Hi everybody:

I want to say thanks again to everyone who responded to my lens questions last week and gave such great con crit on my captures. You guys rock hard!

I have some new pics to share, from three photo shoots this weekend, and I look forward to comments on them. They should be up later today. And I have another question. How do you sign your work? I know portrait photographers used to physically sign the prints - is that still how you do it? And if so, what sort of pen do you use? If not (if you "sign" electronically" how do you do that?

A related question: how do you mark PROOF (looks like a watermark) on electronic pictures?

A third question: after the shoot, how do you share your captures with the client? Sit with them at a computer? Email them proofs? Put together a hard copy portfolio of proofs for them to review? Edit the images and then present them as a contact sheet? (That's what I've been doing for the people who've volunteered pets for my portfolio. If that makes sense).

I'd like to hear your thoughts on these related topics!

Thanks!

Hi Tori,

Not sure, what "common/accepted" business practices are, but creating a digital signature is not a big deal, if you have a WACOM tablet, digital pen, and Photoshop. You'd create a "brush" from your signature. Scott Kelby provides step-by-step instructions in his Photoshop "[insert version] for photographers" books. In these he also describes how to create digital water marks.

Cheers!
GG

Tori,
I simply put in my copyright mark on a type layer: ©JAG2008. I can select typeface and what color based on the image and I usually add a drop-shadow via layer style.

Same with my PROOF mark: I create it on a type layer, rotate it to 45 degrees and fade it down to about 55%. I leave it on the image and then save it as a layered .tif before I create a jpeg for online posting.

When it comes to proofing, it all depends on the client(s). I like to proof on PBase so I just upload to a directory and send that link to my client. They pick the image numbers and email me their order.

Some clients prefer hard copy so I'll do proof books which I order via WHCC labs.

For shows, I print 4X5 proofs and mail them with order forms. Once I get a pre-paid order, I'll order the final print from my lab and have it sent directly to the client.

My portrait clients actually prefer to review the proof books and, given the variability of monitors both with and without calibration, I think that's the best way to present the images. Online may be easier but what looks like great skintone on my monitor may look blue or yellow on yours. At least with a proof book, I can present the images the way I want them to look.

Hope that helps,

Jim

I go back and forth on signing actual prints. Most event stuff, I do. Most portrait stuff I don't. Just depends. I do not sign canvases at all or anything larger than 8x10.

As far as showing the proofs. I set up another appt with a viewing session for my portrait clients. Makes ALL the difference in sales $$$. For the advertising clients, I put them on the web, as it is easier that way and often they are from way outta town.

I sign mine with a Photoshop script and then move and size it accordingly. If you are using PS there is a very good tutorial on the Russell Brown site.

Just a note, I used to sign just my first name and that was it. Now, based on the advice of a copyright attorney, I sign my first name and underline it with my copyright bug.

Here is the Russell Brown tut...works on verticals or horizontals

http://av.adobe.com/russellbrown/BrandingSM.mov