Experimenting With a New Client Presentation

[jamison55]

I spent last week in Vegas marveling at the talent of some of the best wedding photographers in the world (and Christian, a bunch of them were Aussies...Yervant, Jerry Ghionis, Vanessa Hall, Ryan Schembri, David Williams).

Anyway, one of the most inspirational parts of each seminar was the slideshow of images that each presenter had pulled together. Gave me an idea that I might like to start my client presentations with a cool slideshow...

So here it is, debuting just for you...Let me know what you think.

Click this Link (www.bigredstudios.com/examples/jwphoto.exe)

[Bluedog]

whats the .exe we gotta install?

[jamison55]

Don't think it installs anything, just allows the slideshow to run without a media player.

[coldrain]

.exe? That is nt really very web minded, is it... Cuts out everyone that does not use windows and everyone with windows with high security settings. Since I can not see what it is like I can not be sure, but I guess flash would be a better idea (or some funky AJAX).

[24Peter]

Jamie - big picture - it's a very well done presentation. I love the photos and the choice of music really evokes the mood (I felt like crying with joy - well a little anyway - or maybe that was just the new underwear I'm wearing today - it's a little tight - j/k). Seriously, you are a top rate photographer and more importantly, you know how to capture the emotions of the day and that's what people are paying for. [As a side note, I've created DVD slideshows for some of my modeling clients and they love 'em. Something about setting images to music and all that. So this is clearly a good marketing tool, esp for wedding photographers.]
little picture - as was previously mentioned you want something that is platform ignostic and doesn't require an installer [this was Photodex?] Also at 13MB that's a big download for people who don't have broadband (maybe you want to send those people promotional DVD's they can watch on their TV's). The player itself you sent has no controls - to start, stop or even close the page (mine's still open and I have no idea how to close it.) Also - never send something with music without a volume control.
back to the big picture - definitely include something like this on your website where people can click on it and have it play. It's a very effective marketing tool and yours was beautifully done.

[cdifoto]

I love the concept Jamie. The presentation...ie the selection of photos and the music itself were excellent. Very top tier. My only nitpicks are the technical side of it like others...there should be at the very minimum be pause, play, and volume buttons as well as an internal close window button. The download was rather large...even for me. I'm on DSL but the low end 512K kind so it took a few minutes. I'm impatient but I knew it'd be worth the wait. Your target audience most likely doesn't know how good you are like I already do so you want them to have something faster...instant gratification.

That presentation as-is would be awesome as a DVD though. If you can print them up cheap enough or don't mind burning them yourself you could hand 'em out at those wedding fair things. Set up a booth and have a stack of DVDs handy for potential brides.

[jamison55]

That's great feedback...thanks everyone! My basic idea is to play the show on my hi-def TV first thing when I meet with a new client. I want a slideshow that makes them want to book me before the song is even over. My wife went into the show hating the song and artist, and was wiping tears by the end of it, so I can't wait to have a new client in the living room, he, he, he...

While I'd love to run it from my website, I think I'd be moving beyond music copyright grey areas and into blacker ones... All of the issues raised, however, were one that I hadn't really thought through as far as delivering the slideshow to clients. I sell DVD slideshows, and toyed with the idea of emailing them a sample for their wedding as a way to drum up DVD sales (they only take me about 15 minutes to build - once I have selected the music and the photos selected). I never thought that they couldn't run them on a mac or might want more control. I know I can upload them to the proshow website, so I might look into that - though I have to live with the "proshow" branding everywhere. I've sold a few packages that include dvd's this year, and I'll definitely be using this program to create them. I also bought an Epson R220 to print directly on the DVD's.

Thanks again for the excellent feedback!

[aparmley]

I loved it Jamie! Absolutely perfect!

I'm not picky - He said nothing about asking if we think this sample video will work on line. He was only asking about concept for presentation to client. Being who Jamie is and what work he does do, I think he'd be able to conclude what he showed us here isn't exactly the most end user friendly, but it was the photos, music and transitions he was wanting to know about!

