My First Showing - Please Help

eoren1 · August 13, 2006

Dear Dgriners,
I would greatly appreciate your help with my first showing.

I live in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts which has a "First Thursday" exhibit once a month. Basically, select stores in the neighborhood choose works of art to put on display and then open their doors from 6pm-8pm for the public to view them while munching on drinks and appetizers. Each work is available for purchase.

After going to the August show, I thought that my photos were as good as others that I saw and decided to give it a shot. I just heard today that my photos were picked to be included in the September festival.

Now I need your help. First, choosing the shots. The festival takes place in a suburb of Boston. It is an artsy, gay friendly type community. I would greatly appreciate your help in selecting the 10-12 shots that work the best (out of 21 posted to the site below). Also, I have tried both ACR and C1 pro to convert the original files and would love to hear which you thought works best here (I'm favoring the ACR which are the 'named' photos; the C1 pro are labeled as IMG_####C1 4x5). Are there any photos that you think might cause problems (copyright/trademark infringement, etc)?

The best way to choose the photos is to hold your mouse over the shot for a second until the red thumbs down and greed thumbs up arrows appear and then choosing one or the other. Also, adding a very quick comment to them would be greatly appreciated as this will help single out the best ones and help me improve them as well. You can also reply to this thread with your choices.

As far as printing. I was planning on going with mpix. I'm planning to have everything printed using their metallic paper and then find a local framer to get everything matted and framed. I was thinking of 8x10 prints as that would be large enough to get noticed without breaking my bank account. I have to profess my utter ignorance at framing and ask if it will be fairly simple to get a white mat and then black frame to go with these. All photos are cropped to a 4x5 aspect ratio and I assume that the mat would be flush with the photo so as to not lose any of the print. Also, any 'tricks' to matting? Do I tape the back of the print to the mat to ensure it doesn't move?

Finally, any thought on pricing these? I was going to print an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet on photo paper at home with thumbnails and prices. I was thinking of using the mpix price +$5 s/h as a baseline for unframed and, when I learn the cost of the mat and frame, add that as well. I'm going to offer prints in any multiple of 4x5. Also, the organizers get 20% of all sales to help ensure that this continues. My thought was to tack on about $15 to my price for the prints thus making an 8x10 unframed about $25 and framed maybe around $40-45. Does this seem okay. Does it help/hurt to make these into 'limited runs'? In other words, sign the mat in pencil with my name and 1/30?

The photos can be found here:
http://eoren1.smugmug.com/gallery/1746323

I greatly appreciate your help with this and can't wait til September 7th!

E

ps - I hope that I posted this in the write forum - couldn't find any others that seemed suitable.

spider-t · August 14, 2006

eoren1 wrote:

Dear Dgriners,
I would greatly appreciate your help with my first showing.

[snip]

The photos can be found here:
http://eoren1.smugmug.com/gallery/1746323

I greatly appreciate your help with this and can't wait til September 7th!

E

ps - I hope that I posted this in the write forum - couldn't find any others that seemed suitable.

Congratulations on your first show!

I like images 31 & 48 best.

Here are a few tips:

1.) Keep the framing and mats uniform for a show. White mats, black frames are pretty standard.

2.) One way to save on your framing cost is to use pre-cut mats. Here are some pre-cut archival museum quality double thick mats that I use sometimes when I have a show with a bunch of 8x10's:

http://www.dickblick.com/zz172/23/

You cannot find a better quality mat for this price, and the double thick mats look great. And are also really expensive if you were to get them cut by a framer. And since both portrait and landscape prints hang the same way in a 16x20 frame, it give your show a slick look. Pre-made 16x20 size frames are pretty easy to find.

3.) You can still have a framer assemble them for you. Especially if you buy the frames from him. But call around to framers. You'll find some framers do mostly custom work and don't have tons of matching pre-made frames in stock. Find the framer that the other artists use.

4.) I sign the mats in pencil and always number the prints. But the galleries where I hang require I limit my editions. If it's not required, you don't have to. But people seem like it.

5.) I think your price targets are low. I don't know much about the art market in your area, but $100 is pretty standard low for 8x10's.

Art is a funny thing. It's a luxury item. Low prices don't mean more sales. Sometimes it just makes people wonder about your stuff. Look around at what the other photographers are charging. Try to keep in line with them. You definitely don't want to stand out as the bargain bin guy. Art buyers want to feel confident in their purchases.

6.) If you're going to sell unframed pieces too, make sure you have archival backboards as well as mats, and put the whole sandwich in an acetate envelop. (the precuts come with backboards) A local art store will have the envelopes.

7.) There are many ways to secure your image to the mat, but the easiest way is to hinge it. Two pieces of archival tape on the top (back of the print to the back of the mat). You can use framers tape or artist tape. Framers tape is archival, but most framing shops I know use straight up artist tape which is cheaper and is also acid free. Don't tape the bottom.

