Selling your work

[dr_zero]

I have had some request made for some of my pictures but Im not sure what is fair.
One was a 24x36 print that was framed and they asked how much would like that cost I low balled and said around $50 cause they were a friend and they were kinda taken back.
I thought that was pretty good the print alone is $25(with shipping) and the frame around $20 so that left $5 for my time and my work that is a steal!

So what would you consider fair for a 8x10 and on up in size?

 

[TheLionKing]

What is "fair" is determined by the buyer and seller and the "market"..... and only when both parties agree will there be a sale.

In your particular case, I would say that 5 dollars for your time and effort above the costs for printing and framing is very reasonable, but then the buyer looks at the total cost for what they are getting to decide if there is enough value in it for them.

Fair Value and Perceived Value do not always match.....

 

[Anewman]

between friends FAIR usually equals FREE, that is kinda joking.

 

[dr_zero]

between friends FAIR usually equals FREE, that is kinda joking.

I dont like them that much LOL

 

[Tuffcookie]

Dr Zero,

I have sold framed & matted photos before. For 8 x 10s I believe I charged $20 (could have been $25. It's been awhile).

If you are doing it for a friend I don't think $5 should be considered profit. After all, you had to drive somewhere to get the supplies (if you framed it yourself).

TC

 

[dr_zero]

What is "fair" is determined by the buyer and seller and the "market"..... and only when both parties agree will there be a sale.

In your particular case, I would say that 5 dollars for your time and effort above the costs for printing and framing is very reasonable, but then the buyer looks at the total cost for what they are getting to decide if there is enough value in it for them.

Fair Value and Perceived Value do not always match.....

I agree with you there I looked up a similar print and frame set up and the least expensive set up I could pick and it was $154 + shipping and that was close to $40 for the framed print.

I dont expect that for my location and the current economic situation but would still like to maybe get some ideas of what would be a good price for like 8x10 and the likes.

I have sold framed & matted photos before. For 8 x 10s I believe I charged $20 (could have been $25. It's been awhile).

If you are doing it for a friend I don't think $5 should be considered profit. After all, you had to drive somewhere to get the supplies (if you framed it yourself).

Hey thanks for the suggestion! I saw it after I had posted

I was thinking a along the same lines maybe a little less depending on layout and frame quality.

Yeah I fixed the frame and trimmed it myself so like $5 over was really nothing the way I was looking at it LOL


Speaking of does anyone know where to get some decent inexpensive frames?

There used to be a mail order place I used years ago but lost track of them, and in Atlanta there was a place that had like last years models pretty cheap but this was all years back.

 

[ChrisinNJ]

Speaking of does anyone know where to get some decent inexpensive frames?

I buy a lot of frames in Kohl's. They are on sale all the time. Do you have a Christmas Tree Shop nearby? My DH buys frames there alot. He has a laser engraver, so we buy plain wooden frames and engrave them. They are great for inexpensive 8x10s 11x14 and smaller. Not sure how much of a selction they have in larger sizes.

For what it is worth, I would think a framed print that size would sell for at least double what you charged your friend. I have seen matted 5x7 photos locally for $20-$25. But I am sure prices also vary by location....

 

[Furgus]

I buy a lot of black metal 11X14 frames from Michaels. $6 for a pack of two. Frame 8X10's very well.

 

[frugal_mar]

I buy most of frames at AC Moore when they have a sale or I have 40/50% coupon. But I do get some at the Christmas Tree Shop, Kolh's, and Target. Sometimes Staples will have some frames marked down. I never pay full price for a frame unless I am at the Christmas Tree Shop since their prices are pretty low.

 

[dr_zero]

I buy a lot of frames in Kohl's. They are on sale all the time. Do you have a Christmas Tree Shop nearby? My DH buys frames there alot. He has a laser engraver, so we buy plain wooden frames and engrave them. They are great for inexpensive 8x10s 11x14 and smaller. Not sure how much of a selction they have in larger sizes.

For what it is worth, I would think a framed print that size would sell for at least double what you charged your friend. I have seen matted 5x7 photos locally for $20-$25. But I am sure prices also vary by location....

Thank you for the input I was thinking along the same lines but wasnt sure after their reaction LOL.

