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03/13/2006 05:58:14 PM · #1 |
In my case it wouldn't be street side, but we have a craft fair every year in my town around Christmas time. It's a big event, believe it or not. I thought about taking pic's of historic town areas, some famous other areas like Ponce De'Leon, and then of course some pretty beach shots and then putting them out for sale, framed, in like 8x10's. People where I live are very proud of their towns and it takes most people in the town to keep the costs up to preserve historic sites and buildings.
I am really used to doing an actual craft as in something hand made, but I thought this would be a different approach and give me a reason to shoot places and things I wouldn't normally focus on. It may also be nice for tourists to take home a peice of Florida, or a peice of a relatives hometown maybe they didn't get a chance to take a shot of themselves.
Here we have many landmarks. We have people come from overseas just to see a train caboose we have in town. I think it is the oldest in the country or something, not sure. LOL...It's funny how when you live next to something like that, you don't really pay much attention. But I could learn myself as I went. We also have one of the largest naturally round lakes. I think there are onlyh 8 in the country or so. It is called Kings Lake, and the houses that are on the lake go for upwards of a million $ plus. Then of course, there is always the famous Gulf Coast beaches and beautiful scenery and odd colored houses as in my "Burst of Color" photo. There are even more vividly colored neighborhoods then that.
Anyway, back to the point I was getting at, did anyone ever try this themselves, either street selling, flea markets, craft fairs, etc? If so, how did it go? Mine would only be for the one day a year, but it may be interesting to find out how others faired. I am not going to go out and frame them at like $200 a frame or anything. Basically they will be oversized post cards at like maybe $8 or $10 each, so I am not talking about those who have stores or who have studios. Just something to do once a year, or even on a spare weekend. Anyone?
Rose |
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03/13/2006 08:41:39 PM · #2 |
| I would say that you can only try it. I tried streetselling (at a tag sale in my yard actually) and sold a lot of my historical shots, but they were also only priced at about 2 - 3$. I also did a craft fair once, and brought black and whites, but didn't sell very many. Probably because it was a craft fair, and I am no artisan. There is a client I have in my frame shop who just takes pics of lighthouses on the Connecticut shoreline, and he sells alot to visitors. He takes them at off times such as sunrise, sunset, storms, etc. He sells alot of them too. So I would say go for it, but your price may be high. Unless you are at least mounting them, you might have to bring it down to 6 or 7$. |
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03/13/2006 08:44:16 PM · #3 |
I was selling streetside, but got arrested for some long word that starts with p... wasn't photography :-P
No, just kidding, maybe :-D
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03/13/2006 08:51:37 PM · #4 |
I have thought about the same thing. We have a large flea market around the corner that brings in a lot of locals and out of towners and you can rent a booth for something like $7 a day. I was thinking about just matting the photos and selling them that way. Haven't done it yet - but you aren't alone on the thought. If I ever get the courage to go through with it, I will let you know how it turns out!
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03/14/2006 09:11:28 AM · #5 |
OHhh, thanks for the input. Last I looked there weren't any replies to this and I wasn't about to bump it.
My photos would be 8x10's and framed. I figure to use a nice black frame that is very reasonable and then would be the same and go with every photo.
I figure doing it at $8 or $10 each framed, or 3 for $25, etc. I would be printing them out myself and framing them myself as well. I figure with frames and ready to hang, $8 to $10 isn't asking a whole lot. I mean, look what they are selling lousy prints for at Walmart? LOL...These would be not just random copies of litho's, but something that is close to home for most or a souvenier for others.
In this neck of the woods we have a lot of bird watchers who may like bird shots, or lots of water enthusiasts who like boating and fishing, etc. Not to mention those proud of the historic sites. Some shots will be included just for fun. Maybe even make doubles and triples of some that I think will sell more of so I can replace it if one sells.
I may try it anyway. Just to see how it goes. So far, each year has been "ok" when I did enter. But it would be fun to try and see how it goes. Maybe have two tables set up for it and some nice decor. The expense of the frame, the printing, and taking the photos is really minimal so $8 at least will bring profits if they sell. If not, in the closet they go and come out the following year, or there is also a huge flea market right down the road from me where I can rent a booth now and then if I feel like it. My father also loves to do yard saling and I can put a table up with him. There are also auction houses where I can place all non sold items up and sell them that way and get 80% of all sales.
