For years, photographers have been undervaluing their digital files.
But it wasn’t their fault.
They were handed a brand new product, which the experienced pros treated like negatives and the new pros gave away like candy. An industry standard was never created.
With all the changes in social media and technology, the general public is not going to stop asking for “their” photos. If photographers are going to keep their clients happy and continue to build sustainable businesses, a new industry standard needs to be adopted.
In my e-book “Pixel Cents – The Solution to Selling Digital Files for Photographers Around the World” I introduce the following 5 tips for selling files while building a profitable business:
Restrict the file size – (Don’t give away the farm – create a digital product line from small low-res ex. 400px to large high-res 2800px)
Use an Image Release Form – Indicate the terms of use in a signed release form (Just like we’ve been doing in the commercial industry – have the terms of use signed on an Image Release Form)
Watermark or Printmark the files – Always make sure your name is attached to the front of the image (not just in the meta data).
Communicate the value to your clients – Here’s an example:
Our digital file collections are one of the most precious items we sell. Once the files are released to you, you are able to share these photos with an unlimited number of people, forever. If you have purchased a print-ready file, you are able to print copies for all of the people in your life whenever you need. As with all of our products, these images grow more valuable as time passes. Please make sure to backup your files.
Value your Files Appropriately – Use the Pixel Cents Formula ($ = CPP x Px Length) to figure out how to assign a dollar value to your files. (up until now there has been no formula to value our digital files.)
If you still have questions or unsure about whether you are building a sustainable photography business – please consider buying Pixel Cents – The solution for selling digital files for photographers around the world.