I buy a lot of black metal 11X14 frames from Michaels. $6 for a pack of two. Frame 8X10's very well.

Michaels I will have to check them out next time in the big city I forget about them, Thanks for the heads up!

I buy most of frames at AC Moore when they have a sale or I have 40/50% coupon. But I do get some at the Christmas Tree Shop, Kolh's, and Target. Sometimes Staples will have some frames marked down. I never pay full price for a frame unless I am at the Christmas Tree Shop since their prices are pretty low.

Since I have moved out to the country there is no place to shop anymore but thanks for the ideas when Im over in Jacksonville I will see what kind of places they have.

I just was thinking and I did some consulting work for a furniture company maybe they have a lead on where to order hmmm

Arg! Mornings I need some coffee too much thinking this early LOL

 

[Tuffcookie]

Kohls has a really good selection of relatively inexpensive frames!

TC

 

[jann1033]

the nature show i was at last week , cheapest i saw framed and matted was ( didn't look at every photo. didn't see any smaller framed than 8x10) $134 for an 8x10( could have been 11x14, but think 8x10), most mat only 8x10 photos were in the $25-40 range, a big photo like yours was a few hundred to many hundred. if someone i liked asked me for one, i'd give them it and let them mat/frame it themselves. i think your huge photo is worth more than $5 profit!

 

[dr_zero]

the nature show i was at last week , cheapest i saw framed and matted was ( didn't look at every photo. didn't see any smaller framed than 8x10) $134 for an 8x10( could have been 11x14, but think 8x10), most mat only 8x10 photos were in the $25-40 range, a big photo like yours was a few hundred to many hundred.

Wow guess I have been out the loop too long! Around here not many people are interested in anything like this. I figured the larger print would be more just on the nature of the size but I need to find the right market.

I have some 8x10 coming in kind of a test run to try and test the water some more.

if someone i liked asked me for one, i'd give them it and let them mat/frame it themselves. i think your huge photo is worth more than $5 profit!

Not a bad idea might do that!

 

[handicap18]

I almost always get my frames at Michael's. I wont buy them though unless they are 40 or 50% off. They are nicely made and sturdy. Not the best in the way of glass, but they look real nice (I like the solid black one's that are about 2").

I get my mat's from A.C. Moore. I believe a big sheet that is about 30x40 (or thereabouts) is about $8 sometimes $6 if I find one of the cheep one's. I bought one of the mat cutting kids a few years ago at A.C. Moore at 50% off. It ended up becoming to hard to find mat's for 8x12 prints in 12x16 frames (got the frames at Michael's). So now I cut my own.

I have bought a frame from A.C. Moore, but normally their black one's are too "fancy" looking to me. Last one I bought there was one of the plain black metal one's at 50% off. I think it came to $17 for the 24x36 to hold my 20x30" print.

 

[YesDear]

My only comment is do not sell yourself short. Over 20 yrs ago I was selling a 16x20 inch print of a seagull I took for $125 unframed but mounted on foamcore. I think it cost me about $25. These were friends and friends of family. Remember that was over 20 yrs ago.

Just do not sell yourself short.

 

[dr_zero]

I almost always get my frames at Michael's. I wont buy them though unless they are 40 or 50% off. They are nicely made and sturdy. Not the best in the way of glass, but they look real nice (I like the solid black one's that are about 2").

I get my mat's from A.C. Moore. I believe a big sheet that is about 30x40 (or thereabouts) is about $8 sometimes $6 if I find one of the cheep one's. I bought one of the mat cutting kids a few years ago at A.C. Moore at 50% off. It ended up becoming to hard to find mat's for 8x12 prints in 12x16 frames (got the frames at Michael's). So now I cut my own.

I have bought a frame from A.C. Moore, but normally their black one's are too "fancy" looking to me. Last one I bought there was one of the plain black metal one's at 50% off. I think it came to $17 for the 24x36 to hold my 20x30" print.

I have got to get over to a big city yall are killing me with these prices LOL there is nothing here but cheap CHEAP plastic jobs from wal mart in that size and price.
Thanks again for your input!

My only comment is do not sell yourself short. Over 20 yrs ago I was selling a 16x20 inch print of a seagull I took for $125 unframed but mounted on foamcore. I think it cost me about $25. These were friends and friends of family. Remember that was over 20 yrs ago.

