Size of photos - for clients

I currently sell CD's w/the customer images on them.
I am wondering, what is a good size to resize them to, to quit selling fullsize images?
Also wondering the best most time efficent way to do that. Should I crop to a particular size? or just save the image as a smaller size in PS before I burn to a disk??

I am trying to have a better approach to my business starting with not selling the large files.

Any suggestions on this would be greatly appreciated!
THANKS!

I provide two versions. High res at 3000px set as the longest side, and a smaller email friendly version at 800px (with watermarking).

High res are exported at 300dpi, and 800px ones are 72dpi.

Most if not all photos conform to 3:2 crop.

dche5390 wrote in post #11674696
High res are exported at 300dpi, and 800px ones are 72dpi.

DPI setting is meaningless. It's all about the image dimensions. An image that is 800px on the long side is IDENTICAL regardless of the dpi value placed into the file header.

What would you recommend for a 'standard' size to sell to customers?
My original size of my photos, out of my camera are equivilant to a 48X72......obviously too large for everyday printing. So, would it be wise to resize them to say a 12 x 18 or less?

denise69 wrote in post #11677712
What would you recommend for a 'standard' size to sell to customers?
My original size of my photos, out of my camera are equivilant to a 48X72......obviously too large for everyday printing. So, would it be wise to resize them to say a 12 x 18 or less?

Hi Denise - have you considered building the cost of the high rez CD (or DVD) into the cost of you pricing, instead? I am assuming this is for wedding work - you don't really say. I think you would be much simpler and more straightforward than what you are trying to do which may even confuse the client more when you try to explain it. This way customers can print whatever size they choose, throught their own printer, photofinisher, lab or service bureau. You can never really anticipate what sizes they'll want..... if any at all, so this gives them the maximum flexibility.

I include two image sizes: High Rez which is saved as a quality level 10 JPG in PS at the camera's default dimensions, which results in file sizes ranging from 2 - 5MB on average, and prints beautifully at whatever size THEY choose, and

Low Rez which is saved at 800 pixels for the longest dimension and at a quality level that will result in a file size around 70-100k. This is designed for my online proof gallery, emailing, FB, smartphone, etc.

sapearl wrote in post #11678807
Hi Denise - have you considered building the cost of the high rez CD (or DVD) into the cost of you pricing, instead? I am assuming this is for wedding work - you don't really say. I think you would be much simpler and more straightforward than what you are trying to do which may even confuse the client more when you try to explain it. This way customers can print whatever size they choose, throught their own printer, photofinisher, lab or service bureau. You can never really anticipate what sizes they'll want..... if any at all, so this gives them the maximum flexibility.

I include two image sizes: High Rez which is saved as a quality level 10 JPG in PS at the camera's default dimensions, which results in file sizes ranging from 2 - 5MB on average, and prints beautifully at whatever size THEY choose, and

Low Rez which is saved at 800 pixels for the longest dimension and at a quality level that will result in a file size around 70-100k. This is designed for my online proof gallery, emailing, FB, smartphone, etc.

Thanks for the info and taking the time to respond.
Actually, I don't shoot weddings. The disks I am talking about is actually my everyday, family, baby, engagement type shoots.
I am trying to figure out if I am cheating myself out fo something if I give the customer the highest resolution photos i can.
To date, I have done just that.
I currently offer 2 CD sessions. 1-has 20-25 images the other is 10-15 images.
They are completely processed and ready to go and I also provide a print release.
( I am sure if I told you my pricing, I would get a lot of grief on here! )
I am in a small west central wisconsin community and HIGH pricing has not worked for other photographers in the area.
SO, my approach was to keep them in town, with offering quality product on CD, which they love and keeps them coming back. (sometimes several times in a yr.)
With that said, I was just getting other opinions as to sizing to offer.
Currently I save all my photos as 12 in ps.
I also do a smaller (500) version for web displaying on my site as well as FB.
Am i putting too much out there?

Do you offer prints? If not, then I fail to see how you're cheating yourself out of anything. Give them the best since they are buying the cd from you.

I do offer prints, yes.

Hi again Denise - it sounds like you've got a pretty good handle on your local market, know what the traffic will bear, and serve the needs and expectations of your clients. While certain rules and business practices in photography must be adherred to for successful operation, you must understand the immediate market and tailor yourself to it.

It's good that you offer prints. Quality posing, processing and photofinishing is where a skilled photographer can shine and blow away the WalMart photo lab and Sears portrait studio.