With that said. I loved it brotha! absolutely stunning! Did you use Gold or Producer here???? I'm this close to buying Gold at least, but I am not sure I will end up with Producer anyway so why not just get it right away. . . I made some slide shows with their trial version last year and loved it. . . .

[cdifoto]

That's great feedback...thanks everyone! My basic idea is to play the show on my hi-def TV first thing when I meet with a new client. I want a slideshow that makes them want to book me before the song is even over. My wife went into the show hating the song and artist, and was wiping tears by the end of it, so I can't wait to have a new client in the living room, he, he, he...

While I'd love to run it from my website, I think I'd be moving beyond music copyright grey areas and into blacker ones... All of the issues raised, however, were one that I hadn't really thought through as far as delivering the slideshow to clients. I sell DVD slideshows, and toyed with the idea of emailing them a sample for their wedding as a way to drum up DVD sales (they only take me about 15 minutes to build - once I have selected the music and the photos selected). I never thought that they couldn't run them on a mac or might want more control. I know I can upload them to the proshow website, so I might look into that - though I have to live with the "proshow" branding everywhere. I've sold a few packages that include dvd's this year, and I'll definitely be using this program to create them. I also bought an Epson R220 to print directly on the DVD's.

Thanks again for the excellent feedback!


About those DVDs...I invested (that's my justification word - "invest" lol) in a BenQ Lightscribe DVD/CD burner. Internal, 16X DVD Write Speed - $55. WIth it you can use any DVD media but if you buy the Lightscribe type, you can burn your label right onto the DVD. It takes a bit...like maybe 15 minutes for a full graphical label...and the media is a bit expensive right now since it's new (but hey your clients are more than paying for it!). The upshot is you can burn labels that look like professionally stamped labels. Full color media is to come out sometime soon. For now it's monochrome but there's no ink to pay for, hassle with, and worst of all...smear. I also don't feel that full color is all that important to a DVD label. The insert and CD case, yeah, but the disk itself, no.

Here's a scan of a CD I designed to include with a product I sell (looks nicer in person) It's also rather plain since it goes out pro-bono with the product. I don't wanna spend too much time or effort on its design or the printing itself:

[jamison55]

Thanks Andy. This is just gold. When I asked some other pros who purchased Producer, they said they didn't feel the extra features were worth the 3x more price tag.

My only fear is that some DVD players won't like the DVD's. I use my XBox as my main DVD player, and it wouldn't play the disc. My otehr DVD player played it fine, as did my grandmother's. I charge $100 for DVD's now, and I want to make sure they work...

[cdifoto]

Thanks Andy. This is just gold. When I asked some other pros who purchased Producer, they said they didn't feel the extra features were worth the 3x more price tag.

My only fear is that some DVD players won't like the DVD's. I use my XBox as my main DVD player, and it wouldn't play the disc. My otehr DVD player played it fine, as did my grandmother's. I charge $100 for DVD's now, and I want to make sure they work...

These CDs I provide are just CD-Rs but the DVDs will play on just about anything.

[jamison55]

About those DVDs...I invested (that's my justification word - "invest" lol) in a BenQ Lightscribe DVD/CD burner...

That's awesome, Don. I have a buddy (and fellow/competing) wedding photographer who was trying to talk me into one of those, but I went with the Epson instead. The Epson R220 prints right on the DVD's, and allows me to create cool graphical layouts that look professionally printed. The ink is definitely more of an investment, but at this point I'm looking to minimize my profits and stave off the tax man...

[cdifoto]

That's awesome, Don. I have a buddy (and fellow/competing) wedding photographer who was trying to talk me into one of those, but I went with the Epson instead. The Epson R220 prints right on the DVD's, and allows me to create cool graphical layouts that look professionally printed. The ink is definitely more of an investment, but at this point I'm looking to minimize my profits and stave off the tax man...

lol I hear that. I use an Epson R300 when I want my CDs in color. It got to be too expensive for these basically "throwaway" CDs though.

