Event Photography Software?

[Vegas Poboy]

Event photography is a growing business & I'm already into the market but just starting to offer onsite sales.
Printer choice is going to be the Kodak 1400 as soon it's released.
Canon gear of course :)
White lightning stobes
Dell Laptop
But I don't know what is the best software to use. I've seen some use Express digital software/ photoreflect.com, I had planned on just using CS but always looking for options. Any other ideas?

[leony]

The company I work for uses Express Digital. The only words I have is: Don't walk - RUN.

The software is buggy and extremely unflexible. Tech support is not free after your "included" time is done, and the updates seem to create more problems than they solve - although they are free... both the updates and the bugs are free.

The company uses Portrait & Wedding on about 100 laptops as well as their own lab with Labtricity server and Agfa d-Lab2 printers (two of these). Been with them for almost 2 years now.

If their products would work without problems it would be great, but at the price they charge for it - and for these things not to work properly...

Events of this past Friday: Server application crashes 8 times in an 8 hour work day on Thursday, each time requiring the complete re-boot of the server. Usual day is 3-4 crashes/day like that. This is after countless updates, etc.
Update is released on Friday, which supposed to resolve instability issues introduced by the previous update. After installation the server refuses to re-print orders or accept new ones.
The problem was discovered at 8:30 am on Friday. By noon Saturday (today) the solution is not yet discovered. The lab is 2 days behind and now has to catch up on 700 orders... 2 full day's work.

Their products would be a god-sent, if they only worked.

[Vegas Poboy]

Hey thanks for the info, I'm thinking on using CS or maybe even Canons Software. You're right their software is too much $$
Thanks for the reply

[leony]

I haven't used it, but my lab (that I use personally, not the company I work for) swears by this product... http://www.performerpro.com/
Check 'em out - they might offer what you need. Also check out photo magazines... most companies offering digital workflow solutions now advertise in magazines.

[epeace]

i have a friend who all he does is event photography . . and he swears by Timestone (http://www.timestone.com.au/) . . not sure if its in your price range . . but its supposedly extremely good . .

[Jean-Guy Cote]

Look at EVENT at www.micro-art.com (http://www.micro-art.com)
It's easy to use and Customer friendly. Yoou can run as little as 1 viewing station or as many as you need on a LAN

[Gary_Evans]

Dont dismiss Photoshop. It can be used quicker and more efficiently that most so-called specialist event software. Just learn how to use it properly, and dont forget the batch and action commands. We CS2 with a tethered camera (10D) and can turn out 100's of 7 x 5 prints per hour

[Mikester]

Can we bring this thread back to life? I am also looking for this type of software. Any hints on making CS2 do event printing? Is there any sites with custom borders or scripts to help make it easier and faster at an event? Any samples that anyone here has created to give us some ideas? Thanks!!!

[PhotosGuy]

Do It Yourself - $50 wireless tethering (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=695676)

Wireless tethering... (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=791544)

Help Please [ tethering ] (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=747263)

tethering to a pda (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=553470)

Reasons people don't buy online (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=846239)

[james_in_baltimore]

You guys are wasting you time with that software. I use 5minutephoto.com

Insert CF card, select and event or game, and press a button, it processes everything and displays them on kiosks for people to view and add to a cart to purchase.

Photoshop? Express Digital? You are wasting your time and money!

Good Luck!

You haven't had a single post where you weren't recommending this product.

It is fairly obvious at this point that your only purpose of being on this forum is to push this product. I think most users have caught on to this by now.

[bdavisx]

How about Lightroom? If you're doing on-site event sales, you probably don't want the full-blown capabilities of Photoshop anyway, it would slow you down too much.

lightroom offers the capabilities needed for general photo work and printing, hell that's what it was designed for.

Anyone use it for events?

[jsanz11]

Well there is 2 different things being discussed here. One being what software to use for clients to be able to purcahse orders and view galleries which is all those websites linked. Photoshop & lighroom are for us photographers to process & print for the client on the back end.
Joey

[oomus]

has anyone tried the latest version of Express Digital Darkroom? Have they made it any better compared to what was posted back a few years ago on this post? I am looking for something to do backgrounds and other automation things similar to this for printing onsite. I already have the network and CS4. Dont really care about the rest of the functions in Darkroom just quick and easy borders and backgrounds. Or does anyone have other recommendations for this type of software?

