Which shots sold the most for you?

wildviper

Since we have a thread for everyone's favorite wedding shots...I was curious, which shot(s) of your wedding sold the most?

I think if we can get this going in this thread, we can get a good idea of what we like and what our CLIENTs actually buy.

I don't do weddings yet...not ready for it, but just curious to learn.

Darren Troy C

I'll chime in here. Never sold a single shot, not one! Let me explain.

Am I off base here....Scott, Angie, Pat, Shima, Diva, MMatt, Heather??? etc. etc. etc.

I shoot everything (engagement, pre-ceremony, ceremony, reception) and they get everything.....a CD, DVD, Digital Book, etc.

They don't get the "culls" of course....but finished, polished images....and the *rights to those images. I don't print...period. The cost would skyrocket if I had to do so.

So am I the weird one out in left field here?

*(I reserve the rights to do as I wish with any of the images for marketing purposes)

cdonovan

Similar, but yes, all photos are paid for up front. They give me an idea of their desires and style with key questions and answers. I shoot they can't wait for the pictures to be theirs.
This is my method, mostly due to time constraints on my part. I really dislike that part of the job, the printing and delivery. It's time consuming, so if they are happy doing it, then have at it. I do instruct them to visit only pro printing shops, and we do have a few really great ones in the area, with pretty reasonable pricing, so I'm confident in the results. My photography business is largely virtual, which I'm sure is the case for many others.

That being said, my candids are the pictures that I get the largest compliments on.

In fact, I had the groom from my last wedding call this morning. He said, you know out of all the ones you've posted online, our favorite is the one of us walking back down the isle after the ceremony, it's on our iphones and my background image at work! It's a really cute shot, true elation, they both said that they didn't even realize I was there at the time! lol:D

I think it largely depends on your style, candids have always been my "best work" what I'm known locally for. Perhaps your more schooled in the portraits, or set up of your groupings? I think that you'll find the ones that you excel at are the ones that will be your popular items!:D

wildviper

So is the model finally changing? I guess if it is, we will not know which is the best picture the clients liked since they can print anywhere.

Blurmore

I'm not in the business of selling paper.

entropy07

I include the CD but frequently clients order prints through me as well because I tell them about the extra care and service I provide with the prints.

Typically.... parents really like group photos.. of themselves with their children. And one or two good posed photos of the B&G.

B&G just like photos where they look good. Some respond more to the artistic, some more to the candid, it really depends on the moment. Key moments like first dance and cake cutting are favorites.

People rarely buy detail photos - these are good if you're making an album or something.

I'd say... shoot everything that you are good at shooting, but also work with your client to understand what photos they respond to.

mmmatt

Darren Troy C wrote:

**snip**

Am I off base here....Scott, Angie, Pat, Shima, Diva, MMatt, Heather??? etc. etc. etc.

**snip**

I just think its awesome that I got lumped in with the cool crowd!!!

I agree with Jason and I'm not in the business of selling paper. I offer my smugmug site as a perk to the clients who don't want to have to give the images to everyone who asks. I make just a small markup on my prints to cover my site costs and don't even do that. I also give a DVD of full res images as well as a low res version with watermark for online use.

I DO know what the favorites are though... I ask for exactly the reasons this thread was started. Well, that and another oppertunity to try to get referalls from my happy clients!

The ones they like best are:
A: The ones they ask for.
If somebody says "I want a picture of us walking on the path by the pond" or "A caramel apple with us in the background" You BETTER make sure you nail it and that will be a favorite because it was their idea!

B: The ones that make them look their best
If you can make a heavy person look thin or a stick figure bride look curvy, it is money!

C: God only knows.
People like some images for the strangest reasons... sometimes I am stunned which are their favorites!!

Do ask though... it is good after-care for your clients and a good way to ask for referrals!

Matt

squiddy

I've only done 2 weddings for friends for experience/trial/favor so it has only been a "purchase prints on the website if you want" situation and they have both done so. I've also had some of their friends and family order photos and out of all combined orders each person ordered photos of the rings in flowers.

Doubtful a few orders off 2 weddings is enough of a pattern but ...

fcorin13

I'm doing the CD, too, but people tend to order a print package as well. Most of the favorites tend to be family pictures. Some other pictures that have sold fairly well:

detail shots (apparently I have a lot of scrapbooking brides...)
shots of the bride & groom walking *somewhere* (i.e. lane, road, railroad tracks, vineyard, etc)
close-ups of the rings (not the standard "on top of the bouquet" though)
Coordinating shots (like for their album- groomsmen & groom/bridesmaid & bride)

Other trends I've noticed-
lots of black & white (though this has been around a while!)
"Desaturated" images
lots & lots of collage requests (ugh)
Sepia-tone
Different angles (shot from way low/way high/off to side)

heatherfeather

As a general rule (as far as prints go) I make most print sales to grandmothers of the family, and they want the traditional / proof that we are all alive and here together even with a fake smile stuff.

The photos that the bride wants... like details and uber creative stuff.... makes her usually end up buying the disk to get because it is too hard to pick and choose and she wants them all.

I make good money on both, so I offer both. I do charge a fair amount for my prints and even more for my disks.... But the prices for both the disc and the prints bring the value of each other up.

The print sales are rarely my favorite shots... but such is life. I don't cry about it. I just smile all the way to the bank.

dawssvt

Darren Troy C wrote:

I'll chime in here. Never sold a single shot, not one! Let me explain.

Am I off base here....Scott, Angie, Pat, Shima, Diva, MMatt, Heather??? etc. etc. etc.

I shoot everything (engagement, pre-ceremony, ceremony, reception) and they get everything.....a CD, DVD, Digital Book, etc.

They don't get the "culls" of course....but finished, polished images....and the *rights to those images. I don't print...period. The cost would skyrocket if I had to do so.

So am I the weird one out in left field here?

*(I reserve the rights to do as I wish with any of the images for marketing purposes)

This is the same exact boat I'm in

l.k.madison

I'm chiming in slightly off subject.

I HATE giving my cd's to a client, I just HATE it. It sounds bitter, but with Photoshop being relatively inexpensive, and loads of other photo editing software pretty much at your finger tips, I'm scared of what a client will do with my picture, print it and then put my name on it. Even with a "do not alter" clause in a contract, you don't know what they'll do and never tell you about. Besides, we pride ourselves on the quality of the print, I don't want Aunt Jane showing off her niece's wedding with a CVS/Walgreens made print bragging on how nice the picture is when it was ruined by some monkey trained to just push a button (or worse, a photo kiosk that does it on the spot).

I work for a national company (no names) that photographs newborns still in the hospital and we sell the birth announcements, cd of the shots, etc. I can't count how many times I hear "a HUNDRED dollars for EIGHT pictures??? Are you SERIOUS?!?" I just politely say "They price it so high because they know you'll never order a print from them again, why would you when you can go to WalMart and print out a 4x6 for less than the price of a stamp?" It usually gets them quiet. Only a few have figured out that if they buy the cd for $100, it's cheaper than buying the package for $100 because with the cd, you still have to pay for prints.

In my personal photography, we charge more than the sitting fee for the first image on CD and a good chunk of change PER image after that. I've had one not hire us because of it. Now, low-res for Facebook/Myspace/whatever, yes, by all means, I'll give you a 72 dpi picture for a reasonable price, but you're not about to blow up MY picture on crappy paper.

Back to the subject, I'm ALWAYS surprised at the prints the client buys over my favorite. I always fall in love with the print *I* would want hanging up in my house (yes, even at work with the newborns) but not a lot of people see it that way. Doesn't matter to me, like Heather said, I'm laughing all the way to the bank.