[aparmley]

Thanks Andy. This is just gold. When I asked some other pros who purchased Producer, they said they didn't feel the extra features were worth the 3x more price tag.

My only fear is that some DVD players won't like the DVD's. I use my XBox as my main DVD player, and it wouldn't play the disc. My otehr DVD player played it fine, as did my grandmother's. I charge $100 for DVD's now, and I want to make sure they work...

I hear ya on that one Jamie. I'd write Photodex a letter see what they say. I mean its your right as a paying customer to know the limitations of the product you purchased. In my book - a DVD should play in anything that plays DVDs - I'm very white and black - but shouldn't we all expect that?

[jamison55]

For all you Mac users, .exe-phobes, and control phreaks...:D

http://www.photodex.com/sharing/viewshow.html?fl=2578575&alb=0

[cwphoto]

First class Jamie. I have something similar I made out of Photo Story 3 (a free windows download).

Your candids show a great sense of timing Mate.

[Bluedog]

Very well done Jamie.

[jamison55]

First class Jamie. I have something similar I made out of Photo Story 3 (a free windows download).

Your candids show a great sense of timing Mate.


Thanks CW. Looks like Photo Story 3 is like the $80 cheaper version of Proshow Gold!

Thanks Blue!

[boog]

That was great Jamie. There are a few extra commands in you right click on slides while playing. Hopefully will make your bookings double.

[aparmley]

That was great Jamie. There are a few extra commands in you right click on slides while playing. Hopefully will make your bookings double.

I think its going to wowwwwww em! The brides are going to be like Jello buddy! ;) Playdough! ;)

[24Peter]

... It takes a bit...like maybe 15 minutes for a full graphical label...and the media is a bit expensive right now since it's new (but hey your clients are more than paying for it!). The upshot is you can burn labels that look like professionally stamped labels.
All I know is I was so excited to burn professional looking labels right on the CD. That quickly went out the window when I found it took 20 minutes to burn a basic label on a CD when it only took 3 minutes to burn the data to the CD in the first place. I'm sorry but IMHO Lightscribe is lame-scribe. :eek:

[cdifoto]

All I know is I was so excited to burn professional looking labels right on the CD. That quickly went out the window when I found it took 20 minutes to burn a basic label on a CD when it only took 3 minutes to burn the data to the CD in the first place. I'm sorry but IMHO Lightscribe is lame-scribe. :eek:

It's kinda slow but I look at it this way. The plain design I made up only takes 7 minutes. Not good but not bad. I don't wanna spend TOO much time on a throwaway disk.

For clients...paying ones...I don't mind spending a little more time designing a label and burning it. 20 minutes when you're selling a thousand dollar package isn't a big deal. You can do other things while it burns. Since it's not mass-production I feel they deserve it. Would I do it for a free portrait session? Probably not - but maybe cuz it would look good.

[aparmley]

All I know is I was so excited to burn professional looking labels right on the CD. That quickly went out the window when I found it took 20 minutes to burn a basic label on a CD when it only took 3 minutes to burn the data to the CD in the first place. I'm sorry but IMHO Lightscribe is lame-scribe. :eek:

I don't have either capability - though I've consider the printer option.

However, Pete are you discrediting the lamescribe because of time and only time?

[cdifoto]

You also have to keep in mind this is relatively new technology. Some of the finest printer manufacturers had photo printers that took about an hour and a half to print an 8x10 just a few years ago. Also, do you remember 4x CD burners?

[24Peter]

I don't have either capability - though I've consider the printer option.

However, Pete are you discrediting the lamescribe because of time and only time?
Well time first and foremost. Even the most basic labels take 20 minutes to burn. But then the "label" itself is just OK. The discs are gold-colored but it's kinda like a weak gray-scale color when burned even on the highest quality setting. It's not nearly as sharp/contrasty as a printed label would be. And finally, HP (or whoever) is charging a premium for lamescribe discs. Wait for the fourth or fifth generation on this product.

