An Honest Opinion (even if its not what I want to hear)

Soul Rebel

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I have started to really consider taking some of my work, blowing it up to at least 8x10, getting some frames, then going down to some of the farmers market type of things we have in town. Ive also thought about heading back to the town I was born (Astoria, Oregon) to see what I could do at their farmers market.

What I want to know is whether I am to a point that this is something I should do. My parents are telling me I should but would they actually tell me that I am not ready? I dont think so. So that is what I want you all to do. You have seen my work. Am I ready for something like that or should I wait and do this down the road?
 
i agree with unimax, there is no harm in trying.

Im sure as long as they are local interest pictures, at a reasonable price, in colours that match buyers living rooms etc. you will sell a few
 
Go for it!

Puyallup, Tacoma, and Pt. Gamble all run farmers markets and they are well attended.

My parents were always very honest with me. Have a 3rd party look at your work. Maybe a photo instructor from a community college or local high school.

Good luck!
 
Also, if you haven't already, go to these local shows and markets and look at other artists doing similar things. Photography, watercolors, oils, woodworking etc. Talk to the artists/operators and get a "feel" for the market, demand, prices, and so on. Before dropping a bit of money into printing, matting, and framing, you should feel reasonably sure you can recoup some of your investment and hopefully even make a profit.
I went to a lot of art festivals the last several years and paid particular attention to the photography booths. A lot of these people make a living at it so there's a demand for it. There's a lot of beautiful places near Seattle and I'm sure you'd sell well if you had a nice product.
Good luck !
Dave
 
If you think you can do it, then go for it. I haven't seen TFP member Oriecat, around here for some time...but I think that she often set up a booth to sell photos at those kinds of events. If I'm not mistaken, she is also in the Northwest US.

The hard part will be setting your price and selling the right products. People are more likely to by a $10 or $20 item, than a $50 item. But if you are matting and framing them...your costs will be fairly high...then you have to figure out the overhead costs, for the booth space, for your time etc. Then there is the cost for your artistic talent. If you sell the prints, just to break even...then you are giving yourself an artistic value of nothing.

Some of the photo booths that I've seen...offer cheap prints. As well as a few in nice frame. It may take a while to figure out what works best in your market...but it certainly can be done.
 
Big Mike said:
I haven't seen TFP member Oriecat, around here for some time...but I think that she often set up a booth to sell photos at those kinds of events. If I'm not mistaken, she is also in the Northwest US.

yeah she was from Portland.. a virtual neighbor :)

She was probably selling at "Saturday Market which is a arts and crafts kind of thing. Somehow in my many years in the Portland area I have never been there :blushing:

I say go for it Soul Rebel.
 
Thank you for the advice so far. Its got me pretty excited and I think I will go for it when the time comes.

Ive thought about putting some shots in frames and I think I still might but when I go to these things I seem to remember seeing some cheaper shots without frames with a cardboard backing. I might do something like that. Maybe setup a box with a few lower quality shots and cardboard backing and sell those for 5-6 bucks apiece.

Im not sure about the higher quality shots though. A price isnt something I thought about. Actually I was thinking of just breaking even but you have a point. What good is there in that?

I do plan on making some business cards and handing those out with a link to my gallery online.
 
You don't really need to have many different shots. "lower quality ones in a bin". You could have the same image blown up in a frame, 8x10 on card board backing...and on 4x6 post cards.

I've seen this with paintings/art prints. A booth will have a very large one with a frame set up to grab attention. Few people could afford the $300 price tag for it...but they can then buy the same image on an 8x10 for $10-$20. The big image impresses them...and then the little ones gets their money.

The booth I'm remembering, only had 10 or 20 different images...but hundreds of things for sale.
 
Big Mike said:
You don't really need to have many different shots. "lower quality ones in a bin". You could have the same image blown up in a frame, 8x10 on card board backing...and on 4x6 post cards.

I've seen this with paintings/art prints. A booth will have a very large one with a frame set up to grab attention. Few people could afford the $300 price tag for it...but they can then buy the same image on an 8x10 for $10-$20. The big image impresses them...and then the little ones gets their money.

The booth I'm remembering, only had 10 or 20 different images...but hundreds of things for sale.

Great Idea! This is a great way to get name recognition in your community. Maybe even do a drawing for a 11x14 or something. Just be sure to have your name on the front of each photo and I like to use a waterproof customized stamp on the back of all of my prints with name, address, website, etc. http://www.stampsfirst.com/ultifast.html Helps with copyright issues. Cool idea about the bin of little ones though...I might do this at our "Day in the Park"! Now i'm all excited! :greenpbl: :D :greenpbl: :D :greenpbl:
 
I think you should give it a try! I did but I failed... that's why I'm working more on my photography and maybe someday...
 
If you can get hold of a load of mounts, then you can get away with charging much more and avoid the grubby masses stuffing up your pictures. You need thin celaphane (sp?) envelopes which they can go in for rummaging too.

Give it a shot, you can always use them as Christmas presents if it doesn't pan out!! :)

Rob
 
I didn't read this thread. Too much to read.

I did want to mention even if we don't think you pictures are good, which I'm sure they are (I can't actually comment too much, there's too many people here to remember who posted what pictures), I'm sure someone will.

Someone will percieve what you do as beautiful, even if you don't think it is.
 

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