How do you deliver HD content to your client?

hello,

how to you deliver HD content to your client? do you stile use the old CD + mailling technique? do you use a ftp server, web server? something else?

I mean by HD content pictures with at least 1980px on one side, and with compression quality above 90%.

let's say you have 200 pictures to deliver in HD format that will be something like a 200meg of data.

any input would be usefull.

Thx

DVD for me

DVD + mailing? or do you hand the DVD to the client yourself?

Thx

both did a reunion last year. I mailed dvd's all over the country for two months
I made more than I do on most weddings with far less work.

CD or DVD (depending how much space is required). If the client is close to where I am, then I'll do the in person thing, otherwise mail it off.

--



Alan

'It's not enough that I succeed -- others must fail.' - Genghis Khan

Mostly via FTP, seems in the last year almost everyone prefers it to waiting on a disk.

Its a win win faster for them, much cheaper for me (postage/packaging get $$$)
--
http://www.TheSBimage.com

Clients for whom time is big money will already have the facilities to accept an FTP upload.

Clients who have the time will already be accustomed to waiting for a mailed DVD.

It's usually their call.
--
RDKirk
'TANSTAAFL: The only unbreakable rule in photography.'

Thx for the replies

I feel as well that CD/DVD packaging/postage cost in $ and in time as well so the hidden cost is even higher.

The ftp seems more efficient but I m worried about the client not able to open the zip file or having connections issues.

What is the cost of your ftp per year usualy?
Do you upload at night?

Thx

We have been delivering all our material to our commercial clients since 1999 online via a secure server facillity..... We currently host around 100,000 images for our clients... material stays live as long as the client still uses us... and for 6 months after their last job... each client has a unique password and login... they can dowload the material directly off of the site at a range of resolutions and in various formats.. or they can email the material either to themselves or a third party...

In addition we can provide a online print and product facility on the site that is enabled by a third party supplier on our brand...

If a client requests a CD or DVD then we odviously provide that as well...

Material can be delivered within minutes of a shoot being completed, we can use the system as a remote proofing facilty which allows us to shoot something, the client can then approve it or consult with the art director and provide more direction to us, all from the comfort of their office or whilst on the train on their lappy...

Editorial clients are generally served by FTP or Email.

--
http://www.pageonephotography.co.uk
Striving hard to be the man that my dog thinks I am.

A CD, a DVD, or a portable USB flash drive (my personal favorite).

NottsPhot thx for your feedback.

Is it a system that has been developped your specific needs?

In 99 we developed our own bespoke system useing software from fotoweb and some trickery.... but that is jolly expensive... so around 2004 I was lloking for a better and less expensive solution and we found our current supplier, who allows a quite good level of customisation on the site... and it is amazingly flexible feature wise.... in addition they were quite responsive and took on some of our unique features... (We moved ourselves and several other photographers over to them who we provided a facilty too..)

The other advantage of this system is that it backs up all our archives off our site...I can also configure the system or manage it from my Iphone if I have to....

Very good for B2b, we also use it for events by setting up folders with specific configurations... and can serve prints to casual visitors as well..... (you can see it in action by clicking on the reprint facility on our site... )

(BTW... It is about to be updated next week with new colours and logo.... its not quite matching our regular site anymore...)

These guys provide a facility to quite a few peeps in N.America.... http://www.thirdlight.com/

We have good knowledge of how these systems work, as we developed ourselves one of the earliest facilities... I really dont think that anyone else does as good a facility as these guys...

--
http://www.pageonephotography.co.uk
Striving hard to be the man that my dog thinks I am.

Fred_ said:

Thx for the replies

I feel as well that CD/DVD packaging/postage cost in $ and in time as well so the hidden cost is even higher.

Click to expand...

My time cost is not hidden--I calculate it as a "packaging" cost with all other costs in the fee. Most of my clients get DVDs by their own choice.

Fred_ said:

The ftp seems more efficient but I m worried about the client not able to open the zip file or having connections issues.

Click to expand...

I would presume that if the client has set up an ftp site, he knows how to handle the files he receives through it.

Fred_ said:

What is the cost of your ftp per year usualy?

Click to expand...

I don't maintain the ftp site, the client does. I upload as soon as the product is ready.

--
RDKirk
'TANSTAAFL: The only unbreakable rule in photography.'

Thx all very interesting.

NottsPhoto the solution seems very good can you share the cost with us? (or only by private message?)

Thank you

Here ya go;

http://www.thirdlight.com/ims/prices/pricelist

Basic service starts at $148 (us)
--
http://www.pageonephotography.co.uk
Striving hard to be the man that my dog thinks I am.

We've been doing a double approach - we post galleries on smugmug where clients can download their pictures individually, and then we email them a file using yousendit.com or sendthisfile.com. These both have the links expire after three days however, so we've been looking at alternative services. We've just signed up for Crate at letscrate.com, but haven't tried it yet. Our longer-term plan is to have online backup using amazon's S3 service, which will allow for permanent links to clients' files.

For us, digital file transfer just seems to make more sense than mailing discs. We've had so many people lose their discs and ask for replacements. Re-sending links just makes more sense.

That's my $0.02.
Marnie

FTP, DVD, USB Flash Drives

I have just about eliminated discs altogether. Some of my clients have their own FTP or I will put a job on MobileMe iDisc (an Apple server) for download. Many like seeing the photos in a MobileMe gallery so they can pick and choose the downloads. There are times when big jobs take some time, but thirty minutes is just a fraction of the time it takes even for FedEx P1 service and a whole lot cheaper. If I complete a shoot before noon and return to my computer, I can often get the files uploaded before the end of the workday and they love it. I guess it is peace of mind to some degree.

BTW, CD's and DVD's were the most problematic because clients would send the disc to designers or printers and never get them back. I was constantly burning replacements and mailing.

Wood USB thumb drive with my logo. http://www.pexagon.com

I prefer my ftp server. but I have those lazy people that would rather I burn a DVD then run to the post office and mail it to them. This saves them the trouble of having to burn it to DVD from their computer if they had used my ftp server.
Some are just plain lazy.