Should I trust a gallery to produce prints for sale in the UK?

[cjboffoli]

<p>I am a Seattle-based photographer who has recently had some good luck with a series of my images going viral around the world. A London gallery has contacted me with interest in selling prints of my work in the UK.<br />.<br>

Since the cost of shipping crates of prints from the West Coast of the UK would be high, they've offered to produce giclee and acrylic-mounted lambda prints locally from my digital files. They're offering me 1/3 of the retail price which, considering they would be footing the expense for producing the images and selling them at retail, is completely reasonable. And they've proposed edition numbers which would set limits on the number of prints.<br>

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<br /> The question I have is whether I should trust them. The gallery has a good looking website (http://www.theoldsweetshop.org/) that demonstrates that they seem to have good taste and appear to be a reasonably upscale venue. They seem to represent a number of other artists, though they are almost completely print-makers who produce their own art in London. So no other photographers with whom they are doing what they propose to do for me.<br /> It seems easy on my end, but obviously once the digital files are out of my control they could conceivably produce an unlimited number of prints without my knowledge.<br>

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I just thought I'd throw it out here and see if anyone had an opinion, pro or con. Thanks in advance.</p>

[dhbebb]

<p>This has worked for me (with the David Redfern gallery, now closed, and the National Portrait Gallery). DR used the Metro lab, NPG made the print internally. To be on the safe side, you could send them a 4x6" guide print and ask them to send one back to you - happily with digital printing color balance does not vary as a fucntion of print size. The question of limiting print numbers should of course be covered by the contract you sign with the gallery.</p>

[andy_wager1]

<p>It is entirely upto you whether you trust them or not.<br>

If you want to check on them then contact some of the artists using their services, get a sample print, fly over and check them out personally or whatever.</p>

<p>At the end of the day if you want to see your work distributed outside of your own little bubble then you are going to have to trust someone and you will have the same issues with any company outside of the US.</p>

<p>Do normal checks and keep your eye on them as best you can.</p>

<p> </p>