New “Business”

[Ricochetrider]

Hello everybody,

So after shooting for years at a vintage drag race event, I’m suddenly being asked to sell prints to folks. One of them wants me to travel across state lines to shoot his race car in addition to buying a print of his old pick up truck. 
 

I am currently in the process of having some prints made for my own purposes and chose a high end printmaker, Cone Editions in Vermont for their Piezography for B&W. So IOW, modern Ink Jet prints One guy is fine with the expense, another guy seems fine with it but the third customer balked so we’ve decided to look around for a less expensive alternative. Fortunately, the guy (#2) in New Mexico is friends with the guy (balker) in Oklahoma so once he gets the print in hand maybe they’ll talk about it together. 
 

The person in New Jersey and I haven’t spoken about it but I get the feeling he’s doing pretty well in it all. 
 

I am pretty excited about all this but also kinda lost in it. I don’t want to price myself out of the game with these guys, AND I’d really like it if the word got out in the community so more people might like to buy shots of their cars or bikes. 
 

I wouldn’t go so far as to think I have a new “business” sprouting, but would like to establish a sensible price structure that can work now and in the future. That said, how do I find some ground where I can make a bit of money and the customer will be pleased with what I send them? Some of my time of course will be simply dealing with getting prints made- emails or perhaps a phone call now and then- but there’s a definite field trip in the future. 
 

FWIW, for my own purposes with Cone Editions I’ve chosen Hannemuhle Museum Etching ink jet paper for B&W and it looks like Canson Photographique for color. Both papers are matte. These are both heavier stock, IIRC the former is 350gsm & the latter, 300 or 310 gsm. I’ve gotten some proofs in from Cone and these make a really nice product. 
 

Thanks in advance for your time.

Tom  “Ricochetrider” Banks 

 

 

[Niels - NHSN]

Hey Tom

Sounds like a great opportunity.

I'd advice you to look at Rob Haggart's blog "aPhotoEditor". He often has real-world examples on how photo jobs are negotiated and priced. I am sure you can pick some inspiration from those examples.

Use the blog's search function and look for "negotiation" to find posts titled "Pricing & Negotiation: ...". There are many.

Good luck.

[Deon Reynolds]

How fun and what a great opportunity! I would like to add, anyone who is in the business of photography should have FotoQuote in their computer. It is indispensable when it comes to how much should I charge and how do I negotiate with a myriad of types of clients for any kind of photographic project imaginable.

https://cradocfotosoftware.com/fotoquote/

[Ricochetrider]

Hi guys, 

Many thanks for the tips, really appreciate it. 
And meanwhile, things are evolving. Still working on delivering some prints, in fact I’ll carry the print to the guy in NJ next week between Christmas and New Years - and pack some cameras along just in case. 
 

Elsewhere, in an ongoing situation, I’ve been invited to exhibit my photos at one of my workplaces. It’s called Rock Lititz, which has large concert rehearsal spaces, some entertainment industry shop spaces in addition to a hotel and retail/public spaces as well as a brewery. All this is spread across a large campus. 
 

Managment at The Rock is super supportive of the creative people in their community. They always have solo exhibits in the public Pod 2, they have annual Community art shows, and a Christmas “makers market” as well. 
 

Some of the impetus for me in printing photos was for the chance to be an exhibitor there, and my photos will be on display from Mid January thru March. 

Meanwhile over this past weekend I attended an opening for a lady I know who was sharing a photo exhibit at our local Art Association. I met the president of the Assoc who invited me to send her some examples of my work, and asked me to join the association- to which I readily agreed.  
 

She was super enthused about my photos and as of today has me displaying my b&w “moto” photos in 2 different corporate office buildings- first from July thru Sept and then Sept thru January 2024! Additionally, I sent her some travel shots too and she loved them and wants me to possibly display a se find set of those images!
 

I believe she said I’ll need as many as 15 framed photos so I’ll have to have more prints made and framed as the year progresses. 
 

This first set of prints will be “on tour” for most of 2023! 

She also told me to get a price list together, so it looks like things are happening! Of course if (when?) things sell as during the year I suppose I’ll have to have more prints made? This is all brand new territory for me and I’m very excited about it! 

[Ricochetrider]

OK so this is really happening- I will install my first photo exhibit at Rock Lititz' Pod 2 on Wedensday this week!

