Do you supply the negatives for a wedding

[neilewins]

I have started a wedding photography business trying to target mid to high end weddings. I was asked by a client the other day if i supply the digital negatives. Myself and wife both shoot at a wedding and so on average 1000 + photographs for the day (15 Gigabytes). From this the bride selects around 60 for an album.
I replied that i charge for the digital negatives (£250).
What is your approach to this?

Many Thanks
Neil Ewins
http://www.e-wins.co.uk

[ssim]

This is a subject that has been widely discussed in previous threads. As a general rule I do not supply them and make it known at the time the contract is supplied.

It is something that is driven by your local market much like pricing. If the majority of your competitors do it, then you are faced with complying or coming up with a marketing approach to dissuade them otherwise. What happens in your area will not impact where I operate. Have your hunted your local competition in your area to see what most do?

[Burrelly]

I do not normally supply digital files. It removes alot of the opportunity for reprints.

[Zansho]

I don't give the a CD/DVD of the files, unless they pay me a nice fee for it ($400.00-$500.00). I also warn them that the files they get from me are embedded with my color profile that works with my specific printer vendor, and if they were to take it somewhere else, the color reproduction might not be the same. Last thing you want is for someone to take your images to someplace like walgreens or walmart and have the color be all off, and it'll be a representation of your work to OTHER potential clients.

[cdifoto]

My premium package includes a DVD slideshow and CD of ready-to-print images. It is optional with other packages. I do not provide the RAWs or untouched JPEGs. When asked for them, I tell the person that providing those defeats the purpose of hiring me & that part of the reason they like my images is because of what I do to them long after the last person fell down drunk at their wedding.

[tim]

I sell a CD of JPGs with basic processing - density and color. It's included in my top end package, but that's the better part of $10,000.