Selling small size photo prints on the street.

[ForestCap]

Hi,

Has anyone done that? Selling small prints (10 x 15 cm -ish) of your photos on the street. If so how much would you charge per print?

Just an idea that flashed into my mind when I received some small prints of my photos from local Fujifilm's print service.

Cheers,

 

[majid]

It’s common to see hawkers selling postcards in tourist areas. The profit margins are slender, though.

 

[flagellum]

Probably not the best marketing move. People like to get a sense of exclusivity when buying art, which is reflected by where they buy it. Not much exclusivity to selling prints on the street, which is why most art sold on the street isn't super highly regarded (regardless of quality). Across the board, online distribution would probably be better. Otherwise you run the risk of people buying your art out of patronage because they think you are a starving artist/need the money, rather than buying it because it's something they will treasure.

That being said, if it's part of your process, it could make sense. Thematically, selling your work on the streets if you're a street photographer could be interesting, but you'd definitely want to make it distinct from everyday street art/give it an atmosphere of being special or somewhat exclusive. Maybe a pop-up or something?

 

[robert blu]

Two years ago in Arles there were photographers a photography students selling their work on the streets.
I bought a numbered wet print from one of them format 18x18 cm for around 200/250 EUR
He was selling also smaller size wet print (12x12 cm) at lower price (I bought two).
I bought because I liked very much the subject and the style of the print and also because I like the idea to support within my possibilities a young photographer.

Additionally he offered also ink-jet prints of the same subject (they were part of a reportage made during a three month journey in North of India taken with a Rolleiflex) printed on cotton paper (high quality) in A 5 format and a large border around the image itself.

I do not know if this brought a profit, my opinion is that maybe the wet print yes but the ink jet were made more to promote their work and get visibility.

Of course doing it during a well known photo Festival is different than doing it in a normal town.

robert

 

[Calzone]

I inkjet printed sheets of 2"x 3" business cards. My images are B&W. I used a stamper I bought at Staples the office supply store to create a self inking stamper that prints the word "Copyright" with my e-mail address and cell phone number.

The stamp makes it evident that it is a hand made print that I'm actually gifting someone. I made these because they are of supreme quality, and present my work well. I also have about 50 different cards so I have a sample of my work that I can carry with me in a credit card wallet at all times.

The cost and time required makes these small print unmarketable. All photographers that see my cards ask who made them, because they are so nice, and because they would like to do the same for their work.

I give these away as en-Fem-Ra to market and promote myself. It is a sample of my work, and also makes it clear that I'm also a fine art printer.

In a "Gallery Workshop" the business model presented is to do limited editions. This seems the best way to make your work a precious commodity of high value with the twist of collectability. Careful records are required and are useful for providence. When small editions sell rapidly then it is time to raise prices.

IMHO it is unwise to try and create a mass market with small prints. Hard to develop a following, a market, and most of all a reputation. Don't sell yourself short.

Also know that I have seen some remarkable work performed via small prints. This woman Sara used alternative process and each print was unique and hand made. Size is not the issue here. These prints were lovely to hold in the light in my hands. They created a beautiful experience.

Cal

 

[back alley]

I inkjet printed sheets of 2"x 3" business cards. My images are B&W. I used a stamper I bought at Staples the office supply store to create a self inking stamper that prints the word "Copyright" with my e-mail address and cell phone number.

The stamp makes it evident that it is a hand made print that I'm actually gifting someone. I made these because they are of supreme quality, and present my work well. I also have about 50 different cards so I have a sample of my work that I can carry with me in a credit card wallet at all times.

The cost and time required makes these small print unmarketable. All photographers that see my cards ask who made them, because they are so nice, and because they would like to do the same for their work.

I give these away as en-Fem-Ra to market and promote myself. It is a sample of my work, and also makes it clear that I'm also a fine art printer.

In a "Gallery Workshop" the business model presented is to do limited editions. This seems the best way to make your work a precious commodity of high value with the twist of collectability. Careful records are required and are useful for providence. When small editions sell rapidly then it is time to raise prices.

IMHO it is unwise to try and create a mass market with small prints. Hard to develop a following, a market, and most of all a reputation. Don't sell yourself short.

Also know that I have seen some remarkable work performed via small prints. This woman Sara used alternative process and each print was unique and hand made. Size is not the issue here. These prints were lovely to hold in the light in my hands. They created a beautiful experience.

Cal

i do something similar but my cards are from 'moo'...

 

[Calzone]

i do something similar but my cards are from 'moo'...

Joe,

Moo are cool cards, and they allow for printing with different images to do like I have done: basically made a portfolio.

Sara used Moo for her cards. They are beautiful, but expensive.

My cards I print 25 2x3's to a sheet, but it takes a lot of time culling them out. I have rotory cutters, but the best results and accurate cutting I use a straight edge and a razor.

Cal

 

[littlebrownbird]

Used to sell larger (A4 sort) prints for $20/30, was enough for petrol and food (driving around the country/living in a car for a month-ish); Got paper super cheap and printer wasn’t the best, wasn’t the worst (Pixma i80 i think it was).

Hope that helps, keep in mind the paper wasn’t the best, some sort of matte and a really small portable printer, sold it from the back of my car at weekend markets around the country (mostly farms, I live in NZ).