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11/05/2009 11:39:33 PM · #1 |
Im getting close to setting up my photo exhibition and now I have to set prices for prints.
The building wont let me sell any work until the exhibition is over and since the exhibition will run three months in several of their properties, I have decides to sell prints with the option to buy the hanging art if they want to wait.
Now the big question is, what are good prices for prints?
I was thinking $300 for a 20x30
$200 for a 16x24
$100 for a 12x18
$50 for a 8x12
Now am I charging too much, or am I cutting myself short?
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11/06/2009 12:17:01 AM · #2 |
| Are the prints matted and/or framed? I think the bare minimum pricing needs to be at least three times your cost of preparing the final product (somewhat of a food-industry standard), or whatever you think you can get (10x?) if the images are either very "artistic" or unique. However, I'm known for under-pricing, so get more opinions first! |
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11/06/2009 12:33:13 AM · #3 |
These are only the print prices. Is it a better idea to offer them matted? I dont want to get into the framing part. That complicates things too much for me. People have different tastes for different frames. AT least the print and mat can be universal.
I was thinking 300 , 200 , 100 , 50 for prints only.
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11/06/2009 06:53:11 AM · #4 |
You have to figure out what the market will bear......do the research at other galleries, who exhibit artists with the same level of exposure as yourself for similar styles of images.
If the local legend isn't charging as much as you, rethink your prices.
The hardest thing I've had to do is to figure pricing......I barely scratch the surface of profit, and it's hard to sell work.
I do spend the money for quality framing, and in galleries where I share space, the difference is glaringly obvious, but there seems to be no rhyme or reason for what strikes people's fancy.
Best of luck!
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11/06/2009 06:55:31 AM · #5 |
Originally posted by GeneralE:
Are the prints matted and/or framed? I think the bare minimum pricing needs to be at least three times your cost of preparing the final product (somewhat of a food-industry standard), or whatever you think you can get (10x?) if the images are either very "artistic" or unique. However, I'm known for under-pricing, so get more opinions first! |
I think that's a pipe dream......if I treble my costs for an image that's matted & framed, it'd be in the $500-$600 range. The market will not bear that for an unknown.
It's best to do serious market research specific to the type of artist & imagery.
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11/06/2009 07:19:06 AM · #6 |
Originally posted by NikonJeb:
Originally posted by GeneralE:
Are the prints matted and/or framed? I think the bare minimum pricing needs to be at least three times your cost of preparing the final product (somewhat of a food-industry standard), or whatever you think you can get (10x?) if the images are either very "artistic" or unique. However, I'm known for under-pricing, so get more opinions first! |
I think that's a pipe dream......if I treble my costs for an image that's matted & framed, it'd be in the $500-$600 range. The market will not bear that for an unknown. |
Depends if the gallery are taking a cut (which most do i suppose). I've recently had some photographs accepted into an exhibition and the gallery take 40% which i think is quite normal. So three times or more the cost of production seems about right to me. I was a bit unsure what to ask for myself and thought i was asking too much but i had chat with the gallery owner and she told me not to underprice myself. My photographs i have there are pretty petite though, 5x5 prints in 12x12 frames, so the actual cost of preparing them was pretty low as i was able to print 4 out in one go. I'm also looking at giclee prints in the future.
For reference i've put mine at £60 framed, £35 mounted. Framed, they cost me about £9 each to prepare. The frames are pretty good for the price but i'd really want to spend more on framing in the future. Of course, we'll see if i actually sell any now!! But to be honest, just getting them accepted into the exhibition is a good start which i'm very pleased about.
Message edited by author 2009-11-06 07:26:02. |
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11/06/2009 07:43:27 AM · #7 |
Originally posted by clive_patric_nolan:
But to be honest, just getting them accepted into the exhibition is a good start which i'm very pleased about. |
There is that......8>)
I'm going to a show opening tonight at a gallery that's an adjunct of a local university with a heavy bent toward the arts.
I was "Invited" to show by the curator who is a full time, tenured photography professor.
To say the least, I'm flattered!
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11/06/2009 08:34:15 AM · #8 |
I think a good place to start would be asking what others who have shown there have had best successes with.
I'm doing the art loop in my town tonite, so I'll report back on some of the average prices I see. |
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11/06/2009 10:09:22 AM · #9 |
Originally posted by AJSullivan:
I think a good place to start would be asking what others who have shown there have had best successes with.
I'm doing the art loop in my town tonite, so I'll report back on some of the average prices I see. |
Thanks, let me know what you see.
I have read that the popular sizes are A3 and A4
I would like to make them reasonable enough so that the average person who sees them who would like to buy one is not turned off by a high price.
Ive seen some work that I would pay 400-500 bucks for. I know most people are not willing to pay high dollar for art. Its sad but true. |
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11/06/2009 12:20:24 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by JaimeVinas:
Originally posted by AJSullivan:
I think a good place to start would be asking what others who have shown there have had best successes with.
I'm doing the art loop in my town tonite, so I'll report back on some of the average prices I see. |
Thanks, let me know what you see.
I have read that the popular sizes are A3 and A4
I would like to make them reasonable enough so that the average person who sees them who would like to buy one is not turned off by a high price.
Ive seen some work that I would pay 400-500 bucks for. I know most people are not willing to pay high dollar for art. Its sad but true. |
I imagine you're offering open edition prints only. If this is the case, you are facing a market and should do the intended research, then compare and apply the findings to your costs and needs the way a good accountant would.
I you are, in fact, selling unique art, your work will appeal only to the very few and your sales should be entirely unpredictable, which would mean that you need to ask a much higher price to warrant reasonable continuance. One way to do this effectively would be to offer limited edition prints and by this I mean truly limited runs of, perhaps, forty prints in total.
Also, I'd consider appropriate archival framing and matting essential for exhibition purposes. You just cannot present something rare and precious under a cheap mat in a cellophane bag, not to mention the potential abuse due to handling and viewing.
In my own experience, the average person is not interested in my work and will therefore also not be turned off by price. I think the opposite is far more relevant: a real prospective buyer will be prompted to look closer, especially when the price demands such scrutiny.
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