Large Format Business Plan

[dave lackey]

Thisa is a serious question for me as I am close to opening my own studio. While I am still working on how/where/when questions, I thought it would be nice to hear from others about a plan to use Large Format for portraits and Platinum Prints.

This combination seems to be somewhat unique at least in my area, but it also seems that the final results (the printed image) would be different enough to distinguish my work from others.

Any thoughts along this line would be appreciated.

 

[eric]

Do you have a lot of money?
Platinum prints? I figure I can BARELY afford Platinum toner for my kallitype prints.

 

[venchka]

Ask this question at the Large Format Forum. Chances are good to great that there are folks there doing what you are proposing.

I have thought about platinum/palladium printing as well. A few things I have learned recently:

1. You must make contact prints. For portraits an 8x10 or larger camera would be best.
2. Palladium printing can be substituted for platinum/palladium printing. I don't know the benifits of palladium versus platinum/palladium. Cost maybe?
3. A vacuum frame is generally the best way to make contact prints.
4. Some folks make enlarged negatives from scanned 4x5 negatives with an inkjet printer.
5. There's a recent thread on this forum about platinum/palladium printing.

AHHH! I see that you started the other platinum printing thread.

Good luck! Keep us informed.

 

[Todd.Hanz]

Thisa is a serious question for me as I am close to opening my own studio. While I am still working on how/where/when questions, I thought it would be nice to hear from others about a plan to use Large Format for portraits and Platinum Prints.

This combination seems to be somewhat unique at least in my area, but it also seems that the final results (the printed image) would be different enough to distinguish my work from others.

Any thoughts along this line would be appreciated.

I've run the same question thru my mind. Large format requires a different sort of discipline from yourself and your clients. You will probably have to charge a bit more for LF portraits, esp. platinum/pall. prints but the results are outstanding. Good luck!

Todd

 

[Roger Hicks]

I find that one of the easiest ways to shoot LF portraits is to hang my 8x10 De Vere monorail upside down on a gallows-type camera stand (mine's an IFF but there are others such as Cambo) and to use an uncoated lens: my favourite is a 21 inch (533mm) f/7.7 Ross (I had a custom rail and bellows made). The suspended camera can't suddenly tip over; it just swings like a pendulum if you slack it off.

Exposures are quite long and you have to allow for the fact that a large head shot is very nearly macro (same size on film). I'd hesitate to use anything bigger than 8x10 though I have a wonderful 20x24 Polaroid portrait of me and my wife taken on the Great Camera of Prague.

VERY stable poses are required in order to allow you to compose, close the shutter, insert the film-holder and remove the sheath, before the subject moves. I learned this when going through the Kobal collection for the book on Hollywood portraits that I did with Chris Nisperos. Just look at Hollywood portraits and you'll see how they achieved this stability.

But you probably know all this already...

Cheers,

R.

 

[Toby]

I set up my own photography business last year and my main piece of advice would be to keep your costs as low as possible to begin with while you start build up the business. I think the idea of running a real fine art photography studio is great but you may struggle to find clients who understand the differences between formats and why your very expensive methods are justified - most people just don't know what large format is.

I offer a fine art service and shoot 6x7 - I have to charge two and a half times what I do for a digital sitting and even then the margins are tighter than for a digital shoot - not to mention the time need for scanning a proofing the negatives. There is a customer service issue as well. Digital portrait studios will customarily offer 40-50 images in a client gallery so if you shoot LF there will be a perceived lessening of choice if you can only offer 6 images. I think you'd have a very steep learning curve educating your customer base and you'll probably have to charge a lot more than you think ( I'm guessing close to $1,000 per sitting?) because you won't be able to handle a large volume of work. You may also limit youself in certain markets - I wouldn't like to photograph a 2 year old with a view camera, but young children are one the key markets and very lucrative if you have the right clients.

At the end of the day run a studio in an unsentimental way keep business basics in the front of your mind. I think boutique film photography has huge untapped potential as a premium product but I'd offer a digital service as well just to cover yourself and pay the bills while the business is young.

 

[venchka]

While there are people in this world who can appreciate an 8x10 or larger contact print, there will be far more people who want family portraits, restless youngsters and all, at 16x20 or larger. Cost won't neccessarily dissuade them. Size will matter to them more than image quality.

Here's someone working in film only. Perhaps she can shed some light on your plans.

http://cherylnicolai.squarespace.com/welcome/

 

[rjporter]

another angle...

another angle...

Instead of shooting large format, have you considered digital capture, then outputting a large format negative and palladium printing from that? there are several excellent books on the process, and even Dick Arentz, who is a master of the medium (traditionally he uses 12x20 and 7x17 inch cameras) has lately been using an M8 then makes digital big negatives. If you did this, you could do the sitting for your regular fee, then offer the clients a variety of finished products, from simple print packages to large size platinum prints. this is my ideal business plan which has been very slow going.

 

[RF-Addict]

I would offer more than just one type of service. In order to succeed, I think you'll have to offer "traditional" portrait services (meaning digital, MF, etc.) and your LF dream. Unless you live in a high tourist frequency area with historical background (eg Williamsburg, etc.) you will most likely not put enough food on the table with LF portraits alone.

 

[MartinP]

Over here, it often seems that if you mention "film" you are assumed to be an incompetent, senile idiot using stuff that will poison someones house if they hang it on the wall. Apparently this viewpoint is called "marketing" by the digital sellers.

The main drivers for the average customer are speed and cheapness, so research your target market verrrrrrrry carefully, and/or keep LF as a sideline that is readily available but not your main service.