[alt-photo] Re: Pt/Pd printing Video

[Diana Bloomfield]

Well, I think beginners probably should shy away from the process.  I  
do think pt/pd is an inordinately expensive process, and not all that  
satisfying, really (for me, anyway).  I stopped platinum printing, for  
the most part, because I never felt I could raise my prices enough to  
offset the costs, or to make it worth my while.  I also found most  
people (unless knowledgeable photographers or collectors) didn't  
really care about whether something was a platinum print or not, and  
had no idea what you were talking about when you said it was a  
platinum print.  You can educate people, of course, but in the end--  
honestly-- I don't think anybody much cares. I've printed some of my  
same images in other processes, and no one was ever put off that it  
wasn't a platinum print.  Maybe it was my printing ability (or lack  
of?), but I think people mostly appreciated the other processes more.   
It really is expensive, and heaven forbid if you're prone to making  
mistakes.  Not that I am, of course, but I have heard that people do-- 
you know-- make mistakes.

Diana


On Apr 29, 2010, at 1:53 PM, Jeremy Moore wrote:

> Eric,
>
> The problem is the way he brings it up in the video it sounds like the
> cost in materials to print one 11"x14" pt/pd print is $150. We're just
> spitballing that maybe this cost is printing for others. Hearing a
> figure like this makes beginners shy away from the process.
>
> -Jeremy-
>
> On Thu, Apr 29, 2010 at 10:30 AM, EJ Photo <ejnphoto at sbcglobal.net>  
> wrote:
>> Well, OK so you are trying to hold the guys feet to the fire when  
>> he is cost
>> estimating an 11x14. The cost of a simple 11x14 will be a be variable
>> depending on how you buy your paper, chemicals, pay for your power,  
>> etc.
>>
>> He may have been giving one , just a ball park figure to spend on  
>> negative,
>> through to finished print.
>>
>> As for an hourly rate for printing, commercial photographers charge  
>> a good
>> deal more than $50/hr. The skill set to be a high end printer is  
>> every bit
>> as respectable as a shooter. As what ever you can work out to is  
>> OK. The
>> work will speak for itself.  $150 for an 11x14 platinum may seem  
>> like a lot
>> to you , but as a cost item, less than what I charge to make one.
>>
>>
>> Eric Neilsen
>> Eric Neilsen Photography
>> 4101 Commerce Street, Suite 9
>> Dallas, TX 75226
>>
>> www.ericneilsenphotography.com
>> skype me with ejprinter
>> www.ericneilsenphotography.com/forum1
>> Let's Talk Photography
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: alt-photo-process-list-bounces at lists.altphotolist.org
>> [mailto:alt-photo-process-list-bounces at lists.altphotolist.org] On  
>> Behalf Of
>> Jeremy Moore
>> Sent: Thursday, April 29, 2010 9:33 AM
>> To: The alternative photographic processes mailing list
>> Subject: [alt-photo] Re: Pt/Pd printing Video
>>
>> I definitely understand costing out that high to print for others,  
>> but
>> he mentions this in an instructional-esque video and doesn't qualify
>> it at all.
>>
>> -Jeremy-
>>
>> On Thu, Apr 29, 2010 at 8:42 AM, Diana Bloomfield
>> <dhbloomfield at bellsouth.net> wrote:
>>> I agree, Loris.  I just happen to know a couple of people who  
>>> consistently
>>> do some printing for others (again, not platinum printing), and  
>>> knowing
>> what
>>> their material costs are for what they do, I know they charge more  
>>> than
>>> $50/hour, though they may not tell the client the cost per hour,  
>>> or break
>> it
>>> down that way for them.  People are better off, all the way  
>>> around, doing
>>> their own printing-- if that's at all possible for them-- but  
>>> that's just
>> my
>>> thought.  I've done some printing for people before, and I did  
>>> charge a
>>> lot-- mainly because I felt it was a somewhat thankless job and it  
>>> was my
>>> time--  but how much people are willing to pay for someone else to  
>>> print
>>> their work is always surprising to me. If the demand is there, you  
>>> may as
>>> well charge what you can get (law of supply and demand).  I always  
>>> think
>>> about how much my dentist charges (which seems outrageous to me),  
>>> and I
>>> figure I'm as good at what I do as he is at what he does-- you  
>>> know, maybe
>>> even better-- though I do have a few crowns that look really  
>>> good.  Of
>>> course, they should.  They cost me a small fortune.
>>>
>>> Diana
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