There are many options. But thanks for the input. It was very helpful.
Rose
Message edited by author 2006-03-14 09:12:12.
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03/14/2006 09:24:37 AM · #6 |
I was in Myrtle Beach a year or two ago and happened to go to a street type market... There was a local photog there selling prints for a LOT more than what you're talking about... He was getting $30-50 minimum for 8x10s, $10-20 for 5x7s, and even more for larger prints. They were all of local sights, landmarks, and beach-esque stuff... and he was BUSY. I watched him for awhile and talked to him a bit, but he barely had to time to breathe while I was there... Almost all of his stuff was b/w, and he said most of it was film... Some of the said prints were framed but most were just mounted/matted... Seemed like a pretty good racket to me. =] If I could just manage to live in one place long enough to give it a whirl... =]
Hope this helps! |
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03/14/2006 10:14:37 AM · #7 |
Does $8 cover your costs ?
Are you printing them archivally or would they be fading in 6-12 months ?
Same goes for hanging/mounting materials.
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03/14/2006 10:24:29 AM · #8 |
I've sold in Farmer's Markets and Holiday Gift Fairs.
11x14 prints 45.00
Mounted and matted 65.00
Mounted, matted and framed 145.00
1. Protect your work from the elements. If you have high humidity you need to seal your mounted prints in plastic or they will bubble off the mounting board in ugly ways. I lost a third of my prints at one show to this problem. Use foamcore to mount and tape it to the glass edge all the way around the edges to seal out moisture.
2. Have fun!
A fellow photog produces note cards on his home printer and sells them for $3 each or 3 for $5. It covers his booth costs. Avery makes packets of printable note cards with envelopes which you can get at Staples (18.99 for 60 sets) about 33 cents apiece.
He also produces refrig magnets and plastic covered photo buttons which don't seem to sell well considering the effort in making them.
You'll meet alot of people and make some great contacts for family photography.
I make more income from the contacts than from the fairs themselves.
Good luck and have fun.
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03/14/2006 11:42:49 AM · #9 |
This is a great thread! Thanks for starting this up. I've been thinking about selling at my town's Saturday farmers market. I was thinking about using the nice Costco frames and mattes and an 8x10 photo for around $35. Is that too much?
Anyway, I'm curious to see how it goes. I still need to get the permit to sell at the market. |
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03/14/2006 12:49:03 PM · #10 |
WOW! Great information! Thank you all!
I still have a bunch of photos I took last year for the County Fair in their frames. They are fine. Never bubbled up or anything.
Let's see. The frames cost $2 to $3 each and look really nice.
The ink for my printer is about $50 a shot for both the color and b/w together, and I can get about 20 color and 20 b/w out of it, so thats not to bad. Then the photos, well, no cost there but my time of enjoyment. So if they sell at lets say $8 to $10 each, that would cover the costs fine I would imagine. I figure for the first year, I will see how it goes at that cost. People around here ALWAYS want something for nothing, so we shall see. Some may go for more, and some less.
Today I did a shoot. Have some really nice floral shots and wildlife to frame up already, and will try a few of them as prints here as well. I will do some in b/w and color. I think it will be a blast!
We do have gigantic fairs on the coast as well, but its a bit of a travel with the set up. It would be hard to do. I haven't even attended one just for fun yet, and they are usually during the hot summer. The one I will do is in the next town over and is done the weekend of Thanksgiving. It's inside our fair grounds building if it rains usually, so no problem there. The weather is usually very good. Not hot. Not cold. So they should stay fine in frames, and inside where I will store them is also very good for storing.
I will take trips more often this summer. I want to get more night city shots and beach shots. People will like that around here. Shots at the fairs, etc. I think it will be great fun! Maybe some of you guys will have some of this too look forward to and into this year! Keeps the mojo going!
I don't plan any elaborate set up. Usually the simpler the better I find. I will probably have some fancy made crates I will craft where I can put them so they can be flipped through, and just have a few for display. Maybe a wildlife box, and a beach box, etc. A nice couple of long tables with some classy decor on them. Decorate each box with the theme of the photos inside. I will have to look into ordering some boxes just the right size. I have one now where I store my own photos from last year. I will measure it and see if I can order some through my brother. He owns a business where he orders the boxes. Oh this is going to be fun!!
