Topic: Has anybody ever sold their photography?
Dap1983's photo
Tue 01/19/10 05:48 PM
I had someone intrested in some of my prints but have no set prices yet. I know what they want and what sizes they want. But am unsure what to charge. I have been told many diffrent things. A few people say multiply my price by 2. others say by 5 and some say by more. But I am the type that wants to make a deal where we both get what we want and it's not too expensive. How much would you spend for 8 5x7 prints (not matted)?



centered's photo
Tue 01/19/10 06:07 PM

I had someone intrested in some of my prints but have no set prices yet. I know what they want and what sizes they want. But am unsure what to charge. I have been told many diffrent things. A few people say multiply my price by 2. others say by 5 and some say by more. But I am the type that wants to make a deal where we both get what we want and it's not too expensive. How much would you spend for 8 5x7 prints (not matted)?


That's a difficult question to answer. Multiply "what" by "2' or "5". The original
cost for you to get it printed? And what are the prints of? Your own work of
subject matter of your own choosing?

What *I* would spend for 8 5x7 prints would probably be different than what
"that" person would spend. It depends on the artwork. Heck, I might buy some
print that "that" person wouldn't even consider.

I've sold some 8x10 prints for $100 and some for close to $500, and yet some
for $50. I think it's really about what you think it should be worth, *artistically*.
People will pay the price if they truly want it.

Dap1983's photo
Tue 01/19/10 06:25 PM
they are all nature pritns. flower with bee's, sunset, some rocks reflected in the water. All 5x7. They are prints I took for the fun of it. I was out and wanted to shoot. It's what I saw.

I wish I knew how to post some of the images here. If i knew I would.

motowndowntown's photo
Tue 01/19/10 06:31 PM
You charge what you can get away with.

You want to recoup your costs first off.

If you are first starting out and want to get your name out there a few bucks more than your costs. If you start to make a name for yourself start raising the price.

Magazines usually have a set rate unless you are big name or have a photo of something they really want.

s1owhand's photo
Wed 01/20/10 01:32 PM
look at some gallery stuff or online pricing to get an idea.
there is no easy way to value artistic work. it is too subjective.

someone may well pay a great deal of money for a piece of
art that another person would not take even if you paid THEM.

laugh

ask them what they would be willing to pay - then if it is
reasonable you can deduct 5 or 10% and they will feel like
they are getting a bargain. if they are not willing to pay
enough to cover your costs and time then you can simply tell
them that it will not cover it.

if they are unable to pay a reasonable price because of some
hardship you know of then you could make it a charitable donation
and as long as you have some reasonable basis for valuing it
you might be able to get a charitable tax deduction.

:smile:

i sold some photographs. portraits. when the parents of the
subject saw the photos - and they were wealthy - they simply
offered to pay me what they had expected to pay for another
professional photographer to do the portrait work. which was
a lot of money - but it was long ago so i don't have a number
which i could give to you based on that figure. in fact, i
don't even remember how much it was anymore....just that i was
shocked at the time.


buttons's photo
Thu 01/21/10 12:15 PM
i would put into consideration their plan on what they are going to do with the pictures as well, is there potiential for them coming back to get more from u in the furture another consideration.

Dap1983's photo
Thu 01/21/10 03:48 PM

i would put into consideration their plan on what they are going to do with the pictures as well, is there potiential for them coming back to get more from u in the furture another consideration.



these same Images. Probably not. But other images yes. She has already stated that she wants to see what eles I had that was not in print already.


I am thinking for 5x7 prints of charging $10 per print. I might give her a bit of a discount.

Quietman_2009's photo
Thu 01/21/10 03:54 PM
I sell some of my photos off and on

but they always make me burn the negatives after they pay me

centered's photo
Thu 01/21/10 04:23 PM
Edited by centered on Thu 01/21/10 04:25 PM

they are all nature pritns. flower with bee's, sunset, some rocks reflected in the water. All 5x7. They are prints I took for the fun of it. I was out and wanted to shoot. It's what I saw.

I wish I knew how to post some of the images here. If i knew I would.


If you don't have a "photo site", why not sign up for a free Google
account and post your photos to your Picasa (Google) site. If you
don't want the photos to be public, you can set albums as private
and provide a web link (via email, etc), to folks so they can view
the prints.

There are many other photo-dedicated websites which allow you
to present your work, including pricing, and allow folks to order
prints from that site.

centered's photo
Thu 01/21/10 04:30 PM

I am thinking for 5x7 prints of charging $10 per print. I might give her a bit of a discount.


$10 bucks? I think you're selling yourself short there. I learned a valuable
business lesson when I was much younger (20's) when I started up a
surfboard and sailboard manufacturing business. I had a mentor who
guided me through the business.

I told him I was going to initially price my boards at a much lower rate than
the competition, then raise the price as I became an "established name" in
the business. He saId, "don't do it because no one will pay your higher
prices, because you will be know as the low-price leader".

