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  #11  
Old 4th March 2009, 02:25 PM
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So, what I aim to produce is images of recognisable places at a reasonable price, I intend to market the work as hand made, Silver Gelatin prints and I will make some literature that explains the process and archival qualities. I will not compromise the process or vision
That's pretty much the approach I've been considering myself for my b+w work. I've been struggling a bit with direction the last year or two but come to a similar conclusion to you. I also want to continue with the colour work though (that Epson 3800 has to pay for itself!) because I enjoy that too; however I have a concern that I might be competing against myself. One answer might be to have strictly limited editions of the darkroom work, priced accordingly.

There is a local artist hereabouts who has two personas, doing different styles, and she seems to get away with it (like Ruth Rendell and her alter ego I guess). Perhaps that's something I could look at doing as well. Or is it really not that different to you Steven, with your wedding/commercial work alongside this new more personal venture? I'll have to think about that. Ironically in view of what you said above about Graham's work, I've also been considering panoramic colour images on canvas ...
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  #12  
Old 4th March 2009, 02:32 PM
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I fear that educating the masses is wishful thinking. If you you want to sell in volume to the wider public you will have to produce what the wider public want. I think the first law of any business is "the customer is King."

Tony
I can't argue with that Tony. Educating the photographic masses to use f-stop printing has been an uphill struggle, but hardly any go back once they've made the change. Many go on to become evangelists, which certainly helps my cause .

While there are still customers for my darkroom kit I don't have to sell prints, but it's something I want to do alongside "the day job" and it needs to pay its way. So the colour stuff will continue, and maybe I'll try and move the wet stuff up-market a bit.
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  #13  
Old 4th March 2009, 02:39 PM
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Interesting comparisons on sales; I've always felt it important that the subject should some have form of commercial appeal. I've no intention of doing pretty colour postcards just to make some sales. B&W photographers are a funny lot...photographing rusty wheels and garage doors because the textures are nice and spending hours on prints, binning slightly imperfect prints... are we mentally ill?? Ask our other halves
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  #14  
Old 4th March 2009, 03:34 PM
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I think the first law of any business is "the customer is King."

Tony
Try telling that to Rynair.

Richard
Bob Carlos Clarke used a pseudonym for his more "cheesy" lads mag work that earned him the dosh.
Steven
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Old 4th March 2009, 03:39 PM
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My most successful period of print sales was when I was selling silver gelatine prints of local views through a local art gallery.

I was also with two big London galleries back in the '80's, Contrast Gallery in Dover Street and Seen Gallery in Mayfair. I didn't sell a single print at Contrast Gallery, but did get invited to exhibit in a nice group show (which included John Davies) in Israel. I sold a couple of images at the Seen Gallery. However the owner stopped selling photographs after a year and reverted back to selling fine art paintings. He said it was a more reliable and profitable market

These days I consider my work as predominantly non-commercial and too expensive for the casual buyer. Although I do enjoy exhibiting work mainly in group shows. I'm involved in 4 group exhibitions this year.

One of my friends who I exhibit with on occasions produces superb colour inkjets, which sell quite well because his pricing is more affordable; on average £70 for a mounted A3 print. I can't and wont compete with those sort of prices.
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  #16  
Old 4th March 2009, 04:01 PM
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Bob Carlos Clarke used a pseudonym for his more "cheesy" lads mag work that earned him the dosh.
Steven
That pretty much answers my concern then - thanks Steven. So long as I don't put them both in the same gallery and have to turn up twice at the private view ...
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  #17  
Old 4th March 2009, 04:12 PM
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That pretty much answers my concern then - thanks Steven. So long as I don't put them both in the same gallery and have to turn up twice at the private view ...
If you do I'll come as your alter ego provided I can take the income from the inkjet sales.
Steven
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  #18  
Old 4th March 2009, 04:32 PM
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If you do I'll come as your alter ego provided I can take the income from the inkjet sales.
Steven
Ha! Well, that might work but I dunno whether it'd cover your petrol cost to get here!
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  #19  
Old 4th March 2009, 06:01 PM
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Constable exhibited his first painting in 1802, but unlike Turner, success eluded him. He sold only 20 paintings in his lifetime, and was never recognized in his homeland while he was alive.

The fickle world of art, like antiques, is something elusive for most artists. I think one has two options:

Do the works one likes and is happy with - result in most cases: Poor!
Do what sells and fund what one likes – result: bliss.

I love the comment ‘Alter ego’ it conjures up a vision of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde!

David.
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  #20  
Old 4th March 2009, 06:15 PM
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Maybe I'm lucky but we get a lot of visitors from the continent, and I find that french visitors in particular buy the more "arty' type of images and locals and English visitors tend to buy the landscapes, but this might be a purely local trend, I would say that fine art photography is at the moment bigger on the continent at the moment, and I am placed in an ideal place to get some of both worlds Richard
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