Rose
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03/14/2006 12:51:29 PM · #11 |
Originally posted by Rose8699:
WOW! Great information! Thank you all!
People around here ALWAYS want something for nothing, so we shall see. Some may go for more, and some less.
Rose |
If you start with a higher price, and let these people haggle you down, they'll feel good for saving money, and you'll make the extra from those that feel the price is still fair... lol |
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03/14/2006 01:16:20 PM · #12 |
Do you know if you are doing dye or pigment based printing ?
If you are still doing this in a year or so you might have some irrate customers if you are selling dye prints and they thought they'd last more than a year or two.
At the price they shouldn't expect much, but people usually do... |
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03/14/2006 02:51:02 PM · #13 |
What I have found at these venues is that there will be people willing to pay top dollar for a sentimental print. I sold one for $170 (professionally printed and framed) because the couple was visiting and had been to the location of the photo that morning. (I let them talk me down from $225, but was willing to go down further. Obviously, I didn't tell them that).
Seriously consider the printing. Like someone mentioned, if you are wanting to revisit any selling place in a year or so, the prints better look as good in a year as they do now, or you will be seriously lacking repeat business.
However, most of my sales are made from greeting cards ranging in price from $1.50 to $3.00. I order the cards from The Photographers Edge and it takes less than a minute to assemble each one.
I would be willing to bet that there will be some people willing to part with their $20's, but most want to spend between $5 and $10 |
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03/14/2006 03:00:11 PM · #14 |
Originally posted by karmat:
However, most of my sales are made from greeting cards ranging in price from $1.50 to $3.00. I order the cards from The Photographers Edge and it takes less than a minute to assemble each one. |
Those are the ones with a pocket into which you insert a 4x6 print? I gotta get some of those ... then I can use regular photographic prints (10-29 cents) without worrying (much) about fading, calibration, or refilling cartidges : ) |
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03/14/2006 03:09:37 PM · #15 |
exactly GeneralE.
The quality of the cards is very good. And they look really nice completed. One thing I liked about them, and used as a selling point, is that the customer can use them as a greeting card, OR put in a 5x7 frame.
They hold just a regular 4x6, but I think you can get other sizes as well. |
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03/14/2006 03:16:04 PM · #16 |
Originally posted by karmat:
One thing I liked about them, and used as a selling point, is that the customer can use them as a greeting card, OR put in a 5x7 frame. |
Instant matting : ) |
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03/14/2006 04:28:25 PM · #17 |
I've found in the past that inkjet prints don't really survive being sent on a card, in an envelope through the mail very well, so cheap photographic prints is certainly the way to go for these sorts of cards.
Probably something to do with the automated sorting systems that run cards through rollers and cause ink to paper transfer on the envelope.
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03/14/2006 04:51:40 PM · #18 |
I just looked at my photos I did from last year. They are all still in marvelous condition and I have two on my wall that I won rosettes for at the Fair that also look wonderful.
I don't plan on making this a "pro photographer booth" of any sort. This is just for photos I take of the surrounding and familiar area to the people around town, and for those that may be visiting and want a momento. I use Kodak or Fuji paper in gloss from Walmart. I buy a pack of like 25 or 50 sheets. I then choose the settings for printing to the highest quality, and either use my 3-in-1 printer by Hewlett Packard, or I use my husbands mini canon, which does better quality. But all the ones I submitted to the Fair last year were done on my HP printer, and were good enough for the judges, so they will be good enough for the buyers. :)
I am not going to invest in all kinds of matting and frames. They can always take the photo out and do all that themselves if they wish. But, they will be able to buy it as a presentable piece or gift already framed. That is my intention. To spend less money then they will pay. This, for me, keeps it realistic to sell and expect to sell.
