Selling Prints

roteague said:

Don't shoot print film, shoot transparencies. If you are doing landscapes, try Fuji Velvia 50, which is favored by most landscape photographers, including me.

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Yea, I read a quote the other day about West Coast Imaging suggesting shooting slide film. I'd love to shoot print just because I can get a disk done at the time of processing by my lab and it makes it a little cheaper for output, but only if I shoot 35mm. Problem is I want to shoot MF and scans add to the cost, but for big prints I can see it. For 8x10 i think it is a unnecessary expense. I did find this lab with prices that seem ok.
http://www.Imagerylab.com/pricing.html

You should be able to get the same service, on either Slides or Prints Wayne, most of the up to date labs, have the capibilities to scan and print or scan and burn to CD, both slides and print, we have been doing this for over a year around here.

Dave

waynecrider said:

I did find this lab with prices that seem ok.
http://www.Imagerylab.com/pricing.html

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The prices are low, but they also don't use a high quality scanner. Drum scanning is the best.

It's interesting to note the difference between what major galleries sell, and what 'satellite' galleries and art fairs sell. Black and white is far and away the most prevelant work being offered and sold at NYC galleries and other galleries displaying work at the AIPAD show. This market is heavily weighted toward collectors. Repeat sales and client relationships are sought and cultivated. The other market is for 'decor' and that favors color prints and sizes that meet decorating needs. It's here where giclee prints and digigraphs fare quite well. Buyers of this work are looking to decorate a room and the 'graph has to meet size, color and subject requirements for that purpose.

Near my home is a gallery (the Exposures Gallery) that offers color, giclee prints which are, at least up to now, made on film, scanned, and printed digitally. The photographer, Nick Zungoli, seems to do quite well and has, in fact, opened a second gallery in Woodstock NY. It's his day job. He's making it. As a business, it's successful. Take a look.

Alternatively, visit the Catherine Perich Gallery in nearby Katonah, NY; a much more affluent sub (or is it ex-) urb. Here you will find a fantastic list of major photographers of substantial significance.

Both galleries are doing very well. There's a niche for everyone. But the work had better be damn good!!

c6h6o3 said:

Michael Kenna and Rolfe Horn sell like CRAZY, and their prints are small, black and white and expensive. What Clayton said rings true.

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Kenna and Horn's prints are expensive. I own a bunch of Horns, and have traveled to see his shows. They are the kind of works I aspire to make. I think the cost for their prints are well worth it, and in Horn's case, a bargain. You must see a print in real life to appreciate them the most. Summed up, if the quality is there, they will sell.

Wayne asked:

Two questions;
1. Who buys your art % wise, women or men.
2. What's the subject matter of your best two sellers.

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1. It's about 50:50, but it very much depends on why they are buying. Often, it's the junior admin staff coming in to pick up a gift for someone leaving the office, and those staff members are usually female (refer to the thread in which women are paid less for the same work in Australia ....). Men are often buying prints as gifts for their wives/girlfriends (and vice versa). Some people are buying to decorate their office (about 70:30 men to women). When people are buying for their home, they most often come in with their partner and make the decision together.

So, 50:50 men to women is the breakdown of my market. Does that surprise anyone?

2. Best seller is a lightning photo (in fact 5 of the top 10 in selling volume are shots of lightning) The next best seller is a shot of an open pit mine. The top three in terms of profit are all lightning photos, and #4 is a shot of a pub.

All of the top 15 are local scenes shot in way which people don't often see or notice, which confirms the statement from Scott Edwards about local scenes selling well.

As most are saying, first and foremost you should shoot the things that inspire you. When your work moves you, it will move others too.

Jovo's split of the two types of sales is probably fair, though I disagree about the decor market (mine) not seeking return sales. I keep in contact with most of my customers though a monthly newsletter and direct marketing offers.

Clayton, regarding Ken Duncan's sales: I believe he has tapped into the collectors' market for the top end of his sales, however most of his marketing is still aimed at the upper middle-class public looking to decorate, rather than collect artworks for investment (which, with his work, is a side effect anyway). My point was that there are far fewer collectors than there are members of the general public. In my market place, there are essentially no collectors, so I'm selling to the general public. It is up to each of us to decide where we want to (and are able to) position ourselves in the market.

wbryant's summary ("if the quality is there, they will sell")is not far from the mark, but if the image doesn't have an emotional impact on the potential buyer, quality alone will not sell a print.

Cheers,

waynecrider said:

To me, the crux of this trip is to photogaph and produce something worth selling, so for approximately 14 days say, I'll be working at image making. I ask, if would I be smarter shooting lifestyles for stock sales? Are landscapes overdone; Are flower shots passe?

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Wayne, one word of caution here. Unless you are wanting to go full-commercial and do the stock-sales thing, watch out about thinking what will sell. Shoot what you feel, not what you think you can sell. Everytime I've gotten that feeling, the image sucked and I was sorry I did it.

Nothing wrong with keeping abreast of what sells on the market; yes, the flowers, rushing streams and slot canyons are highly overdone IMO. Knowing those overdone scenes are popular and they "sell", I wondered if anyone would ever buy an 8x10 of a grain elevator in Kansas. But, people do buy them. So, don't worry much about whether the scene in front of you fits
the mold or not. Get hold of something with feeling and go for it.

It seems the reoccuring theme is shoot your passion and do it dam good.

Thanks Graeme (and all) for the input.

waynecrider said:

It seems the reoccuring theme is shoot your passion and do it dam good.

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*CLICK* You got it Wayne!

waynecrider said:

It seems the reoccuring theme is shoot your passion and do it dam good.

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Hey, if dams and other civil engineering projects are your thing, go for it!

Graeme Hird said:

Hey, if dams and other civil engineering projects are your thing, go for it!

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Works pretty good for David "no flowers" Plowden!

Graeme Hird said:

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Jovo's split of the two types of sales is probably fair, though I disagree about the decor market (mine) not seeking return sales. I keep in contact with most of my customers though a monthly newsletter and direct marketing offers.

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Through omission rather than volition, I perhaps gave the impression that sales for 'decor' were to one time only clients. Far from it...the local 'decor' gallery, and almost every other gallery I've ever been to regardless of their likely clientele, solicits and courts comments, and requests one sign their guestbook with the expectation of being contacted by mail and/or email regarding new work or new exhibitions. Even the transitory art or craft fair booths take pains to record the addy's of customers in the hope of establishing a continuing relationship if possible.