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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Photoshelter for wedding orders, on-line proofing?
Armando Solares, Photographer
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Englewood | FL | USA | Posted: 2:37 AM on 12.19.06 |
->> I am currently using a company that specializes in wedding photography to place my on-line proofing and orders. However, I am not particularly impressed nor content with their service. I was wondering if any of you were using photoshelter for your online proofing and orders?
If you can, send me some links or information, I'd love to see them.
thanks,
Armando |
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Wes Hope, Photographer
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Maryville | TN | USA | Posted: 8:33 AM on 12.19.06 |
| ->> Armando, you have mail. |
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Grover Sanschagrin, Photo Editor, Photographer
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Bob Croslin, Photographer
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St. Petersburg | FL | USA | Posted: 1:08 PM on 12.19.06 |
->> Grover,
Is there some sort of a doc or template that can be used to integrate photoshelter into a website? I'm very interested in a how-to for the second link you posted. |
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Craig Mitchelldyer, Photographer, Assistant
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Portland | OR | USA | Posted: 1:16 PM on 12.19.06 |
->> Photoshelter is the best. I've been using them for a while now and the customization is the best, the sefl fullfill order system is the best and I cannot be happier.
Here is my site: http://www.craigmitchelldyer.com
and a sample of my photoselter customization and how I show my weddings: http://galleries.craigmitchelldyer.com/c/craigmitchelldyer/gallery-show/G00...
of course that url is long, so I have a login on the front page of my site that when a username and password is entered, it takes the user to the custom page.
Works great, looks great, easy to upload with the click of a mouse in Photo Mechanic |
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Landon Finch, Photographer
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Colorado Springs | CO | USA | Posted: 1:32 PM on 12.19.06 |
->> Not sure if this is the way it is with all PS print sales/galleries, but in Craig's gallery you have to add the picture to the cart and then select the size(s) in a new window.
To Grover and others at PS, it would be nice to eliminate that step. The sizes/order options should be right there next to the image and make it a one step process.
Just a thought... |
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Landon Finch, Photographer
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Colorado Springs | CO | USA | Posted: 1:51 PM on 12.19.06 |
->> Just realized that you have to then adjust the quantities at a later step.
While not perfect, I have not found a simpler ordering system than EOS Template.
Here's an example:
http://www.finchfotography.com/proofs/maxedon/index.html |
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Craig Mitchelldyer, Photographer, Assistant
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Portland | OR | USA | Posted: 2:22 PM on 12.19.06 |
| ->> Landon, the system has not been a problem for multiple people who have used it. Clients from all my clients is that it has been super easy to use and not confusing at all. I agree the quanity thing could be better, but like I said, I have had nothing but positive remarks from all clients (portrait, corporate clients, wedding clients, etc) Besides just print sales, photoshelters ability to allow hi res downloads, or for people to purchase royalty free images using my merchant account is great. |
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Landon Finch, Photographer
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Colorado Springs | CO | USA | Posted: 2:37 PM on 12.19.06 |
| ->> Craig, no one can deny PS's ease of use and features when it comes to hi-res downloads, searchability, licensing, the VA features, etc....it just seems like PS may be trying to be too much with print sales. And I am not saying PS has a problem with it's print sales features, I am just saying there are better products/systems out there for print sales. Printroom and the like seem to be better suited to the print sales side of the business. |
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Grover Sanschagrin, Photo Editor, Photographer
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San Francisco | CA | USA | Posted: 3:32 PM on 12.19.06 |
->> Landon - PhotoShelter is 1.5 years old, and growing fast. Our technical development speed and abilities are unmatched, and you will continue to see regular improvements in all areas of the system, including print sales.
Personally, PhotoShelter is like a grass-roots movement to me. The people who are part of it are providing the feedback and suggestions that are making it continually better.
Other services that are print-centric might be a bit further along in that area, but I highly doubt that you'll see any of them give YOU the ability to choose your own printer, or to print your own. Why? Because there's money to be made in the printing business - and they'd like to lock you into printing through them.
PhotoShelter is archive-based, and we believe it's the photographer's choice as to how they generate revenue from their images. And, since every archive is capable of generating multiple revenue streams, why would you lock yourself into a system that gives you just ONE - prints?
