If you want sheets, go to Bed Bath & Beyond.

Many thanks to David Deutsch for this little nugget of title.

One of the things that drives me absolutely crazy is to hear photographers pricing by “sheets.” A sheet is an 8×10 piece of photographic paper, that can also be divided into 8 wallets, 4 4x5s or 2 5x7s. This is a unit name used by a lot of retail chain studios. Studios that are cheap and do not offer custom ANYthing.

For some reason, a slew of photographers have decided that they should market the same way. I don’t get it. Why would you want to put yourself in the same category? If you use the same names as the cheap chains, then your clients will expect the same pricing as the chains. I’m here to tell you, you’re not going to stay in business by charging $5.99 a sheet.

Start acting like the big boys and girls you are and call your product line by the proper names. If you want to arrange your pricing so that an 8×10 is the same price as 8 wallets, 4 4x5s or 2 5x7s, then by all means, do so. Just quit calling them “sheets,” those belong on beds.