Best of luck!
Trish

eoren1 · August 14, 2006

Thanks Trish
Hi Trish - Thank you so much for the detailed information.
31 seems to be getting lots of votes. Can't decide what to do about that extra red line in 48 (my attempt at repairing it in CS2 looked a bit amateurish).
Thinks for the link for the mats. Prices looked high to me until I realized it was for a package of 6.
I think I'll title and sign the prints (or rather have my wife do it as my penmanship is awful) but will not make this a limited run.
I agree with you on the pricing as well. I was thinking of printing out 4x5 cards to be sold at the $5 price point so that people can buy one or more of those while maintaining a solid price for the framed works.
And thank you so much for describing the hinge mount. Seems to be something that people take for granted that is understood by simply saying "use a hinge mount". Now I know what they are talking about.
Thanks again,
E

spider-t wrote:

Congratulations on your first show!

I like images 31 & 48 best.

Here are a few tips:

1.) Keep the framing and mats uniform for a show. White mats, black frames are pretty standard.

2.) One way to save on your framing cost is to use pre-cut mats. Here are some pre-cut archival museum quality double thick mats that I use sometimes when I have a show with a bunch of 8x10's:

http://www.dickblick.com/zz172/23/

You cannot find a better quality mat for this price, and the double thick mats look great. And are also really expensive if you were to get them cut by a framer. And since both portrait and landscape prints hang the same way in a 16x20 frame, it give your show a slick look. Pre-made 16x20 size frames are pretty easy to find.

3.) You can still have a framer assemble them for you. Especially if you buy the frames from him. But call around to framers. You'll find some framers do mostly custom work and don't have tons of matching pre-made frames in stock. Find the framer that the other artists use.

4.) I sign the mats in pencil and always number the prints. But the galleries where I hang require I limit my editions. If it's not required, you don't have to. But people seem like it.

5.) I think your price targets are low. I don't know much about the art market in your area, but $100 is pretty standard low for 8x10's.

Art is a funny thing. It's a luxury item. Low prices don't mean more sales. Sometimes it just makes people wonder about your stuff. Look around at what the other photographers are charging. Try to keep in line with them. You definitely don't want to stand out as the bargain bin guy. Art buyers want to feel confident in their purchases.

6.) If you're going to sell unframed pieces too, make sure you have archival backboards as well as mats, and put the whole sandwich in an acetate envelop. (the precuts come with backboards) A local art store will have the envelopes.

7.) There are many ways to secure your image to the mat, but the easiest way is to hinge it. Two pieces of archival tape on the top (back of the print to the back of the mat). You can use framers tape or artist tape. Framers tape is archival, but most framing shops I know use straight up artist tape which is cheaper and is also acid free. Don't tape the bottom.

Best of luck!
Trish

spider-t · August 14, 2006

Cards are great.

eoren1 wrote:

Hi Trish - Thank you so much for the detailed information.
31 seems to be getting lots of votes. Can't decide what to do about that extra red line in 48 (my attempt at repairing it in CS2 looked a bit amateurish).
Thinks for the link for the mats. Prices looked high to me until I realized it was for a package of 6.
I think I'll title and sign the prints (or rather have my wife do it as my penmanship is awful) but will not make this a limited run.
I agree with you on the pricing as well. I was thinking of printing out 4x5 cards to be sold at the $5 price point so that people can buy one or more of those while maintaining a solid price for the framed works.
And thank you so much for describing the hinge mount. Seems to be something that people take for granted that is understood by simply saying "use a hinge mount". Now I know what they are talking about.
Thanks again,
E

Cards are great. It's good to have a variety of prices. Some folks want something, but aren't ready for the big buy. Make sure you put your website on the back of the cards. And if you price them at $5 each, you might consider a 5 for $20 deal. People love deals. When I do a quantity discount on the small stuff, I always move more.

But you can't have your wife sign these. I have to protest. If you want to write less, just use your initials. It doesn't have to be legible. But make sure your full name and website are somewhere on the frame. I have stickers I put in the back, but you can write right on them (or have your wife do that one ;-)

cheers,
Trish

wxwax · August 14, 2006

5, 7, 28 are the ones that catch my eye.

eoren1 · August 14, 2006

Hey Sid,
Thanks for the comments - only question is did you just view the pix in the past few hours or earlier this morning? I resorted based on the current popularity of the photos and so now don't know which you liked.
Thanks,
E

wxwax wrote:

5, 7, 28 are the ones that catch my eye.

eoren1 · August 14, 2006

Hey Trish,
I was going to go with mpix which doesn't do cards but some of my uploads were getting corrupted and I wasn't getting any response to emails so I bolted for whcc. Now I can order the folding cards and I will definately take your advice to add the website. Depending on how this goes, I may need to upgrade my smugmug account to be able to sell through here or at least look more professional.

