I've always been a fairly generous person. Some would even say that I'm probably TOO generous. I can't really help that part of me as I've been raised that way. My generosity trickles down into my photographic work. I've been questioning that aspect of mine, with relation to my work, and have been having thoughts of whether that generosity is hurting me more than it is helping me.
Last week, a friend of mine introduced me to this website where artists sell their work and thought I should sell some of my stuff on there. I took a look at the site and saw some of the prices other photographers were valuing behind their work and a lot of them tended to go over the $500 mark and some even went beyond $1000. Seeing that was surprising to me because I thought many of them didn't really deserve that kind of pricing other than the technical aspect of said photographic print (what kind of finish, the type of printing process etc.). What was also surprising is that many of the photos I saw asking for such a price, were photos I would normally take...my style. I've been charging MUCH less than that but that's because most of my prints aren't...luxurious and I'm speaking in terms of technical aspects but other than that, my photos are just as good as theirs if not better. I can't seem to find myself asking for such a price behind my prints and I'm wondering if I'm either being too soft, nice, or undervaluing my work...
Maybe it's a little bit of everything that's the problem. You see, as a photographer/artist, I want my work in as many people's hands and homes as possible. I want my name out there and in order to do that, I had it in mind and practice to price my work inexpensive and reasonable but now I'm finding that could be a problem because should the case be that I do get my name and my work out there, I'd be known as a cheap photographer and so would my work. I don't want to be known as that and what's funny and sad at the same time is that my friend has been telling me this in the past and I'm JUST finally getting it!
So am I going to start selling my photographic work in the thousands now? Definitely no. I'm not (well)known all that much yet. I still have to crawl before I walk. I will however stop undervaluing my work both in selling my photographic prints and in my freelance jobs. As far as my print selling, I think I'll be doing a two pronged approach. I'll start offering more quality prints. Not saying my previous prints are not quality or bad but I'll start doing more better quality prints. Digital Cs and Inkjet prints which will cost more than what I've printed in the past but they will be more better. I'll also still sell the more affordable prints so people who can't afford hundreds of dollars in one print can still buy my stuff. All said, now, all of my prints will be priced according to the value of my work, my skills, and how great the photo itself is.
As far as my freelance gigs, I've got to stop being as nice as I am. I've had paid gigs before but I've priced those jobs really cheap and I've done more free stuff than I've done paid. I'll probably still do the free thing on certain conditions...a friend etc. but they'll be much fewer than I've done in the past. I'll be asking for more in compensation also.
I'm (finally) taking a stand in my work. Why did it take this long? I'm going to put more of the blame on my arrogance, stubbornness, and ignorance than my propensity to be nice on this one.
Last week, a friend of mine introduced me to this website where artists sell their work and thought I should sell some of my stuff on there. I took a look at the site and saw some of the prices other photographers were valuing behind their work and a lot of them tended to go over the $500 mark and some even went beyond $1000. Seeing that was surprising to me because I thought many of them didn't really deserve that kind of pricing other than the technical aspect of said photographic print (what kind of finish, the type of printing process etc.). What was also surprising is that many of the photos I saw asking for such a price, were photos I would normally take...my style. I've been charging MUCH less than that but that's because most of my prints aren't...luxurious and I'm speaking in terms of technical aspects but other than that, my photos are just as good as theirs if not better. I can't seem to find myself asking for such a price behind my prints and I'm wondering if I'm either being too soft, nice, or undervaluing my work...
Maybe it's a little bit of everything that's the problem. You see, as a photographer/artist, I want my work in as many people's hands and homes as possible. I want my name out there and in order to do that, I had it in mind and practice to price my work inexpensive and reasonable but now I'm finding that could be a problem because should the case be that I do get my name and my work out there, I'd be known as a cheap photographer and so would my work. I don't want to be known as that and what's funny and sad at the same time is that my friend has been telling me this in the past and I'm JUST finally getting it!
So am I going to start selling my photographic work in the thousands now? Definitely no. I'm not (well)known all that much yet. I still have to crawl before I walk. I will however stop undervaluing my work both in selling my photographic prints and in my freelance jobs. As far as my print selling, I think I'll be doing a two pronged approach. I'll start offering more quality prints. Not saying my previous prints are not quality or bad but I'll start doing more better quality prints. Digital Cs and Inkjet prints which will cost more than what I've printed in the past but they will be more better. I'll also still sell the more affordable prints so people who can't afford hundreds of dollars in one print can still buy my stuff. All said, now, all of my prints will be priced according to the value of my work, my skills, and how great the photo itself is.
As far as my freelance gigs, I've got to stop being as nice as I am. I've had paid gigs before but I've priced those jobs really cheap and I've done more free stuff than I've done paid. I'll probably still do the free thing on certain conditions...a friend etc. but they'll be much fewer than I've done in the past. I'll be asking for more in compensation also.
I'm (finally) taking a stand in my work. Why did it take this long? I'm going to put more of the blame on my arrogance, stubbornness, and ignorance than my propensity to be nice on this one.