Event Photo Booth (sort of) Processing?

lifeinfocus

In early November, I am managing a Halloween Costume Party for about 325 people with net proceeds going to charity. I have been thinking about setting up a fun portrait area. I will have my backdrop, lights, camera and computer there.

Impulse buying I realize can be effective but if a printer is not used are there other methods?

What I am trying to figure out is whether to print photos on site (don't have an excellent printer) or show people the photos on a big monitor and upload for them to buy afterward or buy the rights there to download from perhaps a password protected gallery. They get an email with a link and password to download later. That may be too convoluted and it may hinder the impulse buy. And I don’t see how I can prevent from downloading other images.

I have shopped for a printer to rent but have not found anything. And I don't know what kind to get even if I could rent one.

Do you think would people place an order or pay for a photo they saw on a screen? If yes, how I would handle the payment and processing if I upload to a Smugmug pro site?

Any other ideas?

Thanks
Phil

lifeinfocus

Wrong Forum?
Did I post this in the wrong forum? If so, could it be moved please.

Thanks
Phil

pathfinder

1st question, Phil.

Have you ever printed images for sale before, with printer profiles, paper profiles, ink drying, space issues? Since you are asking what printer to get, I wonder if printing commercial images is new to you? What image sizes do you have in mind? 3x5, 4x6, 8x10 or larger? How much time will you have available for editing your files prior to printing?

I do suspect, like you, that printed photos are more likely to trigger impulsee purchases, but at what cost to you, both time and money? Are you doing this to make a profit, or just to support a charity? How much are you willing to subsidize your print sales for charity, or do you even want to do that at all?

A good printer is a significant investment, both in money and time, along with paper and ink supplies. I think from a time perspective, having Smugmug or an online firm do your printing will be more effective, unless you have other experience printing images real time at events. A large monitor will certainly let folks see the quality of your images available for sale.

Give your thread a little time, and maybe folks with previous experience at selling images real time will pop in and answer some of your questions.

If you have internet capability, you could order the prints real time with the parties at your table from Smugmug, and they could pay you in cash, or you might invest in one of those devices that let you take credit card payments with your smart phone, like Phone Swipe or Square.

lifeinfocus

Thanks your response. Sorry for being impatient.
I do not have much experience in printing quality photos. I have an inexpensive printer at home that I have done some simple 4x6 stuff.

All net proceeds would go to charity. Other than renting a printer, if I found one and decided to go that route, I don't foresee any other expense.

I like the use of online printing and like the quality. I just wonder about how to handle the processing. I suppose I could have a second computer available for people to order there.

I wonder if there are other ideas.

Thanks, Phil

mercphoto

Make the sale at the event, and fulfill the order later. In other words take the order and the money there (the impulse) but deliver a few days later (less hassle).

lifeinfocus

mercphoto wrote: »

Make the sale at the event, and fulfill the order later. In other words take the order and the money there (the impulse) but deliver a few days later (less hassle).

Done that before? How do you handle delivery? Do you have them all delivered to your home and then have a pickup location - say a church hall?

Thanks
Phil

mercphoto

You could simply mail them the prints. Or better yet have your lab drop ship the orders for you. Or have a single pickup location. What matters most is appealing to the impusle buy - don't let them leave without making the order.

lifeinfocus

mercphoto wrote: »

You could simply mail them the prints. Or better yet have your lab drop ship the orders for you. Or have a single pickup location. What matters most is appealing to the impusle buy - don't let them leave without making the order.

Agree that the impulse buy is important.

I think this may be an important way to make sales if we can come up with a more streamlined way of doing it.

Are they smartphone apps that are applicable for instance.

I wonder if any dgrinners have actual experience and lessons learned?

Phil