Selling one-off photographic art prints (i.e. 1 of 1)

[seth_.]

<p>Does anyone reading this forum sell one-off prints?<br>

I'm talking about selling a print as well as the negative.<br>

If anyone actually does, do you have any advice?</p>

 

[john_a5]

<p>Why would you do that? Why would you sell the neg in any case?</p>

<p>I know there are a few photographers that make truly small editions, and maybe just one, but they also get mega dollars--and I mean in the 10's to 100's of thousands of dollars per print. Gursky might get the most and maybe does one offs, but if I were getting a million bucks a print I might consider it as well.</p>

<p>So, back to the original questions, why?</p>

<p> </p>

[randy_larson]

<p>IMHO this would make no sense. Unless you have a famous name, art buyers really could not care less about the negative and the 1/1 designation. The average buying public buys artwork based on the size of the piece, the colors in the piece, the pricepoint and their emotional response to it. I see people trying to sell their unknown work at inflated prices because of small edition size, and have even seen the photographer make claims of destroying the negatives after the edition is sold out. I am willing to bet these photographers never have to destroy a negative because of sales! My approach and advice, and it has allowed me to make a living the past two years, is open edition, keep it affordable, offer several sizes and create work that people love and want hanging in their houses or places of business. I have no delusions of collectability and enjoy seeing people able to afford and appreciate my work. I believe that to some degree photography is a dying medium in terms of art and as an investment, mainly because of the deluge of images in the digital world and the availability of inexpensive inkjet printing. On the other hand, there are still possibilities if you do great work, find a niche and make good business decisions. Find ways to separate your work fro others (my 6x17 panoramic work has really helped me in this way). Just my two cents, and good luck in your approach.<br>

Randy</p>

[zensphoto]

<p>If you are going to sell the negative I make it a flat rate for the negative of $10,000 dollars. The negative is your copyright of that photograph. Since you want to sell the copyright of it, especially if it ends up being a hot photograph you should get an handsome reward for it.</p>

<p>Let me add this here, If the art buyer is going to buy the photograph and wants to keep the photograph as a single photograph that does not have any copies which we know will cause the photograph to lose value over the amount of photographs produced. A single of it only would definitely be $10,000 dollars.</p>

<p>No one I know that shoots professionally sells the negative for less and I don't know many that would sell the negative to being with.</p>

[seth_.]

<p>I appreciate your responses, although I can't help but feel that as photographers, we become a little too materialistic, being so concerned about the gear we use and how the next guy might have the Mk II model with the extra strap-lug. Negatives might be gold in your eyes, but you can expose a new one any time you feel like it, right?<br>

If you happen to be not-so-attached to your possessions, then it should be easy to let go the images (and negatives), and realise that if you are a decent photographer, then you are bound to capture more.<br>

I am also going to contradict myself, but from the perspective of acquisition - if I am buying a piece of art that happens to speak to me in some way (and I may become attached to it), then having the only copy makes it much more special. If I can't afford it, well then, there is always more art.<br>

Of course, there are people who are polarised in all sorts of directions, and if I plan to exploit my art, then it will sell to the right one, or it won't sell, but either way, I will still be out with my camera the next day, capturing images.<br>

Is 10,000 dollars the right amount because it is an aesthetically pleasing number? What about 10,000 euro? That's about 12,573 dollars, according to a recent exchange rate.<br>

Maye I'll price all my prints at US$12,573 ;)</p>

[erie_patsellis]

<p>I don't know, $12,345.67 sounds better...</p>

[carnagex_carnagex]

<p>(One thing is to make sure they are unable to make copies, maybe a small hole punch on the negative, which still allows them to see they have the original, but are unable to reproduce the work. Maybe also have them sign a release that makes it illegal to reproduce additional copies.)</p>

[seth_.]

<p>Ok I'll sell them half the neg ;)</p>