How to put on a gallery?

[kat]

Hey all. I've been MIA lately. Lots of crazy things going on..hoping I'll slow down in the next couple of weeks.

As some of you know, I am 99% sure I will be relocating soon. With that, I've been asked if I will sell prints. Website isn't done, and won't be completed too soon ( we are opening up a new business and that takes precedence).

However, I have a crazy amount of people that would love for me to do a gallery.

I've decided to do one print limited editions (20 photos max), maybe more? The reason for one print is that the photos will all be of this area..and truth be told..the people who want those are the ones that live in this tiny town..and I don't want copies everywhere. I think people should feel happy they got the only one (besides what is on my wall of course).

Now..what goes in to a gallery show? I've never been to one.

Any and all tips please!

Thank you!
Kat

[Marko]

I think that's great Kat!
First tip is...do you have a place that will show your work?
Second tip - GO to a gallery show if you have not been to one. Preferably photography...but that's not mandatory. I have many tips on this...but this is a fairly long endeavor, so start with the basics before we talk about the lighting on the photographs when exhibited.

also did a podcast on this, tips there will likely apply http://www.photography.ca/blog/?p=117

[kat]

I think that's great Kat!
First tip is...do you have a place that will show your work?
Second tip - GO to a gallery show if you have not been to one. Preferably photography...but that's not mandatory.

I have three places I have in mind..two I have to talk to the owners and see if they will do it sans charge but I'll bring people in.

I would love to get to a show but that won't happen with me stuck in no mans land. :(

This is really out of my norm. It's hard to put yourself out there, your work. I've never put myself in a place to..don't know the word.. but show off in a way. Oh dear..that makes no sense.

[Marko]

Start small then - let us know what kind of place it is (coffeeshop, bar, bowling alley large, small - well lit - how much space for your photos- - how many photos they want)......and we can give more suggestions....
Just throwing out blind tips won't be useful to you.

EXpect this to cost you several hundred dollars in framing, matting etc.

[kat]

Start small then - let us know what kind of place it is (coffeeshop, bar, bowling alley large, small - well lit - how much space for your photos- - how many photos they want)......and we can give more suggestions....
Just throwing out blind tips won't be useful to you.

EXpect this to cost you several hundred dollars in framing, matting etc.

Thanks! I'll get more info to you as I get going.

Yah..we've estimated $1000 or more for all that.. it was a big decision for sure

[Kawarthabob]

Do you have a portfolio? This is a great place to start as only your best goes in there. Also most exibits i have seen that display an artists work have a theme by any given artist. There might be numerous artists with different styles but each artist has their own unique style or "theme". Another idea is to get in with another photographer ( double the exposure right?) Another way of looking at this would be ( i read this somwhere) align yourself with people who are better at it than you , that way you yourself will become better and a gallery is a great place to start. Who knows, you might start something new in the art community where you live!

[AcadieLibre]

Hmmmmm, I do have an opinion on this, but heading out so I will give you my two worthless cents worth when I get in later. There are lots of things to consider and also want to think how to word it without sounding like the arrogant jerk ........ good subject by the way, we have discussed this in the past I do believe and I will explain the route I took and why.

[kat]

Thanks for all the input.

In two weeks time I'll be showing some photos at a yearly show they are putting on at the legion for all the artists (all diverse) in the area and I was asked if I would set up a table with my photography. I guess no one in town but myself does it. I won't be able to sell any photos but I can hand out my cards (info).

I am thinking of doing the gallery end of March early April. That is when the hockey ice is out of the arena, fishing is done, and no one has much to do.

I have to remind all, that I live in a town of 3000 people. This won't be a fancy affair nor big. The people that would come..would be those that I have met since moving here..and those that follow my photography.

To be really honest. It took me a little while to say yes to this. I'm one of those people that can always do better and nothing is good enough. I look back at photos that once were my babies and they no longer seem good enough. BUT..this is a big but..I am moving. I have so many people that want a photo of this or that, their "home town" photos before I go. There is a demand (yah..that is a wierd feeling and thing to write down) so I figure I should do it. But I want to do it right..if that makes sense.

[AcadieLibre]

I know this a bit old, but I have been busy and my last show was extended for two days so it was a good 3 week run and I am pleased with how it went, just wish more opening nights were as fun as my last show and I sell as many prints in that time frame as I have this time.

I made mention I would think about this and reply because I used to think that was they way it should be done, starting out with small shows, doing restaurants, etc. Deciding to put myself out there for criticism, platitudes, or whatever came my way was not something I was comfortable with but not really a people person and despise the spotlight, be it good or bad. So making all these decisions was hard and I almost fell into it so to speak. I used to do this sort of thing many years ago but was on more of a do it as I felt like it and the Art market and scene were not what I remembered them to be from my last excursion into this. It has been one hell of an eye opener is all I can say and my thoughts on where one should start has also changed along with the change in the arts market. I am also in a transitional period of my own as far as my own work goes.

