Amazon Music Unlimited Offer: 1-Month For FREE!
Selling photos
I notice that a number of the non-professional members mention having sold their photos. As I am toying with the idea of getting our local library to let me exhibit some of mine for a week or so, I would be interested in the following:
- What seems to be the most popular size?
- Would you recommend mounting but not framing the photos?
- What sort of prices do you charge?
Also, if you have had any success with online sales sites, which would you recommend?
Ta
Ian
- What seems to be the most popular size?
- Would you recommend mounting but not framing the photos?
- What sort of prices do you charge?
Also, if you have had any success with online sales sites, which would you recommend?
Ta
Ian
I actual have an exhibition comming up in August at a local library so I too will be interested. But what I havn't learnt so far...
Framing all the pictures can be very expensive, I intend to have about 40 pics on display. I print & mount them myself so for large (a3) size pictures you are looking at roughly 2-3 pound per picture including mounts. Frames cost - you can get bulk reductions etc. but at 8-10 for the frames you can be looking at nearly 400. Having said that pictures look better framed so I am taking a chance that I may recoup the investment (if not in the exhibition at some craft fairs later).
I havn't yet worked ou pricing - but looking at the pricing of a photographer who exhibeted previously he was charging 30 for large unmounted pics - up to 90 for the framed ones.
I am hoping to create an accompning website to sell the pictures online and it looks like Breezebrowser allows me to do this really easily.
Framing all the pictures can be very expensive, I intend to have about 40 pics on display. I print & mount them myself so for large (a3) size pictures you are looking at roughly 2-3 pound per picture including mounts. Frames cost - you can get bulk reductions etc. but at 8-10 for the frames you can be looking at nearly 400. Having said that pictures look better framed so I am taking a chance that I may recoup the investment (if not in the exhibition at some craft fairs later).
I havn't yet worked ou pricing - but looking at the pricing of a photographer who exhibeted previously he was charging 30 for large unmounted pics - up to 90 for the framed ones.
I am hoping to create an accompning website to sell the pictures online and it looks like Breezebrowser allows me to do this really easily.
Don't forget to make an allowance for the tax you will have to pay!
In all seriousness, and as someone who makes their living with photography, the tax issue is something that most people ignore and think 'I can add a few quid to my income and nobody will know or mind'
In Manchester Crown Court last week or the week before, a husband and wife were appearing on charges related to tax avoidance after they were found selling the husbands sketches in a local market and they were not declaring the income (he had a full time job).
Barrie
In all seriousness, and as someone who makes their living with photography, the tax issue is something that most people ignore and think 'I can add a few quid to my income and nobody will know or mind'
In Manchester Crown Court last week or the week before, a husband and wife were appearing on charges related to tax avoidance after they were found selling the husbands sketches in a local market and they were not declaring the income (he had a full time job).
Barrie
Thanks Barrie, having been self-employed in the dim distant past I had thought of the dreaded T word. Can I sell my photos in an ISA? :0)
At Focus there where signed prints (framed) priced upto 400.
While this may seem a little expensive, what price would you put on a limited edition, or exclusive signed print?
The more people pay for an item, the better they persieve it to be.
Personally I would mount the print, and display it in a very high quality frame, as the overall presentation is vital to the effect.
Jeff
While this may seem a little expensive, what price would you put on a limited edition, or exclusive signed print?
The more people pay for an item, the better they persieve it to be.
Personally I would mount the print, and display it in a very high quality frame, as the overall presentation is vital to the effect.
Jeff
No print is too expensive if its good and by a master (well OK, thank goodness photographers are not footballers!). Jeff, you do not mention who the photographer is - I would pay more for an Irvine Penn than I would a Joe Bloggs. 150 to 200 for someone who is reasonably established.
I'd agree about framing for a local exhibition - but maybe have some mounted only so people can get their paws on a nice print if they can't afford a framed one - they'll have the 'sell' of the framed one to give them an idea of what it looks like on the wall.
As far as size is concerned .. my decisions are based on what I would like to see .. some will look nice as A3, some suit an A4 format better. So I guess I'm going on my intuition ..
Perhaps also invest in a really big print which looks absolutely amazing at a huge size and framed beautifully for the wow factor (depending on cost of course!) .. that sometimes encourages people to go for a smaller one if only to remind them of that stunner!
Have some postcards made too .. they often sell well, and although maybe don't generate a lot of income it's a good way of getting more of your work circulated ..
Cost - good practice to factor in your time and general rolling costs as well as the costs of printing, framing etc .. plus you want to make a profit without scaring the visitors! Plus allowing for tax of course, as Barrie says. It's easy to say 'don't undersell yourself' - but sometimes people choose to do just that so they can sell more work if the money's not so important .. but best not to set a precedent for always selling cheap ..
Just me thoughts
As far as size is concerned .. my decisions are based on what I would like to see .. some will look nice as A3, some suit an A4 format better. So I guess I'm going on my intuition ..
Perhaps also invest in a really big print which looks absolutely amazing at a huge size and framed beautifully for the wow factor (depending on cost of course!) .. that sometimes encourages people to go for a smaller one if only to remind them of that stunner!
