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Thread: Printing portfolios, 3-part question

  1. #1
    Yes, but why? David R Munson's Avatar
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    Printing portfolios, 3-part question

    A multiple-part question (didn't feel like cluttering-up the board) regarding printing portfolios. I'm working on a long-term (or at least long-ish term) photo project right now , and when I finish it, I'm going to want to print up a group of portfolios. Not portfolios in the sense of something in a binder to show someone else (I've already got one of those) but rather a group of exhibition-quality prints to be sold together in a group. These will be archivally processed, mounted, matted, and stored archivally. So, on to the questions...

    1. How many prints per portfolio? What would you think would be a good number? I'm thinking 12-16 images total, but never having done such a thing in more than a one-off arrangement, I'm open to suggestions.

    2. How many portfolios to print? While I know at least 5-6 would go immediately once they became available, I don't want to invest the time and money in printing more groups of prints than I can sell. For this, I'm thinking 20 portfolios altogether, of which I'll put all but four up for sale. But again, given that I've not done more than one-off print portfolios before, I'm open to suggestions.

    3. Finally, pricing. How does one go about determining a price for this kind of thing? At this point I am, of course, a nobody, and as such I can't exactly charge too much for these things or nobody is going to buy them, regardless of how good the images are. The selling price has to cover the cost of production, but then how much more would it be reasonable to put on the top?

    That's it, really. If there are other things I should be thinking about, please let me know. Any insights that could be offered by those who have experience with this sort of thing would be greatly appreciated. Thanks much.

  2. #2
    Moderator Ralph Barker's Avatar
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    Printing portfolios, 3-part question

    I have no real experience to draw on in this area, David, but it would seem to me that potential buyers would fall into either of two categories: "regular" folks who want to display a group of prints by the same photographer, or collectors who want to eventually make a killing on a set of prints when the photographer in question becomes famous and regularly sells individual prints for several thousand dollars. In either case, 12-16 prints strikes me as a large number. Unless, that is, the subject matter constituted more of a photo essay, or excerpts from a published book.

    Pricing for a group of prints should, I'd think, represent some sort of discount from single-print prices (the old bulk-buy concept). Where to set those prices really depends on your target market, and what that market will bear. Prices vary substantially by geographic region, and by demographics within each region.

  3. #3

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    Printing portfolios, 3-part question

    A helpful article on this topic was written by Howard Bond, in Photo Techniques. I believe it was in an issue within the last 1-2 years.

  4. #4

    Printing portfolios, 3-part question

    Ok from my experience on portfolios I have seen, I have not seen one that comes with the prints mounted and matted. Usually they come in a very nice custom made box with the prints inside and archival interleaving between the prints. If I were you I would spend more time in pricing and getting a nice custom made box than mounting and matting all those prints. In the end I think the expense will be about the same.

    Before you decide on the amount of portfolios I would examine the experience you have selling in galleries. HAve you done any solo shows in reputable photo galleries or museums? How well were your prints received? did you sell any work? I think if you answer these questions then your questions will resolve themselves. For instance if you had a solo show, and you sold 10 prints, then you can infer that your work was liked, well received and you would have a reasonable demand for your portfolio. If OTOH you only sold one or two, perhaps you should work harder on getting your name out there, submitting to magazines, putting on more shows etc, so that you can create a demand for your work and can have a reasonable expectation to sell your portfolios in the future. I dont mean to discourage you, but perhaps if as you say you are a total unknown, perhaps it would be best that you present each body of work as a coherent collection of single prints, and perhaps in the future offer them as a portfolio if the images are well received and have a demand.

