How to promote a photography exhibit ?

[Pieter12]

I

Pieter, I can't see interior designers buying up photos of right-wing truckers outside the Parliament buildings......

It depends. Maybe they’re doing a hip cafe or store.

 

[GregY]

I


It depends. Maybe they’re doing a hip cafe or store.

......wouldn't be betting on it....

 

[Pieter12]

......wouldn't be betting on it....

Any gallery show is a bit of a gamble unless you have an existing base of collectors.

 

[eli griggs]

You must also be decided on, if you will allow your shown work to be lain away, and the terms in doing so.

I have sold art, paintings, drawings, ceramics and woodcuts (hand printed inked prints) on time in the past but few people will actually broach that topic, on their own; they seem to be afraid of upsetting the artist/photographer, so you must offer that option option during your conversation.

By-the-way, many galleries will also sell on time, so ask when your looking to buy art.

30 to 60 days is typical but if they're cute, 90 days is also a choice.

Pick an upfront, deposit percent, I suggest a third or half percent, non-refundable fee, so they understand they'll pay a 'penalty' for no following through and so you know that they are really interested in getting your piece and you'll receive a compasation for your time and the loss of possible sale of the piece, while it's in your storage or studio.

Keep a generic receipt book, whole, with two copies and the original, which you keep, with their signature, and you give them the pink copy, with the yellow staying in the book, always.

A ink stamp with your business info speeds things along and a simple filling system of twelve (12) long envelops, one for each month of that year, will serve well enough for all purposes.


Detach from book and file white receipts only once, when last payment is made, with their signature for final pickup and note any commission or fee you pay for the space you're renting/selling from.

Seek legal advice on your State and Federal obligations, including taxes.

Advertise photographic prints and the hours when you'll be on site and ability to discuss your art and methods, etc.

Be there during those hours and add patrons contact and info to your notebook.

Good luck with your show.

Eli

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Photographers don't appreciate photos more than the general public. Photos rarely justify gallery exhibition.

That's true with oil painters as well.

 

[Paul Ozzello]

Well, I didn't know what to expect, I knew there would be some interest but like @GregY said, who necessarily wants to hang pictures of what have been described as right-wing extremists on their walls ?? But so far the show has been well received and a big success and I've sold quite a few pieces ! A few weeks before the show I contacted someone at the Ottawa Citizen and ended up getting an interview. From there the word must have spread because I ended up doing two TV interviews with Radio Canada and TVA Nouvelles, and another radio interview and several articles in local newspapers. I was also pleasantly surprised that my work was covered in such a positive light; and many local residents that showed up were quite open minded and able to appreciate what will no doubt be remembered as a significant moment in Canadian history.

I unfortunately didn't meet a single local Photrio member, maybe there just aren't that many of you. I'll be at the gallery again this weekend so please don't be a stranger !

Here's a link to the article from Radio Canada :

Fringe , l’expo immersive de Paul Ozzello sur le convoi des camionneurs

Paul Ozzello expose ses photos sur les camionneurs à la Galerie Art+ jusqu’au 5 février.

ici.radio-canada.ca

This project has consumed months of my life and endless sleepless nights - and I'm glad that all the hard work and perseverance payed off.

Paul

 

[Pieter12]

That is fabulous. I’m glad things seem to have worked out so well for you!

 

[MattKing]

The exhibition looks great, and the Radio-Canada article is good too - it even translates well into English!

 

[awty]

A brave move, congratulations on it going well.

 

[nmp]

Well, I didn't know what to expect, I knew there would be some interest but like @GregY said, who necessarily wants to hang pictures of what have been described as right-wing extremists on their walls ?? But so far the show has been well received and a big success and I've sold quite a few pieces ! A few weeks before the show I contacted someone at the Ottawa Citizen and ended up getting an interview. From there the word must have spread because I ended up doing two TV interviews with Radio Canada and TVA Nouvelles, and another radio interview and several articles in local newspapers. I was also pleasantly surprised that my work was covered in such a positive light; and many local residents that showed up were quite open minded and able to appreciate what will no doubt be remembered as a significant moment in Canadian history.