First is I have a manager, this I fell into and never thought I would have such a thing, and secondly until I had one I had no idea they even existed. That has to do with my permanent gallery, ( well permanent until they or I get tired of one another lol). She arranges about half my shows and the other half I track down and set up on my own but I know at least at her gallery I always have a few photos hanging. They do take a cut of sales but I know most galleries charge commission, so this is a set percentage so I know how much to mark up my photos to take this cost into account. Any gallery or space you deal with make sure before you do anything you get in writing what they are charging for commission. Secondly always get a receipt for the work you are leaving there. They can be your best friend but always get everything in writing, I just know this from being an old guy not just from the art stuff. Now when I say I know how much to mark up my work I have gone with the most expensive percentage I ever heard of, have not paid it yet but it is something that all my work has already priced in so I am not adjusting pricing from one show to another, doesn't look good and just too much work. So first figure you can pay as high as 35% commission on your works. I have not paid those costs yet but I factor that high commission into the cost off the bat because I would still let them sell my work as I have that cost worked into my price already. I do all my own printing so it is another cost you need to add into your pricing if you do it yourself or contract it out. Now I print my own because I want total and complete say over every step of what I do. I have a problem letting anyone else touch anything I do.

I will get back to price in a moment and sorry for the looooong drawn out post but nothing I can say in a short space and you can see I digress often lol. Price has to wait now until we factor in these other components. Rarity, skill, your market, etc. all need to be taken into account. I started out to do runs of 10 prints of any photo in total. I realized that what I was asking might make that an issue, so I now no longer post anything of mine that has not been on the web on the web, and like a painter or sculpture I only do one of anything now, no runs, no limited editions, one, that's it. I do not encourage anyone to follow my lead here but it is in my best interest based on my pricing and market I am in. Based on all that I had come to decide on nothing costing less than 4 figures not including to .00 lol will be put on the market by me. This was a decision I made before I ever sold a single photo. I thought long and hard about it. Do I want to be on of the millions of people with cameras or do I find my own work to be such it is unique enough and printed to the highest quality that I can therefore ask for x amount of dollars for my work. I still recall my first sale, I could have been knocked over with a feather, nothing at that point mattered but I had sold a single photo for that price, this of course causes other problems like selling enough in a year to make a living off of.

Now I have decided on what I am going to charge it had an effect on where I could hang. I cannot sell at the price I am if it is at anything but a gallery, people rarely if ever buy expensive art from a restaurant lets say. The decisions I made actually put me into corner because it does really limit where I can sell. I knew this but you know what I rather go back to running my recording studio then whore my work out for cheap just to sell them, far too much pride in myself for that. So I would swing for the fences (lord a bad American analogy lol). You have very limited audience, seems like demand for your work is there and do you really want everyone to own one and do you want something you create to be looked upon as throw away art? Would it not be better if you sold 3 or 4 at a higher price and make your works even more in demand? You also have limited opportunity to show your work so I would say avoid anything that is not a gallery but I would be wrong in your position. Hang wherever you can while you live in that small community and if you move then look at where you hang but your limited now and need to accept it and go with the flow.

I would never tell anyone else how to sell what they do (even though I just did, but more suggestions then telling) I can only speak from decisions I have made and what I have seen in the market. Cameras are now like paint and brushes, just because anyone can afford them does in no way mean they are photographers in the same way it makes someone who owns the equipment to paint a painter. Technology can change that makes even the most inept person take great pics, but there is to me a huge difference from someone who takes pics and a photographer. I also do not compare myself to anyone, there at my last show was another photographer and her work was a 1/5 of mine, she sold more pieces but I made far more money. I think I was in the market 2-3 months before my first sale and other people I know were selling work a couple of pieces a week and I was questioning my original decisions but I hacked it out and it worked for me. Every time now I put a photo on the market, I feel ill, doubt, question my decisions but I made them and I am willing to live with them. To be successful at a fine arts photographer you need to be different than everyone else in some way and I have found out much to my chagrin that personality also has a role but it is what it is. I hate opening nights, I am not a real people person but when I have to I can be. It is no different in many ways to anything else I have done in my life, you sell yourself to sell your product.

Also doing shows and where you do them will have an impact on what grants your entitled to. This is the one thing I was unaware of going into this, and this is for Canadians only but there are grants available so where you hang may affect you should you ever want to go for one. Each province and city have their own grants as well as the feds, your tax dollars so if your entitled go for it. I am sure many other countries have grants but you will have to look for them, the Ontario and Canada ones I know about. Also you need to retain your rights of your image when you sell and if any Canadian needs a sales form with the right wording and ready for print I can email you a copy to use. If anyone wants they can PM me for a form or if they have any questions for me or ask me here. As I stated these are opinions based solely on my experience and that is it, so you can take it, part of it or none of it, your call. I also realize my experience is much different from many others and I at times just seem to fall into things.

[kat]

Thanks Acadie!

I am going to have to reread this..I only have a couple of mins here! But I think I got most of it!

There is definitely a lot to consider and think of.

And when I get back on and reread, I'll pop a message your way. I would love to see a copy of the receipt. I never even thought of that..and to be honest..my wording sucks..

I will get back..I do have a question or two!