Mike Johnston (The Online Photographer) and George Barr (Behind the Lens) are trying a new approach to online print sales. The details differ, but they both offer essentially a “print of the week” (or month) – an unmounted, modest sized version of a selected print sold at a very reasonable price.
There are a lot of interesting aspects to this, and benefits for both photographers and buyers, including:
The costs of producing a single print on demand are greater than some purchasers might imagine. These costs are less burdensome when multiple copies of a print are sold, meaning that a lower price is possible.
Potential buyers who have only seen the photographer’s work on the web can obtain a sample print at a reasonable cost before purchasing larger and more expensive prints.
This approach could be particularly workable with web sales, connecting the online gallery to interested buyers.
This bypasses gallery sales (and the benefits and costs of that approach), but it could actually increase recognition (and sales) of a photographer’s works there as well.
G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him.
One of the fun things about photography this time of year is that I hear from people in different parts of the country who are interested in giving a print as a gift. It is a nice tangible sign that my photographs speak to others and that someone is reading the blog!
I don’t push sales heavily through this web site, but I thought I’d mention that if anyone else is interested in having a print before, oh, say December 24… now would be a good time to ask!
(San Francisco Bay Area folks can cut things a bit closer, but still… )
– Dan
G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him.
The story: Taken as the ferry passed between pilings near the ferry terminal. (I’m not done with this image. I like the sweep of the wake and the pilings, but I’m still working on the final version of the image.)
—–
Photographer and visual opportunist. Daily photos since 2005, plus articles, reviews, news, and ideas.
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