    This also has to do with pricing, the portfolios I have seen have been from well known phtographers who then decided to offer the body of work complete in one presentation. I have never seen one made from an unknown and perhaps that in itself is an indication that it would be a hard sell. If you examine the costs I think you will see why. For example lets say you get the box as I mentioned, and since you are getting 20 the maker gives you a break and each cost you $50. Now then, you say you want at least 12 images in the portfolio, lets say that bottom price, dirt cheap you are willing to sell the portfolio for what it would amount to $75 per print. AT this point you are up to $950, now double that, the gallery wants its cut so each portfolio would retail for $1900. I think few people will be willing to pay this for a portfolio from an unknown unless your prints are absolutely out of this world. If you charge less, then it wont be worth your time, materials and effort.

    The disclaimer of course is that I have never done it, these are my observations from what I have seen done and it does not mean you wont be succesful at it. I wish you luck in the project.

  5. #5
    Yes, but why? David R Munson's Avatar
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    Printing portfolios, 3-part question

    I've seen portfolios put out both in the form that you described, Jorge, as well as in the way I'm planning to do it. My reason for leaning towards matting and mounting the prints and ditributing them in that way stems mainly from the fact that I'm particular about the way my images are matted and really wouldn't trust anyone else to do it right. I also just don't like to see my prints unmounted unless they're sitting in a box on my bookcase for reference.

    I have not done a gallery show yet, but have had fairly good success selling prints in the past, despite the fact that I generally have not promoted my photographs as being for sale while I've been in college (the last 3 years or so). Meaning that when I've sold prints in the last few years it's been because people specifically ask for them.

    The pricing will probably be the biggest challenge of this whole thing. Also, after some thought, it seems I might be better off doing a group of about 8 images at this point. It'll be a good six months at least before this really gets off the ground, though, so I've got plenty of time to figure that kind of thing out.

  6. #6

    Printing portfolios, 3-part question

    I've seen portfolios put out both in the form that you described, Jorge, as well as in the way I'm planning to do it. My reason for leaning towards matting and mounting the prints and ditributing them in that way stems mainly from the fact that I'm particular about the way my images are matted and really wouldn't trust anyone else to do it right. I also just don't like to see my prints unmounted unless they're sitting in a box on my bookcase for reference.



    I understand your reason David, but let me offer an opinion. If you present your portfolio mounted and matted, the purchaser will not only be examining the art work but the presentation also. This might work in your favor or it might not, as particular as you are they might also be and dislike the way you did it. Why dont you leave that option open to them? After all if they paid for the portfolio they are no longer your prints, and the person who buys them should be able to decide how they want to present them.

  7. #7
    Yes, but why? David R Munson's Avatar
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    Printing portfolios, 3-part question

    I guess to me an unmounted print just doesn't look right, especially if it's something I've charged money for. I'm a perfectionist through and through and I'm just not comfortable with selling something that I'm not satisfied with visually, and an unmounted print falls into that category.

    Good food for thought, though.

  8. #8

    Printing portfolios, 3-part question

    I don't know where you are located and what galleries are in your area or possibly with which galleries you have had dealings, but I would suggest that the best answers to your questions would come from gallery owners who are in the day to day business of selling photographs. They should know what sells, how to price images, and how best to present them. I would be interested in knowing what they think...

  9. #9

    Printing portfolios, 3-part question

    I've done this and Paula has done this. I even produced a portfolio of twelve photographs way back in 1970 when I was a new photographer. The twelve prints originally sold for $100 in a pre-publication offer and $150 afterward.

    Our editions have run from an edition of three to an edition of twenty-five. The number of prints has ranged from eight to twenty-one. In a year or two, Paula will produce a portfolio with only five photographs. Whatever works for you. There is no right or wrong here.

    In our portfolios our prints are mounted and overmatted. I have seen many, many portfolios--these offered by galleries and those offered by individual photographers. From what I have seen, the prints are always mounted, though not always overmatted.

    They always come in a nice portfolio box or other elegant binding. "Portfoliobox, Inc." in Rhode Island is who we use now for this. To save costs, you'll need to get all of the portfolio cases made at once. Prohibitive otherwise. I forget what the prices are, but it could run to a couple of two thousand to four thousand dollars for twenty nice cases. And the case must be nice--fine cloth, foil stamping, etc.