When you say you offer the high rez images on disk, do you mean ALL the images or just a high rez file of the purchased prints? I have no problem with providing low rez files of all the shots. But if you provide high rez of EVERYTHING, you run the risk of giving the store away. But - I know photographers in your circumstance (not generally urban commercial 'togs) who will include the high rez file of just those prints that are purchased, with the "value of the file" factored in. I think perhaps this would be a more sustainable business model, and fairer to yourself.

I save final edited images to 12 by 8 300DPI Q=80 for Clients unless they specify otherwise. Its flexible for all smaller print sizes and full magazine page commercial use.

sapearl wrote in post #11684818
Hi again Denise - it sounds like you've got a pretty good handle on your local market, know what the traffic will bear, and serve the needs and expectations of your clients. While certain rules and business practices in photography must be adherred to for successful operation, you must understand the immediate market and tailor yourself to it.

It's good that you offer prints. Quality posing, processing and photofinishing is where a skilled photographer can shine and blow away the WalMart photo lab and Sears portrait studio.

When you say you offer the high rez images on disk, do you mean ALL the images or just a high rez file of the purchased prints? I have no problem with providing low rez files of all the shots. But if you provide high rez of EVERYTHING, you run the risk of giving the store away. But - I know photographers in your circumstance (not generally urban commercial 'togs) who will include the high rez file of just those prints that are purchased, with the "value of the file" factored in. I think perhaps this would be a more sustainable business model, and fairer to yourself.

Thanks. It has been tough to figure out exactly what to offer and what not to and pricing etc. however, I think I am getting it!

When I present a customer a CD, it will have 20-25 images on it, those will be high resolution and they are the only ones on the disk. I do not process everything from a session. I only process what i deem as printable. Thus far customers have been receptive to that.
Ocassionally, I will have someone ask to see others and I will then offer up to 5 more photos No charge (which i don't advertize)...anything above and beyond there is a charge per photo.
If it is not print worthy in my mind, it's not even 'show worthy' to a customer.
So, to answer your question, I think, the only files on the disk are the ones they have purchased.
I do however explain to everyone the difference between a professional lab and your 'walmart', 'walgreen' processing and encourage them to purchase lab prints from me if they are looking for anything 8x10 and larger to get the best reproduction of their photos possible.
Some do, some don't.
p.s. the smaller 500 version is for my displaying on website etc., they do not get that on the disk.

denise69 wrote in post #11674102
Any suggestions on this would be greatly appreciated!
THANKS!

But what is your business?

Family portraits? Business headshots? Commercial for marketing use?

Do you ask your clients what they actually want or need?

The type of photo will direct a different type of deliverable. A company wanting photos for marketing or web use might have little desire for prints or small image files.

And some families don't want prints these days, might have a digital picture frame, share on facebook, computer screen wallpaper.

I was recently told to always shoot in Raw. Always save photos to High and 300 dpi and as a JPEG file, and I will have nothing to worry about when my clients get their CD and print themselves.

Would you pros agree?

raelynnetheberg wrote in post #15827666
I was recently told to always shoot in Raw. Always save photos to High and 300 dpi and as a JPEG file, and I will have nothing to worry about when my clients get their CD and print themselves.

Would you pros agree?

Sure... if you don't want to make any extra money from them....

i offer all the pics (well, only around 30 for a family type shoot) at a small facebook/email size (1000 px on the longest edge, and watermarked in the bottom corner, 72 dpi) included in the session price.

if they want larger sizes... digital files, or prints, and non-watermarked, they buy them from me at a price per photo. or they can buy ALL of the larger photos from me at a set price. (which i find most people end up doing...)

so there ya go, i make extra $$ on pretty much every shoot i do... and if i don't, and they just use the small files that i gave them originally... oh well, they have my name on them so i gain a little bit of exposure...

HazePhotography wrote in post #15827753
Sure... if you don't want to make any extra money from them....

i offer all the pics (well, only around 30 for a family type shoot) at a small facebook/email size (1000 px on the longest edge, and watermarked in the bottom corner, 72 dpi) included in the session price.

if they want larger sizes... digital files, or prints, and non-watermarked, they buy them from me at a price per photo. or they can buy ALL of the larger photos from me at a set price. (which i find most people end up doing...)

so there ya go, i make extra $$ on pretty much every shoot i do... and if i don't, and they just use the small files that i gave them originally... oh well, they have my name on them so i gain a little bit of exposure...

I have to assume that you are saying that you don't watermark the hi-res files... is that correct?

If that is the case, what is the purpose of watermarking the low-res files? They could simply upload the hi-res without watermark if they don't want it present...