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I’ve already told you what I think about choosing a RAW processing company to handle your digital post-production.
Now it’s time to get some inside information – straight from lab owners themselves.
I asked the heads of five prominent labs everything from which size they think is best to a big thing no one in our industry talks about – companies that send your images to India for processing.
I’ve been using labs for years, but some of these answers still surprised me.
Be advised, this is not a brief post. I made the decision to keep their answers a bit long because I think you can handle it. If you’re looking for a perfect RAW lab partner you want all the inside information you can get.
Enter the experts.
In this post I’ll show you how to get the pro look of a branded email address (such as [email protected]) while still using Gmail’s awesome feature set… without anyone knowing.
It takes only 3 easy steps.
FIRST A BRIEF ASIDE
Thanks to everyone who has given me permission to send you emails and bonus content using the sidebar signup form. I’m working on some fun things exclusively for my Insiders. It’s great to see so many photographers visiting from outside the US – particularly Norway, Mexico, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Also, I appreciate everyone who has written to say thanks for the free e-book, especially my fellow DWF members. You’re welcome.
LET’S TALK GMAIL
With all the emails coming in, I’ve been surprised by how many wedding photographers are using Gmail addresses (such as [email protected]) for their businesses.
I certainly understand the allure – Gmail’s features and accessibility are fantastic!
Nonetheless, Gmail is generally perceived as being for personal use, just like free website providers such as Blogspot and Tumblr. There is a business legitimacy cost to not having an email address on your business website’s domain (such as [email protected]). Using personal resources is the opposite of what an established, trustworthy company would be expected to do.
Washington, D.C.
Are you still doing your basic RAW processing yourself? Well this is an intervention.
Stop and get help.
I’m serious. Partnering with a RAW lab is the only way to maintain a reasonable level of stress, workload, and artistic growth as your business matures. The free-range photographer way is about leveraging technology and economics to design a business that improves your life. Getting help with your RAW processing should be a central part of your business design, especially given today’s highly competitive prices.
This post will help you find the perfect match for your image style… and give you 17 great labs to try.