    Then there are the text sheets. There needs to be a title page and a list of prints. There also needs to be a colophon page and if you want to make a statement, or have someone else write an introduction, that would require a page, also. You should plan on signing one of these sheets. These sheets should be on a fine art paper. We use Arches. The paper and the letterpress printing for three sheets will cost about $800 for three sheets, as I recall, even if the text is minimal.

    The portfolio should be a coherent group of prints with a reason for them to be together. A portfolio should not be a collection of greatest hits.

    All of the prints in the entire edition should be printed at the same time. You want your portfolios to be absolutely consistent. Papers change and if you were to finish printing the portfolio at another time you risk having them be inconsistent.

    Because of the cost to produce a portfolio, both the text sheets and the cases, as well as the cost of making the prints and matting and mounting them, unless you are wealthy, it is advisable to sell, at a very steep discount, advance copies. This will provide the money to make the portfolio and give the opportunity to your best customers to get an extremely good deal, for which you hope they will be eternally grateful and continue to later buy individual prints from you at full price.

    Pricing: a discount per print from your single-print price.

    We just conducted a "marketing your photographs" workshop this weekend. We did not discuss portfolio production, but we will next year.

    And we are publishing a series of books of all of Brett Weston's portfolios--16 of them. Stay tuned about that.

    Other:

    A few years ago someone suggested I write an article about portfolios. Here were the questions he asked me to answer:

    1. What are the good reasons to do a portfolio? Is simply wanting to add such a thing to one's lifetime output a good enough reason?

    No. There needs to be a reason why these prints are together.

    2. What are the first steps?

    Selecting the photographs. Must be a coherent group. Have said this now for the third time. It is the most important thing.

    3. How do I select the images?

    Carefully. They should flow together, from one to the other. The sequence you put the photographs in the portfolio is important. Sure, the buyer can switch them around or take some out, but your list of titles becomes a record of your intention.

    4. Where do I get a box?

    Portfoliobox, Inc. There are other places, too.

    5. What all needs to be in there?

    Text pages.

    6. Do I need to make/mount/stamp/etc. all of the prints at once? Can I just do half of the edition?

    Print, mount, stamp, all at once. "Stamp." I almost forgot. Each print needs to be noted on the back with full information as to what it is and that it is print number "x" in portfolio number "y". Needs to also have the title of the print and the title of the portfolio.

    This information can be done in pencil on the back of each print. (Tedious.) Or you can have a rubber stamp made up and just fill in the print number, portfolio number, title. Or you can have letter price text made up on fine paper which is then dry mounted to the back of the print and the information then filled in. Kind of like an elegant rubber stamp.

    7. How do I market it?

    Start with your regular supporters. Then, prepare a brochure--another serious cost--could run thousands of dollars--and construct a mailing list and mail it out.

    8. Should I "retire" the negatives?

    Perhaps. Perhaps not. That is another very long discussion. I have done it both ways.

    9. How many images? How many portfolios?

    Your decision.

    10. What exactly are "artist's proofs?"

    Prints or portfolios that are not for sale, but that remain the property of the artist. Usually one or two are sufficient.

    11. What is the biggest mistake in doing a portfolio?

    Not having a coherent group of prints or a clear reason to do the portfolio. Doing a portfolio just to do it. It should mark the end of a period or a significant body of work.

    Bottom line: Producing a portfolio is a serious undertaking--something not to be done lightly.

    There's more, but there should be enough here to give you food for thought.

  10. #10
    Yes, but why? David R Munson's Avatar
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    Printing portfolios, 3-part question

    Thanks so much for all the great input. This is why I love this forum! This is definitely something I'm taking quite seriously, which is part of the reason why I'm starting to do all the research 6-8 months in advance of when I'll actually start to put something together. Thanks again.

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