I wrote an article for the Fundy Software blog about why it’s crucial for professional photographers to offer printed products. There were 6 reasons in total, and if you want to know all of them, you’ll have to read the full article. I’ll give you a little teaser here by sharing 3 of the reasons why offering printed products is important:
- Products differentiate professional photographers from amateurs
- Products increase our perceived value as professional photographers
- Products allow us to deliver a better customer experience
I was also pleasantly surprised when literally DOZENS of Fundy “fans” reached out to me to thank me for the article. It’s great to see such a positive reaction! Many of the photographers who read the article also saw the images that were attached and were intrigued by my USB/print hybrid box.
I truly want to be an “open book” here. I thought that instead of privately sharing the details with those who asked, I would write an article here all about it.
The Dilemma
The thought process that got me to where I am.
As a wedding photographer, I truly believe that photography is best enjoyed through print. It’s not just a marketing message, as my own home is filled with prints of our family. We proudly display our wedding album, engagement book, and even portrait books from our daughter’s birth and newborn session. Our love for printing stems from our belief in the importance of preserving memories through print, rather than solely relying on digital screens.
The best way to enjoy photography is in print.
The dilemma? As a wedding photographer, I also know that it’s important for my brides and grooms to have their digital proofs. If I end up with 600 images from a wedding, it’s not realistic to think they’ll print every one of their images.
I have never loved the idea of just having a digital piece of media in a pretty package. I find that to be boring and frankly it goes against my brand and my “print to preserve” belief system. Prints are important and I want to re-enforce that at every point of contact.
I got to thinking about how I could deliver digital proofs and re-enforce my brand. After much deliberation, I decided that the best option was for me to include a few of my favourite prints. That way, my clients didn’t just get a USB stick in the mail – they could also get something more meaningful.
How would I do this, though? I didn’t want to have to order prints from my lab because that would be another barrier. Having to wait for the prints from my lab would also delay the whole process.
The solution? An Epson 3880 desktop printer! After consultation with expert printmaker David Williams, I got it all setup, calibrated, and printed like a well-oiled machine! I then simply made it a part of my workflow to print off five 4×6 prints from every wedding that I wanted to share with the couple as my “artists’ choice” favourites.
Presentation is Everything
How partnering with a local album supplier opened the doors to innovation.
I wasn’t sure how to present these prints with the digital files, though. Just slipping them into a plastic sleeve isn’t exciting – I wanted this product to be different! I wanted this to be a surprise when my bride and groom get home from their honeymoon; not only do they have their digital proofs waiting for them, but they also have these five beautiful prints to enjoy right away! Talk about enhancing your photography brand.
I ultimately decided that having each of the five prints individually matted and displayed along with the digital USB key would be the best way. So I got to work.
I reached out to a local album supplier, Phaloo, and started to plan the product. We were starting from scratch with my idea as we were basically combining several products – a USB box, a linen fine-art album cover, a 4×6 proof box and matted prints. I wanted to order these in bulk, and the mattes had to be pre-assembled so I didn’t have to get messy with glue, but still open on one end so I could slide my own prints in them.
This was new and revolutionary, and I loved it! What we came up with is nothing short of beautiful if I do say so myself.
The Icing on the Cake
Displaying the Prints
After going through a few rounds of manufacturing and prototypes, I was totally stoked with the design. I loved the new product that we were working on. Something was missing though, and it had to do with the matted prints.
See … I always thought that matted prints were great but that they lacked an important finishing element – how do you actually display them? I am a practical person and always try to think in terms of intent and purpose. What good is a beautifully matted print if it sits in a box all day? We need to get these puppies out of the box and on display!
The solution? A custom-designed wooden slate with an angled groove cut out through the center so that a matted print can slide right in.
It’s a minimalistic easel that doesn’t take up any more space than the matted print itself, and you can quickly change the print you wish to display with ease. Perfect! The icing on the cake? We re-designed the box so that this new minimalist easel fits nicely and snugly right next to the matted prints.
I am so happy with the finished product, and how it allows me to deliver digital files to my clients while still reinforcing my brand and personal belief of enjoying photography through print. When designing the product, we chose only the best quality materials so the finished piece has a very high-end feel to it. It increases my perceived value from the first touch, and that’s even before the clients look at their images!
