You give them what they want or give them what they need? Big difference...too many photographers .....snip
An educated photographer .....snip
It wouldn't be good business not to cover all the bases.
We have a good system that works easily for clients and their respective suppliers.
Each project has a download page with links to various packets such as 1. client requested finals, 2. alternative final images in rgb, cmyk and web use (all sharpened with the final output in mind), with an icon for each packet that downloads through a zip to a folder.
It's really just a touch and download process and what they chose to use or don't is up to them.
I've gone the route of explaining what "I" think is right and once again we do cover the project, but people are going to do what people are going to do.
Actually, it's better to offer alternatives than start shipping pdfs of white pages of "expert" opinion because they rarely go noticed and honestly I've never met more than two clients that required the same exact delivery.
Some of this is because today, unlike a decade ago, a creative group rarely knows exactly where the media will be played. If it scores well in testing, or is a hit, then it can go from standard print to outdoor, in-store, bus cards, web, magazine print, etc. etc., so that's why we deliver so many variations.
It's better to get the heavy lifting done in the front end than the back and anything is better than allowing a project to become contentious.
I could write a book on some of the requests, mostly from contracted pre press houses and you can respond in two ways, do what they ask, do what you want or actually you can respond in a third way and that is cover all the alternatives.
I chose the third way and keep it positive.
imo
BC