Selling prints is just one of many revenue streams possible - and we think an online archiving system should understand that. |
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Landon Finch, Photographer
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Colorado Springs | CO | USA | Posted: 4:01 PM on 12.19.06 |
->> Grover, sounds good! I made the suggestion because I know you guys are always looking for ways to improve. I have been following the improvements and when PS is a good fit for me I will join. At this point, there are better systems out there for me that I've mentioned.
For wedding pics/portraits (which was the original topic of this thread) PS only seems to be an excellent choice if you're ALSO someone who has a lot of stock/editorial images available (its the only way it is really cost effective). If you don't have that other stream of revenue then (at least at this point) there seem to be better choices out there. |
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Grover Sanschagrin, Photo Editor, Photographer
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San Francisco | CA | USA | Posted: 4:39 PM on 12.19.06 |
->> Landon - one big reason why wedding/portrait photographers are using PhotoShelter for print sales is because they can choose their own printer instead of having one chosen for them.
If quality is important, and you're not happy with the way the prints look coming from a print-centric service, or if you're not happy that prints aren't consistent in quality from day-to-day, you have no choice but to put up with it.
PhotoShelter gives you the option of using your own printing partner (in many cases this can be a local print shop) so that you can inspect the images before the client sees them, and be sure that quality is up to your standards.
Some photographers really care about this, and some don't. Luckily, photographers are free to choose which product to use, and PhotoShelter is certainly one option. |
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Jock Fistick, Photographer
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Brussels | Belgium | | Posted: 4:53 PM on 12.19.06 |
| ->> Another thing that is nice about PS is the colabrative tools which I think would work well for a wedding photographer - allowing clients to view their pictures in either a gallery or a lightbox - if they want other family and friends to see the pix maybe a lightbox would be the better option - and then the client can also rate images and give you feed back via the lightbox and image rating system as they make their selects - point being that PS allows for more flexibility in this area than a standard print centric service. |
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Landon Finch, Photographer
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Colorado Springs | CO | USA | Posted: 5:59 PM on 12.19.06 |
->> Yes Grover, what you say about systems that don't give you the option on who does the printing is true.
However, the system I use is intended for those who want to choose their lab, want to fulfill their own orders, handle the shipping, etc. and it only cost me a one-time fee of $60.
It does take some back end work to get it set up and does not have all the features of PS, Printroom, etc., but it does what many/most photogs need and, best of all, it doesn't take a hit on the bottom line.
I am not saying that PS isn't a viable option, it just may not be the best option for some people. I think its fair that Armando hears all the pros and cons of the PS option and what the other options are. |
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Thomas Boyd, Photographer
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Eugene | OR | USA | Posted: 7:02 PM on 12.19.06 |
->> I personally don't like the print sizes next the print. I prefer a clean look. I would not choose that even if it were an option in PS.
So far, PS has worked great for me with the weddings I've shot and sold prints through. I've had nothing but positive feedback from clients.
http://thomasboyd.net/ |
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Hassel Weems, Photographer
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Locust Grove (Atlanta) | GA | USA | Posted: 1:49 AM on 12.20.06 |
->> I post a preview from every wedding. Past and upcoming wedding clients tell me they check it every week. These galleries are public and listed on my first page.
When I've finished editing the wedding and delivered the prints to the client, I upload every picture and make the gallery public, but not listed. I e-mail the link to the couple and they send it to their friends and family.
Print sales is not my main goal in doing this. But PhotoShelter is the best and fastest service I know of that will let me throw 600+ pictures online, host them for a very reasonable price, and offer them for sale.
http://www.hasselweemsweddings.com
Using it for weddings has displaced my original reason for starting an account, which was to sell my editorial images. I'm going to start a second account soon to get that ball rolling again.
- - -
Thomas, you shoot weddings? Knowing that almost makes me want to have another ceremony so you can shoot it. |
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Armando Solares, Photographer
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Englewood | FL | USA | Posted: 4:35 AM on 12.20.06 |
->> Thank you everyone for responding. There are a lot of issues I am considering, one of them being quality. I want to know and I want to inspect what my clients are getting.
Landon, I have used printroom before and their products are very nice. But Grover is right - Money will be made there only from print sales and not licensing fees.
Keep your thoughts coming, please. This site is the best $25 I've spent in the last 2 years. |
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