Alternative income to Stock Photography ?

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

10/20/2006 03:35:10 AM · #1

Would this be a good place for this thread or would someplace else in the Forums be better suited for this topic? I have a couple of suggestions I would like to contribute.

Thanks,

/FC

leaf

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

10/20/2006 03:45:30 AM · #2

well lets hear'em

Tamron AF 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 Aspherical for Canon

10/20/2006 04:30:13 AM · #3

Has anyone ever gone into a few Picture Framing Shops that sell Prints and Posters and the like, and introduced themselves? Perhaps a few of the more down to earth affordable galleries / boutiques?

Now I'm not talking about your high end Smartsy Fartsy Galleries and exclusive shops.... What I'm talking about is the local "funky" places around town (i.e. "the little guys") In essence, the shops that carry whatever they 'want to' and aren't bound by 'franchise policy' and crap like that....

Alternatively, how about putting some of your work up in a coffee shop or two? (Realistically, you can do this with ANY BUSINESS that has available wall space).
Put you work under some glass (heck, even a frameless clip frame but preferably with a simple AF mat to keep it away from the glass surface). Very simple and easy to do and it only takes a bit of your time, a very small upfront cost, and some interpersonal skills :)

Attach a business card beside the piece for sale w/ the price on it, then stick a few more cards to the back too.. (buyers have friends too!)
(Don't forget to leave some near the till also...)

The owner get his/her walls adorned with some seriously 'cool' photo's, and makes a commission on every sale, and you get "great exposure", if nothing else!

I guarantee you'll make more than a 'quarter' and your photo will be much more appreciated! (that should prompt a reply from the DHMSPP)

/FC

dtouch1

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

11/21/2006 10:09:21 PM · #4

Hmmm. never really thought about that, I think I'll give it a try.

fotomann_forever

11/21/2006 11:07:03 PM · #5

Have seriously been debating doing the same thing in some of the ma-pa coffee shops in the high-class parts of town.

Rebecca

Nikon D80

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5- 5.6G ED DX

11/21/2006 11:13:47 PM · #6

I want to do a cafe show at some point, but the investment required to generate and frame enough prints to do it properly is quite beyond me at the moment.

However, I have been considering assembling some Colorado postcard packets. I figured I would include ten individual scenes per pack, tie them up with some plain but nice dark blue ribbon and see about selling them to the local tourist gift shops, as we have quite a lot of them around here. You can't walk ten feet without tripping into a national park 'round these parts, after all.

arefuge

Nikon D2X

Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8D ED

11/22/2006 06:45:26 PM · #7

fotomann_forever

11/22/2006 06:53:35 PM · #8

I've got over $80 tied up in printing, matting and framing of one print. So, it could definitely get expensive to mass produce enough of them to make a real income.

JRalston

Canon EOS-20D

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

11/22/2006 07:19:00 PM · #9

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

I've got over $80 tied up in printing, matting and framing of one print. So, it could definitely get expensive to mass produce enough of them to make a real income.

I know what you mean. I don't have many of my own photographs on my walls for this reason..LOL

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

11/23/2006 02:21:31 AM · #10

Those are hardly alternatives to stock photography income.

Selling prints is selling tangible items.

Selling stock is selling licenses to use images.

You can sell any number of licenses and only as many prints as you can produce...furthermore, if you want your prints to have real value they better be limited editions.

Hmmm, I totally disagree with you. Perhaps selling stock photos at $50.00 or $500.00 each might be a realization for some, but for most, that just isn't attainable. Now that "Micro Stock" has taken off, I think the difference between the two has become less evident (just look at Getty's purchase of iStockphoto..)

I agree that selling stock is a Great Idea, but Also, let's not understate the value of an image to the 'person' who buys it simply because it 'moves them' and they want to hang it on their wall. (Even if it came from the local coffee shop, or from the 'Trendy Poster Shop down the street....) Anyone who buys from those places, are more likely to either buy again, or even more likely to send 'other people' your way....

