It’s one of the most frequently asked questions we get.
We’ve been working as photographers for a long time, and this is not a new thing, however we’ve noticed it has increased over the last few years as more and more families invest in professional photography.
Traditionally photography is printed. Why? Because it’s an art form. It’s meant to be looked at and enjoyed. Digital files belong on a hard drive, not your wall, your desk or your bedside table.
Just because digital is a normal method of delivering information in the 21st century, doesn’t mean it’s the best way to deliver photography. We are inundated with digital information in our daily lives; overflowing inboxes, phones full of notes, gazillions of photos that we rarely look at, video, screenshots, saved memes, apps we rarely use full of data we forgot existed. We pay for extra storage because it’s easier to do that than it is to organise all this data and figure out what to keep and what to get rid of! Photography doesn’t deserve to get lost in this digital clutter.
Back in the early days of Heartstory (circa 2009), I only sold digital files. I was new to running a photography business and I didn’t yet know how I wanted my business to operate. It takes quite a long time to learn about all the different products that are available to print and create, and to decide what you like and what suits your brand and your photography.
I sold digital packages for a couple of years, occasionally adding a canvas or other product, and it was around then that some of my clients began to return for their second session. I would ask them what they did with their photos, and they would nearly always say something like, ‘Oh, I’m sorry, but I think they’re still on the CD you gave us, in my desk drawer.’
Funny thing was, most of the photos I’d taken of my son (who was just a baby at the time) were also on storage and unprinted! Life is busy and it’s hard to find the time to take that next step. It’s even harder when you’re not a photographer and don’t have access to all the awesome products and printing services, because the decision making process alone is overwhelming!
So I began to restructure my business to be more about printed product and less about files. Why? Because I felt genuinely sad that all these beautiful images were stuck on storage media or devices and not being enjoyed. Families had invested their hard earned dollars in their photos and I felt like I had been doing them a disservice by not making it easier for them to be enjoyed and valued. After all, photography is an art form: it’s meant to be looked at and enjoyed.
And despite many mums saying that they intended to print them, they just weren’t. Not because they didn’t love them! It was because it was hard and time consuming and they just never got around to it!
I began to realise that a professional family photographer can be so much more than someone who takes beautiful photos. They can design, print and provide finished solutions that will enhance a family’s home and allow their images to exist as part of their daily life! So they can truly shine and be that beautiful reminder of how much they love each other and what’s most important.
I began to print more of my own work too, and immediately noticed the effect it had on my son, and how much it would make me smile and feel good when I looked around my home.
And so over time, I re-shaped Heartstory’s pricing and product line up. I researched the best and most beautiful products. I sourced local wherever I could. I looked for solutions that:
- suit modern homes—both old and new
- don’t take up too much space
- have different price points for different budgets
- suit the Heartstory style—a mix of hero images, classic portraits and candid storytelling moments.
And so for many years now digital files have been offered as a complimentary add-on to your order when you spend a certain amount on photographic artwork (ie, prints, wall art, albums etc). Photographic artwork is where our hearts are and what sets us apart from other photographers. We do some very special things with print and our families love it, even if they weren’t 100% convinced when they first booked.
A family photography booking represents a significant amount of time, work and value. We believe that if you’re going to spend that kind of. money, you should receive something tangible that lasts forever: customised service and product with no more work to do! So we have designed our family photography experience to give you exactly that, alongside the convenience of having those files you want. It’s better value to spend $1500 on customised finished artwork with files included for free, than it is to spend $1500 on a digital gallery, don’t you think?
We wholeheartedly believe that selling a files on their own is leaving you a problem to solve. The chances are, you’re not a photographer, an album designer, a master printer or a framer. The good news is, those things are our job and part of the incredible service we offer our families when they book a family photography experience with us!
It’s hard to pick your favourite photo that will look best on your wall when you’re scrolling through a folder on your laptop in your loungeroom. It’s hard to wade through all the different printing services out there and decide which one to go with (and the truth is most consumer services are cheap and nasty and will not do your professional photographs any justice!). We know it’s hard because we have to do it for our family photographs, and we are professionals with all the skills and access, and it’s still hard!
So when you ask us if you can get the digital files, the answer is ‘yes, but…’ And this article is to give you some insight as to why, so you can understand better who we are and why we do it this way. Please note,
We hope you come and experience for yourself why our approach is so great. We are right there with you, helping you to make the decisions (to suit your taste, budget and wishes). You have the benefit of our 35+ years of passion and experience. And at the end, you go home with stunning, one-of-a-kind finished artwork that has been lovingly crafted just for you. And some digital files too, if it works for your budget (we do offer a couple of very simple ‘digital only’ options for families who need them.) But it’s the prints, albums and wall art that will light up your home and remind your children how loved they are.
Because photography is an art form, and it’s meant to be looked at and enjoyed.
Thanks for reading,
Katie, Managing Director and founder of Heartstory
