Snapshots are an integral part of my photography business, providing clients with a few quick shots right after they’re taken to “stimulate their appetite,” so to speak. But is it a bad idea overall?
Photographer Sarah Petty believes so and she offers several reasons why. She describes how she wants to control the customer experience so that they are more impressed with the final images when they see them on the big screen or projected on the wall. The risk that photographers face by sending a few digital files early before sitting down and disclosing the entire shot to a client is that they will receive images when they are not in a good position to view them. them (i.e. in the car with kids) or they will be viewed on a worse phone screen and leave less of an impression on your shots in general. Also, if you take a sneak peek on social media, there’s a good chance your client’s family and friends will see the photo before they see it.
That last one is certainly a valid concern, and in an ideal world it would be best to control the experience so that your work is presented to the client in the best possible way, that’s not the case. always possible.
It’s all about reading the couple and their hobbies. Maybe some people will appreciate the “wow factor” in their final visual presentation. Other couples may have speed higher on their priority list.
In my experience, after a newly married couple, they are quite eager to post photos on social media and in those cases, it’s better that the photos are mine. If I wait, couples will post a photo of Uncle Bob that he took with this Canon Rebel and then my photos would be buried under the couple’s social media and wouldn’t get the future engagement and business I expected.
Petty talks about bad times, which can be subjective. Receiving photos of happy moments is one way to brighten up a customer’s day, and yes, the phone screen is small but it’s what matters. However, in Petty’s view, the photo could have a negative effect if it was received at the wrong time.
Perspectives on social media are important. I have noted that I never post photos to my social media channels before the people who have hired me have a chance to see them. I let them decide to post on social media. Maybe they didn’t like my chin in that photo, or maybe they asked for a mole removal or some other retouch that I might not have foreseen. It is a bit risky to post on social media without the prior consent of the customer.
In general, I consider spying to be an integral part of my business, but it seems that not everyone does. Do you think Petty makes some good points about the preview? What are your thoughts on sneak peeking? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
