[Votesh]

So, I'm looking for some advice on showing and selling some of my photographs at an arts festival this September. First of all, some info on the festival. It's a weekend festival that takes place in the arts and design district on the town I live in. It's fairly large, with over 150 artists displaying their work, with food and entertainment available as well. Prizes are awarded on an overall basis, as well as for each category of art. Each artist has a 10ftx10ft booth space, and must have their own display equipment. Aside from just displaying art, the artists sell their works. Last year I was surprised at how much some of the photographers were asking(anywhere from $80-125 for a mounted 8x10 print), but now I see that considering the costs of doing something like this that's not TOO unreasonable.

I haven't been accepted yet, but it seems like the type of deal where as long as you send in the fees and other required materials they allow you in. This will be the first time I've done something like this and I've got some questions that I hope some of the folks here that have participated in these events before can answer.

My first question is, what should I use to display my photos? I have a 10x10 tent but that's it. I'm pretty handy and have all the required tools to build something, I'm just not sure what would be the best way to present my photographs. I'm thinking of fashioning something like a free standing towel rack with several horizontal bars from which I could hang the pictures. It would be easy enough, but if anyone has any other ideas they would be very welcome.

Secondly, what would be the best way to mount my prints? I have a Epson R1900 printer, so I can print up to 13x19in. I've dry mounted prints before, but that was years ago in a photography class, and I don't currently have the equipment to do that. I like the idea of buying pre cut mat boards for mounting, but, once again, if anyone has any better suggestions I'm very open to them.

Lastly, what are your recommendations for the amount, sizes and prices of prints? I figure I'll have maybe 75-100 different photos on display or at least available for display. I'm sort of stumped on how many of each photo I should have available. I guess it would be best to have more of the images I and others think are my best available, and less of the ones that aren't quite as good. Also, what would you suggest for sizes? The smaller, the less they will cost, but some people may want a larger photo. Maybe do primarily 8x10s and then have some larger and smaller prints available too, at prices adjusted for their size? That brings me to the last question on this issue: what should I charge per print? Like I said earlier, in the photography booths I saw last year, prices ranged from $80-125 for 8x10s. This festival takes place in a very affluent area, but I still want to be reasonable with pricing.

So, if anyone can make some suggestions on these points, or just has something to add that I haven't even considered, I would GREATLY appreciate it.

-Ryan

[SCGushue]

Secondly, what would be the best way to mount my prints? I have a Epson R1900 printer, so I can print up to 13x19in. I've dry mounted prints before, but that was years ago in a photography class, and I don't currently have the equipment to do that. I like the idea of buying pre cut mat boards for mounting, but, once again, if anyone has any better suggestions I'm very open to them.

-Ryan

Ryan,

I'll get back to you on this topic after I have had a little time to digest and answer your other questions. But the above paragraph just exploded out of all the other issues you talked about.

I really think that you should NEVER () ever dry mount a print that you intend to sell. The second it is dry mounted it loses its value as a work of art as there is limited or no flexibility in display by the purchaser down the road.

Prints for sale, and worth paying for, should be matted with acid free/buffered material, with the image (minimally) hinge taped with acid free tape or archival linen tape. A suitable backing should be hinged also. You will also find out when you prepare prints this way that it is not cheap... and you might just be better off learning to do it yourself and buy a good matt cutter and the other requisit tools.

'Til later,

Stephen

Ryan, I've got some comments to make.

Make sure you have plenty of business cards.
Go for quality not quantity, the more different pictures you have, the less people will buy.
By all means use your towel rack idea but don't overload it.
Put the best ones prominently on display.
Don't produce too many copies, less exclusivity means people will want to pay less or not buy at all. You can always take orders to print and send on. While I'm on the subject of that, get friendly with your local frame shop and ask their advice. They might give you some frame samples so that you can offer work in different frame styles but make sure you have prices so you can give your customers accurate quotes. You may also be able to get a good discount from them if they think you are going to be a regular customer.
Don't be too optimistic, consider this a trial run and do it for the experience.
Have fun.

[Votesh]

I'd done some reading that said just that about dry mounting. I just mentioned it as sort of a indicator of my experience in mounting. That's how we did it in photography class in high school and I personally hated it.
Thanks a lot for taking the time to help me out. I've been excited about doing this since I went to the festival last year, and really want it to go well.

Ryan,

I'll get back to you on this topic after I have had a little time to digest and answer your other questions. But the above paragraph just exploded out of all the other issues you talked about.

I really think that you should NEVER () ever dry mount a print that you intend to sell. The second it is dry mounted it loses its value as a work of art as there is limited or no flexibility in display by the purchaser down the road.

Prints for sale, and worth paying for, should be matted with acid free/buffered material, with the image (minimally) hinge taped with acid free tape or archival linen tape. A suitable backing should be hinged also. You will also find out when you prepare prints this way that it is not cheap... and you might just be better off learning to do it yourself and buy a good matt cutter and the other requisit tools.

