Pack up the Package

I have been mildly obsessed recently with the idea of packages. This obsession stems from looking at other photographers websites and trying to compete with the idea of 'what I offer'. So I have been making up options to include sitting fees and then various choices of canvas and frame, artbox, acrylic, books, prints and Facebook prepped files. But when you start on this road it's never ending! There are so many permutations and you can never be sure that the package will be what people want.

So it's been driving me nuts and then I read an article which appeared via LinkedIn. The basis of the article covered old ground, but it was good to read again about the basics which can so easily get buried under loads of packing cardboard.

What it made me realise is that whichever way I package it, the fact is photography is an entirely bespoke service. Photographers don't make a retail product as such, mostly every time we work we look to create something unique, regardless of the field in which we work and this is always the case with portraits.

We do offer fixed products like the canvas and the print, but these are secondary considerations made once the photos are viewed and different photos call for different choices of presentation.

So there are reasons why 'the package' is nonsensical. You can't select a package before the photos are created, because you can't be sure how the photos will look and translate to different presentation choices. I can't really calculate a package because every customer is different and wants something suited to them personally.

Most enquiries have included asking about buying photos in a way not specifically packaged on my website or for products I haven't yet even offered. So this only goes to shore up the bespoke element of what I do and given that when I opened the studio I set out to avoid copying a rigid format seen on the High Street, I am going to pack the package up.

When customers come to me I shall get in first and ask what they want, I won't try and pre-visualise their desires, rather I will look to tailor what I offer to each customer. Which was always the aim frankly but I found myself sucked into the 'package'.

So it's bespoke all the way.