How can I display my images at a craft fair.

[Raw photographer]

Hi,

Im going to a craft fair in my home town soon to sell some things. I want to try and display a couple photos there as well. How can I do that, do i have to actually mat and frame the photos, or is there some way i can display them that I wouldn't have to completely frame them. I could be wrong but if i just have bare prints there, I would think they might get damaged, or someone put finger prints on them or something. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Tim Tucker 2]

Something like this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pack-20-Pi...vlocphy=20342&hvtargid=pla-475759967407&psc=1

Place A4 photo in bag with backing and mount. No need to hinge as the bag keeps it all together and in place.

 

[tirediron]

It depends, are you selling these specific prints, or are they samples of prints? If you're selling these specific prints and there are only a couple of them, then go with very basic, bland framing and matte of the type Tim suggests above. You need to protect the images, but you have to remember that framing is very much a 'too taste' thing, so you want it to be bland and inexpensive so that the customer doesn't get turned off by it, nor think that they're spending a lot of money of a frame they don't like.

 

[Raw photographer]

It depends, are you selling these specific prints, or are they samples of prints? If you're selling these specific prints and there are only a couple of them, then go with very basic, bland framing and matte of the type Tim suggests above. You need to protect the images, but you have to remember that framing is very much a 'too taste' thing, so you want it to be bland and inexpensive so that the customer doesn't get turned off by it, nor think that they're spending a lot of money of a frame they don't like.

I was thinking of selling a couple bigger prints, no they wouldn't be samples, they would be the real print there. Also the bags above look great, so basically the buyer would then buy a frame to fit the photo then put the mat in that frame?

 

[dunfly]

It is all about marketing. I have never seen photo prints displayed in a plastic bag. It depends on the type of "craft fair" you are at. If its artsy craftsy stuff sold cheap, it might work. If it is more upscale art fair, I think you need to work on display and appearance. I've seen mediocre photo prints sell at a good price just because of how they were displayed.

 

[Original katomi]

I have used crystal sleeves over my prints in the past. Bit more expensive than polly bag but they are for art work so the are crystal clear and have a sealing strip . For what you are doing I would do just a basic mount and put them in the sleeves
They will be protected from finger prints, the mount will give some protection to the print edges and from minor bending, you will no doubt have an eye on those that handle the prints and can guard against mis handling.
The sleeves will protect your prints in transit and if outside from some of the elements.
If nothing else they will give you the time to pack the prints away safe if it rains. The ones I use are archival grade therefore I can leave the prints in them and not worry about the ph of the plastic.
You may consider taking an easel with you so that you can display images if peeps want to view them
Last of all do not have them at floor level. They will get kicked, dropped and otherwise abused
Hope this helps and wish you luck

 

[Tim Tucker 2]

If you're providing some prints for buyers to flick through then the bags make sense. They have a good *feel* to them and they protect the print which looks well framed. The advantage is that the buyer can just buy a standard frame and pop the whole thing in if they desire, or throw it away and matt and frame themselves as nothing is actually fixed except by the bag that holds it together. This is the advantage of the bag, keeps the print in *new* condition and allows you to present the print without actually fixing anything together in any permanent way.

The other alternative is to mount and display on a *wall* so again the prints are not being handled directly, but then the matt needs to be fixed.

 

[Original katomi]

https://www.calderartsupplies.co.uk...eeves-crystal-clear/id/0008800000000/var/true
This is the sort of sleeves I use.

 

[webestang64]

I had 3 different things at a fair I sold at.

4-6 16x20's and 10 11x14s mounted and framed hung on the walls provided.
50-75 8x10/12's mounted on 11x14 board and in a protective sleeve so people can flip through like LP's.
And a nice 3 ring binder with 5x7's in it so they can flip through and order a size as they wish.

 

[Raw photographer]

WOW thanks all, lots of ways to display i see, hmm, i definitely like the sleeves idea, do you think if i did lets say a 16x20" print and put it in one of those sleeves, would it detour people because they still have to buy the frame for it?

Thanks really appreciate all the help, i'm a real N00b as you can see LOL.

 

[zombiesniper]

Something like this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pack-20-Pi...vlocphy=20342&hvtargid=pla-475759967407&psc=1

Place A4 photo in bag with backing and mount. No need to hinge as the bag keeps it all together and in place.

Crap! in Canada that 20 pack is $120.

I had both framed and unframed images for sale.

Having at least a few framed images on display does make it easier for potential customers to perceive more value in the image. The only unframed images on display were 4X6's of all the images available. These were mounted on black foam board.

 

[Raw photographer]

Thanks, yes i was looking at those just now, those sleeves in CAD money and i was like nope not happening, it's just to much money. Now you looking like you do mostly wildlife photography like me, do you find your wildlife prints sell. Iv'e read a few things now online that say wildlife photography prints and such don't sell good at craft fairs and art shows. Now of course your work is a bit different than mine and looks better IMO.

Thanks in advance.

 

[webestang64]

do you think if i did lets say a 16x20" print and put it in one of those sleeves

For sure, I've done that as well. Just the 16x20 print with cardboard sleeved.

 

[zombiesniper]

Smaller craft fairs around Christmas isn't too bad. Some around me I can get into for $25. That made back in a single sale.
DO NOT do a large stadium style venues or upper end venues without having metal prints or prints much larger than 8X10, and they all have to be well framed AND $200-$900 price range.

The venue I was at in this photo was a very large market. I probably made 3X more from future work (portraits, shooting artists prints etc).
Knowing that the clientele for this venue were the out for an afternoon of window shopping, it was up to me to turn them into opportunistic shopper. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways. One way was to have that large owl banner. Kids loved that owl and since my business cards have the same owl. I'd hand one to the kids and say "Here's an owl of your own" basically forcing my card into their home. Another way was to have one of my camera's with the "Big" lens attached on a tripod. It would always draw in about 100 people a day to look at it.

Below is a link where I talk more about his larger (read more expensive) market experience.

Do what I say not what I do. lol

 

[smoke665]

I was at a craft fair a couple weeks ago, where a photographer was selling prints. He had a super nice booth semi rustic with led lighting. His smaller prints were sleeved in bins around the perimeter, but wall space was covered with 100% wrap around canvas. He claimed the canvas outsold prints, because it was a ready to hang item, no frame required.