I guess I'll hold off on the wife signing and just print my last name or something. You're right, it is a bit odd to have someone else (even my wife) sign my work.
Thanks again,
E

spider-t wrote:

Cards are great. It's good to have a variety of prices. Some folks want something, but aren't ready for the big buy. Make sure you put your website on the back of the cards. And if you price them at $5 each, you might consider a 5 for $20 deal. People love deals. When I do a quantity discount on the small stuff, I always move more.

But you can't have your wife sign these. I have to protest. If you want to write less, just use your initials. It doesn't have to be legible. But make sure your full name and website are somewhere on the frame. I have stickers I put in the back, but you can write right on them (or have your wife do that one ;-)

cheers,
Trish

sit · August 14, 2006

Nice collection of shots! I liked 7 and 37. The crop seen on 37 seems better balanced to me than 26.

When do you go shoot? Maybe we can put together a dgrin shooting event in Boston one day.

-Emil

eoren1 · August 14, 2006

Hey Sit,
As above, changed sorting a few hours ago - pretty stupid on my part. Do you mean #7 (DC subway) and 37 (Crew through bridge?). If so, does the extra red line on the dc subway bother you? Tried to erase it in #34.
Also, if you like 37, does 5 look any better (excluding the crop)? I used the magic wand to grab the crew boat and then played with levels to bring it out a bit more.

A dgrin shoot sounds great. I usually go towards the evening (hence the JP sunset shots) and on weekends. Let me know.
E

sit wrote:

Nice collection of shots! I liked 7 and 37. The crop seen on 37 seems better balanced to me than 26.

When do you go shoot? Maybe we can put together a dgrin shooting event in Boston one day.

-Emil

sit · August 14, 2006

eoren1 wrote:

As above, changed sorting a few hours ago - pretty stupid on my part. Do you mean #7 (DC subway) and 37 (Crew through bridge?). If so, does the extra red line on the dc subway bother you? Tried to erase it in #34.

Yup, those are the two. I personally don't like to clone/edit things out of images. The red line in the window didn't bother me when I saw the image the first time. When you point it out I suppose it is noticeable but still not so much that I would personally head for Photoshop. The main draw for me on that image is the lines converging in the distance and the feeling of motion. Do you know what caused that line?

Also, if you like 37, does 5 look any better (excluding the crop)? I used the magic wand to grab the crew boat and then played with levels to bring it out a bit more.

Hm. I think what I like about 5 more than 37 is the sharpness, but not necessarily the levels. I prefer the bigger difference in the tonality in the water running parallel to the bridge.

A dgrin shoot sounds great. I usually go towards the evening (hence the JP sunset shots) and on weekends. Let me know.

I'm unavailable this weekend, but maybe sometime on the 27th...? I wonder if there's a way to send a message to the BostonPhotography community.

-Emil

eoren1 · August 14, 2006

Thanks for clarifying.

sit wrote:

Yup, those are the two. I personally don't like to clone/edit things out of images. The red line in the window didn't bother me when I saw the image the first time. When you point it out I suppose it is noticeable but still not so much that I would personally head for Photoshop. The main draw for me on that image is the lines converging in the distance and the feeling of motion. Do you know what caused that line?

My eye gets drawn to that line every time - can't figure out what it is.

sit wrote:

Hm. I think what I like about 5 more than 37 is the sharpness, but not necessarily the levels. I prefer the bigger difference in the tonality in the water running parallel to the bridge.

I'll take a look at that one again.

sit wrote:

I'm unavailable this weekend, but maybe sometime on the 27th...? I wonder if there's a way to send a message to the BostonPhotography community.

Work is going to take me out of town - to Aspen for a conference to be specific so I hope to take lots of photographs there. I'm sure we can come up with a time and place and recruit others.
Thanks again,
E

eoren1 · September 8, 2006

First Show Over - Went Well!
So the show was last night and I thought I would post a report.

I ended up printing from whcc.com at three sizes:
8x10/8x12, 10x15/11x14, and 16x20/16x24
Got frames from framedestination.com

The images looked incredible matted and framed!

Went to the store that was showing my photos on Monday and put up the prints with small tags next to them with the image name, location taken, date taken, sizes available (with an asterik of the size displayed), cost for each and my contact info (phone and email).

Also made a pricing sheet at work to hand out with a small blurb at the top about myself. Settled on the following price structure
8x10/8x12 - $60 matted, unframed; $100 framed
10x15/11x14 - $80/130
16x20/16x24 - 100/160

Also made cards with 4x5/4x6 prints on A7 folding cards with envelopes sealed in a clear enclosure. Those sold for $5 each/5 for 20.