So from "day one", my prices were matched to my competition - it proved
to be a successful decision. Undercutting the competition in an artistic
enterprise means you're going to do the same amount of work for a much
lower price, meaning you will "lose money" in the long run.

buttons's photo
Thu 01/21/10 05:46 PM


i would put into consideration their plan on what they are going to do with the pictures as well, is there potiential for them coming back to get more from u in the furture another consideration.



these same Images. Probably not. But other images yes. She has already stated that she wants to see what eles I had that was not in print already.


I am thinking for 5x7 prints of charging $10 per print. I might give her a bit of a discount.
of course they wont come back for the same images, for they already have them... if they are using them to make money off.. they have to buy a copyright off of u and that is worth wayyyyy more than 10 bucks! even if they continue to do business with you... i suggest u start looking for information about this online and learning before u sell them.... congrats!! and best of luck to you!

Dap1983's photo
Thu 01/21/10 05:52 PM



i would put into consideration their plan on what they are going to do with the pictures as well, is there potiential for them coming back to get more from u in the furture another consideration.



these same Images. Probably not. But other images yes. She has already stated that she wants to see what eles I had that was not in print already.


I am thinking for 5x7 prints of charging $10 per print. I might give her a bit of a discount.
of course they wont come back for the same images, for they already have them... if they are using them to make money off.. they have to buy a copyright off of u and that is worth wayyyyy more than 10 bucks! even if they continue to do business with you... i suggest u start looking for information about this online and learning before u sell them.... congrats!! and best of luck to you!



She wants them for her and her sister to hang in their houses. I would Not allow anyone to buy my Picture to turn around and sell them.


I am seriously thinking about Giving her price for all. Instead of a price per print.

buttons's photo
Thu 01/21/10 05:57 PM




i would put into consideration their plan on what they are going to do with the pictures as well, is there potiential for them coming back to get more from u in the furture another consideration.



these same Images. Probably not. But other images yes. She has already stated that she wants to see what eles I had that was not in print already.


I am thinking for 5x7 prints of charging $10 per print. I might give her a bit of a discount.
of course they wont come back for the same images, for they already have them... if they are using them to make money off.. they have to buy a copyright off of u and that is worth wayyyyy more than 10 bucks! even if they continue to do business with you... i suggest u start looking for information about this online and learning before u sell them.... congrats!! and best of luck to you!



She wants them for her and her sister to hang in their houses. I would Not allow anyone to buy my Picture to turn around and sell them.


I am seriously thinking about Giving her price for all. Instead of a price per print.
unless u get them copyrighted... then u could not control that.. if it is a personal friend.. things are a different story u would have less to worry about..

Mikebert4's photo
Thu 01/28/10 06:06 AM
I've sold a few prints - though most of what I take (bar specific event photos) tends to end up on Flickr under a creative commons license.

When I've taken shots for a specific event, I usually make a set of lower (maybe 800px on the long side) .jpgs available to people - they can then go through and say if they want any in higher res, or printed.

Last Graduation I shot at (playing second togger to a close friend) we charged cost+20% for prints and a flat fee of £10 to get all the shots in high-res (usually I'd supply these both as tiff and jpg).

But it's all about what you can get really - I know a wedding photographer who pulls almost £3k a gig. Mind you, his equipment alone stretches into the hundreds of thousands of £.


Still, outside of specific events or commissions (ie: all my hobby shots) are on Flickr and free to download, print, alter and repost. I'm a real fan of non-copyright art - some people have taken seemingly mediocre photos of mine and turned them into masterpieces.

Well, that's my take on things anyway.

M



no photo
Thu 01/28/10 07:16 AM


I am thinking for 5x7 prints of charging $10 per print. I might give her a bit of a discount.


$10 bucks? I think you're selling yourself short there. I learned a valuable
business lesson when I was much younger (20's) when I started up a
surfboard and sailboard manufacturing business. I had a mentor who
guided me through the business.

I told him I was going to initially price my boards at a much lower rate than
the competition, then raise the price as I became an "established name" in
the business. He saId, "don't do it because no one will pay your higher
prices, because you will be know as the low-price leader".

So from "day one", my prices were matched to my competition - it proved
to be a successful decision. Undercutting the competition in an artistic
enterprise means you're going to do the same amount of work for a much
lower price, meaning you will "lose money" in the long run.


For someone who is just beginning to sell photographs and get their name and pictures out there, not charging much is probably a good idea. Especially if they are not matted.

myssfytz's photo
Thu 01/28/10 02:59 PM
TAG

no photo
Sat 04/10/10 02:38 AM
For starters.. This is a terrible topic, how can you be so heartless when Mitsy died! :( My tabby.. I miss him, I put out lost signs and nothing, I like to think that he is with Barry Manilow. Oh WOW I've really trailed off look at me chat.

Does anyone know a good recipe for lasagna??