I won't set the price higher and let myself be bargained with. I find this more of a flea market tactic. The craft fair we have is very high class. People actually frown on bargains, and especially the other vendors. They pride themselves on knowing what their work is worth and they figure if I let someone jab down my prices, they will think they can do the same at their booths and they do try too. The patrons also feel that if they can go down a few bucks and I go for it, then they can do it again and again and then the next thing you know you have their wife or kid coming over and saying "well, you did it for my husband" or "you did it for my daddy". LOL...This can cause chaos. So I will most likely keep the prices as is. If anything, the last day usually brings bargain day as well. That is when the vendors know the last few hours of the day are coming, and everyone gives a bargain or two. BUT, that also means that the best merchandise is gone for the patrons as well, so not a lot is really sold well at bargain time.
Well, as time goes on, I will do as usual. Have my husband do all the math. LOL...He is good at it. He calculates everything I spend on my end, right down to the gas..LOL...and then figures out how many pieces I have and what I should sell them for to make a certain percentage. Then we go from there. :)
We shall see what happens, but I am already going to start keeping my selling peices on disc and ready to print out come craft day:)
Rose |
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03/14/2006 05:03:51 PM · #19 |
Originally posted by Rose8699:
I just looked at my photos I did from last year. They are all still in marvelous condition and I have two on my wall that I won rosettes for at the Fair that also look wonderful.
[...]But all the ones I submitted to the Fair last year were done on my HP printer, and were good enough for the judges, so they will be good enough for the buyers. :)
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It isn't a question of print quality, just print longevity. HP themselves say that the prints will only last a couple of years unless you use the correct inks and papers. Add in cheap framing materials with acid content and they won't last very long.
From a marketing point of few, you can also charge more for prints that aren't going to be trash in two years. |
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03/14/2006 05:05:21 PM · #20 |
Originally posted by Gordon:
Originally posted by Rose8699:
I just looked at my photos I did from last year. They are all still in marvelous condition and I have two on my wall that I won rosettes for at the Fair that also look wonderful.
[...]But all the ones I submitted to the Fair last year were done on my HP printer, and were good enough for the judges, so they will be good enough for the buyers. :)
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It isn't a question of print quality, just print longevity. HP themselves say that the prints will only last a couple of years unless you use the correct inks and papers. Add in cheap framing materials with acid content and they won't last very long.
From a marketing point of few, you can also charge more for prints that aren't going to be trash in two years. |
So, what is the correct inks and papers?
Rose |
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03/14/2006 05:11:00 PM · #21 |
Originally posted by Rose8699:
So, what is the correct inks and papers?
Rose |
Wilhelm Research has a load of technical and not so technical articles on this subject, but in general pigment based inks will last a whole lot longer than dye based inks.
With dye inks you can use coated papers that will typically give you 25+ years permanence. Pigment inks have claims of 100+ years.
But the key isn't the ink, or the paper, it has to be the right ink + paper combination.
Wrong inks on right paper might only last 6 months, same with the right inks on the wrong paper.
So you have to get the right ink, with the right paper, for whatever printer you are using, then frame it with acid-free materials if you want something that wont discolour/ fade in a few years.
Same problems and issues that make old photos have colour shifts in a lot of ways. Sunlight fading can also be a problem with dye based inks, particularly if they aren't under UV glass.
At $10 it probably doesn't matter as the customer should almost expect to be throwing it away in a year or two anyway. When or if you want to raise your prices it is probably worth thinking about. |
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03/14/2006 05:24:25 PM · #22 |
Oh, well, if that is the case, then I am using the correct ink and paper, and also all non-acid based products. The quality and lasting value are all very good I am sure. So I am sure it is all good. :) I just thought I was missing something I didn't know about. But I have a package of photo paper here now and just read the package, and its all good. No prob!
Rose |
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03/14/2006 05:51:04 PM · #23 |
Originally posted by Rose8699:
Oh, well, if that is the case, then I am using the correct ink and paper, and also all non-acid based products. The quality and lasting value are all very good I am sure. So I am sure it is all good. :) I just thought I was missing something I didn't know about. But I have a package of photo paper here now and just read the package, and its all good. No prob!
Rose |
You mentioned you were mixing different brands of paper, inks and printers so I thought it would be worth mentioning. Usually thats the way the longevity falls off really quickly.
E.g., HP inks + (the correct) HP paper 73+ years. Same ink and some Kodak papers, 2 years. |
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