Guidance needed!

R01AND · #1 04-04-2001, 02:12 PM

I am considering taking on a 600+ participant event this coming weekend. There will be an award ceremony the evening of the event, which may be the time to preview my images. I am using a D30, titanium G4, and an olympus p400 printer. I am a one man operation. What suggestions can you make as far as how to handle this size of event. Can one guy do it? What about selling the images online? What about having the customer prepay, after which I will print the image and mail it to them. Is there some way to avoid having to print out all the images for the participants to preview? Please, I am in need of guidance.
Thank you in advance,
Greg

PeterWolf · #2 04-04-2001, 03:17 PM

How you want handle this event partially depends on what sort of event it is and where.

We cover mostly California biking events and found that 80% of bikers have easy access to the Internet. We post our photos on the WEB and get reasonable results.

There are many services that will allow you to post pictures and if you want, take care of the fullfilment process as well.

We found most of those services lacking in flexibility and came up with our own software package.

Typically, we only have one person cover an event with as many as 3000-6000 participants. 600 participants should be no problem. Just let people know you're there taking photos. It helps if the event organizers support you presence.

Good luck and if you like we can post your pictures until you get on your own feet.

Peter www.photocrazy.com

RonB · #3 04-04-2001, 04:51 PM

I have never had an event anywhere near the size you are taking about. I don't see how you will be able to show previews, answer questions, deal with payment, ready images to print, print them (whats it take 2 minutes for 1? .. 4 minutes for 2 .. ) .. ect, ect, ect.

Time wise printing, 30 per hour tops, not including all the other stuff mentioned.

When you have hundreds of people wanting to see the previews around the same time, even that 15" G4 screen isn't going to cut it!

The only time I came close to something like this was last season when I went to a youth football league banquet to deliver the memory mate packages I took. I had maybe 100 packages to deliver. During the season I did some digital action and had taken my imac to display them during the award ceremony.

There was such a crowd of kids and parents
trying to view them most just left. I ended up with about $150 in orders. Hardly enough to cover all the time spent several Saturdays to get the shots.

Maybe you could show the previews on a larger screen TV connected to the video out, and do a slide show ... but how long will they stand there waiting to see a few photos of themselves.

About the only workable thing (for me anyways) is thumbnail previews in the future for action stuff. Only thing I don't like is with the memory mate packages, I sell about 100% of the team. Action is nowhere near that altho everybody says they want'em!

my experience,
RonB

RonB · #4 04-04-2001, 04:52 PM

I have never had an event anywhere near the size you are taking about. I don't see how you will be able to show previews, answer questions, deal with payment, ready images to print, print them (whats it take 2 minutes for 1? .. 4 minutes for 2 .. ) .. ect, ect, ect.

Time wise printing, 30 per hour tops, not including all the other stuff mentioned.

When you have hundreds of people wanting to see the previews around the same time, even that 15" G4 screen isn't going to cut it!

The only time I came close to something like this was last season when I went to a youth football league banquet to deliver the memory mate packages I took. I had maybe 100 packages to deliver. During the season I did some digital action and had taken my imac to display them during the award ceremony.

There was such a crowd of kids and parents
trying to view them most just left. I ended up with about $150 in orders. Hardly enough to cover all the time spent several Saturdays to get the shots.

Maybe you could show the previews on a larger screen TV connected to the video out, and do a slide show ... but how long will they stand there waiting to see a few photos of themselves.

About the only workable thing (for me anyways) is thumbnail previews in the future for action stuff. Only thing I don't like is with the memory mate packages, I sell about 100% of the team. Action is nowhere near that altho everybody says they want'em!

my experience,
RonB

pr · #5 04-04-2001, 05:02 PM

Easiest way IMHO would be to
show them the camera preview have them note the frame number on their business card pay cash with simple price like 20 $ / 8x10 or 20 $ / 2 -5x7. Limit the number of options,
mail out prints later or E Mail them JPEG for the same price.

pr · #6 04-04-2001, 05:08 PM

The complete reply

Easiest way IMHO would be to
show them the camera preview have them note the frame number on their business card pay cash with simple price like 20 $ / 8x10 or 20 $ / 2 -5x7. Limit the number of options,
mail out prints later or E Mail them JPEG for the same price.
Another option is printing Photo Shop contact sheets (7.5 x 10 inches - 314 dpi 20 frames with frame number on the P-400)and put them on a board.
I never used any web site but would like your comments if you use that service.
I taught of using OFOTO just to show low res jpeg and mail prints myself to customers.

I did a lot of similar jobs, one was 55 awards ; post processing the JPEG (no prints) took 1 bit more than 1 hr (I think you can set the D-30 so it require less work than the D 1 i use)
Another job, my assistant spend 4 hours working on portraits as a team of 2 photographers with D-1s were feeding her CF cards.
IMHO you can't do it alone, hire someone just to dump the CF to laptop and do strait print using Mike Channey latest P400 profile.

Pierre

NorbertBissinger · #7 04-04-2001, 05:34 PM

Greg you by yourself, You must be kidding.

One person on the camera

One on the computer

One for orders and answering questions.

The best thing to do is printing numbered orderforms with a perforated slip attached. when you take the picture write down the frame number of the camera. Save them in a folder using Photoshop in batch mode with an action.

When this particular customer shows up open the picture get the OK and print using an other action which resizes the image color correts and sharpes it.

While the printer is busy you can show the next picture use your actions plus an other action and save this file to a CF card. Stick this card in an other P400 and print.

# persons should be able to print at lest 40 prints an hour, taking into account the time it takes to get your customers OK very often they consult with friends about it.

Start shooting early. In 5 hours you could gross $4000 40x$20=$800 times 5 hours=$4000

Teorethically of course.

Are you familiar with your equipment?

Norbert