shoot. It actually is my artistic creation, a combination of expensive equipment + accessories + knowledge + skills + + talent + time spent creating the image with my lovely Clients being the subject of it.
That’s why DIGITAL file is priced as art.
When you think of Picasso’s pictures, you know that they cost millions of pounds, yet you probably never questioned that. You accept that they cost that much because they are unique and created by an artist. The cost of canvas, paint, brushes and the time that Pablo spent creating his picture probably never exceeded a few hundred pounds. Yet, the finished product is worth millions.
My photos are art too. My art is digital, but it is still art. My eyes, camera, props and photoshop are my tools. Technical knowledge is hardly ever enough to produce bespoke beautiful art. Talent is an essential ingredient too.
When I have finished working on your beautiful gallery, I can then order your stunning products that you can proudly display in your stylish home.
I order my products from high end professional labs and I guarantee that you will receive superb quality from me.
The price tag attached to each of the products on my menu accounts for the work that I did for you up to now. It also accounts for the time I spend ordering, processing, preparing for collection etc.
A digital is like a cow. Seriously.
The digital file that I have in my possession is like a cow. When you have a cow it gives you milk, which you can then use to produce butter, yoghurts, cheese and so many many more other products.
My file allows me to 'produce’ many products for my customers, from which I then earn my living. By selling a digital I need to account for the loss of profits that I would have made otherwise. And that’s the answer to the question in the title of this post.
Furthermore, by selling my file (’the cow’) I lose control what happens to my work of art and how and where it is printed and displayed. Every time I sell a digital file to a client I worry how the prints will come out and if they will be a true representation of my skills. Commercial printers like these at Boots, Aldi or cheap online printers are cheaper for a reason. It is my biggest fear that your stunning pictures will fail to meet your expectations.
My Clients seek and deserve only the best
For that reason I will shortly be restructuring my business and going away from delivering 'just digitals’. I wish to serve my Clients with only the best quality that they are worthy of and be the one who provides them with a complete service. I will take care of my Clients’ memories, from booking their session to delivering stunning wall art and bespoke products.
Most of my clients come to me stating that they love my style of photography, appreciate my skills and also my personality and how I work. They also appreciate how important memories are and are happy to make an investment in them being beautifully captured. I am ever so lucky to work with Clients who love art and appreciate my craftsmanship, and I am delighted to offer what they love and treasure most.