[Tigershark]

I have the latest version and it works fine for me but I am only running 3 systems at once

[MPpro]

I use EPS event photography systems. I love it and it works great

[J.Napier]

Holy thread reserection batman, this thing was started in 2005.

[DDCSD]

Holy thread reserection batman, this thing was started in 2005.


But its been revived 4 times since then! :lol:

[yogieprints]

LOL!- Old thread!

I do a lot of on-demand Event Photography shoots and came across PrintRipper (http://www.allenchristopher.com/printripper.html). Price is decent, support is fantastic.

It's my understanding that these guys are photographers-turned-developer, which could be promising so far as what they may come up with down the road.

my 2 cents..

John

[jackies35]

Wow, I guess my 3 cents will revive this.

What about PhotoKey Pro 4 from Tubetape? I think this is more for green screen and they have a special going on now.

The have tons of video on Youtube as well.

[langone_peter]

I am also looking for a event photography software. There are so many such software available in the market. Please advice me which event software is better for me..

----
Regards
Peter Langone (http://peterlangonetravel.com/)

[Badllarma]

We use Canons Digital Photo Proffesional for all our gigs except green screen it's simple it works and that is all you need to know at a busy event.

Tried Express Digital what a bloody nightmare! I'd rather stick pins in my eyes than try it again!
For the Green Screen stuff we use Photokey Pro it just works and works very well beware of others in the market that are cheaper as there as slow as a dead thing to use!

[mugshot]

A inexpensive batch printing software program like PhotoElfhttp://www.photoelf.com/ or 5minutephoto http://www.shoot-n-print.com/ will work fine. I always try to keep things as simple as I can.


http://mug-shots.weebly.com

[Gym Star Photos]

PhotoParata is another choice...

[michaelt.smith]

My workflow is exclusively MAC based. All of the software I have seen mentioned is only for PC. Anything MAC software for customers to view and purchase images during the event.

[rrphotoz]

I have been doing event portrait photography for 5 years now and I am looking to streamline my workflow. My specialty is Martial Arts, here are some samples if you wish to check them out: http://rrphotoz.com/galleries/martial-arts-3/

I shoot tethered (Canon 40D to EOS utility)
All photos go to a folder on my SERVER (my laptop)
I have 4 WORKSTATIONS (Laptops)
On the WORKSTATIONS I use “FastStone Image Viewer 4.6” for the clients to view their photos.
I have an assistant who helps the clients when they get to a “viewing station” (Workstation) scroll to their photos and the client then picks the image(s) that they want to purchase.
I am pretty happy with the workflow up to this point.
Here is where I need some help (or if you see where I can improve I am always open)
The client will then fill out a paper form with their information:
Name, address, email, image number choice(s) and if they want a custom background, sign a release and pay (cash or cc via Paypal here on an iPhone – the assistant handles and collects the payment and paper)
I am looking for a solution to make that process digital. I want to avoid potential problems such as sometimes reading their writing is tough. I am always concerned that I will lose their paperwork (although I never have). Etc.
My thought is that after the client views and picks their photos they can enter their information on some kind of form on the laptop viewing station (the same one that they viewed their photos on). That data is then stored on the SERVER in some sort of database or even an excel sheet. Then the assistant will process the payment and give them a receipt
After the event I will process the photos, improve color and give custom background if they order one. I do not print on site.
I was hoping there was a solution that was not online based (I sometimes do not have internet access) that I can use to turn the paper process digital and have the client enter all of their own information and choices (as I do realize that I can enter all of the paperwork after the event – but I REALLY don’t want to do that)

Thank you in advance.

[Nightstalker]

Will this thread ever die?

To rrphotoz :

What you are talking about is using a web based e-commerce system running on your LAN.

Find a web designer that can create a bespoke website that will run on your server and that can be lnked to from your workstations. This will give you a "Buy Photo" button that will populate into a shopping cart - that way you can add in different sizes, posters etc. and give the clients to order multiple images whilst only completing one order form.