'Til later,

Stephen

[Votesh]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll definitely go for quality over quantity. I've only got maybe 30 photos that I think are display/judging quality at the moment, and I hope to add at least 20 more by the time the festival comes around. So I suppose instead of 75-100 I'll just shoot for 50.
They have a requirement that all pieces are signed and numbered, and as per your advice I'll keep the number of prints of any one photo fairly low.
There's a frame shop just a few blocks from my apartment, and I'll go in there and get to know them and see what they suggest. Unfortunately I'm working a seasonal job away from home at the moment so I can't get started with all the preparations right away, but at least I can plan

Ryan, I've got some comments to make.

Make sure you have plenty of business cards.
Go for quality not quantity, the more different pictures you have, the less people will buy.
By all means use your towel rack idea but don't overload it.
Put the best ones prominently on display.
Don't produce too many copies, less exclusivity means people will want to pay less or not buy at all. You can always take orders to print and send on. While I'm on the subject of that, get friendly with your local frame shop and ask their advice. They might give you some frame samples so that you can offer work in different frame styles but make sure you have prices so you can give your customers accurate quotes. You may also be able to get a good discount from them if they think you are going to be a regular customer.
Don't be too optimistic, consider this a trial run and do it for the experience.
Have fun.

Planning is essential.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll definitely go for quality over quantity. I've only got maybe 30 photos that I think are display/judging quality at the moment, and I hope to add at least 20 more by the time the festival comes around. So I suppose instead of 75-100 I'll just shoot for 50.
They have a requirement that all pieces are signed and numbered, and as per your advice I'll keep the number of prints of any one photo fairly low.
There's a frame shop just a few blocks from my apartment, and I'll go in there and get to know them and see what they suggest. Unfortunately I'm working a seasonal job away from home at the moment so I can't get started with all the preparations right away, but at least I can plan

[Fl_Gulfer]

Presentation, and Matting are great selling effects. And pictures of the area you live in are also what locals look for so they recognize the picture's also help's...

[Votesh]

I do mostly nature photography, so it might be hard to get pictures that people connect with like that. I've got some photos of downtown Indianapolis though that might be worth displaying.

Don't forget to let us know how you got on.

[ajtour]

**** Sorry this is so long! Lots of lessons learned from past shows, though. Let's help others avoid the same mistakes we've made along the way! ****

The keywords you mentioned are local, affluent, and art.

I've had *terrible* luck at the "Popcorn Festival" type craft shows. NOT your market. We have an annual antiques/artisans fair in my town which sounds similar to yours. Straight down Main Street, we set up booths for photographers, painters, jewelry makers, knitters, underwater basket weavers, etc. I quickly learned that was my target market when, in about two hours, I sold five prints and numerous cards, and got leads for a few clients who wanted to put framed work in their places of business. I have a feeling I'd have sold many more, but we had a huge rainstorm midday, and that resulted in closure of the event. Let's hope June 2009 has better weather!

{ I'll outline my setup here, but remember that I did not invest in all of this just for one art show a year in my town. I also have a stationery shop and do several bridal shows per year. Most of the set-up and display items are used for those as well. }

Tips:

- I do not make prints at home. Instead, I have them printed through either Miller's (cheaper but still good quality) or H&H Color Lab (phenomenal quality but quite expensive). I usually send the 4x6's and 5x7's to Miller's and the 8x10's and above to H&H. My theory is that the larger the print, the more the extra expense shows and pays off.

- I do not cut my own mats. Instead, I buy them during 50% off weeks at Hobby Lobby. I bring in all the prints I plan to sell, line them up on Hobby Lobby's work tables, and match prints specifically to mats which look best. I have the Hobby Lobby staff cut acid-free backing boards for all.

- I take all of this home and use Scotch brand acid-free, removable, double-faced tape to hinge the print to the mat. Just one piece at the top center edge of the print.

- On the back of the backing board, I use the same removable double-faced tape to affix a card explaining the image title, location, my contact info with website, and the price.

- I place the completed print/mat/backing board in a protective acid-free sleeve with a resealable flap.

- At the event, I set up a portable table. I use a black sheet for skirting, then add some colorful fabric to give the table some punch. I arrange the following: two table-top easels with my favorite samples, several nice black baskets with all 8x10's in one, all 5x7's in another, etc., a small basket with my business cards, and a display stand of greeting cards (also in protective sleeves).

- I "decorate" my area with one large easel with my absolute favorite print at about 20 x 30 and framed.

- If I get really motivated, I tie a line across the back wall of the tent and use laundry clips to hang a sign I had made with my logo.

- I took a simple black document frame (8.5 x 11) and slipped in a printed sheet with my prices. That also goes on the table.

- I fill a small basket with suckers for children so that they have a treat while Mom and Dad are shopping.

- I learned my lesson the hard way: GET A TENT! Even if it's just a quick popup sun shade. Summer festivals are hot. If it's too sunny, you'll get condensation collecting inside your "protective" plastic sleeves. NOT GOOD!

