I am going to print some of my macro photos and try and sell them. I am pretty confident of the quality of at least some of my shots and I think they could sell.
Howeber I have never sold prints (well there was this single, one time, but it doesn’t count, because reasons) and I have close to no idea how to price them and generally how to approach this endeavour.
I am printing them at 40x30(cm). The photos will have a black passpartout frame and will be covered by thin anti-glare, anti-reflex glass.
Any tips regarding this very strange, new territory for me? Also any tips regarding exporting the actual images regharding color profiles and what not?
WHERE do you want to sell, how do you think you’ll find your clients. I honestly recommend to start with that and maybe use an online print service like blurb for the sales. If someone orders a print at the price you have fixed, you get the money minus the print-cost and commission.
Don’t get too excited, though. I photo in a newspaper fetches about 16.- Euro per 100’000 prints. (does that help?)
I mainly plan to sell on Facebook and through word of mouth. I already have the printing part set up, a former colleague of mine owns a print shop and will take care of the printing for me.
Well, I want to offer these prints as limited editions (3-5copies per item, max), with some one-offs for good measure, so I am thinking of pricing them accordingly.
I’m not sure if the same formula is applicable in my case. I live in Romania and prices and wages are really low here.
For instance, if I were to use this formula: €10 (material cost) + €4 (this is a really really good hourly rate in Romania, like really very good and most people only make half that) x 0.5 (hours worked on image) + 30% of total = roughly €19.
If this is the case, then you can’t sell for much either unless you sell to the wealthier or out of country. How much do others sell prints? How much would you pay for the same product (honestly)?
Also, it is your hourly rate, not the average good one!
I tend to look at where I’d like to target my prints/sales (as @beachbum already noted).
Ask yourself what level of print/clientele you are targeting.
Are you looking at fine art prints? As in, you will produce a limited run of images and possibly even hang them in a gallery or sell them through a dealer/broker of some sort? If this is the case then the pricing and handling of gallery work, commissions, etc. will usually be something you should speak to the curator about at the gallery.
Another option here is that you will sell these prints yourself (as you said, through FB or word of mouth) - are you still trying to target that same audience of fine art collectors? Or are you considering more casual art buyers? In this case you should consider your market and location a bit more. Selling in an art “festival” might focus more on volume for instance, so price down to entice people and adjust for the local spending economy.
For instance, I’ve noticed that as prices decrease, the market gets bigger (and vice-versa). Price accordingly with that in mind.
Something that is often helpful is to go look at prints being offered from others that you yourself would buy. Look at what options and prices they are offering. Look at others that are producing a similar level of work that you are as well. It might help to bring a couple of examples to friends that will give you a honest opinion (or just bring it here, the internet can give you all sort of honest opinions. ). If you really want some direct feedback feel free to ping me (in your post) as well, I’m always happy to help.
For a small, related example I’ve been considering purchasing a print of a painting that I very much like by a Serbian painter Dragan Bibin:
This is a case where the larger sized print sells for around $85 USD (no frame, fine-art paper, 16" x 24"). This price is reasonable to me for how much I like this painting (tbh, I’d even be willing to buy the original if it wasn’t obnoxiously priced, say less than $1,000 USD).
I was selling my “Mr. Presidents” image online for around $85 matted and framed as an example. This is for an unlimited run, though, so I’d maybe at least double or triple the price for a limited run signed and numbered?
tl;dr - look at prices from others selling similar quality prints at various places and maybe start around there and see how they sell. If it’s too high you can always reduce prices later (better to start high and come down if you need to).
If you’re selling your prints online somewhere, can you share with us how much and where? It would be interesting to see what others in the community are up to for selling and pricing and where they seem to be getting a good amount of sales! (This may be worth it’s own post for visibility).
I will only be selling prints myself, via my own Facebook profile and by word of mouth. I gave it some more thought, talked to a couple photographers discussing pricing and local art markets and what not and I am a bit closer to having a clear picture of what I want to do.
I will not go to a third party, nor online, nor a physical broker. Mainly because reasons, but also because it seems like a hassle and I really can’t be arsed.
I plan on selling limited-edition copies (say 5 copies at most, perhaps, more likely 3) for some items, with a few one-off items of what I consider to be my best work.
I am considering pricing the limited-run, signed and numbered pieces at around the €100 mark, with the one-offs around €300.
Pricing prints is tricky and depends on a number of factors.
How well known are you in photography? Check the websites of photographers operating in the same geographical area and see what they’re charging for prints. Since you’re just starting on this venture you will need to price lower than established photographers. It’s better to start out with a lower price, and slowly raise the price as people get to know you and your work, than starting off too high with nobody buying.
How unique is your material? is it really high quality? What would make a customer want one of your print instead of a print from another photographer? There is a lot of competition out there.
I suggest adding a 2 - 3 cm white border to your prints, which presents the photos nicely. In the bottom border you can add a title, edition number (if you want) and your signature. As well, give the customer a certificate of authenticity. These small extra touches help in adding value, even if you keep the same price.
Expand your type of photography. Don’t just get known as the “local macro guy”. Become a master at the craft.
I don’t know what the market is like in your area, but around here (Alberta, Canada), your print prices sound a bit too high.
Disclosure: I’ve been a professional photographer for many years (semi-retired now), but most of my shooting has been for commercial clients and publications, including National Geographic. While I have sold a number of prints, it’s been more like a sideline. The photographers I know that do well on print sales are specialists, such as wildlife photographers who have built up their reputation for years. It’s a tough market.
To adress a few, in no particular order. I would consider my work of high quality and I have the advantage of being one of very few (I would almost dare say the only) macro photographer on a few hundred mile radius. This area of photography is very, very niche in my country. I actually know just a handful of macro photographers in the entire country. That makes my material quite unique, if not necesarrily due to quality (although I am rather confident of that as well), but rather due to availability, or rather lack thereof. So I guess I have this on my side.
I do plan on signing and numbering the prints, also I will be naming the subjects using their scientific latin names. But I settled on a 3cm black passpartout border. I really prefer it to white.
Finally, the vast majority of photographers in Romania are either wedding photographers, wildlife photographers, fashion photographers or product photographers, so I would actually be thrilled to get to be known as the local macro photographer.
Very good idea about offering a certificate of authenticity, I will certainly do that as well.
First off, IMHO, although pixels.us is an excellent photography site, it’s not the place to look for marketing advice. Especially a niche area like yours.
Take a look here:
That said, here goes.
1)You didn’t post a link to your portfolio. (You DO have a website?)
2) What is your USP (unique selling point) Is it your subject matter, style etc.
3) Do some face-to-face research. Find a group of like minded individuals to give you feedback/
3) Visit a gallery or three and try and make friends with the knowledgeable
personnel. Ask their advice.
Regards,
Stan
P.S. Is this to be your primary source of income or just a spare time venture.
@zerosapte Try to imagine what kind of people and/or institutions would be interested in your work. If nature close-ups – what about local schools? Higher education? Then start about thinking of how to reach them. Make a local newspaper interested in your work
so they will publish articles about your macros…?
). If you really want some direct feedback feel free to ping me (in your post) as well, I’m always happy to help.
