i see what you mean.
thanks for taking the time to lay all of that out for me. i hope that i am not cutting into that margin!
i did'nt send them back because i wasn't sure if they were my fault or it was the labs. turns out it was theirs. they get good reviews from the local shooters and i went to them first...still, i feel that they are less interested in my business because i am still a small outfit and i don't know my way around the process.
mpix is an online service i gather? i will look them up and see what they have to offer. thanks for the heads up.
i agree with you on the matting and framing part. that is definately something that i am going to need to address...next step is working that out. alot of my work has been cropped to non standard sizes so i am definately going to have to either assemble them myself or have it done professionally...if i have to have someone else do it, it's gonna eat a big huge chunk out of the bottom line. if i do it myself...well there another cut by your observations.
that and i have to get people to get people into my studio because lugging a bunch of framed prints is not a viable option
so i am going to have to invest some money into marketing as well. (some will probably be wasted so i should keep track of that from the git go no?)
limited editions are how i intend to create value so that would only serve to enhance that element yes?
one thing that is fortunate about where i live (near scenic 30a about 17 miles from destin florida...8 million tourists a year) is that i am close to the areas where the big cash cows come in. i've been around the area for about 7 years as well so i have alot of contacts to work with for exposure.
so far, i have avoided those areas for now because i want to get the packages together and complete before i start working those markets. i plan on hitting them come spring when the first tourists start arriving and by then i hope to have some work up in public places where they can be seen.
i am relatively prolific and i am always shooting with my little pos...i expect to do the same with an SLR...because i have so many interests the result tends to be that i end up with a broad spectrum of material that can be divided into several categories. the output as i plan it is what i call cutting the cow...
the art division that i am imagining goes like this.
- images that are of interests to the average tourists and can be viably sold in larger numbers will be mass produced and sold for less. (less value...more prints) (simple frames...standard sizes...bulk savings for materials)
- images that have unique qualities, are rare, particularly beautiful or of interest to collectors will be printed limited edition and presented as a complete package (framed. matted. done.)
- finally, i will be creating specific fine art works which will be shown as a final level for those who are looking for work that crosses the edge and operates beyond the traditional model...more experimental work. the reason that i will be doing the rest of it. those will be in a small gallery upstairs where i work. this is where my own printing comes in...the last two levels. larger format...carefully constructed work that exists as an object in much the same way as a painting would. because i want to experiment...i need to do it myself. that is really the reason for starting this thread. i need a tool that can make that little room happen. the nice thing is that now i am talking with you about the things that can make that a reality. a good thing. this is where i want to end up. this place is my goal. the good stuff. the stuff that has a soul.
- finally, images that are applicable and which can be licensed as stock will be carved from the rest before i toss the rest into the recycle bin.
i am pretty much on the "artist" side, but i don't think that i am incapable of learning how to orchestrate a good return on these things with a little help...so i am glad for the input. i have alot to learn about these things and i think that i can benefit from making some real shifts in how i organize this effort from the beginning.
is this one of those things that i need to get hooked up with a left minded partner or a financial planner to make it happen or is it something that a little prep can make viable?
my goal is to make great work that can communicate my vision of the world with like minded souls and to have my work taken care of beyond my brief time on this world...not interested in the van gogh model.
am i making any sense?