Ended up selling 3 prints that night and about a dozen cards. Today I got an email from someone I met who wants to buy 1-2 more prints. Also brought the cards to work to show those who couldn't come and have one more possible sale.

So all in all I think it went very well. It really did feel great to hear people talk about my photos. Since they were mostly of Boston and Jamaica Plain (a 'suburb'/neighborhood in Boston) and the show was in Jamaica Plain, the most common remark I heard was that the pictures showed them the areas they knew in a new way. They really appreciated that perspective.

Thank you to everyone (especially Trish) for all of your help. Hopefully, I'll get to show again in December - I have a couple of shots from my trip to Aspen that I'm dying to print and frame.

E

spider-t · September 8, 2006

eoren1 wrote:

So the show was last night and I thought I would post a report...[snip]

E

Congratulations!! Sounds like it was a bounding success.

It really is something seeing your images all dressed up and on the wall. It hits me every time.

Did you get a shot of the overall show you'd like to share?

cheers,
Trish

Sam · September 8, 2006

eoren1 wrote:

So the show was last night and I thought I would post a report.

I ended up printing from whcc.com at three sizes:
8x10/8x12, 10x15/11x14, and 16x20/16x24
Got frames from framedestination.com

The images looked incredible matted and framed!

Went to the store that was showing my photos on Monday and put up the prints with small tags next to them with the image name, location taken, date taken, sizes available (with an asterik of the size displayed), cost for each and my contact info (phone and email).

Also made a pricing sheet at work to hand out with a small blurb at the top about myself. Settled on the following price structure
8x10/8x12 - $60 matted, unframed; $100 framed
10x15/11x14 - $80/130
16x20/16x24 - 100/160

Also made cards with 4x5/4x6 prints on A7 folding cards with envelopes sealed in a clear enclosure. Those sold for $5 each/5 for 20.

Ended up selling 3 prints that night and about a dozen cards. Today I got an email from someone I met who wants to buy 1-2 more prints. Also brought the cards to work to show those who couldn't come and have one more possible sale.

So all in all I think it went very well. It really did feel great to hear people talk about my photos. Since they were mostly of Boston and Jamaica Plain (a 'suburb'/neighborhood in Boston) and the show was in Jamaica Plain, the most common remark I heard was that the pictures showed them the areas they knew in a new way. They really appreciated that perspective.

Thank you to everyone (especially Trish) for all of your help. Hopefully, I'll get to show again in December - I have a couple of shots from my trip to Aspen that I'm dying to print and frame.

E

I am glad all went well for you. I think Frame Destination was a good choice for the matting, and frames.

But I have one question. You stated: "I ended up printing from whcc.com at three sizes: 8x10/8x12, 10x15/11x14, and 16x20/16x24"

I need help here, I see 6 sizes at two different aspect ratios. Did you print the same image with two different aspec ratios, or use the best aspect ration needed for each different image?

Also out of curiousity what size frames did you use?

Sam

eoren1 · September 9, 2006

Hey Sam
I had 12 prints overall - 9 in a 4x5 ratio and 3 in a 2x3.
Only got one 8x10 in a 16x20 frame and one 16x20 in a 20x24 fframe to show available sizes. Rest were 10x15/11x14 in 16x21/17x20 frames - perfect 3 inch borders on that size mat.
E

Sam wrote:

I am glad all went well for you. I think Frame Destination was a good choice for the matting, and frames.

But I have one question. You stated: "I ended up printing from whcc.com at three sizes: 8x10/8x12, 10x15/11x14, and 16x20/16x24"

I need help here, I see 6 sizes at two different aspect ratios. Did you print the same image with two different aspec ratios, or use the best aspect ration needed for each different image?

Also out of curiousity what size frames did you use?

Sam

Sam · September 9, 2006

eoren1 wrote:

Hey Sam
I had 12 prints overall - 9 in a 4x5 ratio and 3 in a 2x3.
Only got one 8x10 in a 16x20 frame and one 16x20 in a 20x24 fframe to show available sizes. Rest were 10x15/11x14 in 16x21/17x20 frames - perfect 3 inch borders on that size mat.
E

Thanks for the answer. You have some nice images that will definitly enhance some ones home, and they should sell well.

Did you sell any of the Christian Science building?

I am still working my own pricing, but am getting closer to what I think will reflect the market, and be at a level I will be happy with.

Keep us posted on your efforts.

Sam

eoren1 · September 9, 2006

No sale on the Christian Science shot - got some nice responses to it though.

Sold 2 of this:

And one of this:

Got another buyer who is looking at the prints in the next few days.

E

Sam wrote:

Thanks for the answer. You have some nice images that will definitly enhance some ones home, and they should sell well.

Did you sell any of the Christian Science building?

I am still working my own pricing, but am getting closer to what I think will reflect the market, and be at a level I will be happy with.

Keep us posted on your efforts.

Sam

My First Showing - Please Help

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