Maybe I am crazy for saying this???

[Ian63]

Decided today to sell my work for cost + zero, as in say to most people who visit my website... here is a direct link to a printer.. have at it.
Some people would/ have already say/said... WHAT??? that's stupid... you are devaluating yourself... you are just giving your work away!
Well maybe my goal is to focus on the value of sharing what I see as my own personal vision... without placing a monetary value on that vision.
lets face facts here... my vision is SO not within the rules, on most occasions... and as I have little or no social / business/ computer/ marketing skills... why not focus on my creativity, and not fuss any more on all that other stuff.
I am sure this sounds defeatist... ludicrous ... whatever you want to call it... but I feel like this is the right thing for me to do right now.
And that would be to create totally for the purpose of sharing my vision, rather than asking anyone to pay for it.
What are your thoughts???

Ian

 

[Trever1t]

I agree 1000% or at least share your goal of focusing on the creation of the vision. I turn down paid work daily and flat out refuse to take on projects that don't spark my creativity BUT in no way would I ever give free print rights to anyone other than the others who are part of the process.

 

[xenskhe]

I hope that it goes well!

 

[Vtec44]

Best of luck! To each their own.

 

[Derrel]

Hey, why not? If that's what you feel is right for you right now, I see nothing wrong with it. The world is already amply greedy. There are plenty of freely available images all over the web. Plenty of images available for free download, and plenty of them in decent resolution, suitable for printing. Probably 99.99 percent of all the images shot in the world on a daily basis have no inherent commercial appeal or commercial value. The world's supply of landscape images and travel photos and artistically-oriented images is so vast that the idea that any one person's photos are worth money to a random person is silly. So...why not just drop the pretense and let people have some images without strings?

 

[Designer]

Someday, probably long after you are deceased, someone will recognize your genius, and your heirs will fight over the ownership rights. So enjoy that feeling now while you can.

 

[astroNikon]

Not unlike other "professions"
ever hear of the starving artist
Many famous painters/artists of the past rarely made much money.

 

[The_Traveler]

my vision is SO not within the rules

What's your vision?

 

[vintagesnaps]

This doesn't seem like really selling your work, just getting back the costs. And underpricing. So to me it helps devalue photography and art. I'm not sure why you think your vision is something that needs to be 'out there' but that can't be priced. It 'costs' something in time and effort and talent to create it.

 

[The_Traveler]

My attitude is that I won't sell anyone prints unless they come directly to my home, bringing coffee and donuts, then sit down and explain why they deserve to have one - and then pay me whatever I ask at that moment without quibble.

Luckily, that has yet to happen.

 

[Vtec44]

It 'costs' something in time and effort and talent to create it.

Yep. To some people, time is invaluable and can't be brought back. How do you put a price on that? To each their own but spend your time wisely.

 

[robbins.photo]

My attitude is that I won't sell anyone prints unless they come directly to my home, bringing coffee and donuts, then sit down and explain why they deserve to have one - and then pay me whatever I ask at that moment without quibble.

Luckily, that has yet to happen.

Well, you haven't given me your address.

 

[The_Traveler]

My attitude is that I won't sell anyone prints unless they come directly to my home, bringing coffee and donuts, then sit down and explain why they deserve to have one - and then pay me whatever I ask at that moment without quibble.

Luckily, that has yet to happen.

Well, you haven't given me your address.

This is the closest one and I drive this street every day.
Just stand outside with the coffee and donuts and I'm certain to see you.

 

[robbins.photo]

This is the closest one and I drive this street every day.
Just stand outside with the coffee and donuts and I'm certain to see you.

A 6'2" redneck standing outside your house with coffee and doughnuts. Yup.. hope you'd notice that.. lol

 

[xenskhe]

Cost + zero is fine, as long as you factor in all the costs: utilities, food, rent, socialising, holidays, pension, hobbies, consumer therapy, bouts of hedonism. It's all a necessary part of the struggle.