I, like many people here, have gotten the Friday night bug taking pictures of sporting events at my son's high school.  While I'm not looking to subsidize my income, it would be nice to sell the occasional picture.  People ask me all the time how they can order pictures but no one ever seems to. 

I have posted the pictures here with the most recent pictures under the featured galleries at the top.  The site still needs some work as it's only a couple of weeks old, but is already heads and tails above the presentation at Flickr. 

The site is linked in multiple places; the high school sports sites, the kids FB pages, etc.  According to Google Analytics I seem to be getting good traffic on the site over the last week with 195 individual visits and over 5,000 individual picture/page views. 

I allow image saving to the medium size.  Part of my problem, I'm sure, is that I allow image saving to this size with the kids and parents downloading this size and printing images.  I have considered only allowing small image downloads but don't like the fact that this then limits the visible size of the print on the page.  I know I could better control the download size through price lists and the cart function but I'm concerned that most people would not figure out that they would have to go through the cart to get a small picture download for free.  This is something I would like to provide. 

I have just started to mess with setting up price lists, having set up for 4x6, 5x7 and 8x10 prints so far.  While I understand the reasons for the cost associated with MPIX' shipping and handling charges (I did a search and read several posts on this), it's not helping sell to this market effectively increasing the cost by 100% or more on any orders, where most parents want a single picture for the family scrapbook.

I have just started to read up on the Self-Fullfillment capabilities of Zenfolio but have not had a chance to study up on it yet. 

How are others setting up their sites for this type of market; the parent that would like a sports picture of their child but doesn't have the equipment to take it? 

allowing ANY downloads and you have just set your self up for failure. They will still screenshot them with watermarks when you dont allow it, but there is nothing you can do about that. I have gotten away from action shots this last few months as too many parents have decent cameras and lenses, and they have ALL season to get a good shot of junior. I always did action shots as mpix fullfilled, and just swapped the image when an order was made to the full size. On my T&I stuff, i set up self fullfillment and I use millers (mpix's wholesale/pro side) for orders. They have minimum $ amounts and require tax id's etc, so unless you do a volume business, mpix will be fine. If they want the photo, they will pay.

The market you are in is tough from several aspects. the already mentioned parents with good gear (who also give away shots to other parents who dont have the stuff), teams/leagues who want big $$ cuts of your sales, other shooters undercutting you, leagues who refuse to do exclusive contracts to run off the other shooters, etc. If your using products they (parents) can get at any lab, they wont sell. I would suggest not selling 4x6's of action shots. When I made 5x7 my smallest, and priced them very close to my 8x10's ($7 and $11 respectively) I started doing better sales too, because they bought much better margined 8x10's.Get the photos up FAST too. If its a day game, they better be up that night. If its a night game, they need to be up by the next morning. If they come to your site the same/nex ay and photos arent up, there is a 90% chance they wont come back. this is an impulse buy on a luxury good. You dont get second chances with it.

You have some great stuff there, but do yourself a favor, hide the exif data and file names etc. put a watermark on them all. Also, instill urgency by locking out galleries after 15 days. I always made money after I closed a gallery. Parents couldnt look at the free slideshow at work anymore and then bought something...Even then I still had parents calling asking how to get the "proof" off of the screenshot photo they stole, and bugging me with calls etc about how those camera settings didnt work for them.. Remember your not selling photography, but rather photographic services. If you intend to sell and make money, you cant be the "nice guy" to everyone anymore, because they will consume your time without paying for it.

I have some unique products right now that have been a HUGE success.

You can see my latest T&I set on my home page under 2009 Eagles.

Thanks for the feedback Jason.  In my heart I knew what you were going to say about the downloads and I've got to take a look at it.  I'm partly indebted to the school for linking my site to their sports pages so I have to be sensitive to that. 

I'm going to look over your email in more depth next weekend and implement your suggestions.  I have alread taken the exif data off the page but can't figure out how to remove the name.  Can you point me in the right direction?

Thanks again.

Bob

what I mean is never display original filenames. I always rename to eliminate gaps. this applies more for weddings where brides think your stiffing them when you delete an out of focus shot etc, but sports parents do it too.

One more word of advice, dont think you have to be sensitive to the school. sure, take care of the hand that feeds you, but be realistic too. if you dont mark the images up , they will get stolen. the school will care less that you are losing money and any complaining you do will be seen as unprofessional. I have a BOLD proof that I put on mine, because I feel no obligation to anyone but my wallet. YMMV, but here is a good middle ground example that may work in your case.

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1014&message=33503572

you can make a png that will work automatically thru zenfolio so you dont even have to mark your images in batch.

 I like it.  I'm going to give it a shot this weekend. 

I have to agree with jasonjones.  There are those that are willing to pay for a special photograph, and those that aren't.  But no one will generally choose to pay for something they can get some element of for free. 

In addition, I think people are less likely to print something once they have an electronic version.  They may use it as a screensaver, they may share it with family, but sometimes printing doesn't happen.  And when it does, you run the risk that it will be done with a printer that is not photo friendly.

I don't offer downloads for anything I offer for sale on this site...I want to do everything I can to encourage well-presented, displayed, hard copies of my work. 

I think that's some of the best marketing there is..."Wow, I love that picture, who took it?"

 I have followed your advise and taken down all download capability. 

     Glad you removed the download feature from your photos, if not you might as well take a portable printer to the game, and hand out the photos, there is a hint of dryness in my reply.  If your photos are good and worth uploading they will speak for themselves and people will want to purchase them, so don't shoot your self in the foot so to speak by allowing them to download your work.  A photographer who has been shooting sports about two or three years more than I said, when we noticed a MWC (mother with a camera) taking photos, when he asked who she was I told him her child played on the team and she took photos and printed them as gave them away.  He remarked "If you give your photos away, they will not have any value.  I do give photos of some candid sideline shots, to customers who have purchased photos from me.  These photos are not "Friday night shots", but expressions of the parents and fans along the sidelines during the games.  If you shoot high school games you might want to mention to the coach that you are there to shoot games etc.  You might stop in and talk to him, but not on game day, you could tell him he just hit the lottery during games and he would probably say, "Well can I collect after the game ?" No matter if you do think they are listening in most instances the are focused on the game.  Most parents today are looking for a package, 4 wallets, 2 5x7s 1 8x10, the reason is most of the school photo outfits offer packages.  If they can go to your site and order a package, and you can reduce your fees, for the package vs the individual shots you will find once the photos get to circulating among the parents it will help get people to look at your shots.  Don't overload your website with photos most of the parents complain "Well there were so may photos of that game, it was taking a long time to look through them.  If you can glean a parents or booster club members e-mail tell them you will drop them an e-mail when the photos have been edited and uploaded.  You can then send them an e-mail if you find a specific photo that they might want to buy.  Most of a great many parents have cameras today, if you look along in the stands and etc you will think in some cases and see the flashes going off, albeit fifty feet from the play or action, you have to show them your photos are not the same type with their camera, you have to show them that your photos are bigger, and the prints they buy are quality, and not the .19 corner drug store special, printed by somebody who wants to rush or halfway do your job, so he can print his photos.  If you have a chance you might stroll over to the MPIX forum and search for Jim Cayer, or Homer he has a blog on his member page there, it contains a wealth of info, on how to shoot football games, you can also take a look at the Canon site, there is video by Peter Reade Miller on how to take photos of football games, if you are not a Canon user, the videos will not open, just kidding his info is not Canon specific

Try this website.  I use it to sell photos of high school, pee wee and everything in between.

www.ifp3.com