Tom Ferguson (tomf2468@pipeline.com)
Wed, 21 Jul 1999 09:17:16 -0700
This is a very common gallery "game". Lets look at an 11x14 alt
print. The first 5 sold at $450 each (1/25 to 5/25), the next 5
sold are $550 each, the next 5 sold are $650 each, the next 5
sold are $750 each, the final 5 sold are $900 each.
I edition at 25 "fine art prints". Period, total, without
excuses. 25 prints are made from the neg and 2 artist proofs
(which I don't sell). The only exception to my rule is "poster"
type reproductions, which sell for drasticaly less money. I've
been lucky enought to have 3 images produced as posters, two of
which sold "5 figure" copies. These, obviously, didn't count in
my edition!!!
The galleries like this steped price plan because they can say
"You better buy it now, before the price goes up". It is a good
"closer" for them. In fact, early in my art selling experience,
a New York gallery refused to carry my work untill I agreed to
this plan.
For the artist it offers a self limit to constantly selling /
printing one or two "best sellers" and adds to your chance of
selling "new work". When the gallery customer is looking at two
11x14 palladium prints one new 1999 image at $450 and a 1996
image at $900, they often go for the new one! I don't know about
others, but I'm always far more interested in moving my newest
stuff, not the prints from 4 years ago.
Are editions and steped pricing "games": yes. Are they false to
the nature of photography: yes. Does that matter: No! My
advice, when you are shooting wear your artist hat. Make the art
you "want/have to" make. Don't even think about "business". It
will ruin both the art and the fun if you (I) do. But, once the
art is made, put on your CEO hat. You are now selling, not
making, art. Now is the time to loose your sentimentality and
act like a business person.
And speaking of "business", I had better get off the net and go
order my drum scans. Exciting??? portraits of business
executives. You see, I don't sell enough of those personal
prints or poster to pay the mortgage yet ;-(
-- Tom Ferguson tomf2468@pipeline.com http://www.thefstop.com/tf.html---------- >From: FotoDave@aol.com >To: alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca >Subject: Re: $$$$ how to price prints >Date: Wed, Jul 21, 1999, 8:14 AM >
> In a message dated 7/21/99 7:46:56 AM Pacific Daylight Time, > tomf2468@pipeline.com writes: > >> That said: I'll start by mentioning my prices. 8x10 alt prints >> start at $300 and raise to $600 as the edition sells out, 11x14 > > Tom, I don't quite understand what you meant above. If the edition sells > out, > doesn't mean it is out (no more print)? So what print are you raising to > > $600? Or do you mean you currently sell all 8x10 prints at $300 each and > will > raise the price when you sell out all edition? But as you continue to > make > prints, wouldn't it be that you will never sell out all the editions? I > believe I misread you somewhere. Could you explain a little? <SNIP>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.0b3 on Thu Oct 28 1999 - 21:40:37