[aparmley]

Well time first and foremost. Even the most basic labels take 20 minutes to burn. But then the "label" itself is just OK. The discs are gold-colored but it's kinda like a weak gray-scale color when burned even on the highest quality setting. It's not nearly as sharp/contrasty as a printed label would be. And finally, HP (or whoever) is charging a premium for lamescribe discs. Wait for the fourth or fifth generation on this product.

Thats what I was thinking - there was no way I was jumping into this market with prices where they were - only one company making discs for it yata yata yata. . .

Do I remember 4x CDs? Shooot boy I remember TRS80s with cassette tapes. I remember 5.25 floppys, DOS, Norton change directory. I remember when the only text editor out there was word perfect. . . I remember the windowless world...

[jamison55]

Thats what I was thinking - there was no way I was jumping into this market with prices where they were - only one company making discs for it yata yata yata. . .

Do I remember 4x CDs? Shooot boy I remember TRS80s with cassette tapes. I remember 5.25 floppys, DOS, Norton change directory. I remember when the only text editor out there was word perfect. . . I remember the windowless world...

Whoa, dude, you're old. My first computer was a 386 with 2mb of Ram and a 100 mb hard drive. I had to leave windows 3.1 to run Doom in DOS...

[George Riehm]

An excellent slide show...

... almost makes me want to get married again. But it would be hard to shoot my own wedding and I can't afford you guys.;)

You've come a long way in the last year.

[coldrain]

An excellent slide show...

... almost makes me want to get married again. But it would be hard to shoot my own wedding and I can't afford you guys.;)

You've come a long way in the last year.
Hmm... if you can't afford them... are we supposed to chip in for Don and his "shooting buddy" or something??

[cdifoto]

Thats what I was thinking - there was no way I was jumping into this market with prices where they were - only one company making discs for it yata yata yata. . .

Do I remember 4x CDs? Shooot boy I remember TRS80s with cassette tapes. I remember 5.25 floppys, DOS, Norton change directory. I remember when the only text editor out there was word perfect. . . I remember the windowless world...


Actually there are a couple manufacturers of the disks now. I got a stack of free HPs with my burner but ordered a stack of Verbatims too. I agree that it'll have to speed up and the quality will need to improve before it becomes a huge sensation...but I like giving out these cheaper in the long run CDs.

[jamison55]

An excellent slide show...

... almost makes me want to get married again. But it would be hard to shoot my own wedding and I can't afford you guys.;)

You've come a long way in the last year.

Thanks George. Has it only been a year...? Holy cow, feels like it's been at least five!

[cdifoto]

Thanks George. Has it only been a year...? Holy cow, feels like it's been at least five!

Jamie you've only been at this a year? Damn....I mean damn....I'm even MORE impressed!

[jamison55]

Prolly a little closer to two since I decided to take the road towards making money with photography. I started shooting free portraits (via Craigslist) in April of '04 with a Canon A80 and a Pentax P30 (film) SLR that I had no idea how to use. In June '04 I bought the DReb, and shot my first wedding in October '04. I just did it because I wanted to be able to afford a DReb...

[24Peter]

Jamie! (Just a little shout out to 'da man! knowi'msaying??) :D

[cwphoto]

Do I remember 4x CDs? Shooot boy I remember TRS80s with cassette tapes. I remember 5.25 floppys, DOS, Norton change directory. I remember when the only text editor out there was word perfect. . . I remember the windowless world...

I remember Atari...

[cwphoto]

Jamie! (Just a little shout out to 'da man! knowi'msaying??) :D

Yeah the guys got talent.

[aparmley]

I remember Atari...

Hells ya. Pong!

[jamison55]

You guys are too much :o

Want a laugh, here's my first website (circa Sept '04), with a portfolio made up of all the free shoots I did (quite a few of the images came from the A80 - including the one on the cover page).

http://web.archive.org/web/20040930221216/sky.prohosting.com/jgwphoto/

Makes me realize I need a new website!