Limited Editions ?
I don't know about you, but I've sold A LOT of LE's from BATEMAN to CHRISTIANSEN and everything in between, and that market is "horribly Soft" IMO, It's been that way since it's downturn in the 90's. I can't say I've had any experience with "Limited Editions of the "Digital Persuasion" but perhaps someone could enlighten us as to how that actually works?
I know that the RGB Printing Plates for LE's (Paintings) and Negatives (Analog Film) are normally destroyed to create a "True Limited Edition" but how would that work with Digital? Instead of a certificate would you get the EXIF info ? Sounds funny, but how exactly is that done I wonder... There is no REAL value to ANY limited edition unless you can prove that it is so....

Ok, so let's be honest, producing prints is VERY inexpensive these days.
Almost any Printer over $100.00 can produce 'amazing' full Bleed 8" x 10" Prints. If size and better quality is a concern, a $400.00 epson or Canon can easily do 13" x 19" or larger prints. Still need them bigger? The local Photo Lab can do (or farm out) poster sizes for very reasonable prices.

It's the "FRAMING" that costs so much damn money. As an "Ex-Framer" I can certainly sympathize with many of you, but the good news is that there are MANY very simple and inexpensive alternatives. Photography (even digital) is expensive and time consuming and many are on REALLY tight budgets, but being resourceful and looking in the "right places" can typically save you 50% or more for similar quality work that you would find in a retail shop. Don't forget that depending on the Venue, you can also sell your items "Flat" or in other words "Ready to be Framed".(very little overhead for this.....)

A coffee shop, Pet Grooming Salon, Travel Agency (they have the most horrible Artwork on their walls...) certainly won't warrant the same type of frame that you would expect in your own house. As a matter of fact, most of your frames won't appeal to the general public anyway. It's not that you don't' have good taste... It's that most people's taste in framing is VERY SPECIFIC to what "THEY think" looks good. The easier it is to remove the frame, the better chance you are going to make the sale on the photo....period. A $60.00 frame on an 8 x 10 print that you intend to sell for $30.00 isn't going to work (unless of course that 1 person really likes that frame). However, a "INEXPENSIVE" frame that showcases the Photo with just enough visual presence will probably make the sale. Chances are good, that the frame will be changed before the week is out anyway....

I can't tell you how many times a person would walk into my shop and ask that I remove a frame from a poster, print or photo because they despised the Frame but loved the Artwork. I'd carefully remove the Frame and Matting and It wasn't long before they ended up choosing the most "God Awful" frame and Hideous Ass matting combination in the History of Framing !! (Slight exaggeration there...) Although I can make all the normal suggestions and provide the most Esthetically pleasing combinations, ultimately, it is the customer who has to be happy with the end result. If they want it to match the green pin striping in the couch or the color of the Dogs eyes, so be it !

Which brings this horribly long post to an end. It's your photo and your "Tangible Asset" that sets off these bizarre chain of events and that's pretty cool..... Not to mention profitable.

fotomann_forever

11/23/2006 02:36:42 AM · #11

The real difference I see between doing (micro)stock photography and art photography is the asthetics of the work.

For instance, my current best seller at Shutterstock would not fair well in an art gallery or a coffee shop.

And while this image looks great as a 16x20 with a large matte and frame, I have my doubts that it would even be accepted as stock. Although it is getting me a bit of attention among local artists.

I've been trying to diversify and selling art prints is an option I'm seriously looking in to.

Is it an alternative to microstock. No, not really. I see it as a completely different path. As is stock from my portrait/boudior/wedding work.

Judi

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

11/23/2006 02:55:20 AM · #12

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

T

For instance, my current best seller at Shutterstock would not fair well in an art gallery or a coffee shop.

Aww...I think you are quite mistaken. I think he would fair quite well gracing the glamourous walls of 'A La Kinder Gurten'....hehehehe!