I unfortunately didn't meet a single local Photrio member, maybe there just aren't that many of you. I'll be at the gallery again this weekend so please don't be a stranger !

Here's a link to the article from Radio Canada :

Fringe , l’expo immersive de Paul Ozzello sur le convoi des camionneurs

Paul Ozzello expose ses photos sur les camionneurs à la Galerie Art+ jusqu’au 5 février.

ici.radio-canada.ca

This project has consumed months of my life and endless sleepless nights - and I'm glad that all the hard work and perseverance payed off.

Paul

Congratualtions for a job well-done!

Curious...you had the original Polaroids on display, right? Did you make any digital copies of the photographs or you are keeping them as one of a kind. Perhaps make a folio or something that can be sold as well at the gallery.

:Niranjan.

 

[Paul Ozzello]

That is fabulous. I’m glad things seem to have worked out so well for you!

Thanks Peter !

The exhibition looks great, and the Radio-Canada article is good too - it even translates well into English!

Too bad you live on the opposite side of the country - I would have invited you to the show

A brave move, congratulations on it going well.

thanks awty

Congratualtions for a job well-done!

Curious...you had the original Polaroids on display, right? Did you make any digital copies of the photographs or you are keeping them as one of a kind. Perhaps make a folio or something that can be sold as well at the gallery.

Good question that I forgot to explain ! No - I treated the Polaroids as "negatives" and scanned them instead. I then enlarged them to 8" x 9.5", adjusted the contrast and did some basic dodging and burning and printed them on my Piezography converted printer using pure carbon inks. The neutral carbon inks are actually a warm brown tone similar to a darkroom sepia print, and I chose a very textured paper (Hahnemuhle William Turner) which complemented the subject matter perfectly. Originally I wanted to make some digital negatives and print some hand made carbon prints but I just didn't have the time. I don't know how resistant these modern polaroid films are - I feel like they've already started to yellow a little despite keeping them in a light tight box.

Here's a close-up of the final result :

 

[jp498]

Wow! Nice looking exhibit and interesting subject!

(In my part of the US, the Canadian truckers are well regarded for their free speech idealism+protest, and it's not controversial at all)

 

[nmp]

Good question that I forgot to explain ! No - I treated the Polaroids as "negatives" and scanned them instead. I then enlarged them to 8" x 9.5", adjusted the contrast and did some basic dodging and burning and printed them on my Piezography converted printer using pure carbon inks. The neutral carbon inks are actually a warm brown tone similar to a darkroom sepia print, and I chose a very textured paper (Hahnemuhle William Turner) which complemented the subject matter perfectly. Originally I wanted to make some digital negatives and print some hand made carbon prints but I just didn't have the time. I don't know how resistant these modern polaroid films are - I feel like they've already started to yellow a little despite keeping them in a light tight box.

Here's a close-up of the final result :

View attachment 328402

Thank you for that full explanation. All makes sense now. That looks like an awesome print - you kept the character of the original Polaroid. Boy, I would have liked to see this in person. Too far.

:Niranjan.

 

[MattKing]

Wow! Nice looking exhibit and interesting subject!

(In my part of the US, the Canadian truckers are well regarded for their free speech idealism+protest, and it's not controversial at all)

I'm not going to delete the second part, despite its descent into politics.
It references an extremely divisive issue. And it reflects the all pervasive influence of how information is being bandied around as a weapon.
Paul's work appears to engage very personally with his subjects. It would be nice to see him do a project documenting the residents and businesses of Ottawa (and otherwise) who were so immediately affected.
I'm not sure how one would photographically document the massive effects that the various blockades had on the economy and wellbeing of Canada as a whole.

 

[Paul Ozzello]

My comment you deleted was a tease by the way.

It’s hard to reply to a discussion when you don’t know what will be censored or removed - simply because it might veer into a political discussion. I focused on the truckers because the press have been covering the businesses and people that were effected by the convoy for over an entire year. There’s an interesting human side to the story of the men and women behind the convoy, and it’s a lot more complex than simply dismissing them as a bunch of redneck racist homophobic extremists, which an overwhelming majority simply were not. Most of them were people that were afraid of the vaccine - afraid of losing their freedoms - and after 2 years of strict confinement and government mandates just wanted to return to a normal life.

