Photo pricing for my first gallery show?

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Next Friday, I'll be hanging my first "real" (ie., non-coffee-shop) gallery show, "Words In The Wild." It's 12 photos of found texts, which will be accompanied by poems a friend of mine wrote, which incorporate the texts in the photos. Here's a web gallery:

Words In The Wild

That's actually 20 pictures, I think...we cut 8 of them, according to which ones he wanted to write poems about.

Anyway, I'm a little leery of overpricing or underpricing the pictures. They'll be hung in my cheap A. C. Moore gallery frames, and I think I'll just be selling unframed prints. After printing these copies, I converted my printer to B&W only (and as a side note, Epson 1400 + MIS inkset is tremendously awesome, and very affordable), so new prints will be from MPix, which I think does a superb job with color semigloss. They are on 13x19 paper, but I think I'll get 16x20 from MPix if anyone orders one.

Most likely I won't sell any of them at all. But just in case, how should I price them, and how should I present the notion of buying them? Do I say that they're limited to a certain run of prints? (No matter how small the run, I'll never reach the end, I'm sure, but perhaps this is a useful thing to say from a marketing perspective?) I want to avoid appearing pretentious but also don't want to undersell my work.

This is, by the way, a largeish gallery by my city's standards...it's a college town in upstate NY...most galleries here sell watercolors of waterfalls. (This is the gallery.)

Any advice/comments welcome!
 
Don't do limited editions, no matter what any of the guys here tell you. Few have sold art from galleries. I have. Buyers don't care, especially with an unknown artist. Unless you become famous, you'll likely sell fewer prints than your edition anyway, but why limit your income artificially? You might become well known someday.

How much to charge? Depends on the market. In NY City, as Fred (nikonwebmaster here on RFF) says, you have to charge thousands for each or no one will buy and you'll make little money because of the high commissions the NY galleries exact. In a smaller city, like where I live, people will not buy if it is that expensive, but you can't sell them for $50 either. The prints cost money to make and the gallery is going to take a commission that will be anywhere from 25% to 50%. Ask the gallery's owner or director for advice on what the market will bear there. I am thinking for unframed prints on 13x19 paper (I'm assuming something like 11x14 image with some border to allow you to sign the work and to allow framing and matting if they buyer wants t do that) that $250 is probably a bare minimum. Again, ask the gallery. They (hopefully) sell art every day and know what people will pay.
 
Thanks guys! Glad to hear such a firm no-limited-edition opinion. It seems fake to me, and I don't want to do it, so I am likely to listen to you, Chris.

I had been thinking $175, but $250 certainly sounds nicer (and I should listen to you, who actually got an M4 out of your photo sales!). I will check with the gallery and see what they think, too.
 
Great post

Great post

Your post is amazingly current and relevant for me! I've just finished printing and framing (also in cheap AC Moore frames) my first "gallery" hanging, which will be in a Washington, DC area camera store, starting October 1.

I was thinking way too low in potential pricing (was considering $60-$70 for an 11x14). I also don't expect many (if any) prints to sell. So, what the heck? I think I'll try for more like $180 or so. Maybe sell the set of ten for $1250?

Congrats on your show! I hope this will be the first of many for both of us.

Regards,
Reed
 
Congrats on the show, but pricing is always a tough issue.

Personally, I agree w/Chriscrawfordphoto that limited editions are probably not necessary or helpful in your situation. In certain markets, buyers really do care about limited editions, but I wouldn't assume that they do in your situation by default; as Chris points out, there is a downside.

I would be upfront w/how your prints are made (i.e., be honest about the materials & the fact they're machine-made, etc., not traditional wet prints) & base pricing on what other comparable stuff, however you define it, goes for in your area. I also agree w/Chriscrawfordphoto that the gallery owner/operator is a good starting point, though I would do my own market research by visiting local galleries, craft shows, or wherever photography is sold in your neck of the woods.
 
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A tricky area. B&w prints don't sell well in Oz but I usually ask 250 AUD. Rarely do I get a buyer but then rarely do I exhibit. I might do alright next year as I have one in a place tha attracts a lot of people. I exhibit for mixed reasons and only do what I can afford. Anyway I have people who encourage me and it is nice for them and me to be at a gallery where they can see the results of my efforts and their support.

Congratulations and enjoy your opening night.
 
Thank you! Talked today to my friend who has exhibited a lot in our area and he says the signed-limited-edition schtick really does have some cachet around here. So I might actually do it. He agrees to charge a fairly high amount though. I am now thinking 200 for a signed limited edition print and 350 matted and framed. I will likely sell none of them, but whatever...

...hell though, maybe I'll sell all of 'em and buy another Leica! ;-)
 
lots of good advice, however you're probably best off asking your gallery director for guidance, s/he should know what the market will bear in your area given a photographer of your stature at this stage of your 'career'... congrats and good luck with the exhibit
 
Have you looked at using online photo selling services like dotphoto? I haven't looked into it in too much detail, but I think you can flag certain photos you post as limited and set custom pricing.
 
Part of the equation is your own feeling about your work. Would it make you happier to sell a lot of prints at a low price, or few at a high price? It's entirely a personal judgment.

I thought it over and decided that it would be more gratifying to sell even one piece at a high price; it would validate my sense that what I do is worth taking seriously. I'm glad I made that decision, so far it has worked out well for me.

Wishing you best of luck with your show!
 
The overall style of your pictures is something people won't buy and put on thier walls! It looks more like a photo book(essay) material to me. Good luck with sales! Smth aroun 200-300$ range is what I would be asking for it.
 
Congrats on the show!
How long is it going to be up? I'd like to see it but won't be back home 'til the end of Oct.
I can't offer much help about specific pricing, but will say to not undervalue your work or potential buyers will also.
Considering what I have seen around the area, where you are thinking($200 to 350-ish) seems about right.
Good luck, John!
Rob
 
arseniii said:
The overall style of your pictures is something people won't buy and put on thier walls! It looks more like a photo book(essay) material to me.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I completely agree--I am not likely to sell any at all (except maybe to my mom!). Which is one of the reasons I'm going to price them a little higher than my instinct...might as well make a statement of self-worth, if I'm not going to be making any money anyway. 😉

Rob, it's up through October. Definitely email me if you're going to be in the area!
 
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