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

Keith Gerling keith.gerling at gmail.com
Thu Apr 29 18:36:09 GMT 2010


Diana, it is refreshing to hear you say that.  I think the the majority of
people could not care less about ANY of the things we hold near and dear.
When I stress archivability, I can read their minds: "this guy thinks his
work is an *heirloom*??"  I once printed an inkjet copy of one of my
gumprints for an individual that had purchased the original and was not
surprised to hear that the inkjet was the one on display (paper was easier
to matte and frame then plywood).

On Thu, Apr 29, 2010 at 1:06 PM, Diana Bloomfield <
dhbloomfield at bellsouth.net> wrote:

> 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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