Can I Just Get The Digital Files?

Dear potential client,

I have no crystal ball, yet, I know you will be calling me this week for information about what I do. You might have seen one of my displays or my website or, hopefully, was referred by a friend. And you will have liked what you saw-otherwise, you wouldn’t be calling me. And for that, I am truly happy.

And we will speak together on the phone: me asking questions to better understand what it is you are needing, but more importantly, what you are “wanting.” The wants are always more important than the needs when it comes to Art. And we will speak of the love you have for your family and ideas for your session and I will share your excitement, for this truly is an exciting time.

And then, dear potential client, you will ask that question that is asked every day in phone calls to photography studios everywhere: “Can I get just the digital files?”

I don’t blame you for asking this. I really don’t. It’s become as common as “Would you like fries with that?”

And when I first began to hear this question, I reasoned I had to come up with a simple response. It couldn’t be wordy or lengthy-just a one or two line answer as to why I don’t do that. But I couldn’t fit my response into just a couple sentences, because to do that would be to answer simply, “no,” without helping you to understand why, and that’s not fair to you.

See, my dear potential client, anyone can “give you just the digital files.”

Anyone.

And you must know that, as that was part of your inquiry. And may I be completely honest? If all you want is someone to snap off some images and hand you a CD or USB drive, well, you don’t need me. Seriously. Anyone can do that for you. There are thousands of people out there willing to make a quick buck by “shooting and burning.” Or shooting and uploading to a cloud. Heck, you can do it with your own iPhone. No need to pay for that. That would be silly, right?

My clients come to me because they want more than that.

See, I don’t believe in selling a CD or USB drive filled with images that will be shared a few times and then stuck in a drawer with other CD’s and USB drives.

Think I’m wrong?

Let me ask you-when was the last time you printed the snapshot photos you’ve taken with your camera phone? Exactly. We’re all guilty of it.

You called me, dear potential client, because, hopefully, you like what I do, and in order to get what I do, you have to let me do it.

See, I don’t believe the photography experience is over until I place a print in your hand. And not just any print, but an image created with great care and attention to detail, and edited the same way. I didn’t run it through a bunch of Photoshop actions, slapped it on a CD and called it a day. Oh no-again, I believe photography isn’t about that. I went over this image inch by inch-softening skin, removing fly-away hairs, calming down white tennis shoes, brightening eyes and teeth, making sure the image is as warm and pleasing as possible. And then, I have it printed. And, once printed, if it doesn’t meet with my expectations, it is redone until it does.

Why?

Because I know how it is supposed to look and I won’t settle for anything less than perfect. That’s why clients come to me. And, because unlike the drugstore or Walmart or one of the countless online sites from which you can get a print, it’s important to me that your prints be the best they can be. This is not “just paper.” I would be doing you a great disservice to hand off digital images for you to “finish.”

You told me at the beginning of this conversation that it had been years since your last family portrait. We talked about how quickly the children are growing and how difficult it is to get everyone together and how important this is to you.

And that, dear potential client, is exactly why we will print them-so that 20, 30, 50 years from now you, your children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren won’t be holding a CD or hard drive that refuses to open, but will, instead, hold a glorious image in their hands, thankful that you cared enough to preserve it for them in print.

Now, my dear new client, lets make something together that’s going to last…

xoxo

#printwhatyouwanttopreserve

About the Author

Missy Mwac is a photographer/eater of bacon/drinker of vodka and a guide through the murky waters of professional photography. You can follow her social media links here: Facebook, Tumblr. This article was originally published here and shared with permission. Lead photo by John Liu.

P.S. Oh, I’ll make sure you get a social media copy of your favorite ordered poses. I love that you want to share them with family and friends and give them a sample of what will soon be hanging on your wall. I mean, pixels are for sharing and we love seeing our work shared online!