Just do not sell yourself short.

Thank you for that! I will try to remember that its hard for me to charge people much guess Im too nice

 

[MontanaZoo]

I really haven't sold any of my own framed work myself. I have however donated a TON to our zoo (of their animals and flowers) for silent auctions and to sell outright. I think we've been selling the 8x10's for about $25, I can't remember if I matted them or not. At Michael's the mats are more than the frames...I'd love a good mat cutter, I've only had cheap ones before and they never turn out that great.

For the silent auctions, they've gone for over $50. But, that all goes to the zoo too so hard to take that whole value into account if I sold it myself outright since that's probably considered a charitable contribution for the buyer.

I sell prints (that I print off my own printer, hey it's pretty good and I actually like my printer quality better than Costco's photo quality) that are 8x10's for $5 just for the picture at the zoo. They have the zoo logo etc on them and all the money goes to support animal enrichment. That's such a niche market it's been hard to evaluate what my photos would actually bring. I've been thinking about trying them on etsy.

Oh, from selling the $5 prints and the silent auction prints I think we have about $2000 in the animal enrichment fund so far. Now we're putting paint on the animals foot when they go for a vet visit and getting prints on paper, matting them with a photo of the animal and hoping to sell those for about $50. Yes, the 2 for $6 frames at Michael's.

They also discovered that photographers like to come out and take pictures of zoo animals (shocking, I know) and want me to do a tour or class for them (me pointing, look it's a tiger) and are insisting on paying me. I'm not sure that will fly with my real job though.

 

[Experiment_626]

(me pointing, look it's a tiger)

Much better thing to hear than "Look out! It's a tiger! Aiiiiiee!!!"

and are insisting on paying me.

Those selfish jerks!

Oh, wait ...

Seriously, why would that be a problem with your other job? Just curious ...

SSB

 

[dr_zero]

I really haven't sold any of my own framed work myself. I have however donated a TON to our zoo (of their animals and flowers) for silent auctions and to sell outright. I think we've been selling the 8x10's for about $25, I can't remember if I matted them or not. At Michael's the mats are more than the frames...I'd love a good mat cutter, I've only had cheap ones before and they never turn out that great.

I have thought about donating some to the Hospice here they have the typical business pictures in there thought the folks might like something more local.

You know talking about mat cutter's I think I have a huge one put up. When my uncle passed I wound up with it but had no use for it and its been in storage the thing is huge wood and metal thing about 4-5 foot long I guess I should go get it out.

For the silent auctions, they've gone for over $50. But, that all goes to the zoo too so hard to take that whole value into account if I sold it myself outright since that's probably considered a charitable contribution for the buyer.

I sell prints (that I print off my own printer, hey it's pretty good and I actually like my printer quality better than Costco's photo quality) that are 8x10's for $5 just for the picture at the zoo. They have the zoo logo etc on them and all the money goes to support animal enrichment. That's such a niche market it's been hard to evaluate what my photos would actually bring. I've been thinking about trying them on etsy.

Oh, from selling the $5 prints and the silent auction prints I think we have about $2000 in the animal enrichment fund so far. Now we're putting paint on the animals foot when they go for a vet visit and getting prints on paper, matting them with a photo of the animal and hoping to sell those for about $50. Yes, the 2 for $6 frames at Michael's.

That would be cool to have tiger's autograph!

They also discovered that photographers like to come out and take pictures of zoo animals (shocking, I know) and want me to do a tour or class for them (me pointing, look it's a tiger) and are insisting on paying me. I'm not sure that will fly with my real job though.

LOL you crack me up up Be sure to tell them how soft their fur is also!

 

[MontanaZoo]

Much better thing to hear than "Look out! It's a tiger! Aiiiiiee!!!"
Those selfish jerks!

Oh, wait ...

Seriously, why would that be a problem with your other job? Just curious ...

SSB

My job may view this as a secondary employment and that isn't allowed. I've asked HR about selling photos and they said sure as long as I don't solicit my co-workers (since I'm the only one of my co-workers that lives in this state, that'd be pretty difficult). I'm not sure if having something regular at the zoo and getting paid for it would be viewed as secondary employment or not, have to check.

I'm betting it will be about $10-$20 and I'd rather the zoo just kept that as a donation.