Lowering my prices

[The Photo Tuell]

After having 13 pictures hanging in a busy coffee shop for a month and only getting one sale (half price coupon to one of the coffee shop employees) I'm going to adjust my price list a little.

First I messed up by making my prices 'Tax included' because it makes things look more expensive to the consumer. So now my prices are 'Tax not included'.

I use white mattes and Neilsen black metal frames. Here's the list...

20"x30" print only - $200, framed - $300 (20"x30" Colorplak permanent mounting, cheaper than real framing)

12"x18" print only - $95, framed to 18"x24" - $155

11"x14" print only - $65, framed to 16"x20" - $120

8"x10" print only - $30, framed to 11"x14" - $75

5"x7" print only - $15, framed to 8"x10" - $40

4"x6" print only - $8, framed to 5"x7" - $25

Pricing is tough. You don't want to go too low and devalue everyones hard work. Camera equipment, gasoline for travel (over $2 a gallon for regular!), getting up early, getting prints done, it all adds up and photographers shouldn't give their work away like I see some doing. Finding the right price point to get sales yet still make a profit is tough, hopefully with this adjustment I'll sell a few more.

It's kind of funny, when I first started thinking about selling pictures I was looking at other photographers prices and thinking they were too high. Now I know a picture is worth more than the paper it is printed on. I just can't forget that 18 hour day that I drove over 500 miles (by myself) for one or two sale-worthy pictures. ;)

[Laziferous]

Are you having prints made at 20"x30" of images shot with your G2? If so, how's the quality?

I know what you're saying about prices though. I get a lot of co-workers wanting to buy prints from me (matted and framed). The very first one I sold was to my old boss. He stuck his neck out to get me hired, so I sold it to him at cost of materials. Others keep asking to buy, but want the same price! (which was $40.00 for an 8"x10" )

I can't do that all the time. I'm really flattered that they think anything I shoot is worth buying... but still... I have to make something. They get offended when I give them a reasonable price ($75.00 for an 8"x10" ), because they always compare it to what I sold the first one for.

I think I'm going to just tell them I won't be able to sell to co-workers any longer, and look elsewhere for sales.

Good luck man, hope you sell them all!

[dewmuw]

The Photo Tuell wrote:
gasoline for travel (over $2 a gallon for regular!),

Come and live in the UK - petrol is about £3.30 a gallon (or $5.50 I think that works out at!!)

I can see that it is tough to get the pricing right. One thought though - are you selling them in the right place? I know that at my local farm/coffee shop no-one would look twice at a photo for £100, but would if it was £20. That's just the nature of the people and the reason they are there. However, in a local gallery, people wouldn't necessarily look at a £100 print - but would if it was £300. Make sense?

I guess what I am trying to say is that placing is often as important as pricing.