I spoke to many business owners downtown who were very supportive of the truckers, one in particular, an immigrant from Iran that owns a pastry shop - was interviewed by the local press about how his business was effected. He told them how everyone was friendly and how they were all coming in to his shop to buy his pastries; and he was astonished when the published article misquoted him and saying how his shop had been negatively impacted. He called them back and was told - "it’s not the angle we wanted to cover".

 

[MattKing]

My comment you deleted was a tease by the way.

And I was going to respond with "it will be a cold day in hell!"
It is the very personal part of the photographic story that you documented that I would like to see in person.
{deleted}

 

[cowanw]

I'm not going to delete the second part, despite its descent into politics.
It references an extremely divisive issue. {deleted}
Paul's work appears to engage very personally with his subjects. It would be nice to see him do a project documenting the residents and businesses of Ottawa (and otherwise) who were so immediately affected.
I'm not sure how one would photographically document the massive effects that the various blockades had on the economy and wellbeing of Canada as a whole.

I wonder if it is possible for one photographer to do equal justice to both sides of a conflict. It is pretty clear that Paul is sympathetic to the Trucker community here. That is to say - not a " bunch of redneck racist homophobic extremists", ... but ... "people that were afraid of the vaccine - afraid of losing their freedoms "
The other project of residents and businesses of Ottawa would involve not a " bunch of Woke snowflakes, but, people tired of the noise and -afraid of losing their freedoms."
Can one photographer treat both sides of the equation with the dignity and sympathy that is required.
I doubt it.
Much of it has to do with curating.
Goebbels is presented as a glaring menace by Eisenstaedt, despite the (before or after) shot of a smiling congenial man - which is seldom seen. Chamberlain is shown as the heroic man holding up the paper of peace. I am sure there were other less flattering photos of Chamberlain.

 

[jp498]

CowanW; your question is valid but I don't think our current media options would be practical for expressing it. We need time and hindsight in addition to the actual hard work of being there.
Maybe August Sander has done it?

Not with photography, but conversation, some podcasters are shedding the impractical media to probe, communicate and report with dignity. E.g. Lex Fridman's interview with Kanye West as an example... Hours of complex flavors and nuances of antisemitism teased out by Jewish Lex, but he respected many other things about West.

 

[Pieter12]

Seems like the discussion is getting pretty political now. And BTW, “snowflakes” exist on both sides of the fence. Those delicate folks whose rights and freedoms are more important and take precedence over others.

 

[Paul Ozzello]

And I was going to respond with "it will be a cold day in hell!"

That would have been a much more appropriate (and pleasant) response {deleted}

 

[nmp]

Just to emphasize 1st Amendment is applicable to government not being able to suppress your free speech not what private citizens can or can not do in the confines of their own property which this forum is one.

 

[MattKing]

You are right Paul - the last part of my post did veer into politics, so I've deleted it retrospectively. I've also deleted some responses, including part of yours.
I'm all in favour of political discussion - elsewhere.
The discussion about the site policy to curate content in that way on this photographic site is one that doesn't belong in these threads - if you wish to raise it, the Feedback and Discussion forum is there for that.

 

[Paul Ozzello]

You are right Paul - the last part of my post did veer into politics, so I've deleted it retrospectively. I've also deleted some responses, including part of yours.
I'm all in favour of political discussion - elsewhere.

That’s quite unfortunate. And by selectively deleting parts of my post you are changing its context. And it has me seriously considering deleting my Photrio account altogether.

 

[MattKing]

Just to emphasize 1st Amendment is applicable to government not being able to suppress your free speech not what private citizens can or can not do in the confines of their own property which this forum is one.

I'll leave this in, but point out that it references a completely USA centric version of "free speech".

 

[MattKing]

That’s quite unfortunate. And it has me seriously considering deleting my Photrio account.

Fell free to raise the same policy questions over in that sub-forum.
We have tried having other areas where political discussions were permitted, and that went horribly wrong.