Have some postcards made too .. they often sell well, and although maybe don't generate a lot of income it's a good way of getting more of your work circulated ..
Cost - good practice to factor in your time and general rolling costs as well as the costs of printing, framing etc .. plus you want to make a profit without scaring the visitors! Plus allowing for tax of course, as Barrie says. It's easy to say 'don't undersell yourself' - but sometimes people choose to do just that so they can sell more work if the money's not so important .. but best not to set a precedent for always selling cheap ..
Just me thoughts
David,
Most people would pay more for a print by a well known name.
My point is simply, as a photographer don't under-value your work.
Jeff
Most people would pay more for a print by a well known name.
My point is simply, as a photographer don't under-value your work.
Jeff
OK Jeff - no argument was intended. If you look on the Ansel Adams website, originals are anything from $4000 to $25,000, while new prints from his original negs start at $175. I wasn't making a point apart from the fact that footballers are overpriced and I hope photographers aren't. Most of us would pay what we think its worth - I don't have anymore idea of what I would sell one of my best prints for than anyone else in ePHOTOzine. I have bought prints from reasonably well known and established photographers and prices can vary from 30 to 1000.
David,
It's difficult to answer the original question because a lot of variables come into the equasion.
I think Suzi is pretty accurate in her assessment, the location and nature of the sale is more likely to appeal to a mass market rather than a collector, therefore prices need to reflect the situation.
As for selling on line, the best way has to be through your own site, where an exclusive print could command a higher value.
As you state a reprint is far cheaper than the original which I would class as an exclusive print.
Also some photographers charge more for a signed print.
In this case it would probably be print only, without mount and frame.
Jeff
It's difficult to answer the original question because a lot of variables come into the equasion.
I think Suzi is pretty accurate in her assessment, the location and nature of the sale is more likely to appeal to a mass market rather than a collector, therefore prices need to reflect the situation.
As for selling on line, the best way has to be through your own site, where an exclusive print could command a higher value.
As you state a reprint is far cheaper than the original which I would class as an exclusive print.
Also some photographers charge more for a signed print.
In this case it would probably be print only, without mount and frame.
Jeff
Well my story will perhaps be of some encouragement,i was at the focus 2004 show yesterday and i took four of my photos on disk,with the hope that one of the big print machine manufactures might print them,i visited two of them and was met with a polite no,they didn't even look at the disk,
i was about to give up the idea,when i went to another manufacturer who do the huge professional print machines,and the guy said yes come back in half an hour,so with that i went off to look around the rest of the show,
after an hour i was walking back to the stand when i noticed around a dozen people standing around that machine so i stood back thinking the salesman was demonstrating to potential clients,and probably would not take kindly to me asking if he had printed my amateur work,when i noticed this lady hold up an A3 print of my work,and there was a lot of head nodding going on,
i thought whoops probably pointing out some glaring mistakes with would have shown up at that size,so i started to try and slink away,when the salesman shouted there he is,
so i thought oh well here goes,when i got there they asked if i would sell them one of my prints,
not knowing what to say or do i said yes,but had know idea as to a price the sales guy said for a signed copy it would fetch around 100 unmounted,i just let out a nervous laugh,but in an instant,they asked me to sign it and gave me 100 pounds,
needless to say i offered the split the proceeds with the salesman,but he flatly refused saying i had earned every penny,he said he would print me another one if i came back later,
after two hours having spent some of that money on filters i went back to pick up my A4 print,only to be greeted with a seven foot poster being displayed,boy was i proud if not a little embarrassed at the same time as a now large crowed were looking at it,so there we go it can happen,i went home last night a happy man.
i was about to give up the idea,when i went to another manufacturer who do the huge professional print machines,and the guy said yes come back in half an hour,so with that i went off to look around the rest of the show,
after an hour i was walking back to the stand when i noticed around a dozen people standing around that machine so i stood back thinking the salesman was demonstrating to potential clients,and probably would not take kindly to me asking if he had printed my amateur work,when i noticed this lady hold up an A3 print of my work,and there was a lot of head nodding going on,
i thought whoops probably pointing out some glaring mistakes with would have shown up at that size,so i started to try and slink away,when the salesman shouted there he is,
so i thought oh well here goes,when i got there they asked if i would sell them one of my prints,
not knowing what to say or do i said yes,but had know idea as to a price the sales guy said for a signed copy it would fetch around 100 unmounted,i just let out a nervous laugh,but in an instant,they asked me to sign it and gave me 100 pounds,
needless to say i offered the split the proceeds with the salesman,but he flatly refused saying i had earned every penny,he said he would print me another one if i came back later,
after two hours having spent some of that money on filters i went back to pick up my A4 print,only to be greeted with a seven foot poster being displayed,boy was i proud if not a little embarrassed at the same time as a now large crowed were looking at it,so there we go it can happen,i went home last night a happy man.
Thank you Ian,it was(Mother and Child) and the large poster was Africa Sleeps)both on my portfolio,not sure what to do with a print that size,needless to say framing is out of the question the cost would be horrendous,LOL.
Andy.
Andy.