- I also learned the hard way that people do buy my work . . . and need a bag! I bought cute little bags for greeting cards at Hobby Lobby but didn't think to have anything large enough for the larger prints. Thankfully a fellow artist lent me some of hers. I don't go to the expense of having bags imprinted with my info, but I've been frequenting 50% off sales at Hobby Lobby, Michaels, Jo-Ann, etc. and stocking up on plain Kraft shopping bags for this purpose.

- I very rarely sign things. The only time I sign a print is if it's framed and going into a charity auction and they need that look of "exclusivity" to raise the silent auction price. I never sign the print itself. Intead, I number the print and sign it using an acid-free sepia art pen. Okay . . . if someone begged, I'd sign the mat for them. But, really. I'm not Michael Jordan. Do they really need my scribble ruining the look of the photo?

Now for the hard part. Pricing!

- The large framed print on the easel is NFS, but I do take orders and tell shoppers the final cost will be determined by the actual print size and type of frame they end up choosing.

- 8x10's matted to 11x17 with acid-free backing board are $32
- 5x7's matted to 8x10 with acid-free backing board are $16
- 4x6's matted to 5x7 with acid-free backing board are $8
- Greeting cards (printed myself on linen paper) are 2 for $5

I know, I know. Too cheap. However, I live in an area where people like to think they're rich but aren't really. The $32 variety goes well with women who want to put prints in their kitchens. The $16 variety goes well with those who want to send gifts to kids who live out of state now and want to see pics of their hometown. The $8 variety goes well with sports fans who like my tennis and golf pics and just want a fun print of their favorite player to stick on their bookshelf.

Final tip:

- Beach prints sell. I live in the Midwest. People want to pretend.

- Local prints sell. We have some really great historic landmarks and nostalgic places in my town. My "hottest seller" is a print of an old diner sign, as the diner just closed this year. Another is a shot of liquor bottles at the bar of everyone's old favorite restaurant, which closed about 5 years ago. It's scanned from film, and it's a shot no one else in town has captured - ever - to my knowledge.

- American flags sell. We have a great Roller Mill, and I have a good shot of the Stars & Stripes against that old red mill. You can vaguely read the sign as well. This is VERY popular with parents of deployed military who send them to their kids overseas to be patriotic and remind them of their beloved little hometown at the same time. I sell lots of greeting cards of these for that reason.

- World landmarks *do not* sell for some reason. Parthenon? No. Eiffel tower? No. Gorgeous river in Scotland? No. Sad, as they're (in my humble opinion) great shots.

- I stopped putting out Obama greeting cards and prints. They were from shots I took at a campaign rally, and they have a wonderful black & white, timeless look. At the "Popcorn Festival" type thing I did, people would flip through the prints, get to the Obama prints, stop looking, turn on their heels, and walk away. Or, they'd snicker and buy the cards to send as jokes to their other Republican friends. I really don't want my brand name on something that will be viewed as a "joke." It should be noted that I live in an area that's about 89% Republican and has an active Klan. So sad. Since I'm trying to make a living, I'll take political themes out of my local print displays for now!

[Votesh]

Wow. Thanks for all the great info, it's just what I was looking for.

Although right now I'm just preparing for this one festival, there are several others in the area I would like to participate in in the future, it's just that this year the other big ones are taking place while I'm working out of state. I live in Indiana but I'm doing a seasonal job in Kansas at the moment, and hopefully during the big festival season next year I'll be in one place for the duration.

I'll be printing everything myself. My next big ticket item to buy is a monitor and printer color calibrator so I can ensure the best looking prints possible. I may do something like you mentioned and also have a professional lab do a large print of my favorite photo for a prominent display.

I would REALLY prefer not to sign the prints but the festival rules require it. I have terrible hand writing and don't want it to deter from the image. I'll send the festival comittee an e-mail and see if signing the mat, maybe even just the back, is acceptable.

Being from the midwest myself, I like the comment about beach prints selling. I've got plenty from a trip to Hawaii a few months after I got my K10D and I plan on putting some up. I sure hope you're right. I'll also start concentrating more on local landmarks.

I have no delusions of making a fortune on my first try, or winning best in show. It will just be nice to see all of my best photos printed out and on display. Selling some would be nice too

Just so anyone who reads this thread knows, Atjours excellent post has been submitted to the 'Articles' section of this forum in 'Miscellaneous'. It will be much easier to find there for people who want to refer to it in the future.

[PeterAM]

I occasionally sell a print or two, but never taken part in a fair type selling environment. I don't know what the logic of having to "edition" your prints would be, if that is what you mean by having to number them (eg 1/25). The state that I live in (NY) actually has legal requirements concerning this practice, so you might look into it. Never know when you'll be selling something to a lawyer.

[mstolt]

Ryan,
How did the art show turn out? What do you think you did right? What would you change for the next one?
I ask because I have been asked to be in an art show in two months and like you have many questions and decisions to make.
Thanks
Mark

[Ash]

Great thread.
I've had the experience of one art show and several competitions, and there is stuff mentioned here that I hadn't even considered. Excellent contributions here.

Look forward to hearing about how you got along, Ryan (even though this thread was from April ).