I think I said it already but I went into this not really thinking I'd sell anything- I just didnt realize sales were a side benefit of exhibiting! SO I pored over the linked info above, trying to come up with a price list- without getting anything out of any of it... one is a paid app, the other a blog with loads of stuff in it- all very interesting but nothing I could glean to guide me in my quest.. So I winged it. I feel like I went high- and why wouldnt I? I know what I have in each framed piece- including printing, framing, and nominal costs of film + processing. I know what each entity will take (15% at Rock Lititz, 1/3 later this year when the Art Assocciation exhibits and/or sells). I came up with a price for prints either framed and unframed- and each of the B&W prints will be Editions of 15, so there's is some exclusivity for a buyer.  

Another "challenge" was composing the "artist bio"...  which I created specifically for this exhibit, following suggested guidelines to whatever degree. I figure the Bio is a work in progress anyway, and will evolve as I grow and/or for each exhibit.  Her'es my Bio for anyone who wantas to read it. Please feel free to critique it for me! 

 

 

I’m Tom Banks. 

I’m on the Rigging crew over at the Rock Lititz Rehearsal Studios.

A life-long vintage motorcyclist, I came to shooting my “Moto Photo” series as a rider and enthusiast with a real love of old bikes. I began my photographic journey with a series of digital cameras, but when I finally got my first film camera, everything “clicked”.

I am self taught all the way, developing my eye, technique, and abilities at car shows, motorcycle swap meets, and vintage motor racing events around Pennsylvania, the Mid Atlantic Region, and up & down the East Coast. I came into film after some frustration over how complex digital cameras are. I enjoy the simple mechanics and tactile experience of my cameras, and love the unique qualities of              various films. Of course I shoot color but for the Moto Photos, I feel black & white lends an honest sense of timeless authenticity that brings a lot of strength to the shots. That said,  there’s a time and place for everything. A friend and mentor once told me something that went on to define me as a photographer: “Shoot color for color, black & white for everything else”.

The film cameras I shoot are 35mm or Medium Format (6X6 or 6X9) and range in build date from the early 2000s to the mid 1930s. You can find more of my Moto Photos at Instagram, where I am Ricochet Rider. Please also check my everyday, non-moto film photography at my secondary IG account, m0de_dujour.

 

[Ricochetrider]

Meanwhile, a couple things have showed themselves to me, so here are a couple questions for anyone who's exhibited and/or sold stuff anywhere:

1: A disclaimer in the Rock Lititz Agreement states that they in no way will insure my works- although they do say they provide a "safe & secure environment" (words to that effect) for the exhibit. So now I'm thinking about insurance! Is this a blanket sort of comprehensive policy that covers artworks on display and allows for some ebb & flow of "product"?

and, 2: I'm now thinking maybe it would benefit me to have a real and actual website?  

 

Any insight would be greatly appreciated, and thank you in advance.

Tom

Edited January 29, 2023 by Ricochetrider

[AJG]

The insurance question is always a hard one--the logistics of figuring out the value of different shows and getting this to an insurance company and getting a rider for a specific show is time consuming and can get expensive for a gallery.  Particularly if you haven't shown before snd don't have a track record of sales to justify prices and thus, value, insurance can be difficult to get.  Most of the many shows that I have done haven't been insured and so far, I haven't incurred any serious losses.  You could check out your homeowner's/renter's  insurance and see what coverage you have on personal property not in your home.  Some homeowner's insurance will provide at least limited coverage if there is some minimal security provided where your work is but don't assume that without checking with your insurance agent.

On the website question, absolutely get a web site if you expect to continue to try to sell your prints.  There are lots of decent looking templates out there that won't cost that much.  I haven't sold much that way, but it isn't zero.

[Ricochetrider]

Copy, thanks so much. An acquaintance is an art appraiser, for the IRS if I have it correctly. I may inquire with her to see if she has any connections from her work community 

I will also delve a bit into a website. In truth, Zenfolio gives me a URL and also has the ability for sales within the structure of even their basic paid plan gets me- so maybe I can begin listing them as my “website” just to get me off the ground in all this. 

[Ricochetrider]

Thinking about representation or an agent?

Could it be said that in this instance the Art Association is more or less acting as an agent? They booked me for two showings, introduced the expectation of potential sales, and will take a percentage of any such. 
 

Do any but the biggest players have an actual agent representing them in their photography?