CD's and Non-Printable Prints

[Peacefield]

On different string, yet another about how much to charge for wedddings, someone commented, "Personally I charge a minimum £500 for a wedding and that will include a CD of images but nothing else. Prints have to be bought through myself so I can then make some more profit from print sales."

Is there a way to limit someone's ability to print images from a CD so that you can give them a disc but asure they will come to you for reprints?

Thanks.

[HaroldC3]

A couple of ways but there is no for sure way of stopping them from making prints themselves.

1. Give them low-resolution images on the cd
2. Have them sign a terms of use agreement (or have it in the contract) that states they cannot makes prints are would be breaking copyright laws.
3. Watermark (even that may not prevent them from printing)

[Aweitzel]

Forgive me, i may not be right. Cant you make PDF file cd?

[egordon99]

But then you could just print out the PDF ;)

If the image exists on the CD and is sufficient resolution, it CAN (and probably will) be printed!

[PhotosGuy]

If the image exists on the CD and is sufficient resolution, it CAN (and probably will) be printed! Keep in mind that, if you sell a Cd of images & they make green, underexposed, crappy prints at the corner drugstore, not only will you lose the sales, but those will be your crappy prints that will be shown to their friends & your potential future clients? ;)

[tim]

If someone can see it, they can print it. And who would hire a photographer who gives them a CD they can't print from? Not me. What's the point? You'd have a LOT of unhappy customers, unless you told them EVERYTHING in advance. My cheapest package is $2500 for a high resolution CD, color and brightness corrected, no fancy processing just good prints.

I think you should rethink your plans.

[Aweitzel]

I remember way back when i was still using throw away cameras. I got them developed and ordered a Image CD. I dont know what the place i got them printed at did, but i couldn't even upload them images to my computer, just view straight from the Cd, and forget reprinted from the Cd. There must be a way.

[Zonieart]

I do not "give" a client a CD. I provide prints that are ordered from my website. My typical print order is $200-$300, plus the cost of the shoot. If they want a CD that they can print from, I sell them one for $295.00.

[Gary_Evans]

Keep in mind that, if you sell a Cd of images & they make green, underexposed, crappy prints at the corner drugstore, not only will you lose the sales, but those will be your crappy prints that will be shown to their friends & your potential future clients? ;)


When ever this topic comes up, someone also talks about crappy green prints. Most minilabs are colour corrected these days and this doesnt normally happen. Unless you shot crappy images with the wrong WB in the first place.

That said, Tim is right - charge a decent amount in the first place, and £500 isnt a decent amount.

[egordon99]

What you COULD do is use some slideshow software to make the slideshow into an executable, so you'd have to run the .exe to view the photos (usually in Full-screen mode). Although I'm pretty sure you'd still be able to do a "Print-screen", even if viewing something Full-screen.

I remember way back when i was still using throw away cameras. I got them developed and ordered a Image CD. I dont know what the place i got them printed at did, but i couldn't even upload them images to my computer, just view straight from the Cd, and forget reprinted from the Cd. There must be a way.