Anyone Marketing a B+W Day In The Life Session?

[theseasideartist]

I come from a background in Photojournalism- trying to figure out a way to transition my newspaper skill set into something with silver gel prints.

I am not crazy about being cooped up in the studio environment-
so I have been trying to come up with some kind of a niche market-

maybe a day in the life storyboard kind of thing? lasting a few hours...or
maybe a mini session of an hour or so?

maybe children of toddler age - with or without their dog-

maybe grandparents with their grandchild; doing the things grandparents do with the little ones- like going fishing with grandpa, or working on the boat or baking cookies with grandma-

maybe T- ball games at the park?

or at the waters edge- I live at the coast-

I can photograph with MF or 35 mm or 4x4[TLR]

RB 67 or F5 or maybe a niche of vintage camera with a TLR-from 1958


This area is tourism driven, we have several military bases within 35 miles or so, a large retiree population, and the locals.


Anyone have any advice or ideas on this?
Anybody doing anything like this?

I envision somewhat of a documentrary feel to it-
I'm not sure how to price this? It is not studio portraiture-
not really editorial either-

Oh and one idea a friend had was to go to the drag strip- which is somewhat a family affair, and photograph the family around the race car- the cookout- the camper-sometimes they bring the family pet too-

finding things that families do together-I guess would be the theme or project idea.


I was thinking of starting my session fees at $350.
Keeping print sizes to maybe 2 or 3 sizes and maybe some type of storybook.

Prints @ 11x14 or 16x20- handcrafted
and sending the book off to a lab-
Sq prints if I use the TLR-

Would love to hear your imput on these ideas.

Thanks D

 

[Richard Wasserman]

Do you know the work of B.D. Colen? http://www.bdcolenphoto.com He does the kinds of projects you are considering.

 

[theseasideartist]

No I don't.
I have not come accross him in the research that I have been doing.
Thanks for the link- I will check out his work.

 

[SuzanneR]

You might check Cheryl Jacobs Nicolai's site... she offers something along those lines, and produces a book for clients.

 

[Jon Shiu]

How about photojournalism style senior portraits and weddings?

Jon

 

[theseasideartist]

Thanks all for your imput.

I have spent the past several weeks researching things.
I am leaning towards social documentary projects and maybe some editorial work.

Some are self funded, some are for editorial and multi media outlets[they are more interested in the digi image from film scans]

I am pulling from my photojournalism background on most of this- so I might
be missing something here?as far as longer - term projects.

Any insight from those of you who in this method?

Shoot film of projects-
handprint prints for some outlets and scan film for editorial markets.

I will be printing 11x14 and pricing them at $375.


I have been undecided about whether to print other sizes as well or to stay with one size.

1- Any advice about offering 8x10's or 16 x20's for sale or am I better off to stay consistent with one print size.

2- I will be getting 5x7 work prints back from the lab- would you give these out to folks as a thankyou?
or would it be better to print up a few 8x10s as a thankyou.

machine quality 5x7 vs handprinted 8x10's- do I want the machine quality out there?

or if I am going to handprint a few for thankyous to those who sat for me should those also be 11x14?

just keep it simple and standarize one one size?

What is the general feeling about sending a thank you print to folks who are the basis of your project.

Thanks D