AG, thanks for the overview of your workflow. You mention 13x19"
prints, so I assume you're using a Canon printer - correct? If not,
and you're using an Epson with roller attachment, let me know as I
have some of their 4" roll paper left over from a foray into and out
of Epson-land.
Cheers!/ScottGee1
On 9/26/05, AG Schnozz <agschnozz@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > For my own photo work, I plan to move to paperless proofing,
> > offering clients low resolution, Web based images from which
> > to choose OR proof books with small images that would be
> > difficult to scan. To be honest, it's a lot easier than
> > assembling albums!
>
> Earlier this year I stumbled upon a nifty solution that kinda
> addressed this. It only became possible due to a nearly 100%
> shift to digital for wedding/portrait work.
>
> I'm getting these "portfolio" binders in either 4x6 size (for
> senior portraits) and 8.5x11 size (for weddings) and inkjet
> printing the proofs. For the wedding binder, I'm printing no
> more than four images to a page (I'm experimenting between four
> and six and comparing customer reaction and reprint sales).
> These full size sheets slip into the plastic sheets just fine
> and dandy. It doesn't take very long at all to print them up
> and the file name and/or date/time along with whatever other
> notes I want displayed with the photo.
>
> Several major benefits have emerged:
>
> 1. The black portfolio binders are dirt cheap.
> 2. The black portfolio binders are attractive.
> 3. Printing four or six pictures per page is inexpensive.
> 4. Slipping an entire page of pictures into the slot is fast.
> 5. Proof Print theft is almost non-existant since the pictures
> are small and part of a larger page.
> 6. The entire binder is thin enough to be easily
> carried/packed/mailed by the customer.
>
> For the 4x6 portrait binder, I've been printing them multiple to
> a page on 13x19 paper and just slicing them apart with a
> roller-cutter. Cost of printing materials, doing it this way
> are very low, but slightly more time consuming than printing
> them on precut 4x6 paper. I may just get a 26' roll of 4" paper
> and precut batches of my own 4x6 paper. Doing it this way, my
> paper and ink costs are about $0.20 each compared to about $0.15
> with the 13x19 paper. But stocking only one size of paper (and
> buying in bulk) has its advantages--especially considering the
> option of getting the better grade paper in the 13x19 size.
>
> Outsourcing the printing is a bit cheeper, but you don't get all
> the index/copyright information on them you want. Besides, I've
> gotten to the point with portrait sessions where the turnaround
> time for the proof book is too short to do any outsourcing with.
>
> A fully packed portrait proof book (46 prints, plus two reprint
> instructional prints) costs me just under $15.00 in materials.
> In comparison, my costs when doing it with film is around $75 in
> materials. Time investment is about the same--no real gain with
> digital.
>
> A fully packed wedding proof book (46 8.5x100 sheets, plus two
> reprint instructional prints) costs me around $35.00 in
> materials. With film, my costs would be about $275. Time
> investment is somewhat less with digital.
>
> I seriously doubt I'll be going to the point of paperless
> proofing anytime soon. Customers really like having something
> tangible to look at when they plunk down their dollars. By
> getting my costs down as low as I have, I really have no reason
> to not provide paper proofs. I do provide on-line proofs for
> some customers, but the decrease in sales is quite apparant.
> "Fahrenheit 451" isn't quite here yet.
>
> AG
>
>
>
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