[aparmley]

You guys are too much :o

Want a laugh, here's my first website (circa Sept '04), with a portfolio made up of all the free shoots I did (quite a few of the images came from the A80 - including the one on the cover page).

http://web.archive.org/web/20040930221216/sky.prohosting.com/jgwphoto/

Makes me realize I need a new website!

Sweet!

"The URL http://web.archive.org/web/20040930221216/sky.prohosting.com/jgwphoto/ is blocked because the SmartFilter category Anonymizing Utilities is filtered."

I want to be anonymus :mad:

[jamison55]

Huh, not blocked for me...

[aparmley]

Huh, not blocked for me...
Well I don't think you're behind a picky corporate firewall now are ya, are ya punk?

LOL.

I'll have to check it at home.

You've heard me say it before Jamie - but maybe I should say it again. You have come a long way since the beginning - however - I think one could see just where you were going last year and we knew we'd see the results you had last weekend!

That link you gave to Esoterra with those Doug G. training videos, you'd recommend that B&G posing flow guide? You know anything about the others? like for instance -

"Volume 5: The Engagement Portrait
Volume 6: Posed Photojournalism "

No problem if you don't . . . just curious. . . thats a lot "quid" to throw down I want to be sure. . . but if you definitely recommend the "Flow" one then I might seriously look into it as it may be very useful for me this fall.

[jamison55]

...
That link you gave to Esoterra with those Doug G. training videos, you'd recommend that B&G posing flow guide? You know anything about the others? like for instance -

"Volume 5: The Engagement Portrait
Volume 6: Posed Photojournalism "

No problem if you don't . . . just curious. . . thats a lot "quid" to throw down I want to be sure. . . but if you definitely recommend the "Flow" one then I might seriously look into it as it may be very useful for me this fall.

I think you're on the wrong page. The DVD's I bought are on this page: http://www.douggordonworkshops.com/extras/?cat=new

I say him present #1 at the convention with a live model and tethered camera. I bought #1, #2, and #4. I watched #1 again before Saturday's wedding, but haven't had a chance to watch the other two yet. If you're only buying one, I'd recommend #1 (How to Photograph the Bride and Groom Flow Posing). His poses and instruction are excellent, though he said in his seminar that he doesn't use the QFlash or reflectors anymore.

[aparmley]

I think you're on the wrong page. The DVD's I bought are on this page: http://www.douggordonworkshops.com/extras/?cat=new

I say him present #1 at the convention with a live model and tethered camera. I bought #1, #2, and #4. I watched #1 again before Saturday's wedding, but haven't had a chance to watch the other two yet. If you're only buying one, I'd recommend #1 (How to Photograph the Bride and Groom Flow Posing). His poses and instruction are excellent, though he said in his seminar that he doesn't use the QFlash or reflectors anymore.

I know I was on the wrong page. I was just having Captain Cook! ;) geeeez dude-man! LOL j/k. FYI those other videos were under his educational video tab

I'll probably pick up the copy you've already recommended. . . just thinking about other cosiderations as well. . . TY

[cwphoto]

I was just having Captain Cook!

LOL, AKA; a gander.

[jamison55]

I know I was on the wrong page. I was just having Captain Cook! ;) geeeez dude-man! LOL j/k. FYI those other videos were under his educational video tab

I'll probably pick up the copy you've already recommended. . . just thinking about other cosiderations as well. . . TY

No worries cobber. Just trying to make it a piece of piss for you before you get yourself into a bingle and buy the wrong thingo. Good-O?

[aparmley]

No worries cobber. Just trying to make it a piece of piss for you before you get yourself into a bingle.

Coooooo EEEEEEEE

C'arn now!

Bobs your uncle! Your a good bastard!

[24Peter]

Coooooo EEEEEEEE

C'arn now!

Bobs your uncle! Your a good bastard!
"Jane - Stop this crazy thing!!!!!!!!!"
I have to get out of here...:rolleyes: